Love & Potions: A Tom Riddle X Reader Story. Part 2 (Fifth Year)

Chapter 29: Plans are set in motion

The evening had finally come and with it, fortunately, only two pieces of homework. When you'd finished your homework, you'd raced down through the corridor to Tom's dorm as he had texted you to come round when you were finished. He was sat at his desk whilst you read your book on his bed. It had become the norm for you both, a quiet way to spend time together and chat.

But today was different, the chatter wasn't mindless or about school gossip. This was a serious talk. Toms' head was deep in a book as he was looking up ways to get out of his impending marriage to Sera. It was all that you two had talked about tonight, and you were lying there trying to come up with a way that made sense and caused the least problems.

You sigh as you read the book that Tom had thrown at you to help him with his research. It was a book about marriage laws through the ages.

"There will be a way. We just need to think. I'm trying to think if there is a way I can get my mother to help." Tom says to you and his voice is quieter and softer than normal, showing a slight amount of desperation in his tone. You pull your head back from the book in your hands, blinking at him a couple of times.

"But isn't... isn't it partially her idea? This wedding?" You ask, confused as to why Narcissa would choose to help him.

"She is part of it, but she's always been the most reluctant out of all of the adults who decided this for us. She also knows... I don't want to. No matter what lie I tell her, she will know I'm not fully into this wedding." Tom says with a little sniff of his nose as he flicks through his notebook.

"Okay so... what can she do to help? Could she maybe convince Lucius to... drop this? Or perhaps Sera's parents? I know her and Sera's mum are super close..." you say with a little hope but it's dashed almost immediately when Tom shakes his head.

"I don't know, I'm still trying to think of how I can... maybe get her to help somehow. She may have her beliefs but she doesn't want me marrying someone I don't love. But, it's not that simple Y/N. This marriage is so much bigger than two teenagers. Like I told you before, it's about money and power. I'll be honest, I think Sera is right. I think the only answer here is for her to disappear. She's been thinking about this a lot longer than I have." Tom says and you watch his quill scratch out something he was trying to figure out.

"I already received my inheritance when I turned seventeen, but her parents are keeping hers until she leaves school. Without that money, she can't run away. Not without help and I've heard from Narcissa that her parents are thinking of withholding it entirely from her and using it to help pay a dowry so they're not spending twice..." Tom says quietly as he writes. His words astound you.

"A dowry? This is... crazy... it's the twenty first century!" You say to Tom raising your eyebrows and shaking your head in disbelief. It was like you were stuck in another time.

"It's stupid, I know. I don't get it. The Malfoy's don't need it, the Avery's are nowhere near as rich as Lucius. But anyway forget about that. The important part we need to focus on is that Sera is going to run away, disappear somehow. She may need our help." Tom says as he flips through his book.

"When I spoke to her she didn't think she could do it Tom."

He lifts his head and looks at your eyes for a brief moment and his face goes firm.

"There are ways around it. She can be convinced...or forced if necessary." He says darkly and you look back at the book, not really wanting to know what he meant by that. "I know she doesn't want to be alone somewhere new." He says changing his tone so you will answer him.

"I mean, she could still see Annie I'm sure. I did say to her she could fake an accident on holiday, like fake a death? Do you think that could work for her? She'd get some of her money on her birthday hopefully, go travelling, fake an accident. It could work..." You say to Tom with a face that was asking him to evaluate your suggestion.