she turned sadness
into art
she turned pain
into power
she took what little they gave her
and made it more valuable
The soft sounds of a whimpering little girl came from the far left corner of the dark bedroom, the gray skies making sure there was no sunlight to illuminate the place. "What is it?" The boy crouched down to be on his sister's height, speaking with a soothing but authoritative voice that was uncanny for a ten year old.
"William," a hiccup escaped her lips as her cries continued being incessant, "h—he stole Sassy." She let out a sob that was far too dramatic for the matter, pointing her finger in the direction the boy had ran off to.
Her brother stood up, a frown immediately setting on his fair complexion, and proceeded to make his way out the room with a hurry in his step, not wanting his sister to cry any longer. And before she knew it he had already returned, a gray teddy bear in hand. "Here it is, Lex, here it is." He said softly as he gently placed the bear in his sister's arms. "Don't cry now." He rubbed her back comfortingly, "how about we burn all of his toys later today, huh? He won't touch any of your things after that."
The five year old took a shaky deep breath as she wiped her tears and held Sassy close. "Thanks, Tom."
Alexis chuckled, unbothered by the eerie darkness that surrounded her in the forest, and crouched down to have a better look at Sassy the Bear. The stuffed animal had been left behind in the orphanage, making her chuckle at the prospect of Tom visiting the place and going through their old belongings. She reached out a hand, which was unwillingly shaky by now, and stopped when she was just a mere inch away. This was it. She closed the distance in a heartbeat before she allowed herself to have second thoughts and suddenly the images around her began to blur as she was transported to Merlin knows where. The sensation of traveling by portkey was one Alexis, or anyone for that matter, would never get used to, always being downright unpleasant and leaving an unbearable nauseating feeling with it.
Her landing was nothing short of ungraceful, leaving her needing a couple of minutes to pull herself together and be able to properly walk without stumbling around like an inebriated person. The mansion standing ahead of her was not the Malfoy Manor like she initially thought it would be, but it strongly resembled it, with its elegance and eeriness. The place looked empty from where she stood, not one movement around other than the rustling of the leaves. The lights coming from inside the house were the only thing that assured Alexis the house was inhabited.
She slowly made her way towards the entrance, mentally cursing herself once she became aware of her trembling hands, a crude reminder of just how nervous and scared she felt. The front door opened before she got the chance to get to it, revealing the silhouette of a slender, tall man waiting for her at the top of the stairs. She chuckled lightly as she looked up at him, sighing relieved with the fact the nightmare that was her last visit wouldn't be repeating. Her brother was here. She wrapped her arms around his torso tightly, an action that Tom certainly wasn't expecting. Maybe he was still the same old Tom, but she wasn't the same old Alexis. She had the ability to love now. She giggled once she felt one of his arms around her shoulders in a rather frigid way and she was sure he had scrunched his face with disgust.
"Sister," he nodded as greeting. His stoic expression could've fooled just about anyone, but not his sister. He was just as pleased to see her as she was to see him.
"Tom," she nodded back before walking in. "So," she looked around and turned to face him, "where exactly am I?"
"Carrow's residency," he replied as he took her bag from her grasp and tossed it to Rowle, who had been leaning by the doorframe of a room on their right as he watched their encounter. "Be useful for something and take that to her room," he instructed with a much harsher tone than the one he used with Alexis. "I'm glad you're here, Lex. Now join me for dinner, will you?" He didn't wait for a reply as he led the way to what she assumed was the dining room, a grace on his step that reminded Alexis just how poise and well-mannered Tom Riddle was. The face of this war wasn't a maniac-looking old man, it was a charming and manipulative young chap.
Alexis watched amused as the scattered Death Eaters left the room as soon as Tom walked in. "Told them to stay out of our way," he commented nonchalantly as he took a seat at the head of the table and motioned her to sit by his side. The room looked fit to host a ball for the most prestigious families, but for the night it would be occupied only by two people. A young man, probably by the age of twenty if Alexis was guessing correctly, entered the room with their food floating behind him, whistling as he did so. She had never seen him before but it was safe to assume he was working for her brother considering she doubted he kept average people in his Death Eater headquarters. The lad offered Alexis a friendly smile and extended his hand for her to shake, "Sean Lieberman."
"Alexis Riddle," she replied astounded. She couldn't help but think a guy like that had no business in such a place, hanging with such a group of people. He was easily the only source of charm and charisma in the entire mansion.
"You're dismissed, Lieberman," said Tom annoyed.
"Whatever you say, boss." He mockingly saluted Tom before leaving the place, but not before giving Alexis a cheeky wink.
"I like him." She cackled, amused by Tom's irritated sigh.
"Of course you do," he teased, earning a scowl from his sister. "So, how's Hogwarts?"
She grinned. "Do you even care?"
"Not really," he shrugged, "it probably hasn't changed one bit."
"Well," she took a bite of her pasta, "you're not wrong."
Tom had never been one for small talk, but he slipped into it so casually with Alexis, one conversation absentmindedly leading to the other and before they knew it, the siblings had slipped into a vivid conversation that was yet to touch any serious matters.
"So," he wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin, his unfathomable behavior helping him be subtle with the next topic, "anything else? Anything you want to tell me?"
She did not know how or why, but somehow they both seemed to connect as a certain girl's name flashed through her mind and she could tell it flashed through his as well. She immediately knew what, or more specifically who, Tom was talking about. What exactly did Tom know about Marion Favreau, Alexis could not tell, but it was feeble of her to believe her brother had not been notified about her biggest source of misfortune. She pondered about it for a minute, knowing that Marion was going to inevitably meet Tom's wrath sooner or later, so it waiting for a night or two wouldn't make much of a difference. For now, their time together had been far too pleasant to be ruined with such an unpleasant topic. "Not yet."
Tom scrutinized her, that knowing and cold look in his eyes that always made her feel like he could see right through her. She didn't break eye contact, knowing very well that although her relationship with her brother was an amicable one everything was a power play for him, and she couldn't give herself the luxury of being intimidated by that man. For the first time since her arrival Alexis felt rather uneasy in the presence of her brother, which was not an uncommon feeling but one she had forgotten. She was used to being perceived as a strong and resilient character, a fighter, a force to reckon, certainly empowering her and giving her confidence. But not with Tom. Tom didn't see her as fierce Alexis. She knew Tom didn't love her and his pleasant feelings toward her, or anyone, were limited; she was far too sentimental for his liking and deemed her weak compared to others he knew or even himself. The Riddle siblings had never been competitive with one another, but the fact that Tom had the upper hand in their power play was undeniable. And it made a shiver run down Alexis' spine, knowing this man was so dangerous and yet there she was, holding her head higher. Subconsciously wanting to impress him, like she'd always done.
The tension was broken by an unpleasant guest sliding across the floor. A massive green snake was steadily making its way towards them, making Alexis shriek and instinctively pull her legs up. Tom chuckled amused by her actions whilst smirking proudly at the sight of his beloved pet. "Alexis, meet Nagini,"
Alexis watched the way Nagini made its way up Tom's chair, its eyes setting on Alexis and giving her the most unsettling feeling. "Lovely," she whimpered, "don't you think it's Nagini's bedtime now?"
Tom threw his head back with a low laugh, one none of his Death Eaters had ever heard. He hissed some instructions to the snake using parseltongue, an ability Alexis also possessed, before standing up and motioning for her to follow him. He led the way to a room at the very end of a hallway which by the looks of it served as an office for her brother. It was a spacious room, with two broad windows that overlooked a beautiful, grand garden. The right wall was completely covered by a bookshelf, containing probably hundreds of books with knowledge that couldn't be acquired in school. A desk on the far right back corner was completely stacked with papers, making Alexis chuckle at the thought of her brother having to do so much paperwork.
Alexis plopped down in one of the black leather sofas that was located in the middle of the room while Tom fixed her a drink in the liquor cabinet he had on the side. "There's quite some things we need to catch up on."
"Right," he handed her a glass of whiskey on the rocks and sat across from her, sipping from his drink. "Oh, and by the way, could you please abstain from wandering around? Unless you're in your bedroom, I'd rather you stick by my side always."
She took a sip as she looked at him skeptically. "Why?"
"I don't want you to be alone around this people," he said nonchalantly, "they're not particularly fond of you."
"That much I figured," she chuckled humorlessly. "And Sean? Where did he come from?" She tried to sound uninterested but the truth was that the boy hadn't left a part of her mind ever since he walked out of the room. He was captivating, to say the least, and stood out from his fellow Death Eaters like a sore thumb.
"He's from Wales," he replied unfazed. "Went to Durmstrang. His family died in a fire or something like that."
Alexis' eyes widened. The more she knew about the lad, the more odd it seemed that he had such a charming personality. "And he's.... one of you?"
Tom chuckled. "Take a guess."
"Well, I'm sure he's the life of the party here," she said with a smirk. "No offense but the rest of you look pretty boring."
"Don't be fooled, sister," Tom leaned forward, a cocky grin adorning his lips. "Charm is the best weapon to hide demons. I think you and I both know that."
Alexis simply nodded, Tom's words echoing in her head as she tried to make sense of them. She understood how that could be applied to them, considering the Riddles were once the most charming students in Hogwarts who also happened to be knees-deep on secrets and lies. And people could tell that. They could tell that there was something hiding underneath their perfect facade. But Sean Lieberman was a damn good actor because he managed to fool Alexis Riddle of all people. She was overtaken by curiosity regarding Sean, regarding what demons he was hiding.
"First and foremost," Tom broke her out of her trance. He sat up straighter, his body language becoming more tense and frigid. "I want to get some things straight," he leaned forward, looking at Alexis right in the eye, "I don't want you getting involved, Alexis. I've told you a thousand times but you never listen." He said in a harsh tone that let Alexis know the topic irritated him, or more specifically, she irritated him. "I don't want you partaking in this war, you hear me? You keep putting yourself in danger and in situations where it's impossible for me to help you. I want you to stay in Hogwarts and have fun there, but if you keep this up I'm going to have to get you out of there and keep you here with me." Alexis Riddle was being properly scolded by her older brother, Lord Voldemort. It would've been a comical sight, but when Tom's parental side came out Alexis knew better than to take it lightly. She knew none of his threats were empty. Tom relaxed a little, sensing how tense the atmosphere had gotten. "And you would do nothing but hang around here because I would rather die than make you a Death Eater," he said with a teasing grin as he neared the glass to his lips, "you'd be a horrible one."
"Please," she scoffed, "I can give Bellatrix a run for her money."
"There's a clear difference between Bellatrix and yourself, dear sister," he continued teasing, "Bellatrix never cried at night because she was scared of the monsters under her bed."
"I was four!"
The siblings continued sharing a laugh, but by the way Tom's body kept tensing Alexis knew their lighthearted conversation would be over soon. "Alexis," he said. "When were you planning to tell me about Marion Favreau?"
And indeed, the lighthearted conversation was done. Alexis drank the remains in her glass in one gulp, sighing defeatedly as she knew she couldn't run from the topic any longer. "She's the daughter of the French Minister of Magic, who's not dead by the way, he went into hiding," she lifted a finger as she pointed it out.
Tom frowned. "How do you know?"
"I used Legilimency on the little bitch. That's how I found out about Jean Belmont." She scowled as she got up to serve herself another glass of whiskey. Tom wanted to grin proudly but managed to contain himself from doing so. Alexis sat back down with a sigh, no longer bothering with taking small sips of the liquor. "She's a veela who happens to be dating James. Remember James? James Potter?" She asked, Tom could tell there was something sardonic about her. "My boyfriend? Well, my ex now."
"I know that," Tom didn't look particularly bothered by any of the information he had received.
"How?" She frowned.
"I have my... informants," he commented vaguely.
"Of course you do," she scoffed, annoyed with herself at how she'd never considered Tom had people looking after her. She hated it. It made her feel weak. "Catherine just told me the oth—"
"Catherine?" He asked through gritted teeth. "I should've gotten rid of her when I had the chance."
"—Catherine told me Marion was putting a price on my head. Told the centaurs to spread the word, apparently." She shifted the conversation back to Marion, not wanting to discuss the complicated subject that was Catherine.
There was something very peculiar about Tom Riddle when he was angry. His overall body language didn't change, but the way his features contorted with anger was the reason for many nightmares. He stood up abruptly and walked towards the window, observing the darkness ahead with an unnerving composure. "I'll take care of that."
"Not tonight, though," she stood behind him. "Let me have a peaceful night." Was the pathetic excuse she used. The truth of the matter was that Alexis didn't exactly know how to feel because murder had never been something she felt particularly comfortable with.
Tom held his head high, clearly hesitant on whether he should listen to his sister or do it his way. "Okay," he muttered, the displeasure clear on his features. He sighed and placed his glass down before looking at his watch. "Come on. It's bed time."
Alexis snickered as she followed behind. "I have a curfew?"
"Yes, we have to take care of some grown people's business around here," he commented with a hint of humor, although Alexis knew it held some truth to it.
He led the way to her room, informing her on how his room was just across the hallway and everyone else was staying in a different floor. "Rest," he instructed as he made her bed, "tomorrow is going to be a long day."
"What's the plan?" She asked from inside the bathroom before stepping out in her nightgown.
"Well, other than taking care of the Favreau family, I was thinking maybe we could stop by Wool's?" He smirked devilishly, earning a chuckle from her.
"Tom?" A soft voice made the little boy stir in his sleep, his tiredness making him believe he had imagined it. "Tom," the voice pressed. The eight year old boy sat up, rubbing his eyes to get rid of the grogginess and adjust to the darkness of the room. The silhouette of a small child standing next to his bed was the first thing he noticed once he had fully regained his senses. "Another nightmare, Lex?" He asked with a tired sigh, receiving a nod from the toddler in response. "Come on," he helped her up to his bed, fixing the sheets around her so she'd be warm and comfortable.
"Good night, Tom," the three year old mumbled, instantly slipping into a deep slumber.
"Good night, Lex," he mumbled softly, holding his baby sister closer to him and away from any danger.
"Good night, Tom," Alexis made herself comfortable in the warm bed, looking at her brother who was leaning against the doorframe, watching her with a strange look in his eyes.
"Good night, Lex," he replied softly. He turned off the lights and closed the door, sighing as he walked away. He was already in the middle of the corridor when he suddenly stopped and turned back, hurriedly reaching for his wand and pointing it at Alexis' doorknob. He wordlessly casted a spell that ensured the door could only be opened from the inside, that way his sister wouldn't have any unwanted visitors that night.
He had to keep her away from danger.
-
It had been an excruciatingly long day for James. If there was one thing he was sure of, was that Marion was slowly but steadily making him lose his mind. Her ongoing foul mood could only be temporarily stopped with sex. And James didn't feel like keeping up with her nasty attitude or desire to have intercourse three times a day anymore. Something had been off with her lately, her inexplicable odd behavior made it seem like her charm was simply disappearing.
He walked into his dorm expecting to have some peace and quiet, ready to call it a night after having met up with Marion in an empty classroom and staying there for well over an hour to help her de-stress. But peace and quiet was certainly not going to be found in the Marauders' dormitory with the three lads pacing and shouting like mad men, not even noticing his presence.
"Second time she pulls this shit," Sirius spat angrily, pacing with an urgency in his step. "Didn't she learn from the last time?"
"We have to tell Dumbledore," a mortified Peter added.
"No!" Barked Remus, "she'll get in trouble."
A dread began to sink in James' stomach, every worst case scenario already running through his head. "Guys," he said uneasily, "what's going on?"
He was expecting them to give him a cold shoulder, so nothing in the world could prepare him for the looks of distress he received instead. Only one word was needed to make his heart drop.
"Alexis."
-
Thomas Doherty
A/N:
The flashbacks are adorable. Sometimes I have trouble writing Tom as the scary guy he actually is because I imagine him being so protective over Alexis.
Anyway, meet Sean! Get used to him because he's going to be with us for a little while 😉
I think we all already know the next chapter is going to be a good one 😈 so stay tuned for that!
I hope you liked this! Please vote and comment your opinions! ❤️