Stolen Time A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Thirty-nine

Tom reappeared in the middle of his living room. He glanced around, looking at nothing in particular, and his hand balled into a fist.

What on earth had just happened? Had Cassiopeia honestly just suggested that he should throw away his power to make a little girl attend Hogwarts? Why hadn't he just laughed at her? Why on earth had he even taken her words into consideration, actually thinking about it, why the hell was he taking them into consideration now?

This was foolish, all of it. He was exactly where he had always wanted to be. He had everything he had always craved for. He surely wasn't about to change anything when things were exactly the way he had wanted them to be. There was absolutely no reason why he would ever willingly give up on the power he had... or was there? Tom pursed his lips.

Of all the crazy things Cassiopeia had said to him, she had at least been right with one thing, he had to give her that. She had been right that he had had things his way... had even had them his way twice. But what good had it done him?

He definitely had had quite a number of years of power the first time around, and there was no doubt that he had had even more years and more power this time.

And yet, with some reluctance he had to admit that despite having achieved everything he had wanted, it hadn't provided him with the satisfaction he had expected to feel. It hadn't made him happy. It hadn't made him proud. It hadn't made him whole. And, most of all, it hadn't made him feel anything at all.

Instead, it had been something completely different that had achieved this, something he had never taken into account... The image of a little girl with dark hair and pale features flashed through his mind. Tom clenched his teeth. As if the inexplicably comfortable way he had always felt around Cassiopeia hadn't been strange enough. Now the way he felt about Grace was even more inexplicable.

Tom slowly strolled over to his armchair and sat down. Absentmindedly he lit the fire with his wand. He couldn't quite believe that he was actually thinking about how to tell his Death Eaters that he intended to make a change in their course of action. He shook his head and furrowed his brow. They would surely think he had lost his mind. And yet, deep inside he already knew that he was ready to follow through with whatever it took to be with Cassiopeia and Grace for good.

After all, Cassiopeia was right. There were other ways to use his power. The domination he had always craved so badly hadn't given him anything in the end. He didn't need it. His magic was powerful, he was immortal, and honestly he didn't give a damn about what happened to any Mudblood witches and wizards. He didn't have to consort with them if he didn't want to. And, of course, he didn't want to. But that didn't imply that he needed to kill them. He didn't need to rid the world of nameless Muggles and Mudbloods.

He had already paid back the ones who had done him wrong a long time ago. He had got his revenge.

He leaned forward and propped his elbows up on his knees, resting his chin on his hands and watching the flames of the fire. He would need all his skills in manipulation and acting if he wanted to get out of this regime of terror he had built up without contradicting himself or appearing weak.

****

Tom looked back at his Death Eaters' faces. Incredulity was painted across the features of every single one of them although they tried hard to mask it.

"I think I misunderstood you, my lord," Avery said at last, his voice flat.

Tom glanced at him and a smirk crossed his face. "No, Avery, you didn't. We won't act against the blood traitors that have been supporting these Mudbloods. It's not worth it."

"But, my lord, that's what we've been doing for years. If we stop it now, where's the sense?" Lestrange raised an eyebrow.

Tom pursed his lips. "You're very right. We've been doing it for years and still the blood treason hasn't stopped. Despite all our efforts we haven't succeeded in convincing the blood traitors of any pure-blood supremacy. Instead we have only spilled too much pure wizarding blood in the attempt to teach others a lesson they still refuse to learn. It's fruitless. I've been thinking about a different approach a lot lately and I have come up with a plan."

Instantly a look of surprise and interest appeared on the faces of his followers and Tom suppressed a smirk. They really had always been remarkably easy to manipulate.

*****

When Tom returned to Cassiopeia's cottage that evening, he felt more content than he had felt in a long time. When he entered the living room, Cassiopeia was lying on the couch, reading. She turned to look at him.

Tom slowly strode over to her. "I had a meeting today." His voice was light.

Cassiopeia raised her eyebrows the slightest bit, a questioning look in her eyes. When Tom didn't elaborate any further, she sat up and cocked her head. "Really, did you?"

Tom chuckled. "I suppose it's an understatement to say the others were in for quite a surprise. But in the end they took it rather well. Seems I haven't lost my skills."

Cassiopeia stared back at him, trying to determine if he had really meant to say what she thought he had. His face was almost as blank as usual, but his eyes told her all she needed to know.

And for once she was lost for words. After all, it was hard to believe. After all those years, after all her attempts to persuade him, had he really taken a step away from the pointless violence that he and his Death Eaters had spread throughout the last decades?

Slowly, a smile spread across her features. Maybe now things would finally become easier. Maybe now they would get the chance to lead a normal life at last.

Author's note: So here's another chapter. I know it's rather short, but we're only one chapter away from the ending now. So... be prepared ;-) As always, thanks for reading, voting and sharing your thoughts!!