Paradox | T. Riddle ✔

~•2.6•~

As promised, Tom turned up at the Malfoy Manor early next morning and went straight to the room where Eleanor was kept, twirling the Hawthorn wand in between his fingers, his own kept safely in his pocket.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, spotting her standing by the window, apparently looking outside but he knew that she was lost in deep thought.

She was probably thinking about what answer to give to him regarding the offer he had placed in front of her the previous day. She had not even acknowledged his presence as she kept staring ahead through the glass pane, the thoughtful look on her features deepening.

"Eleanor," he called out softly and she spun around startled, her marble green eyes wide in alarm.

But she quickly composed herself, a hard look setting upon her features as all her thoughts that were so open to him before shut off. The only word that still lingered as he tore his eyes away from her was a name he had a faint recognition to but couldn't figure out why.

He felt it was the name of the person he was supposed to spare if she agreed to his deal.

Regulus, the name resonated in his head again, making him wonder who was the person bearing that name and why was he so important to her that it wasn't the first time he had seen her thinking about him.

"You owe me an answer," he spoke at last, "but it seems like you are still thinking about it."

She kept silent, ignoring his piercing gaze.

"Just take a walk with me," he suggested, "I feel you've been pondering on what I said to you last night and have been confused."

The words were all too familiar to her and even though he didn't know, she had realized that she was at the end of that time loop again, the end where she was supposed to kill him in the dungeons and brace herself for another repetition.

"Eleanor..."

"Fine," she agreed, keeping the distance of an arm's length between them, "but you're not to come any closer than this."

His expression fell at the remark but surprisingly he nodded, "difficult but I'll manage."

He held the door open for her as she stepped out but he took the lead, directing her to the unused parts of the Manor where there was total silence. Just like he had done so before as well, the unnerving familiarity of it all striking him even.

Large empty corridors unfurled in front of them as they walked, the silence heavy because Eleanor didn't want to talk and Tom was taking his time in observing her.

At last he voiced out the question that had been plaguing him, "have you taken your decision?"

"No," she replied, "not yet."

He could see she probably hadn't slept the entire night, her eyes had that faint redness which showed her tiredness. She had probably spent every second after he had left earlier in thinking about the proposition.

Yet she had still not reached a decision.

"Why, love? It's not so difficult, is it? It's only fair, a life for another life. You spare one and I spare one too."

"I don't want to spare you," she spoke through gritted teeth.

"Ah but if you won't, you will have to go through it again and again and again... What use would it be if you are stuck in the time loop forever?"

"Maybe if I am stuck in the time loop forever, the future would never happen. You would never become Voldemort."

He was surprised upon hearing the word from her voice because he felt as if it was a title only he knew, he had not yet revealed it to any of his followers either. But then she was from a time where that title was supposedly common knowledge.