WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS?!

OCTOBER 1977

6th Year

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"Nobody over fifty has got any sense." - Agatha Christie, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

Leah Sherlock got easily annoyed by the smallest sounds - tapping, whistling, someone breathing.

So when she was sitting in her dorm room, jotting down theory after theory in her notebook, she was beginning to get very annoyed with the constant tapping of the keys of Claudia's typewriter.

"Watson, what is so important that it's interrupting my brainstorm?" Leah rolled her eyes, looking over at the blue-eyed girl.

 Claudia shrugged with a secret smile from where she was sat cross-legged on her bed, typewriter sat in front of her as her fingers danced over each key, "It doesn't matter."

Oh, how foolish Claudia Watson was, believing that her statement would put Leah Sherlock's mind at ease. After six years, she should know that it would only peak her interest.

Putting her pen and notebook on her beside table, Leah eyed the girl curiously, "Now, Watson you should know that you've only further intrigued me."

"It's private, Leah."

Leah frowned, standing up and leaning against her bedpost, "Nothing is ever private between us."

Claudia chuckled, "Well that's just not true."

"Yes it is."

"When you have an idea or a lead, do you tell me before I go off and make a fool of myself or wait until the very last minute once I look like an idiot?" Claudia asked with a knowing smile, lifting her head up, looking at the girl with her head cocked to the side.

Leah shrugged, "Makes it more fun for me."

The Watson girl only chuckled, shaking her head, her attention turning back to her writing.

"And while I may keep my thoughts on a case to myself, the personal things are never private between us." Leah added, moving to sit on the end of Claudia's bed.

"You mean my personal things," Claudia said, "I never know what you're thinking or feeling."

"Well that's why we work so well together," Leah shrugged, "I know too much and you don't know enough."

"I'm starting to feel like you're no longer just talking about each other's personal thoughts and feelings." Claudia laughed.

"We balance each other out, Watson." Leah said, making Claudia look up.

A smile fluttered onto her face, "You think that?"

"We need each other to function." Leah nodded awkwardly.

Claudia glanced between her work and her friend, before saying, "I'll show when it's finished, Leah. I promise."

Leah sighed, "Okay," She nodded reluctantly as there was a knock on the door, "Okay. But I'll hold you to that." The girl added as she went to open the door.

"Trust me. I know you will." Claudia laughed, putting the typewriter in a large wooden box, locking it and putting it under her bed as Leah opened the door.

"Hello Leah!" Three Ravenclaw second years grinned up at her.

"Tommy, Jill, Annie," The girl nodded back, "What have you got for me?"

Jill handed the girl a few sheets of folded up parchment, "Greg said to give this to you." She said, talking about the second year in Gryffindor.

Leah smirked, taking the parchment, reaching under her bed and pulling out a box, full of chocolate frogs. Taking six out, she handed each second year two of them, "Make sure the three in Gryffindor get theirs."

"Yes, Miss." Tommy grinned, before the three of them scurried away.

Claudia laughed as Leah closed the door, "I still can't believe you have little spies in each house."

"Really?" Leah chuckled, pushing the chocolate box back under her bed with a kick of her foot, before sitting down on the soft mattress, "It's really something everyone should expect from me."

"Yet no one does." Claudia smirked, joining Leah on her bed.

Leah hummed as she went through each piece of parchment, carefully reading every messily written word.

"Anything good?" Claudia asked, picking up one of the pieces of parchment that Leah had discarded as useless information.

"Not yet," The girl hummed as her eyes scanned the page, before raising an eyebrow, "The parchment." She whispered.

Claudia's eyebrows scrunched in confusion, flipping over the parchment in her hand, trying ot see if there was something on it, "This parchment?"

"No," Leah shook her head, eyes trained on the notes in front of her, "The big piece of parchment that Lupin hid from me and that Pettigrew got even more sweaty about than normal when I asked him about it."

"What did Greg say about it?" Claudia wondered.

"Apparently they always use it during pranks," Leah shrugged, "When they're planning them they're gathered around it. Pettigrew, Potter, Black, Lupin and... Evans. They've all used it."

"Well, that makes sense," Claudia said, "Lily is James' girlfriend."

Leah eyes flickered up to Claudia, "That's it."

"What is?"

"Evans!" Leah exclaimed, excitedly standing up from her bed, "Why didn't we ask Evans?"

"About what?" Claudia asked, gaining no answer as Leah began to plan.

"You're friends with her," Leah said, pointing ot her partner in crime, "You have prefect rounds with her tonight. It's perfect. You just have to do your little small talk that you can do - a useless talent until now - and ask her about it subtly. Extract the information so that we can use it to our advantage."

"No." Claudia said sternly.

Leah snapped her head towards the brunette, "What?"

"No," Claudia repeated, standing up off of the bed, "I am willing to a lot of things to help you with cases, but extorting my friendship with Lily is not one of them."

"But-"

"No, Leah." Claudia firmly stated, making the girl lean her head back and groan on frustration.

"Fine. You're so boring sometimes, Watson. You're supposed to be the fun one."