Chapter Ten
The Day After
With a shout of horror the lone figure in room number nineteen wakes in a cold sweat. Evan Knight sits up in his sweat soaked bed, trying not too successfully to control his breathing. Raising a shaking hand to his sopping wet hair he runs his fingers through it. Then next instant he is throwing his covers off of him and throwing his legs over the side of the bed. Placing his hands on his knees he tries to regulate his breathing, in and out, in and out, but he knows it's not really working. "Damn it Harry get a grip on yourself," he whispers in between breaths. Finally after a moment to control his breath the blackness around the edges of his sight start to clear, telling him it's working. He releases an explosion of air, "I hate those," he says as he pushes himself off of the bed.
He walks into the restroom and turns on the water, splashing cold water on his face he looks up into the mirror, "must have been a bad one dear," the mirror comments.
Harry smiles at the mirror, "and to think it was one of the nicer one's," he says in a soft whisper.
"If that's a nice one I would hate to see you after a bad one," the mirror comments truthfully.
Harry tilts his head as he tries to remember the name of this particular personality, "Cara isn't it," he finally asks.
"How," the mirror stutters, "how did you know," Cara asks shocked.
"I know many things Cara," Evan says with a small shrug. "I have a favor to ask of you," He continues, "it's not much," he rushes knowing Cara's personality from his world.
"What is it young man," Cara asks in interest.
"Don't tell anyone what you see or hear in here please," he asks, "well you know the important things," he clarifies.
"Like your screaming," Cara asks.
"I don't much care about that one way or another," Evan admits, "It's more like what I say before I wake and what I say to myself," he explains.
"Like Harry get a grip," Cara asks.
"Right," Evan agrees with a nod. "The name here is Evan," he explains.
"But your real name is Harry," Cara asks.
"I won't answer until I have your promise," Evan says knowing that when Cara makes a promise it is as true as gold.
"I promise," she says knowing her interest in this young man may have just placed her in a position she may not have wanted to be in.
"My real name is Harry, at least where I come from," Evan tells her, "however here there seems to be someone with my name," he continues as he starts to set up his room. He turns to the nearest mirror knowing Cara will be following him around the room. "Oh, can I ask that you be the only personality to visit this room during my stay," he asks the mirror.
"Tom has already assigned me to you because he knows you need your privacy," Cara explains.
"Information gathering already," Evan corrects knowingly. "Don't worry," he says as he senses Cara's uneasiness. "The only thing I don't want you to tell them is my dreams and my slips of name if you will, and other things you believe I won't want others to know. I will trust your judgment on those," he tells her.
"How do you know me," Cara finally asks.
"That I am afraid I can't answer," Evan says with a sigh as he pulls out his Officer's Uniform and Cloak.
"What is that," Cara asks.
"This," Evan asks as he raises the Uniform.
"Yes," Cara agrees.
"This is my uniform," Evan says as he places it on a hanger in the restroom as he begins to undress. Cara gasps as she sees the scars lining his back and chest. "Oh, don't worry Cara," Evan says knowing what she is gasping about. "Their mostly years old," he explains to her as he continues to start his shower.
"How did you get them," Cara asks and then coughs, "I'm sorry I don't mean to be nosy," she apologizes.
"It's alright Cara, you can ask anything you wish, just know not to get upset if I don't answer. Fair enough," Evan asks her.
"I can handle that," Cara agrees with an audible smile.
"I got the scars mostly from my time with my Aunt and Uncle, others from my time at school and the war," he answers her question as he steps into the stream of running water.
"I'm sorry," she says to him as she realizes what he has just told her.
"Don't be," Evan answers from his shower. "I am mostly over it as it is," he explains to someone he once told everything to. The first person, if you will, he told the whole truth to. "I got away from it anyways," he says to her.
"Have you ever told anyone," she asks worriedly.
"Not many people know about it, if that's what you're asking," he says as he finishes his shower and steps out, drying himself, not bothering with his hair.
As he reaches for his uniform Cara decides to take this young man up on his word, "who have you told," she asks.
"Oh," Evan says as he pulls on his boxers, "um," he says as he reaches for the pants, "the people who know are Albus, Minerva, Ron, Hermione, Molly, Arthur, and you of course, others suspect but don't ask," he answers as he slips his white undershirt on.
"You're not going to give me last names," Cara asks with a small laugh at this boy's tactics.
"Oddly enough more than half of them seem odd to say that way if you know what I mean," Evan says not really answering her question yet not being rude about it either as he starts to button up his shirt and tuck it into his trousers.
"I gather you used to call them something else," Cara asks as she follows him into the bedroom part.
"You could say that," Evan nods his agreement as he affixes his wand holster to his left arm and then buttons the cuffs on his sleeves.
"What are you getting dressed up for," Cara asks as she watches him continue to dress.
"How long were you here when I was dreaming," he asks in return.
"Oh," she says answering not only his question but hers as well.
Evan pulls his black shinny boots that go almost to his knees on, he smiles knowing she has more or less given herself away. "Right," he says as he tucks his pant legs into the boots.
"Who," Cara asks softly.
"Well it's more of where than whom," Evan corrects her. "For you see there're a lot of people who will be involved with this," he says as he stands up from the bed and walks over to his cloak. "Though I have no idea why I am doing this," he mutters to himself.
"Oh, okay, then where," she asks with a small chuckle at his tactics.
Sliding into his cloak and walking towards the door, he pauses as he reaches the door, "Hogwarts," he answers, receiving a gasp from the mirror. "I will see you later Cara," Evan says as he opens the door.
"Good luck Harry," Cara calls softly after the retreating form knowing she has just met an exceptional young man.
Evan walks down the steps to the pub and spots Tom behind the counter, "Hey Tom," he calls as he makes his way over to the bartender. "How was your night," he asks as he slides onto the stool.
Tom looks up at the young man before him and smiles brightly, "Enlightening," Tom answers as he looks Evan over, "you dressed up for something special," he asks wondering at the almost uniform look to Evan.
"Oh you know," Evan answers with a slight shrug. "I need the room again for say another two days," Evan says as Tom cleans the counter top.
"You going out today," Tom asks with a gentle smile.
"It seems so, but I don't really know why," Evan says with a small shake of his head.
"That sounds interesting," Tom chuckles, "what would you like for breakfast this morning," he asks.
"A mug of your hot chocolate and a piece of toast please," Evan answers without really thinking.
"You're on," Tom says as he heads to get the order. When he returns he places the items in front of Evan. "So where are you off to today," he asks conversationally, yet knowing he is trying to learn the location so he can tell Professor Dumbledore the location.
"There's a shop in Hogsmeade I want to check out," Evan says with a shrug, "then I'll see where the day takes me from there," he answers.
"Hogsmeade huh," Tom questions with a shake of his head, he wonders if this kid knows he's giving away too much information, tracking information.
Evan lifts his mug to his lips and smiles softly at the man before him, "Not to worry Tom, I know I can trust you," he says to shock of Tom.
"Uh," Tom starts but Evan raises his hand as he places down his mug.
"I know a lot of things," Evan starts to explain, "I don't need to know exactly what goes on, but I learn quickly," he says with a raised eyebrow. "I don't have to be able to read your thoughts to be able to read you," he says as Tom opens his mouth to say something.
"Then how did you know," Tom asks not realizing he himself has just confirmed what he had intended to do.
"It's all in reading the body," Evan says as he takes another drink. "Something I have been doing all of my life. Something that has saved me a lot of times as well," he continues. "Though at times it does seem to get me into a bind," he says with a shake of his head.
"How do you know you can trust me," Tom finally asks.
"There are many different answers to that question," Evan sighs. "Some of them you know, but most you do not," he says in a whisper. "I know you're not evil because you have no darkness in your soul, you don't know how to be evil and if you did, things would be very bad indeed," Evan explains.
"You can see auras," Tom asks shocked.
"I didn't say that," Evan says truthfully yet not answering.
"Is your name really Mr. Evan," Tom finally asks.
"By birth you mean," Evan asks.
"Yes," Tom agrees.
"No," Evan states as fact.
"What is your name then," Tom asks.
"I won't give anyone my birth name yet, if at all," Evan says confirming what Tom already knew from the letter last night. "But it might as well be Evan Knight," Evan finishes.
"Did you go to Hogwarts," Tom asks with a tilt of his head.
"Yes," Evan answers as he finishes his piece of toast.
"Then why hasn't anyone ever heard of you," Tom asks in interest.
"Because to know of me would mean to know of my past, which is something no one here knows, and I hope to keep it that way," Evan explains.
"Why don't you want anyone to know of your past," Tom asks with raised eyebrows.
"Can I ask you a question," Evan asks instead.
"Yeah," Tom says after a moment.
"Have you ever just wanted to be something no one else would let you be," he asks.
"Yeah," Tom agrees with a reluctant sigh.
"Okay," Evan says with a nod.
"What does that have to do with anything," Tom asks confused.
"All I ever wanted was to be normal," Evan explains to the aged bartender, "however the one thing I have never been allowed to be is normal," he says truthfully. "If you were to know of my past you would not think of me as normal," Evan raises his hand to stop Tom from asking another question. "What you learned last night already took me out of being totally normal, yes I am a Seer and an Empath, but I don't want to be and I do everything I can to block the sensations," he says to Tom's shock. "I don't want to be any more different than I already am, here at least," he says with a shrug. "So until such a time when I have no other choice, my past will remain top secret, just as my file states," he finishes.
"I may not understand all of it Mr. Evan but I'll respect your wishes," Tom promises.
"That Tom is all I ask," Evan says as he slides off the stool. "Another thing, my exact destination is not Hogsmeade per se, but some where near there, thus I am leaving you with a gap in the information, a non specific location if you will," he says to the open mouth bartender. "I may be honest, but honesty doesn't have to have an exact address," he says with a smile. "I'll see you later Tom," Evan calls over his shoulder to the amazed bartender.
"Strange one he is," Tom mutters to himself as he shakes his head in amazement as he watches the retreating back of one Evan Knight to the entrance to Diagon Alley. After a moment Tom returns to the task at hand, informing Dumbledore of the change of plans, um, so to say. Tom goes to the back room of the pub and throws some Floo Powder into the already lit fire, "Hogwarts Headmasters Office," he calls as he places his head into the greenish flames.
Within a few dizzy moments Tom can clearly see the form of Headmaster Albus Dumbledore sitting behind his desk looking over at him with raised eyebrows. Minerva McGonagall is sitting directly in front of the Headmaster's desk, also looking at Tom in question. "Tom," Dumbledore greets with a slight tilt of his head.
"It seems Mr. Evan will be out and about today," Tom says knowing he needs to get down to business.
"Is he now," Albus says as he sits back in his chair, "did he happen to tell you where he was heading," he asks after a moment.
"Well yes and no," Tom says honestly not knowing how to explain the conversation he had just had with the young man.
"What do you mean," Minerva asks.
"Well it seems he knows of the meeting, but he didn't explain more than his files, in fact he stated the rest of this life is top secret just as his files say. It seems to me, he knows of the file but not of the letter," Tom pauses. "He told me he will more or less be within the general area of Hogsmeade, but he wasn't being specific about it," he explains.
"Is there more," Albus asks knowingly.
"I don't know why, but I asked him about his name," Tom admits embarrassed.
Both Albus and Minerva lean forward in their chairs interested in what the young man's reaction was to such a straight and forward question, "what was his response," Albus asks.
"He first asked if I was referring to his birth name, when I agreed he said Evan Knight is not his name, but it might as well be. He refused to give his real name and also wishes to keep his past just that. HIS past, he wants to keep it Top Secret," Tom answers the question to fullest of his abilities.
"Did he say why," she asked intrigued.
"He told me something about wanting to be as normal as possible. He knows the knowledge we have of him already causes him not to be as normal as others, but the knowledge of his past would cause him to become more abnormal it seems. He wants to keep his past a secret until absolutely necessary," Tom finishes.
Albus sits back in his chair as he thinks about this latest turn of events, after a moment he raises his eyebrows in his own personal question. Turning to Tom he asks, "Do you feel he was being honest with you?"
"Totally," Tom answers instantly.
"Then why didn't he give you his exact whereabouts," Minerva asks puzzled.
"He said being honest doesn't mean you have to give an exact address," Tom answers truthfully, receiving a chuckle from Dumbledore at the answer.
"Illusive, but honest," Albus says more than asks.
"Just like you," Minerva agrees with a knowing nod.
"Is there anything else," Albus asks after a moment.
Tom's head disappeared momentarily; he needed to talk to someone off Floo. "It seems he had a conversation with Cara," he answers the awe in his voice audible to all who can hear him.
"What does Cara have to say," Minerva asks interested for the mirror personality is one of the nicest and most trusted personality she has ever had the pleasure of meeting.
"She says he had her promise not to tell us curtain things but won't say what," Tom says with an apologetic shrug. "But she did say he knew of her before hand, she didn't have to tell him her name," Tom says amazed with this fact.
"That's the second person he has done that with," Minerva whispers as she nods her head.
"It seems he doesn't care if people know he wakes up screaming from his dreams but doesn't want anyone to know what the dreams are about," Tom says with concern. "I knew he was dressed up earlier, but Cara tells me it is a uniform he is wearing, but a uniform unlike any I have ever seen, he's dressed up pretty sharply if you ask me," Tom continues in a worried tone of voice.
"How are we to protect him if he goes out and finds trouble," Minerva asks with a resigned sigh.
"Easy," Tom says, "he said he was going to be by Hogsmeade, so just look for any disturbances and there you go," he offers.
"Right you are Tom, right you are," Albus agrees. The three of them say their partings and Tom returns to his work. Albus sits back in his chair and twirls the edge of his graying beard as he thinks about all he has learned.
"What do we do now," Minerva asks as she watches the Headmaster think.
"We wait and see what Mr. Knight is up to," Albus says in a soft reflective voice. Before Minerva can respond there is a knock at the door, "Enter," Albus calls knowing who it is already.
Lily walks in and looks from one Professor to the other, "is everything alright here," she asks worriedly as she sits in the chair Albus directed her to sit in.
"We are just puzzling over our new young puzzle," Albus admits.
"I thought you were going to visit him today," Lily asks puzzled.
"He is out and about it seems," Minerva answers.
Lily looks down at her watch, "it's only seven thirty, what is he doing up and about at this time in the morning," she asks. "I can't even get James up at this time in the morning when he doesn't work, forget about Harry, Jacen and Destiny," she explains seeing the confused look on their faces. "It isn't normal male, let alone child behavior to be active this early in the morn," she finishes.
"It is," Albus says after a moment, "if it helps you to avoid your dreams," he says as he remembers what Tom had said about Mr. Knight not caring if anyone knows about his screaming.
"What does he have to dream about," Minerva asks.
"I don't know," Albus admits.
"And how is it you know he might be avoiding his dreams," Lily asks confused.
"Cara has said he doesn't care if people know about his screams as long as they don't know about his dreams," Minerva repeats Tom's words.
"Cara said that," Lily asks with concern. "For Cara to mention such a thing means the screams where pretty bad," she says after a moment.
"That's something we agree on," Minerva says.
"Do we know where he's headed," Lily asks hopefully.
"We know a general area but nothing specific," Albus answers the amusement in his voice clear.
"Why do I get there is more behind that statement then I know," Lily ponders aloud.
Before anyone can explain there is another noise outside the door, only this time there is no knocking as Severus Snape throws open the door, "Hogwarts is under attack," he shouts as he quickly turns around and runs back the way he had come. The three in the room quickly on his heels as they run out of the room, wands in hand, knowing today might be their last.