Modification || T. Riddle || Completed

Chapter 47: The Ensuing Encounter

Chapter 47: The Ensuing Encounter

15th December 1944. Two months later.

The pang of longing would hit her every now and then. It would come out of nowhere, just like that, and hit her hard in the gut. The desire to be with him, see him, hear him, resounded through the very substance of her bones. It was like an icy storm imprisoned in the chambers of her heart, and it wasn't showing any signs of dying down anytime soon.

With every spare moment she had, her mind would prepare a new letter to him. Telling him how much she missed him, about her new school, asking how everything was at Hogwarts. But it had been over a month since she'd written the last letter to him, and he still hadn't replied.

She'd written to him again a few weeks ago despite not getting a reply, but he didn't respond to that one either. She thought there must be some sort of problem with the owls - that they must have gotten lost or delivered the letter to the wrong person - but Cayra and Anthony's letters had been arriving as normal.

In fact, she received a letter from Cayra that very morning, and she opened it eagerly.

She read it quickly, her eyes scanning the words in a blur, and noticed Cayra was writing in a lot of detail; mentioning almost every little thing that had happened since her last letter, and Estela found it a bit suspicious. It was as though she was colouring everything – trying to make everything sound too positive – as though she was hiding something. And then the colour drained from her words as Estela reached the second half of the letter. This is what she had been trying to avoid.

He hasn't been writing to you? That's strange. In fact, he's been acting more and more strange, if you ask me. Anthony's noticed too. He seems more... distant. I don't know. It's hard to explain.

It's like he's changing.

Everything about him seems darker – like a light has gone out somewhere inside him and wont come back on.

There are whispers going around the castle. He's been threatening people. Lots of people have started to notice the change and there are rumours circulating.

Apparently he's been blackmailing and recruiting more and more people into his gang. But nobody dares speak a word of it now.

Not since the incident.

Michael Knight had supposedly been planning on telling Dumbledore about Riddle's actions, but Tom has eyes everywhere now. Everything gets back to him. It's scary. And word of Michael's plans reached him. Michael was hospitalised that evening on the way to Dumbledore's office, and the Matron had no choice but to send him straight to St. Mungo's. He's still there, and they reckon he'll have to stay over Christmas.

His family are furious, they think he was attacked, but there's no proof. And if there is, it definitely doesn't lead back to Tom.

His cousin even came in to speak with Dumbledore about the incident, but Dumbledore couldn't tell him anything. He can't have been much older than us, actually, and Rita said he went to Durmstrang for a while, maybe you know him? Blond curly hair and green eyes. He had a funny name, too, but I don't remember.

But anyway, me and Anthony knew it was Riddle – we know how he can be after everything you told us – but nobody else seems to suspect him. Or if they do, they're too afraid to say anything. They don't want to end up like poor old Michael.

He's getting darker, Estela, I can feel it. But I don't think it's anything too bad just yet. Honestly, I think he just misses you... I never thought I'd feel sorry for him, but it's clear to me now just how much you affected him. But it's very strange that he's not writing to you. You were the only one keeping him stable, and now that he's lost you I think he's going off the rails.