Before He Was Voldemort (A Tom Riddle Fanfiction)

Chapter 38: The Painful Truth

May, 1944

Every nerve in Corinne's body was on edge, and every fiber of her being was screaming for her to stop.

Stop! they seemed to plead. Don't trust him anymore! Don't fall for his tricks!

And yet, Corinne allowed Tom to guide her through the empty corridors of Hogwarts, the Quietening Charm placed on each of them muffling their footsteps. While the charm was only a precaution insisted upon by Tom, it wasn't necessary, for it was a warm spring Saturday that was ideal for everyone to spend their day at Hogsmeade. Corinne and Tom walked for what seemed like a long time, taking hidden staircases- obviously scarcely used- that Corinne didn't even know existed instead of the main one that linked all seven floors. This part of the castle was nearly dark from the lack of torches lighting the way, making each foot placement on the crumbling stone steps hazardous. Tom navigated his way down them with ease.

Corinne found herself out of breath attempting to keep up with Tom's long, quick strides. She grew more and more agitated by the second.

"I hope you're not leading me someplace where no one will hear me scream," she remarked with satire.

Tom exhaled a laugh through his nose, smirking. "Amusing."

Nonetheless, they continued on in silence. The whole time, Corinne experienced self-doubt. Why was she following him? Within the past hour, Tom has proven that he can no longer be trusted. So what made this time any different?

Was she in denial? Did a tiny part of her still believe in him? Was this her way of granting him one last chance to redeem himself?

"Tom," Corinne couldn't help but blurt out, making Tom halt abruptly on the step below her. He did not rotate to face her. "Enough of the games. Where are you taking me?"

"I told you where," he replied cooly.

Corinne gritted her teeth. "This was a mistake." When she turned to walk back up the stairs, Tom caught her by the wrist, his touch shooting a pang of electricity up her arm.

"I assure you," said Tom, squeezing Corinne's wrist, prompting her to look back down at him. The meager amount of light carved his delicate physiognomy and highlighted his wavy tresses. "This is not a mistake."

Corinne swallowed at his words. The look that passed between them sent a pang of unease in her chest. She was going to regret putting her faith in Tom, and she knew it. But instead of running away from uncertainty like the Corinne Carrow that existed eight months ago would, she gave Tom a firm nod to continue, and shadowed his lead once more.

Her confusion only escalated when the staircase ended at a wooden door, which Tom led her through into a familiar corridor. Memories flooded into Corinne's mind of herself taking this route many years ago to the first floor girls' lavatory. For almost a year, it had been out of order since Myrtle Warren was killed there. Supposedly, Myrtle haunted the bathroom to this day. Even the very corridor Corinne and Tom stood in was freezing, as though it were warning them that they were close to Myrtle's territory.

"Why are we here?" Corinne asked, her teeth chattering as she rubbed her hands over her arms. Her breath emitted vapor into the chilly air, despite it being May.

Tom said nothing, his focus locked on the girls' lavatory door at the end of the corridor as he started towards it. He gestured for Corinne to follow him.

"We're not really going in there, are we?" she asked, staring at Tom in disbelief.

He blinked. "Isn't it obvious that we are?"

Corinne shook her head adamantly, her mouth agape. "Absolutely not! Are you mad? I swear to Merlin, Tom Riddle, if this is your way of admitting that you also spend your free time wondering into girl's lavatories-"