Burning Obsessions; Tom Riddle

39: Worthy

[author's pov]

The Malfoy Manor was a beautiful home to the Malfoys for many generations. For years, the prime home had only had pureblood residents and pureblood guests, if not counting the house elves.

Despite their pureblood status, they had a knack for collecting treasures. Muggle treasures and art, as it was hard to ignore some of their admirable work like clay statues and paintings, heirlooms. Above all, music. Yet even so, the Malfoys found it hard to admit to their connections with the Muggle world.

If not anything else, some would say their ignorance was a great example of arrogance.

Some would say.

Though little would know their denials were out of fear.

And littler would know why it was out of fear.

It was a cooler summer evening in July. The clouds were alert and the birds in presence were beautiful peacocks. Extraordinarily beautiful. Why? Because of their albinism of course. As if a swan were not beautiful enough, these peacocks were of grace and light unlike the rest of the dark, greeny home.

On the front steps of the manor was a woman and a man. His lean figure was hidden under a cloak.

The woman rang the bell. Not a second later, a green-eyed house elf opened the door and bowed immediately, but not as low as it had for its true master. It dared not to speak as the homeowner had entered the massive foyer.

The man at the door allowed the woman in first before meeting her at her side to be greeted by the homeowner.

"Lord Voldemort," Abraxas Malfoy said with the slightest bow. "We are waiting."

The man known as Lord Voldemort removed the hood of his cloak. It was revealed that he had raven hair, truly opposite from the peacocks, and evergreen eyes that clouded like a rainy storm.

"I had thought we were early," the woman said, removing the hood of her cloak as well. She was revealed to have beautiful eyes. It was her statement. Her most alluring feature. Besides her eyes, the black-stoned ring on her finger stood out boldly as well.

"We were not expecting you to come, Victoria," Abraxas said.

The woman, Victoria, had not known what she was getting herself into. She had not known how dark the intentions of Voldemort were. But whether she knew or not, it was clear she had not cared enough to leave.

Abraxas led them through his home, down the long corridor. It was soon that they reached a small staircase and a door that stood trapped between a short hall.

It opened magically in the presence of Abraxas and the three walked in, entering the presence of fifty young men, some, women. All wore cloaks to shadow their faces, despite the different and beautiful masks they wore.

At the end of the table was a chair. Despite its similarity to the rest of the furniture in the room, all knew it was a throne. Voldemort took his throne at the end of the table and to his right, the woman took her place.

As he promised, she was to be by his side.

In all honesty, she was surprised by the amount of people collected. There were nights that the man had disappeared for hours, but she did not expect him to have done it in such a short amount of time. She had underestimated him.

[victoria's pov]

"Look at you all," Tom began. "My greatest work."

Though not a word was spoken, I could almost smell fear and relief in the room. Fear of saying the wrong thing and relief that Tom was not disappointed.