Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

24: Torn Asunder

Tom apparated Cassiopeia and himself to the end of the tunnel, where a circular door sealed the entrance. A stone serpent, lifelike in appearance, caught their attention. Once again, Tom spoke in Parseltongue, and Cassiopeia listened carefully to the unfamiliar language. It seemed he was saying the same thing as before.

"What is it? A password?" Cassiopeia inquired, her confusion evident.

"It's just a simple 'open.' Anyone can say it correctly to open the door, but what's inside is terrifying, especially for Mud-Bloods," Tom explained, though his choice of words made Cassiopeia bristle.

"Tom," she hissed, clearly unimpressed by his manner of speaking. "It's Muggles."

"Whatever," he retorted with a roll of his eyes. "Let's not get into an argument now, please."

"Alright," Cassiopeia agreed, watching as the serpents on the door parted, and the wall cracked open, revealing a damp corridor. The chamber was dimly lit, with stone pillars adorned with intricately carved serpents rising to support a dark ceiling, shrouded in shadows.

"Come," Tom said, interlocking his fingers with Cassiopeia's and gazing at her. She nodded and followed him along the corridor. At the far end, a massive statue of Salazar Slytherin loomed.

Cassiopeia couldn't help but gasp in awe. It was the Chamber of Secrets, a legendary place she had only heard about in tales. To see it unveiled before her was a surreal experience.

From the corner of her eye, she noticed Tom looking at her as if she were a revelation.

"Don't stare like that, Tom," she teased, still gazing at the statue of Salazar Slytherin. Unexpectedly, Tom kissed her cheek, causing her to turn and reciprocate with a kiss on his lips. He stumbled back briefly before his arms enveloped her. Cassiopeia pulled away, a smile on her face.

"So, was this what you wanted to show me?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Tom chuckled and retrieved something from his robe—a diary bearing his full name. He extended it to her, and she accepted it.

"This is what you asked for a few days ago," Tom said, watching as she turned the blank pages. "The Horcrux."

Cassiopeia's hands trembled as she looked at him in disbelief. "Ho—horcrux?" she stammered.

Tom nodded and then kissed her forehead. "I want you to keep it with you."

"Yo—you split your so—soul into this?" Cassiopeia's voice wavered as she contemplated the implications of his actions. "How far will you go for this concept of immortality?"

Tom nodded before she posed her next question, one that was fueled by her doubts. "Who's the victim, Tom?"

"It's not something you should concern yourself with, Cassie," Tom replied nonchalantly. "I created this last year, and—"

"I'M ASKING WHO'S THE VICTIM, THOMAS?" Cassiopeia nearly shouted, her voice rising. It was the first time she had ever raised her voice to him.

"Myrtle," Tom replied quietly.

"You killed her?" Tears welled up in Cassiopeia's eyes, and she covered her mouth in shock.

"I didn't, but someone did it for me," Tom explained, stepping closer to her. He turned her to face the massive statue and gestured towards it. His breath caressed her ear as he spoke. "Look there."

Tom mumbled in Parseltongue, and the statue's mouth opened wide, revealing a large black hole. A gigantic serpent with yellow eyes began to slither toward them. Cassiopeia swallowed hard and almost stepped backward, her back hitting Tom's chest. A chilling thought crossed her mind: was he going to kill her? No, he would never harm her. He loved her; she was sure of it.