In The Middle Of The Night

Confess

Eva had slept through all of Saturday; awakening on the Sunday morning, her mouth dry and eyes fuzzy. Groaning she placed the pillow over her face to hope she goes back to sleep, yet it seems someone intended to interrupt that.
"Eva get up. Go bathe and then get dressed in something formal, wear a necklace that matches your ring and a bracelet. I am not joking around" his voice panicked, the bath already ran and a cup of water by her side with breakfast of eggs, bacon, mushrooms and tomatoes with slices of toast slathered in butter
"Eurgh Ominis please, what bloody time is it?" Her voice muffled under the pillow
"I am not kidding Eva. Up now. It's 7am on Sunday! And you need to get up right NOW!" Throwing the covers off her, drinking the water in one long gulp and shovelling the food in her mouth she quickly jumped in the bath. Not even having a moment to savour it and feel the hydration it gives before Ominis was stood at the door with a towel impatiently tapping his foot
"Alright, alright I'm out. I've eaten I've drank. What in Merlin's trousers could be so important you've got me up this fast?!" Ignoring her question he strode out the room to sit at the armchair. Eva carefully chose out a past knee length grey skirt, white blouse with a grey waistcoat. A delicate necklace with a ruby gem hung around her neck with matching bracelet. Plaiting her hair she wrapped and tucked it into place above her head
"Ready?"
"Yeah I'm ready, for whatever this is" in his hands a green and black cape; it had a golden shimmer to it at the bottom. His hands snaked round her shoulders to attach it around her, pecking her cheek
"Carry yourself strong delicate doll. Because this is going to be a battle of the mind, you're going to need to show pride and an icy stature. Don't show weakness, and don't let them think you are beneath them" her heart began to pound hard, whatever it was had Ominis in a frazzle and it took a lot to do so.

She understood why; hauled into Headmaster Blacks office, there stood the Headmaster and a older man and woman in a couple of chairs.
"Mother...Father. You didn't need to come here" his voice monotone, shaking his fathers hand. Mr Gaunt was paler than Ominis; his eyes a dull blue with dirty blonde hair, he was tall but thin. He didn't seem so terrible but she knew better. Peering over to Mrs Gaunt she figured she was nastier than her husband. Her lips thinly pursed, a slender button nose with piercing blue eyes and almost white blonde hair, her face thin by her cheeks and jaw pointed. They both appeared to be dressed in matching outfits of blacks and greys with their crest emblazoned somewhere on each of them. Mrs Gaunts fingers adorned with multiple rings and her neck carrying a locket
"Well when you send an owl in the manner that you do, we was going to come. We may have been a bit hasty in disowning you" his voice elegant, maybe when he was younger it would have been silky smooth but it occasionally crackled like someone who took to smoking a pipe more than they should. Ominis backed himself against a pillar of the office, pushing himself as far as he could into the shadows
"Yes dear. And this must be...." Shoulders back she addressed them both
"Evaluece Dawn, Mr and Mrs Gaunt. It's a pleasure to meet you both" her fingers twitched around her wand, she had said on sight yet she wanted to hear where this was going to go. Headmaster Black seemed to have left extremely sneakily for a man of his size and stature.
"Tell me dear, you are dating our son? It's not everyday he brings a girl to us. You're a pure blood correct?" It seems Mrs Gaunt didn't beat around the bush, she was one to be weary of with questions
"Yes I am, and yes I am also of pure blood family. I wouldn't know their names since it was an illicit affair and I was dumped at an orphanage if that is to be your next question. And frankly I think he doesn't bring girls home to you for fear of what you think of them" Mr Gaunt chortled at Eva's mouth
"Well you certainly are sharp tongued. I apologise that's how your life was. Yet I'm glad you are of pure blood. If you was to have children they would hopefully possess our rare gift for Parselmouth" Ominis interjected, his face resting and emotionless
"Father we haven't discussed that far and quite frankly I'm not interested in having children. Again you didn't have to come here for this. You could have just sent what was asked of you" it seemed Mr Gaunt was quick to temper as he yelled, spit flew from his mouth
"OMINIS YOU DO NOT SPEAK BACK TO ME! WE WILL DO AS WE PLEASE IN ENSURING YOU ARE NOT DOING AS YOUR SIBLINGS HAVE DONE, THESE DISGUSTING CHILDREN OF OURS RAN OFF TO MUGGLEBORNS AND TAINTED OUR LINEAGE!" Mrs Gaunt nodding along, yet Ominis backed down, leaning back against the pillar
"So dear, do you possess any gifts that could benefit our family blood line? Any talents or hobbies you excel at?" Shaking her head no at them both, she didn't wish to tell them about the ancient magic she could use
"Not particularly, I am however taking over Defence Against The Dark Arts by the end of this year as a teacher" they both nodded approvingly at this
"So it's right to assume then Evaluece that you have encountered or used some yourself" sweat formed at the back of her neck, that where this was going, on whether she was like them
"I have indeed, I've been under Imperio and Crucio. However I don't approve of them as spells and should only be used as a last resort"
"Such a shame my dear, such promise in those spells. However for you to have experienced them both and still stand here so proudly it's clear you know how to hold your own" Mrs Gaunt tapped her fingers on Headmaster Blacks desk, dreamily smiling. Her teeth a bright white
"Well it seems your son has also encountered Crucio many times yet also stands here. And I think you overlook that too. Especially as quite recently he did get hit with that spell again to protect me" Mr Gaunt flashed Ominis a look of disgust, or maybe disappointment.
"Yes we know. Now, why are you interested in him? His name? His title? What he stands to gain when he's put back into our will?" Ominis went to protest yet Eva held up her hand to stop him, whispering stop quiet enough for only him to hear. Thankfully he complied, straightening her back she was putting an end to this
"I don't care if he was rich or poor, I certainly don't care what he gains from you since you suddenly seem pleased he is dating a pure blood. And I don't care for him being a Gaunt, along with his Parseltongue gift. Ominis has never given up on me when I came here as a 5th year, and through this year alone he has protected me from Sebastian Sallow casting Crucio at me- he stayed with me through the night when yet again Sebastian put me under Imperio, had me walk to the boathouse and gave me this" pointing to her arm, turning her face "and also this mark on my face. Not only has he shown me love that clearly isn't from you both, but he had ensured I am protected and well looked after. And personally you are both quite lucky I haven't followed through with casting something on you both myself for the way you have behaved with him. Disowning your son for his views, casting Crucio on him repeatedly for caring for others. He's a wonderful man and credit to two purely evil people and quite frankly I don't understand WHY I have to meet you both. To also add, I don't care that he's blind either, we have worked well so far and will continue to do so WITHOUT you both in our life because at the end of it all I'm shamelessly in love with your son" storming out the door to go to the astronomy tower to relax seeing the sights

Ominis' father chucked at Eva's exit, his mother beaming ear to ear, she stood to attempt an embrace which he shrugged off
"Oh my son. She's feisty, she understands the Dark arts and she didn't show us a single ounce of fear when she snapped, if only she did follow through on using spells I would have enjoyed to see how well she duels. She has my approval. It is just a shame she's a little soft hearted for you, it shows her hand of how she could be hurt. But I will give you the ring to ask her" rustling through her bag she pulled out a black box hidden in the velvet handkerchief. Ominis blinked in disbelief
"Just like that?" Mrs Gaunt smirked at her husband, his hand clasping to Ominis' shoulder
"Just like that son. She's proven herself. Clearly she sees something in you we don't, but we won't stop you asking for her hand" the conflicting feelings collided in his chest, in some sense his parents seemed to have softened but it came with the cost of Eva dealing with them which is something Ominis never wanted to do, to being in utter awe at how well she did. Sometimes he did wonder what she saw about him to have her stay but he was glad she did. Tucking it away in his coat pocket and shaking his fathers hand once more he opted to go find Poppy next. He had said he would go to her.

For once Ominis found Poppy besides Highwing, brushing her feathers and cooing words at her like she was a baby hippogriff and not fully fledged
"Poppy a word if you are free" water tippled and splashed over the rim of the bucket
"Sure! Highwing is probably going to go for her morning flight now anyway, how's Eva I didn't see her yesterday so assumed she slept the full day. Amit was walking around clutching his head for dear life!" Pulling out the box she gasped audibly "is that what I think it is?" Nodding at her question he opened it carefully
"I'm not going to until the year is done which isn't long now. I was thinking winter but I know she hates the cold. Maybe during summer when she's stopping at her new home? You probably know better than I do" she was jumping up and down whilst clapping her hands, she was adorable sweet in her own way. He was considering her as something of a kinder sister who wanted to help in any way. She pulled him to a space near puffskeins
"Okay so she isn't the romance type in a way, we BOTH know that one. She damn near had a freak out at valentines with the public gesture so private is ALWAYS better. You need to tell her truly how you feel when you ask her, I mean it she needs to understand everything you feel for her. She's a sensitive soul at the best of times and for Merlin's hat don't do it when you've both drank because that's just a recipe for disaster. Maybe take her starg- oh wait no... how about.. mm no not that either" Ominis chuckled at Poppy's struggle
"Remembered I can't see? It's okay. How about somewhere in the woods, it's where I'm most comfortable" clicking her fingers
"Smart, yes! Just maybe make sure it isn't full of spiders or I think she'll beat you to death with one"

Eva had collapsed on the bed, so grateful it wasn't long until she was no longer needing to sleep in dormitories or be a student. Her brain wanted to explode from how much lessons plans and information she had forced herself to take in, the essays she had to write to prove it had sunk in and that she was capable to take over. Unknown to her of Ominis' plans. All she knew was it was a highly intense morning and she would have loved to have slept in a few extra hours. The cape tossed over the chair, shoes kicked off and blouse undone she sighed, rubbing her face and undoing the clasp of the necklace.

Ominis tucked away the box in his dresser, his throat dry at the thought of it being in the room, what if he was being a fool and she would refuse? Some days he felt she would wake up and come to the realisation that she wasn't that into him and just leave.