#I love the snake man the most I don't care about anything else/j

[etlunainmorte]

❄❄❄

***

June 12, 1898, (L/N) Mansion

"Charades, Daniella." You repeated for the third time that day as you waited for Roselle and Maria to finish doing your hair. "Charades."

"I know!" Your best friend, Daniella, answered playfully as she picked up the lace veil from your vanity table.

"Why am I the bride, again?"

Your fair friend shrugged her shoulders and raised her eyebrows. "Victor is the groom. Naturally, you must be the bride."

"It doesn't make any sense! We're just playing charades."

"Exactly!" She exclaimed as she took a closer look at you. "You look gorgeous."

"Wait, is there any other way to - ?"

"No!" She cut you off, grabbing your hand and dragging you out of the room. "The poet is waiting, let's go!"

You had no choice but to let your friend lead you towards the living room where the others were waiting. Dressed in an exquisite white dress made of frills, and lace, and silk, and your hair in the most exquisite style that was all the rage as of late, you nervously went down the staircase, thinking about what Victor would say when he saw you like this.

Ah, yes, Victor,...

The moment you merely thought of his name, your mind went in total shambles.

The man has been acting,... not so normal these past few days. You would always catch him staring at you at the corner of your eye. He spent more and more time with you than with the others. The poems he read to you during the last few weeks were all about love and nothing else. Even the letters he sent you were longer than usual. And when you do look into each other, he would look at you as if you're the only person that mattered, and no one else.

It's as if,... you have somehow become the apple of his eye.

Of course, you didn't want to jump into conclusions and assume that he loves you, no. What if you're wrong? Then, you'll be the one who'll end up hurt and embarrassed.

However, despite all that, you felt cold and empty without his company. You felt so sad every time he bade you farewell for the night. And you felt so, so happy when you're spending time with him.

Yes. You were completely magnetized by the man, and you didn't know how to stop yourself from falling for him any deeper. He, like the rest of your father's guests, would leave after the summer festivities. He would go back to London where he lives. And there, he would find another woman he would love and would love him in return. Then, he would forget about you.

The thought of him loving another woman hurt you so much, like something heavy was crushing your heart.

As much as you hated it, you must end this. Victor must know about this,...

You were brought back to reality when you heard the cheers of the guests who've been waiting for you. You looked up, saw their happy faces, and felt nervous all over again.

But, what did make you even more nervous was the presence of the handsome man waiting for you next to the makeshift altar comprised of one small table and some chairs in the middle of the vast room.

His emerald eyes gleaming, his smile ever so enchanting, you felt yourself melting like ice under his warm gaze filled with pride and adoration.

Ah, there it was again, that strange sensation in your chest and stomach every time he looked at you,...

"Here you go." Daniella whispered as she carefully placed the lace veil on top of your head. Then, she linked her arm with yours and with gentle steps, she led you towards the altar where Victor was waiting.

Strange, you thought. It really felt like a true wedding.

And the man you came to love was waiting for you there,...

Ah, charades,...

The moment Victor took your hand in his, you two were made to stand, by your giggling friends, led by Daniella, of course, on some makeshift platform made of pillows and cushions.

And then, the ceremony began.

Turning the pages of an old Encyclopedia on herbal medicines, one of your friends, who was playing as minister for this special event, cleared his throat and started uttering the vows.

"Do you, Lord Victor Blake, take Lady (Y/N) (L/N) as your wife? Do you promise to love and to cherish her above all else, to care for her, to support her through thick and thin, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health, 'till death do you part?"

Victor turned his eyes towards you. Gently holding both of your hands in his, he recited the words that seemed to ring clearly like a bell all over the place.

"I do," He began. " ... take Lady (Y/N) (L/N) as my wife. This fool will love and cherish her above all else in the world. I promise to care for her, to support her through thick and through thin." 

For a moment, you thought he forgot the rest of the words. However, when his grip on your hands tightened a bit and his gaze on you seemed to intensify, he spoke once more.

And his words,... made you truly emotional.

It's as if,...

... this was all real, and not just charades.

"If falling for you is a sin, then I refuse to repent." He said, his deep voice making you feel warm all over. "Like a river that flows to the sea, or a fool rushing in, I have fallen deeply in love with you. I cannot help myself from falling in love with you, my dear darling (Y/N). I will stay with you, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. And I shall never stop from loving you, even after my death. My soul shall seek yours, and we will be together again,... in our next lifetime. And the next. I will always love you, my dear, beloved (Y/N). Until the end of time."

For a moment, you felt your eyes burning at those incredibly breathtaking words.

You wanted to ask him, are those words true? Will you really love me despite everything? Will we be together again in our next lifetime? 

Will you really love me until the end of time?

You were brought back from your reverie when you realized that the minister was done asking you the same question as Victor's. It seemed that your mind has gone elsewhere as he spoke. And who could blame you?

With a slightly audible hum, you answered, "I do,... take Lord Victor Blake as my husband. I promise to love and cherish him above all else. I will take care of him and support him. Through thick and thin, for richer or for poorer, for better or for worse, in sickness and in health." 

You gulped and forced yourself to look into the beautiful eyes of the man before you despite feeling the heat crawl up your cheeks, giving you a strange and giddy sensation. Then, he gave you the most devilish smirk you have ever seen him make. Oh, he must've seen you blushing so badly, the charming devil! You cleared your throat, tried to get over your embarrassment, and went on with your vows.

"If your soul shall seek mine after death, then I shall wait for you in the next lifetime. Then, the next. I will wait for you, for as long as it takes. J - just,... don't forget about me, alright?"

He chuckled and shook his head, that devilish smirk of his never leaving his handsome face. "Why would I forget my sweet, little lady?"

The minister cleared his throat, fished out something from his pocket, and produced two simple rings made of silver. He offered the smaller one to Victor and gave the larger one to you. And after overseeing the two of you as you exchanged rings, wearing them on each other's finger, he spoke with such loudness and clarity that set the whole atmosphere in a festive mood.

And as the minister pronounced you man and wife, Victor ever so gently laid his hands on your cheeks and gave you your very first kiss.

Your very first kiss!

And it felt,... oh, so good! His lips were so soft and smooth, his movements oh so hypnotic. You even felt your knees giving up on you that you have to cling onto the lapels of his white coat for support. Your hands travelled from his lapels to his black undershirt, his jet - black silk cravat, then to his high collar. And when your hands finally went around his neck, his arms went around your tiny waist, pulling you closer to his warmth, carrying you and twirling you around in happiness.

And then, Daniella started singing with all of her out of tune might! "For he's a jolly good fellow! For he's a jolly good fellow! For he's a jolly good fe - llow!"

"Hey, isn't that the wrong song?!" You heard one of your friends ask.

"I don't care! Victor is a jolly good fellow now!" Daniella, being a really stubborn girl, retorted.

Then, Maria and Roselle, your two most faithful maidservants, joined in the singing as they started throwing rose petals at you and Victor.

"For he's a jolly good fellow! For he's a jolly good fellow! For he's a jolly good fe - llow! Which nobody can deny!"

"Congratulations, (Y/N)!" Daniella told you as she handed you a single stem of a deep red rose.

"Thanks, I guess?" You answered sheepishly as you received the flower from your friend. Since when did charades become so realistic?!

"Alright, stop moving for a while so I could take the goddamn photograph!" The minister barked his orders like a general, making all of you laugh. He was already waiting for all of you to settle down for a nice group photograph but, everyone just couldn't stop laughing because Daniella kept singing the out of tune song for Victor. And Victor? Well, he refused to let go of you from that day onward. Like a real husband to his beloved wife.

It was,... simply one of the happiest days of your life,...

***

❄ Three Wishes ❄

***

XII

***

December 31, 2019, Fleminger Estate

Your eyes just couldn't help but scan the sea of faces right before you. Nico has already left you alone, saying she has some important things do. Well, you don't want to bother her or anything but, being left with these total strangers? And without her by your side? It kind of made you feel sick.

And now, your discomfort has only heightened the moment Christopher waltzed in with his very gorgeous and voluptuous date who looked very much like Audrey Hepburn. He was a real charmer, that evil snake. In a span of only a few seconds, he managed to catch the eyes of all the ladies in the room, and his smart attire of white vintage ensemble that resembled that of a Victorian era Doctor's gained the respect of all the men. Well, maybe not all men,...

For there, in the middle of the dance floor, was another man dressed entirely different compared to the other guests. And he, like Christopher, was gaining a lot of attention. But in a really bad way. He was dressed as a cowboy, and he was busting out some Michael Jackson moves that looked so embarrassing and cheesy as hell. And you were ashamed to say that you perfectly knew who that man was,...

"Sorry about that." A stunning blonde dressed entirely in black satin suddenly apologized. Apparently, she, just like you, was watching the whole spectacle from the safest corner of the massive room. And she was just quietly standing next to you the whole time.

"I'm s - sorry?" You stuttered, looking up at her and feeling a bit insecure that a very lovely - looking and absolutely tall woman was speaking with the likes of you.

"My partner." She answered as she pointed at the dancing cowboy, who was now confidently doing the moonwalk. "He is making a huge spectacle of himself. He really wants to win the title of King." With a haughty smile and a slight chuckle, she crossed her arms and shook her head. "As if that would pay all of his debt."

"Would you like to be the Queen, then?"

"Me? Oh, not really, no. But, I think," The blonde mused, then pointed at the woman in Christopher's arm. " ... she does."

"Do you know her?"

"I do. Her name is Lady. She's a fellow Devil Hunter like myself."

That name! "Oh, so that's Lady!" You exclaimed as you observed the brunette's prim and proper movements. She really was a perfect partner for a man such as Christopher, if you're being honest. "I've heard her from V. Wait, if that's Lady, then you're,..."

"Trish." The blonde said, offering a hand to you. "Call me Trish."

"I'm (Y/N)." You replied, taking her hand.

"Ah, yes, (Y/N)! So, I've heard from Vergil. You're V's girlfriend."

"I, ahh," You looked away, your worry for the man going back to plague your mind. " ... not exactly. No."

"Aww, why?" Trish asked with a concerned look. “You see, V is actually really - "

"(Y/N), dear! How delightful of you to come!"

A very obnoxious voice came booming in, and you absolutely despised it uttering your name. Christopher and Lady came towards you and Trish like the royal couple that they were, making you even more embarrassed and uncomfortable. And the moment you laid eyes on him, you felt so sick and heavy, as if something invisible was strangling you and forcing the air out of your lungs. His eyes looking so vengeful, and his smile as sardonic as ever, he looked exactly like the villain that he was.

And it made you despise yourself even more for ever falling head over heels with the likes of him.

"Trish?!" The woman named Lady spoke, startled upon seeing the blonde next to you. "I thought you're not coming!"

Ugh, and his partner sounded so equally loathsome,...

"But, here I' am." Trish answered nonchalantly.

"Wait, don't tell me you're here to snag the title of Queen?!" Lady asked with a forced smile, as if she was feeling threatened of her fellow Devil Hunter.

And this amused Trish. "Oh! Am I?"

"You must be." Lady replied.

"Are you sure about that?" Trish sassed back.

"Ladies!" Christopher interrupted the two before they could grab each other's throats. "You're both Queens to me alright?"

"Thanks, Chris." Lady pouted, crossing her arms as Trish rolled her eyes.

"And speaking of Queen," Christopher began, fully focusing his eyes on you. " ... where is your King? I mean, he's not hiding here somewhere like a shy, domesticated, elementary kid, is he?"

The way he emphasized those words,...

It felt like,... !

"He's not!" You couldn't help but raise your own voice. You just couldn't stand his pride and arrogance.

"Aww, then where is he?"

He,... knows what's going on! "He's,... only gonna be a bit late."

Christopher laughed boisterously at the top of his lungs, making the other guests look at him. And at the same time, you heard some familiar voices whispering not far from where the four of you were.

"I told you I'm not sick, granny!" A male voice argued almost irritably.

"Oh, learn how to play along for once, will you?!" A shriveled - sounding female voice retorted. "Those cops were about to give me a ticket for real!"

"Well, that's because you were speeding past the allowable limit. You're worse than Nico!"

"Oh, shut the trap up and ready that guitar of yours!"

"He's gonna be a bit late? Are you sure about that?" Christopher boomed, making his voice even louder.

And honestly? You were so close to punching that narcissistic smile off his freaking face!

"Oh, maybe he's not gonna show up!" And he went on with his insults. "Maybe, he's - !"

"Ahem!" That man from earlier cleared his throat, successfully gaining everyone's attention, including yours, Trish's, Lady's, and Christopher's. Yes, especially Christopher's. You turned around,...

... and saw Kyrie's boyfriend Nero, not in vintage clothing but in his casual attire, standing a few feet away from you and holding a guitar of all things! And he was actually looking intently at you!

Christopher raised his eyebrow at Nero and was about to re - launch his tirade regarding V's tardiness when the young Devil Hunter started skillfully plucking the strings of his guitar.

"What in the actual,...?" Christopher could do nothing as basically everyone in the room stopped what they're doing and turned to see what was going on.

And the moment a deep, velvety, and clear voice started singing, everything stopped. Even time, itself.

***

❄ @la-vita , @dreaming-gamer , @birdgirl69 , @clevermentalitybeliever , and @v-vic . ❄

***

"Wise men say only fools rush in.

But I can't help falling in love with you.

Oh, shall I stay, would it be a sin?

Oh, if I can't help falling in love with you."

Lady and Trish both gasped. Christopher's eyes widened. Even Dante stumbled on his steps.

For there, just behind Nero, was the man, himself,...

And now, he was actually walking towards you as he was singing the song!

"Like a river flows, surely to the sea,

Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be.

Take my hand, take my whole life too.

Oh, for I can't help falling in love with you."

"This is,... the most curious thing!" Lord Fleminger, who organized the New Year's Ball, exclaimed as he spied on the newcomer from his place on one of the balconies.

"What is?" His balding secretary, who was standing right next to him, asked.

"There!" Fleminger answered, excitedly pointing at the singing man dressed entirely in Victorian era high fashion, who was already making a huge impression on his guests. "Elvis Presley! In the flesh!"

The secretary narrowed his eyes, looking closely at the singer, and gasped. "My God! It is! A Victorian Elvis Presley!"

"Yes." Fleminger nodded in agreement. "We now have,... a potential King!"

"Oh, like a river flows, surely to the sea.

Darling, so it goes, some things are meant to be.

Oh, take my hand, take my whole life too.

For I can't help falling in love with you."

You couldn't help but smile as the man tenderly sang the sweet song for you. Who knew he could sing really well?! Who knew he was planning this all along?!

Who knew this would feel oh so familiar to you?!

Those lyrics,...

That song,...

"If falling for you is a sin, then I refuse to repent. Like a river that flows to the sea, or a fool rushing in, I have fallen deeply in love with you. I cannot help myself from falling in love with you, my dear darling (Y/N). I will stay with you, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health. And I shall never stop from loving you, even after my death. My soul shall seek yours, and we will be together again,... in our next lifetime. And the next. I will always love you, my dear, beloved (Y/N). Until the end of time."

It's as if,...

... you've heard something so similar before!

Everything about him, his white coat and pants, his black undershirt, his jet - black cravat, even his metal cane which he always carried around!

Him looking like that, and you listening to those words like you were in a wedding,...

You,... have seen this exact moment before!

But, when,...?

"Oh, for I can't help falling in love with you,..."

***

❄❄❄

***

[macadoodle1996]

At lunch, Evanna deliberately slid into the seat beside her brother before Parkinson was able to.

"Thank you for saving me a seat, Parkinson," she said.

"I was going to sit there!" the other girl whined.

"And you're so gracious as to allow me to speak with my brother," Evanna replied coolly, doing her best impression of her mother. "Now, if we could speak privately for a moment, I am sure you'll be understanding."

Parkinson made a noise and flounced off. Draco turned to Evanna.

"You know, Parkinson is not exactly the sharpest quill in the pot, but she's still not a pleasant enemy," he said dryly.

"I'd be more worried about making an enemy of myself, brother dear," Evanna all but cooed.

Draco scooped some green beans on his plate, carefully keeping them from touching his lamb chops. "I have no idea what you are talking about, sister dear."

Evanna narrowed her eyes, choosing the direct approach. After all, her brother was a rubbish liar-she would certainly be able to tell if he tried.

"Did you or did you not owl Father about who I was spending time with?"

Draco looked at her out the side of his eye. "You know that our father is a powerful man who you shouldn't ever make angry, correct?"

"Draco-" Evanna warned.

"Ev," Draco said. "You are my baby sister. I've told you before that I will always have your back."

I won't let you be trapped in the manor forever.

"But, Father has eyes in this school. Whether you or I owl him, he knows what his children are up to at Hogwarts."

Evanna frowned. She had not quite got the answer she had wanted, but she would accept. She had another question she wanted to ask before afternoon classes.

"So have you received any owls from home?"

"I did the day after the Sorting," he said. "But not since. Why?"

"Father says Mother is ill-I wondered if he had told you?" she said as nonchalantly as she could. Draco's fork paused for a moment on the way to his mouth, before he smoothly took a bite of his green beans and chewed it slowly. He looked at her.

They are fighting.

"No, I had not heard," he said. "Did he say what was wrong?"

Evanna shook her head. "No, but I asked Professor Snape to check in on her, bring our love and whatnot."

This time, Draco dropped his fork. It took him a moment to recover. "You did what?" he hissed in a low voice. Evanna frowned.

"The professor is Father's friend, yes?" she said. "I figured he ought to be able-"

"Evanna, you can't do that. It-it's-"

Dangerous.

"Not the done thing!" he sputtered lamely.

"Excuse me for caring about our mother," Evanna said tartly.

"If Mother is sick," he said in a low voice, "then it is a family matter. Father won't appreciate anyone poking their big noses in."

Evanna knew what her brother was saying made sense, but she would never admit it. Still, she felt better knowing that someone was checking on her mother.

"Fine then," she said. "I've got Transfiguration."

She climbed out of the bench, deliberately smacking Draco in the face with her robes and left for the lesson. As usual, she sat next to Luna, who again thanked her for the shoes. Evanna's stomach clenched with the thought of what those other Ravenclaws were doing, as if any of those questionable low-borns were as good as Lovegood…

"Here," Luna said cheerfully as they were packing up. "I owled Daddy and he sent this to me. I thought you would find it interesting-it's all about the léitheoir aigne."

Evanna frowned as the girl handed her a tome-it was bound in worn purple cloth with silver markings. The title looked to be in runes of some sort-they looked vaguely familiar to Evanna, though that was unsurprising. The Malfoy family library held vast amounts of all kinds of books, tomes, and scrolls, including some that Evanna knew spanned millennia.

"Thank you," Evanna said somewhat trepidatiously. Luna just beamed at her as they filed into the corridor.

"C'mon, Evanna," Elin was calling for her. "It's at least a ten minute walk to the greenhouses and Turpin said that Peeves set up some dungbombs on our usual way."

Evanna quickly said goodbye to Luna and scurried to catch up to her Housemates. "Are we sure it was Peeves and not those Weasley twins?"

"Does it matter? These are new robes!" Eva replied.

"What did Lovegood give you?" Elin asked.

"Some old book," Evanna replied. "I'm sure it'll tell me all about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks and the like, but she wanted to thank me for making her shoes."

"You made her shoes?"

"Don't we need to get to class?"

The girls made took the long route out of the castle, making it to the greenhouses just in time. Several of their Hufflepuff classmates were still trickling in themselves, though . Evanna was only mildly surprised when Bridget Travers slid into the seat beside her.

"Ginny told me what was going on," she said. "I had thought that Lovegood was just trying to better sense the Blibbering Humdingers or something."

"The what?" Evanna replied.

"Never mind," Travers waved her off. "Any way, the people you are looking are a couple of fourth year girls-Tulip Karasu and Eliza McLaird. They are Ravenclaws, so I would be careful. They know their way around a wand."

"How did you come by this information?" Evanna all but demanded. Travers smirked in a way that made Evanna wish she had been Sorted into Slytherin.

"Hufflepuffs can find most anything, you know," she said then seemed to pause. "And I'm sorry. You seem a rather decent sort."

At that, the other girl moved away to some of her other friends and Evanna found herself rather surprised by the interaction. She filed it away for inspection at a later date. Evanna didn't speak much during the lesson, mind whirling with thoughts about her mother and her new friend, as well as what she would write back to her father. At one point in time, the groundskeeper came in to talk to Professor Sprout, warning her to ward the greenhouses as something had been killing his roosters.

"Ugh, I can't wait until we no longer have to take that class," Eva said as they left. "I hate dirt under my fingernails."

"Maybe it would help if you remembered your dragonskin gloves?" Evanna said wryly.

"I am not taking clothing advice from someone who dresses like my grandma," Eva replied, sticking her nose up in the air. Evanna bumped her hip as they made their way to the Common Room and the dorms, intending on cleaning themselves up before dinner. As they walked in, however, a silky voice came behind them.

"Ms. Malfoy, a word," Professor Snape said, emerging from the shadows. Her two dorm-mates gave her worried glances then scampered off.

The older years had warned them all that the Potions Master was just about as far away from a hands-off Head of House as one could get. Though he turned a blind eye to a few quidditch after-parties, and typically allowed them to learn whatever kinds of magic they wanted to in the Common Room, Professor Snape made sure his Snakes were of sound mind and body, always the picture of decorum. That meant he made frequent visits to the Common Room, met with his students regularly, made sure they adhered to curfew and on and on. Though, the beginning of term must have been wearing, for this was the first time Evanna had noticed the man in the Common Room.

"Have you checked on my mother already, sir?" she said, somewhat surprised. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

"Your mother is not ill," he said slowly.

"Then what is wrong with her?"

Her husband.

Evanna blinked as the thought seemed to wash over her with the strength of it. Though she knew very well that her father had never treated her mother very well, she also knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that the thought had not come from within her.

"She had an-" Snape's lip curled, "accident. She has been recovering at St. Mungo's."

Evanna's heart thumped painfully in her chest. "But why didn't-is she going to be-sir, please, can I floo her?"

"For now your father is limiting visitors and he does not wish to worry you or Draco." There was still a sneer planted on her professor's face. I would kill him if I could.

Evanna chewed her lip, an uncomfortable feeling settling in her stomach. "Sir…" she began slowly. "Was it… was it really just an accident?"

The professor looked at her with those fathomless black eyes and Evanna thought, just for a moment, that the man seemed to soften.

"Of course," he replied, "what else could it have been?"