𝕬 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝕭𝖔𝖗𝖓 | 𝑇𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 |

Chapter 52- The Power of a Fearless Death

The world had fallen down, and Frankie could focus on no one else but Tom, even though there was a high chance she would be shortly following him if she didn't keep focus on the battle. The fight was over her. It was awfully mean for him to die first. Especially, considering his fear of death.

Dumbledore decided to face Grindelwald again. He stepped between them with a new angry ferocity. They were talking, but Frankie could not hear anything but her own internal denial and a high-pitched ring. Aberforth and Newt approached with haste and yet were also very cautious as they grabbed her arms. Everyone else had been too busy to notice. All they'd heard was a scream and that was enough. She didn't struggle, or even make a sound, after the initial heart-wrenching cry. She merely stared down at the boy lying in front of her. He was perfect even in death. They clasped her hands and they disappeared with a popping sound. One minute they were in a snowy forest surrounded by bloodshed and battle, then the next they were in the peaceful town of Hogsmeade surrounded by shoppers and a warm holiday aura. The second Tom's body was out of sight the tears started swelling up in her eyes. Frankie had come back without him. She started to struggle to go back, but they kept a tight hold. They hastily rushed her inside and upstairs to one of the rooms of the Hogshead. Aberforth went back. Newt stayed outside the door to guard her. He wasn't too concerned with a possible escape. Dumbledore had known better then to disclose their exact location to the two just nearly of age and the one just under. Even if she had the strength to go back, she didn't know where they were. Newt thought that was a cruel addition to her suffering, so he let someone squeeze their snout under the door and attempt to be of some comfort to her.

They did not come around for some time. It was nearing dawn when the rest were safely back in the Hogshead together. Dumbledore, despite his better judgment, had decided not to kill Grindelwald. He restrained him this time and decreed that Grindelwald was going to be held in Nurmengard, a prison that he himself had created for his enemies. The death he would suffer would be a long and painful one. It probably was what Dumbledore had offered him when he bested him in the duel. However, Grindelwald put up less of a fight this time, knowing he successfully had taken the life of someone so beloved, regardless of if that person was loved by Albus Dumbledore. He was carried off by Dementors with a victorious smile on his face. The men, who were not dead, had either pledged their undying allegiance to the Ministry and awaited trials in Azkaban for name calling, like cowards. Or had fled, like even bigger cowards. The ones who ran would surely be able to be tracked another day by the Aurors. However, it was over, for now. The smallest army had somehow conquered a dark wizard who'd been gathering forces for years. They had somehow managed to win without setting the larger wizarding world into war.

So, why didn't it feel like it?

The reason was obvious. Tom Riddle was dead. A brilliant boy who'd fought so hard for a bright future for himself suddenly had no future at all. The men sat at the bar in a grim drinking silence. Dumbledore was the most disheartened and barely touched the glass of brandy in front of him. He didn't need alcohol to make him feel even more guilty. Aberforth and Newt drank with the occasional mumble of how fine a man Tom was turning out to be, despite never getting the proper time to know him. Hagrid said nothing, but not with the same kind of guilty silence as Dumbledore. He didn't know how he ought to feel. Sure, he hated Tom, but not nearly this much. Despite all this Hagrid was the only one who dared to keep glancing at the stairs every other second he could. All his concern went to the girl up there. Ms. Bagshot was the only one permitted in to offer comfort and support, other than the Niffler. She'd run out of tears not long after they'd arrived and was now back to her silent state of grief.

Frankie had to go back to school without him. What other options did she have left? She couldn't sit in the pub forever and the vacation period was ending. Eventually, Frankie had to pick herself up and carry on. She went back to Hogwarts on time along with everyone else. She laughed and put on a fake smile, playing the part of the confident, strong Head Girl everyone knew her to be. However, despite how much she tried to dodge the subject, the Head Boy's sudden disappearance didn't go unnoticed. Where had Tom Riddle gone? Well, officially—he was studying abroad at Durmstrang, learning the customs of a different wizarding community as a representative of Hogwarts. Dumbledore thought it best to keep his death a secret and Frankie, despite how insane that initially sounded, had agreed to it. If it got out that Dumbledore had technically let a student die on his watch, the Ministry would be in a flurry to demonize him and spin it to sound even worse. His victory over Grindelwald would be trivialized and he would go to jail himself. They wouldn't believe that Tom knew the risk and had volunteered himself. She could blame Dumbledore, but what good would that do? It wouldn't bring him back. Frankie wanted a proper burial and to shout about the injustice of it all, but at the same time she didn't want to admit Tom was really dead.