Before He Was Voldemort (A Tom Riddle Fanfiction)

Chapter 36: Everything

12 April, 1944

I write this now in a heat of rage that remains infrangible even after torturing one of my closest acolytes to the point of near insanity. It is unlikely that Abraxas Malfoy will be the same again following this incident.

I do not regret what I've done. He deliberately disobeyed me. He committed a savage act out of spite aimed directly towards me.

He hurt Corinne. I would have killed Abraxas, but I didn't. Because of her.

Besides, why give him the easy route of death?

The extent of Malfoy's punishment does not end at torture. That would be merciful. Because of Abraxas Malfoy's deed, the Malfoy family is forever indebted to me, Lord Voldemort. Whoever is foolish enough to marry Abraxas will share the same fate. Any offspring they may have will share the same fate. Every Malfoy descended from Abraxas Malfoy will subject themselves to me without objection, do as I command without complaint, and serve me until the day they die.

A Malfoy that refuses shall be reminded of their predecessor's sin and suffer the same as he did.

When I rise to full power, soon, everything the Malfoy family holds dear will belong to me. I will control their fortune, their reputation in the wizarding community, even their own lives. The esteemed Malfoy Manor will also eventually belong to me, where my most trusted ranks and I will thrive and rule.

In a way, the Malfoy family is privileged that this will be their future. Maybe a part of me really is merciful.

- T.M.R

* * *

May, 1944

Another month of contentment, occasional confusion, pointless arguments, spontaneous tender and heated encounters, and blissful nights by the Black Lake with Tom passed, bringing overall unbridled happiness. Corinne still couldn't accept that this was her new normal. It seemed like a fairytale of some sorts.

A strange, unconventional fairytale.

One where Corinne was the doting princess while Tom was the mysterious, handsome prince who shifted moods like a chameleon changed colors.

To Corinne, it was almost perfect.

She was also riddled with nightmares, insomnia, and paranoia. A month had passed since the incident with Abraxas Malfoy- which no one else knew about except Tom- that Corinne so desperately wanted to forget. Though it seemed that the more she tried to force that night out of her mind, the more it tended to appear in her dreams. This eventually led to Corinne fearing sleep, for when she did, Abraxas Malfoy's cruel face would pass behind her eyelids. That's when her insomnia began.

Her problem affected Tom too. He too lost sleep when Corinne would wake up in the middle of the night screaming from nightmares. She could sense his internal struggle whenever he attempted to comfort her. It was clear he had a lack of experience on that sort of thing, and that was alright. Corinne appreciated his effort.

During sleepless nights when the nightmares were at their worst, when Corinne woke up several times during the night screaming, Tom sometimes lost control. Frustrated with himself when he couldn't help her, he threw and broke things, cursing Abraxas Malfoy under his breath. Sometimes in his fits of rage, he stormed out of the Room of Requirement to Merlin knows where. Perhaps to find a quiet place to sleep. Perhaps to destroy more things.