Running From Death (HP)

Chapter 1

-+- Chapter 1 -+-

1945

Korvin Featherstone was a Wizard only the darkest of souls had heard of. He was said to be close to the Dark Lord. He was heard by few and seen by none. Rumors had it he died years ago, yet everyone knew he was still around.

His story is a tale of death.

He was 18, freshly graduated from Hogwarts. He and his best friend Tom Riddle had moved into Korvin's manor together. Korvin's family had scattered to different parts of the world, so he was alone in that sense.

No one had told him he'd die so young. Had Korvin known, he would've never gone home again.

"Korvin?" Tom rushed to his side when he collapsed.

"You won't be able to save him my dear boy."

Tom whipped his head up to face the entity who killed his friend, "What did you do to him?" he demanded, his wand held up and ready to fire curses.

"I simply activated his dormant genes, and finally claimed him as mine." The entity responded.

"What are you talking about?" Tom demanded.

"Oh? I'm surprised he never mentioned it to his alleged best friend." The entity said, "Your fate will turn out much the same as his." The entity pointed a shadowed finger at Tom, "You shall be mine." It decreed. The entity vanished in a flurry of shadows, it wouldn't be seen again for a while.

Korvin gasped awake. "Tom?" Korvin looked around, "What..."

"You died." Tom said.

Korvin looked down at his hands, they had a transparent, skeletal gleam to them. He willed his hands to solidify, and they did. "I assume he came?"

"..." Tom looked away. "Who was he, Korvin?"

Korvin stared down at his hands again, he watched them flicker in and out of transparency. "My Father." He finally said.

"So you're not a pureblood." Tom stated.

"Neither are you." Korvin retaliated.

Tom was silent a moment, "I need to think." Tom left the room.

Korvin hung his head down. He ran away to avoid his father, he ran away to escape. People always say it's impossible to outrun Death, Korvin supposed there was truth to that statement.

He knew Tom wouldn't react well to finding out, so he had never told him.

Tom was a blood purist, despite not being a pureblood himself. Finding out that his 'pureblood' friend wasn't entirely human would've been an unwelcomed shock.

Korvin carefully stood, and made his way to the kitchen. He poured himself a glass of Firewhisky and sunk down on a dining room chair. He enjoyed the feeling of the liquor burning his throat. Korvin's birthday was today, he supposed it was poetic. The day his mother gave him life, was also the day his father gave him death.

He was well aware that the alcohol was starting to affect his mind. He didn't stop. He doesn't know how long he sat on a dining room chair, drowning himself in liquor, but he knew it had been a while.

Eventually, a few of his House Elves came, they carefully took the bottle of Firewhisky and set it in the kitchen.

The few that came muttered quietly amongst themselves, they knew who their Master's father was. They knew what he did, they knew why their Master was slowly drowning himself in liquor. The House Elves quickly made their sleeping Master as comfortable as possible, they left a tall glass of water in front of him. Once they were certain their Master would be fine, they vanished to finish off other house chores.

It was a few hours before Korvin started stirring, his conscious mind was slowly crawling through the fog that inhabited his mind. His head was pounding slightly, and his bottle of Firewhisky was nowhere in sight. He groaned quietly, the events from the evening rolling back into his mind.

His thoughts drifted to Tom, he hoped their relationship wasn't entirely jeopardized. Korvin didn't know what he'd do if his best friend treated him like he did everyone else, indifferent, cold. He would miss the gentle expressions that faintly painted his face, his small smile, his laugh when he felt truly happy. He didn't want to be met with a crucio everytime he did something questionable, he didn't want Tom's cackle directed at him, he didn't want to lose years of friendship, years of chipping away at Tom's walls; simply because his father was Death.

-+-

"So, that thing is your father." Tom stated, "Is he what I think he is?"

"Yeah, he's the end of the road." Korvin confirmed.

"He said I would be his." Tom said.

Korvin froze, "He said that to you?"

Tom nodded, "Judging by your reaction, you know what it means."

"I do, he said the same thing to me 7 years ago, right before I ran away and started at Hogwarts." Korvin explained.

"And now he's claimed your soul." Tom sat back in his chair.

"Aye, that he has, a part of it." Korvin agreed, "I understand if you never want to see me again." Korvin continued. His earlier thoughts weighing heavily on his mind.

"Don't be a fool. Having you as my trump card will be invaluable." Tom said.

Korvin grinned, "Oh?" He felt relieved, an invisible weight lifted from his shoulders.

"I need a true friend if I am to become immortal." Tom admitted, "I... I can't blame you for who your father is, mine isn't any better."

It seemed that unfortunate fathers had brought the two closer.

"Well then, we best get started." Korvin carefully stood, making sure his feet were actually solid before standing up. 'This will take some getting used to.' He thought. He hadn't noticed his tangibility problem while he was drinking, the alcohol had clouded his mind.

Tom's eyes flicked to Korvin's half transparent figure. He should hate his friend for lying about his father, but then again, so had he. Tom's subconscious knew, even if he hadn't befriended Korvin, Death would've still come for him. He could feel it. He'd been fated to belong to the Lord of the Dead, the moment his mother brought him into the world.

Korvin was his only true friend, he was the only one who understood the constant fear of Death. Many fear Death, but Korvin and Tom had a connection to the entity, they would be his, forever. Most ghosts have never met Death, but every so often a soul piques his interest, this time, that soul was Tom.

Korvin truly pulled the short end of the stick, he wasn't the chosen soul, he belonged to Death by default. If Death's own son couldn't successfully run, then what chance did Tom have?

'I'll find a way to escape Death.' Tom promised himself.

Thoughts?