Riddle's Plea

The Second Traveler*

(Vienna. May 2nd, 1944)

    For someone such as myself to have spent most of her time of the 1940's trying to change the future, being kidnapped, defeating giant snakes and keeping good grades all at the same time, it was odd for me to have such a quiet and peaceful past few months. It was making me severely anxious. The bliss I had been living recently was filled with studying, enjoying the nice Spring weather with my friends and trying to put a name to Tom and I's relationship. The gossip spread quickly throughout Hogwarts staff and students that Tom and I were...an item? Together? Best friends forever? I let out a snort at the thought and caused Liv to give me a questioning look. "Sorry. I thought of something funny." Liv and I were currently sitting outside near the Black Lake, soaking up some sun and enjoying the near-summer weather. I had already made my way over to the Lake and said a quick greeting to the Giant Squid which caused Liv to open a whole new can of questions for me that lasted an hour and a half. Tom and Abraxas were off doing Gods know what together, leaving Liv and I to fend for ourselves. It wasn't until a note appeared on the ground between us that we moved. Albus had sent it asking to see us and that it was a matter of 'great importance.' We sighed heavily before packing up our things and making our way back up to the castle. As soon as we crossed the Viaduct we ran into Tom and Ab who had also received a note from Albus requesting their presence. 

    "Do you know what this is about?" Tom asked me, taking my bag from me and holding out his arm. "No. I don't like it either." Tom let out a scoff at my words as I linked our arms together, worry and anxiousness beginning to fill my veins. "What were you two up too?" I ask him, an eyebrow raising in question and suspicion lining my tone. "Nothing bad." It was my turn to let out a scoff and it causes him to chuckle. "I will have you know Tom Riddle, that if your up to something you shouldn't be, I will find out about it." He let out another chuckle at my words before slipping his arm out of mine and proceeding to intertwining our fingers. "Don't worry love. I've given up my evil ways." I rolled my eyes at his statement and fought to keep an annoying blush out of my face. It wasn't long before we came around Albus' door, which noticed out presence and opened for us. We walked inside the office noticing first thing that Albus Dumbledore was pacing in front of his desk. "Albus?" I gather his attention and his eyes fell upon me, his shoulders sagging with relief and he quickly beckoned us forward. A wave of us his wand and the door behind us shut and locked, the muffling spell going around the room quickly and his hand running down his face. This can't be good. 

    "Vienna..." He lets out a sigh before continuing, taking a few heavy steps towards me before stopping. "Something has happened." I let my shoulders sag with his words and an agitated moan left my mouth. "I knew this would happen. There always has be something. What is it Albus?" Before he had the change to answer a cough came from one of the armchairs near the fireplace and my eyes snapped to the new figure. "ARE YOU INSANE?" The shriek that left my mouth caused all the patrons in the room to flinch mildly and I watched horrified as the figure stood up. "Now now Vienna is that how you greet an old friend?" Two gasps came from behind me from Tom and Olivia, while Abraxas let out a chuckle before greeting the man. "Hello Tom! You look great!" I scoffed as the future Tom Riddle chuckled at Ab's friendly demeanor. "Thank you Abraxas, you as well." His eyes fell onto past Tom who was looking at him with a mixture of curiousness and apprehension. "I'm afraid we don't have much time for pleasantries. I can only stay for a short amount of time." His eyes met mine then and I tilted my head in question. "Something bad has happened Vienna. Something that concerns both our future and our past." I gave him an encouraging nod and he let out a heavy sigh. "The night you killed Grindelwald, someone that was in that room lived." My eyes went wide with his words and I opened my mouth to ask a question but snapped it shut again. "He was standing in one of the alcoves of the hall and managed to evade most of your power. He heard and saw everything Vienna, and he's taken it upon himself to take Grindelwald's place." It felt as if my heart had stopped beating and my knees grew weak with this new knowledge. "Who was it?" The question came from past Tom, his eyes curious and concerned.

    "His name is Edgar Longbottom." I was thankful at that moment that the future Tom knew what was going to happen, because my knees gave out quickly and my head spun. He caught me effortlessly and deposited me onto an armchair while Olivia began rattling. "Edgar Longbottom? Isn't that the one whose engaged to Augusta Macmillan? The fourth year Gryffindor?" Abraxas confirmed that that was, in fact, who it was. Future Tom was staring at me, his concern growing more and more concrete. "How?" I finally managed to croak out the question and Future Tom let out another heavy sigh. "I guess Grindelwald had managed to convince Edgar to join him for dinner that night. After everything happened, he took it upon himself to realize that you were the answer to power and recognition. Vienna, everything has changed in the future from what you knew. Edgar Longbottom becomes worse than...who I was." I couldn't help but to blink back some tears and the breath caught in my throat. "I can't kill Edgar Longbottom Tom. What about Neville?" His face turned sympathetic and he gave me a sad smile. "Neville would not be the same brave boy that you knew Vienna." I let a few tears slip from my eyes before I bolted upwards suddenly and began to pace around the room. "There has to be something I can do."  I was wracking my brain for any and all options but they all led to either Tom returning to his dark path or Edgar Longbottom dying. "What exactly does Edgar want?" My eyes turned back to Future Tom who was watching my pacing thoughtfully. "He wants you. You have all the answers Vienna, including the whereabouts of the Deathly Hallows." He nods his head towards my sleeve where he knows I keep the Elder Wand. I let out an agitated scoff before replying to him. "I may know where the Hallows are but it's quite obvious the future is not the same." I wave a hand towards him and Tom, causing him to let out a tired chuckle. 

    "Wait." Olivia stops my pacing with her voice and she's giving Future Tom a curious look. "You said that this Neville boy would not be the same. What exactly does that mean?" Future Tom gives her an honest to Gods genuine smile, causing her to blush slightly and smile back. "You always were bright Olivia. I'm glad that you became such a good friend." Tears sprung to her eyes before she wiped them away quickly. "I managed to preserve Neville Longbottoms memories." My breath hitched in my throat and my brain began swirling. "Which memories Tom?" He gives me another smile whilst motioning for me to breathe. "The memories of you. Of who he really is and all that happened." My confusion grew tenfold and I was looking back and forth between Albus and Tom. "What? How?" Albus was the one who replied to my questions. "I do believe it's time to form the Order of Phoenix Vienna, just a few years earlier than originally intended. We shall need all the help we can get for the next few years, and besides...." He trails off coming to stand in front of me and grabbing my shoulders. "Time works in mysterious ways." With his words a side door of his office opens and a tall lanky figure appears, supporting the colors of Red and Gold proudly and his face a mixture of apprehension and joy. "Hello Vienna." The room seemed to freeze and my vision starting swirling black as I stared at the boy I thought I would never see again. "Neville?" His name came out of my mouth like a whisper, before everything went black.