Riddle and Grindelwald (book 2)

50. No Way Back

Genevieve wasn't well enough to return home for the rest of the day, so she stayed in the room at the Hog's Head, with Dumbledore at her side.
Together, they planned out how they were going to get Mathilde away from Tom, without him being suspicious of either of them.
Once Genevieve was feeling slightly better, Dumbledore wanted to apparate her back home. But she refused his offer, for she didn't want him to know where her and Tom lived.
Although she wanted to protect Mathilde, she still didn't want any harm to come to Tom, because she still loved him. Which is why she didn't want anyone in the Order, knowing where she lived.

Genevieve couldn't bare to hold her dead child's body in her arms, so Dumbledore gave her a woven basket to place him in.
She then apparated directly into the middle of the house, where she found Tom waiting for her.
"What time do you call this? You're never normally back this late. You missed dinner..." Tom faltered when he saw the devastated look on Genevieve's face.
Unable to stand any longer, Genevieve placed the basket on the floor, and collapsed into Tom's arms.
"What happened? Did someone hurt you? Why couldn't I apparate to your side?" Questioned Tom, as he knelt down onto the floor, holding Genevieve tight in his arms.

"I took my ring off, to stop you finding me, because I wanted to be alone... I lost our baby" revealed Genevieve, as silent tears fell down her eyes.
"What do you mean?" Asked Tom.
"I gave birth too soon, the baby didn't stand a chance" explained Genevieve, as she pointed to the basket, which contained her baby's body.
"Why did you go into labour so early?"
"I don't know. I have a theory that it's got something to do with me making a Horcrux"
"Don't be silly"
"I'm not. Think about it. I had three healthy children before I made a Horcrux. Then I split my soul in two, and gave birth early to a deformed baby".

"The child was deformed?" Frowned Tom, as he crinkled his nose in disgust.
"Yes. He wouldn't have lived, even if I'd given birth on the right day" answered Genevieve.
"It was a boy?" Questioned Tom.
"Yes. We would have had a son... Whatever happened to my body today has wrecked my insides forever. I think half of my womb fell out, as I bled to death in a cave. Luckily some people found me, and saved me. But my body was so badly damaged, that I will never be able to have any more children"
"I see... If Mathilde really is going to be our only child, then she will have to become my successor. There is no other option left to us".

Genevieve pushed herself up into a standing position, so that she didn't have to rely on Tom.
"You are not to touch her until she gets her wand when she turns 11. She is still a child, and I want her to have a happy childhood, since neither of us got one. So, you are not to begin teaching her your ways, until she turns 11" informed Genevieve.
She knew that she had to protect Mathilde, until her and Dumbledore's plan could be put into action.
"Alright, fine. I will allow her to remain innocent, until she turns 11, for your sake" sighed Tom.
"Thank you" mumbled Genevieve.

"Are you sure you're O.K though? You don't look too good" commented Tom.
"I'll be fine, I just lost a lot of blood, that's all" reassured Genevieve.
"Your face looks rather pale" admitted Tom.
"That's what happens when you lose as much blood as I did. For all I know, I would have died, had I not had a Horcrux, anchoring me to life"
"It's a good thing I forced you to make a Horcrux then"
"This incident wouldn't have happened if I never made a Horcrux in the first place"
"You don't know that for sure. You could have lost the baby, because of your age. You cannot be sure that this happened, because you made a Horcrux"
"No, I can't be sure. But everything went wrong when I split my soul, so it seems safe to say that I lost my child because of the Horcrux".

Genevieve looked over at the basket, and walked away from Tom, towards it.
"I'm going to bury him in the garden beside his brothers. Do you want to come with me?" Asked Genevieve.
"No. I think it would be best if you did it alone. Besides, I have work to do" admitted Tom.
"O.K... I'm not going to come across another body in the ground when I get there, am I?" Questioned Genevieve.
"What do you mean?"
"Caradoc Dearborn isn't buried in the garden is he?"
"No. I certainly wouldn't have placed him in the ground anywhere near our sons. I didn't bury him on our property at all, as I didn't want that man's death to be celebrated like our boys".

"Alright then, I had better go and do this. I guess I'll see you later" sighed Genevieve, as she picked up the basket and headed outside, leaving Tom behind.
Two large stone statues stood at the end of the garden, each one representing one of Genevieve's children.
She placed her hand on each of them, before turning to the empty space beside them.
Genevieve flicked her wand at the ground, creating a large crater which she could place her baby's body into.

Genevieve said a silent prayer in her head, before covering her sons body up with mud.
She then flicked her wand again, creating a small stone, which she could write her sons date of birth and death on.
Since she had not reached the end of her pregnancy, she hadn't named her child yet.
But as she didn't want her baby's headstone to look empty, she decided to make up a name for him, there and then.

Genevieve pointed her wand at the stone, and carved out her sons name into the rock, along with a message.
'Here lies Albus Aberforth Slytherin. An angel who was too good for this world, so has returned to his home in the sky'.
Genevieve had decided to name him after the two men who had tried to save her life that day.
She knew Tom was unlikely to visit the grave, so he would never see what she had named their son.
And even if he did find out, Genevieve didn't care, for she had chosen to go behind his back, to keep Mathilde safe.
She had decided to put her daughters happiness before her husband's, and there was no turning back now.