Evelyn gasped as she stumbled onto the ground. Where am I? She hadn't planned to apparate anywhere specific so she just disappeared into the void, hoping it would take her somewhere safe.

Safe. That word didn't seem real right now. What even was safe anymore?

She shivered as a cold gust of wind bit at her uncovered body. For a brief moment, she was really regretting leaving the warmth of Mattheo's hot air charm.

Oh, Mattheo. Her poor, sweet cousin. And, oh Merlin, Tom. She just left them in that field like that.

Evelyn hadn't meant to leave. She just... panicked. Everything was happening so quickly all at once, she just couldn't handle it. All that her mind could think of was pure, unadulterated fear. Fear that Tom had just brutally killed two people—albeit, awful people. Fear that she would be next even though there was a small part of her that knew he was telling the truth, that he loved her and would never hurt her. Evelyn just... panicked.

She needed space. She needed to heal on her own without stolen memories, without interference. As much as she wanted Tom, she needed to be by herself. Only then could she overcome the trauma that she endured in that dark, dungeon. So she put up her mental shields and apparated away.

She would have to apologize when she went back. She'd said such hurtful things to Tom but at that moment, her mind was just flooded with terror. You can't love. That was what she said. But Evelyn wondered if what she truly meant was, You can't love me.Because no one else ever had tried. No one else ever really did.

Rain poured all around her and there was a faint smell of cars and petrichor. She was standing in a city, in the middle of the street looking at a row of townhomes. Is this London? And then it all clicked.

Evelyn had apparated to 12 Grimmauld Place.

She wrapped her arm around herself and went to the front door. Technically, this was her house and Sirius was just staying in it but she wanted at least wanted to try considering etiquette.

The door creaked before Sirius appeared in the door. "Evelyn?" he asked in a worried tone. "Evelyn, are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Her voice was hoarse. She couldn't look him in the eye. If she did, he would know she was lying.

Sirius quickly ushered Evelyn into the den of the townhome and sat her by the fire. He asked if she needed anything and she just asked for some hot tea and a blanket, which he eagerly supplied. As soon as the warm liquid hit her mouth, she began to feel better. Evelyn didn't realize how cold she was until she was warm again.

After several minutes of silence, Sirius spoke. "I suppose I should ask why you are here."

Evelyn's eyes darted around the room. Though she knew Locke and Key were dead, that didn't stop a part of her from wondering if they were somehow going to find her anyway. Or Tom. She wasn't ready to face him either.

"I won't ask you to go into detail about what you endured," Sirius continued. "Tom's told me enough and I can fill in the gaps myself. All I want to know is how I can help you."

"Tom was here?" She was surprised.

"He came here looking for you seven days ago. He told me you were missing and adamantly insisted that he could find you on his own. Why is he not with you now?"

Evelyn winced and clutched her tea cup tightly. Even just the mention of those seven days had flashes appearing in her mind. "I couldn't do it. I couldn't stand him looking at me like that, like I'm wounded. I just needed space."

Sirius walked over and put his hand on her shoulder. "My dear, it is important to accept that you havebeen wounded. You've been through so much. Tom just wants to take care of you."

"I know," she replied, her voice cracking. "I know and he's... he's so wonderful. I said some terrible things because I wasn't thinking clearly and that's the problem. I just need to be by myself for a bit. Heal on my own."

Her uncle frowned. "It's not what I would recommend but you know what is best for you and I'll support you no matter what. Plus... I can't say that your father didn't do the exact same thing when your mother broke up with him."

Evelyn gasped. The teacup fell from her grasp and broke into dozens of tiny shards. Hot liquid splashed upon her bare legs but she ignored it, all too focused on what her uncle said. "My- my mother?"

Sirius frowned. "Yes, your mother? Did you not know who she was?" Evelyn shook her head rapidly, her dizziness making the world spin. She just pushed through it and forced herself to focus on the man in front of her. "Well, I guess that explains why Tom didn't know either. I just thought you didn't tell him and, at the time, I didn't even know I had a niece, much less who her mother was. But I was digging through my old things when I remembered he had a girlfriend for most of his sixth year. She didn't return to Hogwarts for her seventh year. Broke the bloke's heart, y'know? My brother liked many women but when he found her, he was entranced." He smiled as he recalled the fond memories. "She was so beautiful, your mother. You look just like her."

"But I thought I looked like my father?"

He smiled again. "You do. You look like both of them, really. Like a vision of them."

Evelyn's heart was racing with all of this new information. Her mother? She had no clue who her mother could be, hadn't even the slightest inkling. To be honest, she never really wanted to know, not when the woman had abandoned her as a baby, leaving her to be raised by some of the most horrible people on the planet.

But thinking that before was different than thinking that now. Now, the woman just seemed more real.

"Who was she?" Evelyn asked in a soft voice.

"Adelyn," he replied. "Adelyn Hargrave."

. . .

It was a couple of hours later when Evelyn left Grimmauld Place. She took a hot bath, dressed in some of her father's old clothes—Regulus was apparently skinny and though he was taller than her, it wasn't by too much. She wore a black jumper and gray trousers. Both hung a little loosely on her frame but it was doable, at least until she could get back into her own clothes.

Tom probably checked Black Manor first and would be waiting there for at least a few hours for her return. Sirius said that Tom's skill in legilimens would make him easily susceptible to mind reading. She didn't tell him where she was going and while he may have had a guess, he didn't know for sure. Tom wouldn't be able to suspect any lies.

Her uncle insisted that she get a warm meal in addition to her hot bath so while her hair dried by the fire, Evelyn ate a hearty helping of roasted chicken, vegetables, soup, and even some pumpkin cake. Her stomach was bloated beyond belief by the time she was finished, though she was glad to have some real nutrients in her.

By the time she stepped out of the familiar townhome, Evelyn felt warm. It wasn't just from the meal, bath, fire, or jumper. No, it was the sort of warmth that one felt when they began to heal. Sirius's comfort, lack of questions, and caretaker qualities helped her to feel normal again. And right now, normal was what she needed. She needed to forget the past week, needed to push it out of her mind. It seemed almost impossible now but her uncle showed her that that wasn't true.

And so, Evelyn apparated to the Chelsea, appearing in front of a small brick home where a cloud of smoke rose from the chimney. It was a lovely home with flowerbeds in front and a small, magical weathervane spinning from a post. It was a beautiful home, really, one that anyone would be happy to live in, she supposed.

And it was her mother's.

Sirius had dropped hints that Adelyn Hargrave—a pureblood with little money or estates—once lived in a home on the outskirts of Chelsea with her parents and older sister. The Hargrave's weren't a part of the Sacred 28 and so most wizards paid them no mind. Most, except her father, who apparently loved Adelyn so deeply that he was destroyed when she didn't return to school. Sirius knew little about the girl, other than her family and where she lived. Evelyn didn't make any comment so Sirius didn't know for certain that she was there, though common knowledge would tell you so.

Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. This was her mother's home. She was about to meet her mother. Did she truly want this? Did she want to know the woman who had abandoned her?

Yes. The answer was a resounding yes.

Evelyn opened the gate in front of the home and walked down the overgrown sidewalk. The doorknocker was in the shape of a raven and she rapped it thrice before stepping back. While she waited, she fiddled with her hands in front of her. They were beginning to get a little sweaty.

After what seemed like an eternity, the door finally opened.

A woman was standing there. She had smooth, black hair and bright blue eyes the color of the sky. The woman's face was circular and soft and though she looked vaguely similar to Evelyn, she had the feeling that this wasn't her mother.

The woman's eyes flooded with confusion. "Adelyn?" she whispered, holding her hand up to her mouth. It was shaking. "Adelyn, is that you?"

"No," Evelyn replied softly. "My name is Evelyn Black. I believe my mother lives her."

A sob escaped the woman. "Evelyn? That can't be. Evelyn's dead."

Now, it was her turn to be confused. "Clearly I'm not. Who are you? Is my mother home? I'd like to meet her." The words seemed to pour out of her frantically.

"Oh, Merlin," the woman whispered. "Come inside!"

She ushered Evelyn inside the home, which was filled with color and trinkets and messes of all kinds. It was so different from Black Manor and Evelyn realized that she didn't know which she liked more. They each felt like different parts of her. This place seemed so unfamiliar and strange, yet she didn't feel out of place.

"Sit, sit." She was directed to a floral sofa in front of the dying fire, which the woman revived with a few sparks from her wand. The woman seemed very nervous and perhaps excited. She offered some tea, which Evelyn accepted because it was rather cold out and some hot Earl Grey with steamed milk sounded divine.

When she sat in the armchair across from her, Evelyn got the idea that she was being interviewed in a way. "Tell me everything about yourself."

Evelyn frowned though she decided not to push anything. "My name is Evelyn Arcturus Black. I just turned eighteen on January 1st. I'm a seventh year at Hogwarts, where I'm a member of Slytherin House. I was raised by my grandparents at Black Manor in Scotland before their death on Christmas Day. My father's name was Regulus Black—he died before I was born—and earlier today, I learned that my mother's name is Adelyn Hargrave."

As Evelyn spoke, the woman's eyes flooded with tears before another sob escaped her. She decided to ignore the strange exhibit of emotions. "It's your turn. Now you tell me things. Who are you? Where is my mother?"

The woman's lip trembled. "My name is Vivian Hargrave. Adelyn was my older sister." Was. The word felt like a curse directed straight into her heart. Vivian—her aunt—said was.

As if she knew where Evelyn's mind had gone, Vivian nodded solemnly. "Yes. Your mother passed away six years ago from breast cancer. My parents—your grandparents—passed a few years after that. Up until today, I thought I was the only one left of my family."

"What do you mean? Why did you think I was dead? Did you not know about me?"

Vivian smiled sadly. "Yes. Of course, I knew. But Evelyn, darling, we all thought you were dead."

. . .

For the next several hours, Vivian told her niece story after story. Over the course of the conversation, Evelyn learned little by little who her mother was. This was what she learned:

Adelyn Hargrave was born in 1958 to her parents, Henry and Hazel Hargrave. Upon her eleventh birthday, she attended Hogwarts and was sorted into Ravenclaw House. Adelyn was gifted in charms and hoped to be a Charms Professor one day. During her fifth year, she met and fell in love with Regulus Black, an introverted yet charming Slytherin who was the seeker for his house. Both of them bonded over their love of books and, soon, Regulus had made every member of Adelyn's family love them almost as much as she did. Vivian recalled having a crush on the boy, who was three years older than her. But the two were head over heels in love for each other and planned to wed as soon as they were able.

But when Adelyn came home from Hogwarts after her sixth year, she became violently ill. Her parents were so concerned that she had been cursed only to be overjoyed when they learned that Adelyn was with child. Adelyn immediately went to Black Manor to tell Regulus but was shocked to meet his strict, foreboding parents instead. They told her that Regulus was staying with relatives in France but assured her that they would take care of her.

Adelyn moved into Grimmauld Place so she could be supported by the midwives that Walburga had hired. She never saw Regulus, though she was assured that he would come after his seventh year was finished. Besides, she had her in-laws to take care of her, who were disappointed in the child out of wedlock but took care of Adelyn nonetheless.

When Regulus died in December of causes Vivian didn't know, Adelyn was distraught. Her aunt recalled that the only thing that kept Adelyn going was her, her daughter. She sank into a deep depression, one that only seemed to get better the more she prepared for her baby's arrival. The name Evelyn was decided because of both its beauty and its meaning. Desired child and little bird. Evelyn felt tears come to her eyes at the last part. Little Dove. In a way, the nickname felt like her mother speaking to her from beyond the grave, telling her it was okay to trust Tom.

She picked out a room in her family's home and decorated it in delicate shades of deep green, with forests and small snakes to decorate the interior. "She wanted you to feel at home there. Adelyn wanted you to have a piece of your father in that nursery. That was why she decorated it to match Slytherin house even though our family has been Ravenclaws for generations."

On December 31st, Adelyn entered what would become a long, painful labor. By then, she was fully living at Grimmauld Place, surrounded by midwives and her in-laws. When the baby came, she was beautiful. A wonderful little girl with dark hair like her parents and grey eyes that matched her father's. She was a small newborn but her cries were so precious that Adelyn wept with joy.

But things quickly went south. The midwives said they noticed something wasn't right with the baby. They whisked off the newborn and after an hour, Walburga came back into the room to tell Adelyn that her baby had passed.

After that, Adelyn was never the same. None of their family quite got over the loss, especially Adelyn. She sank into a deep depression, never returning to Hogwarts, never fully smiling again. Her family had been ripped away from her. Her first love, then her last. She lived in the Hargrave home for the rest of her days, barely leaving her room. Over time, Adelyn did smile, though Vivian noticed the pain in her eyes whenever she did. She longed to be with her love and her child, so much so that when she was diagnosed with a deadly form of breast cancer, she was relieved. "I can see them again," Adelyn whispered. "Finally." She passed away in her sleep when she was only twenty-nine years old. Two years later, her grandmother passed away, only to be followed by her grandfather nine months later.

When Vivian finished, Evelyn stayed silent for several moments. It was a lot to sink in. Her grandparents stole her from her mother. They said she had given her up when all along, Evelyn was wanted more than anything. They did it all—took a child from its mother, put her through complete and utter misery—to avoid a scandal. Up until recently, Evelyn was thought to be dead.

It was a lot to process.

"I'm sorry to have caused your family pain," Evelyn muttered numbly because her mind couldn't think of anything else.

Her aunt reached out and grabbed her hand. "Don't be. This... this is the happiest I've been in so long. You look so much like her. In a way, I feel as if I have my sister again." Evelyn wanted to smile at her aunt but she couldn't. It seemed too difficult right now. "Would... would you like to see your room?"

It didn't take long for Evelyn to agree and soon, they were walking up the stairs before standing in front of a door. The handle looked pristine, as if no one had ever really opened the room. When Vivian turned the knob, the hinges made a creaking sound.

Suddenly, they were in a room that inexplicably felt like home. The walls were a deep green and there was a white crib with tulle floating around it in the corner. Shelves were filled with books and paintings, some of snakes like Vivian mentioned, others of different woodland creatures. There was a rocking chair that sat unused for seventeen years, a pair of shoes that were never worn by the dresser, and lacy dresses hanging from a rack at the edge of the room.

She was loved. She was loved so deeply by this woman who held her for only a few minutes. She was loved for years unconditionally by a family who kept the nursery in honor of the baby girl they had lost.

Evelyn was loved.

Something inside of her changed at that moment. Something shifted. It was almost as if the knowledge that Evelyn was capable of being loved healed her more than anything else ever could. She was worthy of love, worthy of having a family.

You can't love me. That was what she meant to say to Tom. But as Evelyn looked around the nursery meant for her, she realized that it wasn't true. He could love her. And he did.

Aw, we found Evelyn's mother! And her nursery. Ugh, but what about her grandparents? I hate them so much, thank God Tom killed them. Lmao. Let me know what you think and have a good weekend babes x.