The only thing she ever wanted | Lily Evans

My despair brought me here

Note: In this AU Tom has found eternal youth along with immortality, so he doesn't look like a snake, just sometimes his eyes glow red, because I am a sucker for that detail. He's 34 or something. // Lily is 26, I aged her a little.
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2nd day of October 1981:

Tom was in his study when he heard the knock, mulling over ancient textbooks written in Latin, books on horcrux protection.

He diverts his eyes from the 'Blood of the rabbit' chapter of 'Soul preservation' by Garrick Leprechaun, once he has detected the oldest Black sister stepping inside the black room.

"My Lord, do forgive me for the interruption, but..." The curly haired witch's tone is fearful. She doesn't look him in the eye as she is used to doing, unwisely so.

"What? Out with it." He hisses, gritting his teeth in irritation. He hates to be interrupted for any insignificant reason like the uncooperation of a hostage, as he suspects that such is the case.

"We got her."

"Got who exactly?" He inquires, his temper barely contained, as he focuses again on the bolt letters of the manuscript.

"Lily Evans."

The name makes his insides boil. They've been trying to capture Lily and James Potter for almost a year now. Sure, his Death Eaters had maimed and Cursed the young couple more times than they can blink, but... it wasn't satisfying enough. He wants them gone. Nothing personal, of course. Just that these two disgustingly perfect Gryffindors and their son have to die for his own agony to be over.

"We caught her in the middle of one of our raids, my Lord." Continues Bellatrix carefully. "She didn't resist at all. She said... she said that she wished to talk to you."

"Did you advise her to mind her place?" He asks softly, his left hand placing the book aside on top of the fireplace that was built upon the room's central wall, not minding with it anymore.

"We did, my Lord." Nods the woman, who is two years older than him. "She's fully binded. She insisted though. Said it was a matter of life and death. Maybe she's lying."

"A matter of life and death indeed..." He murmurs, before arching a brow and looking at his most devoted follower with his usual blank mask. "And where do you have her now?"

"At the basement, locked up in one of your cells. Confiscated her wand too."

Bellatrix bows humbly before presenting the wand to him.

He turns around for his attention is caught in her words more than ever. His eyes fall on the infamous wand made of willow tree with the core of a dragon heartstring. He extends his own hand to take it from her. He examines it a little before looking up at her again. "Thank you for the news. Tell Narcissa to unlock the cage."

"What?" Sputters the woman dressed in black.

Nevertheless, he goes on as the interruption never happened. "Bathe the girl, give her something that isn't dirtied with blood and mud and then escort her here."

The witch is surely puzzled by his calm exterior but she is wiser than questioning his decisions any further.
"As you wish, my Lord." She whispers, before bowing again and exiting his private study, not even once turning her back on her master.

Tom glances at the bright emerald flames of the fireplace. The color reminds him of the eyes of certain baby, on which he has spied from a far while hidden in the crowd. The toddler was curled in his mother's loving arms and smiling sheepishly at her grinning face and equally matching green orbs.