Back To Better A Tom Riddle Fanfiction Sequel

Chapter 5

After Tom and Grace had returned home, Tom went to his study, intending to continue his research. He was about to sit down at his desk when he realized that Grace was still following him. With slight irritation he turned around and threw her a questioning glance.

"If there's nothing I can help you with right now, I'd really like to continue working on this-"

"What's the Dark Mark?" Grace cut him short.

Tom's eyes narrowed just the slightest bit. Slowly, he walked a few steps back towards Grace. His voice was deliberately calm when he asked, "Do I want to know how you know about the Dark Mark?"

Grace held his gaze, but she felt a lot less confident than she sounded. "I heard someone talk about it, in the Leaky Cauldron."

"And what did they say?" Tom inquired, his voice still devoid of any emotion.

Grace bit her lip. There was something really unnerving about the way her father used to ask questions. "They said they hadn't seen it in quite a while." She paused for a moment before she continued, "And they said they didn't mind not seeing it. So I wondered... what is it?"

Tom's gaze lingered on her face for another moment. Then he shrugged as the ghost of a genuine smile crossed his features, shortly making him look a lot younger and happier. "The Dark Mark is the first and only true birthday present I ever received."

The smile graced his face again while his thoughts travelled back to that cold December night in the Scottish Highlands so many decades ago. Then he focused his gaze back on Grace, his features turning blank again.

"The Dark Mark is the symbol of my power and the signature that was left wherever my rules were enforced. So probably for many people it's the symbol of death, destruction and despair." He paused and the smile crept back on his face. "But for me it's the symbol of unconditional support and some absolutely incomprehensible emotion." Suddenly his voice was uncharacteristically full of warmth.

"Who gave it to you?" Grace asked, curiosity ringing in her tone.

"I think you already know that."

Grace slowly nodded as if she had been expecting this answer. "What does it look like?"

Tom cocked his head. "Words clearly don't do it justice."

"Can you show me then?" Grace pressed.

Tom didn't answer. He looked back at Grace for quite a while. Finally, he shook his head. "No, I can't. Your mother surely wouldn't have approved."

A look of surprise crossed Grace's face. "But I thought she made it?! Why wouldn't she want me to see it?"

Tom exhaled slowly, wondering what to tell Grace. After a very long moment he said at last, "She decided to leave when she found out she was pregnant. She chose to raise you away from me, away from the world order I have fought to establish, away from the world she and I used to live in together." He paused, watching Grace closely. There was a look in her eyes that he couldn't quite place. He drew a deep breath and said, his voice hoarse, "A long time ago she crafted the mark, and she made it in a way that she thought suited me most, and she surely did a great job. The Mark certainly reflects the way she knew me to be. But... you see, she really went to great lengths to save you from realizing what I am truly like, so that I simply can't imagine she would want me to change that now."

"But I'm living with you now. I want to know what you are like," Grace exclaimed, a stubborn look now evident in her eyes.

Tom's lips twitched slightly. "I can tell you, no one wants to know that," he smirked. Then he turned back to his desk. "And now I'd really like to continue-"