Masquerade¹ → Tom Riddle [Rewritten] ✓

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Evelyn woke up alone. She woke up as though the events that had unfolded last night never occurred. She woke up asleep in her tent. She woke up rested. She woke up afraid. When she lifted her body from the ground and looked around her, there was nothing. Tom had left her. He had gone, just like that.

Evelyn had never felt as scared as she did at this moment. Tom had abandoned her and although she knew it would happen, she had always hoped it wouldn't. He had the Diadem, he didn't need her. What good was she to him now?

She rubbed her tired eyes before standing carefully, pulling her wand from her pocket as she rose, who knew what traps Tom had left lying around? As Evelyn began trekking through the dense woodlands, she assembled a plan in her head. She was going to confront Tom, she was going to expose him to all his dirty lies. Everyone would see what a monster he truly was.

Evelyn had been through too much for him, flashbacks passed through her head of all she had lost to a boy who lost nothing for her. Evelyn had lost her friends, she had lost her talent, she had lost everyone that once loved her, but most certainly she had lost herself. If Dumbledore had never given her that task, everything would have stayed how it was supposed to, she would have two loving friends and be succeeding academically but instead, she was risking her life for a boy: a boy that wouldn't even do the same for her.

She didn't care anymore. She couldn't carry on. She knew that it was wrong but she couldn't stop him, he was too powerful. She knew what would happen if she gave up, and Evelyn wasn't a quitter but even now she had to admit, it was too much. It was far too much to ask of a teenager, it was far too much to ask of anyone, let alone Evelyn.

As Evelyn looked down at the blanket of pure white snow beneath her, she noticed she had been following footsteps through the forest. She knew they must be Toms, but why would he leave them visible to see unless he wanted her to follow him. Was this a trap?

Evelyn had unknowingly been following the footsteps for hours, trekking through the snow towards wherever he had been. She knew that when she saw him, she would have to unleash hell.

She followed the footsteps for what felt like hours until she arrived at a peculiar looking cabin, hidden behind some dying trees. This was it, it had to be. Tom was here. She ploughed forwards, tiptoeing towards the wooden door as though she were sneaking up on her prey. The rotting wooden door creaked slowly open and echoing footsteps invaded the silence that hung like a cloak around the house. A thick carpet of dust clung to every object, the rays of light shining through the shattered glass windows catching on the particles suspended in the stagnant air. She moved deliberately, dust billowing into clouds as he passed. She continued to move through the house, kicking up more dust until it was difficult to see through the billions of particles that now swirled in the air. Then she came to a door, faded green, paint curling with age, brass handle almost consumed by a thick network of cobwebs, reaching out, she turned it.

Behind it, just as she expected, was Tom Riddle. He sat lounged in a velvet armchair, his hands locked together on his lap as though he had been waiting.

"I was expecting you would come faster," He said with a smirk, releasing his hands and relaxing them by his side.

Evelyn felt her hand rising, the tip of her wand pointed directly at Tom. "You left." She felt her voice rising and the anger boiling up inside of her but she had to be strong.

"I had what I needed," he turned to face the Diadem, "thank you for retrieving it for me."

Evelyn wanted to punch him, she could feel herself about to explode with rage and the worst part was, she wanted to. "Tom, listen to me right now. You have manipulated me, controlled me, made my life living hell for the past year and I want to know what the hell you are doing. I need answers!" The words flew out of her mouth so quickly, she felt as though she might be sick.

"Evelyn, do you not see it?" He asked as though the answer to all her questions was blatantly obvious. "You're different, you were willing, you were easy."

"So that's all I was to you, easy? Tom, you made me do things I never dreamed of doing, I had to witness you for the monster you truly are," she spat the word monster, gripping her wand with even more force.

Tom rose from the chair. "Put your wand away Evelyn. You were much more than just easy to me." He took a step forwards, edging his body closer to Evelyn's. "I know what Dumbledore put you up to."

Evelyn shuddered, her heart sinking to the bottom of her chest. "How?" She knew there was no point denying it.

"I've known all along. I used legilimency months ago. I knew."

"No." She couldn't believe it. How could this have happened? He knew what she was doing all along but he still kept her alongside him. She felt herself lowering her wand slowly, "If you knew all along, why am I still here?"

"Because you're different Evelyn. You don't follow me around like the others, you aren't absurdly infatuated with me. You were a challenge." He shuffled forward again, stopping himself only inches away from Evelyn.

Evelyn couldn't understand. "Well, I failed what Dumbledore wanted me to do, so none of it matters anymore." Disappointment hit her like a tonne of bricks, she couldn't handle it.

"You may not have done exactly what Dumbledore," He spat his name with disgust, "had asked of you, but you didn't fail. You have changed me, Evelyn Rivers, even if you can't see it. I have changed and so have you."

"But it isn't enough, I was meant to help you and I failed." She couldn't stop the tears from running down her face, she had failed and there was nothing left for her to do.

Tom hadn't seen such a display of emotions in years. He couldn't understand it, yet somehow he knew what to do. The last few inches began to disappear between them and before either of them truly understood what was happening, he made his move.

He kissed her and the world fell away. It was slow and soft, comforting in ways that words would never be. His hand rested below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek as their breaths mingled. She knew he didn't feel the same as her, but she couldn't resist. She leaned in a little closer, their foreheads touching. Evelyn pulled away, a smile plastering itself on her face.

Tom opened his mouth to speak, to end the moment that Evelyn had longed for, "Don't," She whispered, "let me have this moment."

Evelyn felt like the world was hers, she could do anything. Feeling Toms heat against her body built a fiery passion insider of her that she had never felt before, at that moment she was invincible. She felt alive, all the hate that had been boiling up inside of her had vanished and she was vulnerable. Tom placed his fingers on Evelyn's chin, tilting her face upwards. "I'm sorry," she whispered.

"Me too," he sighed, carefully drawing his wand from his pocket. As he felt Evelyn's warm breath against his body, he muttered the spell he knew he had to.

"Obliviate "