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𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖚𝖓𝖈𝖆𝖓𝖓𝖞 𝖗𝖊𝖘𝖊𝖒𝖇𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖈𝖊
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Elena climbed the stairs, ignoring the creepy old lady at the front desk. Maybe it was best for Tom to think she was fragile, to think she was hurt. He was careful around her and he made an effort for her to trust him. It was unlike him, yes, but maybe it was for the better.
Tom slowly opened the door and as they entered the room, the damp smell hit Elena once again. She never thought she would ever say this but she would take the orphanage over this place any day. It was almost midnight and she wanted to go to sleep so badly.
She walked over to the bed as Tom closed the door behind them. When she lifted the covers a scream nearly escaped her mouth. "Rats! Tom there are rats on the freaking bed!"
Tom looked at her amused.
"What are you laughing at? Look at this! We might as well sleep in the streets!"
"Elena calm down. There is nothing we can do about it right now." Tom said calmly.
"Where are we supposed to sleep then?"
"The chairs of course." Tom said with a smug look on his face, he walked to his chair and put his bag down on the floor.
"You can't be serious."
"The floor is always an option."
"You enjoy my suffering, don't you Riddle?" She sighed and put her bag on the floor. She sat on the chair, pulling her legs up to her chest and using one arm to support her head she tried to go to sleep. When that didn't work she changed her position several times, each time the wooden chair squeaking.
She heard Tom get up and he took her arms into his hands, placing them around her legs and looking into her eyes. "Stay like this. Still and silent. I am trying to sleep too."
"Do you know what? I'll kill all the rats and sleep in the bed." she said pushing him off of her and standing up.
"And their waste? I don't want to have to pick them from your hair."
Elena frowned and sat back down taking out her book.
"What are you doing?" Tom asked.
"I won't be able to sleep. Might as well read," she spat out.
"You're being dramatic," he said as he closed his eyes.
"Paranoid and dramatic. I must be so hard to bear."
Tom didn't open his eyes but smiled. Elena sighed and went back to her book. Before she knew it, she fell asleep her head hanging down.
•❅────✧❅✦❅✧────❅•
"Elena.... Elena... wake up," she heard a distant voice say.
"Hmm? Alright I'm awake." she mumbled.
"Your eyes are still closed." the voice insisted.
"My mind is awake." She opened her eyes yawning. "Oh my neck!" She tried to turn her head but it hurt too much.
"Alright stand up and wash your face. You need to wake up."
"I'm going to kill you if you say wake up again."
"And she's back. Come on," he said as he opened the door.
"You're unbearable." Elena said as she stood up, got her bag and walk out the room. She heard Tom mutter a sarcastic thank you on his way out.
"You know I told you you could go back. It's not like I didn't give you a choice," he said. They began walking down the stairs.
"I know, I know. Give me a break, I just woke up."
The old lady was still at her desk, the same smile plastered upon her face. "Good morning, my children. Would you like some breakfast?" she said in her creepy voice.
Tom was going to say something when Elena quickly cut him off and dragged him out of the hotel. Tom chuckled as they dived into the crowd . Walking amongst the people who hurried to one place or another, Elena let Tom's arm go.
"You're cute when you're paranoid." Tom mocked her, "Your face gets red and you try to look everywhere at once and get these crazy eyes-"
"Are you entertained, Riddle?"
"Ouch. No need for surnames, Mortem."
Elena sighed, "So, where are we going now?"
"Well, there is a Riddle Mansion here. Want to bet it's my father's?"
Elena just smiled and didn't say anything. Grindelwald somehow knew she would be there that day, there was no other explanation. "What are we going to do, burst in through door and tell him you're his son?"
"No, Elena, we're going to burst in through the door and kill him."
Elena chuckled but she awkwardly went back to silence when she realised Tom wasn't laughing. Was this his intent this whole time? "You know, your mother's relatives could be here too."
"My mother wasn't a wizard, I don't care about her."
Oh, how very wrong he was. Elena wanted to tell him that but there would be too many questions. How did she know that? She couldn't say. Why hadn't she said anything before? She didn't know. "Okay then. Riddle Mansion it is."
After asking around and every time being shown the same house, they were on their way to the mansion. It was on a cliff and could be seen from practically anywhere in the town.
"YOU, HOW DARE YOU SHOW UP HERE AGAIN, RIDDLE?!" They were walking up the hill when a ragged man stormed out of his small cabin. He ran at Tom and Elena waving a wand in his hand. Elena took a few steps back, the man wasn't talking to her, he was talking Tom. "I TOLD HER SHE NEVER SHOULD'VE GIVEN YOU THAT LOVE POTION! YOU KILLED HER!"
Love potion? What was going on? Elena looked at Tom for some explanation but he was just as surprised as she was. "If you could just calm down, I don't even know who you are." Tom said calmly, taking a step back.
"OH YOU THINK I'M STUPID. MEROPE DIED BECAUSE OF YOU NOW YOU WILL TOO! AVAD-"
"Stupefy!" Elena shouted, the man fell down onto his back.
"Why the hell did you do that?" Tom asked eyes wide open.
"I guess you didn't realise he was about to kill you," Elena said walking over to the man that laid inanimate.
"He was a moron, I don't even think he knew the full spell. He called me Riddle, how did he know?"
Elena inspected the man, he was dirty, his clothes ripped and torn apart. Not an ounce of effort for hygiene. He was the definition of ugly. On one of his fingers was a ring, a golden snake curled up holding a stone. Elena held her breath as she saw the symbol engraved into it. Could it be? She wanted to rip it off his hand but Tom was watching. "Look at this," she pointed at the ring, "this doesn't look like something such a poor man should have."
"It could be a family heirloom." Tom said kneeling down next to the man.
"Tom, the name he was yelling... Wasn't that your mother's name?" Elena asked, earning a surprised look from Tom. "Merope..." Elena took a deep breath in, "I don't think your father was a wizard Tom. It was your mother and by the looks of it... This is your uncle."
"How dare you say that?" he suddenly stood up, towering over Elena.
"How dare I? I'm just here to help! Go on then, draw your wand!" she shouted.
His expression softened and he muttered a sorry. He kneeled back down and took the ring out his finger. Elena cursed herself for not taking it while he wasn't looking.
"Well, let's go and meet my father then... see if your theory is correct." He took the man's wand and started walking, not one bit concerned about the unconscious man laying on the floor. Elena followed him silently, she didn't want to fight, not when she was sure that he had the stone. She couldn't risk it.
The mansion was big and intimidating. How muggles could be so menacing even though they had no power, Elena never understood. She tried to keep calm, it was almost 2 p.m. and they were already at the mansion. Maybe they would leave before she got the chance to meet him. She realised this was her worse nightmare coming true, and she merrily walked into it.
They went up the large steps in front of the entrance and Tom knocked on the enormous door. A maid opened it, looking extremely shocked upon seeing Tom. Why did everyone seem to recognise him?
"Good morning, we were here to see Tom Riddle," Elena said. Tom was stone-faced and cold.
The maid tilted her head, "Uhmm... He is busy right now if you could come any othe-"
"Imperio." whispered Elena, the maid straightened her posture, her eyes emptied out.
"Can't we be civil?" Tom asked rolling his eyes.
"Look who's talking. I don't want to waste time with a servant. Go in before someone else comes." She really couldn't care less if the maid was helpless or not. She just wanted to do what they needed to do and then leave.
Tom did as she said and Elena followed him in closing the door behind her. The mansion was beautiful, there were red carpets laid on the ground with countless paintings hung up on the walls. They were older family members, lords and duchesses. Laughs echoed through the corridors, coming from inside a small room. It was such an enchanting environment that soon would be destroyed by the two of them.
Tom made his way to that room, opening the door carefully. Inside sat a well-dressed old woman and two men of which one significantly younger. They looked sophisticated to say the least. When Elena looked at the younger man she realised what everyone was talking about. Tom was literally a copy of the man, the black hair, slim figure...
"Who are you?" said the younger man standing up, "What are you doing here?"
Tom smirked, "It all makes sense now, father."
The man's eyes widened, "What are you talking about?"
"How unethical.. Leaving a pregnant woman to die. One of magical blood too. But the baby.... You never even thought about it, DID YOU?"
Elena jumped at his sudden change of volume. He was so visibly angry yet the man in front of them looked no different. He didn't care about his baby, he never even thought about it. He deserved to die, no, he deserved so much worse. Love potion or not, Tom didn't deserve to be locked up in that orphanage. No one did.
"Elena get out." he said in between his teeth. Elena nodded, she didn't want to witness what he was about to do, but as soon as she stepped out of the room dread filled her. It wasn't because of the screams coming from inside. It was nearly time and she wasn't ready. She would never be ready but she needed answers and she was going to get them, regardless of what Grindelwald had planned this meeting to be.