A Rose's Thorns

Chapter 21

Rose stared at him with eyes wide and horror in her eyes.

"What if-" Rose stated quietly, clearing her voice. "What if you destroy the vessel containing the soul?"

"Then the person who created the Horcrux will no longer be immortal," Marvolo said simply.

Rose continued to look at him with widened eyes.

"How- How old were you when you made your Horcrux?" Rose asked lowly.

It was obvious that she needn't have asked him if he had made any Horcrux.

"Sixteen." He replied with a smirk. "I was sixteen when I made my first."

Rose's breathing quickened and she had to close her eyes to calm herself down.

"You must have still been in school then." She said slowly.

Marvolo nodded. "I was."

Rose continued staring at him with frowned eyebrows. "You said 'first'."

"I did," Marvolo replied. "Surely you didn't think that I would not have made back-ups to secure my immortality?"

Rose stayed quiet before asking in a small voice. "I am your Horcrux, aren't I? Nagini is another." She repeated the words that Nagini had told her.

Marvolo smiled widely, but this was the first time that Rose felt slightly afraid of it. "Yes."

"So if the people -the others, your enemies- find out that I am your Horcrux, are they going to kill me?" Rose asked softly.

"They can try," Marvolo smirked. "But no, they will not kill you."

"Because they have morals?"

"Because I won't let them." Marvolo corrected. "The great light leader believes in the concept of 'The Greater Good'. If he realises that you are a Horcrux, then he will probably try every single way in which my soul could be removed from you without harming you. Then, once he exhausts all options, he will probably find a way in which you would be minutely harmed, but the Horcrux would be removed."

Rose stayed silent.

"I told you that you would be afraid of me," Marvolo said.

"I-I'm not afraid," Rose said. It was a semi truth. "It's not every day you find out that you have the soul of an evil dark lord."

"Evil? Rose, you flatter me." Marvolo said dryly. "What are you going to do now?"

Rose gave him a weary smile. "It's not like I can do anything about it, can I? I respect your choices -no matter how I personally feel about it- and besides," Rose smirked now. "Now, I can do whatever I want with the confidence that you wouldn't kill me or hurt me."

"Oh joy."

Rose smiled blindingly. "I know, I'm brilliant. Don't worry Marvolo, this little detail doesn't change my opinion on you. I still think of you like a teddy bear. A murderous, slightly scary teddy bear, but a teddy bear nevertheless."

"I am so glad you think so highly of me," Marvolo said sarcastically.

"But you know," Rose mused, twirling a strand of blonde hair. "You are not as evil as people say you are."

"No." Marvolo agreed. "I am much, much worse."

"Not to me, you aren't." Rose smiled. "I'll go and play with Snuffles now. I'll see you at dinner?"

Marvolo nodded.

Rose lightly kissed his cheek before leaving.

Women, Marvolo thought as he got back to his paperwork. He could never understand them.