Together
Evan woke up abruptly to the sound of his door opening. He sat up immediately, eyes darting to the source of the noise. He held his breath as he recognized the man standing in the doorway.
“What are you doing here?” he asked in a whisper.
“I need to talk to you” Barty answered.
“Barty, you can’t be here, they’ll say it’s attempted murder!”
“Please, Ev”.
Evan sighed. “What is it?”
“I can’t get a hold of Regulus”.
Evan was quiet for a moment, thinking of how to phrase it. “They have him, Barty”.
He froze. “Is he alive?”
“Yes, of course”.
“Can you get him out?”
“What?”
“Please, Ev, do this for me”. Barty sounded desperate.
“I’m going to be a little too focused on keeping you out of jail”.
“Please, Ev, you don’t understand!”
Evan was started to get annoyed by Barty calling him Ev, mostly because it was working.
“I’ll try”, he said, exasperated.
“Thank you, I-”
“But”, Evan cut him off, “You need to come with me to the detectives”.
“What? They’ll arrest me”.
Evan nodded. “I’ll tell them you didn’t hurt me. Pandora agreed to help me, just please, come with me. They’d find you anyway, it’ll be easier if you turn yourself in”.
Barty sighed. “Can we go now, please?”
“Now you’re eager?”
“I just want to get this over with”.
***
“Well well well, who do we have here” said a very obviously sleep deprived Sirius, turning around on his chair. “Put him in a holding cell”, he said, waving his hand to the others.
“Since when do you give the orders around here?” asked Remus.
“Since I haven’t slept in four days and I really want to get this over with”.
“Fair enough”, James shrugged, grabbing Barty’s shoulder.
“No!” yelled Barty. “I- Evan- please, explain-”
“I’m sorry” said Evan, shaking. “I’m really sorry” he repeated in a whisper.
They took Barty away. Evan sat thinking for a few minutes. He drank some water. He tried to convince himself he did the right thing. But when he heard the yelling of three different people from the cells, he couldn’t bare it. He practically sprinted to Barty.
He halted, seeing Lady Walburga, still very much alive, in a cell next to a similar looking boy, next to Barty.
“What…?” he managed.
“Surprise” said Barty and Regulus sourly in unison.
“Prince Evan, thank goodness, there must have been a mistake! Get me out of here at once!”
Evan looked to Regulus, then to Walburga, then to Barty. He remembered what he had been told about this woman.
“Lady Black, I assure you, there is no need for my intervention”.
Barty looked up at Evan, eyes pleading. Evan took a deep breath. “Everything will be sorted out soon”. He left, turning his back on Barty. It was unbearable, but he was in shock from what he just saw. He needed to get away. It was stupid – to walk in and immediately leave again – but he needed to. He really did.
Evan went back to Pandora to sleep through the rest of the night. He felt almost guilty, being able to fall back asleep after what he did. He had promised Barty he wouldn’t let him be arrested. He had broken his promise, afraid of his own feelings.
When he woke up in the morning, he went back to the detectives, only to find out Regulus had been released.
“What?” he breathed. “Why him? What about Barty?”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Barty Crouch jr. has murdered a member of the French royal family, attempted the murder of another one, and kidnapped a member of the British royal family”.
“Regulus Black planned it all” retorted Evan.
“No”, said Sirius. “He didn’t plan that last one, making it none of your business”.
“Do not address me that way!” shouted Evan, distraught.
“I have dealt with enough royal bullshit in my life. I don’t care. My job here is done”.
“No it is not!” Evan was on the verge of tears. He walked away before Sirius could notice. He went to the cells, unsure of what he was going to do. The moment he saw Barty however, he decided. He grabbed the bars of the cell, looking at him. For a moment, Barty looked back, as if waiting for something. Evan decided to not keep him waiting any longer. As Barty opened his mouth to say something, Evan grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, kissing him. Barty returned the kiss, but not intensely.
Evan was floating, flying above the clouds, intoxicated by Barty’s closeness. He heard Walburga’s yells, but as if from miles away. Nothing mattered anyway, only Barty’s lips on his, Evan’s hand on Barty’s shirt, scrunching the fabric, pulling him as close as possible.
Evan eventually broke away and stumbled backwards, panting. He glanced over at Walburga, who scoffed in disgust. His eyes went back to Barty, who sat on the floor with a smirk on his face. Evan began to walk away. Barty called after him.
“Evan! Evan please, this is our chance!”
He left. He couldn’t deal with this.
He went to the detectives. He begged them to release Barty. He pleaded, tears in his eyes, to not tell anyone he was even found, as nobody knew yet. Pandora joined in on the effort, imploring that they keep it quiet. It took some convincing, but they agreed. Barty’s cell was opened, and he was lead to where Evan was sat.
“Ev”, he said hoarsely.
“Hi”. Evan replied awkwardly.
Barty sunk onto the seat beside him, his hand brushing against Evan’s.
“Thank you”.
“I’m sorry” Evan managed.
“It’s okay”, Barty whispered, moving his hand up to Evan’s face. The touch is breathtaking, paralyzing, everything that Evan would ever want. Nothing more. Just this. Just Barty, sitting beside him, close, his.
Pandora cleared her throat. “So, Ev, Barty, where will you go?”
“If it’s okay with you, the house we were in?” Barty said.
“Anywhere you want”.
Barty took Evan’s hand. “It’s going to be okay”.
***
A week later, the detectives along with Dorcas, Regulus and Pandora were having dinner at Evan and Barty’s house. There was chatter, friendly banter and a generally good atmosphere. Wine was poured, and they looked to Sirius to propose a toast. Sirius glanced around the room, his eyes settling on Regulus. Specifically the cuff of his sleeve. More specifically the dried blood on it. He frowned, at Regulus smiled at him menacingly.
“To Evan and Barty, and the inevitable and painful death of my parents!”