Extreme Ways ( A Tom Riddle fanfiction )

Chapter 30

"The old argument," he said softly. "But nothing I have seen in the world has supported your famous pronouncements that love is more powerful than my kind of magic, Dumbledore."
"Perhaps you have been looking in the wrong places," suggested Dumbledore."
HP6

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Evelyn couldn't know how long she blacked out.
When she woke up she felt someone shaking her quite violently, a voice repeating her name.
She enjoyed the sound of that voice.
Evelyn forced her eyes to open, putting a lot of effort to do it because she was exhausted. She saw the light of the sky and her favourite handsome face. She wished to tell him not to be that worried.
Then she recalled the latest events and it slapped her like a bucket of icy water on her face.
"What happened?" She asked trying to stand up, realizing she was lying on the ground, held into Tom's arms.
"It's over, thanks to you" Tom said with a proud smile "Do you think you can stand up? How do you feel?".
She wanted to stand up, but when she turned her head she saw wizards gathered around a lifeless body.
"No..." She gasped struggling against Tom's arms "Is she...?".
"She is dead" Rowena's sorrowful voice said "There's nothing we can do. She gathered all her magic to get rid of the Obscurus and help us. But it cost her her life".
Evelyn wanted to cry, but she just felt her breath getting blocked in her throat, suffocating her.
Tom grabbed her and helped her up "Let's get away from here. Can you walk? Otherwise I can carry you".
She tried to struggle "I want to help...".
"You already helped. You saved us all" Tom said a bit sharply "Evelyn, look at me".
He forced her to look into his reassuring eyes "Can we go now, please?".
She felt a bit better. Staring at him, alive, instead of the dead Lyanne made her realize that her priority was his safety. She barely knew Lyanne. It was better losing her than someone like Tom.
"Can you take her back to the castle?" Salazar asked him "I could apparate the three of us".
"I think some walk might help her, sir" Tom said politely.
Salazar didn't insist. He placed a hand on Evelyn's shoulder, then nodded to Tom to lead her away.

Evelyn had to focus on making one step after another. Tom was supporting her and she feared to faint again.
"Are you mad at me?" She asked shyly.
"I was, if you didn't hear me. I told you to stay away from that thing and I saw you running straight into it. But I can't deny that you saved us all. And I'm utterly grateful that you are save. All this mess didn't worth sacrificing your life".
"I didn't expect it to work" she admitted "I didn't know if I had a chance. But I had to try. I wish I could save her too".
"But you did. You freed her from the parasite. Let's stop thinking about what happened. Let's focus on the future".
She sighed, they were walking away from the battlefield, so she had to move on also inside "Shall we find a way back to our time?".
"Where do we start looking for it?".
"I don't know. I almost expected to see it appear when I faced the Oscurial. But I feel too weak for seeking it right now".
"Do you want me to carry you?".
She realized it was the second time he offered that. It was a lovely thing after all the darkness they witnessed, but she wouldn't enjoy it.
"No, let's just sit down for a moment. And check that I don't feel asleep. I'm sick of sleeping into the woods".
He obeyed and helped her sit at the bottom of a large tree, wrapping an arm around her.
"How do you want me to entertain you?" He asked with a smirk.
"Just stay here with me. Let me catch my breath, then we'll move back to the castle".
"As you wish" he replied slightly disappointed. He rested his lips on her temple and she closed her eyes, enjoying that sensation. The sensation of feeling loved, cared.

Later they reached the castle.
Some of the guests already cared of taking the trapped beast far away from there, to study it.
The other joined happily the celebrations for their success.
"Here is our heroine. Lady Evelyn" Rowena was the first of the Founders to approach a bewildered Evelyn and hug her.
"Cheers to our heroine. Without her, we wouldn't be here now to celebrate this victory" Godric found a cup from the nearest table and raised it to her.
"You can use mine" Helga noticed that Evelyn didn't bring any cup so she offered hers. Evelyn observed surprised that precious object, that Helga filled with tasty fruit juice.
She noticed that also Tom was focusing on that shining jewel. But there was no way they could steal it from there. Evelyn had heard rumours about the Cup of Hufflepuff, she was confident that she could find it in her own time.
She drank from the Cup, holding it with both hands for fear of accidentally letting it fall, then gave it back to an excited Helga.
The Founders focused on the celebrations.
"You look like you haven't realized what you have done yet" Salazar stayed next to Evelyn, watching his mates performing breathtaking magic in the main hall "Or are you disappointed?".
"I'm just tired" she said with a faint smile.
Salazar glanced between her and Tom, who was standing on her other side.
"I've never met two young wizards skilled as you are. I'm impressed by you, boy. You were almost as skilled as we teachers".
"You're too generous, sir" Tom said without feeling uncomfortable under Salazar's penetrating gaze.
"And you two also surprised me for your ability with occlumency. How many other abilities do you keep from me?".
Evelyn wondered why would Salazar use Legilimency on them, then she thanked her fate for having learned that skill. If Slytherin could read their mind, he would know about the future. And it was forbidden.
She exchanged a relieved look with Tom, who simply replied "Not many, I'm afraid".
"Don't expect me to believe that" Salazar placed himself in front of Evelyn, taking her hand to kiss it "Will you join the dances later?".
"I'm afraid I'm too tired. I'll get some sleep" she said blushing and retreating her hand.
"As you wish. We will have plenty of time for celebrating now. So goodnight, my Lady" he smirked at her, then patted a hand on Tom's shoulder "I won't ask you to dance, but you are welcomed to join all our parties".
"Thank you, sir" Tom made a small bow, then watching with shining eyes his ancestor walking away.
"You should take this opportunity to talk to him" Evelyn suggested.
"I'm tired too. And I wouldn't know what to tell him" he turned to look at her "Do you want to go now?".
She nodded and allowed him to walk her to her room.
She suspected that he was hoping to spend the night together like the previous night. But all she wanted was to stay alone with her ghosts for a while.