Thursday
September 17, 1977
Library
I awakened earlier than normal this morning because I've been so bloody busy lately with all my N.E.W.T preparation work that I barely have time to brush my teeth, let alone write in my precious diary. I can't handle all of this disjointedness. Soon enough I'm probably going to be so busy I will have to write multiple days at a time, and that wreaks havoc on my perfectionism.
Anyway, this week's been going as usual, aside from the Bulstrode thing. Dumbledore announced his expulsion during dinner the following day - said he was endangering the lives of other students. From my vantage point I could see Avery exchange an awfully unpleasant look with Nott and Snape, and something in that look told me that this was only the start of the 'student endangerment'. No one's mentioned anything about the ring.
Detention is same old, same old. Black attempts to make conversation and I attempt to ignore him. It's for the best, really, because he has this habit of saying things that make me annoyed and then he might end up with bats flying out of his nostrils, and that's not really much fun for anyone.
Luckily, our detentions end on Sunday, so only four more days of certified horror to go!
I guess the only unusual thing was the four boys all falling asleep in class yesterday. I mean, they do this at least once a month, but why? I don't know. Maybe they're performing some sort of cult sacrifice under the full moon. To be perfectly honest, I don't want to know.
Thursday
September 17, 1977
Muggle Studies
After the unfortunate incident with the paperweight, Professor Bunt has taken to mostly ignoring me in class, which is good because it gives me more time to stare at Remus, but also bad because it means that Bunt avoids answering any of my questions. I mean, I may be a muggleborn but I haven't exactly memorised the details of the British muggles' political system. I mean, just because you accidentally send someone to the hospital wing doesn't mean you have to act awkward around them forever.
"Eva," Remus suddenly turns to me, "can I talk to you about something? It's sort of personal, so if you don't want to know, then speak now or forever hold your peace."
There are a very large amount of things I want to say in this moment, ranging from screaming like a pterodactyl to proposing in twelve different languages, but I decide to go with the timeless, "Sure, go ahead."
Be still my beating heart.
"Well, I mean I talked to the guys about this, but James and Sirius only sort of know her, and Peter not at all, so out of all my friends, you probably know her the best."
I'm confused. "Who?"
"Dorcas." His face suddenly glows red.
Excuse me? "Dorcas as in Dorcas the Betrayer?"
He raises a perfect eyebrow, "Dorcas the what?"
"Dorcas the quidditch player."
He lowers his perfect eyebrow, "Right. Anyway, we've been getting to know each other better this year, I mean, she's sixth year so we don't have any of the same classes, but we see each other in the library and the common room and, well, that's not the point."
I have an awful feeling about this.
"The point being," he sighs, "is that next weekend is Hogsmeade weekend, and I, well I wanted to ask her to come with me, and out of everyone I know, you know her best. So, do you think if I asked, she'd say yes?"
There are so many things I could say in this moment. So. Many. Things. Below details a short list of the ideas that were floating through my head at the exact moment he asked the question.
A List Pertaining to the Indecision of E. K. O. Bishop in Regards to a Question Asked by R. J. Lupin concerning D. ?. Meadowes.
1. I'm sorry to tell you Remus, but I think that that is a terrible idea. Dorcas would never go out with you. Ever. In fact it was only this morning at breakfast that she told me she despises you.
2. Pterodactyl screeching.
3. Absoluutselt mitte (which may or may not be Estonian for absolutely not).
4. The sound an adult tricycle makes whilst being hacked up with a blunt, rusty axe and simultaneously dragged across the pavement.
5. Yes? Also, no?
6. Excusez-moi? Voulez-vous que je meure de chagrin? C'est bon, je vais juste pleurer de dormir toute la nuit pendant trois ans.?
7. Go for it. If it will make you happy, then go for it.
Sadly, after about five seconds of thought, I decided the Gryffindor thing would be to be brave and do the right thing by my friend, so I reluctantly went with option 7. Why do I have to be a 'good person' or whatever. It's really cramping my style.
"You reckon?" Asked Remus after considering my response.
I mentally heaved a sigh. "I do*."
(*see The Short, Illustrated Handbook of Double Meanings VIII, written and illustrated by Colonel R. L. Poppywinckle)
Thursday
September 17, 1977
Great Hall
After the somewhat disastrous conversation of Muggle Studies, Potions and Transfiguration seemed somewhat dull in comparison. The only thing of interest was Isadora James and Aislyn Murphy accidentally blowing up their cauldron. I mean, she may think she's somewhat good at Charms, or whatever, but she's dating Hol Buggery, so I'm not entirely sure her opinion can be trusted. Anyway, it seems she's rubbish at potions.
It's lunch time, and Lottie is napping in her plate of eggs, as usual. What is not usual, however, is the noticeable lack of one Sirius Black. Not of course, that he has a noticeable presence, which he certainly does not, but he has a noticeable habit of annoying me, and the other three Marauders are here at lunch, playing some silly game with Peter's owl, and I am yet to be annoyed.
Anyway, I don't care where he is. He's most likely off in a broom cupboard with Aislyn Murphy. Better yet, he'd be off with Isadora James. That would mean 1) Hol Buggery would get his come-uppance for whatever he tried to pull with me (however I have an inkling that dating Isadora James is come-uppance enough, but who am I to judge the dynamic of their relationship), 2) Isadora Lames (good one, Eva) would get her heart broken by the non-committal floozy that Black is, and 3) Black delves deeper into his pit of promiscuity and romantic alienation.
A win-win-win if I don't say so myself.
On a different note, I only noticed it just recently, because I've been so distracted lately, that Selene hasn't delivered any mail since my first day. When Remus turned up to Muggle Studies today he had a fresh scar on his neck, which he said was from his owl, which reminded me about mine. My owl, that is. Not my scar. Not that I have any scars. I do, however, have a birthmark in the shape of a dog on my right foot.
Anyway, Lily has just suggested I go check on her at the owlery, so I've decided to go do that. My mother can hardly be trusted to do anything except send mail at least one a week, and when that doesn't happen, it means something's up.
Thursday
September 17, 1977
Charms
So one of the worst things that could ever happen to me ever has just happened (that is if we don't count the conversation in Muggle Studies).
I went up to the owlery to check on Selene as per Lily's suggestion, and upon entering the owlery, who did I see? For those of you playing along at home, if you guessed Sirius Black, you would be correct. The following encounter went as follows:
"Evelyn, fancy seeing you here," Black said upon my entering of the owlery. "I was just going about my business, but now that it's complete, I'll be off."
Upon further looking, I noticed, for some strange reason, Selene was perched next to him, and he had hurriedly tried to hide a small bag of owl treats away.
"Is... is that my owl, Black?"
Black tried to look confused. "Is it? How unusual. I had come up here to feed Peter's owl when she came over to me, so to be nice I gave her a treat."
"But Peter's owl is down in the great hall."
"Is it? Well I should best be getting down there then."
"Wait!" I notice Black attempting to slyly grab a piece of paper from Selene's claws, "That must be a note for me. What are you doing?"
"I have no idea what you are talking about Evelyn," Black says, edging towards the doorway, "so unless you have any immediate plans to snog me then I will bid you adieu."
"Give it to me, Black." I stare him down.
"You might not like what you find, Evelyn," he replies, staring back, a somewhat fearful look in his eyes.
I hold out my hand and he haltingly inches his way across the floor. "Remember, you asked me to give this to you," he says, dropping the note into my hand, his face sombre.
At this point my brain feels like it's freezing over. Why would he have a message from my owl? Why would I not want to read it? Has something happened to someone? Oh, Merlin, has something happened to my mother? This all rushes through my head in the seconds it takes me to unfold the paper, and after reading what it contains, my heart sinks into my stomach.
It's even worse.
Dear Sirius,
I'm so glad you received the batch of brownies I sent you - I trust you gave some to Evie as you promised, I know how much she loves them!
I'm so happy to hear that you two are finally dating! Evie's told me so much about you, and I knew that from what she said that it was only a matter of time - I may only be a muggle but I still know how boys tease girls they're interested in. In the next break you must come over for dinner some time, and if you'd like you can bring those other boys you're friends with; you all sound like a bit of a rowdy bunch but I'm sure we can handle you!
I still can't believe how quickly this all happened! It seemed only yesterday she was pining over that Remus fellow, but I knew that wouldn't last.
And thank you for sending that burn ointment! George says he's never seen a burn go away that quickly, and he's promised not to go near the stove for at least a month!
Give our love to Evie, and tell her to write us back - I haven't heard from her since the first week!
Love,
Betty.
I. I don't. My brain is struggling to process everything that I have just read. Surely this is a dream. Surely this is just a very, very bad dream and if I close my eyes and then open them I'll be in my bed, safe and sound.
I close my eyes.
I open my eyes.
The first thing I see is Black sheepishly staring at me from the other side of the owlery. His face looks as if he is in a lot of pain. I hope he is.
"You know, Eva, this could have all been avoided if you had just looked after your owl, you know. That way this never would have happened."
"Excuse me?"
"Fair call, fair call," he backs away, heading closer towards the door, "I, um, well. I think I should just let you process this, and we can talk about it again when you're feeling less, murderous?"
"Sirius Black you abSOLUTE TWUNT HEAD!" I yell, and then pull out my wand. "WHAT IN MERLIN'S BLOODY NAME HAVE YOU BEEN DOING, YOU BLOODY GIT?"
By this point in time Black has made the somewhat sensible decision to flee the owlery, accidentally knocking over a prepubescent Gryffindor, so I have to pause and help him up before resuming the chase.
I run down the stairs, following the mop of black hair two flights below me. Suddenly that mop is gone, and there's about four tapestries where he was, and after checking, three of them have doors behind them, so it would be pointless to try and follow him.
The events of lunch are, I suppose, why Black has not yet made an appearance in Charms. After debating whether or not to try and hunt him down, it was time for class, and as much as in that moment I hated Black, I loved Charms more, and decided to see what Lily and Lottie thought of the situation.
"So this is the note?" Lily asks after I told her and Lottie the story.
I nod reluctantly.
"So your mum thinks you and him are..." Lottie trails off, looking concerned.
I nod again, reluctantly.
"How long do you think they've been writing each other?" Lily asks. "I mean, it's only been two weeks since the beginning of term, so it's not like it could have been for a long time, right?"
"Knowing my mother, she's probably sent a letter every day, and knowing Black, he's probably replied every day."
"You're not going to... kill him, are you?" Lottie asks hesitantly, "I mean, you can easily write your mum and tell her that you're not actually together, and she can definitely send some more brownies... it's just that, well, he knows about Remus."
Oh, Merlin. In the horror of seeing correspondence between my mother and Black I hadn't considered the Remus issue.
"I'll get Potter to make sure he doesn't say anything, Eva, don't worry," smiles Lily reassuringly.
Lottie raises an eyebrow in her direction.
"What? We talk, you know. You kind of have to when you're Head Boy and Girl. Besides, he already knows about the Remus thing, and he hasn't said anything for a reason, so I'm sure that he can convince the prat not to breathe a word."
"It'll be alright, Eva," Lottie pats my shoulder, "there are lots of worse things that could happen."
Lily laughs, "For example, your name could be Tilden Toots," she discreetly glances at the Hufflepuff in question.
"Or you could have to spend study sessions with Martin-George McGonagall."
"Isadora James could be better than you at charms."
"She's not," I say, momentarily distracted.
"There we go," smiles Lily. "It'll be alright. Focus on charms and then we can spend the afternoon researching curses that will switch his hands and feet."
Charms. I may not be able to have a stress-free life, but I can do charms.
Monday
September 17, 1977
Gryffindor Girls Dormitory
So today has been a shambles. After the incident with Remus I thought there was no possible way that my day could get worse, but then the whole thing with Black and Selene and my mother happened. Then I figured that there's definitely no way that my day could worsen, but it did. Normally I don't write about things that happen in Divination, because it's all absolute bull, but after the events of the lesson I just had? Well, it needs to be written.
I was enjoying myself as usual, sitting with Lily, Lottie, Alice and Peter, thinking of all the interesting ways I could die in my dreams so Professor Selwyn doesn't start catching on to the fact that I have absolutely no skill in Divination whatsoever. Selwyn had decided to go over advanced tea reading skills with us today, and for the sake of nostalgia she told us that she was going to read all of our tea leaves for a bit of fun.
It was all going well before she got to our table.
She read Lily's leaves and said that she saw some grass, which means that Lily will get some public recognition for her efforts, but the way that it was positioned meant that it would be in a few years time. Lucky Lily, she'll probably invent some sort of potion at 21 and her legacy will live forever.
Lottie got a club and a cross so she will soon be enjoying "an attack" and "trials and suffering" so good for her. Knowing Selwyn she'll probably give that one to every second person.
When she got to me, she paused for an awfully long time before saying something. "Evelyn, I, well I don't really think that I should be reading out your tea leaves, I'm worried they might upset you."
Because Lottie's "attack" and "trials and suffering" just made her feel warm and fuzzy inside? "No, it's quite alright. Hit me with it."
"You might want to sit down for this," Selwyn warned.
I was sitting down?
"I'm afraid, my dear, that you've got," she paused for dramatic effect, "you've got the Grim."
"The what?" I raised an eyebrow. If I had three eyebrows I would have raised two of them, but it doesn't work as well when you raise two eyebrows with only two eyebrows. Anyway.
All of a sudden, and to everyone's surprise, Peter started laughing.
Selwyn looked very alarmed. "The Grim is an omen of death, Mr Pettigrew. I fail to see why you find this funny."
"It's because," Peter managed to choke out between fits of giggles once he managed to finally calm down, "the Grim is a big, black dog, and Eva got it. She has the dog in her future."
Lily stifled a snort, and attempted to turn it into a cough at the last second.
"I think you need to be more serious, children-" Selwyn started, but was cut off by a renewed bout of laughter from Peter, who had been joined by Lily.
"Actually, Professor, I think we need less serious, or at least Eva does anyway," choked Peter, tears streaming down his face.
After contemplation of this incident and reviewing exactly why my so-called friends found this so funny, I have come to the conclusion that they are all completely bonkers, and need to have their brains checked out. I mean, it's not that funny. In fact, in my opinion, I don't think it's funny at all.
"This is an omen of death, now QUIET DOWN, students," Selwyn shrieked. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for your absolute callousness in the face of a very serious and terrible situation."
That sobered them down a bit.
"I'm not sure I can handle anything else this lesson, so you're all dismissed early," Selwyn said, fanning her face.
Poor Selwyn. She was just trying to look out for me, I guess.
We waited for Peter who was scribbling something down on parchment, his face still bright red, before we left the classroom, most of my friends struggling to breathe and me feeling absolutely bewildered.
Peter muttered something and the parchment disappeared to who knows where, and we started walking back to the common room.
"You know, guys," I said after they would not stop their incessant giggling. "I'm actually feeling quite offended that you're laughing about my imminent death."
"Oh do you honestly not get it, Eva?" Laughed Lottie. "Come on, just think about it."
"Yeah, Eva," Peter added, "I mean, it's been foretold. There's a Grim in your future, a black dog just waiting for you."
"Well I have no idea what they're on about, Eva," Alice chimed in. "They're all bonkers if you ask me." She patted my back reassuringly.
"I completely agree with everything that everyone is saying." Black suddenly appeared from behind a painting of Grilda the Great's defeat of the Troll Armies in 1512. "Except for Alice; even though she's right about having absolutely no idea what everyone's talking about, our friends are most definitely not bonkers."
"Well some of them are your friends, Black," I replied.
"You wound me, Eva," Peter clutched at his heart. "I thought there was nothing I could do that would make you disregard our friendship."
"Oh shove off, Pettigrew."
Peter gasped loudly, "I'm actually considering taking twenty points from Gryffindor for your absolute callousness in the face of a very serious and terrible situation."
"Okay, enough guys, enough," intervened Lily, who had recovered sufficiently to speak, it seemed. "Just know that today, on the seventeenth of September, in the great year of 1977, Professor Florence Selwyn told us all that Evelyn Katherine Olivia Bishop-"
"See! I knew you had an Olivia in your name," Peter interrupted.
Lily cleared her throat and shot a glare in Peter's direction. Black hit the back of Peter's head.
"As I was saying, this is the day that everyone here in this very hallway, bar Black, was personally informed by a somewhat credible seer that Eva has a large, black dog in her future."
Like a light bulb flicking on, not that most people there would have known what a light bulb is, it all clicked. To be perfectly honest, I would rather the death option over any inkling or inclination that my future was going to have anything to do with Sirius Black.
I remember the day we all found out. It was the beginning of sixth year, and Lily, Lottie and I were arguing about Amos Diggory. He had broken up with me a month earlier to pursue more 'adult pursuits' or whatever that was supposed to mean. Lily was trying to tell me he was a git and he had been a git to me the whole time we were dating and I was just too blind to see it (but, I mean, he was a Hufflepuff, and Hufflepuffs never hurt anyone, right?).
I staunchly refused to believe that Amos Diggory, perfect Amos, Hufflepuff, Head Boy, would ever purposely seek to hurt me, and so I yelled at Lily that she had absolutely no idea what she was talking about and she called me a blind, oblivious imbecile and Lottie was trying to calm us down (and failing terribly). The whole situation was a complete shambles, to be honest.
I remember when Amos and I were dating that Black was particularly annoying, always getting up in my business and doing things to ruin my life. Amos told me that he thought Black had a crush on me, which was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard.
Anyway, I was annoyed at Lily, it was the wee hours of the morning, and Marlene and Alice had given up on getting us to shut up so had cast muffliato on their beds to sleep. I was fed up and left the dorm where I decided, of course, that this whole situation was Black's fault, and if he hadn't kept annoying Amos he wouldn't have broken up with me, and Lily wouldn't be yelling. I stormed over to his dormitory and was about to give him a piece of my mind when I saw him, Potter and Peter, jumping around the room as animals. Remus was asleep on his bed, he looked awful, and almost as soon as I had thrown open the door it was slammed in my face.
I heard a fair amount of scuffling and muffled yelling before Black opened the door again, without a shirt on, mind you, as if he hadn't just been jumping around looking like a dog. They eventually spluttered out a story of becoming animagi - Peter, a rat, Potter, a stag, Black, a black dog, and I was also informed that Remus' animagus form was a wolf. Potter offered to pay me off with fifty galleons if I kept my mouth shut, but I was too surprised to say anything and ran back to my dorm, where Lily was ignoring me and Lottie trying to sleep.
Obviously I told them, except it was the next morning, and the marauders were shooting furtive glances at me. Lily eventually got fed up and asked what the looks were about, and so without thinking I blurted out, "Black revealed himself to me last night."
"That was oddly sexual," She replied.
Remus choked on his pumpkin juice.
Anyway, back to the present after that more than unnecessary flashback. I really need to get a grip. Okay. Present.
Whilst my juvenile friends were laughing about my so-called future with Black, I decided to high-tail it out of there, because after everything that had happened today, did I really need more negativity in my life? Thankfully they decided to let me unopposed, and the next time I ran into any of them was when I saw Black for detention, where he decided to ask if I would like peonies or roses at our wedding. I told him I'd like him to walk down the aisle with antlers on his head, and if he was so keen on discussing the details we could practice the antler bit now. That shut him up.
So that's the update for today. I'm about to leave for my night patrol with Lily, which shouldn't be at all eventful, so I shall bid you adieu, diary.
~~~~~~~~~~
AN: I hope you all enjoyed this chapter - it was lots of fun to write and updated a whole lot faster than the previous chapter (thank Merlin for that, right?).
Special thanks to my awesome book wench (beta) Catriona who edits my work to look like I'm halfway decent at English, and also Izzie, who both helped develop ideas for this chapter. You're both great.
The header today is another of Eva, because we can never have too much of her, and if you've forgotten what she looks like, here you go. This is mostly her expression after the downright awful day she's had (will Black ever give her a break? Probably not).
Anywho, thanks so much for reading, and remember to vote and comment any ideas or thoughts you have on the story!
OXO