chapter seven, proposal

e v e l y n

     EVELYN WAS FURIOUS, no— she was raging. She felt so embarrassed that she was under the influence of the Veritaserum, being questioned by Tom Riddle.

     That snarky bastard... She will make him pay for what he did to her. He obviously caught her just to question her about Amortentia, not about her true intentions. Was he really infatuated about someone so inevitably?

     Evelyn meant it that once she will find his beloved— in the best case she will torture them and make Tom watch, if not— she will just kill them. She hated being humiliated like that— with a fucking truth serum.

     Once Evelyn left the room she wandered into the hallway when she left Tom's room this night— she was not going to go back to the hotel in only her nightgown. She came over to be at the door of the Nott's room and he gladly let her in. The poor man was too scared to even look at her after what he heard from Dolohov— he was nervously mumbling something before he let her in and she comfortably slept in his bed, him sleeping on an armchair— being afraid to go near her.

     Cute little thing he was— the Nott guy. The next morning, the servants already fetched some of her clothes and she cleaned up before she changed, the Nott boy was nowhere in sight.

     As soon as she left the room, she noticed Tom walking down the corridor and he halted in his step, looking straight at her, raising his eyebrows— his eyes were fixated on her and then on the room she was coming from.

     She noticed the way he bit the inside of his cheek and kept on going and she chuckled to herself— idiot.

     Evelyn had no time to waste another thought about him even if her heart weirdly fluttered in her chest as she needed to go— she needed to meet her mother and her father that weren't supposed to come today but after a week. Something must have happened for their rushed entrance.

     She got to the main entrance as she walked out outside, her coat tight around her body as the weather seemed to get chillier within each day. A car showed up in the distance and soon it stopped in front of the mansion, a couple stepping out of it.

     "Milachka," the woman exclaimed, coming closer to Evelyn and pulling her into a hug as tight as she could with her shaking hands.

     "Privet, mama," Evelyn murmured, hugging her mother back, feeling that she was skinnier underneath her touch than before she left.

     "Is everything under control?" Her father's voice beamed behind them as they separated, unravelling the bored face of his. Orlov Hawthrone was a man that always bear a bored or annoyed face. He wasn't affectionate, always talking about what was important.

     "Of course, let's go inside, he will join us shortly," Evelyn announced and the Hawthrone family walked inside, walking straight into a private little office where they could all sit down and have a small chat.

     "I thought you will arrive after a week, what's the problem?" Evelyn started, sitting down in front of her parents, crossing her legs.

     "Igor is pressing me into a decision," Orlov started and Evelyn had to hold herself back from grimacing from the said name. Igor was the man that wished to have her hand in marriage— in other words, he was scum with no manners, but with a fortune of money and pure blood.

      "He can wait," Evelyn shrugged.

      "You know he can't. Did you find someone here as you intended?" Orlov didn't back down.

      "I didn't have the time. It takes some time to make business and find someone to marry," Evelyn pointed out as some sort of anxiety was bursting in her heart. What if she won't be able to get out of this situation? What if she will have to marry Igor and it will be over for her? She needed that extra week.

     "His conditions changed. We should consider them," Orlov informed, wanting that his daughter would be interested in this offer, but she wasn't.

     "That skatina absolutely dishonoured our dignity and you know that perfectly. No matter what he offers, my marriage with him is not possible," Evelyn gritted out the words, the memories rushing into her head that she wanted to keep away.

     Orlov grumbled like an old man, "You know that the offer he suggested was normal. The only dignity he dishonoured was yours."

     Evelyn's jaw dramatically opened, looking now at her mother that didn't look back at her just because she was afraid of her father later on. That's what would happen to Evelyn too if she would marry Igor, probably even worse.

     "How dare you say that?" Evelyn raised from her seat in anger. "I am a Hawthrone and you just suggest me to lose my status, to lose my knowledge because of that old man?"

     "His terms have changed," Orlov repeated and that just made her feel like choking her own father.

     However, after she was about to just stop her father's heart, to her father's happiness and to her own irritation, the door flew open. Tom was standing in the doorway with his charming smile already, ready to swoon them all over and recruit new followers.

     "Pardon me for my late arrival," Tom started and she could notice how her mother's eyes widen and his father stood up and they both shook hands. Evelyn knew why they were surprised— usually, when you do business with someone in Russia, they are always over forty and already balding.

      "No need for apologies, Mister Riddle. We didn't inform you on coming earlier," Orlov started and they all sat down again, Tom sitting on the couch where Evelyn was previously sitting, so she just moved back, to the fireplace and stood there, giving them all death glares.

     "I do not call myself that name anymore. I am sure you understand my need to get rid of that name," Tom started as it was a warning, delivered in a sweet voice that was laced with venom if that would happen ever again.

     "We do understand that. We have heard you call yourself Lord Voldemort. However, Evelyn forgot us to inform about your preferred title," Orlov admitted, as always putting his blame on his daughter.

     Tom gently turned his head to her, that fake, charming smirk on his lips only widening on his face as he clearly noticed she was beyond irritated and she was scolded by her own parents. And only God knows how much Evelyn wanted to choke the life out of him now too.

     "Oh, Evelyn..." The way her name rolled off Tom's tongue made her develop shivers, but that did not ease her anger. "She has a bit of character, I must admit."

     "If she caused you any troubles..." Orlov already started, but she was not going to have this.

     "I did not. Why don't you all focus on the reason why you are here?" Evelyn hissed out the words, feeling the way her heart was thumping in anger. One more thing about her and she was sure she will kill everyone in this room.

      Tom theatrically furrowed his eyebrows as if her words hurt him and it made her scoff out loud. Gosh, he was so annoying and so—oh, she couldn't wait to make him suffer.

      "We have heard a lot about what you are doing in here. We would like to help you to take over the ministry of magic and create a revolution. However, we would like to seek immunity and invisibility. Let's say you consider us as your secret funds," Orlov reported.

      Tom leaned back down to the cushions of the couch, his face unreadable, but charming as he was thinking about it. "Your names would not be declared if the revolution would be made, is that sitting right with you? I am sure as a family of such a high range, you want to be seen and heard."

     "I want the Russian wizards to stay hidden as before. You can have our full support in taking down the little circus of the ministry that you have here in England. Other families are also interested to join," Orlov informed and now even Evelyn leaned forwards.

     "Other families?" Tom asked, a little bit of interest lingering in his voice.

     No, Evelyn's mind immediately got alerted.

     "The Krakov family for instance," Orlov announced and her face dropped, feeling the way she was about to start screaming out loud.

     "Absolutely not!" Evelyn loudly raged.

     "Painful history with the family?" Tom mockingly asked and not she was throwing daggers with her eyes at him.

     Orlov chuckled as he moved back onto the couch cushions, extending his hand behind his wife who was sitting there like a quiet mouse: "Not all. Just a stubborn daughter. Don't get her wrong—Igor Krakov is a very powerful pure-blooded wizard that has quite some connections in the ministry of Magic."

     "Don't get his mind twisted, otec'," Evelyn started, "Igor Krakov is, indeed, a powerful wizard with lots of connections. However, he is not a team player and he will gladly bring chaos in here."

     "Just because you don't want to marry him—," her father started and she pushed her hand in front of him for him to stop talking before she will go absolutely nuts.

     "Ne seychas, eto ne vazhno, (Not now, it's not important)" Evelyn murmured, her eyes angry as she just wanted to get out of here.

     "Evelyn," Orlov's voice was rough. 

     "Ne seychas," she stood up as she repeated the words and walked out of the room, beyond irritated. It was clear Tom Riddle for no reason will not help her escape. She will have to fake her own murder one way or another.

     As soon as she left that room and slammed the door behind her, she didn't care that she was acting like a spoiled child going around slamming the doors and whining. This was about her life and she could not live with the fact that Igor wanted to become Tom's follower as it didn't make any sense to her. The only reason why Igor would be interested in this if, by that, he could get to her. That's all.

     Evelyn grabbed her coat that was near the entrance and she stormed outside while wrapping the coat around the curves of her body. She clicked clacked her way to the garden that seemed useless to her as she was constantly huffing out the fresh air out of her lungs. God, she was so irritated.

     The woman walked to the edge of the cliff that showed her the beautiful view of the luscious forest and its secrets. Her hand moved into her coat pocket as she found a pack of cigarettes, taking one out and igniting it with only her fingertips.

     As soon as the deadly smoke entered her lungs, only then did she feel a little bit better. Only then she didn't allow those horrible memories of hers that she wanted to keep buried to enter her head again. There was so much that she buried deep within herself, so much she didn't allow herself to remember because she had to be strong, she had to be stronger than them.

     Knowing what a bastard Igor was and how he was determined to ruin her life, it made her sick to the stomach. Her mother's image would come in her head and haunt her, saying that it's gonna be here, it's gonna be her. Evelyn didn't want to be her. She just wanted to be free.

      Within each puff of the smoke, she felt lighter, feeling that she still had some time before Igor would show up and make her his bride. She still had some time to run and she will run.

      One cigarette turned into two and she was stomping on the second one, she felt distant footsteps behind her, so within a swift move, a dagger appeared in her hand and without any care in the world—she threw it behind her, hearing a sharp thud, meaning the dagger hit a piece of wood and not a person.

      "You missed," Tom's voice was lower than usual. The undertones of his voice were deep, him pronouncing each consonant clear and almost theatrically. It was almost as if he was talking with his prey before murdering someone.

     "I wanted to," she mumbled, stuffing her hands into her coat pockets and closing her eyes. She didn't want him to be here.

     "Hiding from your beloved family?" The mockery in his voice was making her feel tenser than before, but she still didn't spare him one look.

     "What is it that you want, Tom?" Evelyn bitterly replied.

     "I have to say that your father seems to be greatly interested in Igor Krakov. Seems like your whole family can't wait for you to become his wife," he teased.

     "It's not your damn business anymore," Evelyn gritted out the words as now she thought how she won't miss and crack his skull open with her dagger.

    "Orlov is searching for you at this very moment, waiting for your decision," Tom softly exclaimed and Evelyn turned to him and was about to move her hand and conjure another danger, but she had an idea.

     Her dearest, beloved Nott. 

     A small smile crept on her painted lips and she immediately noticed some sort of confusion in Tom's eyes: "Oh, really? Where is he? I think I found a compromise," Evelyn announced, noticing how confused Tom looked and how much he hated not to know what was going on. He didn't like the taste of his own medicine, how bad...

     "And what is your compromise?" Tom asked, slowly, almost with fear.

     "The deal I made with my father was quite clear before I came in here. If I do not want to marry Igor, I need to find a British pure-blood wizard. The greatest thing is, that this mansion is filled with them and I believe my beloved Nott would't defy this decision," Evelyn exclaimed, happiness overflowing in her chest.

     "What?" Tom's voice raised in pure anger and surprise and she turned to him, only to see how his lovely sapphire eyes were clouded with dark clouds of his anger.

     "There is no way I will marry Igor, Tom. No fucking way— if you would even see him, you would want to kill him immediately because he is just disgusting," she spat out the words angrily. "But my dearest Nott here... Don't you think it is a better way out for me, hm?" She teasingly asked.

     "You will not marry Nott," Tom concluded and Evelyn scoffed— who was he to tell her those things with his unbelievable mood swings? Of course, Evelyn didn't want to marry Nott, she just wanted to run away. However, right now it was the best option, especially when Nott seemed like a man who was scared of everything. And he would be scared of her and that's what she wanted.

     "I am not asking for your approval, Tom," she remarked as she crossed her hands over her chest.

     "Yet, he needs my approval for that," Tom pointed out, reminding him that he had the power of his followers and their decisions.

     "What do you want me to do then, Tom? Do you want to see me marry that old oaf? Is that what would satisfy your idiotic mind?!" Her voice raised as she realized that once she steps back into the mansion, she will be doomed. She needed to do something.

     Evelyn could notice that he was once again holding something back— his jaw was clenched, eyes unreadable as he stared at her, his head lowered so he could meet her gaze. Why couldn't he just let her leave?

     Tom stepped closer to her, his tall frame confident and dangerous as he gently moved his head down, looking straight into her eyes: "You are not marrying either of them," Tom concluded and she scoffed loudly.

     "I didn't ask for your opinion, Tom," she simply concluded, feeling slightly dizzy being so close to him. "If Nott won't be my husband, I am out here."

     "I am not letting you leave, either," he concluded and she scoffed loudly, inhaling his scent that was a lovely mixture of a bare hint of cigarettes, his cologne and mint.

     "Then what do you want from me?" Evelyn's voice dropped, raising her chin so she could face him with strength and not fear.     

    "I have a plan that would benefit both of us," Tom started, leaning closer to her.

      "I am listening."

      "First, I need you to find a person who is giving out the information to the order," Tom demanded.

     "There is a snitch? You could easily find them yourself," Evelyn pointed out.

      "Maybe I like your torturing technique way better," he replied with a soft smile. "I will turn your parent's attention away from your marriage until you are done with it."

     "And then you will help me?"

     "I will help you."

      "Promise me," Evelyn demanded as he has told her before he will help her and look where she was right now.

     Tom deeply inhaled, his eyes meeting hers as he cupped her cheeks, surrounding her with his cold touch. "I promise."

     Just like that Evelyn Hawthrone - Orlova made a deal with the devil himself.

Author's Note:

-Look at this gorg aesthetics by loverw1tch

going to open a gallery soon for this book so I could put all of the things you all have made! Thank you so much <3

m.n