𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗻. ✭

𝟎𝟏𝟗. you can never kill a protector

"why—"

but her words seemed to drift away from her mouth as she followed lani's eyes to where they were planted across the great hall. about five feet away was benjamin, unpetrified, dashing down the hall with a huge grin on his face. rory spent no time bolting in his direction.

"benji!" she screeched, jumping into his arms. her arms wrapped around his neck as he giggled into her shoulder. "oh, benji, you're alright!"

"'course he is," lani laughed, her and carina now joining in on the hug. "you can never kill a protector."

rory, lani, and carina then pulled away, revealing benjamin to the rest of them. 

"ev?" he smiled. "you miss me?"

evelyn let out a scoff, "not a chance."

but her words were said as she rushed towards him tearfully, embracing him. she felt his arms close around her and she closed her eyes, afraid that if she opened them again this would all be some sort of dream. yet when he pulled away and she opened her eyes, there he was. benjamin, their benjamin, as real as ever.

"ginny," he then said, sighing. "merlin, gin, how did you get caught up in all this?"

"i could ask you the same question," ginny shrugged as she grinned sheepishly. "i'm sorry, ben."

"couldn't get upset at you even if i tried," he smiled. "i have to give it to you lani, you were right about one thing this whole time."

lani smiled broadly as the others looked between them in confusion. "i had told him that i thought ginny had something to do with all this during christmas. i didn't think you'd be working right alongside the dark lord himself—but doesn't sound so stupid after all, does it?"

benjamin shook his head at lani's small remark and ginny bit her lip, mumbling another, "sorry."

"it's good to have you back," owen stepped forward, his hand outstretched. evelyn smiled amusingly at his modesty.

"i—thank you?" benjamin responded with slightly widened eyes, hesitantly shaking his hand.

max, however, turned away from them without saying a word. thea scowled as she watched him bitterly make his way back to the slytherin table.

"let's go, owen?"

"sure," he said and waved at the others. "bye!"

"bye," they all said in unison.

"bloody idiot," lani snarled in max's direction. "he's got a lot of nerve, showing up to the gryffindor table, and—"

evelyn had no interest in whatever leilani was about to pull out of her ass, so she made her way to her brother.

"hermione!" she gasped. hermione granger was sat in between harry and neville longbottom, smiling as she glanced around the great hall. "you're back!"

"hi, evelyn!" hermione got up to give her a hug. "good to see you again, i can't believe you all solved it!"

"good to see you too," evelyn attempted not to look too happy about her brief statement on them defeating tom riddle. she turned to harry, who was already looking up at her knowingly.

"harry james," she frowned.

"evelyn lily," he automatically responded.

"i told you to be careful."

"i reckon you should follow your own advice," he tilted his head at her. 

evelyn rolled her eyes amusingly, "i guess i should."