PART 37

                                                          15nth July , 1993

"Success , of any kind , is incomplete without pain. Bleed , Evanna , only pain provides perfection."

Her mother's words echoed , bouncing off the wavy marble panels and resounding in her ears. Evanna tried to squirm , only to be met by the disappointed gaze of her mother's.

"The more you struggle , the more it tightens", Lyra spoke , tone an embodiment of the glaciers of the north - waving her hand towards her daughter , as the magical binds wormed themselves around Evanna's body even tighter.

"Is this how you will escape in the future ?"

"P-please", Evanna choked , the ropes coiling around her neck at a torturously slow pace.

"No", Her mother blatantly refused. "And if you utter a single spell , you know what happens. Use your mind only , Evanna."

"I- I can't", She begged , but she knew it was useless. Tears did not spill from her eyes , but her bones burned with fear - and perhaps , a drop of rage that would only grow over the years.

"Do it , Ana", Her mother mocked , a malevolent smile on her lips , as she waved her hand - the coils tightening around Evanna , drawing the last of her breath , out of her lungs as she gasped for air.

"Isn't this what that boy used to call you ? Where is he now , hmm ?", Lyra continued - inching closer to her daughter as a sneer made it's way onto her regal features.

"It would be too bad , if he suddenly disappeared - wouldn't it ? He is not sore on the eyes , intelligent too - besides , Lucius is a good friend", Her mother tutted , before a gleam of success appeared in her eyes , as Evanna immediately broke free of the ropes that had previously circled her.

The marks of the coils marred her pearlescent skin , red scars that stretched relentlessly across her neck and her arms. Evanna collapsed on her knees , panting for breath and drawing air into her lungs as selfishly as possible. She could not bring herself to meet her mother's gaze , but saw Lyra's pointed , elegant shoes approaching her.

"That boy will be the end of you , you wretched child" , Lyra whispered softly , spite quite audible in her clipped voice , and she whirled around on her heels , but not before delivering a kick to Evanna's stomach.

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MELANOID darkness enshrouded her form , as she traversed through the torch-lit corridors , the colour of her robes as dark as the starless sky above the castle on the moors. Her mahogany hair spilled onto her shoulder , her cheekbones refined and her form almost frail and pale as the paper moon , depicting how severely her health had deteriorated. There was no rose tint to her cheeks , just a determined fire blazing in her blue-lit irises. Her pocket felt heavy , consisting of the special version of the Marauders Map she had created , as well as a velvet box.

Finally , she rounded upon the bare walls of the seventh floor. There were certain advantages to being a Prefect , and Evanna made full use of them.

Whispering a few words , and looking over her shoulder for a last time if anyone had followed her or not - she watched as a door materialised upon the cold bricklayed wall. Her fingers curled around the handle , and pushing it open she entered the room.

Shadows cast by the pristine furniture , danced off across the walls in patterns no one could fathom.

As she walked in , her ocean eyes looked towards the table - the chairs lined perfectly in front of a hearth resembling the one in the Ravenclaw Common Room. Her Slytherin friends , Cedric , Crabbe , Goyle were there. Her juniors who had previously joined her - Yaxley , Shafiq and Warrington - had completely pledged themselves to the Dark Lord.

She now had only seven. And the numbers were less , but each was wealthy and powerful in their own way , each unparalleled in their respective skills that Evanna only had to polish and hone.

As she waltzed in , the door shut behind her noiselessly , before materialising into the bare wall so none other could enter the Room of Requirements. Flames of the candles circling the mantle and arranged upon the furniture irradiated light that contrasted against the blue illuminations of the marble hearth.

"Good evening", Evanna chimed , as each of the members smiled at her - before taking a seat at the Head of the Table.

Without waiting for a single moment - she watched as Cedric placed silencing charms as extra cautions , and Evanna began ,"This summer , Pansy and I visited a certain place where we knew we would get the Gaunt Ring. We were correct , and I have the ring in my possession as of now."

"But has the curse from it lifted ?", Daphne queried with furrowed eyebrows.

"Yes", Evanna clarified , but did not specify on how she had done it , resting her hand on her fist , before her other hand slowly reached into her pockets.

"The band of the ring is in a safe place. But I found a special something on it", She grinned , pulling out her hand and placing it on the table. Unravelling her first , she watched as others circled around her to find a glinting stone carved of pure onyx , its atramentous light falling upon Evanna's palm as it levitated itself , rotating in slow circles.

The others watched in awe , mouths wide as their eyes glinted with an all-knowing light , before Theo questioned ,"The Resurrection Stone ?"

Evanna nodded , before closing her palm into a fist once again , breaking the trance the others had fallen into , as they shuffled back into their seats.

Silence followed , the seven shuffling in their seats - each of their minds subconsciously travelling back in time to the bedtime stories they had all heard from their parents and house elves alike.

The story of the three Peverell brothers , and Death.

"So the story...... it is true ?", Daphne enquired solemnly. "That means there's a wand and a cloak to find too."

"Certainly", Evanna grinned - twisting the Frey family ring on her slender finger , before pocketing the Resurrection Stone. "And I have the whereabouts of the wand , although I am relatively unsure of the cloak."

She watched through the corner of her eyes , as Blaise directed his gaze towards the burning flames in the hearth , the fire licking at the remains of the coal  his shoulders tensing at the mention of the wand.

"But didn't Grindelwald possess the wand , after which it disappeared ?" , Cedric asked - seating himself in an armchair , arms folded upon his legs.

"Dumbledore has it", Evanna clarified , waving him off - as she continued to watch Blaise.

"So we just steal it ?", Crabbe said - furrowing his brows as Evanna shook her head. 

"At the risk of getting expelled ? Of course not."

Evanna stood up from her chair , walking across the carpeted floor , towards the windows across the threshold. Her arms folded across her chest , and she could hear the whistle of the zephyr even though the windows were shut , and the distant rumble of the clashing waters of the Black Lake. The moon hung like the edge of a silver blade struck across rusting obsidian sky , a wraith of mercury across briny clouds.

"We don't have to steal it , when we can have something even better", was all she had to say before a silent uproar was caused across the room. Questioning whispers echoed around the room - yet Blaise remained quiet.

Evanna smirked , before turning around to face them again , shrugging off the issue as though her statement were an everyday , casual affair.

"We have more pressing matters to discuss", She said , walking back to the table - before producing the rolled parchment containing the improved version of the Marauder's Map from her pocket.

Tapping on the opening of the map , all stood in a circle around her - observing as the violet albatross fluttered twice - before the parchment flipped open by itself. Mahogany ink materialised upon the blank parchment , morphing into footsteps , names and in the corner - the word 'Hogwarts' floating in curved letters.

"First ,  we need an update on the remaining horcruxes." Evanna gestured towards Cedric , who immediately produced a rolled parchment from his pocket , laying it thin upon the mahogany table - several ink sketches of all six horcruxes drawn upon the yellow material , each one's location written underneath the sketches.

"The Cup is in one of the Death Eaters' vault. But I am not sure whose", Cedric muttered , running a hand through his hair.

"It could be anyone. Perhaps the Dark Lord's trusted few ?", Pansy chimed , twirling her wand between her fingers , as she leant against a gilded armchair , olive eyes alight in the shadow of the fires in the hearth.

"Or maybe , the Dark Lord could be using it as a trick ? To deceive the Order into thinking that it is in one the trusted ones' vault when it could be lying away in Pettigrew's vault , that is , if he has one", Daphne interjected.

"That is true", Evanna speculated , as she sat on her chair , lifting her legs to rest upon the table.

"Aren't you one of the Dark Lord's favourites ? He even gave you a task", Blaise finally spoke - making the corners of Evanna's lips curl upwards. Meeting his almond eyes , she clarified ,"He does like to send me on useless patrols , but no. If I were him , I would never reveal anything to my younger recruits."

"If so , then who would you recruit for safekeeping the horcruxes ?", Theo enquired , seating himself a little away from Evanna.

After a little moment of silence , she said ,"No one."

"Why so ?"

"I wouldn't trust anyone with a piece of my soul."

"Then why are you trusting us in helping you out ? Why are you trusting us for creating a third side to the war ?", Blaise breathed - gaze steady on the Frey heir.

"Because you wouldn't dream of betraying me", She spoke airily as she stood. It was almost fearsome , how confident she was.

"I have information on all of you that would be enough to make you help me for another decade ,  at the least." She grinned like a cheshire.

 "Nevertheless , we have the ring , the locket. No whereabouts on the diadem , a barely satisfying location of the cup , and we all know that Nagini is the sixth horcrux."

"Did you not find the diadem in Albania ?", Pansy questioned , only to be met by a shake of Evanna's head.

"So all we know , is that the cup is in a vault. And even after we do manage to collect all the horcruxes , how will we finish Nagini ?", Daphne asked.

"We will find a way. And if not , then we simply leave it to the Order", Evanna shrugged , azure irises glistening in the dim light.

                                                           ________________________

"Luna Lovegood", Evanna uttered , making Blaise halt in his tracks , his fists clenching at his sides , facing the wall where the door to the corridor had materialised once again. The meeting of the alliance had ended five minutes prior , and they had discussed the possible locations of the horcrux , how to gather each of them as well as the potential places where the other two Deathly Hallows could have been hidden.

"Lovely girl , isn't she ?", The Ravenclaw enquired innocently , feet raised on the table , fingers twirling the Resurrection Stone as though it were an expensive diamond.

"Yes , she is. And how does that matter to you , Evanna ?", Blaise spoke , turning to face her - gaze impassive as though he had no interest in the topic.

"It would be so bad if she suddenly disappeared , wouldn't it ? Especially when her father writes that shit in the Quibbler", She tutted , tilting her head to connect her cerulean stare with his mahogany irises.

"You love her , don't you ?"

"You have no business in it."

"Don't think I wouldn't have noticed you sneaking glances at her , or leaving class early to visit her."

Evanna's rosebud lips curled upwards into a malicious grin , and she said ,"I know you know where the twin of the Elder Wand is."

"I don't", Blaise protested , voice deathly calm although Evanna could clearly see the beaded sweat on his waxen face. She merely smiled , shaking her head before saying in a soft voice ,"Let's put it this way , Blaise. I know that the Zabini Manor contains the twin of the Elder Wand , so if it is not handed over to me - I will not hesitate in handing lovely little Luna over to the Dark Lord. All Death-Eaters despise her father anyways."

She could hear him drawn an audible gasp of breath , before he rasped ,"Whatever do you need the wand for ?"

"Who could resist the temptation of having death at their beck and call ?", The Frey heir spoke , standing up as her blue-hemmed school robes brushed against her ankles , her a lovely smile on her cranberry lips.

"I know that you have the wand , Zabini. Almost a century ago , when Grindelwald stole the Elder Wand from Gregorovitch - the Zabinis had had it's twin with them."

A moment of silence followed , enunciating their presence in the room - each second trickling by as Blaise stood facing Evanna , oesophagus choking on anticipation and fear that only grew.

"The Zabinis had always had powerful connections , afterall - they were the lost descendants of Antioch Peverell. Everyone thought that Antioch Peverell had been unmarried , which was false. The line traced up to your family , Blaise. Antioch Peverell had been given the wand crafted by Death itself , the Elder Wand. But Death had crafted another wand , the only other wand rumoured to match the Elder Wand in it's powers. But unlike the latter , it had no master , it refused to serve. Gregorovitch acquired the Elder Wand , and then it's twin from some witch in Russia. Grindelwald stole the Elder Wand , but the twin remained - which was then handed over to the Zabinis for safekeeping. Why the Zabinis , out of all pureblood families ? It was because Gregorovitch was their good friend."

As she stepped closer to him , she whispered ,"Don't deny the fact that all I said was the truth.

"It was a hush-hush affair , neither of the two parties wanted news to get out that their was another wand like the deathstick."

"So , Zabini , will you give me the wand ..... or not ?"

A scowl etched onto Blaise's refined features , the furrow between his eyebrows more pronounced. If he relented , he would be willingly handing over a family heirloom that his ancestors had managed to conceal from the world - right into the hands of an extremely powerful witch who could bend others to her own will. But if he refused , he would be risking Luna's life. Especially when her father was already on the 'wanted' list of the Death-Eaters.

"The closer you fly to the sun , Frey , the closer you are to the fire scorching your wings. And then you will plummet to your death", Blaise said , defeated.

A slow smile made it's way across her lips , and Evanna drew back , saying ,"That won't be happening anytime soon. I fear no evil , Blaise. The shadow is mine , and so is the valley."

[ A/N : SORRY FOR THE SLOW UPDATES. I AM DYING ]