Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

108: Tom Riddle's Patronus

Cassiopeia and Tom were engaged in a duel in the Room of Requirement during their free period. It had become a routine for them to practice, with Tom teaching her new techniques, especially non-verbal spells. However, he possessed a unique talent for wandless magic, something that intrigued Cassiopeia.

As they took a moment to catch their breath, Tom suddenly opened up about something personal. "I don't know how it feels to be loved by a mother," he confessed, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity.

Cassiopeia considered his words, reflecting on her own experiences. "I have no idea, but I guess it's like the way Auntie treated me. She loves me like she does Draco. She never differentiated her love between us."

"I never had a mother's love." Tom's thoughts wandered to his own past.

"You had, Tom. Your mum loved you." Cassiopeia gently contradicted him, reassuring him. "But unfortunately, she couldn't give her love when you were born."

A small, contemplative smile played on Tom's lips, and Cassiopeia noticed that he appeared somewhat troubled. Concerned, she reached out to him. "Are you okay? You seem upset."

"No, it's just... uhm—I really need my children to be loved by both parents, and I'm scared." He admitted his worries, sharing a vulnerability with her. Cassiopeia, always a source of comfort for Tom, caressed his cheek and tried to meet his gaze.

"Scared for what, love? You can talk to me about anything, you know?"

"I know," he nodded and finally looked at her. "I'm scared because I feel like I will be a terrible father. They will be ashamed of me when they get to know that their father was an ugly monster."

Cassiopeia had heard this self-doubt from him before, and she was quick to dispel it. She leaned in to kiss him, her words filled with affection. "How many times have I told you that you aren't a monster, Tom? You aren't a monster; you are my man."

He sighed, feeling the warmth of her words. "I don't deserve you, Cassie. You could have found someone better."

Cassiopeia shook her head, amused by his self-criticism. She teased him, "Nonsense," and raised an eyebrow playfully. "Then I will find someone else, is that okay then?"

Tom's eyes widened in mock horror at the suggestion, and they both shared a laugh.

"No, you can't. You are mine, only mine." He pinched her cheek lightly and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

Cassiopeia accepted his playful declaration with a smile.

"Alright, I was just joking." She tugged his hand away from her cheek and rubbed it, knowing the pinch might leave a red mark. Changing the topic, she asked, "Can you perform the Patronus charm? Have you ever tried?"

"I have never tried it," Tom replied, leaning against the wall. "I've only tried creating Fiendfyre, and it took the shape of a snake."

Cassiopeia chuckled, finding his answer unsurprising. "I don't know how to create Fiendfyre, but I do know how to cast the Patronus charm."

"Really?" Tom raised his eyebrows in surprise. "How do you know?"

"Harry taught us. When we were in fifth year, we had a professor from the Ministry called Dolores Umbridge. She didn't allow us to use wands in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, only focusing on theory. So, Harry decided to create an army called Dumbledore's Army to learn defensive spells, especially to prepare for what was out there, uh... Lord Voldemort." She reminisced about their time at Hogwarts.

"Yeah, I remember that."

"I've never told you about it," Cassiopeia pointed out.

"Let's say, when you left for year six, I had some visions when I was awake." Tom explained, "Some of them were of you. When the Horcruxes were reversed, the pieces of my soul became one. Those visions were from the memory of the diary, and I had one vision in which you seemed scared of a mist or something, though I had no idea about what it was."