Extreme Unction (Tom Riddle saga)

Chapter 13

"I'm the ghost of a girl
That I want to be most
I'm the shell of a girl
That I used to know well

...

Broken pieces of
A barely breathin' story
Where there once was love
Now there's only me
And the lonely

Dancin' slowly in an empty room
Can the lonely take the place of you
I sing myself a quiet lullaby
Then you go and let the lonely in
To take my heart again"

The Lonely, Christina Perri

~~~~~~~

"Her mind is broken".

Evelyn felt unable to digest that truth. Standing in the mental wing, she stared at her friend, feeling guilty.
Eileen had an empty stare, she didn't reply to anything. She was like an empty shell.

Feeling numb after all those tragedies, Evelyn paid another visit to Spinner's End, to place some flowers on Tobias's grave. But for her also Severus Snape was dead.

All the hesitation vanished from the members of the Order of the Phoenix, who vowed to spend all their efforts to fight the Prince's Knights and anyone who wished to welcome the Dark Arts in the society they were used to know.
Evelyn went back to Hogsmeade to reunite with her husband and meet the other members for planning their trainings.

"Do you want to move here?" Tom questioned talking to Remus.
The young wizard nodded "Now that James and Lily are building their own family, I need to live on my own. The Hog's Head doesn't seem a bad place".
Evelyn smiled softly at the thought of a new life coming, a light in those gloomy times.
Dumbledore's brother didn't approve the crowd that filled his pub.
When Albus asked him gently if the Order would gather and train into his building, the wizard didn't react positively.
"No, you can't use my pub" Aberforth protested, putting an end to the discussion.
"What about the Shrinking Shack?" Remus suggested "It's empty and nobody dares to go there".
So the scary building became the headquarters for the secret Order.

Having a son getting deeply involved with the Ministry was a farther risk.
Evelyn wondered if fate could be wicked so when Richard would become an Auror he would be appointed to hunt the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

"I've been told he's struggling with Concealment and Disguise courses, but he's promising in Battle Instinct" Morfin commented, always happy to share any news he heard about the young Riddle.
"The first steps are usually tough, as for everything. He just needs to adapt" Evelyn checked accurately her drink before tasting it.
Being in the Ministry didn't help her appetite.
"And are you adapting, dear Evy?" the old wizard retorted with an allusive grin "You should enjoy a tranquil life since pure wizard blood runs in your veins, instead I see how anxious you are growing, just because of him".
She scoffed at his recurrent attempts to divide her from her husband just because of his dangerous muggle name.
"You know that I hate this kind of talk from you" she hissed, swallowing her butterbeer in few gulps and standing up to leave.
He imitated her and trailed her like her own shadow "I know that you're afraid of the truth. But I won't stop insisting until you open your eyes".
Evelyn took the lift to exit the building and reunite with his nephew, but Morfin didn't seem bothered and joined her.
"You're impatient to see me gone. This is unusual" she commented analyzing his reactions "Are you hiding something about my son?".
"No, I'm simply satisfied for the perfect time" he grinned "We left before we would be pestered by that annoying Diggory".
The witch rolled her eyes and walked out of the Ministry, relieved to see Tom still waiting for her.