Riddle and Grindelwald (book 2)

56. The Cave Of Wonders

After losing all of her children, Genevieve knew exactly how it felt to have your child taken from you.
But despite this, she made no attempt to warn Dumbledore that Tom was after the Potters, for her love for Tom would always come first. And she didn't want to aid the boy who would one day have the power to defeat the man she loved.
Several weeks after hearing the prophecy, Tom returned home one evening, with an angry look on his face.
He walked straight past Genevieve without saying a word, and went to stand in front of the fire.
"Well, hello to you too" said Genevieve.
Tom said nothing and continued warming himself up.
"What's up with you?" Questioned Genevieve.
"Dumbledore" grumbled Tom.

Genevieve sighed, "What's he done now?".
"He's hidden the Potters by placing protective magic around their home so that I can't find them" answered Tom.
"How did he know you were after their unborn child?" Frowned Genevieve, who was confused as to how Dumbledore had learned this piece of information, since she did not tell him.
"Clearly one of my death eaters let slip to Dumbledore that I was after the Potters. Maybe I've got a spy in my ranks" replied Tom.
"Perhaps. You have joined forces with werewolves, giants, Dementors, and all manner of dark creatures, who are not exactly very reliable or trustworthy".

"I only did that, because I needed to expand my forces. But only a very select number of people knew about the prophecy, and that I intended to hunt the Potters down" admitted Tom.
"Well, maybe you don't have a spy at all then. If not many people knew about the prophecy, then I don't see how Dumbledore learned that you were after the Potters. Dumbledore heard all of the prophecy that night, so he probably knows something we don't. And if we worked out which two families the prophecy could be referring to, then I'm sure Dumbledore was able to do the same. I expect he put magical protection around the Longbottoms as well as the Potters, once he heard the prophecy, because he knew we would go after them" replied Genevieve.
"Maybe you are right" sighed Tom, as he moved away from the fire and sat down in one of the green armchairs.
"I usually am" reminded Genevieve.

"Until I can kill this boy, who poses a threat to me, I am going to take certain precautions" revealed Tom.
"What kind of precautions?" Asked Genevieve.
"I am going to move my locket Horcrux to a secure location" answered Tom.
"Where?" Questioned Genevieve.
"The cave"
"The cave where you have been experimenting with Inferi?"
"Yep. The Inferi will be a part of the protective magic around my Horcrux. I am not taking any chances with this one, especially if this Potter boy could grow into a powerful enemy one day".

"How else are you going to protect it?" Questioned Genevieve curiously.
"I am going to place it on a small island in the middle of the lake inside the cave. The whole cave will have an anti-disapparation spell around it. So, the only way to access the island, will be via a small boat which can only hold one wizard at a time. The locket will be placed inside a basin on the island, which I will fill with a potion that has to be drunk, and causes the drinker to lose their minds" informed Tom.
"Wow, you really are going all out to protect this Horcrux" replied Genevieve.
"I told you, I am taking no chances".

"How will you ensure that everything in the cave works the way you want it to?" Quizzed Genevieve.
"I will test it all out on someone first" revealed Tom.
Genevieve frowned, "Who?".
"Relax, I'm going to use a house-elf, not a human" reassured Tom.
"Where are you going to get a house-elf from, since we don't own any?"
"I asked my death eaters if they had one I could borrow. Young Regulus Black volunteered his elf named Kreacher"
"Will the house-elf die during this experiment of yours?"
"Of course. I can't have a living person knowing how to get their hands on my Horcrux".

"What about me? I'm a living person" reminded Genevieve.
"You don't count. I see you as an extension of myself, for we are one. Besides, I'm not taking you with me, so you won't know exactly how to reach my Horcrux" admitted Tom.
"I suppose you and I are connected far more than any other husband and wife. And your locket Horcrux has been in our basement for like 2 decades, so if I wanted to destroy it, I would have done so by now" replied Genevieve.
"Exactly. You are the one person on this earth, that I can trust".

Genevieve forced a smile, and tried not to think about the lengths she had gone through to hide Mathilde, behind Tom's back.
She decided to change the subject, to make sure that Tom didn't get suspicious of her.
"Isn't Regulus Black still a child?" Asked Genevieve.
"No, he is 17" informed Tom.
"That is still a child in my mind. He must still be at Hogwarts" replied Genevieve.
"So? He wanted to join up, and I'm not in any position to turn people away. The Black's are all pure-bloods, so I had no concerns about making him a death eater and giving him the dark mark".

"There was a time when you only gave out the dark mark, to your most trusted followers. Now, you seem to give it to everyone" sighed Genevieve.
"Not all of my followers have the mark, but most do. It makes it easier for me to summon them, if they have it" admitted Tom.
"I understand. I'm just worried that we are getting too careless. You are recruiting all manner of creatures, and magical folk who aren't pure-bloods. I fear that we are getting too big and bold, and that things are going to end badly for us very soon".

Tom got out of his chair and knelt down beside Genevieve.
"You don't need to worry about us. I know this prophecy is making you scared, but you have no need to be. I am not going to be bested by this Potter boy. The two of us are going to live forever, just as we planned" reassured Tom.
"Good... I can't lose you too. I've lost everyone else that I care about. Which is why I don't think I could live without you" admitted Genevieve quietly.
Tom took hold of Genevieve's hands and squeezed them tight.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm immortal remember, which means that I am always going to be by your side, I swear" promised Tom.
"You'll really never leave me?" Questioned Genevieve.
"Never" insisted Tom.
"Good".