Extreme Unction (Tom Riddle saga)

Chapter 14

"There goes my hands shaking
And you are the reason
My heart keeps bleeding
I need you now

And if I could turn back the clock
I'd make sure the light defeated the dark
I'd spend every hour, of every day
Keeping you safe

And I'd climb every mountain
And swim every ocean
Just to be with you
And fix what I've broken
Oh, 'cause I need you to see
That you are the reason"

You are the reason, Callum Scott

~~~~~~~

July 1951

Inhaling deeply to try to stop hyperventilating, Evelyn looked up at the sky.
Some clouds were moving, covering the sun for some moments.
It was supposed to rain later, but it was alright.
No storm could wash away the happiness she felt.
She wanted to carve into her memory every detail of that day. One of the most important days in her life.

She smiled thinking at how Tom had joked that he wouldn't allow it to rain on their wedding day.
Tom.
The next time she was going to see him was for exchanging the vows that would bond them forever.
She tried to resist to another attack of dizziness, while her mother and her friends distracted her again to check every detail about her dress and her hairstyle.
Evelyn didn't care too much about her look.
She didn't want to look like someone else, when all she wanted was to be accepted as she was, in her simpleness and with her flaws.

"It's time!" her mother exclaimed almost hysterically "Let's go. You can't be late now. You can't run to the altar, like I did when I married your father".
Evelyn laughed nervously, recalling that she needed also to ponder every step in those uncomfortable heels that her mother insisted for her to wear.
Her hand tapped her side to check her wand, wondering if someone would notice that while walking down the aisle she suddenly grew a little shorter.
It was a funny idea to need transfiguration on her own wedding.
Surely someone like Dumbledore would notice that little magic.

When Evelyn noticed the noisy crowd of people waiting for her, she shuddered, regretting for not managing to get a secret, furtive wedding that would save her from that show.
"Don't forget to breathe" her father surprised her with a whisper, teasing her arm softly.
Evelyn realized that she had been holding her breath and exhaled with a grateful smile, quite disoriented by how elegant he looked.
"It's alright, we are all here for you. And you are already taking our breaths away" on her other side appeared her uncle Caractacus.
The two Burke brothers had had a little quarrel on who had to accompany her. She had suggested to have them both since she had two arms. And then Caractacus surrendered, recalling that he was too shy for that kind of role.
Evelyn watched the two brothers greeting each other.
On that day she forbade every quarrel.
"See? Also the sun came out to see you" Caractacus commented pointing at the sky.
She smiled and shared a quick hug with him, before he joined the crowd of people waiting for her.
"Are you ready?" her father asked entwining her arms with his "There's no hurry. You can take all the time to collect yourself".
"I'm ready" she said impatiently, unable to delay it anymore.
Herbert Burke made a gesture and gradually the crowd turned silent.
Checking the path covered with rose petals in front of her, Evelyn was dying of embarrassment, when some soft music rescued her.

There goes my heart beating
'Cause you are the reason
I'm losing my sleep
Please come back now

Relief engulfed her. She felt so weightless that even walking wasn't a problem anymore.

There goes my mind racing
And you are the reason
That I'm still breathing
I'm hopeless now

Finally she spotted the groom and all her worried vanished.
She was marrying Tom Riddle, dammit. She didn't want to be anywhere else.
Even if it started to pour with rain and lightning fell on the path, nothing was powerful enough to stop her.
But there was the warm sun to caress her face as she had to take it easy and follow the slow rhythm of the music.
She counted the heartbeats that separated her from Tom and she also took the time to admire him.
It was like everyone and everything else disappeared.
She could only see him, just like he couldn't take off his eyes from her.