the unhallowed affair - t.m.r

ad bellum

"to war"

Juliette took a deep breath, preparing herself for what was to come.

She had not seen Riddle in quite some time. How could she, after what he had done? After what they had done together?

He needed to see her, he had said. Somewhere familiar. A place only they knew.

The church still stood, despite it being abandoned for decades now. After the incident with Tom, she stopped using the church as a place to lurk around the catacombs, but rather a place of penance. Who she was praying to- who was listening to her beg- she had no idea, but it gave her a false sense of comfort after all she had done.

The tall wooden door stood imposing as always, and it groaned once again as it was opened. Juliette Alderidge stopped in her tracks.

There he was, beautiful and damned as ever. Tom Riddle was pacing through the old church, sneering at all of the relics.

"Punctual as always, are you not?" She looked at him, trying to keep her composure, trying to forget what it was like last they saw each other.

"I've never been anything less," he swallowed, his back towards her.

She took a step forward, closing the door behind her. "No, you have not."

"As you have always been loyal." He turned to face her now. Her usually unkempt blonde curls were straightened, and Tom's brows furrowed. He had never seen the girl with straight hair. But then again, it has been five years now, has it not?

The blonde girl scoffed. "Loyal," she repeated, the word leaving her mouth slowly, mocking him. "I have not answered any of the letters of your acolytes for years, and yet, you call me loyal."

"You may not have answered them, but you answered me."

She looked at her shoes. He was right. God, she hated how he always seemed to be a step ahead.

She walked in the aisles of the remaining pews, her eyes flickering to the door that led to the catacombs. She briefly thought about disappearing down there, so he couldn't find her. She brushed it away quickly. He would find her, he always did. Even if it took five years and different countries.

It was Juliette who broke the silence. "Is it strange, to be in here, knowing the crimes you've committed? Knowing that God has seen your atrocities?"

He laughed. "I have never believed in God, darling."

She cringed at the name.

He knew she would.

"Right. I forgot. You believe you are God, do you not?" Juliette laughed, her accent thick.

Tom smirked, running his fingers along the altar. "I am no saint, Juliette, not at all. Neither are you-"

"That is not what I asked." Her voice was short, clipped and demanding.

He looked up at her, knowing that he could shut her up with just a look. "Tell me, do you feel His all-knowing eyes on you?"

"The Lord's or yours?" She asked quietly, her anger brewing.

He chuckled at her creativity. "You do not see me like they do, and you know it. You do not see me as a cult leader. You mustn't deny it any longer. We mustn't lie to ourselves now, not in a Holy place such as this."

"How do you think I see you?"

"You are aware of Biblical demons, correct?" He stepped away from the altar now, making his way towards her.

Her brows furrowed. "Of course I am."

"And so," he took her jaw in his hand, and she flinched. The five years apart truly have been long. "You know they tempt you with beauty, just to ruin you in the end?"

Her breath quivered, her eyes scanned his face. "Y-Yes. Yes, I know that."

"And yet, you love me. You still desire me, despite knowing this and seeing me as such. Why, darling? Why do you love me? What is in it for you?"

Juliette was silent. How dare he? How dare he, after what he had done, say she still loves him?

She swallowed again, ignoring it. "Are you calling yourself the Devil?"

"You've called me it plenty of times, have you not? You believe it, and what is religion if not belief?"

"I'm not religious." Juliette stuck her nose in the air.

"You come here too often to not have a little faith." He countered.

She raised her eyebrows, about to speak-

"The movement has grown since we've last... seen each other. I seem to have eyes everywhere, nowadays."

"Are you keeping watch on me, Tom?" She smirked.

He shrugged. "I wouldn't say it like that, my dear."

The room went quiet once again. "What's in it for me?" She circled back to his question from earlier. "You're my religion, Tom. What is religion if not false hopes?" She paralleled him.

He smirked again, the same sickening one he had on his face during their last encounter. "Was that so hard to admit?"

"Don't patronise me." She spat.

Suddenly, he pressed his lips to hers, his grip on her jaw burning, like a rosary to the Damned. It was fleeting, ending just as it began. "Join me," he whispered against her forehead. "Join me in immortality."

She pushed away from him right away. "Don't you dare-"

"When will you understand, Juliette? There is no escaping this. You can flee the country- flee the continent, for all I care- but I will still find you, and each time I do, I will ask you time and time again to join me. And if it is not me searching for you, it will be someone else. I guarantee it. I have much more power than I did those years ago."

"You don't think I know that? You don't think I don't see your name in the papers? Or Anastasia's? Or Xavier's? Do you think I don't see?" She yelled.

"Do you think I don't follow you? That I don't have business where you are?"

Juliette rolled her eyes. "You expect me to believe that you are putting your empire's name in the papers, just for me to see?"

"In omnia paratus," he swallowed, knowing the weight of his words.

She inhaled sharply, not expecting to hear him say those words to her ever again. She felt defeated, but quickly composed herself. "There are whispers of a war, Tom. Is it true?"

"The best way to prepare you is to protect you. I cannot do that easily if it is someone else protecting you and not me. If it is not me protecting you, there is a higher chance you will die in this, Juliette."

She processed the weight of his words. "Would it not be poetic to die for you? The truest form of devotion, no? Wouldn't your sadistic tendencies want that, given what has happened?"

He smiled. He had her back. "I don't want you portrayed as a martyr."

Tom Riddle reached his hand out, waiting for her to take it.

She did, and next thing she knew, she was once again a Death Eater.