evelynn | t.riddle

31 | UNDER SCRUTINY

THEODORUS NOTT WAYCHES AS A YOUNG SNOWY OWL gracefully lands at their table, settling in front of Evelynn and Tom. Recognizing the bird as Hedwig from Evelynn's gentle strokes on its white feathers, he then watches it nip at her fingertips and grab for the bacon off the plate.

Tom protectively covers his own plate when Hedwig eyes the four bacon strips on it, shaking his head and declaring, "Not a chance."

Evelynn responds with a faint smile and guides the bird, "Go hunting, Hed. I'm sure the forest has plenty of mice and rabbits, beautiful." Seemingly flattered by the compliment, the owl takes flight, snatching all the accessible bacon that's not on Tom's plate in her beak and talons.

Orion chuckles, remarking, "That bird of yours is impressively smart, you know?"

Theodorus chimes in, "Don't look now, guys, but we're being observed. Again."

Evelynn rolls her eyes, knowing without having to turn around that it's Dumbledore - it's always Dumbledore. She's long been accustomed to being the center of attention, in both her current and past lives. Even when the masses had their fill, he continued to stare. In both lives, people would gawk at her whenever something unusual happened. This time, it's somewhat more reasonable since she materialized out of thin air in the middle of the Great Hall, bypassing all the supposedly impenetrable wards, and appeared half-dead. This is something she actually did, unlike the previous incidents that were her mother's doing and she just happened to be the victim.

The gawking would eventually subside, and people would more or less move on with their lives. It didn't resume this year either. But Dumbledore, no, he's always had an excessive interest in her.

In her previous life, she was his pawn, constantly under his surveillance. In this life, she suspects their interaction might be linked to the Hallows. Regardless of where she is or who she's with, he always seems to be observing her. She learned from Aberforth that he, along with Grindelwald, were obsessed with the Hallows. They spent countless nights researching Cadmus and Ignotus' lines, hoping to find the Hallows and achieve immortality.

After five months, they traced the Potter and Gaunt bloodlines and knew precisely how to identify them. This is likely why he concentrated on Tom as soon as he confessed his ability to comprehend snakes. Perhaps it's also why he fabricated a prophecy to make Voldemort target her family. However, she's still unsure of his ultimate goal. Even with all the puzzle pieces, she struggles to assemble them. One day, she'll have to sit down and revisit everything she knows about their actions involving Tom, as he might be the key to the puzzle.

Her understanding fails her as to why he gave her the Resurrection Stone, or even the Cloak, in the first place. Did he believe he was the Master of Death, such that it wouldn't function? Or was he so sure of his impending doom that he considered it all a myth?

Perhaps he wanted me to desire death through the Stone. It's not entirely different from the Mirror, tempting me with the ghosts of my loved ones...

She considers this a plausible theory. Over the course of a few months, carrying the Snitch in her pocket could lead to a swift onset of depression or make her long to join the parents she had just met. This is completely in line with the old man's character - he was manipulative enough for everything else.

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Dumbledore observes Evelynn Peverell heading to Charms class with Tom Riddle and the rest of the Slytherin third-year students. He wonders where she got that bird. It resembles a typical Snowy Owl, but she didn't have it before the winter break.