Evelyn Longbottom

And now he was here. He’d been Sorted into the beginners class, much to his embarrassment, and into Slytherin, but he insisted on spending every moment outside of class with her. 

“Evelyn, are you even listening to me?” His voice cut into her thoughts. 

“Sorry Edmund. I was thinking about my last class.” 

Edmund sighed heavily. “Your classes are not important. I asked you -” Before he could repeat his question, the screech of an owl had them both ducking. The letter fell onto the ground, and as there was only one other person in the hallway, Evie could guess the letter belonged to them. 

Eleonora breathed an internal sigh of relief as the girl agreed to her offer, and drew her wand to begin to wave it over the other woman silently. But she wanted to keep the conversation going through this, hoping to make it more natural. She looked up Evie’s words, concern obviously on her features after the first sentence, and ready to ask for clarification. Then she got it without asking. “I’m sorry for you loss, Evie,” she said compassionately. “Is there no where else you’d be able to go to raise a child?”

Evie felt like she couldn't breathe, terrified of what Eleonora might say. The question made her frown. "Longbottoms do not shirk their duty. We belong in York, helping our people. Father died for York. Grams, she did so much for everyone, her whole life." As long as the Hood was needed, she couldn't leave York behind forever. As it was, she still felt guilty for leaving for now. "My sisters are there. When they're not here."

“They do, don’t they!” Cora said with another little giggle, twirling a little as she liked the way her skirts swished. She’d worn the new dress Bri had made her, and absolutely adored it. Her thanks to her friend had been endless for the gorgeous thing. Cora followed Evie’s gaze upwards, her brow furrowing in confusion. “Oh…dear?” She leaned forward a little, the drink still making her even more silly than usual. “Does something not nice live in it?” she asked in a whisper, almost conspiratorially.

Evie laughed at the little whisper. “No, it’s nothing like that. It’s a Viking tradition, one of the more tolerable ones. Supposedly, it’s bad luck if you stand under mistletoe with someone and don’t kiss them.” The first year after her father died, and Vikings had firm control of York, it’d been very interesting to discover that tradition when a Viking tried to kiss her. He’d had bad luck that night with a broken nose. 

“Then you are a more patient person than me.” confrontations were way too much work, ignoring your problems is a lot simpler. “Samuel. And you are?”

Evie snorted in amusement, a habit that had always annoyed Father because it wasn't ladylike. "Me, patient? Wait, where are my sisters, I need them to hear this." She joked before patting his arm. "Sorry, Samuel. I am so used to shortening names. I'm Evie." Only her husband called her Evelyn, preferring how grown up it made her sound.

A brilliant idea popped into her mind; so of course, she shared it, bursting with excitement. “Should it sing?”

It was only getting worse, but her excitement simply grew. "They'll hate us forever." She grabbed her hand, dragging her into a run. "Christmas carols, just to spread the cheer."

Thankfully, Cora wasn’t terribly drunk. But she was halfway through her second glass of wine, and it was making her cheeks a little rosy. But most of her wits were still about her. However she was even more prone to giggling than she usually was. “Oh, yes, it’s been wonderful so far!” she said with unabashed excitement. “What about you? Are you having fun?”

A laugh of her own bubbled up. "I'm having a lovely time. Hogwarts certainly knows how to throw a party. It's delightful." She was going to miss it while going home, but at least the Hood would be able to make an appearance while she visited Edmund. Looking around, she noticed someone pointing above their heads with a laugh, so she looked up. Mistletoe had been brought to York years ago, the only good thing she could think of that Vikings brought. "Oh dear."

Eleonora felt a little surge of triumph when Evie asked after her methods, figuring that meant she was one the road to letting her check. “It’s really very simple,” she continued in her reassuring voice. “Just a few non-invasive spells that’ll give me a good idea of what’s going on in there. I’ve been practicing midwife magic for years.” Eleonora reached out her hand to give Evie’s a little squeeze. “I promised you that everything would be okay, and it will be.”

She took a few deep breaths, trying to bury her fears, but it was impossible. There had been a time Evie wanted children, thinking it'd fix all the things that were wrong in her life. Now, she knew better. "Fine. Alright." Agreeing did nothing to help her fears. "It won't be okay. What kind of life would my child have?" Realising she was saying too much, when Edmund wasn't anyone's business but her own, she took another deep breath. "A life of fear, that one day the Vikings will take their lives just like they take everything else. Like they took Father."

Emmeline had none of her sister’s confidence. The world would never be rid of vikings, wherever they went they always had more men. They seemed to have an endless supply of warriors. Peace seemed impossible in England. So she let the topic drop.

“Evie, half the fun of english is the swearing.” She grinned, looking at Tomas conspiratorially, “The French have nothing on our profanity. I do hope Master Hufflepuff has given you quite an education.” Emmeline was pretty sure their older sister would have a heart attack if she heard this conversation.

Evie grinned, the three sisters may be from a respectable family, but they'd been raised by a knight and a woman who didn't care what anyone thought about her. They had an impressive vocabulary, one their oldest sister didn’t always approve of. "You're supposed to be the good influence." She protested as a joke. 

"The French are always better." Tomas was proud of his country, even if he could never go back. "But I do like to swear in other languages." He knew insults in several languages, picking them up in taverns and seedy places. "I cannot swear in front of her though. Mademoiselle Hufflepuff is too nice."

“You aren’t going to challenge Godric, are you?” she asked worriedly, knowing that there is little chance of a student succeeding in a fight against Godric. “You are strong Mr. Duval, but I don’t recommend trying to fight Godric.” unless it’s in a controlled setting, well, Godric wouldn’t harm a student, so maybe it’s okay to challenge Godric to a fight, but still, “You should be more careful.”

Chuckling, she grins at Evie. “You do that Mrs. Longbottom.”

Tomas knew how to take down bigger men, so he was a little offended by how concerned she looked. "It is not just strength. It is smart." When he fought, he fought to win, by any means necessary. Which was why he was not really going to challenge anyone to a proper fight, maybe just a friendly spar. "I am careful. I am living, yes? Obviously I am careful." 

Evie rolled her eyes, linking her arm with Tomas. "Come on, you grumpy old man. Before you end up challenging all the founders." 

Eleonora continued to rub gentle circles on the girl’s back, and though a very large part of her wanted to simply tell the girl that she’d be checking on the possible baby whether she wanted or not, Eleonora knew that honey caught more flies than vinegar. “But if I check now— you won’t have to keep worrying. And what if something else is making you sick? We need to check on that as well. If you…are pregnant, we should check on the baby as well- make sure everything is okay.” Worrying also could catch some flies. Eleonora added on gently, “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to.”

Evie was ready to protest again, to deny that this could be happening, but the idea the baby could be sick was what made her change her mind. She liked children, her fear of being pregnant had nothing to do with not wanting to be a mother. There had been a time she'd thought that would fix her marriage. She just didn't want to bring a child into an unhappy life. "H-how will you check?" She wrapped her arms around her stomach, misery etched all over her face. She always had to do things she didn't want to, that was part of being married.

“Any woman in this world should be prepared to have a knife at her throat at some point,” Siggy replied drily. She was sure it would have happened whether or not she was an active Raider or not. She laughed through her nose,”You don’t know my skill set at all and you automatically assume that I am just being overly confident. Who is underestimating now?”

"Oh, sure. But until Vikings invaded my home, I oddly never had anyone put a sword to my throat." Her voice was still relaxed, since this wasn't part of her plan for getting rid of the Vikings should it look like she had to. "I'm not underestimating you. I've been watching you and Gunnarr train for... two weeks now? You mean you never noticed me?" Of course they hadn't, she'd been invisible. "Besides, Ari is very proud of you both. He's always boasting." Admittedly, she did like the young Viking in her house. 

“I love that!” now where could they put a snowman that would really surprise people, “The library! We should put a snowman in the middle of the library!”

Her sisters were going to kill her. A snowman in the library was a terrible idea, not at all conducive to learning. Evie knew they shouldn't do it. "Let's go!" She was definitely doing it. They were only in trouble if they got caught.

Dear Evie,

     Happy Christmas! I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a little sister, so I’m very glad to have been adopted by you. Since you’re part of the family now, I’ll give you a batch of the cookies my grandmother used to make all of us, just as I give the rest of my relatives.

     I’ve also charmed this bracelet with very strong pregnancy prevention spells, so that you may choose when and where it is you wish to raise your children. In addition, it’s unbreakable, and if you tap the clasp it will turn invisible. I don’t know of your husband, but I know that unfortunately men only often think of themselves when thinking of children. 

     I’m so happy to have met you, though!

            Much Love,                Eleonora Altieri

Cora stopped in her tracks as the woman addressed her, a smile already on her lips as she turned to answer. “Oh- I think so?” She looked down to her own cup, already feeling a little lightheaded. Cora had always been rather a lightweight when it came to alcohol. “You could actually have mine, if you’d like? I probably shouldn’t drink more,” she said with a little giggle.

Evie knew the signs of a drunk person, and even though she didn't know the woman, she immediately decided to assume responsibility for her. "Yes, I think I'll take that." She laughed, carefully pulling the cup away. "I take it you're having a good time tonight?" Since she saw no reason not to, she sipped at the cup. She had no plans to get drunk, even before deciding to look after this woman. Bad things happened to drunk people, even if Hogwarts was safer.

Evie, 

Now that you’re in Gryffindor, you’d better start sharpening that sword. I’m so glad we’re together this Christmas. I love you so much despite all the bumps in the road. Stay strong my amazing little sister!

Emmeline. 

“Thank you, but there is no need. As long as I can avoid them, everything is okay.” and he doesn’t want any harm to come to any of them (okay, maybe Eleonora, she pissed him off in their last conversation). He just wants some peace and quiet, that is all.

Evie lifted a shoulder in a careless shrug. “Your choice. I’ve always preferred confrontation.” That was a complete lie. She didn’t mind fighting enemies, but when it came to things that mattered, she avoided the topic for as long as possible. No one had mentioned her mother since the woman abandoned the family, after all. “So, you’re Sam, right? I’ve seen you around.”