𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗻𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗸, aleksander krum

˗ˋ 12

"What exactly happened when you were in the forest?" Harry asked, leaning forward. Out of the corner of her eye, Evie had seen him and Ron share many looks - mostly due to his newfound closeness with Evie - but now he was finally talking to him as though he wasn't the brother of the most famed Seeker in the entire world. "I don't think you said.. fully."

"I'd run away from my bodyguards again." Aleksander took the lead. It was far more than clear that Evie was reliving the experience over and over in her mind, and really didn't need to speak on the tough subject. "Then the riot and attacks started and I headed for the woods. I heard some men shouting about a little girl and her coming out from whereever she had hidden. I look across at some trees and it was Evie. Seconds later and she's stunned then and lecturing me on how I didn't have my bodyguards."

"They would have been useful." Ron commented absent-mindedly. Aleks looked over at him and hurriedly, he waved his attention away. "Nevermind, just keep going."

"I was planning on helping her find you guys. But of course, we didn't find you until Mr Crouch and the rest of the Ministry team almost had us killed." Aleks shrugged. "We saw the Dark Mark, bumped into Malfoy, tried to stay away from anyone else."

"He punched him." Evie was mostly sprawled across the back of the sofa now, wanting to at least try and force herself into relaxing and sleep. At some point in the next few hours, they would have to return to the Burrow.

"You punched-" Harry began, jaw dropped.

"That's a point actually." It seemed the point of punching Draco was only minor in relation to whatever Evie had to say as she rubbed her eyes, stifling a yawn. "What are we going to do with you?" Evelyn asked, fingernail painted green jabbing Aleks's shoulder.

"What do you mean?" He asked, hand reaching back to rescue the clover from her hair and instead tucking it in into her pocket. Behind him, Ron and Harry simultaneously cleared their throats. "Yes?" Aleksander knew instantly why they had reacted a such, but clearly Harry and Ron didn't yet have the guts nor felt comfortable enough around the Krum to confront him on this. 

"I mean, when the morning comes and it's time for us to get out of here, what are you going to do?" Evie asked, and for the first time since he entered the cosy, cat-smelling, woollen items-filled tent, the confident demeanour faded. "Unless your bodyguards come and find you."

"They won't. The Bulgarian teams' tents are miles away." Aleks looked somewhat unnerved by the idea. "I guess I could wait with someone. Find someone from the Ministry."

"Or.. you could come with us." Ron leaned forward in his seat, eyes alight with the prospect of having a Krum in his house. The idea was practically unheard of - he had never even considered that there could be someone of such fame would even come near the Burrow. "There's another mattress that can go in my room with Fred, George and Harry -" Harry wrinkled his nose at this; perhaps there wasn't as much space as Ron made out "- and I'm sure Mum wouldn't mind someone else at the dinner table for a night or two. She always makes too much when there are guests over anyway."

Aleksander looked towards Evie, who was finally drifting off into some form of sleep. She nodded wearily, head barely even moving. "I'll check with Mr Weasley in the morning. And if it's alright with Evie." He confirmed, looking back towards them.

Neither boy questioned why he needed that approval, but seemed to accept the fact that Evie was suddenly quite close with a Bulgarian beater, and the brother of Viktor Krum no less. Instead of pestering her about it, they would let her sleep, the three of them managing to find their way into what could only be a short few hours of sleep before they were awoken by Mr Weasley.

Evie let out a groan as she was woken by a shake of her shoulder. Her sleep had been fitful; and she had woken up a couple of times since her eyes closed and never seemed to get comfortable enough to full sink into it. She was right in thinking that her dreams would be invaded by the creeping Death Eaters, and it was when they appeared both times that they begun chasing her, until the dream ended with her tripping over a tree root, about to be captured.

"Evie." It was Charlie, peering over the girl. "Everyone's up, we're packing the tent away, so you need to get your stuff. Bill's making tea and I think Percy might have some toast. But Mum'll make us breakfast when we get back."

"Right." Hardly even taking in what she was just told by the man, pushing herself up from the sofa where she lay and looked around. Charlie was waking Ron, but Harry nor Aleks were anywhere to be seen. It seemed like the two friends were last awake, wiping sleep from their eyes and stretching aching limbs, which hurt from the awkward position they had slept in. 

Evie stood up, arms reaching up above her head as she stretched, quickly reaching to pick up the soft blanket that had been tucked around her at some point after she had fallen asleep. Looking around, she could see that Percy didn't have any toast left and was instead packing his bag neatly, folding his clothes over and over until they fit into his bag. Bill was on what seemed to be the hundredth cup of tea that morning, finishing the liquid with one gulp. 

"Want one?" He held up the kettle, before pausing. "I don't think there's any water left. I don't know if the no-magic rule applies after last night."

"It's fine, I don't want anything anyway." Evie waved him off, wrapping the blanket around her shoulders and reaching for her shoes by the tent flap before emerging outside. In the light of early morning, absolutely everyone was awake and rushing around, in somewhat of a competition to try and pack up their things and get out of there the quickest.

"Ah, Evelyn." Mr Weasley was by her side in the moment. "Good, did Charlie wake you up?" He waited for her to nod, before continuing. "If you can, please go and get changed and pack up your things so that we can get going. I need to get back to Molly.. and there's no doubt in my mind that a Daily Prophet article has already been published and the wizard population is descending into chaos." 

"Right.. er.. I'll be quick." Evie replied as she was sent on her way, yawning as she opened the tent flaps into the girls' tent to find that although Charlie had woken Ron up, he had only relocated onto their armchair, across from which Harry and Aleksander were... chatting.

It was somewhat of a change from last night, and only moderately aware of how much of a mess she must look, Evie raised her hand in a tired wave as the pair noticed her. "Good sleep, Potter?" Aleksander called, pushing himself up from the couch with excuses sent to Harry, who quickly busied himself with pushing Ron from the chair to fully wake him.

"I didn't get a lot." Evelyn replied, not bothering to react as he laid an arm over her shoulder and directed her towards the bedroom area. Ginny and Hermione were sat on one of the beds as they folded up their clothes, already having changed. "Bodyguards not come yet?"

"I'm coming back with you lot." Aleksander replied as she took her own seat on the end of her bed, responding to Hermione and Ginny's greetings. "I'll send a letter as soon as I get the chance. My parents are gonna kill me." 

"Well at least you didn't die last night." Evie sighed. "Sorry, I'm tired and I need to change and get out of here."

"What can I do for you?" Aleks sat besides her, Ginny carefully watching the two with wide eyes. Evie turned to look at him. "What? Name anything and I'll help. I am going to be annoying you for the next couple of days."

"And for that I am most excited." For the first time that morning, Evie flashed a smile. "Could you pass me my bag? Most of my stuff is packed, I just need to change."

And so, feeling somewhat excited by the prospect at staying with the Weasleys for a few days, despite the no doubt harrowing punishment coming from his parents upon reuniting, Aleksander did just that.

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