Chapter Twenty-Five – Rescued
"Step forward Mr. Glatis and drink from the vial in front of me." Tom waited as the man pushed his way to the front of the deatheaters and then towards his master. Taking the beaker filled with a clear and tasteless potion, Glatis swallowed it and felt the claming effect begin to set in.
"Did you kill Lucius Malfoy?"
"No." Glatis replied.
"Did you kill Bellatrix Lestrange?"
"No."
"Did you in any way help the killer kill either of my followers?"
"No."
"Do you know who the killer is?"
With a pause Glatis replied, "No."
"Why did you pause before you answered the last question?"
"I don't know my Lord."
"Very good. Go to your room and sleep off the potion."
"Yes, my Lord."
Without a glance back Glatis left the room to wander down the halls towards his bedroom. Tom was becoming frustrated. After interrogating eighteen of his men, he still had no culprit. Knowing that only twenty-one men where left, he continued to call names.
"Mrs. Nue."
"Mr. and Mrs. Fequip."
Finally the last person in the room besides Tom himself was Snape. Calling him forward he question him.
"Snape, did you participate in the murder of Lucius or Bellatrix?"
"No Sir, I didn't."
"Have you any clue who could be responsible?"
Shaking his head no Tom asked him one last question, something that he failed to ask the others. "Snape, do you think Ginny loves me?"
Silence filled the room as Severus stood in front of Tom. After a while he opened his mouth to answer, "She is learning to love you, but isn't in love with you as of yet."
"Thank you Snape, you may return to your rooms."
Letting out a sigh of relief Tom grabbed his broomstick and flew out onto the grounds. Flying circles around his castle helped him clear his mind and for the first time in weeks, think about his life. Even with death and unfaithfulness, Tom was unable to keep his wife out of his head. It was as if she had partially implanted her spirit in him. Hovering over the lake near the kitchens, Tom looked down at the glassy water that held mystical animals beneath its smooth surface.
A noise interrupted Tom's peace and had his eyes scan the surrounding area. In a distance stood a woman ankle deep in the water. He watched carefully to make sure the person was a friend and not a foe. Slowly moving forward he watched as she went further into the freezing water. Soon the mystery woman had water up to her thin waist.
A pleasant sound floated through the air. Coming closer he discovered that she was humming a song. Letting the music capture his senses he didn't notice a black shape in the water head towards the girl. Without warning a tentacle wrapped around one of her arms and thrusted her into the water. Seeing it all happen Tom jumped from his broom and ran to the waters edge. Looking frantically across the surface, Tom found no evidence she had resurfaced. Taking a deep breath Tom dived into the water and began to look for her.
Suddenly he saw it, a body floating up towards the surface just feet from him. Kicking harder he grabbed the person around the waist and kept them above water. Calling for his broom he gently placed her on it and immediately flew them both back to safety. Once on land he laid her on the ground and checked for a pulse.
She didn't have one.
Next he tried to feel her breathing. She wasn't. Letting his instincts take over Tom began to give CPR to the woman, which he still couldn't name. In the moment he hadn't looked at her face, but known that who she was didn't matter.
And then she began to breath.
Her heart began to beat in a steady rhythm.
Tom watched as the woman sat up and coughed the water out of her lungs out. Gasping for air, Tom moved back to give her more room. Soon her breathing returned to normal and the woman began to stand on shaky legs. Looking overwhelmed, cold, and confused the mystery woman turned around around to find Tom sitting on the ground in soaking wet cloths.
Tom took one look at her face and was shocked at who it was standing before him. Tom couldn't believe that he had just saved Ginny.