Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

Epilogue

Platform 9 ¾ was as chaotic as it had been every year since it had been built. Mothers cried outside the windows of the Hogwarts Express, waving handkerchiefs in the air that had long since been sodden with tears. Schoolchildren dressed in multi-colored robes chased each other down the cobblestones. The hems of their cloaks flared in the air as the conductor gave a warning call. The train would be departing soon.

Yet, a strange couple stood separate from it all, a quiet contrast to the life bubbling about them. The woman's blonde hair was streaked with white, although there was a youthful smile to her lips as she turned to tease her husband.

"Do you ever wish we would have had some of our own?"

The man beside her rolled his eyes. While the small wrinkles on his face spoke of age, his curls were still dark, as if he had charmed them to retain their original color. "And have grubby hands destroy all our research? I don't feel I've missed out on anything." He grimaced as a mother with a squealing baby darted in front of them, her long curls streaming out behind her. "Why did we have to come?"

Animo Riddle eyed her husband reproachfully, despite the arm he had slunk around her waist. Her violet eyes still made the occasional passerby stop and stare. It was becoming less and less frequent that they recognized her relation to her brother, but such moments were painful all the same.

"I wanted to see him."

Tom inhaled a deep breath through his nose as a gentle breeze whittled across the platform, carrying with it the smell of steam and chocolate. "It's been nearly fifty years, Ani. Times have changed."

"Exactly." Animo folded her arms over her chest, wrinkling her suitcoat. In the years since Gellert's death, she and Tom had pursued a reclusive life, their whereabouts only known by their closest friends. They had spent their years traveling the globe, collecting information about all manner of objects and beasts. And, much to Tom's satisfaction, had produced more records of their findings than Newt Scamander himself.

Still, Animo had never been away from Hogwarts for too long. She knew Albus would have wanted her to make sure the students were properly cared for.

"I still don't understand why he is here."

Animo turned to her right, where an extraordinarily large man stood surrounded by a crowd of young children, his ruddy cheeks pink with excitement. Dark hair bristled in every direction as he waved towards some unseen being, describing a great adventure. The first years below him hung onto his every word. Attempting to stifle her grin, Animo nudged Tom gently. "Hagrid's one of the greatest dragon tamers of our age."

"And one of the biggest idiots," her husband grumbled, although she could faintly detect the note of relief in his voice. Rubeus had not taken kindly to Tom when he had first appeared on his doorstep, apologizing for inciting the boy's expulsion. But once Tom had arranged for the Ministry to place him on assignment with the dragons in Romania, it seemed that the past between them had been washed away.

There was a soft rattle behind them as a pair of parents rushed by. The man's hair looked as though it had not been combed, sticking up in a black clump as he tried to ease the panic on the face of the redhead beside him.

"I swore I set the alarm, Lils." The man ran a hand over his head, his spectacles glinting in the morning light. "Padfoot must have been trying to screw with—"

"I told you both to quit with this prank war of yours." His wife sighed, rubbing at her temple with nimble fingers. "It's driving Remus and I mad."

Animo couldn't help but stare at the small boy between them, his emerald gaze wide with a mixture of fear and amazement as he watched the Hogwarts Express give a mighty whistle. His forehead was smooth, spotted by the occasional pimple that hinted at his adolescence.

"That's him, isn't it?"

Tom sounded distinctly uncomfortable and Animo wrapped her hand around his arm, her heart warming with pride as she glanced towards her husband. It had been hard for him to come.

They watched as James and Lily Potter escorted their son towards the nearest compartment, their movements less frenzied now that it seemed the train would not leave without them.

Tears pricked Animo's eyes as she watched Harry embrace his parents, latching his small arms around both their necks while he leaned over to say goodbye. James patted his son firmly on the back, sending him a smirk that spoke of a breadth of secrets between them. Ever oblivious, Lily straightened her son's jumper with a fretful tug.

Animo laced her hand through Tom's as they turned away. The outside world waited to greet them beyond the stone barrier.

All was well.