Star Crossed

Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen- Lost Hope

"It's a nasty wound." I sighed eyeing Wiglaf's roughly bandaged wrist. "Now stay here, be quiet and wait for me to finish this healing potion." I smirked as I crushed the beatle wings into a fine powder. "Hoping that this will work..." I murmured to myself. I hadn't exactly put the theory of this particular potion into practice yet. 
Wiglaf looked up at me shaking his head gently, "After all these years... why did you look for me?" 
I was temporarily taken aback... he knew I had wanted to find Riddle did he mean why did I think he could help me? Because he was my brother... he was Riddle's brother... we were his only chance.
"Because we have a common goal I guess," I replied trying to shrug off his questioning. "And I even guess that in this world there still is someone I can call my friend..." I waited and when Wiglaf fell silent I raised my gaze to his. 
"That someone is you." 
Wiglaf's composure seemed to relax a little as he slumped forward resting his elbows upon his legs. 
"Things are getting worse," he sighed, "Now they call themselves Death Eaters..." 
I knew that he was referring to Riddle's followers... 
"Hilarious," He scoffed shrugging it off in frustration. 
"There's nothing we can do..." I replied. "Not as long as the enigma remains unsolved..."
"We searched every inch of those ruins... but there is no sign of the sword." I breathed, as I came to realise how exhausted I truly was. We had thought for sure there that was why Riddle was here... we were sure that he was closing in on the sword... and that we was closing in on it too but nothing. 
"We have to stop him Wiglaf..." I sighed. 
"If he manages to take hold of the sword well then..." Wiglaf trailed off as if he didn't want to say it out loud. 
"We have to save him!" I blurted out. "I didn't want Riddle to fall any further than he already had. 
"He opened the Chamber of Secrets," I cringed, I knew this was true now... I could see it... but I still did not truely want to believe it. 
"He killed Lazarus!" Wiglaf's words sliced me like a blade. 
"He's been betraying us always." No... no I couldn't believe that... not always he had just... just fallen down the wrong path... he needed us... 
"He is true evil." Wiglaf concluded bitterness in his voice. I wanted to tell him everything, everything about us... he wasn't true evil... he couldn't be... no one was... he was human... he was the boy that I met all of those years ago. Arrogant, cold at times, misled, selfish even but not evil.
"And I will eradicate him." Wiglaf snapped venomously. My stomach churned... no... this wasn't what I had planned... no we were meant to save him, to stop this but not to kill him. 
"I will bring justice!" Justice was not losing another of us. 
"There's still some good in Tom!" I begged, desperately wanting Wiglaf to cling to the good memories that we shared. "I know it!" 
Wiglaf merely scoffed at me, "Tom?" He asked. "Who is Tom? No Grisha. There was never a Tom. He has always been... Voldemort." 
The name was like poison in my veins, I would not let Voldemort shadow Tom Riddle. There was no talking to Wiglaf the only thing that I could do was show him... 
"We need to find that sword..." I breathed, Wiglaf nodded. 

"Stay back," Wiglaf held a hand up to me, my curiosity taking the better of me I held up my hand to block the hot sun which blinded my sight. Up ahead among the ruins of the old abbey was a dark cloaked silhouette. 
"Riddle," I breathed stepping forward only for a strong arm to hold me back. 
"No..." he whispered as he indicated for me to follow him. Realising he was right I bowed my head and tread lightly as I followed him around the crumbling outer walls. 
We stood watch for a few minutes, he seemed to be performing some kind of enchantment but I did not recognise the language in which he spoke. 
Without warning Wiglaf stepped out from our cover, I gasped trying to pull him back but I was too late. I remained hidden as all I could do was hold my breath and watch. 
"Fancy seeing you here Riddle," Wiglaf snarled. The figure stopped chanting and remained incredibly still for a moment before slowly turning around. His wand hanging loosely at his side. 
"Wiglaf," he greeted a smirk tugging at his thin lips. If he was surprised he did not show it. 
"I had thought you did not wish to speak to me. You was in such a hurry when we came across each other only a couple of days ago, I was hurt." he placed his left hand over his chest dramatically. 
"How dare you play games with me." Wiglaf hissed. 
"So much anger... you always were the same." Riddle sighed shaking his head. 
"Tell me Riddle." Wiglaf snapped. "How am I supposed to feel when I have been betrayed, when my brother has been killed in cold blood?" 
"So quick to assume." Riddle replied. "I have not betrayed you brother. I promised you nothing, least of all my loyalty. As for Lazarus well... he never was cooperative, never knew when the battle was lost. Regretful." he shook his head. 
"I am not your brother." Wiglaf hissed, his wand clutched tightly in his fist. "Regret. You do not know the meaning of the word. You regret nothing." 
"And yet I do think that you will come to regret your next decision Wiglaf..." I tensed as I saw Wiglaf's hand flinch and then a bright flash of light. Tom had side stepped it effortlessly before shaking his head. 
"As you wish it brother." My heart thudded in my chest as spells flew from both wands smashing into each other and being deflected in all directions. 
"No stop!" I shouted jumping out into the open battleground. Silence fell and both wands were frozen in mid air, both men staring at me. I fixed my gaze onto Riddle, whose face displayed the slightest flicker of shock... he looked to be contemplating something. 
"Grisha no!" Wiglaf hissed at me, desperately. Suddenly Riddle disappeared in a flourish of black smoke. Looking around feverishly I spotted him stood upon the other side of the ruin, his cloak blowing his breeze. Wiglaf flashed me a warning look before also disapparating and reappearing in front of Riddle, resuming the battle. 
It was fierce, these spells were aimed to kill. The once friends, diving, jumping and running to avoid and deflect the fatal enchantments. Both formidable opponents... but there was no denying Riddle was gaining the upper hand. 
"Tom no!" I shouted as Wiglaf was thrown back into one of the walls, finely overpowered but Riddle appeared not to hear me. The same crazed, power hungry look on his face that I had saw that day back in the Room of Requirement. He pushed his wand up under Wiglaf's chin. 
"No... no!" I yearned, it was as if time had slowed down as I ran towards them... I knew that there was nothing that I could do. My heart shattered into even more painful shards as I heard those irreversible words...
"Avada Kedavra..."
I screamed, a blood curdling scream that I did not know I could muster as I watched my brother crumple to the floor, eyes open and glassy. 
Riddle's head snapped in my direction, we stared at each other for a moment tears streaming down my face. 
I ran towards him, I did not know what I intended to do... he could have killed me too but he didn't... he disapperated. I lunged forward foolishly grabbing a hold of the end of his cloak I felt the familiar suffocating sensation.