TW: Violence.

A hurricane. An earthquake. An eruption. An apocalypse.

All of those things were better than seeing Annie with a knife to her neck. Because at least there, he could perish with her. He could hold her tightly as the world caved in and the fires raged. But now, he was helpless to do anything but watch as she trembled with the silver blade pressed against her pristine skin.

He should have known. Merlin, he should have known. An officiant who happened to be walking in the exact meadow Elio visited and planned to marry her in? Why couldn't he see it before? Why was his mind blank to the possibility of the rebel targeting him to get to her?

Because you were so happy to get her back that you were blinded to the danger, a voice in his head responded. Now, her life is at risk because of your carelessness.

Elio felt his wand in his pocket but he was careful not to reveal himself. Expelliarmus would do him no good right now and any spell he cast risked Locke moving even an inch and killing Annie. He was stuck and the man knew it, sneering at the four helpless people who all desperately wanted to save her.

"Let's all remain calm, shall we?" Locke said as his grip tightened around Annie's neck. She whimpered but didn't move. The man's stringy hair was matted to his head as if it took all of his energy to hold up the girl under the weight of Tom Riddle's vicious glare. "Wouldn't want to lose our heads."

"Let my daughter go," Tom growled with a deadly voice. His fingers twitched as if he were trying to summon his wand back to his hand. But the wand remained tucked in Locke's pocket. "Perhaps I'll grant you a quick death if she is unharmed."

"A quick death?" Locke laughed loudly as if that were the funniest joke he ever heard. "Like you granted my father?" Tom's face fell. "That's right. I know who you are and I reckon you know who I am. She certainly does."

Locke nodded over to Evelyn, who let out a silent sob as James wrapped his arms around her. "Annie," she whimpered.

"That's right," Locke hissed. "Maybe your precious babygirl and I can recreate some of you and my dad's old memories. She's certainly pretty enough for it."

Tom's eyes darkened while Evelyn fell to her knees. "No!" She wailed. "Not Annie. Not my Annie."

Locke's face moved to Annie's neck where he placed a long, taunting kiss on it. Elio could feel his blood boil at the sight of it. Someone else's lips on his fiancee's skin.

"Don't you fucking touch her!" he roared, grabbing his wand and running toward the two of them. I'll save you, topolina. I'll fucking save you.

But as soon as he took a step, Elio was rebounded with a curse. His wand went flying toward Locke. "Tsk, tsk, little boy. I thought you were smarter than that."

And then he saw it. The thin line of blood on Annie's neck from where Locke's blade must have dug in a little deeper. Elio felt his heart drop at the sight of the crimson color staining her pretty skin, running down as if it were nothing more than a waterfall.

Locke grinned. "That's right. Unless you want to see more of that little sight, you'll stay right there."

"You bastard," James growled. "Taking your frustrations out on an innocent girl."

"Ah, but that's what makes it so wonderful, isn't it? He kills my father when I was just an innocent boy, so I kill his little daughter."

"Annie is worth a million of your bastard father and more," Tom sneered. "The math doesn't add up."

"Perhaps your daughter and I could multiply then," Locke said with a grin. Evelyn whimpered again, her knees buckling as James fought to keep her standing.

"You won't fucking get near her, you piece of dragon shit." Elio started to walk toward the two of them but halted as Locke pressed the dagger into Annie's neck a bit more, creating a fresh wave of thin blood.

"Ah, ah, ah," Locke taunted, removing the knife for a second to point at Elio. "Wouldn't want your little wife to meet her end so soon, would you? Though I suppose she didn't last long enough to be your wife, anyway. It's no matter. She can become mine. Seems a shame to see someone so beautiful die so young. She might even be more beautiful than you were, Evelyn. I wonder how she'll compare in bed. We'll go to our honeymoon suite and find out soon, love."

Annie's eyes glistened as her lip trembled. "Don't let him take me, Elio," she whimpered into his mind. "I'd rather die than go through that. Don't let him get to me."

Elio shook at the thought of either happening—Annie dying or Annie being forced to be this sick man's wife and concubine. Over my dead body.

"Don't worry, topolina. I'll find a way to keep you safe. Just trust me."

And then he thought of it. It was asinine. It was dangerous. It would surely get him killed. But none of that mattered when it meant that she would be safe. He'd die a thousand deaths to save her.

Elio took a small step forward and delighted in the fact that Locke seemed too focused on holding Annie and taunting Tom to notice. This was it, then. His plan would work.

He turned to Tom and gave him a look that he hoped Tom took as "trust me even though you hate me and would prefer that I'd be dead right about now." There was a brief glimmer of confusion between the anger in his eyes.

"You can't take her anywhere since Tom can read minds." He hoped that he didn't sound too obvious or like a complete idiot.

"You think I wouldn't spend these months getting skilled in Occlumency while waiting for the perfect time to strike? You stupid boy."

"Yes, but you never know if you accidentally let him in to read your mind."

Elio looked at Tom and thought as loudly as he possibly could. "I need you to trust me."

The Dark Lord's voice appeared in his head. To be honest, it was one of the scariest sounds ever. It didn't feel light and warm, like Annie's. It felt like darkness and death, like sin and destruction. Like his demise. "Like hell, I'll fucking trust you. You went behind my back and tried to steal my daughter."

"It was her— Nevermind. You don't have to like me but right now, you should know that I'm the best chance of saving your daughter. We both want to keep her safe and happy. So trust me."

Tom's jaw clenched. "Fine. What do you need?"

"I need you to distract him and get that knife away from her neck."

The feeling disappeared from Elio's mind but he saw Tom nod subtly. "I fail to see the brilliance of your plan, John Locke Junior."

"Wha— Fail to see the brilliance of it?" Locke cried. Elio wasn't sure that he wanted the lunatic angrier but perhaps Tom knew best. He probably didn't become Dark Lord through dumb decisions and luck.

"No, I didn't, boy," Tom growled in his head. Elio wished that he could block him out but since they were working together, he probably shouldn't. He took another small step and listened to the conversation, taking small steps while the two men talked, eventually moving into Locke's blind spot.

"I was right on top of you for over a year and you had no idea!" Locke said with a cackle. "I tailed your daughter and her idiot boyfriend and you hadn't the slightest idea. I disguised myself as their officiant and almost married them just to spite you! And now, she'll be mine, just like your wife once belonged to my father."

"Evelyn was never his!" Tom roared. "And Annie will never be yours."

"Seems like she already is." Locke's other hand moved from Annie's shoulder to her stomach, caressing the skin through the satin fabric. She shuddered while a tear fell down her cheek. Elio's heart broke at the sight of it, though he forced himself to remember the plan. "Our child will be here soon and you'll be forced to live knowing that I beat you."

"You'll never beat me," Tom said darkly before saying in Elio's mind, "You better not fail me, boy."

Instead of responding, Elio's mind reached out to Annie's. "I, Elio Lorenzo Nott, vow to love you, Annalise Adele Riddle, for the rest of my life."

Annie stiffened for the briefest of moments but then he swore her body became calm. As if she truly trusted him to save her. And he would. Every time.

"I vow to always cherish you, be faithful to you, and serve you as you will serve me."

"Tom, do something!" Evelyn cried. "Don't let him hurt her!"

Elio continued to walk. Tom replied to his wife, "I'm working on it, Little Dove."

"Working on it? Just admit defeat, old man. I've bested the Dark Lord. How does it feel to be worthless, unable to save even your own daughter? Just like her little husband."

"He's not worthless!" Annie sobbed as more tears streamed down her face. "He's not worthless and neither is Elio!"

"Quiet!" Locke hissed, pressing the knife in a little further before calming himself.

"I vow to you, my love, my life, my Annie, that from this moment on, only Death may part us."

"You could never best me," Tom said darkly. "You're a worthless imbecile who is somehow even more incompetent than his dead father."

"Shut up!"

"Did you know I ripped him apart? Did you know I savored every second he screamed? Did you know that, in his last seconds, he said nothing of you?" Tom chuckled. "You spent your life planning revenge on a man who didn't even care enough to cry out for you as he died."

"This, I do, in remembrance that love is the strongest form of magic."

"You're a liar!" Locke screamed, removing the knife from Annie's neck to point it at Tom as he fought to keep himself contained. "Now, I'm going to take your daughter and—"

But Locke never finished. Because Elio finally made his move, jumping on his knife arm and wrenching the weapon away from him. He used one hand to gently—well, as gently as he could in the chaos—push Annie away from the two of them. She screamed as she fell several feet away. Elio supposed he pushed harder than he expected but right now, he didn't care because it meant she was further away from the danger.

"You insolent little boy!" Locke hissed as the two wrestled. But Elio—younger and still in shape from his Quidditch days—was stronger. He took the dagger and pinned Locke to the ground.

And then, something happened. Elio's vision blurred and suddenly, all he could see was a man who tried to hurt his wife. Who wanted to kidnap her, rape her, and take her for himself.

Elio drove the knife downward in anger, stabbing Locke deeply in the stomach. The man cried out in pain but all that could be heard was Elio roaring, "You tried to hurt my wife!"

He stabbed him again. "You tried to take my wife!" Then, again. "You touched my wife!"

Blood spurted everywhere and yet Elio didn't stop. He couldn't stop. He was a man possessed only by the need to eliminate the threat to the woman he loved.

"My—" Stab. "Fucking—" Stab. "Annie."

Over and over, Elio drove the knife into the man. He didn't care that blood was staining his clothes. He didn't care that it was spraying onto his eyes. He didn't even care when the man was dead, lying still with his body covered by multiple stab wounds. All he cared about was her.

Which is why the only thing that broke him from his trance was the sound of her sobs.

Elio bolted up, dropping the knife as he ran to her. He enveloped her in his arms, clutching her as if she was the only thing keeping him on Earth. She curled into his embrace and sobbed. "Oh, Elio. I- I was so scared. I thought h-he was going to t-take me!" she hiccuped through her tears. Annie's arms wrapped around Elio's neck and her face settled in his shoulder.

"Shh, topolina," he cooed, rubbing her back and holding her close. "He's gone. You're safe now. I'm here."

She cried even harder, tightening her grip. "H-he wanted to touch me. He wanted to marry me."

Elio pulled back and cupped her face in his hands. He used his thumbs to wipe her warm tears before smiling gently. "But he didn't get to. Nobody will ever get to you as long as I'm here. And I'll always be here. Remember? Only Death will part us."

She nodded even though her lip trembled. "Don't let me go. Please."

"Never," he vowed. "I'm yours as long as you want me. Nothing is more important to me."

Elio's hand moved down to her neck, feeling the thin wound with his fingers. Thankfully, it was a shallow cut that had stopped bleeding long ago. Still the bloodstains on her skin angered him. "Are you alright, darling? Does this hurt?"

"A little. It looks worse than it feels." Annie pulled back and widened her eyes as she stared at him. "Elio! Y-you fought him... Are you hurt?"

He smiled and shook his head. "I'm fine. None of it is mine."

Her shoulders sank in relief. "Good. When I saw you fighting for the knife, I was worried he would kill you... But nevermind. You are alright. That's all that matters."

"I'm just sorry I stained your pretty dress."

Annie smiled and kissed his cheek. "I'll gladly have it stained if it means we're safe again. Dresses can be replaced. People can't."

"I'll buy you another. I seem to remember that I owe you a much better wedding," Elio chuckled. "I—"

But he was cut off by the sound of a throat clearing behind him. Elio paled and stood to face what was probably going to be his doom. Annie clutched him tightly, refusing to leave his embrace. She curled into his arms even more as Elio faced Tom Riddle.

"Planning another wedding, are we, Nott?" Tom growled. His eyes softened as he took in Annie. "Are you alright, my little rose?"

She nodded slowly. "Don't hurt him, Daddy. Please. He saved me. That has to count for something."

"You dated my daughter behind my back. You snuck into my house. You traipsed her around Diagon Alley. You brought her to another country. You attempted to elope with her while leading a madman straight to her. You..."

Elio could feel his shoulders as he waited for the next blow. The next accusation. The next truth. "You saved her life when I couldn't. You came up with a plan that was just crazy enough to work. It pains me to say this, Nott, but your viciousness and wit proved capable of taking care of her."

"What are you saying, sir?"

"I'm saying that I don't really like you. I don't trust you. And I don't want you anywhere near my daughter." Tom glared and Elio fought not to crumple at the weight of it. "But I give you my blessing. No more sneaking around. No more secrets. No more lies. As long as she is happy and safe, you have my permission to pursue her."

Did he die? Did Locke actually kill him? Was this heaven? Or was he unconscious? Was this all a dream? Because there was no way, no way in hell that Tom Riddle just gave Elio his blessing.

"Oh, Daddy!" Annie cried happily, jumping out of Elio's arms and wrapping her arms tightly around her father. "I knew you'd come through!"

Tom's body language softened as he hugged his daughter back, cradling her head against his shoulder as if he couldn't quite believe that she was alright. "Only for you, princess," he said softly.

"I'm so happy you're alright, sweetheart," Evelyn said through happy sobs as she wrapped her arms around her husband and son.

"Me too, sissy," James said softly, joining in on the Riddle family hug.

And to his surprise, Evelyn held out her arm and beckoned for Elio to join too. He widened his eyes and mouthed, "Me?" Evelyn just smiled and nodded gently.

Slowly, he made his way to the group hug, smiling as he joined in on it. "Welcome to the family, Elio," Evelyn said sweetly, reminding him so much of her daughter.

"Great, this pain in the ass is my brother?" James grumbled. Elio just laughed and elbowed his friend. James gave him one of his signature eye rolls before slinging his arm around Elio and giving what was possibly the least awkward form of physical touch he'd ever seen James do.

"Oh come on, old sport. Just admit it. You love me," Elio teased.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever."

"I'm starting to regret this," Tom muttered under his breath, sounding a lot like his son. "How much longer do we have to do this?"

"Forever!" Annie said with a giggle.

"Oh, bloody hell."

"Hey, does this mean I get to call you Dad? Because— OW! Annie! Your dad jinxed me!"

"And I'll do it again," he said snarkily.

"Isn't it nice to be a family?" Annie said with a happy sigh.

"No," Tom said just as Elio was saying, "It's great!"

Annie just giggled. And despite Tom's bad mood, despite the dead body that was only a few feet away from them, despite the fact that eventually, they'd have to figure out whether Annie and Elio were actually married or not, Elio couldn't help but smile. Because he'd happily listen to that sound for the rest of his life. And now, he could.

Yeah, it's just humid in here, that definitely isn't me crying happy tears or anything. Can you believe we're here? Ugh, what a journey! I'm so happy with how it's turned out (don't worry, there's still an epilogue but it's pretty much just fluff). Thanks for all the love 3

Also, the family hug started to remind me of Tangled when Rapunzel's family hugs Flynn Rider, yk? I loveeee that movie.