Darkness Within

Meet the Parents

I'm nervous, only Tom Riddle can make me nervous. In just a few hours time he'll be introduced to my parents, which can either go one of two ways: the first, they like him, so much so that they encourage the relationship. Forget their previous hope that i marry Abraxas and set their sights on Tom. The second option: they hate him and forbid me from being with him, when I'll tell them that isn't an option I'll be disowned, disgraced. I told Tom that I didn't care about his blood status, and I really don't. But, my parents do more than anything else in the world, I don't even think they've ever associated themselves with half bloods before.

I spend the majority of the train ride staring out of the window, looking at nothing in particular while Tom stares at me, probably trying to decifer my thoughts.

'Cheer up, you look miserable. It's embarrassing.' I hear his voice in my head but his lips never moved an inch.

Abraxas also stares, despair on his face while the others, Lestrange, Avery and Nott chat amongst themselves.

I look up to Tom and smile, a few moments later his voice is back in my head.

'That's better. Good girl.'

"So, I trust you all have the invite to the yearly ball." I say to the boys. Each of their families are powerful pure bloods, so naturally, their families are always invited.

"You got it, I must say I'm rather excited to hear what song you'll do this year." Nott states and Tom looks at him quizzically.

"Is she really that good Nott?" He asks.

"Good?! Well that's the understatement of the year. She's pretty spectacular, the best voice I've ever heard. It's all people ever talk about. No one dares speaks during her performances." He says and I shrug.

I enjoy performing, but in past years my songs have happy, joyful but this year I couldn't bring myself to write a bunch of lies. I have two songs prepared and their equally as depressing as eachother. I'm not sure how well guests will enjoy it.

The train finally stops and we use the floo network to travel to the closest I can to my house.

Black Manor, it's so dreary looking. Completely black, surrounded by pretty much dead trees. It pretty much looks like how you'd imagine your usual, neglected haunted house to look.

"Dark and ominous. I like it." He says as we walk up the steps towards the door.

"Just about sums it up." I say as I lift the large knocker, with sweaty palms and alert my parents to my presence, waiting anxiously for the door to open.

"Ah Miss Black has returned home! Penny is so happy!" One of my favourite house elves greats us, picking up my trunk as she struggles to carry it inside.

Penny has been in our family for as long as I can remember, Abraxas was my best friend in childhood no doubt about it but he wasn't always here. Penny was though. Now I know what she must feel like, having her freedom and free will stripped away from her.

"Master and Mistress Black are waiting for Mister Riddle and yourself in the drawing room." She says and I nod.

"Thank you Penny." I smile and look up to Tom.

"Relax darling, all will be fine." He says as he places a hand to my back and gesture with his other for me to lead the way, which I do. The anxiety rising with each step closer.

"Welcome home child." The deep voice of my father says as he comes to shake my hand.

"Thank you father." I greet him turning to my smiling mother.

"Mother." I state as I bow my head to her.

"Ah and this must be your friend here, Riddle was it?" He questions as he looks at Tom beside me.

Tom quickly takes his hand. "Yes Sir, thank you for having us, you truly have a beautiful home." He smiles to which my father returns.

"Dinner will be served shortly, Adriana why don't you show Mr Riddle here to his room and unpack?" Mother smiles to me and I nod, taking Tom's hand which my father raises his brow at and lead him to the rooms, until Tom suddenly drops my hand and freezes.

"You okay Tom?" I ask, looking at his shaking closed fists.

"What is this?" He asks and I follow his direction of sight until I find the large portrait of Abraxas and I, Abraxas sat, legs slightly spread on a grand chair while I am placed on the arm of the chair next to him, with a hand touching another. I fight the smile that threatens to spill on my face as I recall the memory.

"This was a gift from my parents, it took hours to paint. I guess this was an attempt to pull us closer to an engagement. You already knew that though."

He looks to me sternly.

"I hate it, it disgusts me." He spits and I frown, feeling guilt over the mere existence of the piece.

...

"Well Mr Riddle, what family do you belong to? my wife and I have never heard of such a last name before?" My father asks over dinner as Tom takes a long swig from his glass of wine.

"Please Sir, call me Tom." He says smoothly.

"Well Tom? Your family?" Father presses.

"Truth be told Mister Black, I have rather a disruptive past. My father was a filthy mudblood, under the delusion of a love potion Sir, he soon left. My mother you may have heard of- Merope Gaunt." He says and I look to him in shock, expecting him lie, but instead all he says is the truth. I watch as my father listens, his eyes widening as Tom reveals his mother's name.

"Well I'd never truly interact with a half blood before Tom, but a Guant?! Well that must make your the heir of Slytherin? Merlin! The heir, in my home? I have a feeling me and you will get on significantly Tom, now Tom what are your opinions on Mudbloods?"

'See I told you, I'd charm him darling.' Tom's voice appears in my head as he vocally replies to my father's and I find myself frowning slightly, as I reach the eyes of my mother, who also expresses a distressed look before quickly changing back to her usual smiling expression which I mirror.

Narrator:

Adriana's father was completely won over by Tom. Like most, her father cared about his status more than anything. Regardless of his father, having his daughter marry a Guant would give him status beyond belief.

Her father, once Adriana's abuser, had put the final nail in his daughter's coffin, sealed her fate shut. Any hope of Adriana's escape from Tom Riddle had died with that dinner.

She had no help, no one to protect her, she was in this alone.

Mister Black actually adored his daughter despite the pain he'd give her, it was character building, to mould her into the perfect object. Adriana was his most precious possession. Only she could give him the power he had so craved. And he'd do anything in his power to achieve it.

A/N: this is pretty much a little filler just to introduce the parents and to show the interaction between them and Adriana, the next two chapters should be more interesting and exciting. and I'm excited to write them :)