I Kneel Before No One | Harry Potter

N I N E

T H E day Evanora had double potions was one of her most favorite days. Potions were different for her—completely different. They weren't something she could conjure with her wand or a flick of her hand.

Potions were delicate, complex, complicated, and could easily go wrong.

They gave her a challenge. She didn't practice potion making in Azkaban. After all, most couldn't even practice magic there; she just so happened to be one of the rare cases.

Evanora strolled out of the Great Hall, walking towards the dungeons. No matter where she went, she always felt someone's eyes on her.

She tried not to let it bother her too much. Just as she reached the staircase to go into the dungeons, the very voice she never thought she'd hate so much to hear called out to her.

"Emrys!"

Instead of stopping, she continued on her way further down the staircase that got darker as she went.

While there were other feet hitting the pavement of the stairs, she could point out the ones that were moving a little faster than the others. Straight to her.

"Mother wants to meet you."

She ignored Malfoy but responded. "Narcissa Malfoy, born as Narcissa Black. I suppose I can talk with her. She's family after all, a strong one at that. Just like Bellatrix. Both just caught up in the ways of the world where they didn't have a choice."

Malfoy nervously chuckled next to her.

Evanora glanced at him before looking forward again. "You wouldn't understand. Being born a male. You wouldn't last a second being a woman. When you're expected to be nothing but a servant. It disgusts me!" She sneered.

"How do you think I feel? I'm nothing but an object to my father."

"Then rebel." She ended up walking into the classroom, sitting next to Alexa who skipped breakfast.

Snape walked into the classroom, his robes billowing behind him.

"Ingredients are on the board; you will be making the Draught of Peace. This is an advanced potion. I'm testing to see if any of you have an actual brain inside your heads. Get started!"

Powdered Moonstone
Syrup of Hellebore
Stewed Mandrake
Powdered Unicorn Horn
Powdered Porcupine Quills

"Draught of Peace. I've read that somewhere," Evanora said out loud more to herself.

"It's in our textbooks, Evanora, page 305."

Ignoring her thoughts, she turned to the page, reading the instructions.

Over the next hour and thirty minutes, she brewed, stirred, and added the ingredients until it looked exactly how it was described to be. However, Evanora couldn't shake the feeling that it was missing something.

She was always taught there's more than one way to do anything, especially magic. Magic is always flowing, changing its course.

The point of a wizard or witch is to guide that magic, whether it's inside or outside of them.

Evanora knew she shouldn't experiment with potions with so many people around, but she knew the potion was missing one ingredient. It wasn't essential, but it would take it to the next level.

She remembered a fairly old book she read during the summer, one that talked about the different Draught potions. The Draught of Peace—if you added just less than a pinch of sage to the potion, it helps to expand the stress-relieving essence of the potion.

She searched for Sage until she found it. Taking out just a few specks, she dropped them into the potion, watching the beautiful turquoise blue glisten even more, as if it had a bunch of glitter mixed in with it.

Snape began his criticizing of the students' intelligence. Some were able to finish, some did okay, and some should go back home.

"Ms. Black," he leaned over into her cauldron, "very impressive. Though you have certainly been a character this year, with your experimentation."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Class dismissed!"

+++

That night Evanora snooped around the castle. She was glad she did. The very scene she saw in her head was happening that night.

She followed Professor Lupin and Harry into the classroom after he was confronted by Snape.

She watched as Lupin specifically told him about how his parents hadn't sacrificed themselves for him to repay them by walking about with a map with everyone's location.

Something you should never say to a child, especially one who had no control over what happened.

Harry didn't ask to be born, for his parents to be killed, to be famous, to be the chosen one, for everyone to look at him like he knew the answers.

How could he? He didn't even grow up in the wizard world. He is still growing, developing. He is still learning about who he is, about his past.

Evanora's words made him rethink everything. He began to write down the things she said to him. While her words were always clear to her, they weren't to him.

She knew what was going to happen. He simply didn't.

She knew so much more about herself and what she wants to do. Yet when he looks back on everything he's done, it's never been for him. It was always for someone else. He hasn't learned anything about himself just of what people expect him to be.

He realized after their last argument in the hallway over the holidays. She always gave hints to him.

Her first-ever hint to him was to learn about those around him and his enemies. That would mean Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore, Malfoy, Voldemort, and maybe some of the Weasleys. He had to learn their secrets to know how they truly felt about him.

And for that, he figured he should get a blood test done. Evanora clearly had to get one, especially since she has her Lady and heiress rings.

Harry walked out of the classroom, leaving a stunned Lupin.

"You finally find out, Lupin," Evanora called out, making herself visible.

"Ms. Emrys-Black. Why am I not surprised."

"I'm simply seeing to people learn the truth for what it is. You've figured it out. Why Sirius escaped because Peter Pettigrew is alive. He's been alive all this time. Your hatred grew towards the wrong person."

She turned to walk out of the classroom.

"Don't talk to Harry like that again either. You could've taken in your best friend's child but didn't. Some friend you are."

She walked out of the classroom into the dark hallway.