Splintered Heart ♱ Remus Lupin

𝖝𝖝𝖎𝖛. the second task

The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold, still air as the stands erupted with cheers and applause.

''Miss Rosier,'' Dumbledore began, a mere minute after the four champions had waded into the lake. His voice was hushed in an effort to avoid the others prying ears. ''It's certainly been a while since we last spoke properly, hasn't it?''

''It has,'' she agreed. ''The last time we had a conversation that lasted longer than a couple seconds was when you offered me this job, I believe.''

She didn't miss the way Dumbledore's eye twinkled behind his half-moon spectacles. Every time she talked to the man, it was as if a warning shiver shot straight down her spine; maybe the wariness towards him was the Slytherin in her.

''And so it was,'' he hummed. ''However, I'm afraid this conversation will be much less pleasant than the last. Tell me, Miss Rosier, do you still speak to any of your old school friends?''

The brunette shook her head. ''Sylvia has gone off on her travels; Egypt, America, Japan. As for Cassius, Apollo, Juliet, and Pollux, I have not the faintest idea of what they get up to these days. I can only imagine — after all, we were all groomed to lead the same type of lives.''

''Do you ever regret your decision?'' He wondered, his voice dropping below a whisper. ''Abandoning your destiny for the unknown?''

''If by my so-called destiny you mean abusing my power and status, then no, I do not regret my decision. I must admit, it was terrifying — I was barely eighteen — but a friend once told me to ❛pick my moment❜. I got all of my affairs in order and left in the middle of the night, in hopes of avoiding an Unforgivable Curse.''

''I see,'' he murmured. ''You are one of the lucky ones, Miss Rosier. You were able to escape the shackles your society brings, which I think is one of the bravest things one can do — to question the thoughts instilled in you from birth must be an unimaginable feeling.''

''It was,'' Evangeline confirmed. ''I might not have the money, the title, or the friends, but at least there is peace. Albeit lonely, but peaceful. Once I tasted the freedom to do as I wished, I became insatiable,'' she chattered, before a long and pregnant pause settled over them. ''Professor . . . are you— are you trying to figure out where I stand politically?''

''Forgive me for the way I approached this conversation, Miss Rosier, but you are correct,'' Dumbledore replied, started. He had underestimated the pure-blood, a mistake that was advised for him to not repeat. ''If a situation like the First Wizarding War were to arise, I wonder where you would stand. Hypothetically speaking, of course.''

Evangeline had suddenly gotten the feeling his question wasn't all that hypothetical. Nevertheless, she drew a deep breath, glancing at the lake nervously before replying. ''That is an interesting question, to say the least, Headmaster . . . I suppose I would fight for what I believe in — against the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord, that is.''

''Against your own family? Your own blood?'' The surprise was poorly concealed in his tone. ''Fear makes people do terrible things, Miss Rosier.''

''I may not be in the house where the brave at heart dwell, but I am not a coward, Headmaster.''

And with that, Evangeline had turned her back on Dumbledore and gazed out into the dim horizon. It was a particularly chilly February, she noticed, as her pin-straight hair was messily whipping around her face. A million question marks were popping painfully in her brain, until she closed her eyes and made an effort to clear her mind.

The Rosier girl was pulled back to reality once the crowd in the stands started making a great deal of noise; shouting and screaming, they all seemed to be on their feet.