A/N: I am sorry for the amount of time it has taken to upload this chapter; I had three tests this week. One in Chemistry and two in Physics, okay, Physics 3110 and then Physics 2210. I would like to thank all my readers but more importantly all my reviewers. This Chapter goes out to you. Thanks again and I hope you enjoy this one. The answers to some of your questions will come in time. If I were to answer them now, it would, well, give away the next chapter or so. Thanks for sticking with me and remember to Review, I am open to suggestions on how to continue. Thanks Jade.
Chapter Six
Bad News at Madam Malkin's
Evan walks onto Diagon Alley with a small smile and a shake of his head. He had almost forgotten what a hoot Tom could be. That man not only brought him the house special, which is supposed to be waffles, but he also brought eggs, bacon, French Toast, croissants, but the best thing he brought was a huge steaming hot mug of hot chocolate. Something Evan has been wanting for many a month now, but has never said anything about. He can't help but pause as he once again gets to see the marvel that is Diagon Alley. It has been, not counting yesterday, two years since he seen this place, at least in his world. In his world it was destroyed during the summer following his fourth year and the return of Lord Voldemort. Starting on his way he knows most of the shops won't be open just yet, but some will and Madam Malkin's is one that will be. Or at least he thinks so.
He continues past the other stores knowing his order will take most of the day to complete. He stops briefly in front of the door of her shop as memories from his first visit runs through his mind. Shaking the image of the arrogant Malfoy out of his mind he pushes open the door and steps inside, thus causing the magical bell in the middle of the room to sound.
A lady he instantly recognizes as Madam Malkin herself steps out of the back part of the store with a questioning look on her face. He knows how she feels, not many people are morning people. "Good morning," she greets as she makes her way towards him. He notices with his trained senses she is fingering her wand in case he is going to cause her trouble. Though with that one action she has told him many things, first off if his counter part is alive in this universe, they aren't twins, and the other thing she has told him is that the times here in this world aren't much better off then where he just came from. It seems people are afraid of strangers, and he knows this is not a good thing.
With a small bow, thus putting himself at her mercy for a moment, he returns her greeting, "Good morning ma'am," he says as he straightens to his full height.
A surprised smile lights her face as the figure before her places her at an instant ease, something not easy to do now days. There is something about him she knows, but at the same time she knows she has never met him before and she is unable to place what it is. "Can I help you sir," she asks.
"Evan Knight," Evan says in return, "Please call me Evan," he asks.
"Evan it is," she agrees happily, "Can I help you Evan," she re-asks.
"I would be most honored to receive your assistance and service," Evan says, "I just need to get out my list," he says more to himself, but also to put her at ease. A way of telling her he isn't going for his wand. He reaches into his right pocket and removes the scroll he made his list on earlier. "It seems I have to get a lot of new things," he says as he starts to unroll the scroll.
"I will do my best to help you," she says in answer surprised by his actions and yet relived by them.
"Thank you," Evan says with a nod. "Um, let's see, I need four black cloaks, one dark blue dress cloak, a new set of dress robes, black I think, six set of uniforms similar to those of the students attending Hogwarts, a scarf Gryffindor colors, a special type of daily wear gloves and some of your dragon hide gloves," he reads aloud.
"You were right, that is a list and a half," Madam Malkin agrees.
"And that is just for here," Evan explains.
"First stop," she asks honored.
"Yes ma'am," Evan answers.
"Alright then shall we get started, what kind of special gloves was it you need," she asks as she directs him to the fitting station.
"They are a special non-conductive type," Evan starts to explain.
"What aren't they suppose to conduct," she asks as she sets the measuring tapes to work.
"Visions, thoughts, feelings, and the like," he answers as he raises his arms out for the tape measure to do its work.
"Seers gloves," she asks.
"I think that's what I've heard them called, a dear friend of my always got them before so I don't really know what they are called," Evan explains. "Do Seers gloves work on Empaths," he asks after a moment.
"They should, hypothetically," she answers, "though I've never had occasion to try it," she explains as she thinks about his request.
"Do you have a pair on hand, I know what they look like before they conform," he says as she raises her eyebrows in question.
"I should," she says as she heads to the back of the store. "Give me a moment and I will find out," she calls out as she disappears behind the wall.
Just as she disappears the bell in the middle of the room sounds out, announcing the arrival of another person. Madam Malkin calls out, "I'll be out in a moment," to the new comer.
Evan turns his head to look at the new comer; though he tries not to move else wise he will upset the measuring tapes, something he has heard you never want to do. "Good morning," Evan says to the shadow in the door. He knows there is something familiar about the figure, yet knows all he knows from his world may not work here in this world. One thing he knows for sure is the fact this stranger does not mean him any harm and is in fact surprised to see anyone here this early in the day. Something he gathers is not usual. He knows in his world Mrs. Weasley always came early to avoid the crowds and thus the reason he himself is here this early.
"Morning," the figure answers thus giving away who the person is to Evan for he would know that voice anywhere, anytime, its not like he hasn't been around it for almost every summer for four years, then nearly constantly during the war.
"How are you today, Mrs. Weasley," Evan asks as he looks forward again, thus decreasing the kink in his neck.
The figure jumps at this, "How," she stutters, "How did you know who I was," she finally asks stepping up next to him.
"I didn't mean to surprise you, I am sorry," Evan apologizes instantly.
"No," Mrs. Weasley rushes to assure him, "It's quiet alright, I mean it's different is all," she tries to explain as she walks to the front of him so they can look each other in the eye.
"I take it not many people know you," Evan asks confused for he knows everyone would know this family no matter what. They are known for their red hair amongst other things.
Molly Weasley snorts at this comment, "Hardly," she responds.
"Okay," Evan says accepting her answer, "So how are you," he asks again.
"As well as to be expected," she says with a sigh as she sits down in one of the chairs just to the left of him yet still in range of his sight.
"I see," Evan says though not really understanding. "Is everything alright," he finally asks.
"I," she pauses not understanding why she is so at ease with a complete stranger. "I just miss her is all," she whispers softly, Evan might have missed it if he wasn't trying to hear.
"Ginny," he asks curiously, tentatively.
"Yes," Molly answers as her eyes snap up to look him in his, wondering how he knows of her and then the truth of her question hits her hard. "Of course you would know of that," she accuses.
"Of what," he asks wondering at the change in her tone.
This catches Molly off guard, "How do you know Ginny," she asks instead.
"We met some time ago," he says in answer thus not lying and at the same time not telling everything. "How is she," he asks further not liking where this conversation is headed.
It is with this question Molly realizes this young man really doesn't know, he really doesn't know. "She was murdered," she says just as the measuring tapes finish their job.
Evan's eyes widen in shock as he steps, more like stumbles down off of the platform, "Sorry, I don't think I heard you right," he says softly the shock evident in his voice.
"She was killed during her first year at Hogwarts," Molly repeats honestly surprised by his reaction. None of the students, besides her brothers, acted this way. It is almost as if he considered her daughter part of his family.
Evan slowly yet almost unsteadily sits down on the edge of the platform he had just been standing on, he looks over at Mrs. Weasley disbelievingly, "I'm sorry," he whispers.
"It's not your fault," she says knowing now this young man really did know her daughter and she finds this fact very comforting. Not many people really knew her daughter and to finally meet someone who did and who actually seems to have taken a liking to her, taken the time to know her is something she has been wishing for since that first summer. It seems not even her brothers took the time to know her in school, for if they had. She stops her train of thought there before she starts on this internal argument once again.
"Do you mind if I ask how," Evan whispers, "You don't have to answer," he quickly adds.
"Can I ask how it is you don't already know," Molly asks the shocked figure before her.
"I guess you could say I am new here," he answers her with a slight shrug. "I don't know much of anything that has gone on around here," he admits.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley then," Molly says with a sad smile as his answer explains his reaction. After a moment she decides to tell this young man everything. It's not like she can talk about it with her family. Ginny Weasley is a topic left untouched and to be forgotten, a skeleton no one wants to deal with, pain they would rather forget than to remember. "She was murdered by the Heir of Slytherin," she says softly.
Evan's head snaps up and he locks eyes with Mrs. Weasley as he finally realizes what had happened. "The Chamber of Secrets," he asks hoping against hope that isn't what she is talking about.
"So you've heard of the myth," Molly asks. Evan nods his head not wanting to contradict her. "Yes, she was taken into the Chamber of Secrets by the Heir of Slytherin," she continues. "No one knows who this Heir is or how to get into this Chamber, let alone where the Chamber is," she explains. "After she was killed the attacks stopped," she says looking away from this stranger in front of her. It is here she realizes she doesn't even know the young man's name.
Evan exhales an expulsion of breath he didn't realize he had been holding. He realizes for the first time since it happened in his own world, he didn't have anything to do with what had happened. She would have been chosen either way. The guilt of blame eases only to be replaced by the guilt of not being there when she needed him. "I," he starts to say, but finds he is unable to get the words past his throat.
"She always wrote us of how much fun she was having going to the same school as her brothers, she loved being there with them," Molly continues knowing she shouldn't weigh this young man down with her sorrows, but she is unable to stop herself. She is unable to stop herself from getting these feelings out, from releasing them from their hidden closest of sadness. "After her death we learned nobody knew our little girl, she had no friends. Her brothers couldn't even tell us what she had been up to during the year, they ignored her," she whispers as tears start to roll down her cheeks. "No one took the time to get to know my little girl," she almost sobs out.
As she talks Evan stands up from his place on the platform, he walks over to just in front of Molly and kneels down before her. He looks at her for a moment, her head down, pain in her voice and a sorrow so complete in her crying eyes. Without hesitation Evan returns a favor given to him by the Molly Weasley of his world to this Molly Weasley and takes the crying form into his arms. Molly is surprised to feel the arms of the stranger softly wrap around her form and take her into a much needed hug. She quickly wraps her own arms around him in a rib shattering hug and buries her head in his shoulder as she finally bursts into tears.
As Evan starts to slowly rock her from side to side, Madam Malkin walks into the main part of the store only to stop in total surprise. She watches as Evan Knight comforts Molly Weasley, someone she knows needs the comfort, but never allows anyone to do it. The fact Evan is able to, is shocking beyond words. She looks down at the Seers gloves in her hands and then back up at the young man who is whispering, "Let it all out, don't fight it Mrs. Weasley, I'm here, just let it go, that's right let it out," over and over to the figure wrapped so securely around him. It is here she knows he is the one who needs these gloves; he is the one who seems to be able to do the impossible. She knows without asking why Molly is crying, she knows Molly has finally talked about her daughter's death.
After a few more minutes Molly hiccups as her tears start to trail off. Evan looks over to Madam Malkin and raises his eyebrows in question. Madam Malkin smiles in answer, which Evan hesitantly returns. Turning back to the figure in his arms he knows what she needs, he can feel it. "When I first met Ginny," he starts off with his own story, "She put her elbow in the butter on the table, she was so embarrassed," he says with a small smile. "It took her a while to grow out of that phase," he teases softly. "Once she did I was able to finally get to know the true her. She is a spitfire, energetic, honest, loving, inventive as the twins, um, actually sometimes more so," he continues to tell Molly and inadvertently Madam Malkin, who both can't help but agree with his knowing words.
"I pissed her off one time, I mean I really pissed her off," he says with a small shake of his head. "I learned real quickly not to do that. She has a temper to rival even her mother's," he says and receives a snort from both ladies which tells him they know what he is talking about. "She is shy but assertive, she never backs down from what she thinks is right," he continues. "She loves her family with all her being and would do anything for them. Once she gives you her trust you are stuck with it. She is smart, talented in charms and damn good at dueling; she loves to fly and to play Quidditch with her brothers and friends. She's a listener just like her mother, she will listen to anything you wish to tell her and she understands," he says as he remembers all of the times he has talked with her.
"There's this story she loved to have read to her as a child, she told it to me once," He says as he struggles with his memory to find the name of the story. "She told me she had Mr. Weasley read it to her over and over and over, until she could read it on her own. She took it with her to Hogwarts so she could read it when she felt alone," he says as he tries to jog his memory. "Problem is I can't remember the name at the moment," he finally admits as Molly releases him and sits up. She looks at him with a genuine smile on her face, though the tears are still falling this time they are in happiness. His eyes widen as he remembers the name, "Robin Hood," he says triumphantly. "She always wanted to be Maid Marian and have her own Robin Hood," he says with a small laugh as he remembers her confession of this.
Molly smiles as she remembers Arthur's complaints about having to read the same story over and over again until he didn't even have to bother with using the book as he told the story. She has been trying for years not only to find the book but to remember at least the name of the story. "I'd forgotten the name," she finally admits.
Evan smiles in understanding, "you should've seen her blush when she admitted that dream," he says with a slight shake of his head. "I never thought I'd ever see her blush brighter than her hair," he says causing both women to laugh. "I told her I'd never let her live it down," he adds after a moment.
Molly smiles brightly at the young man before her, "I never knew any of this," she admits.
"Since we couldn't bet, and were too much like brother and sister to play strip poker, telling embarrassing stories was the consequence of losing a game of Exploding Snap," he explains.
"So you had to tell her some of your own stories," Molly asks with a snort at the sight he just gave her. She knows instantly he was truly a friend of Ginny's, she knows by his words they transcended friendship straight to family. What she doesn't know is where he has been since, and why she has never been told of this young man.
"Don't remind me," Evan groans in answer thus causing Molly to laugh once again. Something she had begun to wonder if she would even do again.
Molly sits back in her chair with a relieved heart feeling as though a great unbearable burden has just been lifted from her soul, "Thank you," she says to him.
Evan's brow furrows in confusion, "For what, I haven't done anything," he says.
"You gave me a reason to believe," Molly answers.
With these words Evan finally understands what she means. He takes a deep breath and releases it slowly, "Death is not something any of us wants to deal with," he starts softly as Molly looks at him in question, surprised to see he actually understood what she was talking about. "Death is an unwanted fact of life," he continues. "I have learned through my life that the best way to honor those who have pasted is to live my life to the fullest," he explains as Madam Malkin takes a seat beside Molly so she can hear his explanation, his reasoning. The gloves in her hands temporarily forgotten in interest for what she knows will be coming. "I have lost a lot, but not as much as others," Evan tries to explain, but knows he isn't really getting the point across.
"Whom did you lose," Molly asks knowing if anyone could ask him such a question it would be her. Though the reason for this knowledge she doesn't understand.
"The first people I ever lost were my parents. My parents were murdered when I was little," Evan answers her causing both ladies to gasp in horror. "I grew up with my mother's sister," he quickly adds thus avoiding the next question he knows is about to come. "I used to fantasize a life where they didn't die, a life where they could love me, where I could make them proud," he explains. "I wanted the dream life," he says with a shrug.
"What happened," Madam Malkin asks.
"I lost many people before this one person, but this person was the one who helped me through the loss of the others. This person was the backbone, the constant of my life. Then one day I lost this person who I'd started to consider a grandparent," he starts to answer. "Someone I trusted with my very life," he says trying to get to the understanding of what he needs to get across. "I'd known him for almost five years before he too was murdered," he says once again gaining a gasp from both women. "It was then I realized I'd never really known true grief, it was then, I understood that I couldn't mourn for my parents. That I hadn't really mourned for my parents because I never knew them. How can I mourn for people I can't remember? Oh, I remember their deaths when around Dementors and all, but I don't remember them," he tries to explain.
"This man I knew, this man I respected and loved. I almost died when he did; it was a pain worse then the Cruciatus curse could ever be. He made me promise to continue to live as he lay dieing in my arms. He made me promise to try and be happy because he couldn't be happy in his next big adventure knowing I would never be able to be happy," he tells his entrapped audience. "It was the hardest promise I ever had to make," he admits. "It took me a while and a lot of help to start to live again," he pauses, "don't get me wrong, I still miss him dearly, it's as though part of my heart has been torn from me," he says before they could comment. "It was because of his lessons I knew I could continue to live and be happy without taking away from his memory, for if I couldn't be happy again it would taint his memory. It would taint my time with him. It would make him ashamed of me, which I could never take," he finishes his part of the story.
"Ginny would hate to see you so sad Mrs. Weasley. She was so full of life and happiness that it would kill her to see you become someone she didn't know. She would want you to be happy," he says, and then raises his hand to stop her from commenting. "Being happy doesn't mean you have to forget her," he says with a gentle smile. "It simply means you are embracing her love by continuing to be her mother, it means you will be honoring her by continuing to live your life. Sure you'll have your hard days, your ups and downs, but don't take away what she loved in you," he explains.
"Tell you what," Evan says after a moment. "When you go home, get an empty book, parchment or something, and then bake some of your famous home made chocolate chip cookies. You know the kind, the kind she loved," he suggests. "Put them on a plate and set them and the parchment, with ink and quill mind you, on the table, get a glass of milk," he pauses for a moment. "Chocolate milk," he corrects. "Ask if anyone else would like to join," he shrugs, "eat the cookies, drink the milk and don't forget to dunk the cookies," he says and receives two amused smiles in return. "As you're eating remember something about Ginny, anything, the smallest thing, the way she would twirl her hair when she thought, the way her eyes would widen to the point of almost bugging out when she seen someone she thought was cute, anything. As you remember write them down. It doesn't have to be in detail or anything just general ideas," he explains. "When you are done, put the parchment in the drawer next to your bed and when you need something in the middle of the night when the dreams won't leave, you have your piece of heaven," he suggests.
"I don't know if it will work for you or anything," he warns, "but its done wonders for me," he explains. "If at all possible don't do it alone," he suggests softly, "try doing this with Bill, he will be the only one who will be willing, who needs it just as much. He too is alone in his loss, the no topic rule he doesn't agree with so try and ask him," he offers and then shrugs at the two pair of surprised eyes. A moment of shocked silence fills the room and Evan looks away from their eyes to see the gloves in Madam Malkin's hands. "Are those the gloves," he asks softly.
Madam Malkin jumps in surprise as she looks down at the forgotten gloves. "Yes, are these the type you were looking for," she asks trying to hide her embarrassment.
"May I," he asks and she quickly hands them over. Evan looks at them closely inside and out and with a nod of his head, "Yep these are the type," he agrees. "How many do you have," he asks.
"These are the only pair I have in stock," she answers.
"Could you order more," he asks hopefully.
"I can," she agrees.
"Great," he smiles. "Would you order six pair for me," he requests.
Madam Malkin's and Molly Weasley's eyes widen at his request, "Six pair," Madam Malkin stutters in shock. Evan nods his head in agreement. "You do know how expensive they are, right," she asks.
"I'll pay for everything now," Evan answers instead. "My cloaks, uniforms, robes, and all seven pair of gloves, the scarf, the dragon hide gloves, just tell me the damage," he teases.
Madam Malkin sits there for a moment in shock and then stands up and goes to the register to do as he has requested. Evan watches for a moment and then turns back to Molly. "I am sorry Mrs. Weasley, for everything," he pauses. "If you ever need someone to talk to," he offers and she smiles her shocked thanks. "I best, be going, I have a lot to do today. It seems my knowledge of things in this place is very lacking," he says softly. "That was news I had not expected to hear, I never thought," he drifts off and Molly realizes he has just barely learned about her daughter's death and hasn't yet gotten over the shock of this news. "Sorry," he whispers with a slightly cracked voice telling her he is taking this hard, "I best be off. Have a good day Mrs. Weasley and tell me how it goes if you try it," he asks as he stands up. Molly nods in agreement of his request and in promise to try his suggestion.
Evan walks up to the counter to pay for his purchases, "when will my order be complete," he asks as he hands over the exact amount to a very shocked lady.
"Um," she stutters, "by this evening," she finally gets out.
"Very good, thanks again," he says as he walks out of the store with a heaver heart than he walked in with. It just occurred to him that if Ginny died in her first year because of some kind of change in the time line, then what about everyone else he knows and loves. If he has to do without them, he stops this thought before it can continue as he forces himself to remember the people he loves are still alive and okay in his world. How he already misses them so.
Molly watches the amazing young man walk out of the store before she realizes she never got his name. She gasps as she realizes how rude she must have seemed, to tell him all about her pain and not even take his shock into account. "I didn't even get his name," she says sadly to Madam Malkin.
"Evan," Madam Malkin says with a smile.
"Evan," Molly repeats with another foreign smile that causes Madam Malkin to smile wider. "Such a nice boy that Evan," she says as Madam Malkin nods her head in agreement. Molly sits there for a moment still watching the door, and then she turns to Madam Malkin, "weren't those Seers gloves," she asks as she remembers seeing those types of gloves before.
"Yes, they were," Madam Malkin agrees as she walks around the counter to meet up with Molly. "He was looking for a pair that would block everything for both Seers and Empaths," she tells the shocked Molly.
"I've heard most people can't handle being one, just one, that they start to go insane," Molly says sadly as she remembers the kindness Evan gave her. "That they can't stand to have physical contact with people, but imagine being both," she continues amazed.
"I thought the same thing," Madam Malkin agrees. "But if that is true then why," she starts to ask but stops as she quickly looks over at the door again in shock.
"Then why did he hug me," Molly finishes just as shocked and confused. Then she realizes the gift he has given her and she is honored by his sacrifice and caring. Her daughter had found a really good and true friend.