Snow White

Part 3

Tom had been away at his special school. He had not elaborated on why it was so 'special' just that it was an advanced school for advanced children. Tom did not want to tell you about the wizarding world. Not yet, he needed that trick up his sleeve just in case you tried to act out in the future.

You had never given any indication that you knew of the wizarding world's existence. After Tom found out that his father was a muggle and that his wizarding abilities had to come from the Gaunts or what he assumed was your side of the family he looked for your name to see if you were anywhere in the Gaunts history, but he found nothing. Once again, he felt his rage begin to build. Tom thought Marvolo was ashamed of you for being a squib and perhaps Obliviated you to make you forget of your powerful lineage. Tom felt figurately closer to you than he ever had, both of you with great destinies, being tossed by an ungrateful father. Your destiny of course was giving birth and taking care of Tom, and Tom knew his destiny was returning glory to the house of Slytherin and taking the wizarding world to make it better and be the most powerful wizard to exist.

Tom knew once he had the wizarding world that he would be able to have you with him always. You would finally be where you belonged in a magic world that was lorded by your all-powerful son, who would always protect you the way you always protected him.

Tom's daydream was cut short when an older Slytherin started teasing him. All of the other children in Slytherin recognized Tom's superiority, but this one seventh year was too dull to take the hint. "Oh, is the filthy little mud-blood writing in his diary?" the older boy asked before snatching the journal up. You had given him that journal. Every year for his birthday you gave him a new one. Each one looked the exact same as the last, but Tom did not mind. He liked that it had his name, so people would not touch it, and it was practical. You knew him so well.

"You're writing about your filthy muggle mother! Muggles are only good for-" Tom snatched his journal back and tucked it into his cloak.

"Watch your mouth or I will make you regret it, my mother is a Gaunt, a pure-blood," Tom said coldly.

"Then she is a disgusting blood-traitor which is even worse than a muggle or muggle-born and I see you for what you are, a weak little half-blood. I do not see why the other members of Slytherin treat you so well, you will never live up to the greatness of Salazar Slytherin, and your mother should be thrown in Azkaban for being a blood traitor and for bringing such a pathetic little boy into the world." The older boy had stepped closer to Tom, trying to be as intimidating as possible, but Tom's eyes seemed to have no emotion in them. No fear, no anger, no sadness, happiness, or even disgust. The older boy began to regret his decision to go this far, and he began to step back to take his leave.

"You are going to regret everything," Tom called out as the older boy began to walk faster away from Tom. A few days later the boy was expelled from Hogwarts and shortly after thrown in prison for the alleged heinous murder and dismemberment of two muggle-borns and one half-blood. In the boy's trunk, they also found more strategically written plans to go after more muggle-borns, half-bloods, and blood traitors.

The older boy went crazy insisting it was not him that committed the crimes, that it was Tom who was blaming him. Nobody believed him though, not even Dumbledore. It was already shocking to find a seventh year killed three grown adults, let alone someone smaller than the seventh year, but the gossip around the school died down quickly as it was time for the students to leave Hogwarts for the summer.

Tom was ready to see you, to ask questions that revolved around the Gaunts to see if you remembered anything about them.

"Hello mother, I hope you were not too lonely while I was gone," that was a lie. Tom hoped you had been terribly lonely while he was away. Maybe that would show you that you only had him for comfort.

"Well, of course, I was not lonely. I still help out at the orphanage while you are gone. Even if Ms. Cole is not the most pleasant person to be around." You said while helping him load his school stuff into the car. His charming smile and smug demeanor were gone in an instant.

"I told you I do not like you leaving the house without me, especially to that cesspool." Tom seemed to be chastising you, or at least trying to. He made a mental note to find a way to keep you in the house, or at least away from Wool's Orphanage.

"Tom..." You said as the two of you got in the car.

"Don't 'Tom' me! It's dangerous without me here to protect you. What happens if you get mugged or taken by someone trying to sell you?" Tom hated to appear so emotional, but that was the easiest way to deal with you when you had your 'discussions'.

"You can always count on me to be waiting for you at the train station, I am always safe," That did not seem to ease Tom any. He was still incredibly tense and now he was avoiding looking at you by looking out the window of the car. Tom sat like that for the rest of the car ride. When you arrived home, he quickly got out before you could say anything.

You followed behind, but not too quickly. When you entered the house Tom was sitting at the dining room table. "Mother, I want to ask you about something."

You did not speak to let him continue "What do you know of Marvolo Gaunt?"