Masquerade- Tom Riddle Fanfiction

Glimpses of Tragedy

Addie's POV

"Clever, but too slow Robins." 

-Tom Riddle

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    Pain wasn't a gigantic wave, hitting from all sides. It was slow and gradual. First there is the shock, that disbelief. No matter what is in front of your eyes, you always see something different, something safer. It was a defense mechanism in the brain. Next came the realization; the pinpricks of fire. Finally, the inferno that eclipsed everything. 

   My arms were taut against the ground; my stomach heaving as I tried not to throw up. I could feel blood trickling down my forehead from where I had been hit. Grindelwald ignored me, his Elder Wand bared for battle. In this fight, he was the one with the Excalibur-- but in the end, Albus Dumbledore would win. Grindelwald had everything to lose, Dumbledore had everything to protect. 

  The wind howled as Grindelwald Apparated upon the hilltop, his eyes flashing dark and turbulent green against the blue of Dumbledore's eyes. "We could have had everything, Dumbledore!" he shouted against the wind, his eyes glittering madly, "I have the Elder Wand and the Resurrection Stone is soon to be in my grasp--" he turned carelessly towards my direction, "when you are dead, I will kill her. And I will have both Hallows. We can bring Ariana back; we can even fix Aberforth's memory so that he doesn't remember-- we can fix your entire family! We can both have power, Albus!" For a terrible moment, Dumbledore didn't say anything. Then, he raised his wand silently. Defensively. 

    Grindelwald studied the gesture for a moment. Something flashed in his eyes. Remorse? Regret? Disappointment? But it faded before it could even take over those dilated pupils. He laughed, "You will give up everything for just a student turned a traitor?" he howled with laughter, as he pointed to me, "tell me, Dumbledore, how long did it take you before you realized that she is my daughter?" 

    I saw Dumbledore's eyes boring into me, exactly the same way it did when he called me to his office. "Perhaps she is a traitor," he said softly, "--but she is not your traitor. She is the one who helped me get here; who alerted me. After all this time, Gellert, how cruelly did you treat her for your own daughter to rise up against you?" 

   "Enough talk--" Grindelwald hissed before he swiped his wand, flashes of lightning and smoke obscuring the sky as he shot them towards Dumbledore, who conjured a shining silver shield. The impact made a spitting sound of fury before the bolts fizzled. I could only see in flashes-- pieces of fiery beasts clashing with cyclones of water; jets of deadly spells shooting at each other nonstop before either could even swish their wands. I got to my knees. Dumbledore had distracted Grindelwald; I must free those in Numengard. 

   Pain. 

  Agony. 

  Blood became a second, dried red skin as I stumbled; placing my weight on my right foot. Sprained. "Free the prisoners--" I wet my dried lips, lisping and I lowered my hand, the wand shooting into my fingers. Mark and Nikolai were heading towards me, robes blowing and eyes reeked with vengeance. 

   All of a sudden, I heard a shout, "Stupefy!" A jet of red light barely missed Mark before I saw the newcomer. Tom. The deadly smirk had replaced the pretended frown of deceit.