Evelynn's sitting at the Slytherin table, subtly nudging Tom in the side to remind him he needs to eat, and glancing around warily - so far, nothing catastrophic has happened yet. Not counting the Boggart, anyway - nothing's come of that incident yet, so she's on the lookout for anything else that might happen. Her first four years at Hogwarts taught her that if something's going to go wrong on Halloween, it'll go wrong in the worst way possible.
Year one, troll; year two, Chamber was opened; year three, attempted break-in by a supposed mass-murderer; year four, name came out of the Goblet.
And Tom hasn't frozen anything over like she vaguely remembers doing her first Halloween like this, so he hasn't been outed yet. Ergo…something's going to happen, and soon. There's not that much time left, after all.
If Evelynn could taste the food she's chewing, it would turn to ash in her mouth - she needs to get in the dorm, and soon. Preferably with Tom, but she's the one that's cursed on October 31st. Standing up suddenly, she says "I'm heading to the dorms, see you there." She can't force down another bite of food, her throat just won't cooperate with her.
Ergo, there's no reason for her to sit here and pretend to eat waiting for the annual disaster to happen.
Besides, even in her Hallows-induced haze, she's still bloody furious. Everybody knows, now - they might not understand, but they know. They know she used to be that weak, desperate little girl, so scared and alone that she latched onto the first people that were nice to her - they know she used to be skinny, underfed, looked two years younger than she actually was at least, and got beat up. They know that she's fucking terrified of going back to that, of waking up one day and being back in that damned cupboard. They know, deep down in the darkest parts of her…Evelynn's still that little girl, desperate for acceptance and someone who wants her. No matter how long ago that was, or how much she's done…that will never change, the fact that she was that little girl will never change.
And, for whatever reason, her magic-clouded mind can't help but focus on it today after that damned Boggart brought it to light. If she ever gets her hands on that thrice-damned Boggart, she's going to freeze it through while throttling it with her bare hands.
Everyone else seems to have noticed - or at least has enough self-preservation instinct to not ask about the Boggart, considering her method of putting people off asking after her past was to be as descriptive and viciously sarcastic as possible. Dorea and Walburga get up and come with her, and once they're out of the Great Hall Dorea quietly asks if she's alright - not what the Boggart was, or who it was, thankfully - and Evelynn puts a considerable effort into not snapping at her own Grandmother. She's just concerned, she's not Granger or Weasley, she's genuinely worried about me…
Everyone's eating in the Great Hall, enjoying the Halloween Feast - particularly the First Years, who are stuffing themselves with sweets and sugar like they'll never see any ever again - when suddenly a familiar voice rings out "YOU'VE GOTTA BE BLOODY KIDDING ME!"
Everything's silent for a moment…right up until there's a roaring sound and a very loud smashing sound. Half the Hall is already looking to investigate before Dippet can get his wand out to call them all back to the Great Hall where it's safe, but by then it's far too late. Cursing under his breath, the older man makes his way to the side exit where Evelynn Peverell's shout came from.
What he finds, after making his way through the absolute crowd of children is…four trolls, two already frozen through somehow if the frost on their skin is any indication, and Evelynn currently protecting Dorea and Walburga Black as the other two advance on them.
"Dorea, Walburga, you need to move! Turn those skirts into leggings for now and start running!"
"What about you?! There's two of them!"
"Stupefy! I can handle myself, Dorea! Just-" One of the Trolls manages to pick her up, and Evelynn slams her hands down on the creature and practically shoves the freezing cold energy that is the Void into it as well. And the Void works fast. By the time Dorea fires a Bombarda at the creature's shoulder, it's already frozen through - with icicles sticking up everywhere along its body, Evelynn might've gone a little harder than necessary with that one in her panic.
Unfortunately, the last Troll smashes Evelynn with its club as she scrambles to her feet, sending her crashing into the wall hard enough to leave a small crater. It should hurt, she distantly recognizes, she should be in agony - but she can't feel anything, even as the Professors start attacking the remaining Troll since she and the Black Heiresses are out of the potential spellfire.
Thank you, Samhain.
If it were any other time of year, she'd be worried about spinal damage - right now, she's just worried about making some kind of attack that won't out her but will incapacitate the Troll.
Her gaze meet's Tom's horrified one, and it gives her an idea.
The brilliantly-glowing Swan that bursts from her wand-tip, fueled by her memory of last Christmas where Tom basically declared to all of Slytherin that she was his, makes for a thorough distraction for the Troll. Because it attacks the Troll, forcing it to hold its arms up as the corporeal Patronus actually leaves gashes that start bleeding freely immediately.
Hagrid's the one to finally take the Troll down, though, running up and tackling it from the side, forcibly pinning it to the ground as Professor Kettleburn puts it down with a Bludgeoning Curse to the eyes.
Oh, bloody Merlin…please don't tell me…
Tom's the first to move after that, practically sprinting to Evelynn's side as she pushes herself up. He levitates rubble off her - when did that get there, anyway? - and practically pulls her to her feet as Madam Pomfrey starts casting diagnostic spells.
"I'm fine," she says, more for Tom's benefit than anything else, "really." Not that she would know if she wasn't, she can't feel anything right now thanks to the Hallows - and she hasn't got a clue if that was a side-effect of the Hallows' magic or if it's something Death and Lady Magic did on purpose specifically because of her track record with October 31st.
Pomfrey gives her a stern look, casts a Diagnostic spell, and says "On the contrary, Miss Peverell, you are not fine. Three cracked ribs, a concussion, and you're bleeding from the back of your head."
Evelynn blinks, then puts a hand to the back of her head - to her mild surprise, it comes away red with blood. In her defense, she can't feel a thing right now.
Tom apparently knows exactly what's about to come out of her mouth, because just as she opens her mouth he leans over and murmurs into her ear "I'm calling mine in. Go to the Hospital Wing."
Evelynn's jaw drops in sheer disbelief - of all the things she thought he'd use his free favor…this was not it. She honestly expected it to be something along the lines of digging out the most interesting book or artifact they're still going through, after he didn't use it to get her story out of her. Not on making her spend a night in the Hospital Wing when she can self-heal her injuries in about an hour.
"You're joking."
Tom gives her a raised eyebrow that says 'No, I'm not.'
Evelynn groans, then says "Alright, fine, I'm going…" She's going under heavy protest, but she's going.
Albus, meanwhile, is watching the entire exchange with calculating eyes - Evelynn Peverell doesn't simply follow orders like that. Not when she clearly doesn't wish to do something. Could Tom be controlling her? It certainly explains why she'd be with him - he's controlling her for her power, and potentially her name.
He'll have to alert Poppy, convince her to check the child for any potential controlling spells - he'll need to do it discretely, though. Perhaps during a detention, so as not to tip off Tom.
Tom's pacing his room restlessly, Evelynn's absence somehow worse than when they were miles apart. There's no hole in his chest now, he's just so very aware that she's missing - that the other half of his soul, his better half no less, isn't at his side.
"It's the Hallows."
Tom whirls around, wand drawn at once and a Blasting Hex at the tip of his tongue when he sees Death step out of the shadowy corner.
"The Hallows are connected to both of you, basically the magical side to connecting you two. And it, like everything else to do with them, is in overdrive right now. Unfortunately, Evelynn was given a Sleeping Draught - and couldn't get out of taking it, as Poppy Pomfrey was watching her the whole time. I can take you to her, however. Myself and Lady Magic are watching over her tonight to ensure nothing else happens."
Tom blinks, then asks "You're really invested in her, aren't you?"
Death nods, saying "In both of you, now that the Hallows have accepted your soul as well. The Hallows are our desperate bid to change things from one meddling mortal's plan. Fate was just as horrified as we were upon learning just how things ended. So, she agreed to write nothing about the Hallows true effects. Their true purpose. No prophecies would make mention of them, no stories would be believable, even the Peverell Brothers were not told just what they'd truly been given all that time ago."
Tom swallows nervously, he's seen desperation and what happens because of it - and that was him, a mortal at the time. He utterly destroyed himself in every possible way trying to stay alive forever, and ended up burning down the very place he calls his true home. What would come of the desperation of deities?!
After a moment, he asks "So…we're on our own, in that respect."
Death shrugs, rocking his hand back and forth, and says "Yes and no. No fate written means no certain destruction or failure. Besides, you have the two of us as well. While Fate herself can't come over here without rather severe consequences…I have a bit more leeway now, and Lady Magic manifests herself in the magic she gifted to this realm."
Tom nods, deciding to put Death's leeway down to the Hallows, and takes the hand Death's holding out for him. As soon as their hands meet, darkness swallows the both of them whole - good news, the familiar sensation is no longer utterly revolting. More good news, Tom doesn't feel like throwing up immediately after exiting the shadows. And then he sees Evelynn, with none other than Lady Magic sitting next to her bedside and watching the door.
Tom blinks at the sight, momentarily stopped in his tracks - while she looks…smaller, less than he remembers from his dream, it's unmistakably her. And she's sitting at Evelynn's bed, keeping watch over her. If he weren't still affected by the Hallows, Tom figures he'd be much less calm about that.
Evelynn stirs as soon as he gets close, rolling over and opening her eyes. The next thing either teen knows, Tom's kissing Evelynn like she might disappear if he lets her. When Death pulls him back just a bit - saying that he does, currently, need air to breathe even if it doesn't feel like it - he whispers "Don't…you ever scare me like that again, Evelynn."
"Shh, I'm fine, promise…" Evelynn runs a hand through Tom's hair, not commenting on how she can feel his frame trembling slightly - not as bad as right after the Trolls, at least.
Death crosses his arms, saying "Just because you couldn't feel that you were injured, Mistress, doesn't mean you weren't."
Evelynn deadpans "I can self-heal very well, Than. You made sure of it over a decade ago." And, even before that, she was very good at it for having no real training in it.
Death sighs, saying "Go to sleep now, I'll make sure nothing happens tonight."
Before Evelynn can protest, Lady Magic snaps her fingers then says "I've doubled the power of the Dreamless Sleep she was given, Death. It'll take effect momentarily."
Evelynn's last words before going out once more are a slurred 'that's cheating…'
AN: Hey, everyone! Yes, next chapter is up! Hope you like the evening part to this Halloween! I know four Trolls doesn't seem like much, but I'm saving an excellent suggestion I got for next Halloween - and Debs might've indirectly given me the troll idea with their own Werewolf cub attack. There's a line in COS where Tom says Hagrid was constantly in trouble - specifically, he says he was trying to raise Werewolf cubs under his bed and wrestling with trolls in the forest. Well, seeing as Debs quite spectacularly took the Werewolf Cub idea...trolls it is! Besides, I figured one troll would go down easily...but four would be a bit of a challenge, with two others to keep track of.
Anyway, enjoy! More updates coming soon!