One-shots/Short Stories

Tom Riddle - Part II

The Seer - Epilogue
It was quite strange for him to just drop everything he planned and try to live a normal life as a wizard. His cult was dismantled, basilisk locked away in the bathroom, all information of horcruxes gone. . .
   Without his plans, he felt quite. . .empty. His whole life he wanted revenge, immortality, and to rule above everyone. With all his plans gone, he didn't really know what to do with his life now.
   He had no emotions; he couldn't love, and he hated just about everyone. Everyone but one, somehow.

The Seer

Ever since he told her he would stop his plans, he hadn't seen her in ages. Not in Divination, not at the Great Hall, or the Library, or the Astronomy Tower - or even any classes he though she might be in. She was basically invisible. A ghost (not literally). And the funny thing about it all, was he still didn't know her name and it has been months now since they last spoken to each other.
   Walking into the Great Hall, he didn't bother searching the room for her and instead made his way to the Slytherin table, nodding his greeting to his ex-followers. He remembered seeing their expressions; they were confused as to why all plans were gone and they were free from him. They were curious as to why Riddle stopped all plans. But with his intimidation and the fact that he was quite scary, they didn't ask him.
   Poking his food around at dinner, he wasn't aware of what was going on around him until he felt someone tap his shoulder. Turning around, he was shocked at who he saw.
   "Hello, Riddle." she smiled at him. He could do nothing but blink at her, too busy shocked that she was in front of him (for a while he thought he hallucinated her). "Do you mind if you join me on a walk?"
   Riddle snapped back into reality. "Not at all." Getting up gracefully, he nodded his farewell to his acquaintances before leaving the Great Hall. Just before he left the room, he saw Professor Dumbledore staring after them with curiosity.

***

They reached the Astronomy Tower, their legs hanging off the edge at the balcony. They sat at the floor together, staring up at the lit sky fall of stars and the moon. They didn't say anything for a while.
   "You feel more empty than usual, don't you." she eventually spoke up. Riddle didn't read his eyes away from the sky. "I'm sorry you feel that way."
   "No need to apologise." he answered curtly. He turned to her with a frown. "How come you show yourself now? How come I don't see you around school?" He noticed her robe and tie colour. "You're in Gryffindor?"
   "I told you, I like staying away from school drama and all that." she mumbled, eyes focused on the sky. "And yes, I'm in Gryffindor."
   "Peculiar."
   "Why thank you."
   "So why are you here now, showing yourself to me?"
   "To help you."
   "Haven't you done enough already? Telling me my future and all?"
   "Yes, but now you need help in embracing the life of a normal wizard. With no plans of world domination in your mind anymore, I think you're a bit befuddled as to what to do in your life now."
   "And what do you expect me to do?"
   "You find Dark Arts interesting, yes? Why don't you do something good about it. Become a teacher here on Dark Arts, help the Ministry of Magic when Dark Arts come. Help find Grindelwald."
   "Hmm. . ." he looked into the distance thoughtfully.
   "You can travel with me when we leave Hogwarts." she suggested. He turned to her curiously.
   "Travel?"
   "Yeah!" she nodded quickly. "When I get my apparition license, I'm going to travel around the world and discover many things about muggles and their way of living - who knows, maybe even fall in love."
   "Hm. Love." Riddle thought of the love potion his mother used in his father. He didn't like love at all. "I'm afraid I'll have to decline."
   "Oh, come on, Riddle! What could go wrong?"
   "Love."
   She stared at him with a frown. Love? What did he mean by that? "Er, what about love?"
   "Joining you will only remind me that I'm different." Riddle muttered. "That you have the ability to enjoy yourself, and fall in love with someone. I can't do them. I hate the mention of muggles, I was conceived under a love potion, so I don't feel emotions." He turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "You see?" She stared ahead with pursed lips, thinking his words over. "Just leave me. I'm a lost cause."
   "No." she eventually spoke up. "I won't let that happen. I saved you from a bad future, yes? I'm going to help you with a new, better future."
   "And how are you going to do that?" he asked her curiously, hopefully.
   "You'll see." her eyes twinkled in the moonlight, mischief in her eyes.