C h a p t e r S e v e n
F i r e p l a c e M a g i c
The next day after classes, Evelyn went to the school owlery in hopes that her father's owl, Evard, would have returned with a letter from her father.
When she arrived, she was pleased to see the dark feathered owl was perched on one of the stone ledges. In its beak was an envelope with a her name wrote neatly on the front.
Evelyn Black
Evelyn took the letter from Evard gently, which she had learned prevented the creature from biting. She opened it excitedly, glad to see that it was indeed her father's handwriting. She checked that no one was entering the owlery before she began to read.
My dearest Evelyn,
I am pleased to hear that you returned to Hogwarts safely, I was terribly worried after hearing what happened at the World Cup. But I knew that I would never be able to convince you to stay away, something I am both proud and frustrated with.
As much as I'd love to ask you about your classes, I need to know more about Harry's name being pulled from the Goblet of Fire.
You are a very intelligent girl Evelyn, and I know that you already understand how dangerous this tournament is. Something is going on at Hogwarts. You need to be extremely cautious especially with the Drumstrang Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff being at Hogwarts.
We will discuss this later. I need to speak with you and Harry. On Saturday night, I want you both to go to the Gryffindor Common Room at 1am. Make sure no one else is there, I shall see you then my little girl.
Please be careful,
Love always, Dad.
Once Evelyn was finished reading, she was quick to fold the letter and put it into her robe pocket.
She smiled at Edvar, passing him a treat which he eagerly nibbled on.
"Good boy," she praised. "Now you should head home."
Evelyn watched as the bird took off with a leap, watching as it glided gracefully into the distance. When the owl was out of sign, the girl exited the tower to find her friend and tell him of her father's plans.
*****
Saturday night arrived quickly much to Evelyn's relief. At exactly 12:55am, the young girl snuck from her dorm room, careful not to wake her sleeping roommates, and headed to the common room to meet Harry.
When she got downstairs she found Harry staring at a copy of the Daily Prophet which lay on the arm chair of one of the couches.
"Wow," Evelyn stated causing the boy to jump. "What an interesting choice of late night reading, not at all narcissistic," she joked.
"You scared me," Harry replied.
"Atleast I'm wearing jeans and not shorts, right?" She asked with a smirk.
Harry instantly turned red at the comment. "How-how...? I don't know what you mean," he denied.
"Ron told me."
"He did, did he?" Harry questioned in a rush. "I really hate him right now."
"It's okay, he didn't do it to embarrass you. He gave me a row about it last year, to 'never wear those unless your in your room'." She explained with a laugh.
"Any chance we can forget it?" Harry asked sheepishly.
"Nope," Evelyn popped with a smirk as she sat down in the nearby chair to pick up the newspaper.
"Didn't think so," he laughed nervously.
"You should stay away from interviews with Rita Skeetar, she didn't exactly capture your image. 'Harry Potter, age 12, suspect entrant in the Triwizard Tournament. His eyes swimming with the ghosts of his past and chocking back tears-'"
"Alright that's enough!" Harry interrupted as he grabbed the paper and threw it into the fireplace.
"Don't worry I did the same thing earlier," Eve laughed.
It was then that the splattering of ash embers caught the attention of the two teenagers. Both approached the fireplace to see that a face had formed in the burning coal.
"Dad?" Evelyn asked in shock, she had never seen magic like this before.
"Hello, darling." he greeted causing his daughter to laugh in amazement.
"Sirius. How-?" Harry begun.
"I don't have much time, so let me get straight to it. Harry did you or did you not put your name into the Goblet of Fire?" Sirius questioned.
"No!" Harry replied.
"I had to ask. Now, tell me about this dream of yours, you mentioned Wormtail and Voldemort. But who was the third man in the room?"
"I don't know," the boy admitted.
"You didn't hear a name?"
"No, Voldemort was giving him a job to do, something important."
"And what was that?" Sirius asked his godson.
Harry hesitated before answering. "He wanted...me, I don't know why. But he was gonna use this man to get to me. But, I mean, it was only a dream, right?"
"Yes, It's just a dream," Sirius spoke, and Evelyn had to admit that her father was not a very good liar.
"Look, Harry, the Death Eaters at the World Cup, your name rising from that goblet, these are not just coincidences." Sirius explained. "As I already told Evelyn, Hogwarts isn't safe anymore."
"What are you saying?" asked Harry.
"I'm saying the devils are inside the walls. Igor Karkaroff? He was a Death Eater. And no one, no one stops being a Death Eater. Then there's Barty Crouch, heart of stone. Sent his own son to Azkaban."
"You think one of them put Harry's name in the goblet?" Eve asked.
"I haven't a clue who put Harry's name in that goblet but whoever did is no friend to you. People die in this tournament," Sirius warned.
"I'm not ready for this, Sirius."
"You don't have a choice," Sirius stated.
Evelyn turned quickly as she heard footsteps, she noticed a silhouette on the staircase.
"Someone's coming," she warned.
"Keep your friends close, both of you." Sirius rushed.
"Love you dad," Evelyn whispered.
"Love you, darling."
Both teenagers moved away from the fireplace just as Ron reached the last step. "Who were you talking to?" He asked them both.
"What? Who says we was talking to anyone?" Harry asked, faking innocence.
"I heard voices," Ron stated.
"Maybe you're imagining things, wouldn't be the first time."
"Harry!" Eve snapped.
"You're probably just practicing for your next interview, I expect."
Ron turned to the staircase after glaring at the two. Evelyn watched her brother sadly before she decided to follow him.
"Ron wait," she called. When she caught up with him, he was close to entering the boy's dormitories on the left side of the staircase. "Look, you two need to sort this."
"No we don't, I'm not listening to anything he had to say." Ron argued.
"He's you're best friend Ron!"
"And you're suppose to be my sister!"
Evelyn looked at the boy sadly, "I will always be your sister Ron, but Harry is my best friend. And he needs our help right now."
Ron let out a sign, which made Evelyn hopeful but her brother was stubborn leaving her disappointed when he spoke. "Night Eve," he said before turning away and continuing to his dorm.