The Fear in The Child

Morfin Gaunt

He had to admit, that seeing Morfin threw him for a shock. He had not expected him to still be alive, and even less so willing to kill him within moments of his getting to the house. The knife that he had within his hands had swiftly changed course when he realized that he had not stabbed a human, as he had intended, but instead the concrete of the walkway. He hissed in displeasure. Tom, was curious, to some extent he was curious. After all, what did he know about family, or about things regarding family. He had never truly had one, and resentment was the only thing that he had ever felt towards his father and his mother. Both had abandoned him in their own ways, even if those ways were different from another. 

"How interesting." Tom muttered as he moved to the side, watching Morfin carefully. He knew that he would easily be able to take him on, however magically...Tom was not sure. He did not know this person, had never heard of him before, and even if he had how was he to know that his older self would leave wizarding relatives alive. It would make sense though, Tom was the only sane person left within the Salzaar line. Naturally the titles and deeds would fall to him. 

He sighed heavily as he stared at the slightly crazed eyes of Morfin. the other seemed to be more...there than previously believed. It did not matter too much to him. Not to mention he would not kill him, perhaps the main reason that his older self had kept him alive was because there was really no use in killing him. 

"Who are you?" The man hissed, his dark eyes taking on a murderous look. Tom just laughed a little bit. Truly how could he not? It was a funny thing to think that he would come across a person along with his lands and titles. He had to admit, there had always been the possibility that he had other relatives out there that just did not care to find him, or did not know to. One of the two, he had never bothered much with it. Whether they wanted to or not, they had never come to aid him, what use were they to him then? 

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, at your service." The man paused as he said his name. He took a good look at Tom, rushing up to him. Tom stood, straight, not flinching, but taking a noticeable step backwards. He moved his eyes up, to lock gazes with this strange person. His family. Or what was claimed to be his family. He stared at them, and at the same time, this person did the same to him. 

"You do look like he used to." The man muttered under his breath. "That bastard." Tom huffed a laugh. Otherwise he did not comment. He did not need to, he did not know this person. 

"You are so young," He said. Tom tilted his head to the side. 

"I would hope so," he said with a small laugh. "I am only a teenager after all." 

The man jerked backwards a bit at his words. "Teenager," He muttered softly. Tom looked at him in a slightly confused way. 

"Yes," He confirmed, repeating the words as though he thought the person was a bit stupid, or perhaps a little slow. "A teenager." 

Morfin seemed a bit surprised at that, and Tom supposed it was understandable. After all, he probably had expected the line to die with him. This was not the case, and it was likely not something that he had really prepared himself for either. Either way, Tom did not really particularly care all that much. it  did not matter to him. The only thing that mattered to him was things that affected him. 

He sighed heavily. He had not expected to see Morfin here today, or ever. He had thought the other man dead. He had known about Morfin, but had never really done much research on the Gaunts, had not cared to. His family had been all but dead to him for years. 

He had just thought that they would be actually dead too, especially considering that it had been several years. it would turn out that this was not the case. Whatever it was that was aiding Morfin, he did not know, but he was an older man now. Tom...Tom would be an older man now too, if it were not for the fact that he had sort of jumped time and space. 

"It would seem as though the line just keeps going." Morfin muttered under his breath. 

"I am sorry?" Tom asked, his tone polite. It would not do to be rude after all. It would seem Morfin had no qualms about it though. He cast his gaze over him with a dark look, and Tom would have shuddered if he were a lesser person. He was not a lesser person, and as such he just stared.

"You carry very strong genes of that muggle that my younger sister was infatuated with." He said with a curl of disgust to his lips. Tom hummed, it would make sense after all. "It would seem as though the line is still alive. It thought it would die off, supposed such things could never happen, we are descendants of the great salzaar after all." 

Abraxas watched Draco's little friend carefully at this little tidbit of information was revealed, but he did not seem all that shocked about it. Perhaps he had already found out, or perhaps it was a bit obvious. Either way, it was an interesting add on to what Abraxas had already known about the boy. It was around this boy's age that the Dark Lord had learned of his own lineage after all. He was sure that it was nothing more than a coincidence. Yet, something struck him, he was not sure what it was but something just seemed...a bit off. 

Tom, either not noticing, but more likely not caring about Abraxas' look of deep thought, continued the conversation with Morfin. 

"If you are alive, why did not try and lay claim to the land and title?" It was something that he simply could not understand, though he would neve fully understand such simplistic things that people tended to make so complicated. Morfin just stared at him. 

"You really think I wanted to deal with all the politics?" Tom conceded to that point. The politics could get rather aggravating. Especially when it comes to the heirs. He noticed Draco nodded, and it would seem as though Draco understood it well enough as well. The life of heirs was not always as simple as everyone thought. 

"I suppose that makes sense." Tom said under his breath. "And with no other descendants you did not have to worry about anyone bothering to come over to take it from you." 

"Until that bastard Tom." Tom closed his eyes and swallowed. He was that human, not that this one knew that, and it would be entirely unrealistic to him even if he were to know. Therefore, he felt it prudent to keep his mouth shut. "Almost killed me, before realizing it would be wasteful." Morfin laughed darkly. "It was insane an experience I will tell you that." 

Tom shook his head slightly. Morfin was certifiably insane.