Riddle and Grindelwald (book 2)

41. What Makes A Man

Genevieve hated that her son now had to spend so much time with Tom.
Salazar looked almost identical to a much younger Tom, and Genevieve prayed that he wouldn't start acting like his father, as well as looking like him.
She didn't want to attend death eater meetings, as she didn't want to watch Tom pressure Salazar into performing dark magic.
So she stayed at home and spent more time with her other children instead.
And she ended up becomming much closer to Mathilde, when Gellert went back to Ilvermorny in September.

Genevieve was asleep in her bed one night, when she heard a knock on her door.
Tom never knocked, since he owned the place and could barge in whenever he liked. And Genevieve knew that the servants would never wake her up that late. So she was unsure who the knocker could be.
Genevieve slowly climbed out of the bed, and shivered as the cold night air hit her.
She picked up her silk dressing gown from the back of the chair, and put it on as she made her way across the room.
When she eventually reached her door, she pulled it open and found Salazar standing on the other side.

"Salazar, what's the matter?" Questioned Genevieve, as she saw the haunted look in her sons eyes.
"I just got back from a mission with father" he said quietly.
"What exactly were you all doing on this mission?" Asked Genevieve.
"We killed a Muggle family" revealed Salazar.
"When you say we, what do you mean?"
"Father made me do it. He made me kill them all. I didn't know that was his intention when he took me along on the mission. But when we got there and messed around with the Muggles, father revealed that he wanted me to kill them all. I had no choice, I had to do it, because I didn't want to look like a fool and embarrass father".

"I'm so sorry that he put you in that position" apologised Genevieve, as she leaned forward and hugged Salazar.
Her son melted in her arms, allowing his vulnerability to show.
He did not cry, but he held on tight to his mother, as if he never wanted to let go.
It took everything in Genevieve not to break down and cry at what Tom had done to their son.
She knew that Salazar needed her to be strong, so that was what she had to be, for his sake.

Genevieve closed her bedroom door, and led Salazar across the room.
She climbed onto the bed, and allowed him to lie down with his head on her lap.
"How do you feel?" She asked softly.
"I don't know. It hasn't really sunk in yet, what I did" admitted Salazar.
"I know what you mean. After I killed Alec Wilde, I couldn't seem to function properly, as I couldn't really believe that I had just murdered somebody. Luckily your father was there, so he could take charge of the situation, and cover up what I'd done. I certainly couldn't have done that, as I kept replaying what I had done, in my mind. It took me weeks to come to terms with what had happened".

"Father was pleased when I did it. He said I was now a man, and that boys don't become men until they have killed someone" admitted Salazar.
"Don't listen to him. Murder is not normal, and I don't want you to get into a habit of thinking that kind of thing is right or acceptable. You didn't have a choice tonight, because your father put you on the spot. But when you are fighting an opponent in battle, you always have a choice. And you can choose not to kill your enemies. There are plently of non-lethal spells out there. You don't have to kill everyone you come across" replied Genevieve.

"I've never seen father look like that. And it kind of scared me, how happy he looked at me killing someone" revealed Salazar.
"Most normal people do not get excited when they torture and murder people" informed Genevieve.
"Bellatrix does" countered Salazar.
"Well, Bellatrix is not normal. I expect she was there with you tonight, since your father won't go anywhere without his second in command"
"Yeah, she was there. She clapped her hands and jumped up and down, when I finished killing that family"
"She is deranged, that woman. Not all of your father's followers are like that".

"Do you think my soul has been ripped apart, now that I've committed murder?" Asked Salazar quietly.
"I don't know. I don't have all the answers... Some people do believe that killing is such an evil act, that it splits the soul. But there are 3 Unforgivable Curses, that are supposedly so evil, there is no redeeming yourself after using one of those spells. And no one has said for definite, what happens to your soul, when you use an Unforgivable Curse" answered Genevieve.

"I guess I'm a bad person now then, because I've killed someone. I could end up in Azkaban forever, if someone found out" mumbled Salazar.
"Listen to me, you are not a bad person. You are my son, and I will love and protect you forever. No one is going to hurt you, I promise. It is wrong to judge someone for their actions, if you don't know what options they had to choose from. You didn't have a choice tonight. So, even though you committed a bad act, deep down, you are not a killer. You don't enjoy causing other people pain. You are not your father".

Salazar sighed, and pushed himself up into a sitting position.
"I'm bound to end up just like him though, because I'm his son" said Salazar glumly.
"Just because you look like he used to, it does not mean you will end up like him. He killed several people before he was even 17. He was born different, and has never felt empathy for other people. Just because you are now working at his side, it doesn't mean your personality will change completely. We all have some say in what we become, and how we react to certain situations. It is up to you, to decide if you are going to let this bad things effect you" replied Genevieve.
"I killed an innocent family of 4, I can't just let that go and move on" admitted Salazar.

"I'm not saying that you should. But only you can decide what kind of person you want to be from now on. You can be caring and gentle, and still be a death eater. You don't have to let this act destroy you. And you don't have to kill everything in sight, from now now" insisted Genevieve.
"Isn't father going to expect me to use the killing curse from now on?" Questioned Salazar.
"Not necessarily. Now that you've used that spell, your father will believe you are evil and cold, like him. I doubt he is going to watch you closely during missions in the future, so you should be able to use stunning spells, without him noticing. But if you want to impress him with your body count, like Bellatrix, then that's up to you"
"No, I do not want to become a murderous psycho like her"
"Then don't become one. The choice is up to you".