I'll Do Anything For Love

Chapter 2 Visiting Hogwarts Part 2

Eve should have remembered that Dumbledore was up to something every time his eyes twinkled. Now she was in the staff room, meeting all her past professors. She wanted to meet all of them, but not like this --- talking to McGonagall for a few minutes, and then Hooch joining in and changing the topic, then Sprout...

Luckily, some of the teachers had other things to do, so now only the Headmaster and Professors Hooch, McGonagall, and Snape were still in the staff room. Dumbledore, McGonagall, Hooch and Eve were sitting at the coffee table, and Snape sat near them in a chair near the fireplace.

"Finally, we can have a real 'chat'." McGonagall said, "So, dear, how have you been? Haven't heard from you for ages. You said you are studying for a second degree?"

Eve sipped from her mug of chocolate, which Hooch handed her. Hooch made the best chocolate in the world. "Yes. I graduated from my photography degree earlier than expected, so I went for another one in culture and media. I am studying in Warwick University now, with my friends, and I'm going to graduate next summer. I am planning to stay in England after that."

"Great. How are your parents? Well, I would expect your mom to have a big row with you about your decision to stay in England," Hooch chuckled. All the professors knew how 'possessive' her mom was. It was to the extent that sometimes they felt sorry for her.

That was something she didn't expect them to ask about, and she hadn't told anyone... even her best friends... "Err... she didn't know about it... she... she passed away last winter."

Everyone was stunned at her statement. McGonagall looked like she had seen a ghost; Hooch had almost spilt her mug of chocolate. And Dumbledore... he seemed to know about her mother's death already and his concern for her showed in his face.

"I am sorry, my dear. I hadn't heard anything about it." Hooch gave her a hug.

"It's okay, don't worry. I... haven't told anyone unless they asked... not even Bill or Charlie knew about it, until they noticed that I hadn't gone back to Hong Kong for Chinese New Year and summer since then." She could feel Snape looking at her now, but she couldn't see his face and missed the hurt and sadness in his eyes.

Suddenly, Dumbledore's eyes twinkled again.

"It's getting late; it's almost dinner time. Eve, do you want to stay for dinner?" Dumbledore asked her. "You are going to pop in to watch the tournament from time to time, so I have asked Minerva to prepare a room for you in Gryffindor Tower, with a fire place connected to the floo network so you could go back to your house in Coventry." Then Dumbledore chuckled, "Just make sure your housemates won't be freaked out if they see you come through the fire."

"I assure you that they won't. They will be delighted. They know I am a witch, but I have never shown them anything about me being a witch except my wand." Then she grumbled, "They are still trying to get hold of my yearbooks, which are actually hidden just under their noses on my bookshelf?"

Everyone laughed out loud, even Snape had a small smile. Her housemates, Bertha and Miranda, who were also her muggle best friends, had been trying to get her to show them her yearbooks for years since she got her first yearbook of Hogwarts.

"Let's go to dinner." Dumbledore got up from his seat, and everyone headed for the Great Hall.

On the way, McGonagall asked, "Eve, I assume that you are going to eat at the Gryffindor table?"

"Of course. Where else can I sit?"

"How about the High Table?" Snape said, to everyone's surprise.

Eve turned to Snape and said, "Yes, I'll sit at the High Table tonight, as you've requested. Professor, I heard from Bill that the twins exploded your cauldron recently." She turned to Dumbledore, "Headmaster, may I join you at the head table?"

"Of course, my dear. You are welcome to join us at our table."

"Just like the old days," Hooch chuckled.

***************

"How come Dumbledore isn't here yet? Most of the teachers are here already," Harry asked. He looked at Ron for a response, then he remembered that Ron was still angry with him about the tournament.

Instead, Hermione answered him, "Harry, there they come. Err... they seemed to be in a pretty good mood... even Snape.... " Ron and Harry immediately turned their heads to the direction of the doors.

Yes, the professors were in pretty good mood, even Snape had a faint smile. He smiled?! Harry thought, 'This is getting weirder every second. First I was entered as one of the champions, then Ron was angry with me, now the professors are in excellent moods...'

"Hey, Hermione, who's that walking next to Snape?" Harry noticed the young woman coming in the Great Hall with the professors.

"OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD!!! Fred!!! George!!!" Ron shouted insanely at his brothers over and over again. When he finally caught his brothers' attention, they acted really strangely....

"Ginny, who's that?" Hermione asked Ginny, who was sitting opposite her. Ginny didn't know what was going on, but when Hermione pointed at the woman walking next to Snape, Ginny dashed like lightning towards her, regardless of Snape's presence.

***************

"Eve!!!"

Eve gave Ginny a big hug, lifting her off the ground. "You have grown heavier, baby girl."

"I am not a baby anymore."

"Ginny, you know what I am going to do, don't you?"

Ginny nodded, trying to hold back her laughter.

"Good." She took a box of chocolates out from her pocket in her robe, and gave it to Ginny. "Let them know that it is a treat given to you from me." Ginny got hold of it and rushed back to the table.

"Using psychology again?" Snape sneered.

"Chinese idiom --- it doesn't matter how old the trick is, the only important thing is that it works." She smirked. "AND a little bit of 'fear'." How she missed her school days... and him....

***************

Once Ginny got to the table, everyone noticed that she had a box of chocolate in her hand. Fred asked, "Ginny, what's that?"

"Eve gave them to me." She put it in her pocket and looked at them, "I am not giving any to you."

"God, George... what do you think she is going to do?" They both knew Eve would make sure Ginny would be safe from her pranks... and that box would contain the solution to the prank she was going to play on them....

Eve stood behind the twins, who were still wondering which prank she was going to play. She patted both of them on their shoulder. "So, what are you two doing? Didn't even notice me behind you?" She looked at them both and said, "Someone could have pulled some pranks on you already."

To the whole hall's surprise, both Fred's and George's faces were now as white as snow. Pranks?! Already?!

"Eve, please, what have you played on us?" George begged her, which made Alicia and Lee laugh even harder. Ginny and Ron were laughing, too.

"Nothing."

"Eve... please?" Fred begged, and now Hermione and Harry was (were) so shocked they didn't know what to expect. Who was she anyway? The twins were afraid of her. Really AFRAID.

"You asked for it. Ginny, give them the box of chocolate. It is really nothing. Well, I'll see you guys later in the common room. By the way, I am going to pop in from time to time to see the tournament." She started walking towards the teachers' table. Professor Hooch had left the seat next to Snape for her. Had she done that on purpose? He was not going to notice it anyway.

To Be Continued