The Fearsome Name of Riddle

A Piece Of My Soul

The Slytherin common room was surprisingly cosy for a place that let its students look out into the depths of the black lake. The fireplace warmed the room as the flames glowed in gold amongst the cold white light of the lamps around the edges of the room. Writing desks sat in the corners, lined with books, quills, and ink, ready for homework to be done. The sofas were slightly worn by the end of the year so the leather was soft and comfortable. Ripples of light made by grindylows as they passed made Victoria forget that they themselves were not in the lake. 

Tom's fingers filtered through the ends of Victoria's hair. It was soft like silk as she leaned her back against his chest. They didn't spend a lot of time like that, just being comfortable in each other's company, especially as they got closer to leaving the safety of childhood. Tom let himself sink into her, taking in the scent of lavender and beeswax broom polish as he took a deep inhale. His arms lay loosely around her waist, one hand in her hair, the other being held in her own. He felt tired as he rested his head on the side of hers, the want to never leave almost overwhelming. 

"I have something to show you," Tom whispered into her hair, his voice deep in his sleepy state. 

Victoria's head turned a little as Tom shifted his weight to take something out of his pocket. She watched as he brought a small ring around her side. It was thick and gold with a square, black stone. There was an engraving deep within the stone, the symbol of the deathly hallows. 

"It's beautiful," Victoria said softly, tracing the tip of her finger over the smooth surface of the stone. 

"It's the Gaunt family ring," Tom told her, "I got it over the summer last year, I found my family." 

"That's wonderful," Victoria smiled, turning her head more to look at him, "but I thought the Gaunts were all but dead." 

"I met my uncle Morfin," he explained, turning the ring in his fingers, "he gave me the ring." 

"Morfin Gaunt? Before he killed all those muggles?" Victoria asked, frowning slightly in a sceptical look. The inbred halfwit could barely speak English when the aurors questioned him about the murder of the Riddle family. Lucky for some Victoria supposed. 

Tom sort of hummed at the question and decided not to answer. "A part of my soul is in this ring, it's powerful magic. I want you to have it." 

"Tom," Victoria sat up, turning on the sofa cushion to face him, "you would give me your horcrux? You trust me with your life?”

"Of course I do," he said gently, taking her left hand in his, "I put a part of my soul in this ring so that it would mean everything when I gave it to you." 

"You made this for me," she said in disbelief, letting him slip the ring onto her ring finger, "you made a horcrux for me." 

"I'll make more and there's my diary of course but, this one is special." Tom explained, admiring it on her finger as he flicked his wand to make sure it fit her perfectly. "This is the first piece of my soul I ever carved off, a symbol of who I am, of where I came from, on the finger of the person I love most."

Victoria could feel the tickling feeling in her stomach as her cheeks warmed in pretty rouge. She never felt shy with anyone else. His attention was the only one she craved without reason. Tom Riddle had a way of making her feel like the most special person on the planet, making her forget about the days he spent ignoring her almost instantly. 

"With this ring I become immortal," Tom said, stroking his fingers down hers, "will you keep my life safe and everlasting?" 

"With my dying breath," Victoria smiled, feeling along the cold band with her thumb.