the end, again - tom riddle

chapter five

A/N: This chapter is shorter and I apologize. I hope you enjoy though, and as always, please notify me of any errors you notice. 

Edited: 2/12/22

September 13th, 1951.

Mara stared at herself in the mirror.

It was Saturday, the day of Riddle's party. She didn't know why she agreed to go, honestly. It had been a spur of the moment decision after the success of the first dueling club meeting. He had said they would have alcohol and she felt like adding a little bit of chaos to her life. What could go wrong? A drunk Mara, which she definitely would be at least slightly pissed before she left, and a bunch of new Death Eaters who may or may not know about the whole time traveling stint. Ah, yes. The perfect way to spend a Saturday night. Testing fate.

But enough with those thoughts, she had jewelry to pick out and one last layer of lipstick to apply. Mara was dressed in a plain black floor length dress. It had loose sleeves that rested below her shoulders and a semi-tight bodice with flowing skirts. A pair of plain black heels accompanied it along with a black hand purse that fit perfectly in her hand.

There were no glamors on any of her tattoos or piercings tonight. She wore the ink that littered the exposed skin of her arms and chest proudly. Magical tattoos were not cheap and she had not paid for them just for it to go to waste after accidentally ending up in the fifties.

She had already picked out her earrings and kept her nose ring in, so the last thing she needed was a necklace. She sorted through the jewelry box she had recently purchased in Hogsmeade and the pieces she had compulsively got with it when a knock sounded.

"Come in." she called, and picked up two necklaces to try on in the mirror.

Riddle strolled in dressed in a simple black suit. His hair was, of course, pushed back neatly yet artfully. There wasn't a wrinkle to be seen in his suit and his shoes were polished and shiny. Was this a fancy party or was he just incapable of dressing casually? She hoped it was the latter because this was definitely not a fancy dress.

"You look lovely." he said, coming to stand next to her in the mirror.

"I would look even better if I could choose the right necklace." she muttered and held each up to her neck. "What do you think? The simple short one or the long one with the diamonds?"

"Diamonds. They match your earrings."

Mara nodded and placed the shorter of the two necklaces back in the jewelry box. Riddle stepped closer when she was about to put the longer one on.

"May I?" he asked, but already had it in his hand. She lifted the little hair around her neck and he pulled it around and closed the clasp.

"Perfect." she said.

He nodded in agreement and offered his arm. "You really do look magnificent, Mara."

"As do you, Riddle." She took it easily as she had numerous times already. Men with manners, it was new for her.

When they left her room, Mara locked it and silently checked the wards. Satisfied, they walked on until they reached the gates where Riddle could side-along apparate them.

"How many people will be there?" she asked just before they apparated. She wasn't nervous or anything, she just wanted to be prepared for what she was up against. It was a question she probably should've asked yesterday at dueling club. Or any time that week.

"Maybe seven or so. It's just a few former classmates from the Ministry."

When he'd asked her initially, those classmates had been 'friends'. A worthless observation, but one nonetheless.