Chapter 23

"I'm sorry about Astoria," Evanna said, watching Grayson flit into their house, effectively leaving Sebastian and Evanna out on the porch together.

"It's alright," Sebastian smiled. "I'll set her straight tomorrow."

"No, I'll do it," Evanna sighed. "You shouldn't have to bear that burden."

"EVIE!" Grayson shouted from inside the house.

Sebastian and Evanna exchanged looks and ran inside the house. Evanna's eyes grew wide as she saw who was standing inside.

"Good evening," Aurelia spoke evenly, her eyes immediately flitting to Sebastian.

"What are you doing here, Aurelia?" Evanna asked crossly.

"Such rudeness," Aurelia said with a condescending chuckle. "How dare you speak as such to your mother?"

"You know I don't consider you my mother anymore," Evanna glared. "What are you doing here?"

"Enough with this running away from home nonsense, Evanna," Aurelia breathed. "It's time for you to return. Haven't you made enough of a travesty of yourself?"

"You're not welcome here, Aurelia," Evanna glared further. "I suggest you leave."

"Evanna Redway, I am your mother and I demand for you to leave with me and return to where you belong," Aurelia demanded.

"Not in your lifetime," Evanna said angrily.

Aurelia scoffed as she laid her eyes on Grayson. "And what? You choose to instead live with this oaf?" Aurelia laughed. "He can't possibly be giving you a good life, a comfortable life. I hear he's making you clean manors. Do you understand the derision I've had to suffer through? I will not be made a fool of anymore. Evanna, you are coming with me."

"Grayson has been more family to me that you ever will be," Evanna said grabbing Aurelia's arm. "This is our home and you are not welcome here. So leave."

Aurelia laughed in her face. She then looked at Sebastian who was watching the scene with discomfort. Aurelia eyed him from head to toe, instantly recognizing who she was. Aurelia broke free from Evanna's grasp and walked towards him.

"On the other hand," Aurelia chuckled, walking around Sebastian in a circle like a hungry lion, "perhaps you haven't done that badly for yourself, darling. I'd never thought you'd be dating Sebastian Cardonnell. I applaud your taste."

"Aurelia-" Evanna began.

"My daughter is very lucky to have you, young man," Aurelia continued to babble. "I'll very much appreciate it if you ignore all her pitfalls and drawbacks."

"Aurelia!"

"I'm very sure that you are quite the best and the only man who will ever have her now after all the ungrateful things she did," Aurelia said, smiling shiftily at Sebastian.

"While I am flattered that you approve of me, madam," Sebastian said evenly. "I do believe you've misunderstood the situation."

"Have I?"

"Yes and evidently, you are not welcome in this home and so in the interests of all those here, I believe it is best if you take your leave," Sebastian continued. "Otherwise, we would be forced to summon the authorities."

Aurelia's gaze darkened. She turned to Evanna. "So this is the company you've surrounded yourself with," she said angrily. "You really went out of your way to convince this people of my depravity, didn't you?"

"I didn't have to convince them, Aurelia," Evanna argued. "Now I think you'd better go."

"Once I leave, I won't be showing my face to you ever again," Aurelia warned.

"I welcome that promise," Evanna answered.

Aurelia glared one last time and disappeared into thin air.

Pansy Parkinson sat at a café in Diagon Alley, two cups of tea simmering in front of her. She stared down at her reflection in her own cup. It had been a long while since she was in Diagon Alley. She wouldn't pretend that social reform school was a pleasant place. It was a morbid place bent on social conformity and false pretenses. She damned the place and everyone in it. She hoped she would never see it again. She played nice, of course. She wanted to get out of that hell hole.

She pulled out a vial with thick white powder in it. Pansy looked at the powder for a long while. Should she do this? If anyone found out, she would surely land right back in social reform school. Or worse yet, Azkaban prison. Pansy gripped the vial tightly, a fiery glow coming alight in her eyes. Of course she should do it. There was a score to settle.

Pansy uncapped the vial and poured its contents into the tea cup opposite hers. She took up a spoon and stirred it. The concoction turned into an inky black color and then transformed back into its original amber tea color. Pansy quickly replaced the empty vial back inside her robes and stared at the cup opposite her own for a long while. Her father really shouldn't keep Dark Arts objects lying around their manor unattended. Nasty things could happen.

Pansy looked up to see Evanna Redway walking toward her, a suspicious expression written all over her annoyingly perfect face. Pansy gave her a smile. Pansy had written to her with a supposed olive branch. Miss Perfect was still guarded. She should be, Pansy thought. She has no idea what will happen to her.

"Good morning, Evanna," Pansy said. "I hope you don't mind. I've taken the liberty of ordering us some tea."

"Thank you for helping us do some spring cleaning, Sebastian," Evanna smiled.

Sebastian looked away from his feather duster. "It's my pleasure," he smiled. "I've recently developed a yen for cleaning thanks to you."

Evanna giggled. "Just don't expect Grayson to pay you," she said.

"I wasn't expecting anything of the kind," Sebastian replied. He watched her smile and then sigh. He cocked his head to one side. "Did something happen?"

"I… I met Pansy Parkinson for tea this morning," Evanna said, a thoughtful expression coming over her face.

"Pansy?" Sebastian raised an eyebrow. "She's back from social reform school?"

"Apparently," Evanna sighed again. "She bought me tea and told me how sorry she was about everything she's done."

"That's odd."

"That's exactly what I thought," Evanna said. "But she was completely pleasant and friendly the entire time."

"Well," Sebastian mused, "if it's a change for the better, shouldn't we welcome it?"

"I suppose," Evanna said, putting her hand on her forehead and rubbing vigorously.

"Are you alright?" Sebastian asked.

"I've just got a bit of a headache," Evanna said, attempting to smile.

Sebastian frowned at her. "Evanna, you've gone excessively pale," he observed. "Are you sure you're alright?'

"I'm fine," Evanna said, trying to laugh it off, tossing aside her broom and attempting to walk across the room.

Evanna suddenly wobbled and hurtled to the ground. Sebastian dropped his feather duster and caught her in his arms. "You're definitely not alright," Sebastian said worriedly. "GRAYSON!"

"Don't be ridiculous, Sebastian," Evanna said breathily. "I'm fine. It's quite hot in here."

Sebastian stared at her. She was pale, her face had started to get a sort of waxy quality, and she was sweating prodigiously. Grayson walked into the room, took one look at Evanna in Sebastian's arms and dropped all the linens he was folding. He rushed immediately to her.

"What in the world happened?" he demanded.

"I don't know," Sebastian said. "We were just cleaning and then she just suddenly got sick."

"I told you you've worked yourself too hard, you dolt," Grayson said.

"I… I'm o… okay…" Evanna insisted.

"You aren't, you nitwit. Come on, you're going to bed," Grayson grabbed Evanna by the arm and he gasped. "You're cold as ice. What's gotten into you?"

"I d-don't k…know wh…what you're t-talking about…" Evanna said as Grayson picked her up.

"Don't be stupid," Grayson said. "You're obviously sick."

Sebastian watched Grayson carry Evanna off into her room. "I'm going to get a doctor," Sebastian said firmly.

"I d…don't need a… a… doc… tor," Evanna mumbled.

"Don't be an arse, Evie," Grayson told her. "Thank you, Sebastian and please hurry."

"I… can't… can't b-breathe," Evanna gasped, lying in her bed, white as a sheet as the doctor examined her.

Grayson and Sebastian stood off to one corner, ghostly expressions on their faces. The doctor stood up from the side off Evanna's bed, a grim expression on his face. Sebastian's heart instantly dropped. The doctor walked over to them, a dismal appearance apparent from his features.

"What is it?" Grayson asked intently. "What's happened to my sister?"

"I don't know how to tell you this," the doctor began, "but your sister has been poisoned. She is currently experiencing a systemic vascular collapse. Blood is not circulating effectively through out her body causing her drop in body temperature and blood pressure. Also because of the poison, her heart is shutting down and her lungs are constricting causing her to suffocate. I'm sorry, but your sister is dying."

Grayson looked as if he had been hit by a building. Sebastian felt color drain from his face. He looked back over at Evanna on the bed. She looked as if she was gasping for air that wasn't going to come. Sebastian felt as if he had been punched.

"D-dying?" Grayson stammered.

"If I could know what poison she consumed, there's a possibility of saving her," the doctor said. "Do either of you know what kind of poison it was?"

Grayson and Sebastian were quiet. They were ashen and both looked like they were suffocating as well. The doctor looked morose. He hung his head.

"I'm sorry," the doctor repeated. "But presently, there's nothing I can do. But please, do call me if you find out what kind of poison she ingested."

Grayson felt a tear fall down his cheek. "Thank you, doctor," Grayson said tearfully. "I'll walk you to the door."

"Thank you."

Sebastian watched Grayson and the doctor disappear from the room. He looked back over at Evanna. He felt dread pool thick in his stomach. He felt sick. He felt tears well up in the back of his eyes. She couldn't be dying, he thought to himself. She was just fine that morning, the day before. Evanna Redway couldn't possibly be dying. Sebastian felt tears fall down his face. She can't be leaving him. There were so many things he wanted to say. There were so many things he wanted to show her. Sebastian felt his hands curl into fists. She can't be dying. She just can't be.

"W-what are you… doing… all t-the w-way… over…t-there?" Evanna asked.

Sebastian willed his legs to move over to her, feeling his heart twist with every step. He would never see her again. He would never see her smile ever again. A slew of fresh tears were called forth by such a thought. He looked down at her. She was waxy and cold. Her lips had lost their color and her eyes were sunken. She was sweating and her breathing was slow. She didn't have long.

"Y-you… look… t-terrible," Evanna smiled.

Sebastian cried harder. "You shouldn't talk," he advised her through his tears.

"I'm… d-dying, aren't I?"

Sebastian couldn't take it anymore. He sank to his knees beside her bed and cried. He felt as if his chest had been ripped out and smashed with a hammer. It wasn't right. It wasn't fair. Evanna was finally moving on. She was finally starting to be happy.

"I'm sorry," Sebastian cried. "I should have protected you better. I should have done something. I should have."

"T-this… isn't… y-your f-fault…" Evanna breathed. "D-don't… s-say… that… Y-you're… a… g-good… friend…"

"Evanna," Sebastian sobbed, "I have to tell you something. There's something you've got to know."

"N-now w-would… be a g-good… t-time to s-say it…"

"Evanna, I… I… love… you," Sebastian confessed through his tears. "I always have. I always…"

"I… know…" Evanna breathed, making Sebastian look up at her with surprise. "B-but still, y-you should… h-have t-told… me, y-you martyr."

"I do favor my martyrdom," Sebastian answered, enjoying the way Evanna smiled at the comment. "I'm so sorry, Evanna. I wish I could do something. I wish I could fix this."

"C-can… I… ask y-you f-for… a f-favor?" she asked.

"Anything," Sebastian said, wiping away his tears."

"I… want t-to see h-him… again," Evanna whispered. "One… last… time…"