Quiet in the Eve

Back to Hogwarts

Evelyn and Joseph walked along the platform with their parents at the end of the week. Evelyn was looking forward to going back to Hogwarts. She wanted to see Helen and Laura. When they were on the train after saying goodbye to their parents, Joseph pulled her aside.

Joseph: (in a low voice) Can you not talk to anyone about what I told you about Sam? He made me swear not to tell anyone.

Evelyn: (reluctantly; sighing) Yeah, alright. I won't tell anyone, Joey. I promise.

Joseph: (sighing; relieved) Thank Merlin for that, Yaka.

He walked down the corridor of the train. Evelyn found Helen in a compartment and sat down just as Laura opened the door. Evelyn had to catch tongue between her teeth to stop herself from telling Laura that Samuel liked her.

When she quickly turned her head to the window, she did her best to hide the fact that she was massaging her tongue from the excruciating pain she'd given herself. Laura looked at her.

Laura: Evelyn? Are you okay?

Evelyn: (nodding) Yeah. I just bit my tongue.

Laura: Now, why would you do that?

Evelyn: (turning red) No reason. Just an accident.

Evelyn didn't think Laura believed her until she shrugged her shoulders and kicked her feet up onto the seat before her. Evelyn took a long sigh of relief that Laura hadn't questioned her further.

The rest of that ride, Evelyn, Helen, and Laura sat in silence. Helen and Evelyn played a game of Exploding Snap with Helen's new deck. She said her father had contemplated about getting it for her, but eventually caved when his fiancé said that she have to have fun every once in a while.

Evelyn: (looking at Helen) Your going to have a stepmother? Why didn't you write to me about it?

Helen: (turning red) Well, because I don't really like her. I think she's just after his money, because she's a lot younger than him.

Laura: (looking up from her book) Is he happy with her?

Helen: (looking at Laura; sheepishly) It appears that way, yes.

Laura: Okay, and is she happy with him?

Helen: (looking at the floor in embarrassment) Maybe. Yes.

Laura: Well, then they're just a couple with an age gap. I wonder if it's you who has a problem with her, Helen.

Helen: (looking up at Laura) What do you mean I have a problem with her?! I'm the damn reason they met!

Helen stomped out of the compartment. Laura tried to get up and follow her, but Evelyn grabbed onto her wrist and pulled her back down.

Evelyn: It's not wise to disrupt the Nundu when it's at its anger peak.

Laura: (looking at Evelyn) Are talking about magical creatures, or your best friend?

Evelyn: (rolling her eyes) I'm making a metaphor. What I mean is, let Helen calm down before you try to talk to her again.

Evelyn and Laura waited in the compartment for thirty minutes before the door opened again. Helen stood there; her eyes as red as tomatoes. She had been crying. Evelyn stood up and hugged Helen, rubbing her back and stroking her hair soothingly.

Evelyn: (in response to Helen crying again) Shh. Come on, Helen. It's okay, we're here for you.

Helen held tight to Evelyn's shoulders and didn't let go until they heard the train whistle blow out long and clear to signal that Hogwarts was less than ten miles away. Laura, Helen, and Evelyn changed into their school robes and sat and waited.

Helen explained that her father first met his fiancé when Helen was eight. She'd ran away into the park to hide during a game and when her father went looking for her, he ran into Emory. 

Evelyn: Ugh, I just hate Emory. Don't get me wrong, you can be a good person with that name, but I hate it to my soul. A little girl named Emory once pulled my hair to get her turn on a slide before me. (laughing to herself) Of course, she didn't go before me on the slide. She ended up in the classroom, with the teacher plastering her knee up.

Helen and Laura laughed at her as she finished her story. Evelyn started to wonder how Emory turned out in the end. Did she change in these eight years?