Tom stares at Dippet in utter shock - no, he cannot be serious. He simply can't.
Evelynn doesn't have any other relatives, since her aunt and uncle were apparently the only family she's ever known, so she has to go to an Orphanage…but does it have to be Wool's?! Does it seriously have to be the one place where he's weak and helpless?! She could tell everyone what she sees! She could-
Evelynn breaks him out of his rapidly-devolving thoughts, asking "Professor, what about the war? If we're stuck in the Muggle World, then what if something happens? I know you said it's the law that kids can't stay at Hogwarts, but-"
Dippet gives her a resigned nod in agreement, and says "I know, Evelynn, I know its not ideal. Nor is it something I'd put either of you - or any of my students, for that matter - through willingly. But, the fact remains that you have no living relatives that anyone can find, or godparents."
Tom notices Evelynn go through a number of near-imperceptible reactions as Dippet says that - her face is a blank mask, but its her hands in this case that give her away. Well, her fingers. They toy with the hem of her robe sleeves for a moment at the mention of any relatives, but scrunch the fabric together at the mention of godparents before smoothing out altogether. She had a Godfather, it tells him, but not anymore. Interesting, just like so much else about her.
"So, we have to stay in the Muggle World."
"I'm afraid so, Miss Peverell. Its not ideal by any means, but Albus assures me that Wool's takes good care of their charges."
Her entire body stays perfectly still at that last revelation - that Albus Dumbledore told Dippet the Orphanage is good, that they take good care of the orphans there, its something that infuriates him more than ever, how dare that meddling old man tell Dippet such a blatant lie?! That could well be the reason why he keeps having to go back instead of Dippet finding somewhere, anywhere he could stay! - but he can feel the temperature in the room drop a few degrees, and he could swear there's…disbelief in the air.
Disbelief?! How could she possibly have any idea?!
And then anger gets added into the mix, Still, it isn't in her voice as she mechanically says "Yes, sir."
Dippet sighs, then says "Just remember, both of you. If your life is in danger, you can use magic. Something we aren't supposed to tell the children, but…since there's a war, I feel that rule can be overlooked given your circumstances."
Tom blinks in shock - nobody's ever told him that before! All he's ever heard was Dumbledore saying he's not allowed to use magic in the Muggle World or he'll be expelled, his wand snapped, and his magic bound! Evelynn relaxes a fraction at Dippet's words, letting a little gratitude into her voice and expression as she says "Thank you, sir." Something, perhaps the feeling in himself, tells him she's not faking that particular reaction.
As soon as they're out of the Headmaster's office and down the stairs, Tom quickly drags Evelynn into an abandoned classroom and traps her against the wall. He presses the tip of his wand into the soft spot just behind her ear, quietly hissing "You won't tell anyone what you see there. Understand? If you do, I swear to Merlin I'll-"
She cuts him off before he can even come up with an actual threat to use, saying "Tom, relax. I won't tell a soul about Wool's. I'm no stranger to keeping your living conditions outside of school a secret."
Tom blinks, his thought processes completely derailed for a moment, but then he tries reading her mind. Its blank for just a moment, but then she opens up her emotions to him - enough for him to know she's telling the truth about having no intention of telling anyone. Wait, maybe that's just what she wants him to think. If she can keep him out and let him in at will, who or what's to say she can't fake emotions on a whim?
Evelynn sighs a mere moment after that, and says "You still don't believe me."
Tom deadpans "Your emotions don't tell me much when you can keep me out. You could fake them, make me feel what you want me to. So how can you prove you won't tell anyone?"
"Well," she gently lowers his wand from behind her ear, "I could swear a Wizard's Oath. Slightly less lethal than an Unbreakable Vow, but I'd be almost completely incapable of breaking it. Plus, it only needs one stipulation instead of three yes or no questions and a mediator."
Tom blinks, staring intently into emerald-green eyes for a moment and finding no deceit in them. And then his brain kicks into gear, realizing she just mentioned two things he's never heard of before. "An Unbreakable Vow?"
Evelynn shrugs, and says "You break it, you die. End of story." He's about to demand she do exactly that, when she adds "It needs a third party to officiate the Vow, though, and I doubt you want that considering your reaction just now. A Wizard's Oath, on the other hand, only needs the parties that are concerned and a wand. I could swear one right now with no hesitation, and the magic would literally bind me to whatever conditions I swear to."
Tom nods, tucking his wand away and giving her his best glare before saying "Swear it." And then he wants to know just how she knows so much about him - she had no hesitation in assuming he wouldn't want anyone to even know any details about the Vow, if that even was an assumption, and he's yet to ever be able to truly surprise her. Observant, or something else altogether? He's not sure, and its doing his head in - something she seems to have made her life's mission, confusing the hell out of him.
He'd be much more annoyed about it if it didn't make her the most fascinating thing he's ever found in his entire life.
Evelynn nods, saying "Alright, give me a minute to think up the exact wording. I don't want to talk myself into a corner here. I didn't exactly head into Dippet's office expecting that bit of news, after all."
Tom nods, more of a jerk of his head than anything else really, and impatiently waits for the green-eyed girl to swear the Oath. After a few moments, Evelynn raises her wand and says "I, Evelynn Alyssa Peverell, swear not to reveal the details of Tom Marvolo Riddle's time at Wool's Orphanage to any soul he does not explicitly approve of knowing them, so mote it be."
There's a flash of light from the tip of her wand, and he asks "What was that flash?" He's never seen it before, she could've faked everything and put a light show on for all he knows.
"The oath being accepted. Now, I can't tell anyone what happens or has happened at Wool's Orphanage unless you specifically either tell them enough details for them to guess the truth yourself or say something along the lines of 'yes, Evelynn, tell them what goes on at the Orphanage' or 'go ask Evelynn about my life outside of Hogwarts.' or some such."
Tom nods, relaxing a bit at the willingly-given Oath - which he'll have to read up on, just in case - and says "You gave yourself an out, while at the same time making it dependent on me so I'd relax. How very Slytherin of you."
Evelynn shrugs, saying "So was giving Dumbledore the homework at the staff meeting. You thought that was rather amusing." And so did she, especially when Dippet came in when she was about halfway through taking out rolls of parchment. Slughorn was going off on Dumbledore because she had been asking for Pepper-Ups a few times, and he thought she was doing it because she stayed up late doing all that homework.
She was expanding her trunk into a house of sorts, complete with a Potions Lab, library, bedroom, and ritual room...but Slughorn definitely doesn't need to know that. Or know that one night was spent setting up all the protective spells and Wards on it either - the Slytherins suspect she's no Second Year, but she's yet to give them any actual proof as of yet.
Tom nods, saying "You've got to let me see that memory at some point, I'm serious." Because she was laughing about it all the way back to the Hall, doing an imitation of Slughorn - and, yes, it was very amusing. As was her description of Dumbledore - a childish, prejudiced arse. Its like, according to her, the man never grew up out of the House Rivalry - a valid theory, but not one they have any way of testing.
Evelynn nods her head, a small smile on her lips for a moment. "I will. At some point."
Tom scowls at her, but it fades away quickly enough when it only gets a chuckle out of the pale girl. She's the only person in all of Slytherin that doesn't fear him, and dammit its messing with his head more and more as the year goes on! Especially since she's nothing like literally any girl he's ever met before - Muggle or Magical, at that!
Most girls are meek and quiet, expected to stay silent unless specifically addressed - not Evelynn Peverell, she couldn't be further from that if she tried. Evelynn Peverell is a stubborn, strong-willed girl who's constantly got her nose buried in a book, doesn't take crap from anyone, no matter who they are - not even him, he suspects, not that he's tried as of yet - and if someone gave her an order he'd think she was Compelled if she actually followed it without argument or complaint.
In short, she's the exact opposite of what a girl is expected to act like…as Lestrange found out the hard way a week ago. He made a rather unfortunate comment towards her about women's place in society being as a good wife and mother. When he asked about the look she was giving him, she responded by saying she was deciding which of the six ways to Sunday she was going to Hex him first.
When Lestrange didn't believe her, laughed, and turned around thinking she wasn't serious…they all found out just how serious she was. And that she already has a rather good grasp of spellwork.
And Hexes.
And reflexes.
And then Walburga, Dorea, and Lucretia Black descended on him in a fury. Needless to say, Lestrange had to go to the Hospital Wing that night for a 'dueling accident' that somehow got serious quickly.
Lestrange never made another comment like that to her ever again, and Slytherin House at large learned to never piss Evelynn off. Ever.
AN: Hey, everyone! Yes, the next chapter is up - so, I got the inspiration for Evelynn's trunk from Newt Scamander's suitcase, from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find them. Its got a 3-number combination lock, with three different settings. One for school, one for when she's around Muggles, and one for the setting that she could live in. 725 for school, 463 for home, and 684 for Muggle. Oh, and she Warded it to hell and back - particularly with the home setting.
Anyway, enjoy! More chapters coming soon!