Riddle And Grindelwald (Book 3)

50. The Horcrux Seeker

A few weeks after Harry's escape from Malfoy Manor, Genevieve and Tom were summoned back there again. And this time they recieved even worse news.
Harry had broken into Gringotts, and escaped from the Lestrange family vault on a dragon.
Tom stood in the middle of the drawing room at the Malfoy Manor, in front of a semi-circle of Gringotts employees and goblins.
The Malfoy's and Bellatrix stood at the side of the room, while Genevieve was stood at Tom's side as normal.

One of the goblins had just revealed that Harry had escaped Gringotts, carrying a small golden cup in his hand.
Since Tom's Horcrux, Helga Hufflepuff's cup, resided in the Lestrange vault, both Tom and Genevieve were worried that Harry had taken it.
"What did you just say to me?" Tom questioned the trembling goblin at his feet.
"M-my l-lord... we tried to stop them, the imposters. But they managed to break into the Lestranges' vault" stuttered the goblin.

"Imposters? I thought Gringotts had ways of revealing imposters, so how did they get in?" Demanded Tom.
"I- I don't know, my lord" mumbled the goblin.
"Who were these imposters?" Quizzed Tom.
"It was that Potter boy, and two accomplices"
"And what did they take? Tell me! What did they take?"
"A small golden cup, my lord".

Tom screamed, and slashed the Elder Wand through the air, killing the goblin.
As he continued waving his wand around, more Gringotts employees dropped to the floor, as the room filled with green light.
Lucius and Bellatrix began pushing people behind them, as they fled for the door, to escape the slaughter.
Even Genevieve took a step back, afraid that Tom might hurt her accidentally.

Once all the bank employees were dead, and they were alone, Genevieve stepped closer to Tom.
"Are you O.K?" She asked.
"How can I be? What if Potter has discovered my secret?" Asked Tom.
Before replying, Genevieve flicked her wand at all the doors, locking them.
"Muffliato" she whispered, ensuring that no one over heard them.
"With the diary destroyed and the cup missing, I am losing my anchors to immortality" admitted Tom, as he began pacing up and down the room.

"Calm down, there is no need to become anxious or jump to any conclusions" said Genevieve soothingly.
"What if more of my Horcruxes have been destroyed, without my knowledge?" Questioned Tom.
"Wouldn't you have felt them being destroyed?" Asked Genevieve.
"I don't know. I didn't feel the diary being destroyed, but I thought that was just because I wasn't human at the time, so I couldn't feel anything"
"I think you are worrying unnecessarily. How on earth would Harry have been able to find out that you have Horcruxes? And how would the boy have been able to get through the magical enchantments you placed around them?".

"Dumbledore" muttered Tom.
"I never told Dumbledore about your Horcruxes! You know that, you've read my mind, so you know that I never betrayed you like that. I never would have told Dumbledore how to destroy you, because I love you" insisted Genevieve.
"I'm not blaming you. I'm just saying that Dumbledore has always suspected that I took drastic measures to stay alive. So, it isn't a stretch to say that he might have discovered that I made Horcruxes".

"But your Horcruxes are well protected. Besides, how would Dumbledore even have known where you hid them?" Questioned Genevieve.
"I don't know. But, if he did some digging into my past, he might have discovered my relationship to the Gaunts" answered Tom.
"Well, the ring at the Gaunt shack was the least protected Horcrux, so that being destroyed is no big deal. But surely there was no way Dumbledore could have gotten to the locket? You told me about all the dark magical enchantments you placed around the lake inside that cave, so, I don't see how an old and feeble Dumbledore managed to get past them, even if he did manage to learn that you had a Horcrux in that cave" replied Genevieve.

"You always told me that I underestimated Dumbledore, now that's the very thing you are doing. Dumbledore could have found out that I tormented some Muggles at the orphanage in that cave. It wouldn't have been hard for him to get the address of the sea-side town, that I used to visit with the orphanage. So, he might have been able to find the cave, and break through the barriers I placed" admitted Tom.
"We are basing a lot on guess work here. We don't know for sure that Harry is hunting your Horcruxes on Dumbledore's orders. And even if what you say is true, there is no way Harry can break into Hogwarts, not with Snape there. No one can enter Hogsmeade undetected right now, let alone Hogwarts" reminded Genevieve.
"I suppose that's true. Although it would be prudent to warn Snape, just in case Potter is foolish enough to go there" replied Tom.

"If what we fear is true, you know for certain that you will not die, for Harry will never get his hands on Nagini. She is safe at home, so you are never going to die" insisted Genevieve.
"We should return home to check on her, immediately" announced Tom.
"O.K, let's do that, if it will put your mind at ease" replied Genevieve.
"And then we must check the Gaunt shack and the cave, to see if my Horcruxes are still there. I will bring Nagini with us, for I can't risk leaving her alone, not if Potter is really hunting my Horcruxes"
"Alright, let's do that".

"I can't believe I was stupid enough to trust Lucius and Bellatrix with my Horcruxes. History has proven that trusting people is always a mistake. And I can't believe how careless and foolish I was to ever trust anyone but myself" admitted Tom.
Genevieve took hold of Tom's hands and squeezed them tight.
"Trusting people is not always a stupid thing to do. You couldn't have kept all the Horcruxes at our old house, and you know it. For having them in one place was dangerous, and would have made destroying them so much easier. Trusting is not the issue here, and you shouldn't stop trusting, just because the people you chose to trust, let you down" insisted Genevieve.
"You mean like you?" Said Tom coldly.

Genevieve sighed and let go of Tom's hands.
"I have hidden our daughter from you, and you can call that a betrayal if you want. And I may have helped feed an old prisoner. But I did not release that prisoner or help anyone else free him. Nor did I ever tell Dumbledore anything about you, no matter how many times I saw him. You can trust me. Because despite everything I have done to protect Mathilde, I never told anyone about your Horcruxes. You and I are soul mates, and I will never love another man as much as I love you. You have my heart, and you know it" insisted Genevieve.

Tom placed his hand on Genevieve's face, and stroked her cheek with his thumb.
"You have been by my side every step of the way. And if my Horcruxes are being destroyed, one by one, I will need you now more than ever" admitted Tom.
"And I will be here, helping you succeed and stay alive, as I have always been. I will not lose you Vee, or let anyone take you from me. For you are all I have" replied Genevieve.
"Let's go then. We need to check on Nagini, and then send a message to Snape, before heading to my Horcrux hiding places".
Genevieve nodded and placed herself into Tom's arms, so that they could disapparate back home, to make sure that the Horcrux inside Nagini, was still intact. So that Tom's immortality was not in question.