riddle ▷ Tom Riddle Era

V O L D E M O R T

December Thirty-first, 1943

Whatever reservations Arabella had before were gone. Somehow, Tom Riddle had swayed her, manipulated her, changed her so she now believed in the same ideals. Arabella knew something in her broke when Dippet called her to his office and told her of her parent's deaths, and she also knew that they would be the last muggles she ever loved. They were all dirty- especially the snake that killed them. He would be the first to die- Tom had promised her this much. 

She couldn't even find it in herself to be mad at him when he revealed he had taken her memories. 

"You what?" 

Tom sighed and pushed the steaming goblet towards her. It slid across the table and came to rest in front of her. A golden potion bubbled and foamed inside, smelling of lavender. "I was always planning to give them back Arabella. You have to understand- the things you saw, you were not ready for." 

Arabella quirked a brow. "And I am ready now?" 

Tom growled and stood up quickly, the chair scraping against the stone as it was pushed back. "Don't push me today." 

Tom's green eyes sparked dangerously and Arabella rolled her eyes. "Am I never to push you? It seems you are afraid of-" 

Quicker than it seemed possible, Tom was at her, his hand snaking around the back of her neck. "Do not ever assume that I am afraid of anything. I have power over everything, afraid of nothing!" 

Arabella pried his hand off her neck and pushed him away. "Tom!" 

The dark-haired boy flinched and spun around. "Just drink the potion before it stops steaming or it won't work."  

Arabella gazed at Tom's back for a moment before picking the cup up and sipping it hesitantly. Warmth flooded her head and a sharp pain ricocheted through her abdomen. "Ugh!" Arabella doubled over and fell against the long table. It was lucky that they were in Tom's mysterious Vanishing Room or someone could have heard Arabella's groans of pain. Trying to steady herself by placing her hands on the table, Arabella yelped again and her legs buckled beneath her. The most astonishing pain cracked through her head and she felt as if she would explode. Tom rushed to meet her before she hit the ground and she fell instead into his arms and he lowered them both gently to the floor. He cradled her in his arms as she spasmed and twitched. 

"It doesn't last," Tom said softly and sure enough, the pain subsided after a moment and Arabella could remember everything. 

"You killed them both," Arabella said, breaking the silence. "Why?" 

"They got too close," Tom answered. "Jacob Summers overheard myself and Malfoy talking of things he should not have heard and he would have told. He wasn't meant to die that night, but Stefan went too far. He was severely punished for that." 

Arabella swallowed and untangled herself from Tom's arms and turned around so she faced him.  Sitting on the ground, their knees touched and it seemed strangely intimate. "And the little girl? Candace?" 

Tom appeared to almost laugh. "You think she was meant to be at Hogwarts? No, somehow, that little girl stole magic from a true wizard and was simply playing with a stick and trying to pass as a witch. I did not kill her, I freed the magic that was trapped inside her." 

A few days ago, that revelation would have chilled Arabella to the core and had her running to Dippet screaming, but now, she found herself nodding along to Tom's words. "And the paintings? What's the relevance of those and who is S.S? Slytherin?" 

Tom smiled. "Good girl, you're smart. The paintings are important, yes, this I know. What I do not know is how and this is what I have been trying to figure out for the past year." Tom leaned forward and brushed Arabella's cheek softly. "What I do not understand, is you." 

"Me?" 

"I have never felt like this before," Tom said. "There is something about you that I cannot place and I thought sleeping would you would give me the answers." 

Arabella blushed deeply, the heat crept up her neck. "Was that the only reason you did it then?" Arabella frowned and pulled away from Tom's touch. "Am I just a means to an end? Are you still manipulating me? You took advantage of my emotional instability that night!" 

Tom stood up. "And for that, I apologize. Nothing came of it anyhow." 

Arabella flinched and pushed herself up to face Tom. "You are cold, Tom." 

Tom laughed cruelly. "Don't lie Arabella. You are confused by me too. If I step closer to you, you're skin crawls and if I were to touch you, you would lean into my hand." Tom did as he said and pressed their bodies together. "I am as much of an anomaly to you as you are to me. We are using each other equally." 

Arabella was silent, afraid if she spoke she would reveal that he was right. 

Tom moved away again. We will figure out the paintings. We go tonight and I will show you everything about them." 

Arabella moved to the door of the Vanishing Room and placed her hand on the handle. "Then I too have something to show you. I found a painting like the one you are showing me tonight, another one by S.S." 

If Tom was surprised that Arabella knew of the first painting, he did not show it. In fact, Arabella thought as she left the room, he probably already knew that she had followed him that night- the night that had changed everything. 

Arabella had already figured out that the mysterious bedroom on the seventh floor was the Vanishing Room. Tom had explained that it became what he needed and no one but he knew it existed. As she walked down the corridor, footsteps approached and Tom caught up with her. 

"It is time you knew," he said and pulled her into an empty classroom. "One day," he continued, "I will be the most powerful wizard and I will cleanse the wizarding world. This has always been my plan, but now, you will be beside me. I will teach you magic you have never dreamed of and together we will rule over the wizarding world and make it better, how my ancestor, Salazar Slytherin intended it to be." 

Arabella smiled at the thought. "I am honored." 

"However," Tom said, and his voice now held malice and venom. "I will not tolerate my dirty muggle father's name any longer. My name is Lord Voldemort to those who follow me know, and soon, all with know me as so, and no one will remember the muggle who gave me nothing but his name." 

Arabella's eyes widened at the revelation that Tom had muggle blood running through his veins, something he hated with a powerful passion. Tom perceived her shock correctly and narrowed his eyes. 

"I am not proud of that side of my lineage. But Salazar Slytherin's blood runs through my veins also, making my blood infinitely more pure than any pureblood. Most think I am pure, and that is how it will stay. This information will not leave this room, Arabella. I am trusting you." 

"Yes, of course," Arabella said softly. "You can trust me with anything, Tom." Tom's eyes flashed and Arabella caught herself. "Voldemort." 

Voldemort smiled now and pressed his lips to Arabella's forehead. "Good girl. You and I will together, be more powerful than any wizard could ever dream of." 

With that, Voldemort turned and exited the classroom, leaving Arabella to ponder on everything she had learned and everything she had remembered. 

Caerwyn and Voldemort. 

Yes, the idea of them standing side-by-side on top of the world felt good to Arabella. 

She left the room minutes after Tom, a new gleam in her eye.