Riddle And Grindelwald

23. Guilt

After Tom had convinced Professor Dippet that Rubeus Hagrid was guilty of opening the Chamber of Secrets and attacking numerous students, the headmaster summoned the heads of the 4 houses to his office, and sent word to the Minister for Magic.
Once they had all arrived, an important discussion took place.
Genevieve stood at the back of the room, while Tom did all the talking, and took the credit for catching Rubeus.

All of the heads believed Tom, except for Dumbledore, who felt that Rubeus was innocent.
The fact that Myrtle had become a ghost also complicated matters. But luckily she couldn't remember how she had died, so she couldn't contradict Tom's version of events.
The fact that she'd become a ghost, also made Genevieve feel a lot less guilty about being involved with the girl's death.
But it couldn't erase the guilt she felt for blaming Rubeus Hagrid for her and Tom's crimes.
In the end the Minister sided with Dippet, and Rubeus was expelled on the spot.
He cried when his wand was snapped in half, and Genevieve couldn't help but feel awful.

Dumbledore managed to convince everyone that Rubeus hadn't meant to hurt anyone, so the Minister decided not to send him to Azkaban.
He also coerced Dippet into letting Rubeus stay at Hogwarts and train to be a groundskeeper, since he didn't have anywhere else to go.
To protect Rubeus and the schools reputation, Dippet decided not to go public with what had happened.
Instead, Myrtle's parents would be told that she'd died in a freak accident.
To keep Tom quiet about the incident, he was to be given a trophy for special services to the school. Him and Genevieve were also to be given 100 house points each for their troubles.

After what felt like one of the longest nights in her life, Genevieve and Tom were eventually dismissed and allowed to return to their common room.
Since she hadn't slept the night before, Genevieve was really tired, but she knew there was no chance of her getting any sleep that night either, after everything that had happened.
Tom practically skipped down to the dungeons from Dippet's office, as he was so happy that everything had gone according to plan.
Genevieve on the other hand, walked slowly, with her head hung low, since she felt like the worst person in the world.

"I don't know what you're so happy about" admitted Genevieve, when they reached the Slytherin common room.
Due to the late hour, the room was empty, as the night owls had gone to bed, and the early birds hadn't risen yet.
Tom turned to face her with a smile on his face, "What's there not to be happy about? We committed our first murder together and got away with it".
"That's not a good thing" replied Genevieve.

Tom frowned, "You'd rather be in Azkaban, would you? Because I can go back and tell the headmaster that I made a mistake. I can pin that girl's murder on you if you like, if that would ease your guilty conscience. Dumbledore's suspected you all year, so he'd back me up. And the murder did happen in a girl's bathroom, so you are more likely to have committed the crime. You're also a lot smarter than that brainless oaf Hagrid, so are more likely to be the heir of Slytherin than him. You can take the blame if you want, I won't stop you. But I won't be joining you in Azkaban, you'll be on your own".

"I never said that I wanted to hand myself over. I'm just saying that we shouldn't be so happy about pining our crime on an innocent student like Rubeus Hagrid" admitted Genevieve.
"He's hardly innocent. He's always doing dangerous things like raising werewolf cubs or going into the Forbidden Forest to wrestle trolls. And he had an Acromantula in a box, inside the school. It was only a matter of time before he got another student injured. So, we've done the world a favour by getting him expelled. Besides, the oaf didn't even get sent to Azkaban, so I don't know what you're complaining about. Things worked out rather well in the end" replied Tom.

"Did you see the broken look on his face when they snapped his wand in two and handed him the pieces?" Questioned Genevieve.
"I wasn't paying that much attention" answered Tom.
"Well I was. And I watched him cry as Dippet told him he was expelled. We did that to him. We got him expelled and ruined his life. He will never cast another spell again or graduate from Hogwarts with any grades" replied Genevieve.

"He's going to be the assistant groundskeeper, so he's going to be fine. He doesn't have to leave Hogwarts, and he's been given a job despite his lack of magic and qualifications. He should be grateful" said Tom.
"So, you would be grateful if you were in his shoes then?" Asked Genevieve coldly.
"I am a proper wizard, and a descendant of Salazar Slytherin. That fool wouldn't have amounted to much anyway, since he wasn't exactly top of the class like me"
"Just because he wasn't as bright as us, it doesn't mean his life is worth less than ours".

Tom sighed, "Look, what's done is done. We can't change what we did, so you are just going to have to get over it".
"I suppose I am, since you've left me no other choice" mumbled Genevieve.
Tom stepped closer to Genevieve, and placed his hand around the back of her neck.
"Everything I do, I do for you, and the world I will create in the future. I am trying to make things better for you, and everyone like us" insisted Tom.

Tom leant in to kiss Genevieve, but she recoiled and walked away from him.
"You didn't do this for me. You did this for yourself, so don't use me as your excuse to do bad things" spat Genevieve.
Tom placed his hand on her shoulder and spun her back around to face him.
"Alright, I won't. But you've known all along what I am, so it's too late for you to suddenly grow a conscience, and be effected by the things I do. I am a cold blooded killer, and I plan on ending many more lives in my quest for power. You have promised to be at my side through it all, so it is too late for you to back out now. You can't leave me, even if you wanted to" Tom said firmly.

Genevieve sighed as she realised that Tom was right.
Despite everything he'd done, she still loved him and she couldn't imagine a life without him in it. And even if she stopped caring for him, she knew he would never let her go.
"I am yours, for now and always" mumbled Genevieve.
Tom smiled and stroked Genevieve's cheek, "For now and always".
He leant in to kiss her, and this time she didn't turn away, for she didn't want to make him angry.
Her survival was now linked to Tom's need to have her around, and she would do anything to stay alive.