Riddle's Plea

Familiarity*

(Vienna. September 3rd, 1943)

    The memory of last night's encounter with Tom replayed over and over again in my head. I'm such an idiot. I had known that calling him out would be a bad idea, but I did anyway. He needed to know though that he couldn't use me, and judging by the way he had sent be murderous glances all day in classes, he didn't like it. There was something thrilling about knowing I got under his skin, and something terrifying knowing that he'd eventually get his own way. I had a part to play. I needed to show Tom Riddle friendship, and that I'd do. Even if it means giving up my pride. Lives were at stake here, and I needed to save them. In truth, I had lied to Tom the night before, and I was, in fact, very much not alright. He knows this too, and eventually he'd use that to his advantage. I feel so weak.

    "Vienna, it's 8:30. Don't you have a meeting to get too?" Olivia had shaken me out of my thoughts, and I glanced around the library before meeting her gaze. "Thanks Liv." I say to her, and begin gathering up my books. We had spent most of the evening in the library, not even going to dinner, and truthfully I had enjoyed it. Olivia had become a friend, even within the short amount of time we've known each other. I had stuck to Olivia all day whenever I could, mostly to avoid Tom and to also get to know the girl a little better. We shared most of our classes, with the exception of Herbology and History of Magic. Herbology was shared with Hufflepuff's and History of Magic was shared with the Gryffindors. Olivia reminded me a lot of Ginny Weasley, with her temper and her ability to see right through my calm facade. The thought of my un-official little sister made my face fall for a moment, and Olivia was quick to call it out. "Are you alright Vienna? You look a little sad." She says, gently laying her hand on my arm. "I'm alright. I just remembered a friend is all." I reply, and she nods her head in understanding. "I should get going. Don't want to keep the Professor waiting." I say, giving her a tight smile, and standing up. She smiles warmly at me, her blue eyes still concerned. "Alright. Goodnight Vienna. See you tomorrow." I give her a wave and head towards the exit. 

    My trip to the Transfiguration classroom wasn't a long one, and I found myself enjoying the summer breeze while walking through the open walkway looking down into the courtyard below it. Pretty soon, fall would be here, and I was excited to watch the leaves change on Hogwarts grounds. I stopped for a moment and looked down to watch a few students as they lingered around, before turning away to continue my journey. A few feet away from me were a group of Gyrffindor boys who were talking and laughing loudly. I snuck a peek at them, and that's when time stopped. The wind still blew through my hair gently, and I could still hear the boys laughing, but my vision had tunneled onto a boy in the middle. He was tall and lanky, and his red-hair was messy upon his head. The brown eyes of the boy were warm and held a distinct light that I didn't think I'd ever see again. Noticing the strange girl staring at him, his gaze met mine, my heart stuttered and my stomach flipped. I'm going to be sick. He tilted his head in question and his fellow peers looked over at me. "Can we help you love?" He asks, and my knees grew weak at the sound of his voice. Almost identical to the one I've come to know and love tremendously. "Fred?" The name came out as a whisper, and my mouth starting opening and closing closely resembling a fish. "Sorry love. There are no 'Fred's' here." He sent me a smile, and the boys around him snickered. Mentally kicking myself, I physically shook myself out of the trance that I had been in. Of course this wasn't Fred. Fred's fifty years into the future and dead. "I'm sorry. You look like someone I used to know." I say to him, giving him a tight smile, and looking away from him. 

    In the corner of my eye, I could see him take a few steps towards me, and I begged him mentally to not come closer. "Someone you used to know?" He asks, and my eyes turn back onto him who was looking at me curiously. "Yes. He was a...friend." I mentally kick myself again, and look away from the Fred look-a-like in front of me. I feel a distinct blush rise to my cheeks, and I curse myself for getting myself into this situation. "Well I'm not Fred, although he sounds like a lucky-man. My name is Septimus Weasley." He takes a few steps closer to me and raises a hand. "Pleasure. I'm Vienna Marcus." I say, taking a deep breath and taking hold of his hand. The familiarity of his hand shocked me, and I found myself holding back tears. Septimus would become the future father of Arthur Weasley, and the grandfather of Fred. It was amazing how similar Fred and George looked to their late-grandfather. "Whatever happened to this Fred?" He asks me, not yet letting go of my hand, and his brown eyes glued to mine. "He's dead." I say, watching as his eyes go wide in shock at my not-so-subtle statement. Way to go Vienna. The tears I had been holding were very close to falling, and I quickly let go of his hand and began walking away. 

    I could feel his gaze on me as I walked away, and the tears were now falling freely. I was practically running towards the Transfiguration classroom at this point, my breaths were coming out shallow and strained. I wasn't paying attention, and ended up running straight into the arms of the one person I had been trying to avoid all day. "I'm. Sorry." I say to him between breaths. My lungs are burning, and my head is spinning. "What happened?" Tom asks me, his face was turned up like it disgusted him to ask me the question. "It doesn't matter. Please let me go Tom." I say to him, struggling to get out of the iron grip he had on my arms. "Not until you tell me what happened." He demands, shaking me gently to gain my attention. My eyes meet his brown ones, and I feel an incredible anger fill me. He's the one who did this to me. He took Fred away from me, he sent me back in time, and he wouldn't let me go. "Let.Go." My face had hardened and my body had started trembling with uncontrolled rage. "Tell. Me. What. Happened." With each word, he had begun walking forwards, backing me up into a wall. Don't let him bully you. The anger I felt exploded, and I found myself throwing my hands out in front of me. "LET GO!" Magic burst from my fingertips, and Tom went flying across the corridor landing on his back a ways away from me. 

    The anger dissipated, and I found myself sliding down the wall behind me, my hands running through my hair and the enormous feeling of hopelessness filling me. I was sobbing now, breath heaving, and body shaking. Tom had looked up at me, eyes wide and full of surprise at my sudden outburst. For a moment, I saw general concern grace his face. "Vienna..." He begins, standing up slowly from the spot on the floor. "Don't." I manage to somehow force the word through my mouth. I meet his gaze one more time, before I stand abruptly and flee.