❝︎It might be selfish, but am I to blame for only wanting love.❞︎

Godric's Hollow.

"hat are you up to?" I asked sitting down on the bed beside Harry who played around with the golden snitch. "Thinking about the dance you and Hermione had last night?"

He looked at me furrowing his eyebrows, "I'm only kidding. I know Hermione's just a sister to you. Besides, how could you leave me? The girl you've only dreamt about since your third year" I said making him laugh, "What were you thinking about anyway?"

"Maybe we should go to Godric's Hollow. You know, Bathilda Bagshot knew my parents and Dumbledore as well. Maybe she knows a thing or two. But I'm not sure if that's the right place to be since Vold-"

"Don't say his name. It's a taboo. I was thinking with Ron how the death eaters found us in the cafe. Who would say his name if not us? And I also do think you-know-who would expect you to go there. It's not safe."

"But I just... Have a feeling that I should be there. It just feels right."

"I would've believed you if you were under Liquid Luck but right now I'm not sure. We can discuss it with Hermione and see what she has to say, and then we can decide."

"Alright," He said staring at the golden snitch in his hands.

"That's not the only thing you were worried about is it?" He didn't answer and continued to stare at the golden snitch, "Maybe it didn't open because you caught it in your mouth our first year Harry."

His eyes lit up and slowly brought the golden snitch closer to his lips, gently kissing it. Slowly, words began to appear on the snitch reading 'I open at the close'. He jumped sitting up straight and looking at me surprised with a small smile.

"You're brilliant Ev, you always figure things out."

"Yeah... I suppose," I said trying to smile. I always figure things out but not how to save you. The only idea I have right now is to not let you fight Voldemort anymore. Slow the time it takes to destroy other horcruxes, give us more time together, and more time for me to figure out what to do. If we never go to fight, Harry won't have to die. It might be selfish, but am I to blame for only wanting love. All I need is just more time and I swear I'll figure something out.

"But what do you think that means?"

"I don't know. Let's tell Hermione this and maybe she'll figure it out."

"Alright, after that we should head straight to Godric's Hollow."

"Tonight?"

"Yes, of course tonight Ev. Everyday there are people dying waiting for us to destroy all these horcruxes."

"...Maybe not tonight?"

"I- What? Why?"

"I'm not feeling well."

"What? What do you mean? Are you feeling sick? Are you alright?" He said placing a hand on my forehead to check my temperature, "No... You don't have a fever. Maybe it's the locket, I knew it wasn't a good idea to give it to you even for a second. Take it off and give it to me."

I started to feel guilty at how worried he was getting, "No! No, I'm just... Tired."

"Tired? Evelyn you can't be serious. What has gotten into you?" Harry said furrowing his eyebrows and getting up.

"Nothing, nothing. It's probably just the locket. Let's go talk to Hermione then," I said clearing my throat and leaving the tent. Harry shortly followed me out running up behind me and walking towards Hermione.

"Hermione, you're gonna want to see this," Harry said running past me handing her the golden snitch.

"I open at the close," Hermione read the words on the snitch.

"What do you think that means?" Harry asked.

"I don't know. I found something as well," Hermione said showing us the children's book Dumbledore left for her. The book had a strange symbol on it, the same symbol Luna's dad was wearing.

"At first I thought it was an eye, but now I don't think it is. It isn't a rune, and it isn't anywhere in Spellman's Syllabary. Somebody inked it in. It isn't part of the book. Somebody drew it."

"Luna's dad was wearing that at Bill and Fleur's wedding," Harry said.

"Viktor Krum told me that symbol was offensive, that it was a symbol of Grindelwald," I added on.

"Viktor? He was there at the wedding?" Hermione asked furrowing her eyebrows.

"That's besides the point, why would someone draw it in a children's book?"

"Look, Hermione, I've been thinking. I want to go to Godric's Hollow. It's where I was born. It's where my parents died," Harry said.

"That's exactly where he'll expect you to go because it means something to you," Hermione replied furrowing her eyebrows.

"I completely agree with Hermione," I said.

"Yeah, but it means something to him too, Hermione. You-Know-Who almost died there. I mean, isn't that exactly the type of place he'd be likely to hide a Horcrux?"

"It's dangerous, Harry. But even I have to admit, recently I've been thinking we'll have to go there. I think it's possible something else is hidden there," Hermione said sighing making me roll my eyes in frustration.

"What?" Harry asked.

"The sword. If Dumbledore wanted you to find it, but didn't want it in the Ministry's hands where better to hide it than the birthplace of the founder of Gryffindor?" Hermione said. She did make a valid point, only I really wish she hadn't.

"Are we sure about this?" I said sighing.

"Never been more sure. Let's leave as soon as possible," Harry said. Hermione and I exchanged looks with each other and a short silence filled the air.

"Don't ever let me give you a haircut again," Hermione said laughing slightly.

~***~

We apparated to Godric's Hallow late at night. The streets were covered with snow and all the houses were dark with everyone already asleep. It was silent and no one else could be seen on the streets other than Harry, Hermione, and I.

"I still think we should've used Polyjuice Potion," I said taking a deep breath.

"No. This is where I was born. I'm not returning as someone else," Harry replied. I stood in between Hermione and Harry, linking arms with both of them.

"Good night!" A man shouted laughing and closing the door to his house. From down the streets, a choir was singing Christmas carols inside a church.

"I think it's Christmas Eve," Hermione said just staring at the church for a bit.

"Do you think they'd be in there, Ev? My mom and dad," Harry asked looking at a bear by cemetery just across the church.

"Yeah, I think they would," I replied resting my head on his shoulders. We walked in silence towards the small cemetery. It was a heavy silence with a deep sorrow in it. Hermione walked deeper into the cemetery looking at the different headstones while I stuck by Harry's side. We stopped in front of one headstone that belonged to James and Lily Potter. We stood in silence, looking down at the headstone. I knelt down taking my wand out and created a wreath. I got back up to see tears streaming down Harry's cheeks.

"I wish I was sleeping beneath this snow with them Evelyn," Harry whispered, "But then I remember what I have to do, who I have in my life with me," I didn't say anything and rested my head on his shoulders as a bell indicating midnight rung, "Happy Christmas Ev."

"Happy Christmas Harry," I whispered.

"Harry, Evelyn," Hermione whispered linking her arms with mine again, "there's someone watching us. By the church."

We all looked towards the streets to see an old lady turning around and walking back into the streets. "I think I know who that is." Harry said following the old lady. Hermione and I exchanged looks once again before following behind him.

"I don't like this, Harry," Hermione said as the old lady continued to lead us down the streets.

"Hermione, she knew Dumbledore. She might have the sword," Harry said slowing down before stopping in front of a ruined house. "This is where they died, this is where he murdered them," he said. We all turned around at the strange presence of the old lady who was directly beside me.

"You're Bathilda, aren't you?" Harry asked the lady. She didn't reply and kept her eyes on Harry before turning back around and walking down the streets. Harry didn't hesitate to follow her while Hermione and I followed unsure. The old lady led us to a house, which I'm guessing is her's and walked inside. The whole walk there, she didn't look behind to check if we were still there at all. The lady pulled out box of matches that Harry quickly intercepted.

"Here, let me do that," He said. Bathilda looked at him without saying a word again and slowly turned around to face Hermione and I as Harry lit up a candle. She stared at Hermione and I extremely uncomfortably with the same expression the whole entire time.

"Miss Bagshot, who is this man?" Harry asked looking at a picture of a strange man I've never seen before. Bathilda didn't answe again and just slowly walked up the stairs as Harry followed her up.

"Lovely," Hermione whispered. I didn't say anything and looked around the house. It was old and the house was in terrible condition.

"Lumos," I whispered drawing out my wand. I walked over towards a staircase leading down somewhere as Hermione followed tightly behind me. I picked up a book laying just at the entrance of the stairway titled 'The Life and The Lies of Albus Dumbledore'. On top of it was a note that read "Dear Batty. Thanks for your help. You said everything..."

"Evelyn?" Hermione called out placing a hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah?"

"What was the reason you didn't want to come here today? You looked really frustrated."

"No, it was just because I was worried. You-know-who would be expecting us here and everything-"

"What is that?" Hermione asked interrupting me and walking past me. I noticed a strange smell as we continued walking deeper into the basement. As we walked deeper, a strong smell of something rotting became evident. Flies were buzzing around a door that was opened slightly. I carefully peaked inside to see a rotting dead body, Bathilda, the real Bathilda.

"Harry!" I yelled running back out to the living room. I turned back around to see Hermione had tripped over a pile of books. There was no time to wait, whoever Harry was with right now isn't the real Bathilda.

"Go!" She yelled pulling herself back up. I didn't turn back and ran up the stairs as fast as possible. I felt my heart drop hearing the continuous large thuds and groans from Harry only giving me more adrenaline rush. The thuds continued getting louder and I heard something break, a wall I'm guessing.

I ran up to see Harry on the floor. Right in front of him, Voldemort's snake was getting ready to attack him. Immediately, I shot a spell at it knocking it backwards and making it fall downstairs in between a crack on the floor. Harry's wand was laying on the floor just in front of the crack and I quickly grabbed it as Hermione joined us. Harry and I slowly stood up out of breath still being cautious.

"Confringo!" I yelled casting the spell just as the snake jumped onto me. Hermione quickly pulled Harry and I out the window, apparating away. Just before we apparated, I saw a tall white figure, Voldemort. We apparated back into the forest and my ears were ringing. It felt almost like the first time I apparated. My arm was bleeding from Nagini's bite and Harry's wand was still in my hands. With the last bit of strength I had, I snapped it in half. Without his wand he can't fight Voldemort, thus giving me more time to figure something out- and for us.

꧁♡꧂

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