I Kneel Before No One | Harry Potter

F I F T E E N

E V A N O R A couldn't believe her cousin Harry's questionable decision to give an interview to someone known for bending the truth. "YOU DID WHAT?" she exclaimed, drawing attention in the great hall. Without hesitation, she grabbed Harry by the ear and pulled him away.

In pain, Harry defended himself, "I didn't have much of a choice. What's so bad about Skeeter?" Evanora sighed, "She'll twist your words and make you look like a complete idiot and failure." Harry, still rubbing his ear, asked, "How was I supposed to know?"

Evanora let go of Harry's ear and replied, "I'll have to catch you up on the public standings. You're a lord now, Harry. You have to be ready at all times and know everyone." The weight of his new responsibilities dawned on Harry as he realized the repercussions of his actions.

"Come on, we have Charms." Evanora led the way with Harry following. "Are your friends still ignoring you?"

"Yeah," Harry said sadly, nodding his head.

Evanora hummed; she'd speak with the two later. It had been days since the announcement, and yet his two friends still weren't speaking with him. That also went along with his entire house. A person's house is meant to support them in every way, no matter if they are right or wrong.

"Please don't do anything."

Evanora glanced at Harry. "I just want a conversation." She picked up the pace, walking quicker to Charms.

"Wait! What are you going to do?" Harry shouted, walking faster to catch up with her.

"You'll find out later."

It was now later after dinner. Harry was nowhere to be found. Evanora went over to the Gryffindor table. She sat in front of Ron and Hermione. Ron scoffed, getting up from his seat.

"Don't leave on my account."

Hermione narrowed her eyes at Evanora. "What do you want?"

"To talk about Harry. You're his friends and yet you don't believe him, but you believe everything else. You'd rather listen to everyone else's opinions instead of what Harry told you out of his own mouth."

"Harry put his name in the Goblet; he always steals the spotlight!" Ron said, glaring at Evanora.

"Jealous much? From my understanding, and I've known Harry much less than you have, Harry never wanted fame or glory. Everything he's done has not once been for his benefit. It was to do the 'correct' thing. He was raised to be nothing more than a servant; to put it on paper, he's coping with the magical world just as you are, Hermione."

Evanora stood from the seat. "Some good light wizards you are."

She recognized the looks on their faces: guilt. They were hiding something from Harry, friends, the exact reason she didn't do large groups of friends.

Tanzanite came soaring to her, fully grown to his actual size.

"There are dragons in the forest, being held in cages."

"Dragons in the forest," Evanora murmured, a mix of concern and anger etched across her face. She mounted Tanzanite, his powerful wings spreading wide flying off. The forest flickered with fire, and distant roars echoed through the trees.

As they approached the source of the disturbance, Evanora and Tanzanite witnessed a group of wild dragons, agitated and uncontrolled, causing chaos in the heart of the forest. The creatures clashed, their primal instincts overpowering reason.

"Stand down! Do not put chains upon them!" Evanora's voice thundered through the forest, reverberating off the towering trees, her eyes ablaze with a fierce golden light as she confronted the encroaching darkness. With a graceful leap from the back of Tanzanite, her trusted companion, she strode forward towards the majestic dragons, her every step resounding with determination. "They will not harm you. Please, calm yourselves," she beseeched in the ancient tongue of the dragonlords, her words carrying a weight of centuries-old wisdom and empathy.

"A dragonlord? A descendant of Merlin," murmured a dragon voice in awe, as Evanora turned to face the bewildered onlookers.

"Who dares command here?" she demanded, her gaze piercing through the shadows.

The keepers hesitated, but a fiery-haired figure stepped forward, his expression tinged with skepticism. "What business does a mere student have meddling in affairs she doesn't understand?" he scoffed, his tone laced with arrogance.

"Charlie Weasley," Evanora declared, her voice unwavering. "As an Emrys, it is my solemn duty to ensure the welfare of all creatures, especially the noble dragons. The legacy of my blood demands nothing less."

With a heavy heart, Evanora acknowledged the sad truth that with the Emrys family's disappearance, the once-vigilant guardianship of dragonkind had faltered. She knew she must revisit the dragon reserves, to ensure that the sanctity of these magnificent beasts was preserved.

"They must be confined for the tournament's sake," insisted Charlie, his voice betraying a callous disregard for the creatures' wellbeing.

Evanora's eyes flashed with righteous indignation. "Dragons and their kin are not mere pawns for the amusement of tournaments! Especially not nursing mothers and their unborn offspring. They are sacred, and their safety must be paramount."

"The mother and her eggs are integral to the tournament," Charlie retorted, his gaze challenging Evanora's resolve.

"Do you not understand the gravity of your actions?" Evanora implored, her voice laced with urgency. "You, who claim to study and protect dragons, cannot stand idly by as their progeny are threatened with destruction. The very essence of your oath demands more."

Charlie's resolve wavered, but his allegiance remained fixed. "There is no use appealing to the headmaster. All have sanctioned this folly."

"Then I shall speak to the headmaster in the morning," Evanora declared, her voice ringing with unwavering resolve. "For the honor of my bloodline, and the sake of these noble creatures, justice will prevail."