Unravelled² → Tom Riddle [Rewritten]

CHAPTER TWENTY

"I think I ought to introduce you to everyone." Tom said as he walked into the room a few hours later.

Evelyn tilted her head at him, "pardon?"

"Yes," he nodded, pacing before her, "I can't have you roaming free in the castle if people are not aware that you are here. What could they think should they find you? You would be killed."

"So I have to meet your Death Eaters?"She gulped, "I have to meet your army of killers?"

"Yes. But they would not dare hurt you, not under my rule. That, I can assure you. They follow me, they obey me, they would not dare defy me." He dropped his wand from his sleeve, clutching it in his hand.

"How many? How many must I meet?"

He thought for a second, "only those who live here. The others you can be hidden from." He stared deeply at her expression, "they cannot hurt you," he said reassuringly.

"How do you know that?" She tapped her fingers against her palm, "they could simply defy you! It's only your word, it can be broken."

"No. They cannot defy me, they would not. They know what would happen if they dared, they would not make that mistake again."

Evelyn wished he was right, she prayed; but she had heard of what his followers were capable of, she had seen it with her own eyes. She had seen the horror of their actions, she had seen the lives that they had claimed. She had seen the horror and she knew it could easily be her at the end of one of their spells.

"Shall we go then? They are in the meeting hall."

"Yes," she nodded apprehensively, "we shall."

Evelyn followed him again through the vast halls of the Malfoy Manor, trailing behind him as they reached the hall. She could feel her heart beating out of her chest, but nonetheless, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and reopened them ready for anything.

"Let us enter." He looked at her quickly before pushing the black doors open.

As soon as he entered the hall, the atmosphere changed. The few individuals stood in the hall bowed instantly, dropping their heads at him as though in prayer. "My Lord," they echoed across the hall.

"Be seated," he commanded them, causing them to all gather around the elongated table in the centre of the room, "I have to inform you of something and I expect your loyalty in my decision."

"Of course my Lord." His followers shook their heads, baffled at the thought of disobeying their leader.

"I bring with me a guest," he gestured towards the doorway where Evelyn stood timidly, "some of you may know her from our time at Hogwarts, some of you may not. Regardless of this, I expect your undivided loyalty to my decision, question me and there will be consequences." He beckoned Evelyn to come over, and so she did, making her way to his side. "You will show loyalty to her, should she require anything it shall be granted. She may not however, leave the Manor."

Evelyns heart fell, she wanted to feel the sand in between her toes, the wind in her hair, she longed to be outside again. The taste of the outdoors had almost done her more harm than good, she had been content in the Manor, her small bedroom had kept her occupied. She had become acustomed to those four walls, and then suddenly they were no longer. She had been allowed a taste of freedom and now, she wanted more.

"Have I made myself clear?"

Evelyn found herself wanting to nod along with his followers, the message felt for her as much as them, it was a message, she wasn't leaving, not today or tomorrow, or ever. While they were nodding, she took the chance to explore the faces sat at the table.

She recognised several from her days at Hogwarts, one more than others. Astrea Black sat at the table with a grimace plastered across her face. She looked almost the same as she had all those years ago, her stark black hair falling down to her waist, her petite figure perched on the edge of her seat. Physically, Evelyn assumed she was unchanged, and by the look on her pale face, her hatred for Evelyn had not faltered.

Beside her sat Abraxas Malfoy, someone she knew by reputation. For generations, the Malfoy family had been well known, and despite meeting Abraxas at Hogwarts, she didn't become entirely aware of his existence until her days working at the Ministry of Magic where their paths had crossed briefly where she had required information from the Department of Mysteries and had stumbled into his office for information.

"You already know Abraxas and Astrea," Tom looked at his followers with pride, "that," he pointed to the younger white haird boy beside Abraxas, "is Lucius Malfoy."

Lucius looked up at Evelyn uncomfortably, looking to his father, as though for approval before looking back to Evelyn.

"That is Bellatrix Lestrange." He motioned his wand towards a fanatical looking woman, her unkept curls blocking off her face, but even what Evelyn could see frightened her. Evelyn had heard of Bellatrix Lestrange long before today, she had been one of the only identifiable Death Eaters, one of the only of Tom's followers known to the Ministry.

"And finally, Preto Parkinson." He signalled to the final individual sat at the table. Preto stared nervously at Evelyn through his glasses until she was able to pull herself away. "That is all. Leave." Tom bellowed, "and remember what I said."

One by one, his Death Eaters stalked out of the hall, as soon as they had left, Tom turning to face her. "See, they will not hurt you."

Evelyn raised her brows at him, "you saw how they looked at me."

"Astrea looked as though she wanted you dead," he almost smiled, "but she would not dare. You have my word."

"I would like to see her try." Evelyn scoffed.

He raised his brows "really? That could be arranged."

"Her having me killed?"

"Not having, but trying."

"Are you talking about a Duel?" Evelyn recalled her last duel with Astrea, "if I remember correctly, I was victorious last time."

"That was many years ago." He cut her off. "Astrea has gotten stronger."

"As have I," she retorted.

"So then, you wish to duel Astrea Black?"

She nodded at him, "but when I win-"

"If."

"When I win, I want something from you."

He smirked at her confidence, "and what would that be?"

"I want to see the ocean again." In her youth, she had always lived by the ocean, but it had been years since she had been back home, it had been years since she had let herself float in the ocean, since she had tasted the salty air, since she had felt the sand between her toes.

"You mean your grandmothers home, the one by the sea?"

"How do you-" but she stopped herself, remembering the phial in her pocket. "Yes, my grandmothers home."

"Then it is settled, tonight we duel."