Chapter Five

                                    

                                          
"ONE DAY! You haven't even been here a DAY and you've already caused trouble!"
Evelynn groaned as she sunk into one of Remus's office chairs. He face was red and his voice boomed against the walls. She had only seen him angry like this once before—the day Nymphadora left. 
Evelynn stared to drown out Remus's scolding as memories took over. She was no more than seven when Nymphadora had enough. There was a lot that had happened between her and Remus that Evelynn knew nothing of, but knew better than to ask. All Evelynn knew was that it had partly been her fault for the split. Nymphadora was apart of the Order, but unlike Remus, she held little love in her heart for Evelynn. They never had a mother-daughter relationship. She had despised Evelynn every day up until she turned seven and had enough. Evelynn had heard Nymphadora and Remus arguging about her, but even stranger, Sirius Black.
"You have never loved me like him!"
Evelynn tilted her head back and pondered the same question she's had for years: were Remus and Sirius in love?
Evelynn knew all about what had happened during Harry Potter's third year. She knew Sirius Black was innocent and was now in hiding. Every once in a while he sent messages to Remus, but Evelynn never saw her father reply.
"Dammit, Evelynn, are you even listening to me?"
Evelynn flinched and bit the bottom of her lip. "No.
Remus sighed and ran his hands over his face. "I can't protect you, Evie. What you've done—it is beyond my control."
"What do you mean?"
"There are things happening inside the school—a surge of change. Things you cannot know yet."
"But—"
Remus held up his hand. "By demand of the Order, you will not be involved. This goes beyond the both of us. The only thing you can do is play your part as a a regular student, which means your punishment is in the hands of Professor Umbridge."
Evelynn jumped up from her seat. "You cannot be serious! That woman has the voice of a snake. There's no way she'll be merciful."
"Then it's a good thing you're a Slytherin," Remus snarled, starling them both. "Evie, I'm sorry—"
Evelynn flinched away from his hand and backed up. Was he actually upset that she had been placed in Slytherin? Was his Gryffindor pride that badly wounded by her placement?
Maybe things were happening—dangerous things—but it was no excuse for Remus to treat her so poorly. He was the only one who had protected her and loved her, but did his fatherly love have conditions? 
She didn't want to know.
"If Umbridge is the one who'll punish me, then so be it." Evelynn turned on her heal and ignored Remus's desperate pleads for reconciliation. Her fists were clutched at her sides and she focused on counting her breath as she walked to Umbridge's office. If she didn't calm herself beforehand, another situation could explode, and what then?
Evelynn's breath was uneven as she approached Umbridge's office. Before she had a chance to reach the door, a white haired boy walked out with an uneven, fake grin, which faded as soon as he closed the door behind him. 
He didn't seem happy. He seemed completely defeated and broken.
The boy noticed her and titled his head curiously. "Lupin? Wouldn't have thought the daughter of Gryffindor professor would have been placed in Slytherin or started a fight."
"I didn't start anything," Evelynn said and crossed her arms over her chest. "I just finished it."
"Exactly." The boy grinned, a genuine one, and extended his hand. "I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy. Certainly you've heard of my family?"
Evelynn looked him up and down and refused to shake his hand. "Noted. But I'm not looking to make friends."
"Noted." Draco began to walk past her before shouting, "When you realize it's easier to deal with Hogwarts with friends, come find me. Good luck until then, Lupin.
Evelynn scowled as she watched him walk away.
"Luck. Ha! I don't need no damn luck." Evelynn pushed the door open and had to contain the urge to gag as Umbridge's bright pink, frilly, and cat decorated office engulfed her. "Maybe I do need some luck."
Or someone to take me down with one of the unforgivable curses.
"Ahem," a faint, girly voice coughed. Evelynn turned slowly towards Professor Umbridge dressed in her tight, neatly pressed, pink suit. She was drinking a cup of tea and motioned towards the seat in front of her. "Welcome, Miss Lupin."
A lump formed at the back of Evelynn's throat as she sat down. "Professor Umbridge, I just want to say how sorry I am—"
"Uh ah," she interrupted with a tight smile. "I have no tolerance for lies, Miss Lupin, so refrain from offering me a false apology, hm? Now, as I understand it you have been taught magic privately. It is no wonder why you lack such etiquette. Not to worry, I am here to offer my service, especially a chosen on of Slytherin. However, I still must issue a punishment. Not to worry. I've chosen something quite simple. All I ask of you is that you merely repeat a single sentence on this paper fifty times."
Evelynn's eyebrows knitted together. "That's it?"
"Mhm. Here, use my quill."
Evelynn took it carefully and put the tip to the paper. "What is the sentence?"
"I deserve to be punished."
Evelynn's lips pursed together as the sentence rolled around in her head. It was a cruel thing to right, but given how easy this punishment was, and that Evelynn did deserve to be punished, she thought better than to argue and make things worse. At this point, she'd be done and in bed in less than an hour.
Evelynn wrote the sentence quickly , Umbridge smiling in her seat and sipping on her tea. As Evelynn wrote, a stinging pain burned on the front of her hand and dread filled her stomach. The quill was enchanted, and this punishment was no simple task indeed.