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"Where are we going to apparate from?" Angelina questioned for the third time as Tom dragged her through muggle crowds. But Tom did not reply, Angelina snorted and kept walking closely behind him.
It was mid-day and rain was pouring onto their heads. Tom dragged Angelina into an abandoned street. It was dark and it reeked of smolder and cigarettes. London wasn't a safe place anymore. The second world war was entering London, it was in the matter of time that the streets of London would be battlefields.
Tom cornered Angelina to cover her from the rain and any passed out drug user. "Do you have everything you need in your bag?" His black hair was wet and unruly, Angelina found herself wanting to run her fingers through it.
"Yeah, I packed everything in advance."
"Good. Do you remember how to apparate with sideways?" He asked yet another question. Angelina and Tom had practiced the art of apparition along with Abraxas at Malfoy Manor last year.
"Yes. Why must you underestimate me?" She pursued her lips slightly.
"I'm not underestimating you." Tom spared a glance to the watch on his wrist. "It's about time." He said and held onto Angelina's forearm with a tight grip.
"Hold on tight."
Then came the feeling of your body being passed through a drinking straw. Angelina kept a tight grip onto Tom's arm and everything went black. Her hair felt as if it was being pulled away by a great force, she couldn't keep her eyes open, it felt like someone had poked both of her eyes and her ear drums were banging.
Then, everything came to halt. She opened her eyes and found herself standing next to Tom in front a sign board that read;
'Welcome to Little Hangleton.'
The view of the small village was before their eyes. It almost looked abandoned. It looked dark. The architecture looked old but it was beautifully displayed in sad colors. It looked like a phantom town out of some horror story book. Maybe it always looked like this or maybe it was the effects of the war.
Angelina glanced sideways at Tom; a slight crease had embedded itself on Tom's forehead. He looked deep in thought and off-guard. She slightly tugged on Tom's hand, snapping him out of his daze.
"Come on, we need to get to town before it's too late." Angelina said.
They started to walk hand in hand towards the noise of people and their vehicles. As they made it further into town, Angelina noticed the similarity in the designs on the buildings. All of them looked fairly old but not to an extreme.
Everything started to look a lot like a part of London both Tom and Angelina knew too well. They gloomy atmosphere, lack of people and smell of wet dirt was too similar.
"Looks a bit like London, doesn't it?" Angelina stated, they had been walking for a while and Tom had yet to say anything since they arrived here. The silence drove her mad. Albeit, Tom was never much of a speaker, he didn't ever act this silent.
Angelina looked up to Tom, his eyes held a blank look as he walked. He looked as if he was scheming but he was always scheming. Tom Riddle never let any chances for surprises. Of course he was scheming something, but he did not feel like telling her anything yet.
His uncle Morfin Gaunt was still alive, Tom had to find him. He needed all the information he could get and he needed his family gone.
-
Tom and Angelina stood in front a hotel, one of the only ones who looked in good state. They both exchanged glances and entered the building. An old lady was situated at the reception behind a counter. The building from inside was average but it was clean. The two approached the counter.
Tom rung the bell which was placed on the counter near a vase making himself known. The lady peered at them from her spectacles and stood up.
"Welcome to the Little Hotel, dearies. How can I help you today?" The lady was short compared to the both; she had to slightly look up when she talked. She smiled warmly at Angelina and Tom. Angelina returned the smile, Tom however, not.
"We would like a room, preferably a one with windows." Tom said dismissively.
The lady immediately went through a register and pulled out a page.
"I need you two to sign your names here."
Tom signed first and passed the paper to Angelina. He did not sign his name. The name Jordan Matthews was signed. Angelina took the pen and signed her name as, Charlotte Matthews. It was the only name she could come up with.
Tom saw that she got the memo and handed the paper back to the lady.
"Are you two together?" she questioned.
She literally signed the same last name as him.
"Yes." Tom curtly replied and the lady nodded. She turned around and got a key chain off a peg. She handed it to Tom.
"Room 17, it's the second one to your left on the second floor, dearies. Dinner will be served in the dining room. Have fun!"
"Come now, Angel." Tom softly said as he tugged her hand slightly.
They stood in front of the door of the room. Tom used the key to open the door. He opened the door for Angelina, she walked into the room. Tom closed the door behind him. The room was poorly lit, with a wave of her hand the room was illuminated but not overly.
Tom took his wand out, raised his hands and muttered a few silencing and concealing charms. He didn't want anyone as ordinary as a muggle to overhear anything.
The room, itself was decent. A queen sized bed was placed near the windows. Two side tables were at either of the bed. A desk was placed right beside the fire place and there was a door that presumably led to the bathroom.
Angelina set her bag down on an armchair and headed to the bed. She laid down with her legs dangling of the sides.
"I recommend you to freshen up and change before you decide to sleep."
Tom removed his coat, undid his cufflinks, and rolled his sleeves up. Angelina's gaze lingered onto his exposed arms for a bit and she rolled her eyes. Unexpected, she was.
"He talks." Angelina muttered.
Tom had sat down at the desk while Angelina stared up at the ceiling, her feet dangling from the bed. She was exhausted; her head was spinning thanks to apparition. She felt dizzy, her vision blurred a bit. She didn't feel good. She shot up and ran to the bathroom. She threw the door open and fell to her knees near the toilet. A painful cough left her body; she threw up into the toilet. The contents of her stomach emptied leaving her body aching. She flushed the toilet and her vomit was replaced.
"Do you need anything?"
"No, leave." Angelina mustered with a cough as she tried to stand. Of course he did not listen to her and maneuvered towards her.
"Tom, leave." Her voice was small as she steadied herself. She looked into the mirror, and then she looked at Tom. A sob left her mouth. "Something is going to happen, Tom. Something bad."
Tom found himself clenching his fist before steadying her. She knows.
-
Tom woke up early; he wanted to cut the trip even shorter. He removed himself from the warm covers and moved towards the desk. He picked up a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He opened the door to the balcony, welcoming the cold air to pick at his skin. He lit the cigarette and took a drag.
Smoking became a bad habit of his that he formed from being in the company of Malfoy's father. He knew they were bad for his lungs but they also helped him in situations like these. Just like he was bad for her but couldn't let her go, he was selfish just like that but she wasn't any less. She was good but evil but still better than anyone.
He had to visit his uncle tonight. He was contemplating on whether he should take her with her. She would see everything coming if he took her with him. He wanted him gone forever. He had a very forbidding plan ready for him and any remainder of his so-called family. Tom's lips quirked into a smirk and he took another drag and put out the cigarette.
He went back in and he leaned against the desk placed opposite to the bed. Tom's gaze was set on Angelina who was shifting in the bed. Her arms reached out to her left where Tom previously lay. When she felt nothing but covers, her eyes shot open and searched the room. Tom looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"Morning." His voice welcomed her ears. Goosebumps crawled onto her skin.
She replied, "Good morning."
"Get ready; we're going to a café across the street for breakfast."
"Do you plan on taking me sight-seeing?" Angelina asked as they pair crossed the road.
"There's nothing to see in this town especially during the war." Tom replied his gaze set forward.
He opened the door of the café for Angelina. "How chivalrous, thank you kind gentleman." Her voice taunted him.
"Don't be ridiculous." Tom whispered to her, pulling her closer keeping up the Mr. and Mrs. Matthews cover.
"I'm not being ridiculous. What has gotten into you? Your demeanor changed the second we entered this fucking town."
Tom pulled a seat out for her, she sat down and he tucked her in.
"My demeanor hasn't changed." Tom made sure to emphasize demeanor. "I was merely thinking."
"Really?" Angelina eyed him as he sat opposite to her. "What were you thinking about, may I ask?"
"About breakfast." Tom deadpanned her.
"I'm not daft." Angelina felt like ripping her hair out. He was confusing her very much. What was he planning? She could have been dress shopping and be doing things girls her age did. Yet she was here with him.
"Love." Tom cut through her thoughts.
"What?"
"What do you want for breakfast?" Tom asked her rather civilly because the waiter stood next to his sitting figure.
"Des toasts, du lait et des fraises." Angelina replied but in French, she played with a strand of hair and smiled up at the waiter.
"The lady would like some toast, milk and strawberries." Tom told the waiter.
"Must you be difficult here as well?"
She smiled brightly, "Only for you, love." She strongly emphasized the word 'love'.
Tom sighed.
"What do you want to know?" Everything, she thought. She had a knowing feeling about their trip here. It was just the matter of time that he proved it. Was she going to stop him? She didn't know herself. When he killed Myrtle, everything died down quickly, too quickly. And she did nothing.
Tom was quick to put blame on Rubeus Hagrid, the poor third year. Angelina never said or did anything to go against him. Why did he have a hold over her? He had never coerced her, never hurt her in fact he let her be.
"When are we meeting your uncle?" she questioned.
Tom chuckled," Tonight, the sooner we're done with him the better."
"Can't wait." She sarcastically mustered.
Angelina pulled a coat over her dress. They were leaving in search for Tom's uncle. It was cold yet very dry. It must be snowing in London but the weather here was awful. Every time Angelina took a breath, her lungs froze as the chill attacked her.
She muttered a string of profanities as she met her fate. The cold wind nipped at her face. Her tanned skin was flushed due to the cold and Tom's pale skin looked even paler in the less light.
Tom led the way and Angelina followed him.
"Tom, do you know exactly where we're going?" She whined and Tom chose to ignore her. It was getting tiring; it was only Tom and Angelina in the woods. To confess, Angelina didn't like the woods at night, they were unpredictable and so was Tom.
An owl hooted and Angelina jumped, clinging onto Tom's arm.
They kept walking. Angelina's side kept bumping into Tom's because of the unevenness of the tracks they were walking on. Angelina's mind shifted to her thoughts once more. What would Tom do when he meets his uncle? Surely he wouldn't give him a bear hug and tell him how much life was hard at the orphanage. Tom would probably lecture him on his worthlessness. Worst case scenario could be the two dueling.
What would Tom's uncle be like? Would he be an elderly person with a personality like Slughorn or Dumbledore? He could be a drunk considering his father and he went to Azkaban and he was the only surviving one. He might be mad. With his father and sister being dead, he might not have a proper support system.
Tom came to an abrupt halt, Angelina bumped into his back. She moved from behind of Tom and saw what he was looking at. A hut. A hut in a very drastic condition. A dead snake hung on the door's front.
"Doesn't that snake make it too obvious?" she whispered to Tom.
Tom turned towards Angelina; his eyes looked into her soul. He grabbed her arms. "Stay behind me, no matter what. Keep yourself on guard." Tom took out his wand from his pocket. "Take your wand out and be ready for anything."
Angelina nodded, not a moment she thought that this encounter could end badly for her; she was too busy imagining Tom and his uncle's interaction. It was stupid of her, really.
Tom walked forward; Angelina followed closely, her wand out ready to defend herself. Tom stood close to the door. He knocked at the door. The door slightly opened on impact.
Tom opened the door further more. He entered the Gaunt Shack; he waved Angelina to enter it too. It was extremely dark and both couldn't see a thing.
"Lumos." Angelina muttered and the room was lit slightly. The room was in bad condition, it smelled of dung. The ceiling looked as if it could fall down any second. Paper and old clothes were spread everywhere. Dust covered the little furniture in the room.
A knife was thrown at Tom. Angelina gasped and Tom backed her away. She shut her eyes and held her arms to protect her face. But the knife never made impact with Tom or anything at all. She opened her eyes and saw the knife floating mid-air. Of course, he had stopped it. He was too skilled at magic but so was she. She blamed the dark on her lack of defense.
A man was revealed. His clothes torn, dirty and baggy on him. The man staggered forward in the light. He was awfully hideous. Was he really Tom's maternal uncle? His over grown hair was matted with grease and dirt. His jaw was un-positioned and few of his teeth stuck out.
"Ya filthy muggle, Riddle!" his voice was scratchy unlike Tom's.
"Do not associate me with filth." Tom coyly replied. Morfin had yet to see the girl behind Tom. Angelina's hand went to Tom's, she felt scared all of a sudden. She didn't like where she was or the man in front of Tom and her.
"You look mighty like that Riddle. What's yeh name boy?"
"My name doesn't concern you, dear uncle." Tom spat.
"Yer Merope's son now eh? Get out of my house before I kill yeh."
"Morfin, there is no need to get violent." Tom hissed in a foreign language. He spoke Parseltongue. Angelina could see Morfin physically relax.
"She's dead, isn't she?"
"Yes."
"That blood-traitor deserved it."
"Indeed she did."
Angelina just stood there behind Tom's tall figure, hoping she wouldn't get noticed as she heard the two talk in Parseltongue.
"Who is she?" Morfin's finger pointed towards Angelina. She froze, hoping the ground would eat her whole. Even Morfin's gaze made her uncomfortable. Tom moved Angelina to his side, as if showing her off.
"Angelina Arlo." Tom said his voice clear.
"The name, I've heard it before. What bloodline?"
"Merlin's."
"A pure-blood of her own kind."
"Indeed." Tom said.
" Where does that muggle live?" Tom's voice was once more foreign to Angelina's ear.
"Up the hill, after the valley. The muggle lives in a manor."
Tom's lips quirked into a smirk. They were all going to meet their fate.
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DISTRACTION HERE ::
double update <3
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