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.

Lyra closed her eyes slowly, hoping that the voice would go away, that it had only been a figment of her imagination and felt her anger stir once more as it called out to her again.

"It is you. I can't even believe my eyes!"

Tom noticed Lyra's jaw clench tightly as she closed her eyes, her delicate hands balling into fists on the table. He followed the sound of the deep voice until his eyes settled on a young man leaning against the wrought iron fence directly next to them. Long tousled dark blond hair lay against his sun-kissed face, his jawline masculine and strong with thin lips and a prominent nose. He was tall and well groomed, his temperament irritatingly both cheerful and arrogant as Tom watched him stare at Lyra jovially through his bright cerulean eyes. Based on his rude intrusion alone, Tom had already decided he didn't like him.

"Damn it." Lyra thought angrily as she tried to hide the emotions pulling at her face, opening her eyes slowly. "You knew it would only be a matter of time before someone recognized you. But of all people...why did it have to be him?"

She grimaced as she turned towards the voice and replied coolly, trying to hide her displeasure. "Hello Cassian."

"Hello Cassian?" The man replied as he let out a deep laugh, leaning further down onto the gate towards her, his eyes twinkling in amusement. "Is that all I get? I haven't seen you in two years, I was hoping for a little more enthusiasm than that."

"Two years is not nearly long enough." She thought as she raised her eyebrow skeptically.

"What are you doing here?" Lyra asked coldly as her hand found her coffee, bringing it up slowly to her lips as she tried to avoid staring at the man before her.

He laughed as he looked up towards the sun, shielding his eyes. "Two years and nothing's changed, you're still as precarious as the last day I saw you."

"I see you've improved your vocabulary." She said callously as she ran her fingers over the rim of the cup.

Cassian sighed as he ran his hands through his hair and waved his hand down the street. "I'm here on official MACUSA business, seems like one of the locals put a nasty curse on one of the no-maj shops in town. Every time someone goes into his shop they break out in terribly painful boils."

"Sounds like MACUSA has you running fools errands." Lyra said dryly as she placed her glass down. "Have they finally run out of important cases or is it that everyone in the department is under qualified for their positions? I would think that something like that would normally fall under the Department of No-Maj Relation's jurisdiction."

Cassian frowned as he stood up and fixed his suit. "Normally it would, but that department has been overworked lately. Robinson retired and they're having a hard time filling his position."

He stared at Lyra intently as he tucked a strand of blond hair behind his ear. "I could ask you the same question though...what's finally brought you out of hiding?"

Tom watched as Lyra fingers tapped the table impatiently and gave the man a cold look. The idle chat between the two was bothersome and had started to become a nuisance. He watched the displeasure rise once more in her face as she turned to address the man, her eyes narrowing. "Hiding? Why would I be hiding?"

Smiling as he motioned towards her, he shrugged and laughed. "Two years and not a soul has seen you, it's like you disappeared off the face of the earth. One could only assume-"

"Blind assumptions are foolish, useless fodder for those who lack common sense." Lyra said viciously, interrupting him.

He smirked at her knowingly as he chuckled once more. "I've missed your wit."

She broke eye contact with him as she quickly changed the topic. "Shouldn't you be off to work? I'm sure MACUSA would want that situation dealt with as soon as possible. It'll take quite some time to round them all up and cure them before erasing their memories."

Cassian paused as he carefully digested her words. "I suppose you're right." He glanced at Tom loftily and nodded in Lyra's direction. "Watch out for this one she's a spitfire...but personality wise she's about as warm as a winter's day."

Tom considered the man smiling arrogantly before him and chose his words carefully, forcing a strained smile onto his face. "I'm afraid I have to disagree with you, I find her to be extremely charming. In my experience...people who are particularly remarkable may appear off-putting to others. "

He watched a frown creep onto the young man's face and looked back towards his tea, pleased with himself. "If I were in her place I would never allow someone to speak about me in such a manner..."

Cassian narrowed his eyes in displeasure at Tom's reply and turned back lightheartedly towards Lyra, his disposition changing quickly as his eyes raked over her, a honeyed grin tugging at his lips. "Well seeing as we're both in New Orleans, maybe we'll run into each other again soon and have a chance to continue this" He waved his hand between them "...but as you so elegantly pointed out, work is waiting and I have to take my leave. I hope to see you again." He nodded towards them both and smiled, his eyes lingering on Lyra momentarily before he turned away to walk down the street.

Lyra muttered angrily under her breath. "I would rather die…"

She watched until he was far enough down the street and sighed as she rubbed her temples, her mind racing.

"An old acquaintance?" Tom asked softly as he took a sip of his tea and placed it gently down on the table before him.

Lyra stood up from the table sharply as she grabbed her purse. "We should leave. It won't do us any good frittering the day away here." She pushed her chair in irately as she walked away from the table.

He raised an eyebrow at her sardonically as he grabbed his suitcase and sat up from the chair, following her into the street. They walked for about a minute until she addressed his question calmly.

"I knew it was only a matter of time until I ran into someone who recognized me" She frowned as she looked ahead of them, her voice distant and cold. "His name is Cassian Barrett. An inconsequential dolt of a man that I have the misfortune to know."

Tom smirked as he walked alongside her. "I take it you're not fond of him."

She sucked her teeth as they continued along the street passing a few shops that were bustling full of witches and wizards. "He's a complete idiot who's spent his whole life gathering success off of others accomplishments. There's not one original or intelligent idea in his whole head."

"He seemed very fond of you." Tom said wryly as he stepped around a small elderly witch who had just walked out from a shop next to them.

Lyra let out an exasperated sigh as she looked towards him. "Cassian has always been somewhat enamored with me, ever since we met. I always assumed his attentions would dissipate after time and he would look towards something else to engage him, but I was proven wrong."

He watched as she tried to hide the look of revulsion on her face. "You do not return his affection then I assume."

She choked on a laugh as she turned towards him. "Would you return someone's affection if you thought them to be completely below you?"

He smirked as he found himself feeling strangely jubilant. "Surely not."

"I've known him for too long and too well.. There was not one moment spent between us that he did not ridicule me for my interests or endeavors. He refused to educate himself the way I did, he lacked ambition and was content to remain stagnant, never mastering even the small insignificant interests of his own. How could I even respect such a man let alone envision myself standing beside him. No. I would rather be alone my whole life than suffer sharing any part of myself with him."

Tom looked at her face intently, her strange eyes disgusted and stubborn. Her words reverberated in his head and struck a chord within him. He realized her sentiments summed up exactly how he had felt his entire life and why he had never partaken in the useless flirtations and dalliances that others seemed to desire.

"It seems we seem to share the same inclination towards solidarity." He said softly.

Lyra chuckled as she shook her head in agreement. "It would seem so...I can only hope that'll be the last we see of him. I don't need him meddling in my affairs."

"Since you seem to be quite apt at cursing others, I'm sure you'd be able to relay one in his direction." His sarcastic response caused her to turn toward him and gasp, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Was that a joke?" She said as she tried to contain her amusement.

He shrugged as they sauntered down the block together, stopping at a large fountain that had been placed in the middle of four intersecting streets.

"By the way...thank you for your kind words earlier-." She said as she looked up at the elegant fountain, resting her hands on top of its stone mouth. "-even if you only said them to make Cassian feel foolish."

Tom leaned over next to her and followed her gaze towards the large marble carving that stood erect in the middle of the fountain, fashioned into the shape of a large fleur de lis.

"While that was my intent-" Tom remarked as he watched the water sprout from the tips of the statue's peaks and added gently "-I must admit that everything I said was true."

Lyra's focus shifted from the fountain to Tom as she felt a heat rise up in her cheeks and turned away quickly, grateful that his attention was fixated on something else. "I'm hardly remarkable..." She said softly as she picked at part of a loose stone with her finger.

"Don't discredit your abilities." Tom said sharply as he looked towards her. "It doesn't suit you...besides, you can hardly call your talents ordinary."

She gave him a strange look as she nodded silently. "He's acting even stranger than usual today. Just when I thought I was starting to figure him out…"

Tapping her finger on the fountain absent-mindedly, she tried to control her thoughts from wandering too far and spoke slowly. "I was thinking Tom...only one of us needs to find us accommodations for our stay and since I've already been here more times than I can count, why don't I go along and do that and you could take this time alone to explore the city-I'm sure after all this time in my company, you'll enjoy the privacy."

He nodded silently as she finished speaking and looked into the water, staring at his own reflection that stirred restlessly as the waves of the fountain moved around.

"Alright then it's settled. Meet me back here in an hour and then I'll take us somewhere that will hopefully prove beneficial to us both."

She straightened her back as she stood straight and smoothed her dress out, turning away from him. As she took a couple steps forward, she hesitated and looked back towards him, her face suddenly serious as she spoke again. "Tom-avoid Rue du Rouge if you would, there'll be nothing of interest to you there."

Tom watched as she turned away from him and walked through the crowd, disappearing from his sight. He took one last look at himself in the water and pushed himself up from the fountain, walking around the landmark to see the other streets that surrounded him.

Tom's face soured in disappointment as he walked through the unfamiliar streets, glowering at his surroundings. "When Lyra suggested I go off on my own I had assumed I would see something worthwhile…" Although the shops and buildings were decorated in a fashion he had never seen, each one boldly painted and different from the rest, his curiosity had settled into a disinterest.

"There's nothing to me that appears to be any different along these streets that I haven't come across in Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade back home. None of these shops display anything even remotely interesting."

He wandered back over towards the direction of the fountain, the hour of his precious solitude almost up and glanced towards the side street he has been told to avoid, it's aura gloomy and forlorn. He watched as a few witches and wizards entered and exited the small dismal looking pathway and found himself intrigued. He walked over to the mouth of the small street and stood under the small wooden sign that read "Rue du Rouge". The paint of the small plaque of wood was chipping and cracking, adding to it's dreary appearance.

He smiled, remembering the street that had been his home for many years. "Knockturn alley…". Many had steered clear of the crepuscular side of Diagon Alley, fearing its reputation for unsavory and dark shops, but Tom had enjoyed his time spent within its walls, devouring its secrets and forbidden trades.

"Lyra warned me about this street, but I've experienced far worse things than she could ever imagine. Nothing here could be any more dangerous than what I've already seen."

Tom smirked as he walked out from underneath the street sign and into the mist that seemed to settle against the old cobblestone streets of Rue du Rouge. "If she wants to play into silly superstitions and avoid furthering her own knowledge, that is her decision, but I will not be told what to do."

He thought about the furious look that would have splashed across her face if she knew that he had once more intentionally disregarded her warnings and grinned to himself. Frowning that his thoughts had again led back to her he sighed and raked a hand through his dark hair.

"It seems I've encountered some unforeseen complications..."

He had originally intended to befriend her only outwardly, taking advantage of her knowledge and abilities to further his own interest and then when she had outlived her use, she would disposed of as quickly as possible. But he had slowly found himself growing accustomed to her presence, realizing her intelligence and wit had become strangely captivating and that he longer wished to be rid of her company. He felt self-contempt at his own efforts to comfort her, the kind words uncomfortably sitting upon his tongue like sawdust and he had grown to despise the familiar burning in his chest as his thoughts strayed to her. His inner conflict was starting to grow increasingly harder to ignore as he struggled with emotions he refused to acknowledge, ashamed at his confusing behavior.

Tom shook his head as he pushed the unwelcome thoughts from his mind, trying to focus his attentions elsewhere. He walked along the eerily quiet street, watching as strange hooded figures lingered underneath shop awnings, he could feel their eyes on him as he continued down the cracked and uneven pavement. The stony road was a lot darker than it had first appeared, the lack of sunlight unnatural and unusual for the time of day. Tom looked up slowly towards the buildings to see if their stature was to blame for the absence of the sun and noticed that although they were tall, they were not high enough to block it's rays from shining onto the street.

"Strange…" he thought to himself as he passed an old boarded up shop, a cloaked figure hunched over inside its stairwell, hooded and breathing raggedly. He looked back quickly, sure he had heard a hiss coming from underneath the fabric, but shook his head at the thought and turned back around, his eyes now resting on what seemed to be a pub up ahead in the distance, a street light glowing dimly in front of it's doorway.

The windows were dark, the light inside hidden behind thick dark red curtains that hung from heavy rods inside the bar. A small golden plaque hung above the door with no words to mark the establishment's name, only a small symbol shaped like a sword, its handles curved downward like crude wings, the hilt empty and shaped like an hourglass, spilling tear drops of red into the hollow swords blade.

A few cloaked figures stood outside of the bars storefront, softly whispering among themselves as Tom walked past them and pushed the dark wooden door open. As he entered the small dark tavern, he noticed an array of tables neatly arranged around the space, small flickering candles on each, their lights dancing against the wall. The bar was completely empty, each table barren and unattended. He walked up to the vacated bar, adorned with pillars of red candles, each resting on a pile of dried and accumulated wax from the ones burned previously, dripping down from the bar like spilled blood. An array of dusty bottles varying in shapes and sizes lay undisturbed on the shelf behind, looking as if they had not been touched in a century. His eyes watched the dancing flames until a soft voice startled him.

A man stood behind the bar and walked into the light, his face ghostly pale against his long dark hair that fell below his chest. Tom frowned, he was sure there had been no one standing there before, but once more pushed his suspicions from his mind.

"How can I help you." The man said, his voice smooth and silky, as he stared at Tom, a small smile tugging at his hollow and grey cheeks, his teeth whiter than any Tom had ever seen before. His eyes were unnaturally gold and vibrant and did not match the sickly pallor of his complexion.

He did not normally partake in drinking alcohol, but it was not yet the time to meet Lyra by the fountain and the idea of passing the next half hour immersed in a book, alone in silence seemed appropriate.

"A glass of red please. Your choice, I'm not particular." Tom said softly as he turned his back to walk towards the nearest table, running his finger over the wood as a layer of dust clung to his finger. He wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"No wonder this place is empty…"

"Of course. You must accept my apologies for my absence earlier...I was attending to... business in the back."

Tom scowled as he sat down and laid his suitcase on the table, watching the dust rise into the air, finally disturbed. "It makes no difference to me."

He paused for a moment as he opened his suitcase, debating on which book to read, when the old and weathered book Lyra had given him caught his eye, the candlelight gleaming off the strange insignia on its clasp. He slowly pulled the book out from his case, closing the top gently and gasped lightly as the bartender stood quietly before him, placing the cup down gently on the table.

"I didn't even hear him approach…" Tom thought as he observed the man strangely, reaching over to grab the glass of wine.

"My apologies once again." The man said as he flashed his white teeth at him once more, "I did not mean to startle you."

"It's fine.." Tom said abruptly as he opened the book, eager for the man to leave him alone. He opened the metal fastening of the book as he glanced at the first page, sipping gently from the wine as he stared at the strange runes. He sucked his teeth softly as he realized the man still idled before him and lowered the book to meet his gaze.

"You look warm." The man said silkily, standing eerily still as he observed Tom, the expression in his eyes unsettling.

"I'm quite alright, thank you-" He said, the irritation rising in his voice.

"So much for silence-" Tom thought angrily as he narrowed his eyes at the man, who once more made no effort to leave his presence.

"That's not what I meant." The man replied softly, his eyes fixed on Tom. "Warmth is a good sign, for one's cheeks to be rosy and pink, that means that you are in good health."

Tom cocked his head at the strange comment, his patience waning. "As much as I should thank you for the concern of my well-being, I'd prefer to be left alone." He placed some money before him, assuming the man had lingered for payment and motioned toward the book quickly. He watched as the man flashed his white teeth again and collected the coins from the table.

"Of course. Let me know if you need anything...anything at all." The man bowed elegantly and walked silently back to the bar, his footsteps inaudible.

Tom slowly turned his attention towards the book once more and raised the wine to his lips, drinking deeply as he tried to ignore the bartender's continuing gaze upon him, the taste of the fermented grapes sweet and bitter all at once.

He wrinkled his nose again and shook his head. "As soon as I'm done with my wine, I'll be glad to leave this place and it's annoyances." He looked down at the strange writing on the page and bit his lip. It was crude and unlikely anything he had ever seen before, the letters more like symbols, and completely unreadable.

"I've never seen runes like these. If these were ever in a book I've studied or have been taught, I don't remember them. If I'm to discover what these mean I'll have to decipher the language, starting with each letter."

He took another quick sip of the wine, placing the glass down gently as he trailed one of the symbols with his finger. The page suddenly moved as his eyesight started to waver. He shook his head as he tried to refocus and grew frustrated as the page became blurry. He placed the book down and closed his eyes, rubbing them slowly with his hands.

"Perhaps the lighting in here isn't suited to reading." He thought as he opened his suitcase, shoving the book back in, locking it quickly. He stood up, his heart pounding in his ears and felt a wave of vertigo wash over him as he tried to maintain his balance, the world suddenly spinning around him.

"I need to get out into the sunlight, into fresh air..." He thought as he looked towards the door, his vision still blurry and unstable. He grabbed his wand from his pocket, his hands trembling as he slid his suitcase off the table, it felt like dead weight in his arms as gravity tried to pull him to the floor. A wave of nausea rose in his stomach as he felt his legs buckle, his heart beating slower, echoing loudly in his ears. His mind raced anxiously as he felt his body weaken and wondered what was happening to him. He closed his eyes slowly and breathed in deeply as the world spun, trying to regain control. As he opened his eyes, now heavy and cumbersome, he noticed the bartender standing before him once more, his figure blurred and unsteady as he reached down towards him, his pale hand extended as the light shone off his translucent fingernails.

"The wine!" Tom thought suddenly, angry at himself for not suspecting the bartenders intentions and pointed his wand shakily in the man's direction. Before he could mutter the spell on his tongue, he felt the world turn dark and his eyes close.

Another chapter down! Hope you all enjoyed it, please feel free to review, follow or fav! It's a huge motivator! I hope everyone stays healthy and I'll post the next chapter within the week!