Extreme Remedies ( Tom Riddle Era )

Chapter 12

"I'm not ready to let go
'Cause then I'd never know
What I could be missing

But I'm missing way too much
So when do I give up
What I've been wishing for

I shot for the sky
I'm stuck on the ground
So why do I try
I know I'm gonna fall down

I thought I could fly
So why did I drown?
I never know why
It's coming down, down, down

Oh I am going down, down, down
I can't find another way around
And I don't wanna hear the sound
Of losing what I never found"

Down, Jason Walker

~~~~~~~

Evelyn gave up pretending she was reading the book in front of her to write her essay.
She glanced at Tom. He was truly working hard on his already long parchment.
It had been days she was delaying her mission.
Corvus learned the lesson and stopped teasing her. And that was enough to make Emma happy and friendly again.
But Evelyn supposed that it wasn't fair to let him down just to throw herself into the arms of Tom, who was his close friend. And what if Tom would suspect that she chose him just to get rid of Corvus?
It was far more complicated that just revealing the truth and face whatever the consequences would be.
Evelyn kept looking at Tom, the view was enough to calm the storm inside her.
She wondered if he ever struggled with that kind of stuff.
Tom moved his head to read a page from an opened book under his arm while her eyes lingered on his handsome features. She could stare at him studying forever. But if she wanted to get the privilege of staring at him without looking like a fool she had to do something.
But how could she let him know her feelings for him without being silly? And how would he react? She didn't expect him to claim that he felt the same. She feared he could avoid her again and turn back to his dark side... Although the idea gave her shivers of pleasure.

Tom raised his eyes noticing her staring and smiled.
"Already finished?".
She gaped, then realized that he referred to her essay "Oh, no. I'm just out of ideas on what and how to write".
Tom nodded rolling up his parchment "I'm tired too. Enough with this essay for today".
She smiled gratefully, fearing that her occasion had finally come but she had no clue on how to bring out the topic.
Tom looked around himself then leaned towards her "Can I ask you something...confidential?".
She moved towards him with her heart beating faster "Sure, ask away".
"It's not about the essay" he hesitated lowering his eyes and biting his lip "About Lucinda Gallows".
Evelyn stiffened. Hearing the name not of any girl, bit of that one was like getting a slap on her face.
"Yeah?".
"I don't really know how it works" he whispered uneasily "What should I do if I want to try to know her better? I'm sorry for this topic, but I'm so confused and I don't know what to do".
Evelyn tried to focus on her breathing for not panicking. The urge in his tone made it hard not to help him.
"You can ask her out? On a date?" She suggested nervously, hoping that he was just joking.
"How? Simply asking her that and see if she says yes or no?" He looked too concerned for being kidding her.
Evelyn nodded rigidly, her voice speaking for her, when she just wanted to scream "I'm quite sure she will say yes".
Tom smiled standing up and gathering his belongings "Thank you, really".
Evelyn didn't move. He walked away. She expected him to come back and reveal that it was a prank, but he didn't. He didn't even look back.

Somehow Evelyn reached her dormitory fast as a lightening, feeling like a cauldron about to explode because some ingredient was wrong.
Finally in her room she burst out crying, pushing out the pain and the sorrow that risked to strangle her.
"Evy!" Emma exclaimed following her in the room and watching her collapsing on the floor "What happened? What did he say? Did he say no?".
Evelyn shook her head, using her arms to hide her face.
She wanted to explain, but she couldn't find her voice.
Emma tried to pull her up "So what? What did he do?".
Evelyn wished to use some kind of Legilimency to speak into Emma's mind. But she couldn't.
So she struggled against her sobs.
"He wants to date Gallows" she finally pushed out uncovering her face to look support from her friend's eyes.
"What? Lucinda Gallows? That b*tch?" Emma exclaimed.
Evelyn didn't know if to move her head in a yes or a no, then she added "I told him to ask her out on a date".
Emma looked even more shocked "What? Why?!".
"I'm a fool" Evelyn whined covering her face with her hands.
"Yes, you are" Emma echoed coldly, then looked up as the door opened and Eileen shyly slithered in.
"What happened?".
"Evy made Riddle date the Gallows" Emma announced bluntly.
Eileen's jaw dropped "Seriously? Why?".
"Don't ask me. She's the mad head here" Emma shook Evelyn "Help me pull her up. She can't keep crawling on the floor like this".
Evelyn didn't fight when her friends dragged her up to make her lay on her bed.
"Riddle and Gallows are the biggest mismatch I could even imagine" Emma commented.
"Well, it wasn't a secret that she had a thing for him lately" Eileen said hesitantly.
"Yeah it was clear just like Corvus flirted with Evy. She made that dreadful show when he was injured in the last Quidditch match" Emma snapped, patting her hand on Evelyn's shoulder "Don't lose hope, it can't last. They are too different. And she is known for not being a faithful partner. But how could he fall in her cobweb?".
"Maybe because very few boys dared to reject her? Maybe Riddle is just like any other boy. Falling for the prettiest face" Eileen suggested "Most of the boys in our school dream of spending just one hour with her".
"Only one hour they can last" Emma mumbled.
"And Riddle is quite handsome so how could he refuse?" Eileen concluded.
"And he's younger than her" Emma marked "It was easier for her to fool him, but I believed he was a little smarter than the average boys. I'm just very grateful that Corvus fell for you, Evy, instead of Lucinda Gallows".
Evelyn sobbed louder against her pillow.
"It won't last, I'm pretty sure of it" Emma tried to comfort her "But how could you tell him to date?".
Evelyn pressed her face against her pillow and Emma snatched it from her before she could suffocate with it.
"I'll let myself die" Evelyn murmured.
"Don't even think that!" Emma exclaimed "It's not the end of the world! Just let the pain go away. You'll recover. You're not alone".
"How can I recover if I stay here? I can't stay in the same castle with him and seeing him with her!".
Emma hugged her "You can, Evy. You're just shocked. Do you know what you need? Distraction. We can steal some whiskey from Mr Ross and get drunk".
"No, no way" Evelyn started sobbing again "I'm getting drunk with my tears".
"Do I have to call Tom and show him what the hell you've done to yourself?" Emma menaced.
"No! Don't you dare!".
"I'll do it if you don't stop talking nonsense and start to fight this depressing thoughts that you have!".
"Do you want me to brew some Amortentia? Maybe it can fix things" Eileen suggested.
"No, a love potion is the latest thing that we need. Just leave me alone" Evelyn pushed them away and curled up on the bed.
"And dinner?".
"I'm not hungry. But you go" Evelyn insisted.
Emma pulled Eileen away from her "Fine, but I'll bring Parrot here at least to feed you".
Before Evelyn could complain, she found herself alone in the room. Alone with her desperation.