Riddle and Grindelwald (book 2)

44. A Living Hell

When Gellert graduated from Ilvermorny, he began taking part in more and more missions for Tom.
Since him and Salazar were some of the most skilled people in Tom's army, he often had them lead missions for him, despite their young age.
With so many people at his disposal, Tom rarely attended the missions himself, preferring to send his death eaters to do his bidding.
This meant he could spend more time at home with Genevieve, while his followers risked their lives, on his behalf. But since Genevieve hated him putting his life on the line, she was glad that he was spending more time at home, and less time running into danger.
She just wished that her sons were allowed to do the same.

One evening in October, Genevieve and Tom were sharing a romantic meal alone together, when the dining room doors suddenly burst open.
Tom and Genevieve leapt to their feet, and grabbed their wands to defend themselves. But they relaxed slightly when they realised it was just a death eater.
"For Merlin's sake Dolohov, there is no need to burst in like that" scolded Tom.
"Sorry, my Lord" apologised Dolohov.
"How did you even get in?" Questioned Genevieve.
She knew that only her and her family could apparate inside the house.
Everyone else had to apparate outside, and knock to be let in.
"The butler let me in" explained Dolohov.

"What is so important that you felt the need to disturb my evening with my wife?" Questioned Tom.
"I'm afraid that I have to inform you that the mission today was a complete failure" answered Dolohov.
Tom frowned, "Why? What happened?".
"The death eaters were abushed by the Order of the Phoenix and several aurors" revealed Dolohov.
"Eugh, Dumbledore's stupid group, designed to defeat me. It's time we found a way to take them down, as they are becoming quite a nuisance. They are more organised than the aurors at the Ministry, so are much more of a threat. We need to get a spy in the Order, so that we can learn what they are up to".

"That sounds like a good idea. We can't afford to have them keep ambushing us like this" admitted Genevieve.
"No, we can't" agreed Tom.
"I have more bad news, my lord. Several death eaters were unmasked tonight, including Bellatrix Lestrange" revealed Dolohov.
Tom swore, and Genevieve couldn't help but feel happy that Tom's favourite servant was now not as useful to him, for her identity had been revealed to the world.
"This is not good" groaned Tom.
"No, my lord. Many death eaters were injured fighting the Order of the Phoenix, and some were even killed" informed Dolohov.
"Killed?" Questioned Tom.
"Yes, my Lord".

Genevieve suddenly felt an uneasy feeling in her stomach.
"Weren't the boys on this mission tonight?" She asked Tom.
"They were" answered Tom.
Genevieve frowned and turned back to face Dolohov, "Were my sons injured in the fight?".
Before he even answered, Genevieve knew what he was going to say, for the look on his face gave everything away.
"Yes, my lady, they were" Dolohov said quietly.
"How badly?" Questioned Genevieve.
Dolohov lowered his head.
"How badly?" Genevieve asked again.
"They're dead" revealed Dolohov.

Genevieve felt her world come crashing down around her.
Her two boys were dead, and even though she was one of the most powerful witches in the world, there was nothing she could do to change that. No spell could undo death.
"They can't be" said Tom, who didn't seem to believe what he was being told.
"I'm sorry, my lord, but Salazar and Gellert are both dead, I've seen their bodies" admitted Dolohov.
The sound of voices in the next room, brought Genevieve back to the present.
"What's going on out there?" She asked.
"They are bringing all the bodies into the house. We didn't know what else to do with them, so we decided to bring them all here" explained Dolohov.

Genevieve took off, with Tom following close behind her.
She had to see for herself that her sons were really dead.
Her and Tom burst into the next room, and saw several death eaters placing dead bodies onto the ground.
Genevieve ran straight passed the 3 bodies she didn't recognise, and headed for the 2 on the end, which she knew were her boys.
The moment she saw them, she felt everything stop around her.
She heard people talking, but she blocked it all out, focusing on nothing but her sons.
Their bodies were covered in blood, and their death eater robes were stained a dark crimson colour. But despite that, they looked peaceful, as if they were merely sleeping.

Genevieve couldn't seem to move.
Now that she could see her sons bodies, she seemed incapable of doing anything.
She didn't move, or speak or even cry, as she was too in shock to do anything at all.
Salazar was only 21, and Gellert was just 18. They were far too young to die.
In her mind they were still her babies, and never in her wildest dreams did she think that they would die before her.

"Mother".
The sound of her daughters voice snapped Genevieve out of her trance.
She looked around and saw Mathilde approaching from the direction of the library, with her maid Wendy, behind her.
Genevieve suddenly realised that if Mathilde got too close she would see all the bodies on the floor, and realise that 2 of them were her brothers.
"Stop! Don't come any closer" insisted Genevieve.
"What's going on?" Asked Mathilde.
"Wendy, take her back to her bedroom, but don't come this way" ordered Genevieve.

Wendy was taller than Mathilde, and she could see the bodies on the ground.
She peered closer at the ones beside Genevieve, and realised that they were the bodies of Gellert and Salazar.
Wendy gasped and placed her hand over her mouth.
"Take my daughter away from here!" Ordered Genevieve.
Wendy stared in horror at the boys, and didn't seem to hear Genevieve.
"My wife just gave a direct order! Weren't you listening, you stupid Muggle?" Shouted Tom.
Mathilde and Wendy both flinched at Tom's tone.
"Go, get out of here!" Continued Tom.
Wendy jumped, before placing her arm around Mathilde, and escorting her back the way they had come.

"Do not take your anger out on them, it is not Wendy who you are mad at" said Genevieve.
"I can be angry at whoever I like. You do not tell me what to do!" snapped Tom.
"Don't yell at me. I'm the one who just lost my sons! So, don't pretend that you cared about them, now that they are gone. You never loved them, so don't lie and say that you are as upset as me. I carried them inside me for 9 months, and raised them, when you couldn't be bothered. They were my children and now they are gone, and it is all your fault!" Screamed Genevieve.
She didn't care that there were half a dozen death eaters around them, listening to their conversation. Genevieve wanted Tom to know how angry she was, and that their sons deaths were his fault for being a terrible father.

The windows behind them suddenly exploded and Genevieve looked down at her hand which was still clasped around her wand, which she'd picked up when Dolohov entered the dining room earlier.
In her anger she had lost control and caused the windows to shatter, without even intentionally performing a spell.
The death eaters around them dived to the ground, to stop themselves from getting cut by the glass from the window, which was flying in all directions.
But neither Tom or Genevieve moved. They were in too much pain to care about getting cut by small blades of glass.

Once the glass had settled on the ground, Genevieve turned away from Tom and crouched down inbetween her sons bodies.
She placed her wand on the floor, so that she couldn't do any more damage. Then she took hold of her sons cold unmoving hands, and began to silently cry, as she couldn't hold back her grief any more.
Normally she kept her emotions in check when in the company of death eaters.
But right then she didn't care that everyone was watching her break down in tears.
Her sons were dead, so nothing else in the world mattered.