Toxic Love

Finding Mother!

*Photo in the chapter is of actress Dolores Costello. Please keep in mind my books do NOT follow JKR's books!*

Tom acted like nothing had happened between us, everything went back to the way it had been before we had sex..... he went back to being an asshole.

I spent weeks trying to figure out how to sneak out of the apartment to go to the Ministry, then I finally was able to do so in mid November.

I went straight to the records office.

The woman behind the desk smiled at me when I walked in.

"How can I help you today?" She asked

"Hi, I'm looking for a picture of someone. I don't know if one even exists but I'd like to at least try." I replied

"Alright, do you have a name of who it is you're looking for?"

"Yes, Merope Gaunt. She should've been born around 1907, her father's name is Marvolo."

She set to work, summoning the Gaunt Family Tree from somewhere in the vast amount of shelves that lined the room.

"Merope?"

"Yes ma'am, she died when she was 19."

"That's unfortunate, so young."

"It is"

After what seemed like forever she walked over to the copier with a picture in her hands and made a copy of it.

When she handed me the copy, it was an exact replica of the one she was holding.

"Such a pretty girl, it's a shame she died so young."

"She's beautiful..."

It was a still picture, not like the moving pictures I was used to, it looked like maybe her husband's family had paid to have her picture professionally done.

"Thank you so much"

"You're welcome, have a good day!"

I put the picture in my purse, heading back home to hide it. Though I stopped to buy a picture frame on my way back....

When I got home Tom was still gone, which was a good thing in my mind, I could put the picture in its new frame and hide it in my room. He never comes in here anyway.

Waiting until December 31st to give him the picture was almost torture, and while I could've given it to him on Christmas his birthday just seemed fitting.

While she hadn't had the fight in her to live for her son after her husband had kicked out on to the streets, she'd clearly loved Tom enough to make sure he always had a warm bed and food in his stomach even if she wasn't there to be the one to take care of him.

When his birthday arrived, I was excited and it was obvious.

"What are you so happy about?" he asked as he walked out of his bedroom

"You'll see, just wait. Be patient."

"I'm not a patient person Y/N"

"I know, but I promise it's worth it"

I wanted to wait until he was fully awake before I gave it to him, and while I knew he had a meeting planned, I could give it to him before he left.

After he was dressed and had woken up more I went to my bedroom and grabbed the wrapped picture frame before heading back out and sitting down on the sofa.

"Tom, I know you don't like your birthday..." he cut me off

"Yet you have a present"

"I really think you're going to like it, or at least I hope you do"