RIDDLES PROPERTY

chapter 56

"She's gone."

"What?" Tom replied.

"The girl," Lucius said, "has gone off somewhere. I'm not sure where and she made a big fuss of not being followed."

His memory was still a little broken from last night, but he knew Lucius was referring to Emelia. He quickly got up from his seat and thought of where she may've been.

"Leave her be. Is Draco nearly done, yet?"

"...he needs some more time, m'lord."

Lucius seemed tense. Tom could sense his fear and felt powerful. Lucius felt scared of a boy who was nearly his sons age. Pathetic.

"I've been waiting for weeks, Lucius. If he isn't finished by next week...you'll see what happens."

Lucius flinched and nodded. Tom turned back around, still not satisfied. It was only 10 AM and he already missed her. The scent on her neck where she sprayed her perfume, the messy hair, her trashy makeup. In other words, he was down horrendously for Emelia.

"Excuse me," this time the voice wasn't Lucius'.

"Bellatrix."

"I wanted to clear up things from last night." her voice was cold. Tom could only assume he snapped at her, but besides that he didn't remember anything. Only Emelia talking to him in his room.

"Hurry up then," he snapped.

"I assume the kiss didn't mean anything."

Tom turned around.

"What?"

Bellatrix kept her stance and didn't flinch.

"We kissed. It's a fact. It didn't mean anything to you because your little girlfriend, Emelia, came home."

His heart started racing and he felt queasy.

"Leave. Get out of the manor. I don't want you in my face."

"I don't think so. I'm staying, it's my sisters home. You, however, must leave if you continue to bitch about everything instead of fulfilling your promises and living up to your legacy."

He was speechless. Was it that the desperate woman was finally getting over him? No, she was simply good at acting. Tom didn't have to know that.

"I see," he said. "Tell everyone there's a meeting at 5 today."

She nodded and left the room. He didn't ponder over the kiss too much. Surely Emelia and him were on good terms...they danced together, she even opened up. All the memories from the previous night were flooding back.

"Fred and I aren't really together anymore. We're getting a divorce..." Tom recalled.

All of a sudden, he got happy at the thought of that. He didn't show it, but his heart was thumping faster and he was fidgeting. Perhaps it was too much of a stretch, but what if she was getting the divorce, at the moment. Tom couldn't wait for her to come back home. Maybe a life with her was possible.

"No, Tom. Stay strong, you're letting your guard down. Keep her away, she's only a distraction."

"I-I'm not ready to go through with it, just yet."

"You must! It's crucial you take over the Wizarding World. How did it feel when your atrocious Squib mother had to use a love potion to attract the mudblood father? How did it feel to be the odd one out everywhere? How did it feel when you took the power move of turning yourself in. You asserted dominance—I'll admit, we did fall back on our plans, but it was genius." Voldemort rambled.

"It was all for her."

The voice in his head went silent. It was always menacing and caused headaches. He didn't know what to do.

"Come back," he begged. Tom couldn't afford to be lonely during this time.

Voldemort didn't return.

"Fine, I don't need you."

The sun was bright on the emerald green walls. The manor was secluded from others. Muggles couldn't see it and wizards couldn't afford the pricing in the neighborhood so it lay empty besides the Malfoy's. Tom was observing the terrace from inside his room.

When was Emelia's birthday?

It always seemed like he knew so much about her, but in truth he didn't. She seemed mysterious, now that he thought of it. Her life was so personal.

'But this is her life...' Tom thought.

"It's done, sir."

He saw Draco by the door, looking extremely fatigued.

"Well done. Go rest."

Tom's voice didn't seem too enthusiastic.

"Sir...I'm sorry about her catching me last night." Draco said warily.

"It's fine."

"No, truly—"

"Do you want to rest or shall I assign you another task to keep you busy?"

He shook his head and walked away. Tom sighed and stretched his arms out.

"You should be proud, boy. Your plan is falling into place. Go celebrate with a fag, eh?"

"Maybe later."

When was Emelia going to come back?