Riddle And Grindelwald (Book 3)

5. Fugitive

It took Genevieve a while to adjust to her new life.
Having access to a bath and a shower for the first time in 14 years, was a pleasant change. As was sleeping in the same bed as Tom each night.
She was also loving the new clothes Tom had bought her, which is why she burned her prison clothes, for she never wanted to wear them ever again.
Genevieve attended all of the death eater meetings, since they were held at her house, and she didn't want to be apart from Tom from any length of time.
After spending so many years alone, neither of them wanted to spend any time away from each other.
Genevieve also had a lot of catching up to do, as did Tom. So they spent most evenings reading through old Daily Prophet's that Wormtail had managed to find for them, to find out what had happened in the world while they were absent.

"It's official" Tom announced one morning during breakfast, when an owl arrived bringing the Daily Prophet.
"What's official?" Questioned Genevieve.
"You are now a wanted criminal" answered Tom.
Genevieve frowned, "I've been out of prison for nearly a month now. What's taken them so long to tell everyone that I'm loose?".
"I expect the Ministry hoped that they would be able to find you in one of your safe houses, before anyone realised that you were missing"
"They can't really have expected me to return to any of Gellert's safe houses that they discovered after his downfall"
"Well, we know that those at the Ministry only have about one brain cell between them. Which is probably why they were stupid enough to think that you would return to some place that they know about".

"When we take over, we will need to hire some competent people to work at the Ministry alongside us... Since they are denying your return, what excuse have they come up with, to explain my escape from Nurmengard? How do they think I got out?" Asked Genevieve.
"It says here, that you and you father conspired together, and were able to escape using dark magic" informed Tom.
"It's a bit hard to use dark magic without a wand. Honestly, the stuff they come up with to deny your existence, just gets worse and worse" admitted Genevieve.
"I know. The papers also say that you and Gellert are currently in Europe, so no one in Britain needs to worry about either of you. They are trying their best to stop everyone from panicking"
"They are going to get a shock then, when they see me fighting at your side, and not hiding in Bulgaria with my father".

"I don't want them seeing us fighting together yet, for it works in my favour, to have the Ministry doubt my return" reminded Tom.
"I know. It's just a shame that Dumbledore and his Order of the Phoenix, do know that you are back. Our lives would be easier if they didn't know the truth, and weren't trying to keep the prophecy from you" admitted Genevieve.
"Dumbledore has been discredited for claiming that I have returned, so very few people want to help him. Which will make it harder for him to rebuild his army. He had his Order of Merlin taken away, and he lost his seat on the Wizengamot. So everyone thinks that he is losing it"
"Despite all that, we still shouldn't underestimate him"
"No, underestimating the old fool has always been a flaw of mine".

"Now that I'm a figutive, is there a reward for my capture?" Questioned Genevieve, as she tried to turn the attention away from Dumbledore.
Tom turned his head back to the Prophet, "Yes. 100 galleons reward, for anyone who knows of your whereabouts".
"Wow. That's a lot of money. Perhaps you should turn me in, we could do with the money" replied Genevieve.
"I expect the reward will increase, the longer you remain on the run" admitted Tom.
Genevieve looked around at the mansion she was sitting in, and chuckled, "I don't exactly feel like I'm on the run".

"I expect the Ministry think we live in huts and caves, like animals" said Tom.
"We used to live like that, when we were travelling. But you promised me that I would never have to live like that again" reminded Genevieve.
Tom leaned across the table and took hold of Genevieve's hand.
"I did. And I promise you now, that I will never let the Ministry hurt you, or separate us, ever again" replied Tom.
"I was devastated when I thought I'd lost you. I knew you had Horcruxes to keep you alive. But as the years went by, I started to lose hope that I would ever see you again" admitted Genevieve.
"I'm sorry for doing that to you. Thinking of you, was one of the only things that got me through my isolation in Albania".

"I knew you would have gone to the Ravenclaw ruins in Albania to hide. For no one but me and the Grey Lady, knew of its existence. But I couldn't find you, for I was incarcerated as soon as you went missing. If someone like Lucius had busted me out of custody, before I was sent to Nurmengard, then I could have found you years ago" said Genevieve angrily, as she let go of Tom's hand, and clenched her fists.
"I know. But unlike you, my death eaters didn't know about my Horcruxes, so they thought that I was really gone. Which is why they didn't help you" sighed Tom.
"I wish I could go back in time and change things. I spent so long being angry at you when we lost our children. I wish that I had cherished you back then, instead of being mad and upset. You never know how little time you have left, until its gone".

"We both made mistakes in our old life. I should have treated you better, and not argued with you so much" admitted Tom.
"And I should have been more helpful. I also shouldn't have blamed you for things that were out of your control. There was nothing you could have done to bring back our children, and I should have accepted that, instead of turning away from you" replied Genevieve.
"I forgive you, for how you acted back then. But now we must look to the future. I spent too many years plotting my take over last time, and that was the problem. This time though, I will be more proactive. And I swear to you, that we will in power by the end of the decade" announced Tom.
"That only gives you a couple of years to overthrow the Ministry and defeat Dumbledore"
"And I will do it, to prove to you and the rest of the world, that I really am the greatest sorcerer of all time".