Evelyn Ross and the Prisoner of Azkaban [COMPLETED]

36. Reminiscence

My eyes widened as I looked at Draco. "How?" I whispered back in wonder.

"Not now, people might hear. We'll talk about it tomorrow. Let's get some sleep."

I moved my gaze back towards the starlit ceiling and wondered what Draco could possibly have learned from the conversation we'd just overheard.

Did Draco really want to help Black to kill Harry? I couldn't let him do this, of course! Still, I wondered if Draco would really be up for it if it should ever come to something like that? From what I'd seen so far he was more talk than action anyway. Nevertheless, it would be good to pretend to help Draco until I could meet Black. I just had to find a way to make sure Draco wouldn't get to meet him. Easy peasy, right?

The next morning it took me a moment to realise where I was. I quickly remembered and cast a look around the Great Hall. Hundreds of students lay cuddled in their sleeping bags, or were already sitting up and talking with their friends. There was a cosy feel to it, like we were all camping together.

"Morning," I heard Tracey lazily say next to me. I turned around to greet her back, but her eyes widened in shock when she saw my face.

"Ev, your face! Your make-up's gone!" she whispered in alarm.

Shit!

I jumped up and wanted to make a run for the common room and hide the ink markings that were still as clearly visible as two months earlier - so much for Tracey's theory about skin renewal... - but when I got up I looked at the broad face of Millicent.

Upon seeing my face, she snickered and called for Pansy. When Pansy saw my face she burst out laughing. And she wasn't the only one, as several people around me had now discovered the markings on my face.

Tracey took me by the arm and led me out of the Great Hall. Once outside, I just couldn't contain my rage.

"How dare she smudge my face with Everlasting Ink! What kind of a person does that? She's so messed up! This whole school is so messed up! There's a killer on the loose and he was in the castle yesterday. He could've murdered all of us What the fuck!"

Angry tears streamed down my cheeks. Everything came together in one, huge emotional fit. Tracey held me tight and I couldn't help but sob, inadvertently wiping my nose on her shoulder.

"I know, it's all messed up. But come on, magic is totally worth it!" she grinned. I let out a sigh. She's right; it's all so worth it.

She put her arm through mine and we walked back to the common room where I quickly put on my make-up to hide the markings again.

As Tracey and I left the girls' bathroom, we ran into Draco.

"Evelyn, can we talk in private for a moment?" Draco asked me with a sidelong glance at Tracey.

"I've got some stuff to do for my Arithmancy class, I'll be in the library," Tracey said to me with a wink and I rolled my eyes in response.

Draco took me by the arm and led me to a corner of the common room where no one could listen in on us.

"I know how we can find Black," he started and I listened intently to what he had to say.

"When Snape and Dumbledore were talking last night, Snape mentioned that he had his doubts when Dumbledore hired a new teacher, right? He was also insinuating that this new teacher could've let Black into the castle." Draco gave me a moment to let this sink in.

"Alright, so who are the new teachers? Lupin, I suppose? Anyone else?" I asked.

"Indeed, there's Lupin and then there's Hagrid, who has been at Hogwarts a lot longer, but was only appointed a teacher this year. These are the only two. My bet is on Lupin, though. My father told me that Lupin, Black, Potter's father and another one were close friends when they were at Hogwarts together. What if Lupin and Black are still friends and Lupin helped Black get into the castle?"