A D O M A N I A
cxxiii||deceived
As the end of July nears, James and Lily become more and more anxious about their baby and when it will arrive. Regulus is sat in the Potter living room with Mad-Eye and Frank Longbottom when Maria trudges down the stairs wearing some leggings and one of Regulus' emerald and silver quidditch jumpers that he'd given her after they finished Hogwarts.
The knitted fabric still smells of strong cologne and an underlying, barely noticeable scent of cigarette smoke. It's comforting to Maria, she pulls the sleeves over her hands as Moody glanced over to her, silencing their conversation.
"Morning, Potter." Frank calls with a large wave making Maria smile unsurely.
"Hi. What are you doing here?" Maria asks them and Regulus sighs, setting down a copy of the daily prophet and grabbing her gently by the arm, pulling her out into the hallway and then into one of the smaller lounge rooms with two armchairs in front of a fireplace.
"There's been talk of a big attack on the Minister." Regulus whispers, tucking some hair behind her ear making her stare up at him inquisitively. "I have to go."
"No you—I'm coming with you. I can—"
"Shh. Sweetheart, you're not coming with me." Regulus smiles sadly, tracing his thumb over her cheekbone as she goes to speak again making him place a finger over her lips. "I'll be back later. I promise. And we can eat loads of strawberries and chocolate and forget all about it."
"You can't promise me things like that." Maria shakes her head, allowing a single tear to roll down her cheek. Regulus smiles, leaning down to press his lips onto her fuller ones and she places her palm against his cheek softly.
"I'll be back later." Regulus reassures, pressing another kiss on her forehead before walking down the hall making Maria sigh and slouch into one of the armchairs, pulling her legs to her chest and staring into the glowing flames of the constant fire.
Maria often ponders what it would be like to loose someone as important as Regulus. Not because she likes thinking about it, but it's sort of a natural thing to think when there's a huge war and people around you are dying every day.
A few hours later, Maria has just gotten out of the shower and is getting dressed, well, not dressed but more like for sitting in her house doing nothing. She clasps the purple bra behind her back and pulls up some blue and white, tartan pyjama shorts. She scrunches her damp hair with the towel when the door slowly opens.
Regulus is stood with a small smile on his face and he looks over at her making her sigh in relieve and rush towards him. Her arms wrap around his neck and she squeals slightly as her legs wrap around his waist and he holds her up by her thighs.
"Thank goodness you're okay." Maria breathes, pulling away slightly to press her lips against his, her hands grasping at the back of his neck.
Regulus turns around so her back roughly hits the wall and she lets her feet hit the floor, kissing him desperately. His lips travel slowly and roughly down her neck, something about his kisses feel different. Rough and angry, his hands that are gripping her waist are tight and almost painful. His hand slowly snakes up to her neck and grips it tightly, smirking slightly and she gasps slightly.
"Reg—that hurts." Maria chokes out and he loosens his grasp slightly making her let her lungs function again. Her hands go to the edges of his t-shirt and she sighs as she slips his top over his head and her eyes instantly go to his collarbone.
Where the Leo constellation tattoo does not lie.
She instantly pushes whoever this person is away, her lips parted and her eyes narrowed in disgust and 'Regulus' thrusts his hand out and grips her throat tightly, pushing her back against the wall before chuckling under his breath and tapping his index finger against his lips.
Maria can feel his fingers bruising her skin as she stares up at him with teary eyes and her mouth agape, the only sounds being able to escape being the choking gasps for breath.
The person roughly releases her neck and she sucks in a deep and painful breath, letting her fingers shakily trace over the bruising skin. 'Regulus' turns around and Maria closes her eyes in slight relief.
When she opens them, Tom Riddle is stood before her and she stares at him in disbelief.
"You shouldn't always trust what walks into your bedroom, Maria." Tom says, sitting down on the window seat with a small smirk as Maria stays with her back pressed against the wall. "I've been meaning to ask you something. . .about your little boyfriend."
"I'm not going to tell you anything." Maria says hoarsely, her hand still rubbing her tender neck as she stares at Tom with a look of disgust plastered on her face. "How did you. . .was that polyjuice potion?"
Maria is extremely confused.
People on polyjuice potion cannot just return back to themselves on command. They need to wait for the effects to ease off, her mind races with different theories — but this is Lord Voldemort, who the hell knows what he's capable of.
"Hm." Riddle hums, frowning slightly as he sits in the armchair comfortably, bringing his hand up to rubs his chin. "I could've sworn Ava would've told you. . .about the things that I can do to one's mind. You know before she actually liked me I used to make her dream about me."
"I. . .don't care." Maria says with a look of disbelief on her face. This man who's killed dozens of people and just choked her against the wall is now telling her about his relationship with a ghost she met at school. "What the hell do you want?"
He shoots up from his chair and steps forwards, pointing a finger down at her and she looks up at him, straightening her shoulders and glaring at him. Maria watches as his lips curl slightly and he lets out an amused chuckle, shaking his head.
"You're a lot like her." Tom says, taking a small step back. "I've been hearing whispers. . .your boyfriend is out to kill one of mine—his."
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Maria scoffs, folding her arms. "Even if I did, I would never tell you. I'm not scared of you, despite your efforts to cause misery everywhere around me."
"You should be scared." Tom whispers, leaning down to her ear and she swallows thickly. "Not of me, but of what I can do."
"What's that supposed to mean?" She whispers, retracting slightly and he smiles in a slightly sinister way.
There's a slow knock on her bedroom door and Maria looks up at Tom who raises his eyebrows in a challenging way. Maria blinks, letting out a deep sigh and slowly turning to the ajar door.
There's a loud bang on the wall beside the door and Maria jumps, reaching for her wand which is not currently in her pocket — but on her vanity desk a few feet away. Mentally cursing herself, Maria breathes shallowly, taking a small step and bumping into Riddle's chest making him chuckle.
Maria's lip trembles slightly when a familiar face waltzes through the door, a menacing smirk in his smug face. His cold blue eyes are ruthless and predator-like as he slowly inches forwards.
Maria shakes her head, tears welling in her brown eyes as she backs further, being forced to stay in her place by Tom's body behind her. Riddle is surprised by the fact that she reaches for his arm, surprised by the fact that she would rather cling to the narcissistic murderer Dark Lord than face the blonde haired man before them.
"Please stop." Maria's hands are shaky and Tom clenches his jaw, gripping her shoulders from behind her and suddenly shoving her forwards so she stumbles and crashes into Lucius Malfoy.
"Hello, Maria." Lucius smirks and she rapidly shoved him away, stepping back to desperately put distance between them.
"Don't be frightened, darling, just tell me what your boyfriend's planning with that one eyed lunatic and I'll get my friend Lucius here to leave you be." Tom says, shrugging his shoulders and clasping his hands before him. "What is Regulus Black conspiring?"
"I don't know." Maria whispers, her legs hitting the bed frame and she sucks in a quick breath. "He hasn't told me anything about killing one of yours—what the fuck."
Lucius gains on her, bringing a hand up and stroking two fingers over her cheekbone making her jolt slightly, closing her eyes in fear of the man before her — if he's even there at all. But that's not even the point, the point is that as soon as his cruel hand touches her skin, she's reminded of everything that occurred that evening.
"I suggest you tell the truth." Tom snaps and as he says truth, Lucius harshly grabs her shoulders and she goes ti shove him off, actually succeeding and she stumbles due to the backs of her knees being pushed against the bed; falling back. "Come on now, Maria. Let's make this easy, love."
"I am telling the truth—I don't know anything." Maria says, tears streaming down her frantic face as she scrambles back when Lucius dives for her, grabbing her ankles and Maria lets out a sobbing cry. "Please! Please, stop it." Maria says, letting out another shuddering sob. "Please, make him stop."
She closes her eyes tightly when Lucius hovers over her and then she doesn't feel his hands pressed against her hips anymore. He'd just completely disappeared making Maria let out a small cry and roll onto her side, sobbing and sniffling into the crook of her elbow.
"Maria, I—" Tom's face as though a wave of deja vu had swept over his mind. "I didn't mean to upset you—"
"Get out." Maria whispers hoarsely when he goes to touch her shoulder, swatting his hand away with her arm, burying her crying face into the sheets.
Riddle swallows, standing straight and clenching his jaw, his mind flashing with images of Avalyn Feathers lay on the crimson sheets of the Gryffindor girls' dormitory with her face buried into her arm and her body curled up as he tried to comfort her for something that he had caused.
When Maria can just slightly open her eyes, he'd already disappeared making her close her eyes again and leg out another sob into her arm.
About an hour later, the bedroom door opens slowly and Regulus and James stroll inside, Remus and Sirius slightly behind them. James' grin drops when he sees his sister curled up on her bed and the sounds of her breathless sobs — as she has been for an hour.
"Maria."
Maria gasps slightly, sitting up as Regulus rushes over and she holds a hand up, gesturing for him to stay away and he freezes in his tracks, holding his own hand up slowly .
"Wait—you. . .tell me something that only Regulus would know." Maria blurts out and Sirius frowns, sharing a look with Remus who's staring at Maria with concerned eyes.
"Okay. Um. . .when we were seventeen and in Paris, I told you that you were more beautiful than every star in the sky, and you asked me 'even yours?'." Regulus breathes out, his eyes wide and concerned.
Maria lets out a small sobbing breath and lowers her frantic arm, Regulus slowly stepping forwards and allowing her to fall into his arms, sniffling into his shoulder.
Deception had almost gotten her into a lot of shit that night, and Tom Riddle felt guilt for the first time in years.
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HEY
idek where ive been loves, I've just had a massive writer's block and im still getting over my bby ashtray's death 🥲
i was also wondering if you wanted a chapter from voldemort's sort of perspective with flashbacks and stuff — even though the boom about him and ava is published and ill be updating soon! :)
tysm for reading, hope you guys enjoyed!
——grace xxx