If You Leave Me Now // Marauders

Chapter Fifty-Six

June 30th, 1978 Potter Manor

"Three people died in the attack, and four were injured," Fabian reported leaning his elbows on the table.

"This shouldn't have happened!" Alastor grumbled, "We need to be better prepared. Constant Vigilance."

"Two people died," Dumbledore spoke softly, "Alexander Oakby was assassinated prior to the attack."

"Assassinated? What kind of people does he have on his side that can accomplish that?" James asked.

Evangeline held her composure, looking directly into the eyes of Dumbledore at the head of the table. It seemed that he wasn't prepared to share every amount of information with the entirety of the Order.

"When will you meet with Voldemort again, Evangeline?" Alastor asked.

"I'm awaiting his owl as we speak."

She had alerted him to her success the night before, via her patronus. There was more to her assignment, she knew. It wasn't a coincidence that she was sent to kill a man that was already dead. He knew, and she was being played.

Her mind began to drift as the considered the possibilities.

It was possible that he knew she was a spy. Voldemort could have known all along that she didn't plan to remain loyal to him, and just wanted to prove it to himself. It seemed as though she was being set up in the worst of ways imaginable, and he was hoping that it would cause her to crack.

Before she realized, the Order had dispersed after finalizing more protection for St. Mungo's, promising to meet again if there was any new information.

"If I may, Evangeline," Dumbledore nodded towards her, asking for a moment of her time.

The room slowly emptied out, and Evangeline took the seat at Dumbledore's right.

"I fear that your position has been compromised."

Evie nodded, "I fear that as well. He knows, doesn't he?"

Albus clasped his hands together on top of the table, "He may not know for certain, but I believe him to suspect. Underestimating Tom has always been a flaw of mine."

"What do I do, Albus?" she breathed, rubbing at her forehead.

It was becoming a bit much, doing the right thing. If they would have gone with her, she would have taken the Marauders and fled the country the minute they stepped foot outside of the walls of Hogwarts.

"You meet with him. See what he knows. I trust you have protective measures in place?"

She subconsciously nudged the ring on her right thumb, nodding in affirmation, "Have you had any more luck finding the horcruxes?"

"I'm afraid not, my dear. It seems that, with Voldemort rising to power quicker than ever, people are hesitant to tell his secrets."

"How far do I go to keep the charade, Professor?"

"As far as necessary, Evangeline. We haven't got anything."

It truly seemed, to Evangeline at least, that they were batting blind.

July 6th, 1978 Oleander Residence

She had succumbed to sleeping within the Oleander library, searching for answers. The act of making a horcrux was so undocumented that she had torn apart the library, shelf by shelf, for three days before finding one singular book that mentions them.

It read,

Animae possessio was used to prepare a receptacle for the placing of a fragmented piece of soul within it, thereby allowing the target to become a horcrux, tethering the caster to the mortal world, preventing death. There is no known way of reversing the magic of a horcrux aside from deep remorse, known to be more catastrophic than the original horcrux formation.