Three Years Ago...
Lilith Esmeralda Evens was trying to overcome her nerves, as she was sitting in the drawing room of the Muggle Riddle Manor at Yorkshire that the Dark Lord owned. She was summoned to meet the Dark Lord last week. The moment the letter landed on her plate at the Gryffindor Table during the breakfast, she was excited. She was honoured to receive such a letter. Once she was in the Girl's bathroom, she lit the letter and let the ash flush in the toilet, as she was instructed. She has been waiting to meet the Dark Lord, ever since she heard about him.
Now, sitting in the Riddle Manor seemed to be surreal to Lilith. She did her utmost to mask her nerves. It would not do well to appear nervous before the Dark Lord. As she was musing over her nerves, the very man she was meant to meet entered the drawing room. Lilith was so engrossed in her musings that she did not know someone entered the room until there was a rather loud throat clearing.
Lilith was startled out of her inner monologue. She closed her eyes and silently cursed herself. She tentatively looked up as she bit her lip to meet with a very amused look of the Dark Lord, himself. She stood up abruptly and squeaked out a "My Lord" and dipped into a curtsy.
The Dark Lord raised him eyebrows, the spark of amusement still present in his eyes, "Miss Evens, is it?"
Lilith gave a slight nod.
"Please rise, Miss Evens" the Dark Lord said as he held out his hand.
Lilith hesitantly put her hand in his as she raised. The Dark Lord kissed her knuckle and asked her to sit. Lilith blushed furiously as she raked his suit clad form. She knew that he was older, but for some reason her decidedly cold heart skipped a beat when he kissed her knuckle.
"So, Miss Evens," the Dark Lord began, "Some of my friends says very high things about you. Your father in particular is very proud of your work in Hogwarts, both academics and otherwise."
Lilith's cheeks turned crimson as she bobbed her.
"Look at me" the Dark Lord demanded.
Lilith's eyes snapped up to meet his. So did something else inside the redhead. Which might explain the emerald magical cord that seemed to engulf them both. Lilith panicked. She knew it was her, but for the life of her, she couldn't rein it in. Her panicked eyes met the Dark Lord's. But his was not panicking. The Dark Lord looked almost in awe.
"I am sorry, My Lord," Lilith said her voice bordering anxiety. "I didn't mean it to happen."
The Dark Lord's eyes were calm as he cupped her cheeks with his perfect soft hands, "Shhh... It's alright, Miss Evens. Calm down."
But the hands in her cheek only made her go to hyper panic mode. The next thing they knew, the Dark Lord was thrown across the drawing room. Lilith's eyes started to tear up as she realised what she did to the Dark Lord. Seeing as the things around her were floating, she decided to follow the Dark Lord's advice. Taking some deep breathes, she slowly reined in her magic.
The Dark Lord picked himself up from where he landed as a heap and walked toward her, "Miss Evens, do you know what you just did?"
Lilith started to tear up again, "No, my Lord"
The Dark Lord started explaining it calmly, "It is called the Chord of Mates. It is a special gift that every witch and wizard from the Salazar's bloodline obtained. It helps the witch or wizard to recognize their mate."
Lilith frowned as she mulled over the explanation. She was almost afraid to figure it out, but her over-analyzing brain wouldn't stop.
"You, my dear Lilith, are my mate" the Dark Lord said with a slight chuckle.
Lilith's eyes widened. "My Lord?"
"Come here, my dear" the Dark Lord expended his hand. Lilith tentatively placed hers in his as the Dark Lord drew her closer to him. His brown eyes shining, which had her mesmerised. "You don't have to 'my lord' me, my dear. You, my dear, can call me Tom."
Lilith blinked her emerald green eyes like a child caught stealing. "Wh-What do I do now, my L-Tom?"
"We can always start with a kiss," Tom murmured as he lowered his head toward her. The moment his perfect lips touched hers, it was like fireworks. The next moment Lilith was responding with her fingers curled around his cropped brown curly hair.
Present Day
The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Severus made sure his eyes were red rimmed with tears before he pushed the door open and strode in. He made sure that his walls were up in his mind and his face was grim before he bellowed, "Albus!"
As he drew nearer to the Headmaster's desk, he knew the old coot was distracted before his arrival. "Severus," the old man said.
"You promised" Severus said, channelling his hatred for the man in his voice, "You promised that you would keep them safe. You promised." Severus' eyes filled with tears, "But now they are dead. She's dead."
"The Potters put their faith in the wrong person, Severus" The old coot said.
The wrong person, my foot.
"The boy still lives," Dumbledore said.
Did he just go there? "The Dark Lord is gone. The boy is completely safe," Severus said sniffing.
"You know as well as I do that the Dark Lord will return. And when such time comes, the boy would need all the help he could get." Dumbledore said. "He has his mother's eyes."
Ooohhhh, low blow, old man. "No one could know" Severus said.
The old coot nodded.
Severus turned around and left the headmaster's office. The old coot didn't know what he just caught himself into, Severus smirked. And now Severus' fate was secured.