Riddle's Salvation

~Second Visitor~

(T.M.R. July 1st, 1944)

    The sounds of children laughing and playing from outside floated into my small room as I tried to reply to one of the many letters I had gotten from Olivia Matthews. The girl felt the need to write to my every single day, giving riveting details about her family and their ever- present drama. The latest series of letters were an invitation and details of her 'Coming Of Age' party on the 19th, where she had went into great lengths about decorations, cake and the musical choices her mother had picked out for the occasion. I had contemplated about not going and respectfully declining her invitation until she had told me that Vienna was going to be there. Vienna, unlike Olivia, only wrote to me weekly and always had something new and interesting to say. She spoke of her training with Alexander, honing in her druid magic and sometimes about Longbottom's green thumb. We never spoke about the oncoming war or of the future and always remembered to be cautious about possible interception of the letters. Abraxas was the least to write, I had only received two letters from the Malfoy heir since school ended and I was grateful. Trying to keep up with Olivia's letters was hard enough as is, even though I would never publicly announce that I quite liked receiving them. 
    I finish writing my acceptance letter to Olivia and stretched back into my old, creaky wooden desk chair. I gaze around my grey and dark blue room, taking in the cracks of the barren walls and the dirty window that was open to let in some warm air. My small single bed was neatly made in the left corner and the right corner contained my overflowing but organized desk. Scattered across the surface of the desk lay letters, books and some minor summer homework that I had already finished. My Hogwarts trunk sat at the bottom of my bed, closed and sealed tightly due to the prying eyes of some of the other orphans within Wool's along with my small dingy closet. There were no pictures or banners on the walls, no sign of a 'personal touch' in the room save for three small rocks sitting upon my windowsill. It was a gloomy room, perfectly fit for a gloomy Orphanage in gloomy London. I was just a little bitter. I allow an agitated sigh to leave my lips as I stood from the old chair, the floor creaked as I walked from the desk to the window and I gazed down upon the back garden of the Orphanage where the other children played. Over the past year there had been an influx of orphans at Wool's, many having lost their parents or guardians in the air raids that had been happening continuously over the year, along with refugees from the mainland. The already rationed food had been cut in half and divided between the orphans and the soldiers that passed through, leaving the children practically starving and for the unfortunate few, extremely sick. The entire third floor of Wool's was filled with diseased children and injured soldiers. A steady stream of people flowed throughout the hallways everyday and my patience was wearing thin with all the noise. Luckily for me, Mrs. Cole knew better than to bother me along with the other children and I was usually left alone. That's why when a sharp knock echoed throughout the room from my closed door, I may have jumped just a little at the sudden noise. I quickly gather my wand from the bed, pocketing it while taking three long strides to the closed door. I smooth down my 'gently used' shirt and slacks before opening the door. 
    Mrs. Cole has been the Matron of Wool's Orphanage since I was just a young boy, her sometimes gentle but fierce persona made her the perfect candidate to take over the building at a young age. That's why I was quite surprised to see her standing on the other side of the door looking quite...disheveled. Her usual tamed hair was now graying and sticking up in odd places, the once fine wrinkles of age had grown determinedly throughout her face and her usual bright blue eyes were bloodshot, either from the Gin she had taken to drinking or lack of sleep. She's looking at me with a somewhat distant confused expression but let's out a tiny smile. "Tom, I'm sorry to bother you, but you have a visitor." My eyebrows shoot up in surprise at her words as the beckons me out of my room. "A visitor?" She hums at my question, her eyes darting around the hallway quickly for any sign of disturbance. In my nearly seventeen years at Wool's, I have only had one visitor and that was Albus Dumbledore who came to tell me I was a wizard at eleven years old. A feeling of doubt and apprehension fills my body and I find myself gripping my wand tightly in my pocket as I follow Mrs. Cole down the stairs and into the 'Welcoming' room of  the orphanage. She slides open the door and I follow her into the nicest room in the whole orphanage. It takes me a moment before my eyes land on a figure standing in front of the window, their back turned towards the door as they gazed out at the dreary front garden. As soon as I recognize Vienna's figure my heart beat seems to still and the breath catches in my throat. She's wearing a flowing violet sundress the ends just above her knees, a pristine white sash is tied around her abdomen, enhancing her petite yet curvy frame and causing my eyes too widen. Stupid hormones. On her feet she wears heels as white as the sash that appear to make her legs longer than what they were, her hair hangs in primped curls that flow to the bottom of her back and I find my mouth hanging open despite the company still standing beside me. "Miss. Marcus..." Vienna twirls around at the sound of the Matron's voice, her white locks twirling with the motion and her violet eyes widening slightly in surprise before landing on me. Her faces lights up and I force myself to focus on it instead of the 'V' that dips down the front of her dress. Stupid. Hormones. She takes a few steps towards me but quickly stops herself, suddenly remembering the company we keep. 
     "Mrs. Cole thank you for fetching him." Vienna gives the Matron a bright smile while I finally manage to shut my mouth and swallow heavily. "If you don't mind, I'd like to speak with Tom alone. We have to discuss some important thing's about school." I look towards Mrs. Cole who opens her mouth to protest and back to Vienna, whose eyes flash a brilliant gold before returning to normal. My eyebrows rise in surprise once again as Mrs. Cole agrees to leave us and exits the room, closing the door along her way. "New trick?" I ask her, watching as she rolls her eyes and shrugs her shoulders. My body moves without consent quickly and I wrap Vienna up in my arms, bending down to bury my face in the junction of her neck and inhaling deeply. Weeks of agitation and annoyance at living in the Orphanage seems to all but disappear with the scent of her, and she let's out a giggle as I pick her up and spin her around before setting her down on her own feet again. When did I get so...cheesy? "Tom Riddle! Did you miss me?" She pulls away from me slightly, unwinding her arms from around my neck and re-winding them around my abdomen. I scoff at her words before bending down again to plant a feather-light kiss on her lips, reveling in the warmth that spreads throughout my body at the contact. I beam at the faint blush that spreads across her cheeks and her dilated pupils from my action. "Not one bit. I was hoping I wouldn't have to see you until school started again. What warrants such an unwanted visit?" Her face hardens in mock anger and she pushes me away from her playfully. All too quickly her violet eyes turn nervous and I feel worry etch into my calm. "What is it Vienna? Is everything alright?" I gather her into my arms again, lifting her chin up to look at me and ignoring the feeling I get when she bites her lower lip. "I have something to tell you. Something that you probably won't like." Immediately my body stiffens, panic filling my veins but before I can voice my questions she's talking again. "I think we should sit." She lightly pushes me towards the worn couch in the room and I sit hesitantly, watching as her eyes glow gold once more. "There. I silenced the room so that no one can eavesdrop." Vienna curls up beside me on the couch, wrapping one of my arms around her and crossing her legs. The action causes an inch of the porcelain skin of her thigh to appear and despite the concerning situation, the blood pumps quickly through my body at the sight and I swallow heavily. Not the time. I close my eyes for a moment and shake my head, clearing away the image before opening them again and focusing on Vienna's face. 
     "I'm just going to come out and say it, but please don't get mad." My eyes narrow at her request, but I nod my head and encourage her to continue. "When I defeated Grindelwald back in February, the mere force of my druid magic seemed to clear away the Obliviation spells I performed on your father and grandparents." My eyes widen in surprise but she raises a hand to stop me from asking any questions. "I received a letter from your father a few weeks ago. He asked me to speak with him, so Albus, Neville and I went and had tea with your family." My mouth dropped open again with her words and it took me a moment to respond. "You did what?" I had barely managed to control the anger flooding through with the question but Vienna backed away from me slightly nonetheless. "We went and had tea with your family." She repeated the phrase and I growled slightly before pinching the bridge of my nose. "I have no family Vienna." She sighs at my statement before leaning over and placing a light kiss to my jaw, the action causing me to calm slightly. "But you do. You see, we found out some interesting facts while we were there. I wasn't going to tell you but it's been eating me up and you deserve to know." I sigh heavily but motion for her to continue, shutting my eyes tightly and trying to control my breathing. "Your father was absolutely terrified when he found out your mother was a witch and left her...only to return a few days later. He went back Tom, but your mother was already gone. When he returned home and began his search for her, your Uncle appeared and told him and your grandparents that Merope had died during childbirth along with the baby." My eyes shot open in surprise and I searched her face for any sign of a lie. "Morfin told them I had died?" The disbelief was evident in my tone and the surprise only grew when Vienna nodded her head and continued. "Yes. That's why your father never came for you, why he told you he had no children. He was told that you were dead." She let's out a sigh and gives me a nudge before continuing. "He asked me to talk to you. He wants to speak with you, to tell you his story." 
     I find myself standing quickly and beginning to pace the small room. "What could he possibly want to say to me?" I let out a scoff before continuing. "I was abandoned in this damned orphanage for years. What could he possibly say to make that better?" My anger was escalating the more I thought of my father, the air seemed to crackle around me as my pacing accelerated. "He wanted you Tom. You should be angry at Morfin not your father. He just wants to talk to you." Vienna soft reasonable voice abruptly stops my pacing and I look at her in disbelief.
"He just wants to talk to me?"
"Yes, I think you should give him a chance..."
"What do you expect Vienna?"
"I don't expect anything Tom."
"I'm the bastard son!"
"You are not a bastard."
"I tried to murder them!"
"They understood why!"
"Do you want daddy dearest and I to hold hands now and frolic through a field of flowers?!"
"No Tom that's not..."
"Perhaps if I eat all my vegetables I can get a puppy for Christmas?!"
"Tom."
"Or better yet, if I help grandma with the chores I'll get a Gold star!"
"Tom Marvolo Riddle!"
    The usage of my full name stops me in my ranting as I look upon an agitated Vienna, my chest heaving in anger and my blood boiling. Vienna stands from the couch and take a few determined steps towards me, pulling my face down to hers once she reaches me and causing surprise to flash across my face before her lips meet mine. Annoyingly, the anger leaves my body and the air around me calms as I deepen the kiss. My right hand works it's way to the back of her head into her hair and my left wraps around her waist, holding her tightly against me. My chest is burning and my blood is boiling for a completely different reason now and I find myself trembling with the feelings. What is this girl doing to me? All too soon Vienna pulls away from me and I let out a sigh while resting my forehead against hers. It takes me a few moments to control my breathing once again before I realize what she had just done.
"Did you just..."
"Yes I did."
"Well that's not fair."
"It's perfectly fair considering it worked."
    Vienna pulls further away from me to look at me, a small smirk that could easily match my own on her swollen lips and both of her cheeks flushed red. "I'm not asking you to forgive and forget Tom." She takes a deep breath but continues. "You told me back in February that you wanted to be a better person. Having a conversation with your father and grandparents is a big step towards that. I just ask that you at least think about it." I let out an agitated sigh but manage to rest my forehead against hers once more. "I don't know." She gives me a too quick peck on the lips again before completely pulling away from me. "Just think about it. I don't need an answer right now. Let me know at Liv's party alright?" It comes as no surprise that Vienna already knew I had agreed to go to Olivia's party and I roll my eyes at the notion. I look at her for a few a moments, thinking about all that she had told me and all that I was currently feeling. Anger. Apprehension. Hurt. Happiness. Excitement. Confusion. The mere fact that I was feeling this many things all at once made my head nearly spin, but I decided to agree to her terms anyway. "Alright Vienna. I'll let you know."