The Love Story of Harriet Potter and Tom Riddle

Chapter 57 - Tom and Mark

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Birds chirped overhead on the sunny afternoon while Tom junior stood with his children, close to the forest near the outer edge of the Riddles' property as a huge spider charged towards them.

"Daddy......."

"Hush." Tom junior whispered as he wrapped his arms around his small son, who stumbled back against his father's legs for protection, "Watch."

Tom had spent the last eight years gloating in the glory the position of Minister for Magic had brought.

Harriet had become a beloved public figure, revered as a supportive wife and loving mother, praised by wizarding Britain's citizens for her great kindness and the generous way she poured herself into the many different charities she had founded.

While Harriet had used her station for helping others, Tom had used his prestige to help himself.

He pretended not to notice when one of his new laws had a negative impact on the average person.

However, Tom junior had become painfully aware that his youngest child had shown no magical inclination whatsoever by his fifth year of life.

Mark Riddle, born three years after James and six years after Mae, had been welcomed into the family with his father's dark hair and his mother's green eyes.

Mae had quickly grown bored with him.

Tom's frustration grew as each day passed.

Harriet loved all her children equally.

"Dad, just send him back inside." James frowned, "He doesn't like it!"

At only eight years old, little James couldn't rid himself of the notion that he had to constantly defend his younger brother from their father and sister.

Mae giggled as Mark whimpered and turned his head while the massive spider approached, crawling towards the four of them across the green grass of the Riddles' estate.

"Don't you see?" Tom junior asked his youngest son with a wicked smile, "There's no need to fear, Mark. She'll come in a moment and-"

Before he could finish speaking, Asherah shot between him and Mae in one smooth motion.

Mae squealed in delight as the impossibly large anaconda lunged towards the sizable spider.

"NO!" Mark wailed as tears of sympathy pooled in his green eyes.

"The spider deserves to die." Mae scoffed, "You saw it attack Father, didn't you? Surely, you aren't that stupid."

"Mae!" James snapped.

Mae narrowed her eyes at her favourite family member for a split second before a pout of feigned remorse formed on her fair face.

"It bothers him!" James explained to his sister before he looked at Tom again and begged, "Please, Dad, won't you let him go? He doesn't want to see!"

"Your brother and your sister are descended from the same great wizard as you." Tom hissed in reply as he fought to wrangle the wriggling Mark into a position of forced stillness, "All three of you will watch as our enemy is vanquished.....Then each of you will understand victory's sweetness. There is no greater bliss than triumph."

"DADDY, NO!" Mark begged as he sought to bury his face in the trouser fabric around his father's knees.

"MARK, WATCH!" Tom barked as he bent down.