Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Sailor Moon.
Mere Memory 12
The Truth Hurts
Mina gulped. "I can explain, Harry. I was just trying to protect you."
"Wait a minute," said Harry, eying Mina closely. "I know you. You're the new barmaid at the Three Broomsticks."
"That's right," said Mina with a nod. "Dedalus is my grandfather. I wanted to help keep an eye on you while you at Hogwarts."
"I already have plenty of protection," said Harry. "How could you help me? How do I know what you're saying isn't a lie?"
"It's true!" Mina exclaimed. "I was the one who stopped Katie Bell from taking that cursed necklace to Dumbledore. I knew that whole morning Madame Rosmerta was acting funny. She was in the bathroom the whole time and when Katie Bell left, I knew something was wrong so I followed her. I…destroyed the package."
"Wait a minute," said Harry, "that was Sailor V…"
"Because I'm Sailor V!" Mina pointed at herself. "My grandfather asked me to see him this summer because this was a difficult time. He was afraid he was going to die soon with the return of You-Know-Who. He told me everything. I offered to help the order by keeping Muggle England safe and then I begged him to send me Hogsmeade so I could help."
"Your grandfather knows you're Sailor V?"
"Yes, he does," Mina answered, "and that's why he let me take that job. When Madame Rosmerta left, I couldn't stay and manage the place so I asked my grandfather to turn me into a cat."
"And he gave you to me," Harry said softly.
"That's right."
"Why didn't you just tell me?" Harry asked.
"I don't know," said Mina, "I'm not supposed to tell everyone my secret identity. I'm so sorry, Harry. I wanted to tell you, really. Please don't be angry with me."
It was all too much to take in. He had just found out his pet cat was actually Dedalus' granddaughter. He somehow understood how Ron felt. At least Mina was really trying to protect him instead of kill him.
"I'm not," said Harry.
"I need to go," said Mina, turning to a cat again and bounding away.
"Wait a second," Harry grabbed her and picked her up. "Where are you going?"
"My friends have arrived in England I need to talk to them," said Mina, still as a cat, which surprised Harry even more. He dropped her.
"You can talk as a cat?"
"Yes," said Mina, "so can Artemis."
"Artemis…isn't' that the cat Dedalus gave Dumbledore?"
"Yeah, but I don't think Dumbledore has learned that Artemis can talk just yet," said Mina. "Listen, Harry, I have to get to the London Eye and meet my friends."
"Then I'm coming with you."
"No, you don't have too," said Mina, "I can manage. It's Sailor Scout stuff. I don't think my friends would like it if I brought you."
"How do you expect to get there?" Harry asked. "Do you have enough money for a train ticket? Or for the Knight Bus?"
"I think so," said Mina.
"I'll take you to the London Eye," said Harry.
"You really don't have to do that," said Mina, "You should stay here. You know they won't let you go anywhere."
Mina changed back into a human and checked her pockets. She just had a five pound note and a couple of sickles. "Oh no...I think I gave the last of my money to Granddad! Dang it!"
"That's not enough to get you to London," said Harry, "and you need a wand to flag the Knight Bus."
"But everyone will freak out when they find you gone."
"I'll just tell them we went to the village," said Harry impatiently. "Quick, change back to Vee. You don't want everyone in the burrow you're an animagus, do you?"
--
An owl tapped the window of Narcissa's bedroom. She opened the window; the owl flew inside and held out its leg. Convinced that the letter was from Dumbledore, Narcissa sourly removed the letter from the owl's leg. Dumbldore wrote them a couple times to ensure they weren't endangering themselves by leaving Grimmauld Place. Narcissa just wanted to go back to Malfoy Manor with her husband and son. But her husband was possibly gone. Narcissa gasped when she opened the letter and recognized her husband's writing
"Lucius…you're alive!" she shouted. She dashed out calling for Draco.
"Mother, what's wrong?" Draco came running out of the room with the Black's tapestry. Draco liked to look at it all the time. It gave im hope that his father was still alive. "What is it?"
"I got a letter from your father," Narcissa announced, holding out the letter. "He's all right."
"He is?" Draco murmured. "Th-That's great! When is he coming home?"
Draco took the letter and started reading it over.
"He didn't say when," Narcissa said sadly. "It's not safe for him to return. The Dark Lord may be trying to kill him."
"I've got to go look for him!" Draco started for his room and his mother grabbed his arm.
"No, Draco, you can't!" Narcissa exclaimed. "Lucius told us not to look for him."
"It's because of me he's hiding!" Draco argued.
"You have nothing to do with this," Narcissa said, "The Dark Lord gave your father a mission and he failed it. He's afraid to return because the Dark Lord will kill him. He has to wait until it's safe for him to return."
"It won't be safe until the Dark Lord is dead!" Draco shouted. "Who knows when that will happen?"
"We have to be patient, son," Narcissa said softly. "Your father will return to us."
"I'm losing my mind staying in here," Draco groaned, reaching his hand to his pale forehead. "I feel so helpless. I can't even go back to school."
"Dumbledore is doing all he can," Narcissa said, "when this is over we can go back home."
--
Mina did not like the bus ride very much. She wished she hadn't gone in cat form. She slid to the back of the bus at least ten times. Harry had to dive each time to catch her. Mina was so relieved when they finally reached the London Eye and she could stand on solid ground. She transformed back into a human and stepped dizzily around. Harry put her arm around her and they walked inside a café so she could sit down.
"I think the Knight Bus should get a new driver," said Mina.
"Yeah," Harry chuckled, "wait here, I'll get you something."
"Thanks," Mina said, rubbing her head. A moment later, Harry returned with a drink for Mina. Mina took a quick slurp.
"Are your friends here yet?" Harry asked.
Mina glanced outside the window. She couldn't' see Serena or the others. "NO, I think I'm the first one here. I guess magic transportation really is faster!"
"It's Mina, right?"
"Yeah, you remembered!" Mina said happily.
"Why do you think your friends are here?" Harry inquired.
"I'm not sure," Mina said, "but I hope there's no trouble back home."
"If there is," said Harry, "will you have to leave?"
Mina looked up from her soda. Harry's expression was a little unreadable. Mina nodded.
"Yes, I would," she replied, "Sorry."
"I understand," said Harry, "I'm just glad I got to meet you."
Mina smiled. "Oh, me too Harry. I promise that if I leave, I'll keep in touch, okay?"
"Sounds good," said Harry.
Mina glanced out of the window. "Looks like my friends are here. This may take a while. You can go back to the burrow."
"It's all right," said Harry, "I'll stay here and wait for you."
"Okay," said Mina, rising from her seat. "Thanks, Harry."
Mina stepped out of the café and quickly changed to a cat. She wanted to play a joke on her friends before meeting them.
"Well, this is the London Eye," said Raye, "Mina should be here somewhere."
"You think we're early?" Lita inquired.
"I don't know," Serena said, "she said she was coming from Devon."
"Devon's on the peninsula," Darien said, "it's a good train ride from here."
"Hi guys," said Mina.
"Mina, you're here!" Serena said, turning around. However, she didn't see a girl with long blond hair. There was nobody there. "Mina?"
"Where is she?" said Serena. "I know I heard her."
"Yeah, I did too," Raye said, "Mina, where are you?"
Mina chuckled. "Down here."
Everybody looked down to see a yellow cat with a golden crescent moon. "Sorry to keep you waiting."
"Mina?" Lita asked.
"Why are you…?" Raye mumbled, pointing.
"A cat?" Serena exclaimed.
Mina laughed and transformed to the form her friends were familiar with. "Long story. I was doing a little something for my grandfather. So what brings you to England? Don't tell me we have new enemies."
"Not in Japan," said Serena, "but here."
"Huh?" Mina mumbled, "Here?"
"Yeah, sorry to cut your vacation short," Amara said, "but we've got work to do."
"What is it?" Mina asked.
"Well, shortly after you left Japan this summer," Serena began, "we met the victim of a terrible wizard from here. This wizard put the poor boy in a book but I was able to set him free."
"Hmm," Mina whispered, "sounds like something I heard about."
"The boy was in the book for fifty years," Serena said, "and he asked us to help him stop the evil wizards."
"What's this guy's name?" Mina inquired.
"Tom Riddle," Serena answered.
Mina gasped and backed up. "T-Tom Riddle?"
"Yes, you've heard of him?" Lita asked.
"I have," Mina murmured, "and this terrible wizard…I suppose his name is Voldemort?"
"That's right," said Raye, "you know him too? How?"
"Because…Lord Voldemort and Tom Riddle are one in the same!" Mina cried. "I know all about him. My grandfather is a wizard and he's part of an order against Lord Voldemort. That's why I'm still here. I'm helping my grandfather stop Voldemort. I can't believe you fell for Tom Riddle's lies!"
"What do you mean, lies?" Serena exclaimed. "He saved my life once, and he's so nice!"
"Ginny Weasley thought he was nice too until he made her attack people against her will!" Mina snapped.
"What are you talking about?" Lita asked. "We met Tom. He seems like a great guy."
"You don't get it," Mina cried, "Tom is a liar and a murderer. He's Voldemort!"
"But that can't be," said Serena, "he said it was Voldemort that put him in that book."
"Exactly!" said Mina. "Fifty years ago, Tom Riddle set a giant snake loose in the magic school of Hogwarts. It got too risky for him to continue his sick game when someone got killed so he preserved his memory into his diary. The person who wrote in it would be able to converse with Tom Riddle and he would possess them. Ginny Weasley was that poor unfortunate person. Tom made her think that he was her friend but he was just using her as a pawn."
"A diary?" Serena questioned. "NO, that's not right. What I found didn't look like a diary. It was something called a 'Recluse Journal.' The witch tried to take it from me."
"Well, there can't be two Tom Riddles that were stuck in books, can there?" Amara asked.
"I knew something was strange about Tom," Raye said, "the way he said the dark wizards just kept him there for fifty years."
"Where's Tom now?" Mina asked. "Is he with you?"
"He's still at Little Hangleton," said Michelle.
"Little Hangleton, he took you there?"
"Yeah, we're staying in some manor," Lita said.
"Where a family was found dead?"
"Yeah…"
"This guy is sick. He brought you to the very house where he killed his father and his grandparents!"
"That's enough," Serena asked. "I can't listen to this anymore. You're mistaken the Tom I know with someone else. The Tom I know isn't like that, you haven't met him."
"You're right, I haven't," said Mina, "but I know someone who has! Come with me!"
Mina took Serena's hand and pulled her to the café. She was so glad Harry had come with her. He could prove to the scouts that Tom really was bad news.
"Harry!" Mina called, holding tightly onto Serena's arm. "I've got to talk to you."
Harry stood up from his table. "Mina, what's wrong?"
"I want you to tell my friend Serena about Tom Riddle," Mina said, "everything you know."
"Tom Riddle?" Harry demanded, looking from Mina to Serena. "How do you know about Tom Riddle?"
"Well, I met him," Serena said, "he was stuck in a book and I let him out. Please tell me Mina's mistaken. Tom really isn't Voldemort, is he? It doesn't make sense."
Harry sighed. "It's true. Tom was already calling himself Voldemort while he was at Hogwarts."
Serena gasped and covered her mouth.
"As Riddle's memory remained his diary," Harry explained, "the rest of him lived on to become Voldemort. He went through many dangerous transformations until he no longer looked like himself. Voldemort killed my parents when I was a baby and gave me this," Harry pointed at his scar, "when he tried to kill me."
The rest of Serena's friends came in behind Serena. They were just as shocked to hear about Tom.
"You mean, Tom tried to kill you?" Lita asked.
"Yeah, more than once," Harry answered, "I met the Tom Riddle you know, before he became Voldemort. Tom used my best friend's sister to attack other students from school."
Serena began crying and Darien put his hands on her shoulders. "Serena, you were trusting of Tom. You've always trusted in people but he could've hurt you."
"Stop!" Serena cried. "Even if what you say is true, Tom hasn't become Lord Voldemort yet."
"Riddle tried killing me when I came to fight him," said Harry, "he was already bad enough before he did all those things when he became Voldemort. He makes everybody thinks he can be trusted but he really can't."
"He was my friend," Serena said, "I trusted him. He said…he said he loved me!"
Serena turned around. "I've got to hear it from him!"
"Serena!" Darien called after her.
"Let her go," said Lita, "Tom might deny it if we're all there."
"Can you tell us more about Riddle?" Amara asked Harry.
"Sure," Harry nodded. Finally, the memories of Tom Riddle that Dumbledore showed Harry seemed to have a purpose.
--
Ami was leaving the house when Serena came. Serena did her best to cover up her pain. She didn't want Ami to know the truth until she heard it straight from Tom.
"I'm going to get Tom more medicine," said Ami.
"Is he any better?" Serena asked.
Ami shook her head. "He developed a fever of a hundred and one soon after you guys left, but he's done vomiting."
"Oh no," Serena moaned.
"Where is everyone?" Ami asked. "Are they with you?"
"No, they're with Mina still, "Serena answered, "I uh, wanted to visit Tom. Go ahead and get him his medicine. I'll watch over him. Where is he? Still in bed?"
"No, he's sitting in the drawing room by the fireplace," Ami answered, "He said he couldn't rest."
"Poor guy," Serena said and she turned to the drawing room as Ami stepped out of the house. Serena opened the door to the drawing room and stepped in. Tom was sitting in the armchair by the fire with a blanket over him. He was trying to read to get his mind off his sickness. He was sipping on a soft drink to settle his stomach. He placed his drink on the table and smiled at Serena.
"Hi Tom, how are you feeling?" Serena asked. Because Tom was ill, she couldn't confront him just now. How was she supposed to get the truth out him? She wanted to slap him and yell at him, but looking at how pitiful he was, she just couldn't. She could get the truth from him if she was truthful herself.
"Tom, I need to talk to you," she said softly, "and I want you to be honest with me."
"What is it?" he asked.
"I want to know who you really are," she said, "is it true that you killed your father and that you put yourself in the book we found? Is it true that…you used a young girl to attack people?"
Tom gasped and looked away. When he looked back at Serena's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to lie to her anymore. "Yes…it's true, but I can explain."
"Just as long as it's the truth," Serena said, "I want to be able to understand. I heard bits and pieces from Mina, but I want the whole story from you. Please Tom, no more lies!"
Tears started to shine in Serena's big blue eyes. Tom didn't want to see her upset. It was time to tell her about him, every sordid detail.
"You deserve the whole story, Serena," said Tom with a heavy sigh. "I just hope you won't think less of me when I tell you.
"This house," Tom waved his arm around the room, "belonged to my grandparents and my mother lived in the village. She was a witch but my father was a muggle. A muggle is a person without any magical abilities. My mother could've loved a powerful wizard but she fell in love with a simple muggle. Shortly after they were married, my father left my mother when she was pregnant with me."
"Tom, I'm sorry," Serena said.
"And what I said about my mother dying while giving birth to me was true," said Tom. "She just lived long enough to name me. I lived in the orphanage from then on. When I discovered that I could do magic, I used my powers to do all sorts of things. They other children thought I was a freak, everyone knew I was weird. So, I was a bit of a bully. And I liked it."
Tom smirked and put his hand to his head. Somehow he wished he hadn't said that but it was the truth and it felt good to finally get everything out. "Maybe it was because I was in control for once. I couldn't control my living situation. I couldn't control that my mother died, but there were some things that I could do. I was finally learning more about myself." Tom looked at his hand and clenched it into his fist. "And then I came to Hogwarts. It was like coming home. When the school year ended, I never wanted to leave. I hated the orphanage. There was no one there that understood me. My only friends were from Hogwarts. Then I heard about the legend of the Chamber of Secrets Salazar Slytherin built in the school."
"Who was Salazar Slytherin?" Serena asked.
"He was one of the founders of Hogwarts," Tom replied, "one of the houses were named after him….the very house I was in. Those that were in Slytherin were very ambitious; just like Slytherin had been. Salazar Slytherin wanted only students from wizarding families to come to the school. He built a chamber within the school that only his heir could open and unleash the power from within to purge the muggleborns from Hogwarts."
"Let me guess," said Serena, "you're the heir?'
Tom nodded. "I am and I open-ended the chamber. Inside was a basilisk, the king of serpents. Becaause I was the heir of Slytherin, I could speak to snakes. I was the only one that could control it. A couple of students were attacked, one was killed. They were going to close the school so I framed another student. I couldn't let them close Hogwarts. It was the only place I could call home. I sealed my memory in my diary so that I could work through someone in the future. Ginny was that person. I didn't choose to work through her. I would've preferred a fellow Slytherin but I had been 'asleep' for fifty years so I worked through her anyway.
"Harry Potter came to stop me and save Ginny Weasley," he said as he started unbuttoning his shirt. "Harry Potter figured out that I was bound to the diary and he stabbed it with a basilisk fang. I was left with this." He brushed his fingers over his scar. "After that, I thought I was dead. Somehow, I was brought back to the diary. The next thing I know, I'm in Japan."
Feeling a chill, Tom buttoned his shirt.
"How did you get to Japan?" Serena asked.
"Lucius brought me," Tom explained, "my other self sent him to Jimmu, the old man with Ramua. Jimmu was supposed to fix the diary for Voldemort. Since he couldn't fix the diary he transferred me to the Recluse Journal. Jimmu told me my other self planned to absorb me and become stronger."
"Absorb you?"
"Yes."
"But what I don't understand is," Serena said, "how did we find you? Why was Lucius with that woman?'
"I was angry with Lucius," said Tom, "I told Jimmu to kill him."
"You…asked someone to kill for you again?" Serena demanded.
"It's because of him my plan failed," Tom said, wiping the sweat from his face. "He was the one who gave the diary to Ginny Weasley. I was expecting to work along his son or something. I wanted payback."
"Well, it didn't work," said Serena, "because we came in just in time to stop your game!"
"And I don't regret it," said Tom with a smile, "because I wouldn't have been able to meet you, Serena. You brought so much to my life."
"You really did do all those awful tings," said Serena as she put her hand to her mouth.
"Serena, I'm sorry," Tom murmured.
"How could you?" Serena demanded. "You said you loved me, that you cared, when reality you were just pretending to be my friend. You're worse than Ramua!"
"That's not true!" Tom shouted and he grimaced in pain. His stomach still felt queasy. "I never tried to kill you. I didn't want to see you get hurt. You have any idea how worried I was when I couldn't find you? I used all the snakes in Tokyo to search for you. I thought I was going to lose you forever!"
"Yeah, you did save me," said Serena, "but you still did terrible things. What was your real agenda, Tom? You were up to something the whole time, weren't you?"
"I wanted to be the greatest wizard in the world," said Tom, "when I got strong enough, I was going to try to get back to England and find myself. The changed when I fell in love with you. All I wanted to was to remain by your side."
"Well if this is true," said Serena, "then would you please stop hurting people?"
"I don't mean to hurt anybody," said Tom, "I just plan to purify the world of muggles. Ever since I came to Hogwarts, I just wanted to be the greatest sorcerer in the world."
"Tom, please," Serena begged, "you don't really want to kill everyone!"
"You don't understand," said Tom, "you have a family. You didn't have to grow up in a place where everyone hated you! There are people here that are just like all those alien forces you had to fight!"
"I'm sorry that you had a hard life," Serena sympathized, "that the other children did not like you, that your father abandoned you but not all non-magical people are your enemies. What about Melvin and Molly? What about Sammy? Sammy looked up to you like a brother!"
"Would your friends still like me if they knew who I really was?" Tom countered. "Sammy knew I could speak to snakes but if he knew I could a teacup into a mouse, would he still look up at me like an older brother? You were the only one I felt like I could trust. I don't find you as my enemy. You can help me, Serena. Come with me and we'll purify Earth together."
"I can't do that," Serena said in shock. "My destiny is to protect Earth. I can't go killing everybody in it.
"Serena, I just want to be near you," Tom said, "think about the wonderful future we can have!"
"My future is with Darien," Serena said firmly.
" Darien? What's so great about him?" Tom demanded. "Why can't I be the one?"
"You really want to know?" Serena asked him, " Darien's hands are warm. When I touched your hands for the first time they were cold as eyes. Darien's eyes remind me of the earth and your eyes remind me of a tomb. Darien has always told to me to believe in myself. He has always been there for me."
"Serena, I was there for you when Darien wasn't!" Tom exclaimed. "I can make you happy!"
" Darien is a hundred percent supportive of me," Serena continued. "He loves everything about me."
"I also love you," said Tom, "I have never felt this way before in my life!"
"I made my choice a thousand years ago," Serena said, her voice rising, "nothing you can do or say can change my mind! Darien is my past, my present and my future and even if something happened to him, I wouldn't want to be with you!"
Tom's heart shattered into a thousand pieces. He sank into the chair. Serena did not want to be with him.
"I…see…you want him then," Tom said, "then…there's no point in me staying. I tried being the man for you, Serena. I know I lied about who I really was but I never lied about loving you. That part was true. I'm sorry."
"Where are you going?" Serena inquired.
"Where does it matter?" Tom said with a sarcastic chuckle. "I can't stay here."
"No, Tom, don't go!" Serena cried crabbing his arm. "You're too sick to go outside!
"I can take care of myself," Tom muttered. "I'll go where I'm wanted."
"Tom, what are you saying?"
"It looks like you have your destiny," said Tom, his cold eyes shining, "Serena and I have mine."
Tom walked past Serena and out of the room. Serena called after him but he tuned her out.
"Tom, please, you're not Voldemort yet. We can help you! Please don't go. You're sick. You could die out there!"
Tom didn't' care if he died or not. If he couldn't be with Serena then nothing else mattered to him. The only thing left for him now was becoming the greatest wizard, like always wanted. He had to go and search for Voldemort. Tom opened the front door of the Riddle House and stepped outside to the freezing cold. Serena stopped and called for him at the middle of the doorway. Her emotions rose to the top and she started flashing silver. Tom had broken her heart. She had trusted him. he had loved her and now she may never see him again. She was afraid that he had turned his life back to the darkness.
"What should I do?" Serena wondered out loud. A couple of picture frames and glasses shook and began swinging around the room. Serena's powers had never been like this before. Ami walked in to notice Serena flashing silver and things flying around the room.
"Serena!" Ami exclaimed. "What's going on?"
Serena stopped flashing silver and she fell to her knees, crying. "I…believe my emotions got the best of me."
"Serena, what's wrong?" Ami asked. "Where's Tom?"
"Tom is gone," Serena answered, "and I don't know when we'll ever see him again."
--
Heartbroken and freezing, Tom wandered to Knockturn Alley. It was his first clue to finding Voldemort. There had to be some Death Eaters hanging around somewhere. It was difficult. Tom's friends had aged. Tom hadn't. Would they even recognize him? Tom could barely remember any names. It had been so long. Who were his old friends? Nott? Rosier? Doholov? Mulciber?
Tom entered Borgin and Burkes to warm up. There was a man picking up some items. Tom pretended not to stare as he looked around himself. Tom was shivering. If only he had not been up so long the day before, digging up his father's grave. The customer went to the counter to purchase some items.
"Ah, is this all for you, Mr. Mulciber?" Mr. Borgin asked.
If it was possible, Tom's body chilled more. Mulciber. That was one of the early Death Eaters. Mulciber was a few years above him.
"Yes," Mulciber replied.
"Good evening to you," said Mr. Borgin with a bow.
Mulciber left the shop. Tom dawdled for a while he looked at some shrunken heads.
"Something particular you're looking for, boy?" Borgin asked.
"Er, no sir," said Tom, "thank you."
Tom stepped out of the shop after Mulciber. "Mulciber! Wait!"
Mulciber froze then turned around. "What do you want, boy?"
Tom walked up to Mulciber, smirking. "Is that any way to talk to the Heir of Slytherin?"
"What?"
"It's me," said Tom, "Tom Riddle. The sixteen year old memory of the Dark Lord."
"I don't believe it," Mulciber whispered, "it's really you…how did you get here?"
"Just take me to the Dark Lord," Tom muttered, coughing into his fist. "As you can see…I'm not very well."
Mulciber nodded and put his arm around Tom. He stepped behind a shop and disparated to a place Tom had never been before. It was dark and stony, much like the dungeons in Hogwarts. Tom's heart longed to be back there.
"Wait here," said Mulciber as they stopped outside a door. Mulciber knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" hissed a voice.
"Master, it is I," Mulciber replied, "your humble servant, Mulciber."
"Come in."
Mulciber turned the snake ornate handle and he entered a room lit with a few torches. He closed the door behind him and approached a figure sitting on a throne.
"Master, I brought someone who wishes to speak with you," said Mulciber.
"Who?"
"It is…well…you, sire."
"Myself?"
"Your sixteen year old memory has returned."
Voldemort smirked. "Well, he had finally decided to come home, has he? Where are your manners for your future lord, Mulciber? Let him in."
"Yes," Mulciber bowed, walked to the door and opened it. "Come in, young master."
For some reason, there were knots in Tom's stomach as he followed Mulciber into the room. Was it because he was still ill or was he nervous about meeting his other half?
"Master," said Mulciber, "your past self."
"Thank you, Mulciber," said Voldemort, "now leave us."
Mulciber bowed and left the room. Voldemort stood up and approached Tom. Tom felt like he was going to be sick again. From the shadows, he saw a dark figure come closer and closer to him until he was face to face with his future self. Tom insides turned when he looked upon Voldemort's face. Tom's hair was missing from Voldemort's head. Tom had always been a pale boy but Voldemort's face was beyond white. Voldemort's eyes were red and shaped like a cat's. There were two slits in the center of Voldemort's face where his nose should be. Voldemort's fingers were unnaturally long. Tom could not believe he let himself go this far. Was this really the part of him that remained on?
"So," said Voldemort and Tom saw his pointy teeth, "you have decided to return to me. What took you so long?"
"Lucius lost me," Tom answered, "but I was able to come back on my own."
"Oh and how did you manage that?"
"I met someone with the power to free me from the book," Tom said, "It took a little time for to get here. It does not matter now, does it? I'm here. Let's get started."
To Tom's surprise, Voldemort laughed. "I see that I have always been the same."
Deep down inside, Tom highly doubted that. There were more differences than Voldemort knew. It has been fifty years. As Tom remained in a book, Voldemort got to explore the world.
"Who is this powerful someone?" Voldemort asked. "Why didn't you bring them with you?"
"It wasn't like I didn't offer them the opportunity," said Tom, "she just had her own thing to do. So, Jimmu said you wanted to absorb me?"
Tom did not want Voldemort to know about Serena and the Sailor Scouts. Tom was certain if he did, Voldemort would seek them out. Tom just hoped they would return to Japan. He did not want them to get involved with this.
"Yes," Voldemort replied, "but you are sick at the moment. We shall wait until you are better. I need you to be at top strength before I absorb you."
"Understood."
"You are dismissed."
Tom bowed and he felt really stupid bowing to himself. As Tom left the room, he wondered what he had just gotten himself into. Could he really fuse with that…creature? What would happen to Tom he does? Would Voldemort completely take him over? Would there be anything left of Tom once they fused? It didn't really matter now. Tom couldn't go back to Serena. There was really no place for Tom to go.
TO BE CONCLUDED (again)
Yeah, surprise! I know I said this was going to be the concluding chapter but Jay and I talked and she told me some things she would like happen in the end. So I decided to make another chapter instead of making this one super long…but the next chapter should be the last!
oh hey, is anyone else finding trouble when they upload documents? only half of my stories upload and I have to copy and paste the other half!