Inception: Rise of the Heir

Tom Riddle disappeared for 10 years. Where did he travel and what did he do during his absence? This is my feeble attempt at a Tom Riddle backstory, right before he rejoined the world officially as Lord Voldemort.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except for my o/c's.

Tom stood up from his chair and ran his hands over the bottom of his suit jacket, smoothing out the wrinkles in the fabric. He flicked his wand towards his map that lay open upon the desk and watched as it folded itself up neatly and flew back into the suitcase, which he had slightly cracked open. He locked it again once more as he turned towards the witch who was still standing in front of the fireplace, staring absentmindedly into the flames.

Lost in her thoughts, Lyra became aware once more of the man eagerly waiting behind her for them to depart and quickly waved her hand in front of the fireplace, extinguishing the roaring fire. She walked over to the small table across the room and bent down behind her desk, grabbing a small black purse as she returned to the center of the room. She placed it gently on the floor as she pulled out her wand quickly pointing it towards the bag.

"Totum Introrsum!"

She stood back as all over the room, furniture and her belongings started to shake and tremble.

Tom watched as books neatly piled onto themselves and flew into the open bag, while papers started to refile themselves into drawers and the table he had just sat beside slowly shrunk, disappearing into the purse, alongside cabinets, candles and the furnishings. Within a matter of minutes the two of them were left standing across from each other in a dark gloomy room, dusty and decrepit, empty of all the warmth that possessed it only moments before. He looked down as he felt something move below his feet and saw a sheet of parchment stuck under his foot, wriggling and trying desperately to free itself so it could retreat into the purse, alongside everything else.

"If you would please.." Lyra raised an eyebrow and looked down towards the trapped sheet of parchment on the floor. Tom raised his foot as the sheet shot violently out from underneath him and zipped right into the bag, which shut loudly as the last belonging was now tucked safely inside.

"Well Mr. Riddle...I suppose we should get going. Time wasted here, is time well spent elsewhere." She threw her cloak over herself as she walked towards him, stopping only inches away from where he stood and held out her hand towards him, her fingers relaxed and outstretched.

"Quickly please and do not let go. We have quite some distance to travel and I don't want to be seperated or have to come looking for you. You are unfamiliar with where we are going, so I'm afraid this is our only option."

She smiled reassuringly at him as Tom glanced at her outstretched hand, hesitant. It had been a very long time since he had touched another human being, the last he could recall was around the time he had murdered Hepzibah Smith, he had been forced to kiss her leathery hand every time he had come to visit and it revolted him. Besides that, he could not recall ever remembering the touch of another's skin against his. He disliked the idea of it, the feeling uncomfortable and undesirable to him; awkward and too intimate for his liking.

Lyra watched him impatiently as he stared at her hand, looking as though she had offered him poison. She took one more step forward and relaxed her hand more, as if to coax him.

"Perhaps it's better to wait til-"

Tom's eyes shot up towards hers and pushed his feelings of discomfort aside as he slowly placed his hand into hers. As his fingertips touched her own, he was met with a sharp jolt that traveled through his arm and felt as if his whole body was on fire. Her hand was warm and her skin soft, it did not feel at all like what he had imagined. The sensation was strange and he felt an unfamiliar burn rise up in his stomach.

"Now remember...don't let go until I say." Lyra said softly as she closed her hand on his. Tom raised an eyebrow and nodded his head stiffly, still uncomfortable and prepared himself for what was to come next. Lyra closed her eyes in concentration.

Suddenly, they both disapparated from the room with a loud crack.

CRACK!

As Tom opened his eyes, he felt a large burst of wind blow through his hair and push against his body as the air was knocked from his lungs. He looked around and saw nothing but the night sky around him and the city speckled in lights below him in the distance. He looked down towards his feet and almost lost his balance as he realized the height at which they stood. Lyra had apparated them directly onto the scaffolding of an enormous bridge, hundreds of feet above the city and he saw the ocean that lay below, churning and rolling angrily as a storm rolled in. He watched as muggle cars sped underneath them in a sea of red and yellow lights, the noise they made echoing off the steel walls of the overpass. He felt her hand squeeze his hand tightly and looked at her quickly before he felt the familiar pull of disapparation in his stomach once more.

CRACK!

He felt solid ground again beneath him as they reappeared in another place, quiet and still. The bustle and noise of the city was gone, replaced with a gentle humming. He could still hear the sounds of cars racing past, though they were distant and further away then they had been before. He felt the earth give gently around his feet, and he could make out the sounds of grass and leaves crunching beneath him as he looked at the forest they had appeared in. Through the thickets and trees he could see an illuminated road in the distance, still thrumming with the occasional car or two, driving by the wood and illuminating it with their passing lights. Tom glanced at Lyra, curious as to where she was taking him.

"She didn't mention where we were headed…" He thought to himself.

Her hair was wind blown and hung around her face in waves, her cheeks rosy and glowing, adding to her already beautiful appearance. She closed her eyes as she took a deep breath, trying to take in as much fresh air as she could. As she opened her eyes she looked at their surroundings and gently said "Once more and then we rest for the night. Apparating for two trying to cover this distance is starting to weigh on me...more so than I thought it would."

Tom nodded in silence.

"I know I was eager to get as far as we could tonight, but I'm tired as well...It's been a long day and the rest would probably prove beneficial…"

He felt her once again tighten her grip as they melted away from their surroundings.

CRACK!

In a sudden finality Tom felt his feet hit the ground as Lyra let go of his hand. The air was still and everything around them was clouded by darkness. As his eyes started to adjust to the black of the night around them, he could start to make out trees and a sprawling landscape before them. This final apparation had taken them further into the woods than before, where noise and light couldn't be heard or seen for miles around.

Tom pulled out his wand, trying to see more of what was around them. With a small flick the tip of his wand illuminated and cast light down on the forest floor beneath him. Lyra, only steps away, turned her head around quickly at the small glow of light his wand exuded.

"Put that out now!" She hissed quietly. "That light will draw nothing but trouble. "

He stared at her strangely, extinguishing his wand with irritated shake and watched as she held her wand out in front of her and started to chant incantations.

"Protego Maxima, Fianto Duri, Repello Inimicum"

As she kept chanting a small bubble started to form around the clearing in which they had the landed, shutting them away from the world outside.

Tom observed Lyra quietly, her chest heaved with exhaustion, her face strained as she continued her enchantments. He flicked out his wand and softly said "Protego horribilis."

A light blue stream poured steadily from his wand into the growing bubble as it completed her protective charms and flashed with a powerful light, fading into nothing. She turned around and faintly nodded at him.

"Thank you for that. It would have taken me much longer in my current state."

He nodded in acknowledgement and continued to try to look at his surroundings, wondering where they were.

She took a look around the small clearing and opened her purse. Pointing the tip of her wand inside her bag, she flicked it carefully and stood back as a small canvas square fell onto the forest floor. It slowly started to expand and grow, unfolding and strapping itself down to the ground, until a small tent appeared before them.

Tom eyed the meager tent disdainfully. The size left much to be desired and had hoped he would get some much needed privacy tonight, but by the looks of it, he would be lucky to even get some sleep.

"Rather small isn't it?" He said, trying to hide his aversion.

"I like to think of it as cozy." She smiled as she walked past him and into the tent, a warm glow appearing from the inside.

Tom frowned and hesitantly followed her through the tent door, only to be surprised with what he had found inside. The interior of the tent was enormous, equal to that of any normal sized apartment with a large common area, complete with a fireplace, couches and chairs. A small kitchen lay to the right side equipped with a breakfast nook, sink and a small oven, while on the other side of the tent sat two closed wooden doors. As to what they led to...Tom could only guess.

Lyra took her travelling cloak off and waved her wand over the fireplace, a small roaring fire appeared instantly, heating up the tent.

"Comfy isn't it?" said Lyra as she warmed her hands over the fire.

Tom looked around once more, slightly happier at the prospects of not having to be crammed into a small, one person tent.

"An extension charm...very clever." He looked once more at the two wooden doors, curious as to what lay behind them. "And these doors?"

Lyra looked over her shoulder at him and motioned with her head. "Bedrooms of course. Not very large, but they'll suffice. Take whichever you'd like, or take both. Doesn't make any difference to me, I won't be here for long tonight."

Tom raised an eyebrow and frowned. "You won't be staying tonight? Where then will you be going if I might be as presumptuous to ask? I had assumed we had stopped for the night on account of you needing rest."

The smile on Lyras face faded as she quickly grabbed her cloak once more. Her eyes held a faraway look and turned cold quickly.

"Remember the terms of our agreement Mr. Riddle. Those are questions whose answers don't concern you. Get some rest tonight, we will be leaving at daybreak tomorrow. From what I can tell, you're a smart man and you'll be sorely upset tomorrow if you aren't feeling refreshed."

She threw her cloak over herself as she turned to walk out of the tent.

"Oh and Mr. Riddle?"

Tom, irritated at her belligerent attitude, looked once more towards her.

"Do not leave this tent tonight under any circumstance. The nights here do not belong to us. There are creatures that reside in these woods that feast on flesh, no-maj and wizard alike."

"Do you presume me incapable?" Tom said, a hint of anger rising in his voice. His soft and quiet facade started to crumble, along with his patience. "Do not think for one second I shall stand to be treated as your inferior. I can assure you I have performed magic more complex than you could ever dream of." He snarled. His gentle demeanor was gone.

For an instant Lyra thought she saw a glimpse of red flash in his eyes, but tried to shake it off as her eyes, heavy with exhaustion, playing tricks on her. She sighed and continued. "I didn't mean to offend you Mr. Riddle. I don't doubt your skill or talent. But you are unfamiliar with this land and what hunts within its confines. I simply made a suggestion."

Tom, realizing he had lost his temper and revealed more of himself than he should have, closed his eyes and tried to regain his composure. He looked at her once more and tried to smile, speaking softly "I see...I fear I must apologize for my behavior. Your concern was well placed, I'm just incredibly tired you see and I'm not feeling...quite myself. I've taken my frustrations out on you...A good night sleep is probably best. You're quite right."

She nodded curtly and turned once more towards the door. "Good night then Mr. Riddle." And then she was gone.

As Tom watched her leave, his smile faded and started to turn sour. He turned and walked towards the first door on his right, turning the knob gently and pushed the door inward.

"Lumos."

He held his wand in front of him, illuminating the dark room he had just walked into, he noticed candles hanging from the wall and flicked his wand towards them, igniting them. As the light spread over the room he placed his wand back in his pocket and peered around at his quarters. The bedroom was decently sized, with clean white walls and a small bed that stood in the corner, the sheets neatly tucked in with large fluffy pillows that lay near the headboard. A small wooden nightstand was placed next to the bed, bare and empty. Across the room was a small desk undecorated again, save for a small quill pen and parchment that had been placed neatly on top. Tom closed the door behind him quietly and placed his suitcase on the table. He sat down on the bed slowly, rubbing his eyes and temples.

He was irritated he had lost his composure so quickly. The situation he found himself in wasn't ideal, he preferred to be alone and aside from his occasional dealings with others, he had never

spent much time one on one with someone for a prolonged period of time. Even at Hogwarts, though he had managed to attract a group of followers who he interacted with daily, most of his time was still spent alone.

He was gifted and powerful, admired by his peers, praised by his teachers and in turn they flocked to him like sheep, asking for favours, presenting him with their undying loyalty. They hid behind his talent to make themselves feel more influential and important, he knew this. It was their fear and cowardice that had allowed him to manipulate them, to make them believe in his vision, he promised that they would rise to power beside him as long as they followed his every word, his every movement. But this time, the situation was not the same.

"I need to keep my anger in control. I can't afford to risk my entire venture because I feel uncomfortable. I need her to trust me...otherwise I'll never get what I need…"

He decided from this moment on, his words needed to be honeyed and soft, he must never let his emotions get the better of himself like they had tonight. His vanity and temper must be kept in check.

Tom stood up and stared into the old dusty mirror hanging above his nightstand, taking a hard look at his physical appearance. His hair had gotten longer, it had started to fall slightly below his ears and his face was more hollow than it had been before. He rubbed his chin and tilted his head to take a closer look at his eyes. They were bloodshot and tired, looking worse they had been months before.

"The last horcrux took more out of me than I thought it would…" He snorted and shook his head.

"No matter."

Everything he had done was worth it. He now had four talismans that would help him cheat death and he had no intention of stopping anytime soon. He had never been vain about his looks, only his power. His physical appearance meant nothing to him, it was just another bitter unpleasant reminder of his father, the handsome filthy muggle who had abandoned his family and left them for dead. Tom hated him, even in death, finding his likeness to his father repulsive, along with his namesake that he had been forced to bear.

He ran his fingers through his dark hair and started to unbutton his shirt, preparing himself for the rest he so desperately needed. As he shrugged his shirt off, he grabbed his wand and aimed it towards the door, whispering incantations as he sealed it from the inside. He didn't think that Lyra would be as brash as to try anything in the still of the night, even if she tried he was certain he could overcome her, but he still felt the need to take precautions. He waved his wand towards the candles and extinguished them as he lay down in the bed, pulling the sheets over him.

He lay there in silence as his thoughts raced. He re-traced his day, going over small details in his head, but they always led back to the same thing.

Lyra. Something about her wasn't right.

He had only known her a few short hours and yet, something about her irked him. She was powerful, he could feel it and he had noticed small details about her that angered him. She seemed proficient at wandless magic, which was very hard to perform, he himself still had trouble performing even the simplest of magic, once he separated himself from his wand and she was skilled at occlumency, another skill he was not fond of. He was incredibly talented at legilimency, he prided himself on being able to break others minds, to see what they did not want him to and when he had tried it on her earlier, he had been met with what felt like a brick wall.

Then there was the way she had left so abruptly, to wander off into the night despite her apparent exhaustion and weakness. It was very curious. He of course was happy to be left alone to his devices and his own company, but something was off. He could feel it and he would find out what secret she was hiding. He thought back to the maps and newspaper clippings he had tried to read back in New York, before she had hidden them away from his prying eyes and was certain there was something hidden amongst those pages and maps.

He smirked to himself as he re-positioned his body in bed. "If she has something to hide, I could use it to my advantage... If I can find out what it is, I could use it as leverage...Then she would have no choice but to take me wherever I desire and quickly and I won't have to waste as much time here as I thought I would."

He had no intention of devoting himself entirely to finding out what she was hiding, but in his spare time if he found out, he would use it to his advantage. Manipulation was a sharp tool and he had perfected the art.

(Chapter 5 revised 4/9/2020)

Chapter 5, FINALLY FINISHED. So sorry it took me a couple extra days to update, it's been a real hell of a week, I broke one of my fingers, so typing has been a CHALLENGE. Also, the holidays have been super crazy and I've been trying to juggle everything at once. I finally figured out how to add horizontal lines, separating different thoughts and scenes in the story, so I went back into the first couple chapters and added them in where they SHOULD have been before the document editor decided to delete them all.

Hopefully the story is starting to pick up in a good way for everyone, I do anticipate this fic being VERY long. I'm sorry if the chapters aren't as long as some other fanfictions, but i do like to separate certain thoughts and ideas and not cram them all into one long run on chapter. To me, it makes for a more exciting read. BUT ANYWAY with that being said please review & follow, I will try to update with one or two more chapters before the year ends, fingers crossed!