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𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖑𝖆𝖓𝖉𝖑𝖆𝖉𝖞
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On the way back to the hotel and up into the room neither said a word. Elena hadn't even paid attention to the creepy woman at the front desk. She just wanted to give up but now that she knew who she really was giving up wasn't an option. She needed to embrace it, or else she wouldn't make it out alive. Tom had decided to take a shower, giving her enough time to think on her own. Elena looked at the ring he had left on the table. A few hours ago she thought getting that stone would've solved all her problems, now she knew... this was only the beginning.
When Tom got out of the shower Elena tried to use it as an excuse to leave the room, but he quickly blocked the door, leaning on it. "What's up with you?"
"I'm just tired and your hair is wet." Elena was glad he was at least fully dressed.
"That is the stupidest explanation I have ever heard."
"Do you want to know what's been bothering me Tom?" Elena's heart was beating so fast she thought she would faint. "Him! You! He told me to be careful about you! He told me you were dangerous."
"I thought you knew that Elena." A smug grin appeared on his face as he towered over the girl, water from his hair dripping on her forehead. "I never lied to you, and I've never done anything without telling you. I am trying to gain your trust-"
"Did you kill him?"
"Who?"
"Rin." Elena felt her eyes burn. "Grindelwald told me you did."
"Well, that's because I did." He was so nonchalant in the way he spoke that Elena could feel the air get colder.
She was trying so hard not to cry. "Why? Why didn't you tell me?"
"Elena..." He shook his head, "I didn't just kill him," he said. Elena watched as any warmth in his eyes disappeared. "I kept him in the chamber for two months all by himself, until he talked. Until he broke down. He thought you'd come looking for him, how naïve... He deserved what happened to him after what he did to you." He put his hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears. "I lied to you because you needed to let him go. Don't tell me you feel sorry for him now."
"I don't." Elena shivered at his touch.
"Are you scared of me?"
"No..." Elena held her breath, "I'll tell you how to make a horcrux."
"Why? Because you finally trust me or because you want to have nothing to do with me anymore?"
"I haven't decided yet."
"Then I will wait until you decide." He walked past her as if nothing had happened and went to get his bag. "We can leave. There is nothing left here for us to do."
Elena gathered her stuff too, in silence they descended the stairs. Elena was sure there was something off about this hotel. It wasn't the building necessarily but the atmosphere. It looked like a murder scene and no matter what Tom told her, Elena couldn't shake that feeling off.
"Elena, come on. It's just an old lady inside." Tom had apparently decided to act like their conversation had never happened. "There is nothing to be afraid of."
"An old lady and no one else, doesn't that seem weird to you?" Elena decided to investigate, it was the best way to take her mind off of everything.
"Well maybe she just doesn't get many visitors, you saw the rooms, who would want to stay here?"
"Apparently we do," muttered Elena under her breath.
The old woman was sitting at her desk as usual, smiling like someone had a gun pointed at her. "You're just in time for tea!" she said cheerfully. Elena was about to lose it. "Come on, it should be ready by now." She stood up and walked to a back room.
Elena looked at Tom, he shrugged and followed her. Elena sighed and went after them. The room they were in was more like a living room, completed with a cat laying in front of the fireplace. There were two red couches and a small table, just enough for three people. "I forgot to tell you when you arrived, can you please both sign the guest book?" The woman said, pointing towards a book that laid open. She started preparing the tea.
Tom found an empty page in the book. Elena couldn't take her eyes off the Gaunt ring as he wrote down his name and handed the pen to Elena. She wrote down her name, but before turning back to the woman she checked the other pages. There were three guests before them and no one else.
Christopher Mulholland
Gregory W. Temple
Billy Weaver
She tapped on Tom's shoulder and showed him the names. He just rolled his eyes and whispered, "Not everything is a mystery Elena. She probably forgot to remind them to sign it."
Elena was growing angrier by the minute. Why was he dismissing her like this? Especially after what had just happened? Why did he insist that this woman had no ill intentions?
Tom went over and sat on one of the couches and the lady brought a tray filled with teacups and biscuits. "Drink up, my children. You seem exhausted." she said sitting at the other couch.
Elena rolled her eyes and sat next to Tom. They were now facing the lady. "So, how many years have you been running this hotel?" she asked to the lady, Tom muttered an 'Elena' but she didn't care.
"Ten years, my child." she said, the forced smile still on her face.
"I couldn't see any other guest names. I think there were three. Is that normal for around here?"
"Yes, actually they're still here. When one comes here one never leaves."
'Never leaves', what was that supposed to mean? "I mean of course they would, wouldn't they?" She could see Tom starting to get uncomfortable too.
"No, they're staying on the third floor. You can meet them, just finish your tea."
Elena gave her a questioning look and took the teacup into her hand. Tom and Elena both drunk from their cups at the same time. The tea tasted bitter, almost like.... poison. Elena and Tom both spit it out onto the woman without swallowing on bit.
"ARE YOU TRYING TO POISON US?!"
The woman looked shocked yet she still smiled, "I don't know what you're talking about, my child." she said from between her teeth.
"You won't mind if I check the third floor would you?" Elena said standing up at once.
The woman stood up too, "Just drink the tea, please." she kept repeating.
"I'm going to kill her," said Elena.
Tom whispered "Don't." but she didn't care. Elena took her wand out of her boot and a green light flashed. The woman fell down, eyes wide open.
"What did you do that for?"
"Do you want to bet the other visitors are upstairs, all three of them. Dead as this cat." She pointed to the cat in front of the fireplace. "It's not breathing, it hasn't been breathing for a long time."
Tom went over and kneeled next to the stuffed cat, Elena shook her head. "We're leaving Tom. Now!" she said and headed for the door.
Tom ran after her, "Hey wait up!"
Elena turned to him, "PARANOID! I TOLD YOU THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THIS PLACE BUT OH! WHO LISTENS TO LITTLE ELENA SHE'S JUST BEING PARANOID! SHE'S SCARED OF EVERYONE AND EVERYTHING!"
"Elena you were right, I'm sorry."
"I told you and I was right. But you, you never listen to me and you never will, I don't even know why I tried."
"Elena, alright. Please calm down, I do listen to you. I just wanted this trip to be as peaceful as possible."
"You came here to kill your family! I found out you murdered my boyfriend! Peaceful isn't the word I would use to describe our relationship Tom!" She threw herself into the crowd of people, "Let's get back to the orphanage. I am done with this place."
"Your wish is my command." Tom put his arm out and Elena held onto it as they were pulled into what felt like and endless cycle of being stretched and squeezed.
When she opened her eyes they were back at the orphanage's gate. "I never thought I'd say this but I'm glad I am back here."
Elena walked in with Tom following behind her. She turned back to him, "Meet me in the garden in ten minutes, I have made my decision." Elena left, not giving Tom a chance to speak. She had to calm down, sort things out in her mind. She found her room and went in, throwing her bag onto her bed. She started pacing around the room, planning everything she was going to say.
After what felt like an hour of walking in circles, Elena left her room and went out into the garden. The sun had started to set, it was getting late and she was tired. She had decided it was now or never and if she wanted to get away from Tom for a while this was her chance. She could pretend she told him everything she knew thus leaving him no reason to be around her.
Tom was waiting in the garden, eyes closed. He almost looked like he was sleeping, it was true that they both needed a good sleep after the chairs from the day before. She walked over to him and shook his shoulder just enough to wake him up.
"Oh, you're here." he said, straightening up.
"Okay, let's get this over with. No questions until I'm done talking. Please." Tom nodded. "Apparently, this is very ancient magic, pre-wand ancient magic. After you choose the object you want to make a horcrux out of...." she took a deep breath. "you put it in a cup or a bowl. Then you cut your hand or wherever you want, you fill the cup until the object is fully drenched." Elena couldn't look into Tom's eyes, she feared that the dark glimmer she witnessed before would be there again. "Then you say, 'sanguitora horcruxia' that's the spell. No wands, the blood is binding."
"That seems too easy."
"I haven't finished," she said, finally looking him in the eye. It wasn't as she had imagined, he seemed intrigued but a tiny bit of fear was visible. He was thinking about it, and what was thinking but a fancy word for changing your mind? Elena continued, "Then you drink the blood, all of it. It's enchanted now. That blood is both in you and the object. You are the same but separate. All I know about the rest is that it's really painful."
"What did you decide?" Tom asked this as if he was more curious about her response than the thing they had been researching for months.
"I do trust you." She turned around to leave, "but I want nothing to do with you. Goodbye Riddle."