Title: Destiny's Ghost
Author: Jade L. M. Skywalker
Beta Reader: Un-Beta-ed
Category: Angst/General.
Spoilers: Books 1-5
Rating: T
A/N: I apologize for it taking so long to get this chapter out. However, I haven't had the time, equipment or mentality to write much of anything. I won't sit here and wax philosophy with you (I find the subject not within my scientific mind) so I will just say I will try to continue with this story and hope to have the next chapter our in a shorter time period then the last one. No promises, but I will do my best. So don't forget to review. Thanks for reading and for reviewing.
Disclaimer: Alas I own nothing, I am just borrowing these wonderful toys for this story and I hereby promise to put my toys away when I am finished. Therefore these wonderful toys belong to JK Rowling, Scholastic Publishing and Warner Brothers Inc. In general, anything you recognize is not mine.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Here I Go Again
Knight/Potter Manor
Outside of Hogsmeade
August 19th
A solitary figure tosses and turns in what was once recognizable as a bed, now however, it resembles nothing of the sort. The figure is tangled within the sweat soaked sheets, stuck in a place no being should be forced to be. "No," the figure moans softly, still caught in the clutches of sleep. "I don't wanna go," Evan pleads with some unseen person, someone who has long since passed on to the next great adventure. "Please," he begs unheeded and then silent for a breaths moment, that is at least until he sits bolt upright whimpering, mindful of the other, "Hermione!" in a pain filled voice that for anyone else would have been a scream to wake the students Hogwarts even now during the summer months. Erratic breathing is all that is able to be heard for a spell, as Evan is once again forced to remember, he is forever alone in a world he doesn't want to be in. There is, there will be, no Hermione to help him ever again, there will be no more family for him anymore; he is really and truly alone. His heart breaking once again Evan fights to control his breathing. Something he doesn't seem able to do at this point in time and he isn't going to analyze if it is because of the dream or that he is trying not to cry.
Looking over at his alarm clock, Evan watches as it flashes `Way too early to up' then back to the actual time of three o'clock in the morning. Deciding it isn't worth trying to attempt to go back to sleep, Evan untangles himself from the bed and start to get ready for the day ahead of him. Only to remember something in the wee hours of the morning, "Oh goody," he says to himself as he thinks of what is on his list of things to do for this day, "More tests," he grumbles disgustingly.
Ministry of Magic
Special Testing Section 015
August 19th
Evan heaves a sigh as he all but drops tiredly into one of the seats strategically placed in the `waiting' room. A place he swears is another test in and of itself, a test to, well…to test his patience. Leaning his head back against the wall and closing his eyes, he can't help but replay the tests he has already completed; Ancient Ruins, Arithmancy, Charms, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, History of Magic (which he figures he failed once again, in his defense, this time he really doesn't know the history of this foreign world), Muggle Studies (honestly), Potions and then Defense Against the Dark Arts. Evan finds himself very disbelieving that the tests he has taken are advanced enough to be O.W.L.'s, most everyone in his world had covered more than that before second year…okay, Ron, Hermione and him had covered more than that before second year and that was with complete idiots for professors. A Mountain Troll, really, how pathetic could they get?
Evan is unable to refrain from snorting as he recalls how the examiner's face looked when he knocked the troll unconscious just after the thing lumbered its way into the room. `A new record' the examiner had said after a few minutes of only the troll's breathing being the only sound in the room. `I've never seen the likes,' he than muttered as he walked straight into the wall just to the right of the door, Evan can only figure he meant to walk out the door and not into the wall. "Mr. Knight," a voice calls snapping Evan out of his thoughts.
"Present," Evan replies as he stands up, "Unfortunately," he mutters under his breath.
"Mr. Knight, please follow me," the voice calls out once again, seemingly having not heard Evan or just ignoring the comment. The now sixteen year old almost glaringly looks towards the speaker and very reluctantly makes his way towards the sickeningly cheerful voice; no one has the right to be cheerful about this test. Evan makes his way to the proctor with all the willingness of a man being forced to take a long walk off a short plank. As Evan finally approaches the man he stops three feet from him, "Mr. Knight," the man asks oblivious to the dislike on the face of the boy before him, or more honestly, just used to it.
"Sir," Evan says softly, trying to keep his loathing of this particular subject to himself. "Follow me Mr. Knight and we'll get this over with as soon as possible," the proctor says with a kind smile, "And please call me Andrew," he offers hoping to help the kid to relax.
"Thank you sir," Evan says honestly, pleased to know his version of the man is just as understanding as the one in his world. Together the two of them make their way out of the `waiting' room and after a bit of time and just as many hallways later the two of them finally walk into the same room Evan had been in a little over thirty minutes before. Not many people would know it was the same room, but then again not many of them were from another world. All signs of the potions exam, which he took in this room previously, are gone, leaving no trace of it ever being there. Evan can't help but think how well and how fast house-elves are able to do their work, only for him in the next instant to have to fight back a groan as he looks around the room and sees how it is currently set up for this exam. Subconsciously Evan rubs his right upper arm, where the band is supposed to be, instantly missing its reassuring presence. Releasing a sigh he makes his way forward as though approaching his death, but he knows he is more afraid of this than death. Evan both silently and vocally (though quietly) once again curses the rules of the ministry of magic as he continues into the room.
Andrew sits down in the chair furthest from the door, thus making Evan face the two-way mirror on the other side of the room. A mirror very few people know about, including those behind the mirror and one Evan Knight. "We will start with palm reading," Andrew says once Evan is sitting down in the only other chair in the room. Evan continues to look at the man incredulously as Andrew reaches his hand out across the table, palm up. As Evan sees this, he raises an eyebrow, "You do realize I am currently without my Seers gloves or the Blockers Band," he reluctantly admits wishing he were anywhere but where he is. This comment surprises Andrew as his eyes widen comically, "I was informed you had failed this exam before," he blurts out in question.
"I did," Evan agrees with a shake of his head, "Miserably if I'm being truthful," he informs the stunned man sitting across from him. "If this is true, then why would you need the gloves or the band," Andrew asks confused by this young man.
"After I had failed the exam I was involved in something rather nasty," Evan informs him but at the same time doesn't. "This something caused some rather odd abilities to surface, if you will; it infused many different abilities so much so that they are now a part of me. Unfortunately it turns out that if they are tampered with, against my will, I'll die," he explains wondering why he is giving away so much information about himself.
"Odd abilities," Andrew repeats in question. "I'm afraid that is classified information," Evan informs the proctor before too many more questions arise. "So are you saying `Seeing' is a side effect," Andrew asks instead, knowing he is very curious about this young man and the secrets he is withholding.
"If you wish to call it that," Evan says with a shrug, not explaining which part of what was said his is referring to, the accident or the side effect. "I honestly don't believe in Divination," he explains, "Can't stand anything about the subject," he admits.
Andrew blinks in confusion as he hears this, "Yet you can do it," he questions. A shiver runs down Evan's spin as he is forced to think about this question, "When I am most unfortunate," he confesses softly. "What do you mean," Andrew inquires trying to hide is growing excitement. "We don't seem to agree with each other," Evan responds sarcastically. "Because you don't believe," Andrew queries. "Amongst other things," Evan says evasively.
"Shall we see how well you do then," Andrew says unable to hide his excitement of the gift he has been given today. To actually be testing someone with at least a little ability, someone able to 'See' and who knows, who can guess what else? His breathing accelerates with his excitement as his hand all but flies out on the table before him. Andrew knows he is going to be the talk of all the proctors after this event, they are going to be so envious of him and he loves it. Turns out he will be right about one thing.
"I'll be straight with you," Evan says, "I can't read palms," he informs Andrew. "All that is, is generalizations and guesses that is left to the victim to choose if it has meaning somewhere in their experiences. It's all very illogical, almost as bad as feeling a person's head for all of its bumps and whatnot to see what the person's personality is. It is all wishful thinking, with no science and no proof," Evan says shaking his head at the illogical things people do.
Andrew blinks again, his hand still out on the table, "Then what is it you can do," he asks wondering how someone so scientific could have the `gift'. This is something that no one has ever come up against. Normally, the ones with the `gift' believe in what they can do, they are open to extreme possibilities. Not someone who strictly believes in the opposite, in science.
With a resigned sigh Evan slowly lifts his left hand from his lap and even slower he extends it outward across the table, only to stop before reaching halfway across the table. "What you are about to see isn't going to be pretty," he tells them, warns them. Andrew nods his head once in agreement, in acceptance of what he has been told; believing he understands what is going to happen. He knows what the textbooks and witness accounts have stated will occur during an occurrence; however, in this case he is way off the marker.
"Thought you ought to know," Evan mutters his mind returning to a time long before now, a lifetime ago: first year. With saying this Evan nods once in return and continues to move his hand until he is about five centimeters from Andrew's hand. With a sharp inhale of shock, Evan finds himself no longer in the testing room, no longer within the confines of the ministry but he is now in a place he has never been before, "Oh, this is so going to hurt."
****
Location: Unknown
Building: House
Reason: Vision
Evan opens his eyes to look up at a foreign ceiling which causes him alarm, sitting up quickly he tries to almost desperately find out where he is, only to realize he has no clue as to where he is, but knows instinctively he must find out. A soft sound resounds through the once silent room, thus the sound is as loud as a gunshot for Evan. Evan twists his body until he is facing in the direction the noise came from. It is with this turn he realizes he is in a house, a house with stairs and the noise sounds as though it came from the second floor.
Evan stands up, only to find his legs are shaky, something he knows always seems to happen in these types of visions. Reluctantly Evan moves towards the stairs knowing he must see what he is being showed. Making his way up the stairs Evan pauses to listen for the sound to come again, waiting to know which direction he needs to go. Hearing it again he continues to the top of the stairs and turns towards where the sound came from. Walking down the elegant, overly showy hallway, Evan stops in front of the door that is on the far end of the hall on the right hand side.
Evan pauses at the door as he tries to remember which hand he is using at the table in the testing room, his left, "Oh this is so going to hurt," he mutters raising his right hand and placing it on the thick wooden door. He really doesn't like doing this… at all, but hates it more when he is in a place he has never been to before. Familiarity, it seems, helps to reduce the pain, it's almost as though the place is more welcoming of him, if it knows him in `real life' then to have him visit this way.
Sucking back a gasp of pain as his hand makes contact with the door, Evan finds himself passing through the door and all its properties. That is one of the hardest parts about unfamiliar places; he has to force himself through the entryways and he gets to see so many things he never thought he would. After the disorientation fades Evan quickly looks around the room to see what is obviously what a young boy's room should look like. Shaking this thought from his mind, he tries to locate the source of the noise. His search ends as he sees a body lying on the floor, a boy's body, and there seems to be a pool of red forming in the carpet under his head and it is growing rapidly.
Kneeling next to the young child, instantly knowing his name is Paul, Evan quickly tries to locate the source of the blood. His eyes settle on a gash on Paul's head, most of it hidden from his view. Gently Evan turns Paul's head, taking care not to cause further damage, but knowing if he doesn't move his head Paul would drown on his own blood. As the gash comes into clearer view, Evan can see it is on the Temporal bone, a part of the head that can cause death if hit just right, "Shyte," Evan curses as he takes in not only the gash but the amount of blood being lost. Looking at his wrist Evan sees both the day and the time and he realizes this has yet to happen as he looks at the clock on the nightstand directly in front of him. It becomes obvious to Evan that Paul hit his head on the corner of the nightstand, as he can see blood there. Putting that thought out of his mind he concentrates on the time, it shows there is two minutes before this is to happen. This tells him this accident is meant to happen, but help can come only after it happens.
Evan gently presses his palm on Paul's wound to try and help slow the bleeding, a stop-gag gesture, but in the end it just might be the difference between life and death. "Hold on kid," he says softly as he closes his eyes and concentrates on his `real' body that is in the ministry testing room and forces his left hand to move away from Andrew's. He sucks in a breath as his body and soul try not to rip themselves a part as they try to rejoin together, a very painful process if he does say so himself.
****
Ministry of Magic
Special Testing Section 015
Viewing Room to Testing Room 1920
August 19th
Albus Dumbledore stands up stretching in ways no man his age should be able to as Minerva and Lily watch in amusement. Bringing his arms down to rest against his sides Albus turns to look at the other two, "What do you think so far," he questions, already knowing his own thoughts on the subject.
"It seems his records have been rather accurate," Lily Potter says objectively, still not sure how she feels about the young man who has just finished his potions exam.
"How anyone his age is able to what we have seen so far, says he's been through some very difficult lessons," Minerva almost whispers. "What in Merlin's name would cause any school to teach someone so young such things," she questions as her eyes slide over to Albus.
"The Defense exam did surprise me," Albus admits with a slight nod, confirming that he agrees with his Deputy Headmistress.
"Was that before or after he stopped laughing," Lily states more than questions.
Before anyone can respond they hear a knock on the door to the observation room, "Come," Albus calls out, knowing who it is on the other side.
The door opens to allow Kingsley Shacklebolt to enter the room, "I have just been informed that they are bringing Mr. Knight back for his last test sir," he informs the headmaster.
"Thank you Kingsley," Albus says with a small nod of acknowledgement. Kingsley nods his head in an abbreviated bow, confirming the headmaster's words and then he quietly closes the door. "Well, here comes the test we have all been waiting for," he says with obvious excitement.
"I just hope it goes well," Lily wishes, not understanding he sudden fear of the coming test.
"I agree," Minerva concurs watching as the door to the exam room opens to allow Mr. Knight and Mr. Andrew Smith to enter. A small table with a crystal ball sitting atop it is in the center of the white room with two chairs, one on each side, in the otherwise empty room. The three professors sit down at almost the same time as Evan, listening almost hungrily as Evan explains being involved in something `rather nasty' which has caused him to open up to something he doesn't believe in.
Minerva can't help but smile brightly as Evan says he can't stand Divination. "I think I really like him," she whispers conspiringly to Lily. Lily snorts at this and then laughs as Evan explain he can't read palms and `victims' of the practice, "He most definitely doesn't like the subject," she agrees with Minerva. All the while Albus is sitting there with a contemplating look in his eyes and an amused grin on his lips.
They watch as Evan slowly raises his hand and start to reach it across the table, they have seen something like this before when he did this with Severus. However, they are surprised when he suddenly stops and informs Andrew, "What you are about to see isn't going to be pretty."
"What does he mean," Lily questions worriedly, "There was nothing wrong when he did it the last time," she says remembering when Evan did this with Severus. "I don't know" Albus admits in a whisper. Albus Dumbledore finds himself shaking his head in wonder as Evan whispers, `Thought you ought to know.' He finds he amazed with this kid's ability to find something humorous yet it being something that obviously means something much more to him than what it seems in this setting.
The observation room goes silent as the three watch as Evan reluctantly continues to extend his hand. The three spectators jump half a beat after Evan does, none of them expected that to happen. This, what they are watching, didn't happen at Hogwarts. Evan through the wall and their admittedly inadequate hearing charms, they can still hear Evan's deep, sharp inhale of breath. This instantly alerts them to the pain he is currently experiencing during this exam, `Oh, this is so going to hurt.'
Minerva quickly stands to call a stop to this exam, if she has anything to say about it, none of her students are to be hurt while under her care. Only to find she frozen mid-step as Evan raises his right hand as if to touch something directly in front of him. This time when it comes, Minerva is subconsciously ready for it as Evan once again gasps in pain. Only this time it is Lily's turn to stand up, unable to stop from trying to protect an innocent child. `Shyte,' Evan's voice whispers sadly, distantly as though he is somewhere else, somewhere other than here in the testing center, `Hold on kid,' he murmurs just a breath before he all but throws himself out of the chair and as far from the table and Andrew as possible. His breaths coming in erratic heaving gasps that are painful to hear, forget to feel personally.
It is the other four witnesses to this event turn to gasp as Evan opens his eyes for the first time since he warned Andrew it wasn't going to be pretty. Something they all realize is true, only after the fact. Evan's eyes are no longer the scary gray they have always seen them, but they are now kind of translucent white, something none of them have ever witnessed or heard of before.
****
Evan's frighteningly clear eyes look directly at them, as though he knows they are there and as if he was aware of them being there the whole time. Evan blinks his eyes and quickly looks down to his right hand as he starts muttering softly to himself, "Back off, back off. I've seen, I've seen; now back off," he repeats over and over until finally his eyes reveal their seemingly normal gray, though there is still visible flakes of translucence floating in his eyes. He quickly rubs his right hand on his pant leg as if trying to clean something off of it. As he does this he looks at the properly stunned proctor, "I believe you need to go now," he says as he continues to hyperventilate.
"I do," Andrew repeats wondering what he has been a witness to.
"Paul has just severely knocked his head on the nightstand in the room on the second floor, last door on the right. If you wait, there won't be a `Paul' to save," Evan gasps out.
Andrew pales instantly, "P…Paul," he stutters in question.
"Later," Evan almost giving the impression to be shouting but it comes out as a mere whisper. This said Evan places his hands on his knees as he continues to all but drag air into his lungs. "Go now," he says in his most commanding voice, a voice that is more commanding than any there has ever heard before, as he looks directly at Andrew, "Go now before it is too late," Evan says softly and almost against his will Andrew nods his head in agreement and all but takes off out the door, doing his best to get past the wards on the ministry so he can get to his daughter's house and save his grandson.
Evan watches Andrew leave from his currently bent over position, as the door all but slams behind his former proctor. Evan slowly loses the battle against gravity as he drops to his knees, sitting back on his legs he puts his hands once again on his knees to try and help to stabilize himself. Closing his eyes he tries to struggle against the surge of overwhelming feelings that are trying to literally tear him apart. "I really do not like doing that," he shouts out into the empty room as he continues to hyperventilate. "Remember what Hermione told you to do, regulate your breathing," he whispers to himself knowing he if he doesn't get his breathing under control he'll soon pass out and he doesn't want to do that here in their part of the world.
"Hermione in, Ron out, Ginny in," Evan says slowly, measured and precisely times with each breath he takes as he does as his words instruct. "Neville out, Charlie in, Bill out, Fred in, George out, Molly in, Arthur out, Sirius in, Remus out, Dumbledore in, McGonagall out, Hagrid in, Dissy out, Jace in, Snape out, Flitwick in, Mum out, Dad in, Dobby out, Artoo in, Fawkes out, Hogwarts in, Tom out, Ron in, Hermione out," Evan exhales the last name slowly, reverently, as he allows his chin to drop to his chest in exhaustion as he at last has his breathing under his control. "I really don't like doing that," Evan repeats in a whisper. Inhaling deeply as he lifts his head, Evan opens his eyes once again to see his family isn't there, he is truly alone. With a bone-chilling sigh he forces himself to stand on shaking legs, "I'm sorry Hermione," he says in a shaky, quivering voice. "I am so sorry," he repeats softly, sadly, "I can't do this anymore, I can't take it anymore," he says as he closes his eyes once again. Trying to close out the cruel cold world he is forced to exist in, "I can't let anyone touch me if I can help it," he vows to the emptiness surrounding him, penetrating him, yet it still pales to what his heart is feeling. "I can't do this without you," he breathes out in the quietest voice the three of them have ever heard and they have to wonder how they heard it.
Evan opens his eyes and turns towards the door, just as the door to the exam room opens to allow the secretary to enter, "I apologize, Mr. Knight, but it seems we will have to reschedule this test for another time," she says to the shaking teen before her.
"That's quiet alright ma'am," Evan says with a slight shrug, "Will you please inform the Proctor to fail me on this part of the test," he requests softly.
"You are willing going to fail this test," she questions in an almost squeaky voice.
"I am not going to take it again," Evan informs her firmly yet kindly.
"You can at least try," she offers just as kindly.
Evan smiles as she says this, a saying Hermione started quoting at him in his darkest hours floats across his mind's eye. "Do, or do not, there is no try," he whispers to himself unable to refrain from remembering. Looking at the lady waiting for his response, he honestly informs her, "I already have."
The lady smiles softly at this, "I will inform Andrew when he returns," she offers trying to figure out what exactly happened in this exam room, what could cause Andrew to leave in the middle. "The exam results will be sent to Hogwarts and you should receive your copy in about two to three weeks from now," she explains.
"That is all right," Evan agrees with a slight nod of his head. "Thank you, for all your help," he says to her as he tries to keep his distance from her, missing his `Blockers Band' now more than ever.
"Take as long as you need," she offers as she watches him shaking. "Let me know when you leave," she requests turning around and walking out the door. She wonders what was so important that Andrew left it the middle of an exam, he has never done anything like this before, and with a shrug of her shoulders she pushes the thought away and continues on her way.
As Evan rubs his forehead hard with the heel of his shaking left hand, he turns to look at the mirror, to where he knows the three professors are to have been `hidden' from him, Evan decides to get this over with. "I do believe I have just added a lot more questions to your list, Headmaster, with little to no answers. A mystery to you I may be, but a mystery I assure you I am not. However great a mystery I may seem to be, the answers are not what you would figure them. The answers are not what you would figure possible," Evan says looking directly at Albus Dumbledore. "Here's the thing professor, these answers you are looking for, only you, sir, can answer them," he says looking to the professor who is currently looking quiet stunned as he looks back at his future student.
Evan inhales deeply, his eyes shifting away for the briefest moment only to quickly to return to the headmaster. "When you find these seemingly `illusive' answers, sir; I want like to know why," he asks as a slight but audible quiver enters his voice. "I want to know why you brought me here," Evan all but demands. "Why, Headmaster, why did you take me away from the only family I had," he asks sadly, composedly and somehow demandingly. "Why am I here sir," he asks softly, pleadingly. Suddenly looking all of his sixteen years of age, shaking his head in defeat, Evan turns away and calmly walks out the door and out of the three stunned professors' sight.
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