Splitting One's Soul

The Locket

Warning: contains torture

Tom left and came back several times a day for the past few days. Before he left the first time he made sure you knew not to run - or 'do something stupid' as he put it. Of course, you tried to convince him you wouldn't run, where to even? He claimed he trusted you but you noticed that one or two of the hooded figures were always lurking around the hut whenever he was gone, either he didn't actually trust you or they were planning on breaking in. There definitely were enough valuables around worth stealing. Every time before Tom left he told you to guard the Horcruxes and gave you a kiss, the thought of him pretending all of this was completely normal sickened you. And you were certain that he wouldn't task you with guarding the locket and cup without even having a wand, the real guards must have been the hooded figures and surely they were also guarding you.

Your eyes drifted over to the bags when he left you alone once more, curiosity had been gnawing at you ever since you learned of the whereabouts of the locket and you couldn't deny that such advanced magic as creating a Horcrux was highly interesting. It made you wonder how far magic could still be pushed. At least the theory of it all was riveting, the practice you'd rather avoid, the thought of killing someone was revolting. And then your mind drifted back to the moment when that auror was laying on the ground curled up and whimpering with Tom standing over him. And the green flash that followed... You shook the memory away and looked over to the bag again, realizing that your enthusiasm for artifacts had slowly died away the past weeks, what was once one of your biggest passions was now shoved to the back of your mind to make room for Tom. It started with his jealousy, continued when things became physical between your two, he was a distraction, a pleasant one but a distraction nonetheless. And then followed the secrecy, his disappearances, now all this, confined in a strange land by a confirmed murderer and on the run from the Ministry for something you didn't do. By now you were convinced that Tom must have stolen your wand at some point without you noticing to kill someone, there was no other explanation, you would never do such a horrible thing. Yet you still willingly gave your body to Tom.

But now the proximity to such a rare artifact made your heart beat a little faster and you resolved to stop letting him get in your way. Judging by the last few times Tom went out, you should have about an hour to yourself left. Should you be wrong and he came back to find you digging through his belongings once more searching for a piece of his own soul you would be dead in the blink of an eye. No, you wouldn't, he still needed you to create his next Horcrux, he couldn't waste you like that.

It was spite and the resolution to regain control over your life instead of fear that took over and you dug through the bag, carefully removing layer after layer of robes to not just yank the locket out. Should it get just as much as a small scatch you weren't so sure he'd actually still spare you. Under the next robe you discovered it, a golden locket nestled on black silk. Of course, Tom didn't tell you what curse he had put on it, so in order to avoid touching the locket, you lifted it up by the chain with the handle of a spoon but it slid down and before you could let it drop back into the bag, the chain had already touched your hand. Nothing happened.

Bringing your hand closer to your face, you inspected both your hand and the locket but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. You brushed the curse off as another one of Tom's lies, elseways there would have to be an effect by now. Holding the locket in the palm of your hand you got a close look at the delicate chain dangling off, the oval golden locket cold against your skin, green stones let into the locket formed an S.

Kneeling by the window you tried to get a look through a slit between the wooden boards, as far as you could tell there was no Tom around and so you hung the chain around your neck, the locket sitting on your chest. With trembling fingers, you turned it in one and the other direction, watching the stones glitter when suddenly you were filled with rage, red hot anger burning through you, all of it directed towards Tom. You hated him, you hated him so much, your wand was all you needed right now and if he'd come walking through that door, he would be the one dropping dead. And yet, holding a piece of his soul was invigorating, how the cold locket was right where your heart was beating.