evelynn | t.riddle

39 | AWAITING MIDNIGHT

TOM SITS CROSS-LEGGED ON HIS BED WITH HEDWIG on his shoulder and Nagini curled up in his lap, all three of them awaiting midnight. Tom grumbles, asking, "How long could five minutes actually take?" It seems like an eternity. He could swear an hour had passed since he last checked his clock, but it's only moved thirty seconds.

Nagini brushes her tail down his arm, hissing, "Patience, Tom. Soon."

Tom huffs in annoyance. That's a response similar to what Evelynn would likely give. He can already picture her massaging his shoulders and making a remark about the world not bending to his will so easily. Nevertheless, in about five minutes, it will be Evelynn's birthday, and soon she'll be leaving Wool's for good.

Tom is impatiently waiting for the Grandfather clock to chime in the Riddles' enormous living room, a space that rivals the size of the Slytherin Common Room.

Hedwig, in her dragon form which allows her to communicate with him, reassures him, saying, "My Eve-chick is strong. She's faced worse than what's out there now, Tom."

He responds, "You've said she's still alive. What if she isn't by the time the bombing ends?" He is aware of her immortality, but the specifics of how it works remain a mystery, even to her. The questions of her death and potential resurrection weigh on his mind.

Nagini, coiling around him in her version of a hug, retorts, "If there's a bombing, Tom. There's every chance there isn't one tonight, or that one is happening in a different part of the Isle altogether."

Tom struggles to believe it, but life often isn't kind to either of them. The chiming of a clock interrupts his thoughts. He opens the journal and writes, 'Happy birthday, Evelynn.' After a moment, her response arrives, 'Thank you, Tom. Eight in the morning.'

Tom nods and replies quietly, "Not a minute later, Evelynn." He then asks, 'Are you coming here afterwards?'

Evelynn responds, 'I'll need to find a place to call 'home.' For Dippet, if nobody else. After that, I'll come over as fast as I can.'

Tom nods shakily. He knows she's right. She needs a place to show Dippet and anyone from the Ministry who might ask where she's living. Nevertheless, he dislikes having to wait to see her. 'Hedwig says she misses you. And happy...hatchday, she said.'

After a moment, Evelynn's handwriting appears, stating, 'I miss you too. Both of you. Can't wait to meet Nagini properly.'

Nagini grins, at least as far as a snake can grin, and hisses, "Neither can I. From what I've heard, she sounds like quite the girl."

Tom simply writes down, 'Nagini can't wait.' It's puzzling how he keeps finding women as unique as these. First, a time-travelling Master of Death, now a Maledictus stuck as a snake with a strong maternal instinct. He's certain his life couldn't possibly get any more bizarre.

On second thought, he shouldn't have tempted fate. No doubt, Evelynn will have some kind of surprise waiting for him when she visits Little Hangleton!

⋅˚₊‧ ୨୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅

Evelynn enters Diagon Alley, after charming Cole's memory to recall her being adopted by a delightful couple named Jack and Agnes Smythe. It's not an especially original story, but it only needs to last a few hours, a day at the most.

Dumbledore, that meddling fellow, had already visited Wool's a few weeks prior, searching for Tom. Evelynn is immensely relieved that she cast protective spells on the elder Riddles to prevent any interference as they left. Dumbledore departed in a flustered rush, wearing the most horrendous suit she's ever seen. This includes the Smeltings uniform her Aunt and Uncle stuffed Dudley into, which was utterly abhorrent. She wonders if Dumbledore's fashion choices are a deliberate guise to appear as a harmless old man or to be underestimated. Regardless, his garb seems to become more outlandish with each meeting.