Extreme Ways ( A Tom Riddle fanfiction )

Chapter 43

“Do not pity the dead. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love"

HP7

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The lights swirled so fast that knocked Evelyn out.
When she gained her consciousness back, it was all dark and incredibly freezing.
She didn't miss that cold sensation, she wished she wouldn't experience that again. But she wasn't dead. And she wasn't falling anymore.
She blinked until she could focus on what was around her. It was night and it was lightly snowing.
Evelyn shivered into her light travel robes, feeling the icy air tickling her sore body.
She felt the urge to stand up from the cobblestones and find some warmth.
Clumsily she struggled under her light dress and stood up. Her wand was into her pocket so she took it to get some lights.
She was in some deserted street, but she saw buildings in the nearby.
When she checked them, she realized she was in Diagon Alley.
"What the hell I am doing in Diagon Alley?" She asked to herself, then she noticed that it was a different version of the place she used to know.
She spotted a wizard walking fast in the main road, so she staggered to stop him.
The wizard gave her a bad look.
"I'm sorry, sir" she said trying to sound friendly when she was scared "Can you tell me what day is today? I got an accident and I'm quite confused".
"It's the last day of the year" he said turning confused "Do you want to know also the year?".
"Yes, please" she said quickly.
"1926. In few hours we'll be in 1927" he said as if he was dealing with someone insane.
She thanked him with a happy new year, then she moved with uncertainty through the streets, trying to accept the fact that she was back in time, when she wasn't even born, in a dark period because of Grindelwald, although he had been captured in the US just a couple of weeks earlier.

Deep inside she understood why she was there.
It was Tom's birth day. And she had to save his mother. All alone.
But she didn't understand why Diagon Alley when she needed to find the orphanage in the muggle London.
She hurried to find the Leaky Cauldron, when she remembered that Tom's mother sold Salazar's locket to her uncle. So without a second thought, Evelyn marched on the opposite direction, towards Knockturn Alley.
She took her wand and summoned some goblins coins, hoping to persuade her uncle enough to get the locket and run away with it.

The shop looked smaller and poorer than she was used to know it. She opened the door ignoring the close sign.
"Hey, madam! It's closed! Can't you read?" A younger Caractacus snapped at her.
Evelyn stared at him in shock for a while. He looked much more younger than she imagined. She realized how the loss of his brother five years later would change him and make him look much more older.
"Good evening" she said coldly, focusing on her mission to control her emotions "I know you recently got a locket".
"I don't know what you're talking about" he said clearly lying.
"A locket with an S engraved on it. I'm ready to pay a lot for it" she hissed placing her fake gold on the counter.
Caractacus looked troubled "I'm not sure that's enough".
Evelyn turned more insisting "I know that you paid ten galleons for it. I shouldn't offer you money for something that's mine, but I want a fair trade. The inspectors are looking for the supporters of Grindelwald. You know that. You're in their black list. What happens if I tell them that you stole my precious locket? Maybe you even lose this shop".
Caractacus grumbled under his breath, then said loudly "How dare you walk into my shop to menace me? Who are you?".
"Tell me, sir. That locket is worthy for this shop?" She said softly.
"You must be from the Daily Prophet. That's it!" He snapped "All nosy parkers. Well, take it. I hope someone will steal it from you again and don't dare to bring it back here".
He took a little bag from a drawer and gave her the golden locket.
She examinated it to be sure he wasn't tricking her. She was glad that he wasn't imitating her by checking her gold.
She concluded that it was the real locket and hanged it around her neck "Well, thank you, Mr Burke. You won't see me ever again, I can promise that. Happy New Year".
He collected the gold and grumbled to himself, turning his back to her.
Evelyn hesitated a bit, mentally bidding him goodbye again, then turned on her heels to continue her mission.
"Do I know you?" Caractacus asked before she walked passed the door.
Evelyn turned to give him a sad look "It can't be. Maybe I look like some of your acquaintances".
He looked confused, but said with a more friendly tone "I'm sorry, miss. I just have the weird feeling... Never mind. Good night".
She nodded and closed the door behind her, the cold air helping her to keep her tears. She also felt the urge to find a cloak to cover herself and her only solution was to steal one.