Peculiar ~A T.R fanfiction~

Chapter 29 ~The Fire~

The party started to die out at one in the morning. Old students left the castle while current students returned to their dorms. Julietta Goldwood was a topic in all of their minds as the last time a Goldwood went to Hogwarts was centuries ago. Some who married into the family had attended the great school, but Goldwoods who were born as a Goldwood had private tutors and teachers. As Julietta returned to her dorm a patronus drifted towards her. Quitely she breathed a sigh of relief that the cold corridor was empty. The patronus carried no message but she knew what it meant. She turned around and made her way to her favorite bathroom. 

"Thomas you called," Julietta said as she walked into the Chamber. "I need you." said Tom and Julietta laughed "It has been a few hours. You should surely be able to survive without me for that long." Tom stood up from his chair with a glass of Firewhiskey in his hand. "It has been the worst few hours of my life. I need you. I make an effort not to depend on anyone or anything. I do not show weakness and yet you managed to break through that. Everything they say about Goldwoods really must be true. I was born without the ability to love and yet I care about you. How?" said Tom and Julietta stood there contemplating his words. She led Tom to the couch they put in the chamber and sat them both down. 

"Tell me what happened as a child. You never did but I want to know. Do not leave out anything of importance." said Julietta and Tom began "I hated my Mother and Father. I hated that blasted orphanage. The lady who ran it, Mrs. Cole always found me attractive. As I got older she would call me into her office and touch me. I didn't realize what was happening until it was too late. I just lay there while she did it. When I got accepted to Hogwarts she never did it again. Afraid that when the summer finished I would tell my teachers at school." It became silent, a silence so deafening that Julietta's ears began to ring. Tom hugged Julietta on the couch letting himself be comforted by her. The sweet smell of her filled his nose calming him. He kept his explanation short and sweet as he didn't want to drag it out. 

Julietta grabbed his hand and stood up. The familiar sensation of apparating came to the two as they arrived in front of Wool's Orphanage. Julietta pulled Tom into the grimy place. Leaned up against the rail of the staircase was a young boy who said "How ya doing sweetcheeks? I got a real nice room upstairs if you want to come see it?" Julietta rolled her eyes. "No thank you I need to see Mrs. Cole. My fiance and I have something to tell her," said Julietta and she pulled Tom into the light. "Oh, Riddle I didn't know she was yours. Sorry, Mr." said the boy with a lot less confidence. He lowered his head and got out of Tom's sight as quickly as he could. Tom led them into an office where Mrs. Cole was sat at the desk. "Hello, Mrs. Cole. I just wanted you to meet my fiance Julietta Goldwood. Thanks to her families high financial standing I will no longer have to live here." Mrs. Cole looked out for blood as she glared at Julietta and the large diamond ring she transfigured onto her ring finger.

Julietta flicked her hand and the neck of Mrs. Cole snapped. She rolled off the chair and her corpse lay on the floor in a crumpled heap. Fire began to fill the room as the two lovers walked out of it. All of the children found themselves lying on the pavement outside of the building. Julietta walked over to Martha, a young girl who looked after the children for the right reasons. "Here is an address, say you know Julietta Goldwood. The children and you will be looked after there. Give them values and treat them well." Julietta then handed each child $100 in Muggle notes. An amount that would be worth $1200 in nearly one hundred years. The well-dressed woman and the boy they once knew walked down the street before disappearing into the night.

"What was the address?" asked Tom once they apparated back into the chamber. "My family supports an orphanage. We pay for things, we gave up the building, and in return when we send a child there way they look after it. They are good people and they raise smart, kind children." Silence filled the room. Tom felt much better after watching his abuser's neck snap. He smiled as the place burned to the ground. It was Hell and he was overjoyed it was gone. Julietta's hands shook with rage so Tom clasped them in his own. "Thank you." said Tom and Juiletta answered, "It was my pleasure, Thomas." The two kissed long and softly. Julietta removed her jewelry, shoes, and dress before transfiguring the couch into a bed. Slipping under the covers Tom slowly followed suit. He pulled her hair out of its elaborate braids and let it fan out over the pillow. Julietta fell asleep with her arms and legs perfectly entwined with Tom's. She could feel his warm breath on her face and for some odd reason, it brought her comfort. 

Mrs. Cole deserved what she got in Julietta's mind. She didn't mind that she had just killed someone as she didn't see anyone who hurt a child a person. She could care less and she had given the children a better home. A weight had been removed from Tom's shoulders. Since he met her he didn't crave to create a Horcrux like he once did. The idea of death still petrified him but he decided he would hate to live without Julietta and if he created a Horcrux he would have to. He wanted to put her on the island where he could never age so she could be preserved. Like a bird in a cage, safe but trapped.