Back To Better A Tom Riddle Fanfiction Sequel

Chapter 9

Cassiopeia slowly walked down the stairs, taking in her surroundings as if she saw the building for the very first time. Everything was so dark. A mischievous grin crossed her face. If Tom really expected her to live here, he could prove whether he was actually ready to change anything by letting her change the appearance of this place.

With a swift movement she drew her wand. She hesitated for a moment before she waved it at the wall, replacing the dark and gloomy green tapestries with warm light beige ones. Then she looked at the window that was supposed to light the hall but was covered with a heavy dark curtain. With another movement of her wand the curtain flew aside, letting the sun immediately flow into the hallway. Cassiopeia couldn't help her lips twitching into a smile. Everything looked so much brighter and happier. Everything felt so much easier. She drew a deep breath.

A soft cough behind her made her turn around. Tom was standing on the upper platform, his eyebrows raised in his very own way, his forehead slightly furrowed.

"What exactly are you doing there?" He sounded slightly curious and slightly annoyed.

Cassiopeia shrugged. "I'm trying to make this place look a little happier, now that I'm going to live here." She smiled at him. "There's no need to make your surroundings look that depressing, don't you think?"

"Actually I didn't find them depressing. I was quite content with the way they were."

"I'm sure you will be content with the way they are going to be as well," Cassiopeia said sweetly. "If you want to change things, you can start here and now."

Tom looked back at her for a moment.  Then he shrugged. "Fine", he said, sitting down on the steps. "I'll watch and see if you're still that good at magic." He paused."It's not as if there was anything urgent for me to do anyways." He rested his chin on his hand and kept looking at her.

Cassiopeia cocked her head and waved her wand again.

****

Many miles away Avery was sitting in an armchair in his study, facing the fireplace, a glass of firewhiskey in his hand, absentmindedly glancing into the flames. On his lap lay a sheet of parchment, filled with the scrawly handwriting of a schoolboy. Avery was rubbing his thumb against the glass in his hand, trying to get his thoughts straight. He glanced back at the letter and picked it up again. Titus had written a lot, but it was easy to see that the letter mainly revolved around one person, or rather two, to put it straight. Grace Houlton. And Cassiopeia Houlton.

Avery swallowed. He didn't know what had happened to Cassiopeia. All he knew was that the last time he had seen him, they had been ordered to defend a cottage that had been heavily attacked. And even though no one had ever asked and no one had ever talked about it, it didn't take a genius to guess that it had to do with Cassiopeia, because after all, Avery was quite positive that she had been the only human he had ever cared to defend. Yet, even though they had done their best, things had not looked too bright and when they had been ordered to disapparate, the last thing he had seen from the corner of his eye had been a blast of fire.

And then, seemingly from one day to the next, everything had changed. He had disappeared from the world's surface as if he had never existed. The world order he, no, they had spent several decades creating, had been lost within mere weeks. It had cost them all their skills to not end up in Azkaban.

And now there was this girl at Hogwarts, apparently Cepheus Houlton's granddaughter, who was asking too many questions about her great-aunt. And there was Titus, his grandson, who was  apparently very eager to help the girl get the knowledge she craved. Avery took a deep breath. Somehow, it simply felt wrong to share his knowledge about Cassiopeia, without informing him. Granted, no one knew where he had disappeared to, or what had happened to him.

But one thing Avery was sure of. He was not dead. He was out there, somewhere, and no one of his former inner circle was safe if they were to betray him.

Yet, Avery surely wanted nothing less than to betray the Dark Lord whom he had served practically his entire life.

Even though he didn't understand crazy Bellatrix who had preferred being imprisoned in Azkaban instead of finding a way to save her own life, he had not abandoned his loyalty to the Dark Lord. He had found a way out and he had taken it, because, after all, if the Dark Lord ever chose to return, of what use would anyone be who had been nearly starved to death by a bunch of dementors?

Avery took a sip of firewhiskey. Then he leaned forward and put the glass down on the table in front of him. With a slow movement he rolled up his left sleeve. He glanced at the familiar outline that was covering his inner forearm and bit his lip. What would happen if he signalled the Dark Lord? Would he be angry? Would he even react?

Avery took a deep breath. Maybe he over-interpreted the letter. Maybe he should just answer. Or maybe he shouldn't answer at all.

Slightly annoyed by his own indecisiveness Avery got up and the letter fell to the floor. He walked a few steps towards the window. Then he made up his mind and with a quick movement he pulled his wand. There was only one thing he had to do. He took another deep breath and with a swift movement he pressed the tip of his wand against his skin, making the faint outline of the mark turn a deep black. Then he removed his wand and stared at the mark, a little anxiously waiting for what was going to happen.

*******

Tom was still sitting on the stairs, watching Cassiopeia perform some meaningless spells on the interior of his lair when suddenly he felt Avery's mark burning. Without thinking he drew a sharp breath, making Cassiopeia turn around and face him.

"What happened?", she asked, letting her wand sink immediately, looking alarmed.

Tom pursed his lips. "It's Avery," he said through clenched teeth.

"Avery? His mark?" With a few steps Cassiopeia was next to Tom. "What does that mean?"

"I don't know." Tom shrugged, but Cassiopeia could tell that his mind was racing. Yet he obviously wasn't intending to share his thoughts. Cassiopeia narrowed her eyes.

"What are you going to do? This could be a trap."

"I know." Tom slowly got up. "But I intend to find out."

"I'm coming with you." Cassiopeia immediately said with determination.

"You...," Tom started saying, but then he stopped and looked back at her. "I guess I won't be able to talk you out of it anyways?"

"Quite right," Cassiopeia retorted, cocking her head. "So you better share your plan with me." She grinned. "That is, if you even have one."

Tom smirked. "I always have a plan even if it might be a bad one." Then he pulled his wand and summoned two cloaks. "Ok, there's not much of a plan right now. We'll go to Avery's manor. We'll see what's up." He handed one of the cloaks to Cassiopeia.

Cassiopeia nodded. "Be careful."

Tom huffed. "I'm not the one constantly trying to die. So it's rather up to you to be careful, I'd say."

With a loud crack he disapparated and Cassiopeia hurried to follow suit.

*****

Author's Note: I sincerely apologize for the long wait but thanks for reading, voting and commenting! I hope you enjoy the chapter! More to come soon!