Marked ? Tom Riddle

His Breakfast

   "I'm sorry for disturbing you, Tom. I just want to understand why it angered you so much."

   "You want to know why it angered me so much?" he repeated. 

   "Yes."

   "Because I can not seem to escape that wretched whore to who you seem to have such a connection."

   I froze, taken aback. "I don't know who that girl was, I promise."

   "That was me being sloppy and rushing the spell," he said, calmly. "I knew you would remember something, eventually. You did not give me enough time to be thorough or precise with what I wanted to erase. I just figured it would take longer than this before something resurfaced. I should have guessed it would be Mila. Bad on my part, I guess."

   "What are you talking about?" I said. "Is that the girl? Mila? How do you know her?"

   "I should not have erased the fear from you. I should have kept some of those bad memories between us there in that sweet little head of yours. It had to be done, of course, or else you would continue to hide things from me and scheme behind my back as you did. This new you is fun, I must admit. Much more enjoyable. But the old you would not have been stupid enough to come to disturb me like this." I watched him stand and pull out his wand from his back pocket.

   "Tom, what are you saying?" I stepped back from him, but he snatched my arm with his free hand. "Did you obliviate something from my mind?"

   "Quite a few things."

   Tears surfaced in my eyes. "How could you?" I demanded.

   "Relax, Karina. I'm going to make things a lot simpler for us. I want things to work with you and this marriage is going to be a lot easier for you and I if you just don't remember the hard bits." He pulled me against him and placed the tip of his wand against my head. "Obliviate."

   My face was against his shirt. Why in the world was my face against his shirt? "Tom?" I questioned, looking up at him in confusion, feeling his arms loosen around me. I looked around the room feeling dazed. "What am I doing here?" I whispered.

   "I believe you came to escort me to breakfast," he said.

   "Oh," I shook my head. "I must have forgotten."

   He let go of me completely and headed for the door. "Shall we go then?"

   Burying my confusion, I nodded and accompanied him back into the dining hall where I had left my breakfast untouched. The maids looked stunned to have me return with the Dark Lord by my side, but they were quick to avert their eyes and get back to work. Before we even sat down, the maids had already set up another breakfast for the Dark Lord. Instead of lavender tea, however, he had coffee. 

   "Pardon me, Miss," one of the maids who had served me breakfast neared the table, holding a rather large and rather eye-catching envelope that shimmered in the light. "This arrived for you this morning," she handed me the envelope and a letter opener before she retreated into the kitchens with the other maids. With one swift motion, I opened the envelope and smiled at what was inside. 

   "What is it?" Tom said.

   "My family is hosting a Winter's Ball. It's an invitation," I looked at him, hopeful. I wanted him there with me, but I knew events like these were not things he attended often. "Mother mentioned during my short return home that the media was beginning to shed a bad light on our marriage, and something like this might help distract the public for a bit. Especially with what happened and the ongoing investigation, I am assuming she's rushing the event in hopes of restoring some sense of normality to our family name."

   "I see," he said, taking the invitation from my hand and reading it himself. "It would not be a bad idea to make a short appearance."I hid my smile behind the china cup as I took a sip of tea. "After all, I have been meaning to get my hands on his rare firewhiskey collection again." 

   "He was not too happy about that last time," I admitted. "His most prized possession is his firewhiskey collection."

   "Second to you, of course, and I already have you," he said and I flushed.

   "In a few short weeks, yes," I looked down at the large rock that was my engagement ring and wondered why I hadn't worn it more often. I had woken up this morning with the strange urge to wear it with no real recollection of why I hadn't been wearing it weeks prior.

   "In a few short weeks, you'll be the most powerful woman in the wizarding world."

   I couldn't help but allow a quick and short laugh of astonishment to escape my lips. "Bellatrix Lestrange is the most powerful woman in the wizarding world."

   "Perhaps in ability, but in power, you will surpass her with my name, with your title," Tom said. "You'll surpass your father."

   The idea seemed ludicrous to me. Bellatrix Lestrange... my father... these were figures of power my entire life. To be placed above them in any way seemed absolutely bizarre to me. "I must admit, respect prevents me from feeling any sort of power over my father. Even if I am to surpass him with my title, I could never act in any way against him that would disrespect him."

   "Not even if I commanded it?" he looked at me, challenging me, and I met his eyes. 

   "Would you command me to do such a thing?"

   "What if your father rebelled against me?"

   I scoffed, "He would never."

   "If he did, who would you choose... your Dark Lord or your father?"

   I stared at him for a long time, debating my options. There was a right answer here and I knew he was testing me, but I still debated. What would I do in that situation? "I guess... I would choose my family."

   "Your father then," the Dark Lord sighed, seeming less interested in the conversation now.

   "No," I said, capturing his attention again. "If Father was to rebel, he'd be putting my mother's life at stake and my grandfather's. He would be risking my life to destroy yours; my husband and the future father of my children. If Father was to rebel, he would not be family, not to me anyway. I would choose you, Tom."

   His eyes were fixated on me. He did not have to question if I was telling the truth, he could check any time. They were fixated on me for a different reason. "Get your coat," he said, suddenly standing from the table.

   "Where are we going?"

   "Hogwarts," he said.