In Her Eyes Lies Her Heart

Neither Mr. Weasley nor Percy was at home much of the following week. Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night. Eve, however, was making good on her promise to visit as often as possible. She showed up sporadically throughout the day, sometimes staying only for an hour or two before disappearing again. But she always stayed for meals when she could, and sat with Bill and Charlie reminiscing about old times after dinner each evening.
The Sunday before they were due to return to Hogwarts, Percy came home in time to eat with the family.
"It's been an absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly. "I've been putting fires out all week. People keep sending howlers, and of course, if you don't open a howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders."
"Why are they all sending howlers?" asked Ginny, who was mending her copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi with spell-o-tape on the rug in front of the living room fire.
"Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy. “They want compensation for their ruined property. Mundungus Fletcher’s put in a claim for a 12 bedroomed tent with an en suite Jacuzzi, but I’ve got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped up on sticks."
“Ha! That sounds like old Mundungus.” Said Eve, lounging on the sofa with her feet propped up on Charlie’s lap. “He was a rather unsavory fellow as I recall. Don’t know why Sirius always had him around.” She said this last part through a yawn, and she stretched herself out like a cat.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all looked at one another quickly.
“She knows Sirius?” mouthed Hermione.
Harry shrugged, but studied Eve closer. She seemed to know a lot of things, and Harry was beginning to feel curious. He wanted to know who she was and why she seemed to be acquainted with everyone around him. He didn’t like so many unanswered questions, and the Weasley’s quiet acceptance of her made him inexplicably anxious.
“Sirius Black, you mean?” said Percy. “Well, he turned out to be a criminal didn’t he? Birds of a feather.”
Eve turned her gaze to Percy, a smile playing on her lips.
“I wouldn’t be too sure, Percy. There are things that even you do not know.” Percy flushed and busied himself with the papers in his hands.
Now Harry was burning with curiosity. Surely that meant she knew about Sirius’ innocence. What else did she know? How could he ask her?
Silence fell over the group, pierced only by the sound of Ginny ripping tape and the breaking of Ron’s chess pieces. Mrs. Weasley looked at the clock. Mr. Weasley’s hand was still at work, and she sighed.
"Your father hasn't gone into the office on weekends since the days of you-know-who," she said. “They're working him far too hard. His dinner’s going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon."
"Well, father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" said Percy. “If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his head of department first--"
"Don’t you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" said Mrs. Weasley, flaring up at once.
"If dad hadn't said anything, old Rita would've just said it was a disgrace that nobody from the Ministry had commented," said Bill, who was playing chess with Ron. "Rita Skeeter never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Gringotts charm breakers once, and called me ‘a long-haired Pillock’?"

"Well, it is a bit long, dear," said Mrs. Weasley gently. "If you’d just let me--"
"No, mum."
Eve snorted and said “I don’t know Molly; I think it makes him seem rather dashing.” She leaned over and swiped hair from Bills eyes. Harry thought he saw the tips of Bill’s ears go red, but decided that he was imagining it.
Mr. Weasley came home soon after. He seemed exhausted, and sat heavily in his armchair.
"Well the fat’s really in the fire now," he told Mrs. Weasley as he toyed unenthusiastically with his somewhat shriveled cauliflower. "Rita Skeeter’s been ferreting around all week, looking for more ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the Prophet tomorrow. I told Bagman he should've sent someone to look for her ages ago."
"Mr. Crouch has been saying for weeks and weeks," said Percy swiftly.
"Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky," said Mr. Weasley, irritably. "There'd be a week’s worth of headlines in his house-elf being caught holding the wand that conjured the Dark Mark."
"I thought we all agreed that the house-elf, while irresponsible, did not conjure the mark?" said Percy, hotly.
"If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky that no one at the Daily Prophet knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione, angrily.
"Now look here, Hermione!" said Percy. "A high-ranking ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants—“
"His slave, you mean!" said Hermione, her voice rising passionately, "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?"
"I think you all had better go upstairs and check that you packed properly!” said Mrs. Weasley, breaking up the argument. "Come on now, all of you...."
They all rose, including Eve.
“I’d best be going too, Molly.” She said, stretching once more. “I’ll be here in time to accompany you to Kings Cross, but I need to make some last minute arrangements. Night all.” She said, and then traipsed through the kitchen and out the door. The rest went to their respective rooms to pack; all except Ron, who stayed to pack his chess set. Harry reached Ron’s attic room, and looked out into the Weasley’s garden. Eve was still there, along with Bill, who seemed to be preventing her from leaving. Harry’s curiosity was roused, and he opened the window slightly to try to hear what they were saying. He could only hear pieces, but he listened intently.
“I’ve already told you..” said Eve. “I can’t… no, this is how it has to be.”
Bill said something, but the creaking of the ghoul in the attic drowned it out.
“Of course I do, Bill.” She said in reply. “Both of you... but the spell…only a child...” her words were snatched by the wind, but Harry saw her place a hand on his shoulder. Bill nodded and walked her to the gate. Eve was still speaking, but as they walked further away, Harry heard less and less. “I’m sorry… but…not the one…I can’t…” Then she gave Bill a loose hug and was gone.