Evelynn shadows Tom to Diagon Alley straight from Hogwarts - and, seriously, he's got to learn Shadow Magic himself at some point, not only so he can say he learned an obscure, long-lost branch of magic most have barely heard of anymore but to hopefully ease the revolting sensation of traveling like that - and says "I can wait in the lobby, if you want."

Tom rolls his eyes once he's recovered, and says "You'll scare the Goblins in the front lobby into shitting themselves, Evelynn." Crude, but very true - and Evelynn must be rubbing off on him, if he's starting to talk like that.

I'll work on that later. Right now, I've got an Inheritance to claim.

Ten minutes later, Griphook's staring at him with eyes almost as wide as Ragnuk's when he was with Evelynn that day during the summer. "I'm going to assume Miss Peverell brought you?"

Tom nods, asking "You can tell?"

Griphook flatly says "Her magic signature is all over you. If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were also the Master of Death."

Tom shakes his head, saying "No, I'm not. I'm just close with her." Really, really close with her, but still.

Griphook stares at him as if he's gone full-Voldemort for a solid minute, then finally deadpans "You must be either the bravest human in existence or have a death wish. I swear it." Now he understands what Director Ragnuk meant completely when he said these two clients would be likely the most difficult he'd ever have to work with.

Tom bites back a denial of Evelynn being that scary - most of the time, and she's never actively turned it on him - and says "Either way, we need to get back to school before we're missed soon."

Griphook nods his head, and says "Gringotts has been notified of Morfin Gaunt's death - as such, you are now eligible to claim any Lorships awaiting you."

Tom internally frowns at Griphook's wording, and asks "Is the Slytherin Lordship available for me to claim?" It said he was the Heir, after all - still, he could have to wait on that one, like Evelynn does for the Peverell Inheritance.

Griphook shrugs, and says "Unknown. Salazar Slytherin was extremely cautious when it came to the Lordship, he wrote clauses about who was worthy and who wasn't. The last eight generations of Gaunts have not been found worthy, so everyone assumed the Slytherin Lordship was a myth. The Goblins know better, but the common consensus was that it would never be taken up again." Considering how the Gaunts were getting increasingly unstable, violent, and weak, it was assumed that the line would just die out completely.

Tom hums, then asks "And the Gaunt Lordship?"

Griphook sneers in disgust, and says "A title only, at this point. The Gaunts had little common sense, and they squandered the last of their fortune away four generations ago. There is no gold to flow, at the moment." One of the biggest insults in Goblin Society, someone who wastes all their money and brings none in is considered only slightly better than a thief. And thieves are the worst of the worst.

Tom gets a matching sneer, and says "I intend to turn that around completely, you'll be pleased to know." At least he has the most important parts - the actual Lordship, and access to its 'holdings' as it were.

Griphook nods, giving Tom a sharp smile full of teeth, and asks "Would you like to take another Inheritance Test to see if you are eligible for the Slytherin Lordship?"

Tom shakes his head, saying "I remember it saying I'm the heir last time, would it say something different if I was eligible?"

Griphook shakes his head, saying "That makes this easier. No, it would not. It wouldn't have said you were the Heir at all if you weren't eligible. You'll be the Heir until you are accepted by the Lordship Ring. I'd recommend ensuring you are under no controlling spells or Potions first, however, as you only get one shot and the Ring will reject you if there is foreign magic controlling yours."

Tom has to wonder, is Griphook saying that because he's apparently coated in Evelynn's magic? Or is it standard procedure, since its something you can only try once? Mentally shrugging, Tom says "Very well then."

Seven drops of blood later, and he's got a test that proclaims him free of any and all controlling spells and substances.

After a moment, Tom asks "And Evelynn's magic? You said it was on me?"

Griphook shrugs, and says "This test is specifically keyed to detect anything that would make a Lordship Ring reject someone. If it wasn't detected, Miss Peverell's magic could simply be so strong because she brought you here."

Tom nods, saying "That sounds likely, she shadowed us straight from Hogwarts here."

Griphook grimaces, then nods and says "I trust she'll be taking you back as well." He doesn't want to come off as disrespectful - not to a being like her, anyway - but she is terrifying.

Tom nods, and asks "Is there a problem?"

"She's likely waiting in the front lobby, and I'm sure the tellers are having a harder time than ever working."

Tom chuckles, and says "She can be distracting, when she wants to be." And when she isn't actively trying, for that matter.

Griphook gives him another strange look, like the Goblin knows exactly what he's thinking, then pulls out a small box. "Push a small bit of your magic into this, it will summon any Lordship Rings available for you to claim."

Tom does so, and sees one Ring there. It's silver, with emeralds set in a ring around a snake in the same shape as the Locket and two for the snake's eyes - so, undoubtedly Slytherin's Lordship Ring.

Griphook grimaces, and says "Technically, the so-called 'Lordship Ring' the Gaunts use is no Lordship Ring. The Goblins have seen it, it is something…but not a Lordship Ring. Hence, the Lordship is automatically yours and grants you Emancipation. The Slytherin Lordship has to accept you."

Tom signs some Emancipation papers for Gringotts' records and legally becomes the Lord of Gaunt, legally changes his name to 'Tom Marvolo Slytherin' and then reaches for the box.

Griphook says "Put the Ring on your right ring finger. If it accepts you, you'll know." Meaning there's most likely some other test, given by the Ring itself.

Well, everyone knows Slytherin was paranoid…

He puts the Ring on his finger, only to feel a sharp stabbing sensation for a moment…before there's a wash of magic over him, seeming to settle under his skin as the ring disappears from sight. He's going to assume that means the Lordship accepted him, since he's still alive and all.

Griphook says "Congratulations, Lord Slytherin. You've been accepted."

Tom gives a nod of thanks, makes a few investments in businesses that were doing well in Evelynn's original time - Zonko's, Nimbus Brooms, and such - and then thanks Griphook for his time and takes his leave. After arranging for him to send a 'notice' of his eligibility to claim his Lordship when an audit is complete, just in case Dumbledore catches on.

He finds Evelynn not in the bank itself, but waiting outside it invisibly - he heads into a nearby alley, following the slight sensation he's gotten used to looking for, and sees Evelynn turn visible with a grin on her face as she asks "How'd it go?"

"Very well. The Slytherin and Gaunt Lordships have been basically merged, and I merged my vault with the Slytherin accounts." If he sounds smug, its because he is. Both worlds tried to reject him, the Wizarding World especially at first, but now he's carving his own spot out for himself and it is high up on the ladder. Almost nobody would be stupid enough to mess with one of Slytherin's recognized descendants.

Evelynn grins, and says "So, now your free."

Tom nods, and says "I am." And the relief of it is a truly heady thing. "Griphook is starting an audit, he'll send me a notice of my eligibility to claim my Lordships when its finished. We're to send Hedwig when that happens."

Evelynn grins, and says "She'll like that. She always did like trips. Want to head back before we're missed?"

Tom nods, and says "Sounds good."

Once they Shadow back to Tom's room, and Tom downs a Nausea Potion, Evelynn grins and asks "So, how's it feel to have a Lordship and all the freedom it gives you?"

Tom hums, then says "At the moment, wonderful." Just the thought of staying at the Leaky Cauldron all summer makes him feel a mix of giddiness and relief. Especially since he questioned Evelynn about why she was so twitchy at first at the Orphanage - the London Blitz, it happens this year. The historical dates Evelynn remembers said it ended mid-May, before they leave Hogwarts, but he's not holding out hope that there won't be other attacks just because a consecutive series of them supposedly ended.

He really needs to learn to listen to Evelynn when she says its bad, he nearly threw up at the revelation - it was only Evelynn saying she wouldn't let him go through that, let him sit in a bunker wondering if the next minute would see a bomb falling on their heads, that had him keeping it together. Because Evelynn, he's long-since learned, has a way of keeping her word - no matter the odds, no matter how impossible it sounds. One of the perks of being Evelynn, she does the impossible on a regular basis. He hasn't got a clue how, but she does.

The most notable instance being accidentally time-traveling.

And Hedwig, definitely Hedwig.

Evelynn hums, breaking him from his thoughts, and says "I think we should hold off on telling the teachers about your name change. At least until the summer. It'll give Dumbledore no reason to keep going with his theory that you killed your father and uncle." They can't exactly explain how he got to Gringotts during the school year, but during the summer they're free to do whatever they want. Especially since they live in London, and can easily get to the Alley any day of the week.

Much as Tom would love to see the look on the old man's face, would love to rub it in his face that he knows everything the old man never told him, knows what the old man hoped he'd never find…Evelynn's right. Better to have the excuse of finding out by accident when he went to Gringotts than to potentially bust the two of them - nobody would believe Dumbledore, since the case is obviously closed by now, but he stalked Tom for years in Evelynn's last life. He'd put conspiracy-theories and spare details nobody else would think twice about into a semblance of a working theory, even if that theory is entirely wrong.

After a minute, he mutters "Much as I wish you were wrong this time…your not. So…next year. The old fool won't be able to claim anything then, I'll just say the Goblins told me of the Lordship when I went for supplies and asked about the notice."

Evelynn grins, and says "I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realizes we're both Emancipated. It'll be better than anything I can come up with, I'm sure." Actually, she's sure it'll be one to keep in a Pensieve forever.

Tom grins and steals a kiss, then says "It'll be worth the wait, I'm sure."

"So," Evelynn grins, scooting a bit closer on the bed, and asks "how would you like to celebrate getting emancipated right under the old man's nose?" This definitely calls for a celebration of some kind, maybe she could make him a cake or something.

Tom can think of plenty of ways he'd like to celebrate, but they cannot stay in his room all day long. Unfortunately.

As it is, he kisses her breathless before trapping her against him and proceeding to all but torment and torture her as he works his way across her neck and collar. Luckily, they found that Parsel-Glamor that makes it so only they can see the marks he loves to leave on her - else he's very certain Dumbledore would have her moved to a different House and possibly forbid them from being in contact with one another to keep her from getting 'attacked' by him, at the very least. One of the reasons they're currently hiding their…relationship, whatever it is - they don't want Dumbledore catching on until they're certain of what's happening between them, so he can't stop it or condemn them for it.

And he would, without a doubt. He'd paint Tom as some heartless villain, trying to seduce Evelynn solely for her power, and her a naïve little girl who can't see she's being used and needs guidance from one who has her best interests at heart. Namely, him.

Flint mentioned how Dumbledore twitched when he heard the name 'Peverell' and Evelynn didn't miss it either. Or the way he almost couldn't wait to ask his own unwanted questions, for that matter, demanding to know where she had been and how she arrived at Hogwarts the instant he was left alone with her.

He'd probably been begging in his head for days for her to be placed in Gryffindor, after it was determined that she would be attending Hogwarts, only to curse up a storm when she went to Slytherin. The thought makes Tom smirk into Evelynn's neck, even as he bites down on a particularly sensitive spot.

Unlucky for Dumbledore, Evelynn is all his - and if he doesn't want to share with the student population of Hogwarts, there isn't a snowball's chance in hell he's sharing with the person they both hate so completely.

Hey, everyone! Next chapter is up, hope you like it! Tom finally got his Inheritance, and I sincerely cannot wait to shove that detail in the old man's face. Its gonna be glorious, I can promise you that. Can't wait for Tom to show up next year and say 'oh, Professor, that's not my name anymore, I changed it at the bank this summer.' He's gonna lose his mind, I can see it already! Anyway, enjoy! More updates coming soon!