Riddle and Grindelwald (book 2)

48. The Wicked Shall Not Go Unpunished

**trigger warning. This chapter is going to be dark and traumatic. If you are currently in a fragile state of mind, I would suggest skipping this chapter, in particular the first half.**

Every time Genevieve left her house, she removed her wedding ring, so that Tom would never be able to track her, or apparate to her side, because she wanted her space.
She was terrified that she was going to have another son, and that he was going to be raised from birth to become a killer like his father.
But she was just as scared that she was going to have a girl, for that meant Mathilde could end up becoming a death eater like her brothers.
Although Genevieve would do anything to protect her children, she was unsure of how she was going to keep them safe from their own father.
Tom was the most powerful and dangerous wizard alive, who had an army at his command. Genevieve on the other hand, had nothing.

When Genevieve was around 6 months pregnant, she was walking through Hogsmeade when she suddenly felt a strange cramping in her stomach.
She knew that she couldn't be in labour yet, for it was far too soon for her to give birth.
The pain began to escalate, and Genevieve didn't think she would be able to apparate successfully in that condition.
She decided to find somewhere quiet to sit and wait for the pain to pass. So she made her way out of the town, and into a small cave near the Hog's Head.

Once she was safely inside the cave, Genevieve collapsed onto the floor.
Pain gripped her, and she couldn't help but scream in agony.
She had no idea what was happening, but she felt as if her insides were trying to tear apart.
Genevieve heard something splash onto the floor, and she looked down at her legs which were now covered in blood.
A large pool of red liquid formed around Genevieve, as she continued to bleed.
She was in too much pain to think clearly, and she was struggling to stay conscious, as the blood loss was making her weak.

Since she had a Horcrux, Genevieve wasn't too concerned for her own life, but that of her unborn child, who was not immortal like her.
She was worried about what would happen if she continued bleeding.
Suddenly she felt a searing pain and the urge to push.
Genevieve quickly pulled down her blood stained tights and removed her underwear.
Unable to stop herself, Genevieve then pushed, even though she was certain her child would not survive being born so early.

After several pushes she felt something leave her body, along with a lot more blood.
Genevieve looked down at the floor and saw a small unmoving figure inbetween her legs.
She attempted to sit up, but more blood left her, causing her eyes to roll back in her head.
Since she could not stay conscious any longer, Genevieve fell backwards, passing out on the floor, in a pool of her own blood, beside her still baby, which was yet to make any noise at all.

****

When Genevieve opened her eyes she found herself lying in a bed, inside a small room that she didn't recognise.
And the room was not empty, for in a chair beside her, sat Albus Dumbledore.
Genevieve attempted to push herself up, but her body resisted all movement.
"I would lie still if I were you" warned Dumbledore.
Genevieve ignored him, and pushed herself up into a sitting position.
This caused her stomach to contract, and she ended up leaning over the bed and vomiting on the floor.

"I did warn you" sighed Dumbledore, as he flicked his wand at the floor, causing Genevieve's vomit to disappear.
"Where's my wand?" Asked Genevieve, who was terrified that the Order of the Phoenix were going to burst through the door any second and arrest her.
Dumbledore reached into his pocket and pulled out a wand, which he then handed to Genevieve, who snatched it and clutched it tightly to her chest.
"Where are we?" Questioned Genevieve, as she looked closer at the strange room.
"We are in a room above the Hog's Head" answered Dumbledore.

"How did you find me?" Quizzed Genevieve, as she pulled the bed covers closer to herself.
"My brother Aberforth is actually the barman of this pub. He saw you heading into the mountains earlier, by yourself. He said that you seemed to be quite unwell, which is why he sent a message to me, so that I could go and find you" revealed Dumbledore.
"Why did you come? It could have been a trap, to get you to lower your guard and come alone. And even if you didn't think that was likely, why would you want to help me?" Asked Genevieve.
"You really think I would turn down the chance to offer my assistance to someone who needed my help?".

"You know what I am, Dumbledore. You know who I have become. And I'm not your student anymore, so I'm no longer an innocent child in need of protecting. I'm nearly 50 years old, and I have committed terrible crimes since I last saw you. So, you have no reason to help me" admitted Genevieve.
"No matter the things you have done, I would still come and offer you my help, if you needed it" informed Dumbledore.
"Why? Is it for my father's sake? Is it because you feel guilty about putting him in jail and leaving me basically an orphan?"
"It is not because of your father, no. You were once my student, and if any of my ex students needed help, I would give them my aid".

Genevieve raised an eyebrow, "Even Tom?".
"He might be the one exception to the rule, for I believe he is beyond anybodies help" sighed Dumbledore.
"I am just like him though" mumbled Genevieve.
"I do not think that for a second. You and Tom Riddle are very different people"
"He doesn't go by Tom Riddle, anymore than I go by Genevieve Walden. Those people are dead".

"You were very nearly dead when I reached you. Your pulse was so weak that I feared I was too late to save you" admitted Dumbledore.
"You shouldn't have worried about me" muttered Genevieve, as her thoughts turned to her own immortality.
"Seeing you covered in blood, reminded me of that time I found you after you splinched yourself by apparating across Europe" replied Dumbledore.
"Back then, you patched me up and sat by my side, just like you are doing now. You made me better... But I fear that this time I cannot be healed by a wave of your wand. My wounds run too deep. My life has scarred me mentally as well as physically".

"I noticed. You seem very different to the last time I saw you" commented Dumbledore.
"Well, I was only 18 back then. A lot has happened since the day I accused you of sending me threatening letters, and I've changed a lot since then" agreed Genevieve.
"Did you ever find out who was threatening you?" Questioned Dumbledore.
"Yes. His name was Alec Wilde. He tried to hurt me, so I killed him. And then me and Tom disappeared for 10 years. When we returned we were not the same people. I left London with Tom, and came back with Lord Voldemort".

Genevieve winced as she tried to get comfier on the bed, and she placed her hand on her empty stomach.
She knew she had to ask Dumbledore the question she had been dreading, ever since she woke up.
"When you found me in the cave, was the baby... I mean, is it alive?" Asked Genevieve quietly.
Dumbledore lowered his head, "I'm afraid that I was unable to revive it. I do not believe it had a chance of surviving. It was too small" revealed Dumbledore.
"I thought so. It was born too soon" replied Genevieve.

"It was more than that. The child seemed twisted and deformed. I do not think it would have lived, even if you had carried it to term. And although I was able to save your life, you lost quite a lot of blood. I also believe parts of your body were destroyed when you went into early labour. I'm sorry to tell you this, but I don't think you will ever be able to conceive again" admitted Dumbledore.
"Thank you for your candour" mumbled Genevieve.

Genevieve frowned, and began to wonder how everything had gone so wrong.
She had felt all along that this pregnancy was different from her first three, but she had never expected her child to be born deformed.
Genevieve had assumed she felt different about this child, because it was not conceived during an act of love, like her other children.
It was then that she realised what had changed since she had given birth to Mathilde.
She had made a Horcrux, and split her soul in two using dark magic.
This had clearly made her unable to carry children from then on, because her body was now corrupted and warped.
She had killed her child, and she would never be able to give birth ever again.