Marauder's Daughter (Eventual Tom Riddle X OC)

Chapter 71: New Life

"Hello Tom." I say to the boy. We've talked every day since the battle, but I didn't want him to know yet about Oskar.

"You look happy today." He says with a smile, looking at my face.

"I am." I admit with a grin, though it falls at the end. "I found someone. A man who is ready."

"Already?" He says in disbelief, his eyes widening and flooding with emotions. "Who?"

"His name is Oskar." I explain. "I found him a month ago actually. He lost everyone he loved at the end of the battle. I wanted to observe him, to make sure he wasn't making a rash decision, so I've been staying with him and watching over him for a month. Tomorrow... If you are ready, you can do the final stage and attempt to reclaim a body." As I said this, he collapsed backwards into a chair in shock.

"Tomorrow..." He breathes out. "Final stage?" He asks in confusion after a moment. "Was not the remorse the final stage?"

"No." I admit with a small grimace. "It was what was necessary to accomplish the final stage. You must beg forgiveness from who you wronged when you made your horcrux. For most, this would be begging to a tombstone or a next of kin. For you though... You will have to beg to her in person."

"What?" He asks in disbelief. "How am I to do that?"

"When you killed Myrtle Warren 50 years ago, she never passed on." I tell him. "She became a ghost at Hogwarts, forever haunting the bathroom your Basilisk killed her in."

"And how will I beg of her to forgive me? You cannot bring a ghost in here to your realm." He points out after a moment of taking in that information.

"I am going to give you control." I tell him simply, and his eyes widen. "You will use my body. I will grant you access to control me."

"You trust me enough to do that?" He asks quietly.

"Yes, I do." I say firmly. "If you want a body and a second chance in life, you have to beg your victim you created to forgive you."

"She will never forgive me, especially if I cursed her to become a spirit to forever wander this earth and never move on." He says in despair.

"You need to still try." I say confidently to him. "I have faith in you, Tom. Have some more in yourself."

I'm not going to tell him she doesn't need to accept his apology. He needs to speak from his heart when he begs forgiveness but the one he wronged doesn't need to accept it in order for his soul to be set free. This is about him accepting the culmination of his guilt and regret and verbally releasing it all in one moment. It will be what sets him free from Voldemort. A damaged and corrupt soul would never beg forgiveness from those they wronged, so this will be the catalyst that frees Tom from being a horcrux, and will be what resurrects him to a new body. Oskar will be nearby and ready for the ritual that will be done to pass on his own mind and soul and leave his body behind for Tom to inhabit.

Oskar and I headed to Hogwarts the next day, taking a portkey to Hogsmeade and walking the rest of the way. There are no students since it's the middle of summer break, which started early since no one felt the need to keep the students here after the battle was over. The school cancelled their exams and let the kids reunite with their families early. As we approached the front doors, we were met with Dad, Remus, Harry, Minnie, and Snape.

"Is it time, then?" Dad asks when we approach. Snape had sent for them to meet here at the school, I'm assuming.

"It is time." I confirm, and lead the way to the girl's bathroom on the first floor. "You will all have to wait out here. It should be done within an hour, I believe."