"I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, and even stopper death"
~ introduction to Potion classes
Summer 1977
Evelyn finished brewing the potion and admired the result.
Satisfied, she stored the healing potions into her bag, getting ready for going back to St Mungo's in the following morning.
"Dinner's ready, Evy!" a voice called her downstairs.
"Just in time" the witch murmured and left the room to reach the dining room, pleased by its welcoming look.
"Thank you, Castor" she said to the wizard "Do you join us?".
The wizard made a dismissing face "Nah, I'll go to the Hog's Head to meet my friends".
"As you wish" Evelyn said with indifference "See you tomorrow then. Where is he by the way?".
Castor raised his shoulders "I'll send him straight here. Good night, Evy".
She nodded and took her seat, her hungry stomach attracted by the food, so she didn't wait to have company and started to taste from every dish.
Some minutes later a young wizard arrived panting, taking off his dirty cloak and tossing it away carelessly.
"Where have you been?" Evelyn asked slightly coldly eyeing the boy who sat on the other side of the table.
"At the post office. I had to reply to Reg before he worries about me" he said trying to sound amusing.
Evelyn just tightened her lips and focused on the dinner.
"Are you angry with me, mother?" the boy asked hesitantly when the silence in the house was becoming too heavy for him.
"No, I'm just tired" she cut off, standing up and taking out her wand to clean the table, not caring if the boy didn't make through his dessert yet.
The boy was quick enough to catch his piece of cake before it could fly out of his reach.
Evelyn stifled a smile, imagining the boy playing his beloved Quidditch.
"Are we playing gobstones tonight, mother?" he asked although his mouth was full of cake.
She sighed since she was too tired to play games, but she didn't want her son to sneak out of their house while she was sleeping.
"Fine, just one match, Richard" she said smirking at his enthusiast reaction "It shouldn't be hard for you to win against a sleepwalker".
Evelyn sat back at the table, observing her son as he brought the game and prepared the table.
Richard was sixteen. He was growing up so fast that the moment she feared the most was coming. In few month he would have become an adult. She imagined it like opening the cage and letting a bird fly away. And she feared not to see the bird come back again.
It seemed yesterday the day when she gave birth to him and with her heart exploding with joy she held him into her arms for the first time. He was so small back then, but he was crying so hard that he could shake the whole hospital.
Evelyn sighed at the memory. The boy in front of her was almost an adult and he was growing handsome and strong, just like his father.
"Ready?" Richard woke her from her daydreaming "And don't try to let me win easily".
"When did I ever let you win?" she scoffed "Aren't you tired of playing with me?".
"Castor cheats. And snakes can't play".
Hiding how bored the game was making her, Evelyn pretended to enjoy it and smirked as her son exclaimed with joy for winning.
"What if our family grows larger?" she asked bringing back the suspended topic "What about a little sister?".
Richard reacted wearing a bad, disgusted face "Nah. I don't want siblings".
He hurried to clean the table, then together they walked up stairs to their bedrooms.
"I'm too jealous of you" Richard added smirking at her.
Evelyn rolled her eyes and bid him goodnight, taking the opposite direction.
She changed into her nightdress and sat by the opened window, enjoying the fresh breeze of the summer night and the sound of the crickets.
She lowered her head and stared at her wedding ring, watching it reflecting the flame of the candle, the only light in the room.
The tip of her fingers played with it, until a soft knock on the door distracted her.
Evelyn startled noticing the tall, dark shadow by the door, that she didn't hear getting open.
"Mum? Can I sleep with you?" Richard asked softly, leaning against the door in his shirt and shorts.
Evelyn cursed under her breath. Why did he have to look so much like his father?
She hated mistaking him for his father, but she couldn't help it. That was her wish after all.
Richard already climbed on the bed and took half of it.
Although it was a habit, Evelyn started to find it awkward and was surprised that he wasn't bothered at all.
But she missed him so she didn't mind to stay close to him in the few weeks of holidays where she could spend some time with her son.
The witch joined him on her bed, deciding to leave the candle lit.
They faced each other and Richard tried to lean closer, but Evelyn glared at him, pressing a hand on his chest to keep him on his half of the bed.
The boy looked sad for being rejected, so she raised her hand to caress his face.
"Don't grow too fast" she whispered softly.
"I'm not going anywhere. Not without you" he stated like a promise, taking her hand to press his lips on it.
"You're not a good liar, Richard" she warned "I know you weren't writing at Regulus. And I saw that rucksack ready in your room".
Richard stiffened and slowly let her hand go, curling to make himself smaller.
"Are you reading my mind?" he asked intimidated.
She scoffed "I don't need to read your mind to understand what nonsense is storming into that brain of yours. That's a mother's instinct. Do you think you can plot with your grandparents at my back?".
Richard pushed himself up on his elbows "We are not plotting, mum. They want me to go with them on a trip to Wales. Just for this weekend. You and dad are both busy, so why can't I spend some time with them?".
"You can. You just have to ask" she hissed "I don't like that you start to keep secrets to me, when we always promised to share everything. Be grateful that I'm not kicking you out of my bed right now".
Richard grabbed her hand and kissed it again. It was his attempt to soften her heart, but it was an old trick and she had turned immune to it.
"I'm sorry. I just didn't want to worry you. And I was afraid that you would have said no and locked me here with Castor".
Evelyn tried not to laugh at his whiny tone. He was definitely too old to keep acting as a child to bend her to his will.
"You don't have to worry" he kept saying "People are used to think that my grandparents are actually my parents".
She groaned and mumbled "That's the problem".
"Can you sing something for me?" he asked leaning closer to her and she hummed something, while her mind was lost somewhere else.
"You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away"
"The full song isn't that happy" Richard complained but he was already sleepy and gave in.
In the following day she accompanied her son to meet her parents in London.
As he said, the couple looked like his parents. Richard was always enthusiast to meet them and they just loved him as their own son, more than they were able to love their own daughter.
After greeting them quickly and dismissing them, she stopped to hide behind a corner and spied them.
Evelyn looked at her son searching for any resemblance to her and Tom as she was used to do, but lately she couldn't deny that Richard looked a lot also like his grandfather.
She hoped that it was a trick of her eyes, but as she walked towards the hospital, she felt her fear that her parents could take her son away from her, and she felt that fear more real than ever.
In the evening Evelyn sang to entertain the people having dinner in the canteen of the hospital.
In those years, her theory that music had healing properties too just like potions had grown stronger, so she didn't mind offering her voice sometimes.
I took my love and I took it down
Climbed a mountain then I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
When the landslide brought me down
Some faces were mirroring her nostalgy in the song.
There wasn't a real reason behind why she picked that song. She just felt it appropriate for her own mood.
Oh, mirror in the sky
What is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above
Can I sail through the changing ocean tides?
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
As usual, her mind flew away following the rhythm of the song.
It was summer, but she got chills like she was in the middle of winter.
Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older too
She felt tears itching her eyes, but kept singing.
She felt related to the lyrics after all.
Time was something she couldn't stop. Nobody could.
The people cheered her, but Evelyn barely noticed that since she was distracted by two witches who came our of the crowd to greet her.
Emma and Eileen hugged her and pulled her away from the stage.
"The E-girls finally reunited" Eileen giggled, almost unrecognisable with her new haircut.
"Yeah, finally" Emma agreed, always flawless in her look of a with from the high society "But why were you so insisting? What news?".
Eileen took her time and joined her old friends to a free table in the most quiet corner.
"How's that going in your family?" Evelyn asked carefully, knowing it was a delicate matter.
"As always" Eileen sighed, then forced a big smile "But I'm leaving for the US".
"What? Why?" her friends exclaimed together.
Eileen eyed Evelyn "Tobias, what else? It's as you said, I built my life around him. And it didn't work".
She lowered her head losing all the confidence she showed earlier. Her friends grabbed her hands to offer support.
"I'm so tired of arguing with him and to see Sev suffering" Eileen wiped her tears away and raised her head "That's why I need to make this big step. I need my life back. Sev is an adult now. He can live better on his own. And when he needs me, he knows how to call me".
Evelyn stared pitifully at her friend. Severus was seventeen, just one year older than Richard, but he always suffered because of his parents arguing most of the time. The union of a witch and a muggle didn't turn out well after some years, but also separating seemed another dose of sorrow for poor Severus.
"But enough about me and my miserable life" Eileen said "What about your families?".
"Corvus brought the boys to some event at the Malfoy Manor" Emma said rigidly "Too many wizards, so I don't mind at all being away from them. Why didn't you let your Richard go with them?".
Evelyn shrugged "It's not my fault. He didn't want to go. He pretends he wants to spend more time with me. And guess what? He left for a weekend with my parents".
"Richy is just so fond of you. He's a mummy's boy".
Evelyn sighed at her teasing laugh "Sometimes I wish he is more fond of his father too. Just like your boys and Corvus".
"Maybe he has the Oedipus syndrome?".
"Oh Merlin" Evelyn cursed, guessing what it meant.
"You know, the son who killed his father to marry his mother" Emma explained sounding like an expert on the matter "It's not so uncommon. But I made sure to be annoying enough so Rabastan turned closer to his father more than to me. And now he has his brother to keep his busy. So I own my life again".
"Richard always made clear he doesn't want any sibling. Or would he kill them too? As he would kill his father?" Evelyn chuckled at that dark humor.
"That's nonsense, I know" Emma said emphatically "He is just jealous. That's normal. Also Tom was very jealous of his mother".
"So much that he didn't even want to talk about her" Eileen concluded "I'm sorry to waste this lovely evening, but I have to leave soon. America is far and I have to get used also to the different time. Thank you very much for your time, girls".
The three witches shared a big hug.
"But you will come back sometimes right?" Emma asked with urgency "Maybe we will be able to visit you there in your new place".
Evelyn felt dizzy by all those departures.
It was like the life she was used to know was getting torn to pieces in front of her.
The trio walked together to the entrance hall.
Evelyn's heart leapt as she noticed the tall, dark haired figure standing by one of the fireplaces.
When the wizard turned and spotted her, she cried with happiness and without a second though she ran to meet him.
His strong arms welcomed her into a hug that made her spin around him.
"I've missed you too" Tom sighed pressing his lips on her hair.
Evelyn let him go to look at him with a wide smile, then she remembered that her friends were also there.
"Nice that I got to meet you just in time" Eileen said to him "I'm leaving for New York. I want to thank you for being like a father to Severus".
"That's not so true, but I appreciate it anyway" Tom said shaking her hand.
"I hope you can keep an eye on him while I'm away. Although I know, he can feed himself now".
His frown turned into a disapproval one "One troublemaker is enough for me. But Severus can stand in his feet now. You passed your talents to him".
Eileen scoffed "I hope I didn't pass also my misery to him".
"So I was right to doubt of that muggle" Tom smirked haughtily.
"Yeah, I can give you that. But I hope that at least our being together have produced something good. Severus is a good boy, although he definitely deserved better".
"You should kick that muggle away and stay here with your son" Emma complained with a noisy snort.
"I wish that. But I can't, I feel choking here. It's been nice to meet you all, reminding me of our good old days. You are the only ones who always supported me and I'm truly grateful that you never abandoned me. Say hi also to Corvus and the boys".
After another round of hugs, Eileen walked alone to one fireplace and waving goodbye she disappeared.
"I didn't expect her to go that far" Emma commented "But at least she has the chance to be happier without that nasty muggle. Now she made me missing my husband too. Goodnight, birds. See you around".
Mrs Lestrange rolled her eyes at the couple, unable to totally disguise her envy.
Evelyn followed Tom into a fireplace and together they traveled back home.
"How did the meeting go?" she asked, unable to let his warm hand go.
"Long and boring. I don't want to talk about it now. Where's the little pest?".
"Your son" she corrected him "went on a trip with my parents for the weekend".
"It seems they are better at planning trips than us. But that's a good news. So I can plan a trip for us, just you and I. What do you say?".
Evelyn's heart leadp with love "Intriguing? A trip where?".
"That's less exciting" Tom sighed "Great Hangleton? Or should we find some place with no gardeners or homeless creatures around?".
"You know that if we want some privacy we can just freeze the whole town".
Tom pressed his lips on her head then glanced at their bedroom "That's my girl. The little pest slept on my bed again, didn't he? He really needs to grow up".
"You weren't around...".
"So he thinks he can replace me" Tom concluded for her.
"As if someone can replace you. Just like nobody can replace him" Evelyn pulled her husband closer to kiss him and make him forget his troubles.
It didn't matter if they turned into their fifties, they felt in love like they were still teenagers.
Loving her husband was everything to Evelyn, while the other half of her heart belonged to her son. Tom and Richard Riddle were the wizards who gave a meaning to her existence.
A/N
Sat 15th August 2020
Hello everyone! 💚
Evy and Tom are back! 🎉
While reading the chapter, you were worried about what happened to Tom, weren't you?
And what do you think of Richard?
I'm very excited for this new, unplanned book. I'm sorry it took a while to start posting, I've been reading the previous to books again and got the ideas for the basis of this new book, that is supposed to give answers to all the questions and mysteries about the whole story.
I'm expecting it to be a new, long adventure with our lead couple Evy-Tom as always, just with the add of Richard. So we have the Riddle Trio in this book 💪
Thank you all for your support until now and also thanks to all the new readers.
I can't update this book constantly yet, so I thank you also for your patience 🥰
Let's start this new magical adventure! ✨