Riddle's Salvation

~Merlin~

(T.M.R. July 22nd, 1944)

    The tension was thick after we managed to all move into the great sitting room of Riddle Manor, all of us confused and rather pale-faced. Albus had sat heavily within a leather armchair, heaving out a great sigh and stroking his greying beard thoughtfully. My father and grandparents had retreated to another part of the house to give us some privacy, their eyes all wide and fearful. Abraxas had started pacing in front of the fireplace, running his hand through his blonde locks and muttering to himself all while Longbottom watched, his arms crossed and face grim as he leaned against a bookcase. Olivia had her arms wrapped around a still shaking Vienna as they huddled on the couch, whispering encouraging words in her ear and squeezing her shoulders reassuringly. Despite the shaking Vienna was switching her glare between her pendant that now sat on the coffee table in the middle of the room and Merlin who was casually lounging in an armchair. I stood behind the couch that Olivia and Vienna sat on, my hands gripping the back of the couch as I assessed one of the Greatest Wizards of all time. It was Albus that first broke the silence, as he cleared his throat and leaned forward in his chair. "You are Merlin?" His blue eyes were curious as the gazed at the young man who gave him a smile and opened his arms in a grand gesture. "That I am. The one and only." A quite scoff came from Vienna and Albus rested his gaze on the girl. "You knew who he was?" She nods her head and I find myself walking around the couch to sit beside her, pulling her from Olivia and into my side. "I figured it out the moment he came to me the other night at the shack. I had my suspicions up until that point." She sighs and leans her head back against the couch, swallowing heavily before opening her eyes again and locking onto Merlin. "I still don't regret what I did. It wasn't the smartest choice, but it had to be done." Merlin gives her a disapproving gaze before sighing and leaning forward in his chair. "How are you feeling?" His voice is soft and Vienna scoffs at the change of subject before answering. "Confused." He nods and leans back into his chair again, resting his chin on one of his hands and giving the pendant on the table a heavy look. 
    "I gave this to Morgan our last year at Hogwarts as a token of my affections. She absolutely loved it and even when she...turned she still wore it. It's a charm actually, it enhances the wearer's feelings and emotions." Merlin let's out a sigh and looks to Vienna again. "I'm not sure what Morgan did to it, but she somehow made it more potent. Almost as if it's alive." He trails off and gazes into the fire, a melancholy look fills his face and Vienna's face grows somber. "What happened Merlin?" His eyes snap back to Vienna as she gestures to the pendant on the table between them. "Why did you betray her?" Merlin visibly gulps and tenses at the questions Vienna asks him before he answers. "Destiny." Vienna snorts at his answer and waves a hand dismissively. "You expect me to believe destiny made you try to kill her and your unborn son?"  Merlin sighs again as he closes his eyes and rubs his temples. "I've been alive for a very long time Vienna. A long enough time to know that there is such a thing as destiny." He stops his gestures and opens his eyes again, narrowing his gaze at Vienna before he speaks again. "You yourself should know about destiny. Look at where you are and who you sit beside. Destiny is what brought you here, along with that prophecy Morgan made all those years ago." Vienna freezes next to me as confusion grows within the room, all eyes except for Longbottom and Dumbledore's focus on Vienna. "What prophecy?" Vienna flinches and gives me a tentative look before she turns her gaze back to Merlin. "Morgan made the prophecy?" Merlin nods his head at the question and clears his throat. "She was a Seer." I find myself nudging Vienna and she looks to me again. "What prophecy?" She gives my knee a pat and flashes a small smile at me before she answers. "It was a prophecy about you and I. How I'd come back in time to save you." She looks away again, leaving questions unanswered and a bad feeling sitting in my chest. 
    "So, Morgan made the prophecy and she also did something strange to the pendant?" Merlin nods his head again and fidgets uncomfortably in his seat. "You'd think after a thousand or so years you'd be good at hiding things Merlin, what is it?" She gives Merlin a pointed look and he lets out a huff at her statement. "I don't know why she made the prophecy, whether she was looking to make one or not and it would be helpful if we also knew what she did to the pendant...." He trails off and fidgets some more before settling in his seat and giving Vienna an odd gaze, "you know where the stone is, do you not?" Vienna takes in a sudden breath of air as Albus gives an audible gasp. My mind seems to freeze in shock and my eyes grow wide as I look to my nearly frozen girlfriend. "He doesn't mean the Ressurection Stone does he?" Abraxas finally perks up from beside the fireplace and I cast him a near dumbfounded look. "Yes, that's what I mean." Merlin states matter of factly from his chair, his eyes still not leaving Vienna's as the two seem to be communicating through their minds. "Do you know where it is Vienna?" My question causes Vienna to break off her heated gaze from Merlin's and she releases a defeated sigh before nodding her head. "Bloody hell Vienna!" Abraxas throws up his hands and begins his pacing again before continuing. "You've got the Elder Wand and you know where the Ressurection Stone is, do you also know where the Invisibility Cloak is as well?"  He stops his pacing to look upon her face as she gives him a sheepish look, causing not only my mouth to drop in shock but also Abraxas'. 
    Before anyone has the chance to respond, Vienna was standing, pulling me up with her and glaring at Merlin. "I'll use the stone. We are kin, she should appear to me hopefully, but she won't appear while you're around." Merlin's face falls at her words but he nods in understanding. "I don't know if this is wise Vienna," Albus speaks up for the first time in a while and Vienna lets out a deep breath before answering. "She can't hurt me, Albus, she's dead. There are questions that need answering." Albus nods his head as Abraxas sputters and comes to stand near her. "You're going to get the Stone? Now?" Vienna chuckles at his question as she laces our fingers together, causing warmth to fill my veins once again. "I'm not going to get the stone Ab, only because the Stone is already here." She holds up our joined hands, the Gaunt ring glistening in the light and causing Abraxas to begin sputtering again. "I'm sorry Tom," she gives me a sad smile before turning me towards her, "but I'm afraid I need your ring." I give a jerky nod, my mind still in shock from the fact that my ring was the bloody Ressurection Stone. She slides it off my finger before standing on her tiptoe to give me a kiss on the cheek. "I'll bring it back to you. I promise." Vienna let's go of my hand and walks towards the door, causing Olivia to stand up suddenly. "Vienna you can't leave and you shouldn't do that alone!" Vienna stops at her voice and gives her a sad smile. "I've lost many people from my time Liv. I have a feeling I'll have to go through them to get to Morgan." Her eyes grow sad as she gives Olivia a quick hug. "It's time for me to say goodbye to them."