Rumors
That night after their classes, the trio sat in the Slytherin common room arguing.
“There is absolutely no way I will do that.” Evan pushed away Barty who was instantly holding out a tin of Bertie Botts Every Flavoured Beans.
“Oh c’mon it’ll be fun!” Barty jumped into the seat next to Evan on the couch.
Evan shook his head. “I would rather clean every inch of this castle by hand than eat a vomit flavoured sweet.”
“Reggieee,” Barty whined. “Help me convince Evan to try one.”
Regulus was lying across an armchair, reading. He looked over at the other two boys and shook his head, laughing.
“Leave me out of your war.” He paused. “But for the record, I side with Evan, those things are rancid.”
“See? Even Regulus agrees with me.” Evan pointed a finger in Barty’s face
“Ugh, you lot are so boring.”
“I’d call it sensible, Avery got one that tasted like old socks the other day.”
The boys all turned to look at the new voice. There was a group of three older students. The boy who had just spoken was the tallest of the three and had rather lanky proportions.
“Oh don’t make me remember that.” The boy to his right, presumably Avery, made a face of disgust.
The older boys found seats and sat down on the couch across from Evan and Barty.
“Maybe you’ll have better luck this time?” Barty joked, offering them the tin of sweets.
The tall boy grabbed a handful and thrust it towards the third boy. He had long dark hair that hung in front of his face.
“You’ll have some won’t you, Sev?” The boy's tone was cold and daring.
Sev looked up, meeting the other boy’s eye “S-sure, why not?” He tried to seem nonchalant but his voice cracked and his friends laughed.
He grabbed a yellow bean and ate it tentatively. As soon as it reached his mouth, he spit it out onto the floor.
“Ugh, earwax.” He choked on the lingering taste.
The group laughed at the boy’s misfortune
“Hey Sev, I dare you to give it to your girlfriend, I’m sure Evans would love this.” The tall boy nudged the rejected sweet with his foot.
“Bugger off, Mulciber.” He was still coughing.
“Why? It’s what a mudblood like her deserves.”
“Are you talking about Lily?” Evan intruded.
Both boys turned to look at him.
“What do you know about her?” Sev snapped at him.
“I just met her on the train.” Evan was taken aback. “But I didn’t know she was a, a-”
“Mudblood?” Mulciber cut him off. “Yeah, Snape here has been consorting with the wrong sort, so me and Avery have generously taken it upon ourselves to help him out. Isn’t that right Severus?”
“Can we just leave her out of this?” Snape’s voice was sharp.
“Don’t want to embarrass yourself in front of our new friends?” Mulcibur taunted. “I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Aldrich Mulciber and that’s Gordon Avery.” He didn’t extend a hand, instead he stayed sprawled over the couch. A sign, Evan had been taught, that meant a lack of respect.
Evan made a face of distaste at the act. He had memorized the sacred twenty eight forward and back, and he knew for a fact the Mulciber name was not included. His father would not have stood for such blatant disrespect.
“Evan Rosier. This is Regulus Black and Barty Crouch.” He returned dryly.
Mulciber’s eyes widened.
“A Rosier and a Black.” He whistled. Mulciber straightened himself up and held out a hand. “Pardon my prior inconsideration.”
Evan pointedly ignored the act but still prided himself in the power that came with the Rosier name.
Mulciber pulled his hand back defeatedly. “How did you wind up here, Crouch?” He finally acknowledged Barty. “I wouldn’t have thought your daddy would want his heir to be running around with the children of those he’s convicted.”
“Doesn’t matter what he wants.” Barty said coolly. “It’s not his choice to make.”
Mulciber raised his head in agreement. “Right you are, I wish more people would realize how foolish they are. Our time is coming, and when it does, we will prosper over them.” He had a mad glint in his eye.
Evan had heard similar talk coming from his family’s dining hall when his father hosted his meetings. Talk of the new candidate. Evan was still skeptical of why people like Mulciber referred to him with god-like reverence. His father had been a strong political figure for as long as Evan could remember, but only recently had it turned to obsession. He could feel that Mulciber was right, the times were changing.
He looked over to Regulus to see if he had heard anything similar, but he had returned to his book, unbothered to pay attention to the conversation. Barty, on the other hand, seemed to be hanging on to every word.
Mulciber’s speech had been so captivating that Evan had forgotten the two other boys. So when Avery spoke up he jumped out of his thoughts.
“Can we head to dinner yet? I’m starved.”
Evan could have almost laughed at the drastic change in conversation, but Mulciber agreed and made to leave.
“Are you lot coming with?” He looked back at the younger boys.
“Not yet. We’ll let Regulus finish his chapter.” Evan joked. He had no intention of letting Regulus read in peace. Instead, he wanted to pick his mind on what Mulciber had said.
Mulciber and Avery left with Snape trailing behind them.
“Interesting lot,” Evan said after they left.
“He’s got a point though,” Barty responded. “My dad reckons this new candidate means business. Sounds as though Minchum is worried he’ll take the spot as minister.”
“Seemed a bit obsessed though?”
“Maybe,” Barty shrugged. “I reckon he was more hopeful. We could benefit from a change in the ministry.”
Evan watched Barty carefully. He doubted that Barty knew the extent of what was discussed about the new candidate.
“The rumors about his views on blood purity are a bit extreme, don’t you think?” He tried to reason.
“Those are just rumors, and besides, don’t act like I didn’t just see how proud you were to share your name. You can’t preach equality when you so greatly benefit from the disparity.” His tone was no longer casual, it sparked with debate.
“I’m not ‘preaching equality,’ I just don’t see how any obsession this influential is right. What do you think, Reg?” He didn’t like how defensive Barty had gotten and he tried to redirect the conversation.
“I think,” Regulus sighed, finally closing his book. “That you should keep your mouths shut, both of you. If he has gained such support this fast, I can only imagine it would be stupid, let alone dangerous, not to side with him. But, Evan does have a point, you’ve heard nothing but rumors, an obsession with someone so unknown could harm you just as much.”
“I wasn’t siding against him, I was just-”
Regulus gave Evan a look that quickly shut him up.
“S'pose you’re right.” Barty mumbled unbelievably. Knowing he could not argue with Regulus, he abruptly ended the conversation. “Can we head up yet?”
The trio made their way out of the dungeons and to the great hall for dinner. They ate in a tense silence. They were not yet familiar enough with the older students to join in their conversations, and Edward had been pointedly ignoring them since that morning. So, when Evan saw Marlene waving him over to the Gryffindor table, he didn’t hesitate to excuse himself.
“How’d your first day treat you?” Marlene questioned him when he reached her.
“Mostly good, History of Magic is a bore and the only way I’ll pass Potions is because of Pan, she’s brilliant at all of it.”
“I second that!” Marlene laughed. “I’d be lost in potions if it weren’t for Lily.”
Evan smiled, but he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of discomfort at the mention of Lily. The information of her blood status shouldn’t really change anything. She was still the sweet girl from the train, but he could lose the feeling that prickled along the back of his neck.
“Made any friends yet? Not that your house is famous for being welcoming.” Marlene pulled him out of his thoughts.
“Actually, yeah.” He looked over to where Barty and Regulus had seemed to have broken through the awkward silence. “Would you wanna meet them?”
“Why not?” Marlene shrugged. “They can’t be worse than you.”
Evan made a face at her but they laughed and he showed her over to where the two boys sat.
“Barty, Reg, this is Marlene McKinnon. Marlene, this is Barty Crouch and Regulus Black.” He introduced them.
Regulus took Marlene’s hand, but when she turned to Barty, he ignored her.
“Why are you hanging around bloody Gryffindors?” He asked Evan, judgingly.
“Come off it Barty.” Evan’s patience was wearing thin with him. “We met on the train.”
“Like how you also met that girl Mulcibur was talking about? The Mud-”
“Mulciber?” Marlene interjected. “That prat is just a third year but he acts as if he owns the school.” Marlene rolled her eyes. “Him and his little entourage are such creeps. I’ll never know why Lily is friends with that Snape boy.”
“Nobody asked for your opinion, Gryffindor.” Barty sneered at her.
Marlene looked at him in surprise. “I swear you Slytherin’s are all the same. How did you end up stuck here, Evan?”
He shrugged half heartedly. The feeling of discomfort had returned. He couldn't place why Barty was being so rude. Evan had thought Marlene was a rather likeable person, but Barty’s prejudice seemed to go deeper than that. He looked at Marlene as though her mere presence was offensive.
“Go back to your table if you’re so high and mighty.” Barty spat.
“Tosser.” Marlene muttered under her breath as she turned away. ‘We can catch up later, Evan.”
He gave her an awkward wave goodbye and then glared at Barty.
“What in Merlin’s name was that?”
“She has no place at this table.” Barty shrugged.
“What does that even mean? Sure she’s not one of the twenty eight, but she’s a pure-”
“That’s not what I meant. Forget her blood status, she’s a Gryffindor.”
“That hardly means anything. The houses really aren’t that diff-”
“You’re one to talk, Rosier.” Barty interrupted him again. “Are you really going to sit here and tell me that nothing is wrong with your sister being in Ravenclaw?”
Evan was at a loss for words. Bary was right. Pandora would certainly have to pay for being sorted into the wrong house.
“Gryffindors are all arrogant tossers anyway.”
Evan made to respond, but Regulus gave him a look that told him to leave it. Barty didn’t seem anywhere near ready to back down.
“I’m not hungry for pudding. I’m going to bed.” Evan stormed off.
He fumed his whole way to the dungeons. He couldn’t see what Barty’s problem was. He doubted that Crouch sr. would mind his son being a Griffyndor. It might even make him proud. Less chance for him to be a dark wizard and all. Bringing Pandora’s situation up had been a low blow. It had been gnawing Inside of Evan since the sorting. He wasn’t fully sure how his parents would react. He knew they would be upset, but Pandora wasn’t the heir. She was born into the family, but she would not carry on the Rosier name. Surely there had to be some leeway, some freedoms they could grant her.
Although he had cooled down considerably while he got ready for bed, Evan still tossed and turned in bed. He couldn’t explain it, but as frustrating as the fight had been, arguing with Barty Crouch was almost as addicting as hearing his laugh. It was something about his attention. Whether good or bad, Evan craved it.
Eventually he heard others enter the room. He could tell it was Barty and Regulus. Barty was ranting about their classes while Regulus occasionally made sounds of acknowledgement. At some point the other two boys entered the dormitory and Aziz joined in the conversation while Edward made a few pointed comments before drawing his curtains. After several minutes, He heard Aziz head to bed and Barty’s voice dropped. From where the remaining voices came from, Evan assumed they were both sitting on Regulus’ bed.
“I can’t believe he just left like that.” Evan could only guess that Barty was referring to him. It was rather ironic when Barty himself had run off that morning and still refused to share where he had gone. “I thought we were his friends, he doesn’t need any shallow Gryffindors.”
“What is your problem with them anyway?” Regulus asked.
Barty was silent for a solid minute and Evan was almost positive he wouldn't answer. But after a long pause he relented.
“I-” Barty’s voice was so quiet that Evan could hardly make it out. “I’m not supposed to be here, in Slytherin I mean.”
“Oh.” Regulus’ voice was low, but just as shocked as Evan felt.
“My father was a Slytherin, so maybe he’s proud of me for once.” His voice was venomous. “I told him I wouldn’t be, that I’d be Gryffindor and be nothing like him. But-” Barty’s voice broke. “It doesn't matter, I’ll just have to find a new way to disappoint him I guess.”
“Barty-” Regulus started but Barty stopped him.
“Like I said, doesn’t matter. Gryffindors are all tossers anyway.” Evan heard him get up and walk over to his own bed.
“Night, Reggie.”
Regulus responded and then the room was finally quiet.
Evan wasn’t sure what to make of what he had just overheard. He tried to think thorough it, but tiredness was finally creeping in and his thoughts swirled together without making coherent sense and Evan drifted off to sleep.
The first thing Evan noticed when he opened his bed’s curtains was that Barty was gone. Evan groaned and flopped back onto his bed. He wasn’t sure what to do if Barty’s disappearance became a regular activity. He also didn’t know how to handle the fight from the previous night. Barty’s rude comments to Marlene were just misdirected anger towards his father, but that didn’t make it alright. Evan wanted to figure out how to handle the situation before he would have to face Barty, but he sorely missed not finishing his dinner and he couldn’t think straight on an empty stomach.
It wasn’t yet 7:00 but Evan got dressed and headed to the great hall. He passed through the common room which was only occupied by the quidditch team members coming back from their morning practice.
As Evan pushed out of the common room, he saw two boys in Gryffindor robes dash around a corner and out of sight. From the glimpse he saw, he almost thought that one of the boys was Regulus. He had the same dark curls, although they were slightly less cropped.
Evan took the long way up to the great hall, trying to buy time in case breakfast hadn’t been served. He regretted missing what the prefects had told the first years and felt that he had too many questions.
After he eventually made it into the great hall, Evan was almost immediately stopped by his sister. She already was starting to seem more herself than when they had been at the station. Her hair flowed loosely and Evan could see that she had braided a few strands throughout it. It looked much more like her than when their mother pulled it tight at home.
He started to smile at her new found freedom, but then he saw the worry in her eyes.
“What’s wrong, Pan?” He asked.
“I haven’t opened it yet, but… I’m scared of what it will say.” She held out a sealed letter to him.
He turned the letter over in his hand and saw the rose encircled with thorns that was the Rosier crest. He drew a sharp breath and looked at her. “Might as well find out.”
She nodded and he broke open the seal.
The letter was short.
We will discuss what you have done when you get home. Do not draw attention.
Aut vincere aut mori
-Philippe Rosier
Senior Administrator of Wealth and Finance Supervision.
Of course Pandora couldn’t get away with a strongly worded letter. His parents were ones to show not tell.
“I mean, it could’ve been worse.” Evan tried to lighten the tension.
Pandora shrugged and crumpled the note. “Not sure what I expected but at least I can relax for the rest of the semester.”
“Maybe they’ll have forgotten by then?” Evan offered and Pandora nodded. It was wishful thinking. There was a better chance they would disown her rather than let it slide.
“It will be fine, I’ll be ok.” Pandora reassured, mostly to herself. “I’ll let you get to your friends, the loud one has been mopping about since before I got here.” She gestured back to Barty. He was sitting alone at the far end of the Slytherin table.
Evan made his way to him and could see that he was visibly upset. All the tension left from their fight vanished when Evan saw him.
“Alright, Barty?” Evan sat down across from him.
Barty looked up at him. His amber eyes seemed to lack some of their usual light. “Yeah, uh…Ev, about last night. You can be friends with whoever you want. I just-”
“It’s fine.” Evan cut him off. He wasn’t sure what to do with the information he had overheard. Barty didn’t seem to be in a right state, and Evan didn’t want to force him to retell the story just yet.
“I didn’t mean to be such a-”
“Like I said Barty, it's fine.”
Barty nodded. “Thanks Ev.”
“We all have our moments. You should’ve seen how she went off on me when we first met. Honestly, I was more scared of what she would do to you.”
Barty laughed. His lopsided grin showing off his missing tooth. “I think I could take her.”
“Oh really? I’d pay a few galleons to see that.” Evan Teased.
“Did you two kiss and make up yet?” Regulus sat down next to Barty. “I wasn’t sure I could stand another meal that awkward.”
“Aw, Reggie, you do care.” Barty threw his arm over Regulus’ shoulders.
“I just care about my own sanity. Your whinging was giving me such a headache.”
“As if, you know you love us, Reg.” Evan laughed.
“Oh not you too.” Regulus sighed. “Barty giving me nicknames was bad enough.”
Evan and Barty grinned at each other and Evan knew Hogwarts already felt like home.