Stolen Time A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Three

Cassiopeia cocked her head. "A century?"

Floris took the time turner back in his hands and carefully touched the rings. "As long as I can remember I've always been fascinated by the concept of time and time travel. The thought of being able to travel back in time, and I mean really back, not just some hours but a few hundred years, that's so exciting. Time is such a complex matter and it makes meddling with it so dangerous and yet so fascinating. Being able to go back and see what happens...I've wanted to try that I don't know for how long." He glanced at the time turner in his hands. After a moment he continued, "Unfortunately, just like all the others, it will only be able to send me back in time, not forward. That means there's no way to return to the present. If I go back really far, I'll never see my time again unless I live much longer than normal." He laughed. "But I'm not one for immortality issues. So no way for me to return once I've left. I guess that's why I haven't tried yet."

"Do you think it already works the way you expect it to?"

"Maybe. I've been refining it again and again. Meddling with time should never be underestimated. It needs proper planning. I like to check and double check everything, make sure I didn't miss anything." Floris carefully pocketed the little time turner. "What about you? Wouldn't you like to see another time?"

Cassiopeia was just thinking about it when the door opened. Floris and Cassiopeia turned to look at the door just in time to see Tom enter the room. Tom threw an intent look at Cassiopeia. "We have an appointment in the village in ten minutes. We need to get going." His voice was commanding.

Cassiopeia sighed.

Floris shot her a knowing smile and whispered, "You don't need to go. You can stay here if you want to."

Tom narrowed his eyes. He felt his temper flare dangerously and quickly retreated from Cassiopeia's mind. He had to fight to keep his temper in check, cold fury pulsing through his veins. He should have paid more attention to Floris already back then. Maybe then it wouldn't have escaped his notice how obvious Floris' intentions had been even then and he would never have left Cassiopeia alone with this scum.

With deep satisfaction Tom remembered the panic and horror in Floris' eyes when he had finally realized that Tom's snakes were going to squeeze the last bit of air out of him, strangling him slowly and painfully, making him pay for how he had done them wrong, how he had done him wrong. Tom clenched his jaw. How could he have dared to actually touch what was so obviously his?

Tom vividly remembered the rage he had felt when he had returned to this miserable shack and had seen this filth hunched over Cassiopeia. Instantly, he had wanted to take revenge. He had never wanted revenge so badly. And he had gotten revenge after all. Cassiopeia had tried to stop him once again but of course that had been out of the question that time. Tom's fist tightened around the wand in his hand. Why ever had she even wanted to stop him? Why had she cared what happened to Floris? How could she care at all, after what he had done that night?

Tom felt his temper flare again. He glared at Cassiopeia who was standing in front of him, her back against the wall, her eyes not meeting his gaze. Tom had to suppress the sudden desire to re-enter her mind and rip through it in search for the memory of what had happened that night prior to his return. He saw Cassiopeia flinch just the slightest bit and instinctively knew she was remembering that night as well. Tom felt his fury slowly take over. Why did she avoid his gaze? After all, usually she never did. His magic was radiating aggressively from him and he didn't even try to rein it in.

Cassiopeia sensed the uproar in Tom's magic as it was crackling savagely around him and its violent vibrancy sent shivers down her spine. She instinctively knew he was thinking about Floris, about what had happened that night before he had killed him. She had felt Tom's cold fury when he had witnessed her interaction with Floris. It surely had cost him quite some strength to keep his temper in check. A sensation of inexplicable warmth spread inside herself, knowing that he had only restrained his anger to avoid hurting her. Cassiopeia was very much aware that he would never have done this for anyone else and a smile crossed her face. When she looked up at Tom his features were a blank mask but she could still catch a glimpse of the suppressed emotion burning in the depths of his eyes.

"Do you want to see?" Cassiopeia's voice was hoarse again. Her question caught Tom off guard and something akin to surprise flashed through his eyes. Hesitantly Cassiopeia touched his hand. His knuckles were white with the force he was applying to his wand. "I'll show you if you want me to. I've got nothing to hide." She paused. "Granted, he might have said some intriguing things. But for nothing in this world would I have ever even thought of betraying your trust." A small smile flickered across her lips. "After all, I fought way too hard for it to just throw it away." Cassiopeia tightened her grip on Tom's hand, her gaze locked with his. "Do it."

Tom stared back at her. She was looking him in the eyes again, fearless, unwavering. Tom clenched and unclenched his jaw, knowing he had to make his decision quickly. There was no panic in her eyes, no resentment. He knew she hated letting him inside her mind and yet she had offered to show him even though this memory was surely nothing he needed to know. He had not even had to ask. Once again he marvelled at the power of this still so strange and incomprehensible mindset that made her act like she did.

Tom threw her another glance before he slowly pulled his hand away from hers, stowing his wand. He shook his head. "No."

Cassiopeia couldn't quite believe her ears. Never before had Tom refrained from a possibility like this one. But before she could react, Tom had turned on the spot, leaving her staring at the vacant place he had just disapparated from.

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Author's note: Thanks a lot for reading :-)