Heart of Darkness

Chapter Six

There was a knock at my door in the summer of '55. Padfoot started barking.
"Shut up." I told him, scratching his head as I went to the door, holding a whisk in my hand. I opened it. "Tom?" I asked.
"Hey, Angie." He smiled.
Something was very off.
I hugged him anyways. "You're back."
"I am." He hugged me back, but it didn't feel the same.
Padfoot kept barking and growling.
I let Tom go and turned to him. "What did I say? Shut up." I said.
Padfoot ignored me and continued growling at Tom.
"I don't think your dog likes me." Tom said.
"Hush, Padfoot." I snapped. "Go to bed."
He stopped growling, but didn't move.
"Come inside." I told Tom. "I'm making a cake for my neighbors. They just had a baby girl."
"Very nice of you." He sat down at a table.
"So? Are you going to tell me your adventures?"

Minnie McGonagall came over for dinner that night. She didn't seem too fond of Tom either.
"That's Tom?" She asked as I walked her to the door.
"Yeah."
"Has he always been....?"
"No." I shook my head, knowing what she was talking about. "I don't know what happened, but you probably shouldn't come around too much while he's here."
"Should you be here, then?" She looked genuinely concerned for my welfare.
"He won't hurt me, it's okay."
She nodded and hugged me. "Bye."
"Bye." I smiled sadly.
"She's that little girl." Tom said when I returned, Padfoot trotting at my side.
"Yes. Hasn't she grown?"
"Very much so."
"Angelica?" He asked when I got out of the shower.
"Yes?"
"Are you frightened of me?"
"No." I lied.
"Everybody else is."
"Yes. But I'm not."
"Good." He gave a smile.
"Well, I'm going to bed. Are you staying here?"
"Yes."
I took him to the guest bedroom.
"Not with you?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"But Padfoot likes to sleep on the bed." I kissed his cheek and Padfoot and I went to the bedroom.

"Tom, didn't we talk about this? I don't like you working in Knockturn Alley." I sighed.
"It's all right, Angelica. You know me."
Did I? Did I really?

Six years later, he was packing his bags. My nephew, Sirius, was asleep in the other room.
"Did you kill her?" I demanded quietly.
"No." He said. "I wouldn't. She was a friend."
"Then why the bloody hell are you running?"
"Because they'll think I did."
"So?"
"I have to go." He kissed my cheek. "I love you."
"You too."
"Do you?" He paused and met my gaze.
"Yes." I said. I did love him.
"When I return, you shall be a queen."
"What if I don't want to be a queen?"
"Then you can be whatever you want. I promise your family won't bother you anymore."
"That's sweet." I smiled a bit.
"Goodbye." He said, and disapparated.
I sighed and got in the bed.
I guessed I'd believed him. He talked a big game, but he wouldn't actually kill somebody, right?
Padfoot laid down at the foot of my bed, something he hadn't done since Tom had been here. While Tom was here, Padfoot either slept at the bedroom door or beside me. Or, if Sirius was here, he slept in Sirius' room.
A few minutes later, the door creaked open. I gasped and jumped, reaching for my wand.
"Aunt Angie?" Little Sirius asked.
"Yeah, honey?" I let out a relieved sigh.
"I had a bad dream." The four-year-old said.
"Did you?"
He nodded.
"Come on in."
He shut the door then ran and jumped on the bed.
"Wanna tell me about it?" I asked as he scooted up next to me.
"I was being chased by these things covered in black and they were trying to suck out my soul."
"Why would they do that?" I asked.
Dementors suck out souls. Tom was now no longer Tom. Could that have been what happened? He didn't mention it, but...
"I dunno. But then Mummy saved me."
"Well, that's what mothers are for." I said.
He nodded. "Will Padfoot keep away the bad dreams?"
"Of course."