Star Crossed

Chapter Ninety Eight- The lure of the Underworld

I looked down at the deep scarlet liquid in my glass, I swirled it gently. I still could not quiet believe I was sat next to Tom Riddle after all this time as if we had only seen each other yesterday... so much had changed since the summer of 1945 and yet so much seemed just the same. 
"So," Riddle smirked I had the feeling that he had caught me lost in thought. "an auror... tell me does it thrill you?" 
I frowned looking him straight in his bright blue eyes. 
"Does a shop assistant thrill you?" I countered tapping a sip from my glass, Tom chuckled. 
"It has its... advantages." he replied smoothly he raised his glass to me before taking a sip of his own beverage. "You avoided my question," he smiled, his eyebrows raised expectantly in mock interest. 
"It has its advantages," I mimicked, Tom chuckled again completely undeterred by my lack of willingness to engage with his questioning. 
"Perhaps you can answer me some questions." I said calmly placing my glass gently down upon the bar. "Who was you expecting?" 
"Exactly who arrived, the authorities." he grinned. "Though I must admit... I did not expect that to arrive in the form of you." he said simply taking another sip of his whiskey. 
"And why would you plan that? You could have gotten yourself arrested." 
"Ah that is where you are misled detective." smirking he leaned forward closing the gap between before continuing in a much quieter voice. "I had no intentions of being arrested." 
I rose my eyebrow at him. 

"Yet you distrust me?" he tutted. "You will find no sufficient evidence that I have committed any wrong doing detective." he grinned holding up his hands. "My customer however..." he shook his head dramatically. "Let's just say he purchased foolishly. I word to the wise Grisha always do your research." 
"You planned for him to be arrested for buying illegal goods? But you was the one who sold it to him." I replied leaning into conversation myself, completely engaged now. Riddle shook his head with a smirk and tapped his long finger upon his temple. 
"Do you really think detective that I would have had my name linked to that sale? There was no proof of purchase at all." 
"But I saw you and I followed you." I countered. 
"Yes." He replied. "You do not truly know the reason for your visit to Knockturn Alley this evening do you?" 

I fell silent.
"Let me guess you were told not to get involved?" Tom smirked. "I knew straight away that something was afoot when I realised that I was being followed and that you hadn't acted sooner." 
"How?" I asked sharply feeling slightly offended by Tom's criticism of my methods, "How did you know?" I asked. He chuckled shaking his head. 
"Grisha, Grisha... Not all of the ministries employee's have the ministries best interests at heart,"

I sat dumbfounded... "So you had been expecting a... traitor?..." I breathed as it all began to fall into place. "You... you had planned this with... with the ministry official... the ministry official that is in fact a friend of yours... you had planned for him to ambush the exchange and arrest the customer..." 
I looked up at the sound of slow clapping, Tom was smirking. 
"Very good detective." 
"Why? What do you have against the customer? Why not just refuse to do business with him?"
Tom laughed as he withdrew a hefty pouch from the pocket of his coat and swung it in front of me with a grin. 
"You... you wanted the money off of him but then..." I paused. "When he was arrested you would have taken the illegal goods back wouldn't you..." 
"You are getting the hang of this detective... but in addition to his riches he was a very dislikable man." he smirked the pouch disappearing in a puff of smoke, I shook my head and made to stand. 
"I want no part in who you have become." I breathed forcing myself to turn away, my heart aching. 
"Who I have become? Grisha I want just what you want, to free civilisation of these stains." He said calmly. Against my better judgement I paused and turned to face him. 
"That is what you want too isn't it Grisha? You're an auror now." he continued. 
"Yes I am auror." I snapped. "And you are some self professed, self benefiting 'vigilante' and I don't believe a word of it." I replied glaring at him, Tom chuckled. 
"I know plenty of 'bad guys' that deserve their just rewards." he grinned raising his glass to me. 
"Just rewards Riddle, do you know the meaning of the word 'just'? This isn't what we stood for!" he breathed in exasperation.

"There is more than one way of doing things Grisha. We always had our different ways and yet we were a good team you and I." he grinned. I shivered there was something off about him, he had changed. He was colder, even less connected than he had ever been... I knew he was purely using me something I had never suspected him of doing... and I had suspected many things... he used to care, I know he did but now... and yet still  I was finding myself drawn into his dark web of manipulation. Was it the prospect of capturing more law breakers and raising my professional reputation? Or was it simply the yearning to be close to him to have a reason to see him, to talk to him... to find the man that I had lost all those months ago... I am ashamed to say that deep down I knew it was a case of the latter.