Breaking Free- Fred Weasley

Chapter 77

*Unedited*
Eva's POV

The next day I collect a terms worth of work from Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, McGonagall, and Snape before meeting Tonks. Only after I had the most brief yet awkward conversation with Dumbledore. All he had said was "Welcome back Miss Black." It had felt like he knew exactly why I was back as he stared into my soul. Then, within two minutes I was excused.

Later, when I finally see her, Tonks looked just as bad as I did. Her bubblegum pink hair was now a brown-grey mix and her eyes were just as grey as mine.

"Eva," she pulls me into a light hug. "Thank Helga you're okay. What happened?"

"Well," I hesitant. As much I hated to lie and give the fake story Bellatrix had fed me, I couldn't risk Remus and Fred's life. "T-they took me somewhere, a cage. I barely got any food or water. One day the man who feed me was hurt so I took his wand, stunned him and made my escape." I fumble with my hands, waiting for Tonks' a trained Auror to tell me how bad of a story it was but it never came.

"That's horrible. I-I've got to go Eva, but I'll stop by as much as I can." Tonks waves and disappears in an instant. Something was way off with her, she looked as much of a ghost as me.

The next few days, I can't get a moment of alone time. As much as I missed Kala and Luna, I needed to get rid of them to meet Draco. And it wasn't just them who was following me, word got out that Eva Black had returned to Hogwarts and students and even reporters followed me everywhere. Everyone wanted to know what had happened in the eight months I had disappeared. The Golden Trio had come up to say hello, well only Harry really, but he had seemed just as horrible as I was. Our conversation was short and steered clear of Sirius, but it was nice to see the younger boy again.

I spent my time trying to start catching up on schoolwork since Kala and Luna refused to leave my side but I couldn't with Kala's constant chattering. "Eva, what do you want to do for your birthday today?"

"What?"

"It's your birthday. Your eighteenth. We've got to celebrate and-" I slam my Charms book closed.

"Why would I want a bloody birthday party! What do I have to celebrate! Could I just get one hour of peace from you clinging onto me!"

"I'm sorry I missed my best friend and cared for you after you disappearing for eight months! And you won't even tell us where you were or what happened!" Kala screams right back at me and I see Luna shrink away a little.

"You weren't the one in a bloody dungeon for eight months having to-" I stop myself before I say, look my father's killer in the eye. I grab my books and the map, which was still in my trunk, and storm out of the room. Using the map I avoid everyone I can, and follow Draco who was walking on the 7th floor with two other Slytherins Crabbe and Goyle. When I finally reach where Crabbe and Google were standing, I find two little girls and no Malfoy on the map. It only takes me a second to recognize the Room of Requirement where D.A. meetings used to be held and I sigh.

"Ehm, er you two!" the two little girls who I assume is Crabbe and Goyle under Polyjuice Potion turn towards me scared. "Can you get Draco I'm supposed to help him." The two eye me then turn towards each other and start shaking a loud can.

"What do you need! Oh er-Eva come in." Draco appears from a door and gestures for me to follow him. We enter a huge room with loads of books, desks, shelves, bird cages and other things thrown in the room. We walk around different piles until Draco leads me to the infamous Vanishing Cabinet.

"So what spells have you tried on it?"

Draco looks at me funny. "I wasn't expecting you today, since it's your birthday-"

"I don't care about my bloody birthday!" Draco flinches and I sigh. "I'm sorry I just...don't want to talk about anything other than this cabinet. Our lives and the people we love depend on us fixing it."

"Of course. Here," he hands me a book titled Repairs on Magical House Items. "I've been going through those. I've already tried all the spells in a book about damaged wooden items and one of the spells worked. I had sent a bird through one time and it didn't come back at all. After that spell, when I sent a bird through it came back but was dead."

I flinch involuntarily. "Do we have to use animals?"

"We have to send through living things, and I'm not about to test a person each time." I ignore Draco's sarcasm and sigh.

"Fine we'll use animals, though I don't like it. Hand me the book."