Rosie ⎮ Tom Riddle

Sixteen

Veritaserum

  Tonight, Rosalie had found that Tom Riddle was far more human than she had initially thought. This newfound understanding sent her thoughts whirling as she reshaped her perception of him. Learning that his desire for subjecting muggles was merely a facade to amass followers shattered the pristinely disgusting image she had constructed of him. While it didn't absolve him of his flaws, it did draw a clear distinction between him and her father in her mind.

  She still stuck by what she had said to him, even half an hour later when she found herself balled up at the edge of the forbidden forest. It was the place where Tom himself came to pet his thestrals.

  It hurt her to put him down like that; to say that he was incapable of the love she needed when he had changed so much after learning it was all for her. But it was true, and even if she had unintentionally changed him, he was far from an ideal man.

  Rose's knees were pressed to her chest, her incessant sobbing had slowed now, when only the occasional tear spilled out of the corner of her eye. Rosalie had never been an overly emotional girl until she had moved to Hogwarts, and had shifted all of this stress onto her shoulders.

  Far away from the scene, Tom stood leant against a tree, watching her figure shiver and gasp as her tears fell. Rose had just rejected him in the most hurtful- and truthful way possible, but all he could wonder was if she  was okay.

  But even if she had rejected his forced confession, there was no chance of him leaving her alone any time soon. She was obviously in a fragile state, her mind not well. Tom figured that she would come to her senses eventually and see just what he could provide her if she did accept his advances. 

  If not, Tom knew he had a talent for persuasion.

  Rose wrapped her arms around herself, seeking solace in the solitude of the moment. Yet, amidst the quiet, she felt a sudden surge of energy pulse through her mind, igniting a jolt of awareness.

  Tom watched with confusion as she pressed her hand to her forehead, realising something was wrong.

  Rose looked around, knowing that the pain was of magical nature and not something natural. Her eyes were in danger of locking onto Tom, but before they could reach that far, a loud crack in front of her brought her head snapping back.

  She swallowed as she recognised the man standing in front of her, mid-forties, brown hair, smile lines and black robes. Rose could remember him sitting on the very counseling table her father sat when he had told her she would be going to Hogwarts.

  Tom took a step forward at the unnatural occurrence. He thought that no one could apparate in or out of Hogwarts apart from the headmaster himself. Tom stayed back from the situation, almost eager to see what Rosie would do.

  "Have you completed your duty, Rosalie?" The man asked, confident in his short strides over to her crumpled form. 

  Tom observed as she brushed away her tears and straightened herself, erecting a barrier between herself and the man before her, whom she seemed reluctant to acknowledge. Intrigued, he wondered how she was acquainted with him and the nature of her supposed 'duty.'

  After she found her throat dry, unable to produce words for an entire minute, the man walked closer.

  "Is Tom Riddle a threat that needs to be taken care of?" He asked, and Tom felt his blood run cold. His eyes darted to Rosalie who looked like she was about to burst out crying again. In that moment, he felt no pity for her, because he feared the worst.