[2] after darkness → tom riddle

Chapter Thirty-Two: Another Mission Begins...

Ophelia was once again reunited with her oldest friends and family. Her daughter, Emma, cried for three hours when she saw her mother again, as for Nicolai, he was just happy that his mother was back and tickling his chin.

Ophelia and George finally told Adonis and the group the truth behind Lillian's death which was a shock for all. But Adonis understood why Ophelia never told him, nor why she didn't tell their dad until a month after she disappeared.

George had known about Ophelia's whereabouts the entire time, to the annoyance of Morgandy and Emory, but he was forgiven as they knew George would be the last person they would suspect to know.

It was a cold autumn evening and the large group all squeezed themselves into the Oliphant's living room as they all heated themselves around the fireplace. Ophelia had been telling them all about her adventures of using a polyjuice potion to follow around Tom. Sometimes she would even go undercover as Alexander Calvert and would be face to face with Tom Riddle on more than one occasion.

However, the group didn't care for some of the stories as they had all seen the photos and contracts between Alexander and Tom as well as other new followers of Tom's. What they all really wanted to know was what happens now? How do they use this evidence against Tom Riddle?

Morgandy had noticed some flaws in Ophelia's research, she couldn't just out him without having seen what Tom Riddle and his followers are doing. The single memory Ophelia possesses of Tom's plan to end all muggleborns wasn't enough.

"I think you need to continue to go undercover," Morgandy admitted, "this evidence you've collected against him is good, but it's not good enough, Ophelia."

Adonis nodded his head, "if you brought him to trial he could simply say you modified and manipulated his memory, and because he's got high-status individuals in his ranks he will be able to get away with it."

"And Calvert can play dirty," Archer joined in, "I know he's on our side but you can go down for a false report, Tom thinks he's on his side and Calvert will remain on Tom's side until he can bring Tom down entirely."

Emory's grip on his wife's hand tightened, as if he was hesitating in some way. Ophelia brushed it off as if he was reluctant for her to go back undercover.

"You're all right," Ophelia sighed, "Tom doesn't know I'm back yet, you could all carry on with your lives as if I wasn't back, that way Tom may think I'm still missing so I can go back undercover."

Emory gulped and looked at Harlen. Harlen nodded. Emory and Harlen had this idea since Ophelia went missing, but now their idea could be used as a plan.

"What if you don't go undercover as Calvert or his wife?" Emory spoke up.

"What are you implying, Emory?" Rune asked.

"What I'm saying is, Tom still thinks you're missing, right?" Emory asked.

Ophelia nodded, "I'm not too sure where you're going with this, Em."

Emory shook his head, "Harlen, I can't say it."

Everyone's attention turned to Harlen. Harlen had a thin smile on his face and he sighed.

"What Emory is saying," Harlen paused. "When you disappeared, Emory and I thought you had ran away to Tom, that you had succumbed to him and was working alongside him. Why don't you do that, lead him into a false sense of illusion that you made a mistake turning his offer down and that you're weak without him."

"You want her to lay everything she's worked for out on the line just to get more evidence against Tom?" Morgandy shook her head, "I'm not allowing that, I'm sorry. Ophelia's already fallen back down the rabbit hole with him once before, I'm not letting her do it again. It will be better to keep on using the polyjuice potion."