Tom and Evelynn find an empty Compartment, and Tom has them sit so she's in the corner and he's right next to her. Evelynn shifts slightly, and says "Tom, relax. Nobody's going to be stupid enough to try anything, considering the second we're on the train we can technically use our wands." She discretely slides one hand behind his back and starts rubbing circles into his tense shoulders for good measure, and then pretends not to notice when he leans into her hand silently. Merlin, when did she start caring about him like this?! What the hell happened to not letting anyone close to her?! To her fresh start and not trusting anyone like she did last time?!

Its just because we're so alike, that's all. And the Orphanage, that to. I'm older, want to help him a little…

Its all falling flat even in her own head, even as she's thinking it.

After a minute, Tom says "I'm not going to relax until we're back in the Common Room, Evelynn. I never do."

Before she can respond, though, Theodorus Nott's voice calls out "In here, guys! Tom, good to see you!"

The rest of the group piles in, Theodorus and Orion exchanging looks at the sight of the two as Evelynn slides her hand out from behind Tom's back, and they get arranged. There's an awkward silence for a minute, everyone but Tom and Evelynn wondering why Tom is so close to her when he won't let anyone else touch him whatsoever, but Evelynn asks "So, how was everyone else's summers? Must've been more interesting than ours were."

The tension in the room deflates, and Theodorus moves it onto what classes everyone's taking. Everyone's taking Runes and Arithmancy, seeing as all the Heirs are expected to learn useful subjects, and nobody's particularly surprised when Tom has thirteen different subjects including the core classes. The guy's a certifiable genius, after all, and everyone knows it.

And then Orion asks "What about you, Evelynn?"

She glances away from the window, where she was watching the scenery, then blinks like it just registered he asked her the question. "Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Healing, Ancient Studies, Magical Theory, and Music."

Everyone except Tom stares at her, and Abraxas asks "Why Music? Its not useful for anything, after all."

Evelynn looks out the window again, saying "Something to do. Besides, I like music."

Orion raises an eyebrow, and asks "A hobby, then?" Not a traditional one...but, then again, this is Evelynn. She looks at tradition and how a lady is expected to act and laughs. Before punching someone in the face for expecting her to be all meek and submissive.

Evelynn gives him a smile, one that seems fragile for a brief moment before it settles into something flat and cold, and says "Something like that, yeah. Better than moping." And nobody really knows just what to say to that, even with Evelynn staring out the window once more. And then she starts humming the Hogwarts Song under her breath, much to everyone's surprise - because where would she have heard it before? She arrived at Hogwarts well after the Sorting Ceremony, after all - maybe someone taught it to her.

A few hours later, with everyone still waiting for the Trolley lady to come by, Evelynn breaks her silence by grumbling "That woman's never getting here." She takes her trunk out of her pocket, enlarges it…and pulls out a box, asking "Anyone else? There's ten left."

Tom reaches in without hesitation, coming out with one of his own. And then, to everyone's surprise, doesn't question her about what's in it - just opens it up and starts eating the sandwich he takes out. Something that speaks a shelf of volumes - since when does Tom trust anyone enough to just start eating something without question?!

Antonin Dolohov incredulously asks "Where did you get those?! And when? Also, why?!"

Evelynn and Tom trade looks, Evelynn clearly asking 'Just how big of an idiot is this one?' and Tom saying 'Just answer them, Evelynn.' After a minute, Evelynn rolls her eyes, and says "Made the boxes last year. As for why…Muggle war, food rationing…" She trails off, letting everyone else put the pieces together themselves - not that hard, in all honesty.

Antonin blushes heavily, and mutters"Um…oh."

"Yeah. Oh. Aside from that, when I first saw the giant tables full of food, I swore I wouldn't go hungry ever again."

At everyone's blank looks, Tom says "She went and found the kitchens. Then sweet-talked the Elves into making some food and letting her store it for later."

Evelynn scoffs, and says "Oh, please, it was hardly sweet-talking. I just simply explained what's going on in the Muggle World and they jumped at the chance to feed someone more. Turns out they like their jobs down there."

After a heavy minute of silence, one where Evelynn keeps eating her own sandwich and then takes out an apple, Abraxas incredulously asks "You asked House Elves-"

Evelynn spears the older blonde with a vicious glare at once, asking "Yeah, I did. Why? Got a bloody problem with it?"

Rosier, seeing that her patience is starting to fray - and remembering all too well what Tom does when he loses his temper - says "Wizarding Society sees Creatures such as House Elves as-"

"Inferior, I know. Just like us Half-bloods, the Goblins that run the economy, and everything else that isn't a Wiccan with a long line of magical ancestors."

Everyone's quickly come to the conclusion that this is a bit of a gigantic sore spot with Evelynn. Unfortunately. And Tom's doing nothing to stop her, watching the whole thing play out with an unreadable look on his face.

Theodorus makes a 'zip it!' gesture at everyone, then asks "Why are you so angry about it?"

Tom has a feeling he knows exactly why, but he won't say a word about it - he really hopes he's wrong, but he's long since stopped placing his bets on hope. Besides, he's seen her memories for himself - he'd probably be sympathetic to House Elves to if he was treated like them and one did everything it could to save him.

Evelynn fixes Nott with a piercing gaze for a minute, then says "Because, Theodorus Nott, it's exactly how I was treated by my relatives. They never bothered to even tell me my name until I went to Primary school, for Merlin's sake. And when they weren't working me to the bone, trying to kill me via starvation, dehydration, keeping me locked in my cupboard when I was sick, or exposure to the elements when they'd lock me out for whatever damned reason, they'd keep me locked- yes, I actually lived in a broom cupboard for ten bloody years, and when I wasn't outside it being worked to the bone I was expected to pretend I didn't bloody exist."

There's a horrified and outraged silence in the compartment, and it escapes nobody's notice that Tom looks absolutely murderous at that particular revelation. And then she goes back to staring out the window in moody silence, not saying another word until Dorea and Walburga drag her away to get changed into school robes.

The instant Evelynn's gone, Abraxas says "Bloody Merlin!"

And Tom's whirling on him in an instant, levelling a vicious glare at the blonde that should well be lethal - have he and Evelynn been trading tips on glaring or something?! - and proceeding to give them all explicit instructions to not piss Evelynn Peverell off whatsoever. And to keep their hands off her.

Thankfully, when the girls get back, Evelynn seems in a…less angry mood. More like exasperated at the two Blacks, for whatever reason. Dorea grins, and says "C'mon-"

Evelynn says "No, Dorea. End of story. Budge over, Tom, you moved." And, to everyone's utter amazement, he shifts over slightly without a word.

Dorea just rolls her eyes at Evelynn's back, glancing at Orion for a moment before saying "For now, Evelynn."

Dorea corners Orion, dragging him into an abandoned classroom almost the instant they get into the dungeons, and asks "Did you see the two of them?!"

Orion rolls his eyes, saying "Dorea, everyone saw them. Merlin, the instant you ladies were out of the door Tom was on Abraxas looking ready to tear him to shreds."

Dorea says "Well, they aren't official. I asked Evelynn about it, and she gave me the blankest look I've ever seen and asked what I was talking about."

Orion blinks, then says "Your joking."

Dorea shakes her head, saying "No."

"She told him to budge over! And he did! Nobody tells Tom what to do!"

"I know!"

There's a thick moment of silence, and then Orion says "We need to get them together for real."

"Absolutely."

"Without Tom finding out we're playing matchmaker."

"Or Evelynn. She's just as observant, if not more so."

"Something else I'd thought impossible. But…she told him to budge over. And he did."

Dorea just throws her hands up, saying "I know! But…she's completely oblivious to some things. When she thanked me for the gift I got her, I got the feeling she hadn't expected to get anything at all."

Walburga drags Theodorus Nott in right then and shuts the door quickly, saying "Tell me you two are talking about Evelynn and Tom."

Theodorus freezes, then says "It's official. The Black Family Madness is setting in. Tell me, please for the love of Merlin, you aren't going to-"

Walburga crosses her arms, asking "Get them together?"

Theodorus blinks, then says "Thank Merlin! I sincerely thought you were going to say ask Tom about it. He does not do emotions. At all."

Dorea and Walburga trade exasperated glances, and Dorea says "Neither does Evelynn. She's perfectly oblivious to some things. Usually, the more complicated emotions. They go straight over her head."

Both Theodorus and Orion groan, and Theodorus says "This never leaves the room, ever, but…Tom's much the same way. He's always cool, aloof, and indifferent. I've always got the feeling that he doesn't feel much for others, one way or another."

Orion adds "Until Evelynn Peverell."

"Until Evelynn Peverell."

Dorea and Walburga grimace at each other, and Dorea says "So, let me get this straight. We've got not one but two extremely smart and powerful, but incredibly oblivious people to get together before graduation. Rather, make them realize they are together already."

Theo says "That's one way to put it, I suppose."

Walburga says "Merlin, this is not going to be easy."

Orion sums it up nicely by saying "We're doomed." Especially if Tom ever figures out what they're doing.

If he does...it'll probably be a bloodbath. And, heck, Evelynn may well join in - she did practically bite Abraxas' head off earlier, after all.

AN: Hey, everyone! Happy Mother's Day! An early update for everyone for the holiday. If its not clear yet, its gonna be a slow burn...in that the two of them need to actually figure out that they like each other. Its just gonna be painful for everyone else around them to watch. And Slytherins do, in fact, stick together...they're just gonna be sneaky about it.

And House Elves are seriously underrated in canon. Dobby might've been slightly crazy - the Bludger, for instance - but he was trying to help and circumvented several Wizarding precautions to do so. Blocking the barrier, for instance - surely they'd have some kind of safety measure in place to keep that from happening. Plus he got past the 'blood wards' around Four Privet Drive and got to the mail how many times? And he got them out of Malfoy Manor that time to. Seriously, Wizarding kind needs to get their heads out of their egos and admit they aren't the be all end all of the magical world.

Sorry, just a peeve I have with the series. They rely on magical creatures like Goblins and House Elves for so much, yet they treat them like crap. At least, Britain did. I seriously wonder why the Goblins didn't purposefully tank the economy of Wizarding Britain and tell them to figure out how to run a country themselves if they were so much better than them.

Anyway, enjoy! More chapters coming soon!