The silence of the snow-covered forest was shattered by a large crack. Evan landed in the snow, many miles far away from London and Grimmauld. He flicked his wand several times, eyes moving around the dark woods, looking and listening. When the charms revealed that he was the only person within miles of the area, only then did he release his tension.
But he did not relax. Not in the traditional sense.
His chest moved as his breathing quickened. He gritted his teeth, clenching his jaw hard, eyes squeezed shut. The air around him began to shimmer and the falling snow melted before landing on him. He opened his eyes and looked around, imagining that the trees were familiar to him, that the terrain was not unknown to him.
He had come to the Forest of Dean knowing that it would be empty at this time of year. He would know after all. He and Hermione had fled here during their time trying to hunt down the Horcruxes. In the middle of winter, with a magical tent as their shelter, precious little food and other resources. That was before they returned back to Hogwarts and London and continued the fight, joining their friends and allies in the long and terrible war that had killed so many and ruined so much.
Evan had been chased by the ghosts of his past and his memories the last few days. When reaching Grimmauld, the pain within increased and he had been haunted by them, seeing his memories and thoughts all around him. He had tried to suppress them, come to terms with them, but they never went away. Not completely. Then after his latest argument with Amelia, he felt his emotions boiling over and he went somewhere so that he would not be a threat to anyone.
Save himself. But he was used to that.
Evan took a deep breath and screamed. He gave his pain and his pressure a voice and it tore out of him in a fury. The trees around him shuddered and shook, buffeted by the wind of his magic and the ground roiled beneath him. His scream echoed all around and the force of it shoved the snow away from him, making it fly all around. He clenched his fists and screamed again until he finally stopped, his throat aching from the intensity and duration.
He looked around him, wiping tears of frustration away. The ground was bare to the soil and stone where he stood. Snow built up in drifts around him, a perfect circle. The closest trees were clear of snow and some parts of the bark smoldered, smoking slightly. The woods were quieter than quiet after the ringing traces of his screams faded into the distance. The cold, temporarily banished, slowly crept back in.
"I'm sorry," he whispered before turning in place. He disapparated with a soft crack.
It would be many hours before where he was looked like the surroundings. Many hours would pass before the snow had fallen enough to cover the traces of his presence. For those hours, where he stood stuck out like a stark reminder of pain.
Like a scar.
However, after many hours, that scar faded into almost complete nothingness.
Almost.
-0-
Evan looked up at the archway. He had left the Forest of Dean without a destination in mind and had realized he had come somewhere very different.
Godric's Hollow.
He had not consciously meant to. He had jumped when he realized that he was walking down the street of the sleepy village and stopped when he saw a small church with a small cemetery beside it. He blinked slowly, looking around and then up at the archway leading into the cemetery. He had no idea what brought him here.
He gulped, looking through the iron-wrought fence and seeing a large gravestone in the far corner. It seemed to glow in the light from the church and the homes surrounding it, the moon obscured by the clouds and falling snow.
He blinked and saw a ruined church, the iron fence torn by magic. He saw shattered gravestones, toppled statues. He could smell smoke and feel the heat of fires out of control.
He shook his head wildly and looked around again. Everything looked pristine once more, nothing out of place. No signs of war or strife or damage. No dead bodies.
"I shouldn't be here," he whispered, biting his lip and tasting blood. He turned and fled from the cemetery, head down. Luckily there were no other people around to witness his shame, his intrusion, and he could walk away unseen. His thoughts blew in his mind much like the snow around them, aimless and without direction. He drew deeper into himself, his breathing once again becoming rapid and shallow. He took a deep breath through his nose, an attempt to find calm.
He stopped and breathed deep again, smelling the air.
Under the smell of snow, under the sharp scent of pine and evergreen, beneath the faint scent of smoke, the usual scents of a village, he could smell something else. Something wild. A smell that would send meeker prey animals scurrying away to find safety. It was a sour smell, the tang of iron, the fringe of blood. The sour dark smell of impending violence.
Evan stopped and smiled. He no longer shook and his breathing became deep and smooth. "Merlin, Morrigan, Circe, Hecate, God, whoever. Thank you for this gift." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small beaded bag he kept with him constantly while at Grimmauld, digging deep into it. He flexed his hand and when his charm answered him, he walked off with a purpose.
His eyes glinted like light off the snow.
He joined the hunt, but it was he who hunted the hunters.
-0-
The man tried to shield his wife and daughter and son with his body. He held a wand in his hand and though his body and voice trembled, his hand did not. "S-Stay b-back!" he called out, trying to sound brave.
Rough laughter surrounded him. Growls and snarls fell from curled lips as eyes stared at them from all around. Forms hung about in the shadows cast by the trees, looking feral in the dim-light cast from wands and the feeble beams from the shrouded moon above them. A larger man broke through the trees, standing in the open area and he grinned hungrily at the man and woman who moaned from fear and the two children whimpered.
"No reason to be afraid," he said, his words dripping with insincerity. "My friends and I just want to make your acquaintance." More rough laughter could be heard as he grinned at his compatriots. "It's the holidays after all. What's the matter, not feeling neighborly?"
"Stay back," the first man said, gulping but standing to protect his family.
The other man's eyes narrowed. "Do you know who I am?" he asked dangerously.
A voice broke through the gathering. "Fenrir Greyback," it said in a commanding tone, piercing the air effortlessly. Everyone turned and looked about with confusion and suspicion with the ones in the shadows suddenly on their guard, nostrils flaring. "Also known as the Wolf of the Wilds. But I have other names for you."
Evan stepped into the open area through a patch of trees, looking completely at peace and comfortable despite the scene before him. Fenrir looked past him, glowering and seeking the one who should have been there to keep the cordon whole. He did not see the one who should have been there and his nostrils opened wide when he scented blood. He stared at Evan who looked back calmly.
"Craven cannibal," Evan said, making the family and the watchers gasp, making Fenrir growl low. "Murderer. Desecrator." Evan's lip curled. "Pathetic mongrel." He ignored the furious Fenrir and the others, turning to look at the family. "Run," he said simply. He pointed the way he came. "Run until you get to the street. There're plenty of lights there. They won't follow you. Get to safety."
"We can't leave you-" the man said, torn.
"Run!" Evan snapped. Galvanized by his tone, the man nodded and picked up his children and ran fast, pulling his wife with him.
One of the ones in the shadows made to block them but as he moved to intercept, he screeched in pain. He was pulled into the open by a burning whip that Evan conjured and snapped, wrapping the lash around his neck. Evan dragged him out and flung him beside Fenrir and they stared as Evan dispelled the whip. The smell of burned hair and flesh filled the air and the man writhed on the ground, whimpering in pain.
"Bad dog," Evan said, making the others hiss and growl. "Because that's all you all are. Dogs. You're not wolves. Wolves hunt to live, to survive. You all hunt to instill fear, to cause pain. You all lack the nobility and the nature of natural predators. You're worse than dogs. You're just…pathetic scavengers."
He looked at Fenrir with the deepest disgust. "Putting you down would be a mercy."
"Who are you?" Fenrir growled.
"You don't need to know," Evan replied. He smirked. "You're not going to live long enough for it to matter." He pulled out a vial and drank it swiftly, wiping his lips with the back of his hand. "Come on then, let's get this over with."
The werewolf that Evan had hit with the flame whip rolled and leapt at Evan, hands outstretched and howling. The howl cut off with a screech when Evan threw the glass vial at him and shot the vial with a spell. The vial exploded and drove shards of glass deep into the man's face, sending him back onto his back.
Taking advantage of the distraction, Fenrir raced forward aiming with his wand. Flashes of magic flew at Evan before they were blocked by a shield spell. His eyes widened as he saw the shield absorb the spells with little effort.
Evan moved to his right, slashing with his wand. The snow on the ground turned into ice, causing more of the pack to slip and stumble as they ran forward. Another flurry of wand movements caused knife-sharp icicles to burst from the ice. Some avoided the newly formed blades but others were cut by them, some erupting up and piecing foot and leg, crippling them.
Fenrir dodged, jumping over the patch of ice and slashed with his wand. A blast of magic cut through the air and Evan was forced to duck underneath when the spell cut deep into his shield, going through it and gouging through the snow and earth behind him. Howling with triumph, Fenrir cast a barrage of spells, forcing Evan to move more. Other werewolves and men joined the magical onslaught, shooting spells while others closed the distance. Evan managed to evade or block the majority, but a few found their marks and he bore them with little change.
Evan stunned the closest one and then banished him into the line of fire, the man falling apart after being hit by a flurry of spells. He aimed at a large tree and blew through the base of the trunk, causing it to fall down and crush others beneath the falling weight. However a werewolf managed to hit him from the side, tackling him to the ground. The werewolf struck Evan in the side and chest with heavy blows, hands grabbing and clawing. Fenrir shouted and ran to join the melee.
Suddenly the werewolf screamed in agony. He fell back, clutching his face. Evan, taking the hits, grabbed another vial and smashed it into the werewolf's face. Bubbling acid coated the werewolf and he screamed as the acid ate away at his flesh, melting through his skin. His screams were mercifully cut short when Evan rolled to his feet, flicking his wand and shooting a spell that pierced the man's heart, sending him over like a stone. He continued to roll, left hand reaching deep into a pocket.
Fenrir leapt, teeth bared, ready to sink his teeth into the young man that had dared insult him, dared to steal his prey. He grabbed onto Evan's wand arm and with his mouth wide open, darted his head towards Evan's throat.
Then it was his turn to scream.
Evan had baited him into pouncing and when Fenrir lunged, he punched with his left hand. A solid metal shape wrapped around his fingers impacted solidly into Fenrir's mouth, shattering teeth and bruising flesh. Not only that, he felt an intense burning around his mouth that spread outwards and inwards, scorching cheek and gum and tongue. He stumbled back, falling to his knees, hands to his mouth as he was momentarily overcome with the pain, spitting blood and shards of teeth. His screams shocked the others into silence and inaction as they stared in horror.
Evan rolled to his feet and punched once more, colliding solidly with Fenrir's jaw with the metal knuckles he wore, stunning Fenrir. He then used his wand to cut off a length of tree branch, trimming it into a sharp point. With a shout of exertion, he impaled Fenrir through the stomach with him, making the werewolf scream and the watchers wail. With a savage grin, Evan tapped the branch with his wand. It shook and transformed from his magic, turning metallic. As the wood became metal, where the branch had stabbed through Fenrir's chest, the flesh began to smoke and Fenrir flailed, screeching in sheer agony. He tried to grab the metal with his hands and he had to let go as his skin blistered.
"And they said silver knuckles would be a waste," Evan laughed, looking down at Fenrir with grim satisfaction. "Who'd ever want to get close enough to a werewolf to punch them? Me, I would. Fucking worth it too." He looked around and saw that the others had fled, leaving their dead and their dying leader behind. He snorted deeply. "See? Wolves care for their wounded and their dead. They protect each other. You dogs are content to run to save your own hide."
Evan looked down at himself, feeling his wounds but disregarding them for the moment. He turned back to Fenrir who continued to moan and whimper, his movements weakening. "Oh, I so wanted to do this to you. You've done so many terrible things, Greyback. You're a fucking monster and not because you're a werewolf." Evan leaned over him, his smile colder than the winter air. "You eat people. Where's the fun in that?! You do it because you like it! You do even worse when you can! You prey on children! CHILDREN!"
Evan's smile turned into a snarl worthy of any wolf. "You deserve this, you fucking monster. I wasn't quite able to take you to task in my plane, but damn if it wasn't worth it to be able to do it now. You're a sick fuck, Fenrir Greyback, and I'm going to enjoy watching you die by inches."
Fenrir's lips moved slowly.
"What was that?" Evan asked, leaning over slightly but out of arm's length.
"Please," Fenrir wept brokenly. "It hurts. It hurts so much. Please."
Evan's smile disappeared, melting faster than snow in an inferno. "You're begging me for mercy? The monster Fenrir Greyback is begging for mercy?" Evan spat into the snow when Fenrir nodded jerkily. "You? Mercy?! How many of your victims begged you for mercy?! Tell me! How many begged and pleaded for mercy and how many times did you give it to them?!"
Fenrir continued to weep, begging brokenly for mercy.
Evan glared at Fenrir. "Fuck!" he shouted, his voice ringing off the woods and snow. He turned and slashed with his wand and Fenrir's head rolled from his body. As the light left his eyes, the intense pain that was carved on his face slackened. Going still.
"Fuck!" Evan shouted again, kicking Fenrir's body hard. He grabbed Fenrir's head by the long unkempt hair and held it up, turning to the silent woods. "I know you're out there!" he shouted, holding the head up. "I know you're still watching! Let this be a lesson to all of you! Prey on the weak, and you die by the strong! You try to find vengeance, I'll find you first! You decide to side with Voldemort?! I WILL KILL YOU ALL! Live your days in peace or else you will find your fate like his!" He held Fenrir's head higher. "AND I WON'T SHOW MERCY!"
Silence was his answer and that sour scent he smelled earlier dissipated completely, leaving only the smell of blood and violence behind.
"Aurors! Wands down and hands up!"
Evan whirled, throwing Fenrir's head to the side and bent low, aiming his wand forward. He looked at the squad of Aurors wearing crimson robes appearing in the glade, aiming their wands at him.
"Wait!" Kingsley held up his hand and the team stopped, looking at him with confusion. "Mister Potter?"
"Hey Shack," Evan said evenly, making Kingsley blink a little at the familiarity.
"Don't hurt him!" The man from earlier was there. "He saved us! My family! They cornered us and he helped us get free!" He paled at Evan's furious look. "They're safe," he stammered. "I got them home and I went to the Aurors and brought them back to help."
"That's good of you," Evan said, calming down. He made a show of putting his wand away and stood up, hands up and out.
"Dear Merlin," an Auror gasped, looking at the site of battle. "You did all this yourself?"
"Yeah," Evan said, without pride or boast.
"Is that Greyback?" another cried, staring at the head Evan had tossed aside.
"Yup," Evan said.
"Are you hurt?" Kingsley asked, walking to Evan. "Did you get bit or clawed? It's not full moon but there might be some infection or something."
"I took some hits, no bites," Evan said. "I already drank a preventative to infection and I'll do an after treatment so nothing should stick. Hit with a couple bludgeoners and piercers, cutting spells, nothing else I don't think." The adrenaline from his temper and the fight was wearing off and he could feel the pain from his wounds rising to the top.
He was used to that.
"Let's process the scene," Kingsley said and the other Aurors did as ordered, gathering the bodies left behind and examining the surroundings. He turned to look at Evan. "Mr. Wayne there did come to us at the Ministry, saying he had been cornered by werewolves and Greyback. Said someone got them out. Took everyone there and came here but looks like you had it handled."
"Luckily," Evan said. "Appreciate you showing up and caring though."
"Of course. Are you alright?" Kingsley asked.
"I'm fine," Evan said.
Kingsley nodded, not necessarily believing or disbelieving. He looked down at Evan's left hand. "Are those iron knuckles?"
"Silver, actually," Evan said, holding his hand up and showing the weapon off. "Punched Greyback in the mouth with it."
Kingsley blinked and looked at Evan with an expression of respect and concern for the other man's mental health. He then looked at the head of Fenrir that one of the Aurors had floating in the air, noticing the ruin around Fenrir's mouth. "Must have been satisfying," he said instead.
"It really was," Evan said, smiling coldly. His smile faded and he looked at Kinglsey. "Am I going to be in trouble?"
"Not from me," Kingsley snorted. "Greyback's a fucking monster and if anything, you're going to be getting a reward for killing him. He's had a bounty on him for ages now. Hell, I'm buying you a drink when I can and I know half the corps will want to do the same."
Evan looked away. "Give the Waynes half of the reward. Didn't do it for that. I'll take the other half though for someone else. And I'll keep a coin from it. A Sickle."
Kingsley nodded. "Going to need an account from you, from beginning to end, before I let you go. The reward will be ready by then."
"Can I get that drink and a sausage roll while I give my statement?" Evan asked.
"As much of both as you want," Kingsley smiled.
-0-
"Master Evan?!" Kreacher gasped, staring at Evan with gigantic eyes.
Evan shushed him, finger to lips. "Hi Kreacher, keep it down please," Evan hissed. After giving his statement which also involved a quick meeting with Saltina, Evan finally left the Ministry and returned to Grimmauld. He had apparated into the inner courtyard and slipped into the building proper, eager to not draw attention. He then had managed to hide in one of the small storage rooms beside the kitchen, managing to dissuade being checked out medically by any medi-magicals or healers while there, and had slipped home. He was in the process of removing his clothes when Kreacher found him.
"What happened?!" Kreacher gasped, seeing the bruises and injuries left behind by the fight.
"Nothing to fuss over, but I need to you to run interference while I take care of-"
"Kreacher, where did you put the-holy crap!" Dora appeared at the door and she shouted out loud, seeing Evan there and in a state. Her hair turned white and her eyes grew large. "What the fuck happened to you?!"
"Anyone tell you that you're loud?" Evan asked sourly, glaring at her.
"Yeah, and?" Dora retorted. "Seriously, what happened?!"
"Keep it down!" Evan hissed but sighed when he heard more people coming, drawn by her yell. He looked at the crowd of people goggling at the doorway and crossed his arms over his chest with a wince. "Excuse me, a bit of privacy please?"
"What happened?!" Sirius shouted, seeing him.
"Christmas shopping got a little out of hand, last minute shoppers are brutal," Evan said evasively.
"Out." Andromeda took one look at him and pulled him out of the storeroom and into the kitchen proper. "Let me take a look at you."
"Ow! You see that I'm obviously wounded, right?" Evan complained as she pushed him firmly onto the bench.
"Anyone can see that," she replied sharply. "Now shut up and let me work in peace or I will gag you."
"Uncle Ted is right there," Evan said half-heartedly, making her glower and Ted laugh. Everyone else stared at him, seeing the fresh injuries on top of all the scars that crossed his body.
Harry gulped. There was precious little of Evan's upper body that was not marked in some way. Old scars lined his skin, like lines on a map.
"I'm alright," Evan said, seeing Harry look at him worriedly.
"You look like you went through a combine," Ted said, giving Evan a pained look.
"I think that would have done less damage," Andromeda said. She had cast a diagnostic charm and stared at the results. "Multiple spell damage, cracked ribs, multiple lacerations…" Her voice faded as her eyes widened with horror as she read more results. "And those are only the recent injuries," she said, staring at him.
Remus' eyes narrowed. "Wait, that scent. I know that scent."
The door to the kitchen banged open and Amelia strode in, followed by Hermione and David and Jean. The latter three gasped seeing Evan there and his wounds laid bare and Amelia glared furiously at Evan. "Really?! You went out looking for trouble?!"
"I don't look for it, it finds me," Evan said coolly, glaring back at her.
"That's actually true," Harry muttered with Hermione nodding though she continued to stare at Evan.
"You going to take me in?" Evan asked mockingly. "Clap me in chains?" He held his arms up, wrists together.
"Stop that," Andromeda scolded as she began casting spells on him.
"No." Sirius looked at Amelia and for a moment his eyes were cold and his line carved in patrician lines. "You're not going anywhere, Evan, no one is taking you from here without my express permission."
"What happened?" Dora asked, staring at Amelia. "You went to answer another Floo call."
"Greyback!" Remus' eyes flickered and he stared at Evan with horror. "You ran into Greyback?!"
"Ran into, ran over, ran through," Evan said and everyone shuddered at his cold smile. He reached into his robes and pulled out a heavy leather wallet and tossed it to Remus who caught it. "There, half the bounty on his head minus a Sickle. You deserve it."
"He's dead?!" Sirius gasped, staring at Evan while Remus stared at the wallet in his hands. "You killed Fenrir Greyback?"
"Who's that?" Hermione asked, looking unnerved.
"A criminal," Ted said. "A dangerous man that has done many terrible awful things."
"He's a fucking monster," Dora said, hair turning black and her eyes turning green and flashing. "It's good that he's dead."
"I warned you about vigilantism," Amelia said heatedly, glaring at Evan.
"I didn't go hunting him down!" Evan retorted, eyes hardening. "But I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to deal with him! He and his pack of mongrels were about to hurt a family with two little kids. You want me to stand by and let that happen?!"
"You have no right to act like this!" Amelia said coldly.
There was a loud snap and the air pulsed, filling the kitchen. Even the Grangers could feel the change, looking as uneasy as the others. Evan sat and stared at Amelia, his face made of stone. "I have no right?" he repeated in a very cool tone. "I. Have. Every. Right."
He stood up, gently pushing Andromeda to one side. "Fine, let's get this out of the way now. You want to know why I'm like this? You want to know what I've gone through? I've heard you muttering and whispering, giving me a look, treating me like a suspect. You want a confession? Here's your confession."
He looked at everyone in the room. "In a few years, there will only be four people in this room that's technically alive." Eyes widened and muffled gasps and moans were the response to that and even Amelia's eyes widened with alarm. "Voldemort comes for you personally," Evan said, pointing at her. "At least you met your end on your feet with your wand in hand. But not everyone got that choice. And yours was swift, at least."
Evan's eyes burned. "But yeah, towards the end, everyone else here was dead. I watched all of you die. I couldn't prevent it, couldn't stop it. I had to beg for Hermione to leave, to cut her losses and live on elsewhere." He ignored the horrified gasp from Hermione and the stricken grief on Harry's face, at the look of horror on the Grangers' face. "And that was after she wiped your memories and sent you elsewhere to protect you," he said to them, making them look terrified.
He turned back to Amelia. "You ask me why I act like no one's with me, why I act like everyone's against me? Just me versus the world? Because at the end it was just like that! It always had to be like that! The Ministry hunted me for a time, and it was destroyed before they could do otherwise. I fought, I bled, and my friends did the same and died for it! And at the end, it was just that! Voldemort and I fought again and again and at the end, he was dead and I was about to follow!"
Evan threw his arms open. "Then I get dragged through time and space because Fate wasn't done with me yet! I wake up here, in the past, in a different place, and I see everyone again! Only this time, they aren't dead! I see people that I watched die! I see children that will eventually become people that I fight and kill! But I'm in a position where I know things and I can prevent things from happening, so I'm going to fucking take that chance because I went through hell! Because I know if I don't, then it'll all happen again and I won't let that happen! Not again!"
Evan's breathing became fast and shallow, the air continued to twist and the lights around them flickered. "It's so easy to follow the rules when they're on your side," he spat, glaring at a horrified Amelia. "It's so easy to take the high road when you know you have others to stay on it with you, to support you! It's so easy to look down on the ones at the end of their rope when you're comfortably in the middle of yours. It's so easy to be a saint in paradise when you have no idea what hell is!"
"And do you know what the worst part of it all is?" he asked, his voice falling into a whisper. "That after I realized what I was in for again, that after I saw the enormity of it all again, I thought why me? Why me again? Why am I always the survivor? Why am I the one that is constantly left alive?! Here I am with a second chance and I'm complaining that I'm the one that got it! After all, I get to live again when everyone I know deserves it more than me! I don't deserve this but I'm here and I'm just trying to do my fucking best!"
He froze when Andromeda hugged him, pulling him to her. She held onto him, arms around him, holding him in place.
Holding him together.
"My poor boy," she said. She held him firmly while her voice shook. "My poor boy," she repeated.
"Let me go," he whispered, unmoving.
"No," she said, holding him tighter. "You have endured so much, survived so much. I see it. I am sorry for all that the world has forced you to suffer. But you are not alone. Not now. No longer."
"You don't want to be around me," Evan said, his voice growing fainter. "People die around me."
"People die around everyone," Andromeda said softly. "You are not special in that regard." She smiled when he snorted. "But you are not alone. You will not suffer alone."
In her embrace, in the safety of her arms, Evan broke and he felt himself relax in a way that he had not in a very long time. He felt himself lose strength and were it not for her, he would have fallen to the ground. He opened his mouth but was cut off.
"You're not alone," Sirius repeated, looking at Evan with eyes full of pain.
Evan could say nothing else, suddenly exhausted. He allowed Andromeda to push him back onto a bench and sat there without complaint, letting her heal his wounds. He kept his gaze down, not looking at anyone at first. Finally, he looked up and winced at the expression on the faces of the three Grangers. "I'm sorry," he said softly. "I swear, Harry's the stable one."
David snorted lightly and walked to him without fear or hesitation. "I know next to nothing about magic," he said softly, looking down at Evan. "Only from what Hermione's told us. She did tell us about you and the whole time travel and dimension travel thing is almost ludicrous to me. Honestly, it's a little hard to reconcile that in my head and that it's not a plot of a telly program."
He waited for Evan to look up and their eyes met. "What I do know, though, are people who fought and have dealt with the consequences after. And all I see is someone that has gone through the same. I'm not afraid of you at all." He smiled gently at Evan's look of relief. "And it sounds like you were a good friend to the…other Hermione."
"She was my sister," Evan said quietly, eyes wet.
Harry heard Hermione whimper slightly and he held his hand to her and she gripped it tight.
David nodded solemnly. "I think I can trust you, Evan," he said. He smiled wryly. "If Hermione can, so can I."
"Me too," Jean said, leaning down and hugging Evan gently. "Thank you for watching out for her."
"Thank you," Evan whispered.
"Come," Andromeda said when she finished. "Time for some peace and quiet. Time for some rest." She looked at Amelia. "You deserve it," she said to Evan. She led Evan out of the kitchen, leaving a silent room full of silent people.