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"A painting that doesn't shock isn't worth painting."
Marcel Duchamp
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Eleanor Peverell saw that finding a house of her own had been one of the more significant points in her life after becoming an Auror.
Still in Wiltshire somewhere between her home and a little Muggle village, there sat a small Georgian style mansion that was like a box made of the most perfect shade of red brick and a charcoal roof. The amount of windows and the large black door decorated the front of the home, a simple touch to the home surrounded by a garden of green and rocks the color of sand.
It wasn't nearly as classic and old as her family home but it was a nice setting in contrast to what she grew in, keeping the class and oldness but in a different style. It was still slightly too big for herself.
She drove up the driveway that lead to the front of her home, she parked her stormy blue Muggle car --since she had grown bored and learned to drive over the years-- in between her little garden setup that wrapped around her property, Marcella had been sitting in the passenger side.
Elves were currently doing work in her yard, covering the garden in lights and dancing little trinkets, making ladders of themselves to cover each window in a wreath and red bow. They were never bound to her despite the climate of Elves employment these days and instead treated like friends quite generously in her household.
"Merlins beard, I hope Alan didn't turn your home upside down." her best friend groaned.
Eleanor chuckled. "He better not have ruined this for the amount of time he's spent around us."
For the party this evening Eleanor allowed Marcella's husband Alan, the Gryffindor boy from the days at Hogwarts, and their daughter Margot who was only a year old to stay in her home as long as he coordinate the elves on their decorating duties.
Eleanor did hold her breath a little when she stepped through the door though, wondering what holiday decor would await her.
The front entrance had taken up most of the space in her home.
Alan stood on the large carpet in the center between the small vintage leather sofas and little side tables with Margot in his hands.
Around them, the elves were hard at work.
To the right of the room of marble floors and white walls covered in gaping windows that took up the two stories her home was, there was a grand staircase. It shared a black twisted railing the went all the way up and around the small little balcony that overlooked her open floor plan. The elves wrapped golden garland around that and the little stone columns in between each little break.
On the windows on the other wall across from her the curtains of white were know traced with gold like the cracks of a lightning bolt that shimmered in the light.
But then, on the far left side of the room where a large archway led to the dining hall, there had been a red bow hanging on green vines around the curve and she immediately wanted to voice her dislike for her in a nice way.
"Alan you can't put red and green in a white and gold themed party!" Marcella exclaimed.
The man nearly jumped out of his own skin. "I didn't tell them to do it!" he cried.
Eleanor sighed and withdrew her wand, changing the color of the vines from her garden to a faux gold color. But her friend had already rushed over to her fiance and snatched the child from his arms to hurry off to her kitchen where food was being prepared.
"Relax." Eleanor said to the exasperated man. "I don't want to do this anymore than you do but we must. Then it will be over soon."
The two of them laughed and she told him to get a drink for she would handle the rest.
When she finished within the hour, she retired to her room which had been up the stairs on the left and then she had to walk down the small balcony overlooking her entrance to the right side of her home where she kept her room and bathroom.
Eleanor kept paintings from the villagers nearby on the plain white walls and flowers from her backyard in her halls to keep things interesting. Despite being alone in this big house she often shared with the family who helped her decorate it now, it was still her peace at the end of the day that it brought it.
Eleanor's room had been one of the largest rooms of the house except her library and office.
The floors remained a soft marble and the walls became a light gray. Her bed sat low with a full set of ocean blue blankets and pillows and an elegant headboard against her wall in the middle.
Two large windows with a glass door between them lead out to a balcony and a large white curtain with a stripe of blue that matched her bed set at the bottom was drawn back to reveal her snowy garden.
She bathed in the large bathroom on the other side of her room behind another door and came out in her silky robe where her outfit lay on her bed and she headed towards her large vanity near the windows. She hardly wanted to get up from the steaming hot water as she almost fell asleep sitting there, but there was too much to attend to.
Marcella, Alan, Margot, and all the elves downstairs caused a lot of ruckus.
This was what she gets for offering to host the Christmas Party with an additional celebration for her promotion. But she hadn't really hosted a party since she still lived in the Parkinson Manor and she never really thought of them unless she had to go to one for Ministry purposes.
Eleanor wondered now as the Head Auror if she would have to attend more. Not only did Colin dread them but her brother did as well. Eleanor looked down on the white desk and studied her necklace where the Pendant and the Gaunt ring sat.
At the very least, this party may be able to distract her from today's new revelations and the new suspect she had on her hand but still would not dare to speak out loud of. Part of still didn't feel real. Out of habit though, she lifted the ring as it sat on the chain.
"Where are you, Tom Riddle?" she whispered into the air.
Eleanor thought about him from time to time.
The summer after graduation she often visited Borgin and Burkes based off of rumors she heard. She left numerous letters for him detailing her Auror training and how she had wished he was here. Someone even said he had asked for a job back at school to be a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. She could have saw him successfully standing in that position rather than at a magical antique shop. But while each one suited him well just by a little bit, neither of them held him.
At the very least though, she knew he was alive somewhere. She could feel it.
But as her eyes drifted back up to her reflection in her mirror, she let out a startled gasp as she caught sight of a blackened ghastly figure and spun around, summoning her wand within a second only to fire a purplish beam of light at nothing but her wall.
Eleanor's heart thumped against her chest, rattling her nerves like a ringing bell and she had stared frantically at the spot where she thought she saw Tom Riddle.
Taking deep breaths, she frustratingly turned away and threw the ring towards her vanity out of frustration. This happened sometimes but it seemed awfully inconvenient for it to occur today, leaving her angry and upset.
She hadn't been that scared since the death of Steve, her father's best friend, just three weeks ago.
As Eleanor began to dress into her silky taupe jumpsuit with a cape like fabric bellowing out from the jeweled belt around her waist, she took notice of the deep purple bruise around her abdomen that was just barely fading after these weeks. It was a dangerous spell meant to obliterate on the spot but it only grazed her, leaving a mark that was clearly meant for death.
The attack happened at an abandoned navy yard in Liverpool that had been bombed to the heavens. The Aurors were called for reasons of dark magic, specifically a strong use of the Imperius Curse and an alarming level of threat to the Statute of Secrecy. It hadn't been classified as an immediate emergency though because perhaps it was a mistake. It was too random.
But a small group of Aurors were called in, Eleanor included, and Steve led an investigation through the yard only to be ambushed by three wizards who were strong enough despite being outnumbered.
Steve didn't want them to get away and against his better judgement, singled out one of the three men.
Eleanor had willingly threw herself in front of the spell aimed at Steve from the other two wizards but they both hit him.
Later that evening at St.Mungos he died and it wasn't even because of the spells but a pathetic head injury that had been classified by a Healer who took Muggle medical practice studies. She didn't even remember the exact cause of death. She only knew how hurt everyone was.
But alas, the last piece to Eleanor's outfit was a cropped blazer that had the same diamonds of silver, rose gold and light blue as her belt and her hair was pinned up.
It felt nice to dress up every once in a while too.
As guests arrived to her home for the first time, she started to feel more elated and less like she were putting on a show. A couple glasses of wine had eased her nerves and she was eager to greet her guests.
This was the first time many of the higher ups saw her home and the prestige she was capable of outside of her fathers influence. They varied from Heads of different departments and members of the Wizengamot. As happy as she was to make a reputation for herself, she was glad to take some people by surprise with her origins. Everyone thought this was all handed to her by her father and siblings but for once, she was taking a stand for herself.
One thing that kept her self esteem strong even among these politically famous individuals was that she was mentally stronger than them. It was as feared as it was admired. As top Ministry members they were the most trusted with the skill of occlumency.
But Eleanor was more skilled with Legilimency and she scared herself sometimes as just how much she could recover from their rotten minds without a trace. The intuition she had was surely impeccable. It always had to be kept to herself. Even now as she made her rounds, gliding across the room and following the same routine of smiling and gently touching shoulders, she was able to hear the slightest bit of whispers.
"Tell me, Eleanor, how long do you see yourself as an Auror?" asked Merriam Waldorf, an older woman on the Wizengamot who also worked with the Department of Mysteries.
Eleanor took a deep breath and sipped her wine as she thought. "Well, as long as I am good at I suppose."
The others surrounding Merriam laughed to her surprise. But Eleanor laughed with them simply just to laugh and play the part. Merriam had silver hair and was like skin and bones. She wondered where she could find that burgundy dress that hugged her frail body in such a small size. It was even more intimidating that the women towered her greatly, her black shawl over her shoulders nearly sitting over Eleanor's head. Everyone oozed with this powerful presence, like they were unbothered from the world as they wore their wealth with pride. The dresses and the suits were apart of her life, but the more she spoke with these people the more she realized how materialistic it was.
Even after a decade it never failed to amaze her.
"Your speeches at the Wizengamot are always so powerful. It's a shame many never agree." said Merriam, her eyes sharply cutting towards some of the men that surrounded her.
A man who was somewhere between her and Merriam's height scoffed as he pulled out a cigar in her home. But it was rare that she ever saw this character out in the public eye.
"You don't mind, do you?" he asked, his wrinkled face pulling into a cocky grin.
"Not at all, Mr.Charles." Eleanor said through a painfully taught smile.
It wasn't like there weren't a dozen other people openly smoking already. But Eleanor stood straight with a pleased look like she had to. How could she ever tell the most influential man on the Wizengamot he couldn't smoke in her home? He was always the one who challenged everything everyone said and as annoying as it was, he was good at it.
"The Wizengamot is not the place for the Aurors in my opinion." said Mr.Charles, running a hand through the dark hair that grayed by his ears.
"And why is that?" Eleanor asked, clenching her jaw, tilting her head as she eyed him up with an ever pleasant smile.
"Because Aurors need to fight for what the Ministry tells them to fight for. You keep the order in our ever twisting and changing world."
"That is fair, but Eleanor is one of the brightest women of her age." Merriam argued.
Eleanor flushed. "Oh, Merriam. You don't have to--"
"I never said Eleanor." Mr.Charles grinned, the strong scent of his cigar breaking through her senses now. "I simply believe Aurors are not meant for politics. But Eleanor, I think her mind is too good to be an Auror. If you were to fully devote your time to the Wizengamot like your brother has done, perhaps even focus on diplomatic work, I think your impact would soar."
Slightly taken back, Eleanor's lips remained slightly agape before they cracked into a smile.
Merriam huffed. "Well, I suppose that is true. But until there is anyone good to ever replace you in the Auror department, I still suggest sticking to protecting the Wizarding community." she grinned.
Eleanor was frazzled from the conversation, not expecting to hear such kind words from the elders of the Ministry. She was the youngest to ever sit on the Wizengamot therefore there was plenty of backlash to be faced.
Who knew people could be so kind when you threw a good party?
As her conversations continued, Eleanor's eyes glanced to the door only to do a double take at the newest guests. Immediately at the sight of the Minister, Wilhelmina Tuft, she big her conversations farewell and darted to the door.
"Oh, Eleanor, your home is so beautiful! I'm not surprised. I would have done the same theme with my home. I suppose great minds think alike." the young woman greeted, breaking social code for Ministers to hug her.
These actions surprised Eleanor sometimes. The woman who already broke standards for her constant kindness and the fact that she was a woman, who also looked similar to Eleanor in some aspects despite being a blonde, was walking into her home with compliments and hugs.
Wilhelmina was seven years older than her. For a Minister and a women, her lean figure was often accentuated with the strong fashion that seemed fit more for a warrior than a political leader. Over her narrowed face though she held big green eyes and slightly wrinkled smile from the strain over the years and wore a black gown with her long blonde hair wrapped up in a large bun.
"Thank you, Wilhelmina. It's an honor to have you in my home." she greeted.
Then, Colin Ludwick swiftly entered and she was caught off guard, not expecting them to arrive at the same time. His very presence stole the breath from her lungs every so often but it was followed a small rage.
"I'm surprised this is the first time I'm here." Colin mused, already grabbing a glass of champagne that sat on the floating trays around the room. They both knew that wasn't true.
The man cleaned up nice, wearing a more sophisticated suit than usual and actually combing his hair back instead of letting it loose like he was did. Every time he entered the room, Eleanor couldn't deny that he stole the attention for a brief second. But that is what was so annoyingly arrogant about him. Of course had had been here before.
"Don't expect to be invited to stay." she said with a noticeable frown, a jab at their strained relationship.
Nonetheless, Colin had slid a hand on her waist as he leaned down and kissed her cheek.
"And stop with the public affection, it's embarrassing! We're not even dating anymore, you idiot." she said under her breath as he leaned back.
"My darling, I wish we were." Colin sighed quite dreamily for the dramatics.
Then, in her open door where a cold draft blew in came a young man and woman, one with a camera and the other with a notepad. As if she wasn't still reeling from Colin's presence, the idea of who these people were started formulating in her head but she just didn't want to believe it. The distinction of their items made a clear statement in who they were and she kept her annoyance to herself as it nearly showed on her face.
"You invited the Prophet?" she hissed at Colin under her breath.
The man was already preparing for a pose with his bright and winning smile.
"What? It's the biggest party of the year. Head Auror makes her first move busting a case and throwing a celebration all in one night! I'm sure they can make a headline out of it. Plus, I'm doing you favor, darling."
Before Eleanor could protest, his hand moved around her waist, making her stiffen just a little after she had just told him to stop with that nonsense. It had been a while since they were in a close proximity like this. But as the camera flash went off she realized she had already forced the smile over her discomfort and when they went away, she turned red fuming at him.
"Don't do that!" Eleanor snapped, keeping her voice in a harsh whisper. "I just told you to literally, not, do that. We've gone through this before—I cannot date the man who is in charge."
Colin chuckled, sipping his champagne while glancing at her from the side.
"Appearances are everything. If someone other than asks you to dance tonight, take it as a great opportunity. Some of these people have connections that are worth so much more than if you were to turn them down."
"And you wonder why I'll never settle down with you." Eleanor scoffed.
With that, Colin left leaving Eleanor feeling dreadful towards the classical music that rang through her home and hummed against her skin. The violins and harp were a blissful sound and she had been in a lighter mood since her conversation with Merriam and Charles earlier, but Colin gave her a rude awakening that made the wine taste bitter and the music sound harsh now.
Eleanor spent the next bit of time mingling more with her friends from the Auror department as well to avoid the Ministry's top officials who arrived. She no longer wanted to hear their opinions.
But when her father and siblings came with John and Eddie though, the party began to feel less suffocating as the familiar faces appeared.
"You're growing up too much, Eleanor!" cried Eddie, embracing her delicately.
"I still feel like a child." she sighed, hugging him as well.
Being with them made her feel smaller but nonetheless protected from those who surrounded her.
"We still see you in your school uniform carrying books that go higher than your head because I still can't accept the fact that you're already throwing parties and moving up in the Department." Lemus Parkinson said, a sad smile on his lips.
Eleanor wanted to ask him questions. She wanted to sit down in her kitchen with some tea and ask him for advice on how to handle this. Looking at him now made her realize how much she's missed him. It made her realize how caught up she was these past few months.
"It's not too bad." Eleanor smiled, lying right through her teeth.
She began to introduce him to some of her friends she met through the Auror Department. It's been a while since he's really been around them. Of course he knew Julius but he never really met anyone else. Then, her sister Evelyn caught her up on her latest adventures with her husband and said she had gifts to bring tomorrow. Her daughter who was now almost the age to attend Hogwarts was running around, dangerously carrying her little brother. James was an ordinary presence, blending easily with the crowd, his wife and children at home.
Half way through her introductions she realized that Cormac and Lillian had arrived since Marcella was caught sneaking them in to surprise her.
Going from awkward men to family and now to friends, she embraced the pair who ran up to her, not a care in the world of who had been at her party now.
Tonight had proven that her world was completely split into two, one old and one new and at the very least she could enjoy the both of them right now.
Cormac had become a professional Quidditch player and Lillian was by his side traveling around the world with him.
But as Eleanor had others to attend to, she let them all catch up and went from room to room. the comfort of them being here easing her even as they were now in the back of her mind. However, as she made her rounds she caught sight of two familiar faces who were seemingly lost and out of place.
It was Aaron and Emma.
It had been a year since she spoke to them and as she approached them her face contorted ever so slightly. They graduated Hogwarts and went straight into working.
Emma who proved to be a Seer was working at the Department of Mysteries. Aaron worked in Diagon Alley because his lycan side was often discriminated against and prevented him from finding a job.
But one day, Emma didn't come into work and Aaron left Diagon Alley, leaving nothing but a letter from Aunt Vera saying they had come home and that was it. There was something suspicious about it but as usual, the Parkinson family turned a blind eye. She tried to speak with her Aunt herself but it her attempts were futile.
"What are you guys doing here? You left without a word?" Eleanor asked, pulling them aside towards the staircase that led to her basement to their surprise.
She was now worried something might have happened or worse; someone here may recognize Emma.
The two were nicely dressed in black, their shared genes looking more obvious now as the twins stood before her. Emma's hair was shorter and curly, she looked a little unhappy as well as if she hadn't slept in days but tried covering it with a serum. Even Aaron looked disgruntled underneath his strained expression.
"Aunt Vera was upset she didn't get an invite and we came out to visit you since she didn't want to come." Emma said, forcing a smile.
Eleanor had a bad feeling about their arrival but wouldn't dare pry in on their minds.
"Plus, we missed you." Aaron added.
"Aunt Vera has declined any attempt to speak with the family so you are going to have to try a lot harder than that." Eleanor sighed.
But she caved in and stepped forward to hug them as they were still children in her eyes. Something about it felt relieving from both ends and their holds became a little tighter too.
"Stay as long as you need to, alright? Help yourself to the kitchen or even my bedroom. But promise me we'll talk later, okay? Go find Uncle Lemus, James, or Evelyn for now."
Eleanor regretfully walked away, knowing that something was off but they didn't make it urgent. One year was an awfully long time to go without talking to the rest of the family. Something that put her worries aside that it had been her fault was that Aaron still wore the moon phase bracelet from Christmas ten years ago. Either way, they seemed to be safe.
"Eleanor!" her frantic best friend cried, carrying Margot.
Suddenly, the baby was thrown into her arms wearing her puffy red and white dress and her short light colored hair was in a little red bow.
"Give me five minutes! I promise I will be back quickly!"
Marcella ran off and she let out a heavy sigh, looking at the baby she has helped raise. The little girl smiled with very few teeth and she couldn't help but smile back as well. It was fun having another little girl to spoil too.
Colin had caught her attention from across the room, sensing the frazzled look she wore on her face with the baby in her hands. She watched as he crossed to room to greet her, another hand sliding on her back.
"Dare I say you have a wonderful maternal instinct?" Colin mused, smiling down at her.
Looking back up at him as she rocked the child on her hip, she couldn't help but laugh.
"Don't get any ideas." she teased, glancing back down at Margot who happily giggled. "Margot is just serving the purpose of keeping anyone from talking to me."
Eleanor was about to make her rounds again when there was a subtle knock at her door. She was curious as to why there were more guests she doesn't even remember inviting. Plus, why would anyone knock? She was tempted to ignore it but as she stared at the door, she felt a little tug at her thoughts and felt compelled to answer.
"Want me to get it?" Colin asked.
Eleanor shook her head. "I got it. Again, the baby might serve as a deterrent."
When Eleanor opened the tall white door, the cold air hardly seeped through her skin when she came face to face with Abraxas Malfoy.
Certainly he wasn't invited.
There was no time for her world to slow down. She was shocked to see him. He was still tall and lean but his mind seemed to be a void and his shoulders looked heavy despite how tall he carried himself. She compared his sullen pale face to that of her cousins and yet he was well groomed and still arrogantly blonde.
They rarely even crossed paths at the Ministry anymore.
"Oh, Abraxas. Hi..." she trailed off, looking at him as a wry smile pulled at her lips. "I'm sorry I don't mean to sound disappointed at your arrival I'm just surprised to see you."
Suddenly, Abraxas' hard expression cracked into a welcoming smile as he laughed softly. "No need to explain yourself, Eleanor. I understand. It has been some time, hasn't it?"
Then, his eyes averted to Margot as if just now realizing the child whose dress to body ratio was outrageously off sitting on her left hip.
She could see the twist in confusion that looked like he had genuinely misread the situation despite being somewhat aware of their lives even if they haven't talked in years. It didn't take a mind reader to know that.
"Is she yours?" he asked softly, his entire demeanor changing for a brief second.
"No! Absolutely not." Eleanor laughed. She kissed the girls cheek. "Not that I'm averse to this little bundle of joy and noise here but it's Marcella's daughter Margot."
Abraxas let out a little laugh as well and nodded slowly. Then she realized how cold she was as the winter air was sneaking in her home.
"Come inside! I can't say no to an old friend-- or frenemy of sorts." she said awkwardly, shutting the door once he stepped in. "It's really just a holiday and celebration of my promotion. I'm not even sure at this point. But feel free to eat, drink, 'mingle'. It's apparently the mingle part that only matters as I'm learning quickly."
Abraxas walked beside her, his eyes taking in the golden traces in the decor and the extraneous fashion of the guests who might have had too much to drink at this point. Then, with a shrug, he looked back at her.
"You grew up with this though. I'm sure you'll catch on quickly." he smirked.
Colin had found her once again, suspiciously eyeing up Abraxas as he approached her. She had quickly cast him a quick, subtle shake of her head to assure him he was welcomed in her home. But then, she realized Colin had not been suspicious but rather perturbed by something else.
"What is it?" Eleanor asked, leaning on her left leg to keep Margot propped up.
"Something came up at the office. I'll go handle it." Colin shrugged, his demeanor churning up to a cocky grin.
"Let me come with you!" she said urgently, wondering why he had to go deal with the Auror business.
But that superhero ego the man sported had softened just a bit as his eyes drifted over Eleanor and Margot. It was that same softened look that made her get reeled back in every single time because under that Ministry oriented facade, he was certainly a good man.
"Enjoy your party, Eleanor. You deserve it." Colin said, his hand resting on her arm as he leaned down to kiss her cheek.
Even as the fiery smile crossed her lips, she turned to watch him go.
"I told you to stop with that, Ludwick." she said, unable to hide that smile. Looking down at Margot who watched him leave too, she heaved a sigh. "Don't miss him, he's a rotten thing." she said teasingly.
Looking up, having forgotten Abraxas was there she realized the boy had left to go mingle she supposed. Feeling slightly guilty, she kept her eyes low as she had continued through the rest of her party.
She had really been blown away by tonight's events and her innate suspicion of just about everything was almost gone but not too far away to lose it completely. It was a habit of hers that made it difficult to enjoy anything but she'd rather be aware than oblivious. Maybe she just wasn't used to being the host of these events. It was very overwhelming.
As the night continued on and her party was going on three hours strong, the guests were having too much fun with her little magical touch to everything and she was growing tired of standing. Marcella was already crashed in her bedroom while Alan tried to take care of Margot.
"Let me take her to bed. You've done enough. I honestly won't mind if you go to join Marcella either." said Eleanor, approaching the tired man and cranky baby.
"But you do too much! I really can't be a bother, El. You know me." he sighed.
"And that will be my burden, not yours. Shut up and enjoy the night." she said, picking up Margot and heading up her stairs.
Marcella was not drinking too much but she was just tired and honestly, Eleanor would not mind if she crashed in bed with her best friend and god daughter as well but she still had a party to tend to unfortunately and how could she tell the Minister and her closest bunch to leave?
Once Eleanor set Margot down with her mother who woken up only a little, Eleanor took a deep breath and leaned against her now closed bedroom door, listening to the chatter and the music blend together in her party down below.
Eventually, she started walking through and as she crossed over the balcony hallway that overlooked the entrance, she noticed another movement straight ahead from the doorway to her study.
The movement she caught a glimpse of had white hair.
Auror instincts kicked in Eleanor, putting her at her peak alertness, something she was comfortable with doing a good job at.
When she put herself in this state, she didn't let anything personal get in the way; like the fact that this didn't surprise her at all and confirmed her gut feeling that something was off about tonight. She didn't dwell on it and instead, tuned out the party as well walked carefully on her toes towards her study.
The large oak doors that slid open were parted slightly and the lights were on.
She couldn't make a scene at her own party therefore prepared her next steps to include some sort of silencing charm.
But when Eleanor pushed through the doors of her study, she didn't see Abraxas just yet.
The study was just a large rectangular room. It had books on a couple tall shelves of antique wooden architect similar to the design of her desk that sat in the middle. She had a large map of Europe on a chunk of her wall behind her desk with pins, papers, and drawn lines and some things had moved across the large paper.
It didn't take long for her to spot the suited man standing by one of the two windows of the study and her body stiffened, blood running cold like the winter air.
It had not been Abraxas. No, it was much worse; it was Tom Riddle.
Just from the backside she could see his dark hair that ended in a few loose curls at the front of his head, standing at an angle where she could see just a sliver of his pale face and the curve of his cheekbone. He stood taller than Malfoy with slightly broader shoulders, his presence dripping with an insurmountable strength.
The world seemed to focus in on just him and nothing else. Not a single sound nor sight could tear her attention off of him as her eyes bore into the back of his head. He had been there as she truly seen in the memory of the elf. He had been the shadow that loomed over her. The sight of him left her stomach tight.
Tom had been waiting, knowing the precise moment to lure her in. The second she stepped in the room he could sense her unease.
Had he really left her so scarred? Well, he partially knew the answer.
"Tom?" Eleanor spoke, her voice just above a whisper.
She couldn't even recognize her own voice.
"I'm surprised the clever girl you are didn't see through the Polyjuice Potion I used."
When Tom turned around, she had been more taken back by his features than the fact that he was here. The strength she only got a glimpse of at first glance did not fail as she took him in entirely. He grew into his structure, becoming more handsome than she ever recalled. But all at once something was darker about him and the way his eyes looked sunken just a little. He looked more menacing without even trying.
Facing her now as himself and not who he was the disguise of was surreal. Seeing her in person within his grasp almost made him feel like he was making a grave mistake. He stirred, having to break his composure to straighten himself again as he faced her. A voice in the back of his mind instantly regretted it all.
For a brief second, her lips twitched into a smile she longed to feel but it quickly faded when his smug look did not look the least bit welcoming.
"Kind of hard to look as far as that when I haven't even seen you in ten years." she said, her hammering heart making it difficult to speak.
"Well I presume I never really left you, did I?" Tom asked, an emotionless smirk pulling at his lips, turning towards her desk where his fingers trailed along the wood. "You'd be surprised the things I am capable of now."
Eleanor recalled their last conversation and how he told her the same words she had said to her friends. They never said their goodbyes formally therefore they never left each other, leaving the opportunity for them to see each other again the same way a Seeker will meet its Snitch. But the way he made her heart feel then could not be mirrored in this moment and that was painful to her.
"I couldn't imagine." said Eleanor with a strained smile.
But her mind reeled back to the today's events.
"Which one did you turn into a Horcrux? Or was it both?" she asked, pressing the challenge of what sides they stood on now.
It almost made her laugh. The bubbling of joy at seeing him again blended with the irony of what she predicted years ago; the next time they saw each other they wouldn't be seeing eye to eye.
Tom's eyes averted to hers quickly now and she could sense that he wasn't liking that kind of challenge no matter how obvious it was. But meeting his eyes enthralled her. How could she look away? How could she not want to hug him and sit him down to catch up on missed time? Why was it so easy for her to ignore the building tension in the room just to have a normal conversation with him?
"Bold of you to assume I was involved."
Without any remorse, he added,
"Both."
Eleanor was not surprised. They both knew she was aware of the details behind the covered up murder and she dare not say anything now or ever.
She had felt disappointed though that their reunion was like this; cold hearted and tense. It should have been relieving to finally see him after all these years. It was in a way but it had also been unnerving.
"Why now, Tom? Why ignore me for ten damn years and show up at a night I am actually realizing how good things are for me? I mean, you didn't have to hide yourself. I would have been delighted to see you on those front steps tonight."
The question of him sneaking around lingered.
Tom Riddle's name appeared every now and then over the years as he was always a target for the Ministry. Not for the wrong reasons though. It was more after they graduated that they wanted him in the ranks. But he just fell off the face of the Earth.
Eleanor maybe wanted to believe he was too shy to show his face, but there was something too arrogant in the aura around him to ever believe it.
"Good? You call playing a pawn in a game of politics good? You're lucky you're even on their board now. It just depends on what side you're on." he grimly chuckled, mocking the party down below her. "The way you speak of it only makes me question how you truly would have reacted if I showed my face there."
"Well I suppose it's already too late for that." Eleanor said bitterly. "It clearly seems like your presence is merely calculated, it seems. This game of politics and protecting this world seems a lot more than whatever you've been doing these days. For someone who doubts my reaction of seeing you for the first time, you hardly have any enthusiasm yourself, Tom Riddle."
Her heart ached now as she looked him, the excitement slowly drifting.
"I do no go by Tom Riddle anymore, Eleanor." Tom said, moving to lean on the front of her desk with an impatient look, crossing his arms and leaving only a few feet between them.
"Excuse me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, you're hurting me." he scoffed, a sarcastic grin on his lips. "After all, you were the first person I told this to."
Suddenly, it clicked and the grim reality set in, making her feel more daft but also more disappointed.
"Lord Voldemort." she drawled, bemusement dripping from her tone as she mockingly grinned.
The pleased look that crossed his features did nothing but disgust her. She could now see where her peculiar observations of him came from and it wasn't just his age. The Horcruxes, the new name he branded himself with, the agenda he had back as a teenager in which she never took seriously enough to put an end to... It had led him here standing before her with his brooding and demeaning eyes that she missed.
"So did you do it then? Did you start your army? Did you come here to tell me you would be marching on the Ministry?"
Eleanor's heart began to sink.
"More or less." he shrugged. "Did you think I was returning out of the blue to continue where we left off?"
That stung.
"Then why are you here?"
There was silence again and she wondered for a brief second if this was some game or even a dream. With the recent string of murders, having Tom Riddle walk up to her doorsteps tonight was on the verge of setting her over the edge.
"As a warning but a welcoming as well."
Eleanor scoffed, almost laughing in his face.
"Warning? Do tell, Tom-- I'm sorry, Lord Voldemort, because you and this army you speak of is news to me and the Ministry if you really want to start giving warnings to each other. If you don't think I could round you and your boys up in a heartbeat, you're dearly mistaken. This isn't some fun game of hide and seek at Hogwarts anymore. Surely, you lost a few brain cells in your time off the grid."
Tom's face became a grimace out of his anger becoming creature like. It didn't scare her though. She felt pity for him. After all these years she thought he would have some more common sense on how to approach her.
"A warning to you and no one else, Eleanor." Tom said, standing from her desk to approach her slowly. "As I have settled back in England for good now, the Department of Magical Law Enforcement is a potential concern of mine and my followers. We want to start changing some things. I would be forever in your debt if you were able to provide assistance in keeping my name out of any paperwork on your desk nowadays."
Eleanor's heart skipped a beat and not in the good way. The audacity he had to ask such a thing as if it wouldn't betray everything she's worked for. She could laugh.
"If you so much as let out a word or even write on a paper that I have come to you then you know what will happen." he added, his voice turning darker.
"Seems like you really lost your soul at this point. Tell me, do you even have any pieces left to rip?" she snapped, feeling the chest pains begin.
Tom grinned. "I have never felt better."
Eleanor let out a breath she had been holding in when he walked around her, still admiring the office she had made. She knew he was long gone and he had awaken her fears that were dormant since their schooldays. This was not how it was supposed to happen or how she was supposed to feel, but Tom was beyond a point of no return based upon her first impression of him.
"I do not wish to harm you, Eleanor. It isn't my first option obviously unless necessary. But I merely ask your help from now on."
"Define 'help'" Eleanor demanded, turning to face him as he peaked out the door.
"You will see, love. Your help is most valuable to me, it always has been. But now it is needed more than ever before. The position you're in will provide greatly for what is to come."
Eleanor rolled her eyes, landing on the man who had his back to her now as he slowly paced the room. It was like he knew everything about her already and analyzed it all like he knew where things would be.
"You should watch how you speak to the girl you let wear a piece of soul."
When Tom Riddle stopped in place, she grinned pleasingly. If he was truly gone, it would not be her wearing this ring right now. If he was truly gone, he would not have glanced back at her with a knowing smirk.
"That was your first mistake, Eleanor; making it clear that I could trust you with such a burden."
"Perhaps that trust would be more stable had you not arrived, sneaking around and spitting your threats. What front do you need to put on for me?" Eleanor asked, crossing her arms as he turned back to her.
"It is no front." Tom said, a menacing look flashing across his face.
She took a deep breath and tried to remain calm but the prospect of this ending badly was burning in the front of her mind.
"This is who I am. In what you call the shadows I have become a leader with ambitions and power that you have not even witnessed in your Ministry. This front you see is not even the entirety of what my mere presence is capable of. You are no different from all those who follow me now."
"If I'm not so different, then why are you here right now specifically requesting my help?" Eleanor taunted, keeping her chin up at him.
Tom was close, stopping just at arms length from her. Their eyes locked and she couldn't move, the pumping of her blood clouding her sound. She knew him too well to let him stand so strong in front of her. They were closer than that. But there was a deep pit in her stomach reminding her that she shouldn't be so naive when it came to him.
It's been ten years and she almost forgot how much one could change in that time.
That was what scared her the most; looking into the eyes she once loved and not being able to feel what she once did.
"It was very nice to see you again, Eleanor. In person at least." he said, turning away towards the door.
When his eyes left hers, she let out a long breath.
"Wish I could say the same." she murmured, looking away. However, his last comment brought back a slew of memories from times she thought she was insane. "I'm sorry, what?!"
But Tom Riddle had already disappeared and she had her hand forced on a deal with the Devil himself.
|| SO I hope their reunion wasn't too weird or awkward. Clearly he's a lost cause and Eleanor is in a predicament because like she'll die if she does something wrong. But other than that, it was a nice little reunion chapter for EVERYONE not just Tom. Before I continue, since I already have writers block and its been like 2 chapters, if anyone has anything they'd like to see happen or any filler ideas lol please comment below and vote!||