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The last Hogsmeade trip of the year was coming up and unlike the years prior Lina wasn't joining her friends, instead, she sadly waved them off watching them get smaller and smaller until she could no longer see them. Instead of spending the day browsing the shops for last-minute Christmas presents and then going to the Three Broomsticks for drinks Lina was going to spend the day in the library.
Lina took the long way to the library, she went up to the third floor along the corridors, stopping occasionally to talk to a portrait or two but before she managed to get to the stairs she was dragged into a classroom.
Lina stumbled at the sudden change of direction, her bag nearly falling off her shoulder, she glared at the twins who were standing before her grinning, Fred was holding the Marauders Map.
"Evangelina" they cheered.
"Twins" she cheered back, her glare replaced with the cheeky smile she only got around her trouble making friends "what can I do for you, shouldn't you be going to Hogsmeade enjoying freedom."
"We will be," George said.
"But we've been thinking," Fred said.
"A dangerous thing" Lina joked.
The twins ignored her "that it's time for the three of us to pass on our knowledge into someone else" George said.
"Do you have all the secret passages remembered?" Fred asked.
"Yes," Lina answered.
"Good," they said.
"We've decided it's finally time to give away our beloved map," Fred said.
"To who?" Lina asked "Ron."
The boys scrunched their faces up "no, Harry."
"Oh" to Lina to made perfect sense, although the twins didn't know, Harry was the son of one of the men who made it and the Godson of another, he had as much right to the map as Lina did "sounds like a good idea to me, although we all know he'll use to it sneak out the castle" Lina pointed a warning finger at the boys "you make sure he's safe alright, that if he does sneak out he doesn't get caught nor in any trouble. Promise?"
"Of course."
"Alright," Lina sighed and gestured to the door "enjoy Hogsmeade."
***
Lina went straight to the library after that, she spent an hour revising her worse subject Arithmancy until after accidentally setting the book on fire she gave up, she stuffed the chared book back in her bag, making a mental note to write to Andromeda and ask her to pick up a new copy from Diagon Alley for her. She was about to leave when she saw the MM engraved into the desk she was sitting at, of course, how could she not realise this was her mother's desk.
Lina smiled and traced the engraving with her finger, she thought back to the mirror of Erised, her mother smiling at her. Lina vowed when she returned home from the summer she would raid her attic and beg Remus to see all the photobooks he had.
Lina ran a hand through her hair as she left the library, her mind left from thoughts of the desk back to the Arithmancy book, her magic was getting out of control even if it was only subtly Lina could feel it in her core and while she may she show it, it was scaring her, so much so, she had made excuse after excuse why she shouldn't go to her lessons, Lina was sure Professor McGonagall was beginning to notice as well.
"EVANGELINA!" The voice of Harry ricocheted off the walls Lina turned around and saw Harry storming up to her, Ron and Hermione trailing after him.
"Harry," Lina said surprised at not only his tone of voice but the furious look upon his face.
"Did. You. Know" he said through gritted teeth.
Lina swallowed scared where this was going to go "know what?"
"That your dad betrayed my parents and got them killed." Lina opened and closed her mouth, she couldn't her mouth, she couldn't lie. Lina nodded "you knew all this time and you kept it from me."
"It wasn't my place to tell you," Lina said in weak defence.
"It wasn't-" Harry scoffed "is that why you've been avoiding me this year?"
"Yes?"
"What, did you feel guilty for lying to me?"
"I didn't want to keep it from you," Lina said near tears.
"Then why did you!" Harry screamed getting closer to Lina, she stumbled back.
"I'm sorry."
"Sorry!? You're Sorry, my parents are dead because of your dad. Every time the Dementors come near me I hear Voldemort killing my mum, and the worse thing he doesn't feel bad, he's in Azkaban and the Dementors don't even affect him as they should."
"I know" Lina a tear rolling down her cheeks "I know, they were my Godparents and-"
"I don't care" Lina kept moving backwards until her back hit the wall"I hate your father and I hate you."
"Harry mate," Ron said trying to pull Harry away from Lina but he just shrugged Ron off.
"No Ron" he directed his look to Lina "I hate you, every time I see now all I see is your father and the fact that all this time you knew why my parents died."
"Harry-"
"Don't talk to me" Harry spat and left leaving Ron and Hermione looking at Lina. She was holding onto the wall for support, she felt sick.
"I'm sure he didn't mean it, Lee," Ron said.
"Yeah, he was angry, we all say things we don't mean when we're angry," Hermione said.
"But he did" Lina whispered "and I don't blame him, I kept the most important thing from and for what, so one more person doesn't hate me, it was selfish. Just tell Harry when you see him that I'm sorry."
"Of course we will," Hermione said.
Lina nodded and breathed in and out to calm herself, she held her hands out in front of her, she was shaking.
"Lee," Ron said.
"Yeah."
"None of this is your fault, you're not responsible for what your dad did, Harry will realise that and apologise when he calms down."
"Thanks, Ron, but I don't think he will and I won't blame him if he doesn't" Lina composed herself and found the strength to go back to the common room where she would pretend like everything was fine.
