evelynn | t.riddle

28 | RESURRECTION

ON CHRISTMAS MORNING, TOM HEADS DOWN to the Common Room and spots two stacks of presents under the tree - one for him and one for Evelynn. Behind Evelynn's stack of presents, he notices a pile of snow. He wonders how on earth this snow got into the Common Room, especially since there are no other Slytherins in the castle at the moment, aside from the Professors. As he approaches to investigate, he hears a familiar chuckle in his head.

*I wouldn't. That's for my Mistress. And might I add, it took quite a while to set up. The picky soul would only accept the very best.*

Tom freezes in his tracks, once again consumed by the terror that *Death* is in his head.

*Relax, you have nothing to fear. Unless you count potential retribution from someone for disturbing that pile of snow, I suppose.*

Tom looks around, then whispers, "Oh, really? And why's that?"

*All in good time. As for that pile of snow, it's currently serving as a nest for a very stubborn and opinionated bird. She was quite insistent about finding her Witch, you see. It was a challenge to convince her to wait until after she was back in time, and I can assure you she'll be upset if you disturb her.*

Tom blinks, struggling to make sense of who *Death* could be referring to. Evelynn? The only bird he could associate with that description was Hedwig, but Hedwig died over a decade ago for Evelynn.

*A good guess. I wonder if you've started to understand what's happening between you and my Mistress yet.*

Tom frowns deeply, unsettled by the reminder of the strange connection between them, especially if even *Death* is acknowledging it. Why would a deity be concerned about something involving him, an insignificant mortal? Evelynn is immortal, chosen by the Hallows. But the same doesn't apply to him.

*That's a no, then. I'll give you a hint. It's not something my Mistress will ever guess. It's a by-product of her previous life.*

Tom senses the entity withdrawing from his mind, leaving him with yet more unanswered questions. He starts suspecting that the growing connection between him and Evelynn is the reason Death occasionally visits his thoughts. The entity doesn't return to confirm or deny his theory, but he decides to ask next time it appears. It's not as if these occurrences happen frequently.

Then, his attention shifts back to the pile of snow beneath the Christmas tree. In its center lies an egg, as white as the snow it rests in, with silver threads distinguishing it from its surroundings. Beside the snow pile stands a simple black box, its contents unknown to Tom.

Last time, it contained music from the future. This time? It's anyone's guess.

Evelynn's appearance distracts him from the strange egg. Her black hair is messy, likely because she just woke up. She didn't expect gifts last year, so this is a surprise. She's rubbing her eyes with one hand, and the other is behind her back. Seeing him kneeling there, her face brightens and she forgets her sleepiness.

Tom invites her over, telling her, "There are gifts for you, Evelynn." Evelynn seems puzzled for a moment before realizing, yes, she has gifts. This gives him one more reason to despise the Dursleys. He's planning their downfall in meticulous detail, with 'meticulous' being the operative word.

He moves to sit on the couch and feels her arms wrap around his shoulders. She nuzzles into his neck and says, "Merry Christmas, Tom." She's making it far too easy for him, despite the sudden chill on his neck. Tom promptly pulls her over the back of the couch to return her sentiment with a kiss.

However, before he can fully engage, a thumping sound emanates from behind Evelynn, followed by a metallic rattle. Tom raises an eyebrow at Evelynn, who blushes and accuses him of cheating. He raises an eyebrow at her and asks, "I take it that was...?"