Inception: Rise of the Heir
After the murder of Hepzibah Smith, Tom Riddle disappeared for ten long years. He sank deeper into the Dark Arts & pursued knowledge that others could only dream of, consorting with the darkest members of wizarding society. With his eyes set on North America, he has no idea that the magic he so desperately seeks will shape his life & his inevitable future for years to come. TomxOC
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing except for my o/c's and my own storyline.
The dense humidity clung to his brow as Tom paced back and forth within his room trying to quell his anger. After last night's events he had walked home slowly, trying to sort through what he had just experienced, reliving each moment until he had etched it permanently into his memory. That, saddled with the allure of having an entire horned serpents gem within his reach was all too enticing to pass up and he had spent the latter half his walk figuring out how to find a way to procure it for himself.
Upon his arrival back at the inn, he had walked up the stairs quickly, anxious to see the light spilling out from Lyra's room, signaling his opportunity to walk in and play the role of her savior. He would tell her the news she had awaited to hear since their arrival in New Orleans; that Madam Celestin would grant them both an audience the following day.
Tom knew that he needed no plan to encourage her to accompany him, she would be all too eager to attend for her own reason. It was the only task that had remained for that day, the simplest...and for reasons that were all too vexing to admit - he felt himself yearning for her company, even if only for a moment.
"Where is she?!" Tom thought to himself angrily, slamming the top of his suitcase down. He had felt the bitter sting of disappointment at the darkness that loomed inside her room last night when he had returned, no sign of life was to be seen or heard behind the old wooden door and he had stayed up the remainder of the night anticipating her arrival. He patiently waited, listened for the sound of her light footsteps on the warped, groaning wood outside...but his efforts were in vain, she did not return that night or the following morning and the afternoon had also come and passed along with most of the day. The sun had shone and set in the brilliant water-colored sky, bringing all the heat and climate of New Orleans to his doorstep, but Lyra had yet to appear.
"It will be evening shortly. If she doesn't return soon, I will have no choice but to fulfill my end of the bargain to Celestin and walk away empty handed on two accounts."
He ran a hand through his jet black hair and let out a frustrated growl. "I came too far to let this go, I need to find her."
Tom grabbed his wand from off the table and shoved it into his pocket, pulling the door open and slamming it shut behind him, vexed at the situation. He unbuttoned the collar of his shirt, clawing the fabric aside as the unforgiving humidity started to creep through his clothing.
"Tom."
He stopped instantly and raised his head at the familiar voice, Lyra standing before him looking worn and exhausted, her eyes puffy and swollen.
"Where have you been?" He hissed, feeling the blood rush to his cheeks in a blind rage. Tom tried to control the temper rising in his body and closed the distance between them quickly, his anger slowly diminishing as he searched her face, noticing the dark circles under her eyes, the distant look they held and the pallor of her complexion.
Lyra responded blankly, her thoughts seemingly detached and far off. "I-I was off attending to things...replenishing my stores."
"She's lying…" He thought to himself. "But I have more important things on my mind than her little excursions."
"You didn't come back last night."
Ignoring his reply, she looked towards her room door, opening it with a quick swish of her hand. As she pushed past him to enter, he suddenly grabbed her wrist, and turned her around to face him. A small sigh escaped her lips as he let go, Lyra retracting her arm from his grasp.
"She's acting strange…" He thought.
She paused before speaking, her face still turned away from him. "You're right. I didn't."
Lyra walked into her room, making no effort to keep her distance from him as she placed her purse down upon the table, the silence between them deafening. He watched her cross the room towards the bed and sit, rubbing her eyes with the backside of her hand. Tom closed the door gently and kept his attention on her, anxious to tell her his news.
"Be delicate with her…" He reminded himself.
"I...was concerned about you."
He watched her chest rise and fall as a faint smile tugged at her cheeks.
"As much as I appreciate the thought...I don't need your concern."
Tom furrowed his brows, the muscle in his jaw tightening at her dismissal. "Anger will do you no favors. Stay calm…"
"Is it wrong of me to be concerned about your welfare? Last time we spoke, you were...troubled." He cautiously approached the bed and sat down beside her, wary enough to keep enough distance between them for comfort. Lyra looked towards him and smiled halfheartedly.
"Forgive me if I seem out of sorts...I'm not myself. But...all I meant is that you shouldn't worry yourself about my welfare, it's hardly worth your time."
"I disagree." He said softly, his eyes searching her face. "I find you entirely worth my time, for where would I be without you?"
His gentle remark unarmed her and she sat there staring at him curiously, a small laugh escaping her parted lips..
"Probably still wandering the streets of New York." She murmured as she caught his gaze and he grinned at the rosy hue now rising in her pale cheeks. "I hope my disappearance didn't disturb your rest."
"If only you knew." He thought bitterly. "Not entirely."
She nodded her head and bit her lip, a habit of hers that he had recently found himself distracted with. By no means did he think she did it on purpose to engage him, it was most likely a nervous habit, but it was a one that frequently captivated him, pulling his eyes towards a part of her body he felt drawn to most.
"Madam Celestin sent an owl last night requesting our presence in the Bayou St. John." He said softly, watching life spring to her face once more.
"When?"
Tom watched her face change as she tried to hide her eagerness, the exhaustion and forlorn expressions she had displayed moments before, vanishing.
"Tonight."
"I see."
"I thought you'd be more enthusiastic at the news.."
"I am. I'm just trying to not get my hopes up." She frowned. "There's no guarantee she can help me, you heard it yourself. I don't want to build castles on sand..."
He watched her hands ball into fists at her side, shaking with trepidation and he leaned closer to place his hand onto hers, trying to mimic her prior displays of sympathy. Tom felt her relax at his touch and watched as her hand slowly opened, entwining her fingers amongst his. It was a strange sensation and he was unable to decide if it was something he should despise or appreciate, but he suddenly became aware of the tender moment transpiring between them and knew he needed to act quickly.
"This is the opportunity you need. Her vulnerability has given you an advantage - don't waste it."
"If she can't help you, then you'll find another way." He said softly, trying to ignore the feeling of her smooth skin underneath his fingertips, pushing the distraction into the back of his mind.
Lyra looked towards him, her gaze running over his high cheekbones, the black hair that fell into his eyes, eyes that were dark and intense, the color of earth after a long rain. They held secrets, the same way the forest soil cradled trees, holding onto them tightly, safeguarding their weaknesses from the harsh elements of the world. Their roots were protected the same way his dark chocolate eyes held onto his secrets, buried underneath, hidden from the world.
She felt a blush creep onto her cheeks and pulled her hand away abruptly. "When do we leave?"
Tom watched her carefully. "An hour or so…"
Nodding her head solemnly, she turned to look towards the window and closed her eyes, reveling in the sun's warm kisses that touched her face. "Last night I was confronted with news that was less than thrilling. Perhaps today will help me to understand more..."
He stood up from the bed quietly and walked towards the door, looking over his shoulder towards her and murmured softly. "I think it best that you pack your belongings."
Lyra snapped from her thoughts and looked at him quizzically. "Why?"
"I don't trust Madam Celestin. She's not everything she appears to be...it's better that we take precautions in the event we cannot return."
"Can't return? What makes you think we can't trust her?"
He let out a soft sigh as he opened the door to leave, refusing to meet her gaze. "It's just a feeling."
Lyra watched as he left, mulling over what he had told her and frowned. "Just a feeling? What's changed? What does he know that I don't?"
"It's not perfect...but it will suffice." Tom thought as he stared at the small green object in his hands.
He had wandered the streets of New Orleans for hours the night before without a sense of direction, contemplating and trying to figure out a way to procure her gem, when he suddenly found himself standing alongside the banks of the Mississippi once more. The moving reflection of the moon lay across the river and drew him in, while he carefully made his way down the rocky embankment to the water's edge. Sitting amongst the rocks, he watched the small swells of water crash around him, droplets of moisture splattering over his shoes. Looking down towards his wet feet, he noticed a small rock that resembled the exact shape and size of the gem and smiled, an idea starting to form in his mind.
"It's crude and ridiculous, but if everything goes according to plan it just might work."
He had spent half the night enchanting the simple stone until he had successfully disguised it, the rock now resembling an exact duplicate of the gem Madam Celestin held in her possession. Tom smiled as he admired his handiwork, placing it quickly into his pocket before grabbing his suitcase off the table, leaving the small dingy room behind him. Lyra was already waiting on the outdoor walkway, her body leaned against the railing, a skeptical look etched upon her beautiful face.
"I hardly see how any of this is necessary."
"It's just a precaution." He replied softly as he walked up to her, motioning towards her purse. Lyra let out a small laugh as she opened it waving her hand in a delicate motion as his case flew from his hands into the small bag.
"If Celestin figures out what I've done before we have a chance to safely escape, we won't be able to return here."
"I suppose it's better to be prepared." She said dubiously as she straightened her dress, flipping her dark hair over her shoulder anxiously while she held her arm out towards him. "Shall we then?"
He nodded and grabbed her arm as they disapparated from the quaint and worn looking inn, disappearing into the night.
Tom felt the solid earth lurch underneath his feet as they apparated into a dense marshland, the soil underneath them giving way easily as they observed their surroundings, the cypress trees scattered around the swamp like stars in the sky. They seemed to go on endlessly in the distance, a thick fog laying at their bases, giving the bayou an eerie, haunted feel. In the middle of the bayou, a large fire lay ahead of them in a small clearing, it's flames illuminating the night, the shadows of the figures that surrounded it dancing against the trees wildly.
"This way." Tom said quietly, sliding his arm down Lyra's back as he escorted her towards the strange gathering. Fireflies lingered in the air around them, glowing incandescently as they trudged towards the unfamiliar congregation, the sounds of music and chanting permeating the night as black hooded figures danced around the fire, Madam Celestin before them all raising her arms towards the sky as she swayed suggestively to the rhythm.
Lyra tried to ignore the wild drumbeat that rose as they arrived, glancing at the regal witch that made her way from behind the fire towards where they stood.
"Tom…" She said silkily. "I'm happy to see you once more. I enjoyed the time we spent with each other last night. It was truly wondrous to behold."
Lyra's head turned sharply towards him as she narrowed her eyes, the expression behind them unreadable, whether it was jealousy or suspicion he could not tell.
"Lyra, it is nice to see you again." She nodded her head regally, the flames illuminating her elaborate head scarf, the gold threads woven throughout catching the light.
"You as well. Thank you for calling us here tonight. It is an honor." Lyra said curtly, averting her eyes from Madam Celestin's gaze, finding it to be too implacable for her taste.
"I don't trust Madam Celestin. She is not who she appears to be…" She heard Tom's words echo through her head. She had been skeptical of his warning, but the seeds of doubt had now been planted inside her mind and she felt herself suddenly aware of the witch's every gesture, the expressions she had once found to be kind and gentle, becoming distorted. "Could it be true?"
"Please. You hold me in too high a regard. I live to help those who are in need of my gifts." The witch smiled, her white teeth gleaming in the night. The drum beat around them started to grow louder and Madam Celestin grinned. "But as much as I do enjoy exchanging pleasantries, we must get to our business-" Her dark eyes turned towards Tom, the dark liquid pools of onyx they resembled shining hungrily, "-Time is of the essence. Come now."
She escorted them around the large fire, revealing a small chair upon the other side, much unlike what Tom had witnessed last night. There were no stone altars, no cages filled with animals to be sacrificed, no ominous nature filling the air around them. It was a different atmosphere and he frowned, disappointed at the organic nature of the night. To the right of the chair, Zombi sat atop a small chest, his piercing yellow eyes focused on him.
"Hello again young parselmouth." The snake hissed as Tom tried to ignore the greeting, his eyes focused upon Lyra. She did not know about his gift and he was not ready to reveal himself in such a way yet. Madam Celestin made her way towards the chair and sat down, eyeing the both of them intently, her fingers lightly tapping on the armrest of her seat.
"You've both come to make demands of me and as fate would have it the magic you desire-" She pointed towards Tom, "-And the knowledge you seek-", She motioned towards Lyra, "-both require the strength of two."
Lyra looked towards Tom, focused steadfastly on the witch before them, his face devoid of any emotion. She turned her head towards Madam Celestin and furrowed her brows, trying to disguise the uncertainty in her voice. "What do you mean by that?"
The dark witch smiled and stood up from her chair approaching them slowly, her voice dripping with honey. The sound of it made the hairs on the back of Lyra's neck stand on edge, her heart starting to pound within her chest. Celestin murmured gently as she circled them, her hand caressing Lyra's hair as she passed. "It means that in order to achieve what you both want, you will have to work together, sacrifice a piece of yourself for the greater good."
She felt her stomach twist, her head turning sharply at the words. "And what exactly would we be sacrificing?"
Madam Celestin stood before Tom, an eerie grin tugging at her cheeks while she stared at him, addressed Lyra's question. "A piece of flesh, a drop of blood. Nothing I'm sure you haven't already parted with."
Lyra felt Tom's gaze on her and she turned to see his reaction, but the expression on his face was unreadable, the look behind it something she could not place. He opened his mouth to say something, his eyes dark and full of longing, but he was interrupted before he could speak.
"The magic he is so desperate to uncover is not easy. It takes two to complete the task...before you agree you must understand what it is that it entails." She moved towards her and slid up from behind, repositioning Lyra's body to face the man before her, murmuring in her ear. "You will be bound to him by the flesh you surrender, as he will be to you. A mark will appear that no magic or spell may remove, the vow everlasting. But you will find that with great sacrifice comes great reward and the strength in your commitment to each other will be unlike any other...a truly wondrous ability."
Listening to the strange words whispered in her ear, Lyra felt the goosebumps on her arm raise, remembering a passage from one of the books she had read amongst their travels.
"-an ancient blood spell that binds its caster to another. Although seemingly useful in nature, allowing one to locate, aid and help their bound partner in times of urgency, many have used this incantation with malicious intent in order to enforce their power over others. There is no counter-curse for the spell, its effects and power will remain until the caster itself perishes."
"Is this what Tom was so desperate to discover?" She thought to herself as she looked into his face, his eyes anxiously searching hers for approval. "If I do this...there's no going back..."
"And if I don't agree to this?" Lyra said softly, her voice flat and uncertain. Madam Celestin let out a soft sigh and looked into her face. "Then I'm afraid it will be up to Tom as to whether or not he can help you. What it is you seek I cannot accomplish by myself, it is far too complex."
"I've come too far to walk away empty handed, this opportunity might never arise again." She thought bitterly. "But could I really adulterate myself in such a way? Is it wise for me to even go down this path?"
Tom watched as Lyra remained silent, he could see the struggle in her face as she contemplated her verdict. "The decision must be her own, but if I were to give her a push in the right direction…"
He reached out to her gently and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to do this, it's too much to ask. I never thought that the process would require this-" He whispered softly, looking into her face. "-regardless of your decision, I'll still be here to help you find your answers."
She raised her head at the sound of his declaration and felt her insides twist in guilt. "He's still willing to help me...regardless of my decision. How could I possibly refuse him and live with my myself?" Lyra thought back to the last few weeks and how her relationship with him had grown. How he had kept her secret, how he hadn't abandoned her despite the risk.
"That was for his own selfish reasons…" she reminded herself. "But the past few nights have not been so…He's confided in you, listened to your own past miseries.." The voice inside her mind argued and she thought back to the night of the ball when he had come to her aid and how he had insisted upon sitting with her late at night to ensure her well being. Despite his prior mistakes, he had proven himself trustworthy and helpful.
"Madam Celestin..." Tom spoke softly. "Although I must thank you for agreeing to share your knowledge with me, I don't want to force Lyra's hand into this. However if you could still help her I-"
"I'll do it." Lyra said suddenly, reaching towards him and placing her hand reassuringly upon his arm, squeezing gently. "After everything I've been through as of recently...the only person I find myself able to rely on is Tom.."
Tom grabbed her hand and held it softly, shaking his head. "I can't ask this of you, I-"
"What kind of person would I be if I were to let you help me without accepting anything in return? It's alright...I trust you." Lyra hushed him as she turned towards Celestin. "Tell me what it is I need to do."
Tom nodded and tried to hide the wicked grin upon his face, pleased that his reverse psychology had worked perfectly.
"Very well." Madam Celestin said, smiling towards the both of them before walking back towards her chest, Zombi slithering stealthily onto the ground, hissing as he took his place at her feet. She opened it up slowly, procuring a small goblet from within and making her way towards them once more, holding it carefully in her hands.
"A few drops of blood is all that is needed from both of you." She reached into her robes and pulled out a small knife, Tom recognized it's handle and deduced it was the same blade from the previous night, wrinkling his nose at the idea of it touching his skin. Madam Celestin handed it to him, and shook her head impatiently as he slowly situated it above his palm, preparing to slice into his flesh.
"That is not the way." She wretched Lyra's hand from her side and pointed towards him, "You must take from her and she from you. That is how it is done."
Tom looked at Lyra and reached out to grab her hand, feeling the soft skin under his thumb as he grasped it gently, placing the blade down onto her skin. She nodded her head, signaling she was ready, and let out a soft gasp as he dragged it across her palm, biting her lip as crimson beads spilling out from the angry wound.
"Quickly now, into the cup!" Madam Celestin hissed as Tom wrapped her hand into a fist, covering it with his own and held them both over the cup, feeling the warmth of her blood leak through his fingers and into its depths. The scene was mesmerizing and he felt his heart beat heavily at the sight, eager to finish the rite.
"Enough. It is now your turn." Celestin said as she took the knife from his hand, giving it carefully to Lyra. Tom let go of her slowly, her blood still covering his fingertips as she reached out and took his left hand gently. They locked eyes for a moment before she repeated the action, pressing the blade down into his flesh and dragging it down, the droplets of his own blood dripping into the goblet until the witch removed it from underneath his hand, signifying that they were done.
"Now face each other once more."
Lyra turned towards him and felt her heart race wildly in her chest, her mind flooded with anxiety as to what possibly could follow, her stomach twisting as she tried to pacify her nerves. The passage in her book did not entail how the spell was cast, but she knew the foul methods that were customary when sanguimancy was involved and she tried to prepare herself.
"It can't be any worse than the things I've already done." She felt Tom's eyes upon her, his tall frame looking down at hers and peered upwards, stealing a quick look. His face was unreadable and if he showed any hesitation, any sign that he was also uneasy with the unknown task to follow, he did not show it.
"Using the hand that each of you have cut, grasp each other firmly by the forearm."
Tom watched as she slowly raised her arm and he grasped it softly, the blood from his palm spilling against her skin as she followed suit.
Madam Celestin smiled and looked towards the snake behind her, pulling a small vial out from her robes. "With help from my dear friend Zombi, you two shall be marked as one."
She opened the small flask and tipped it slightly, watching as three drops of his venom poured into the goblet, sizzling and smoking as if it were hitting a hot surface. Madam Celestin corked it back up quickly and placed it into her pocket, stirring the contents of the goblet with her knife.
The drums in the background beat slowly as she held the cup towards Tom, smiling as he took it from her "Now each of you must drink from it's depths."
Without hesitation, he brought the goblet to his lips and sipped, the taste metallic and acidic on his tongue, the small hints of snake venom burning his throat all the way down until it had reached his stomach. Trying to disguise his displeasure at the feeling, he carefully handed the cup to Lyra and stared at her hungrily as she mimicked his actions, drinking deeply before handing the glass back to Madam Celestin. If she was disgusted, she showed no sign, but he knew all too well that she had consumed the blood of others before, he had witnessed the gruesome act himself.
"Now you must each repeat this phrase, starting with you Lyra "Mwen se ou, ou se mwen."
"Mwen se ou, ou se mwen" Lyra stumbled to pronounciate the words, the unfamiliar language sticking to her tongue. Madam Celestin raising her eyebrows in delight as she turned towards her and smiled. "Very good, my ancestral tongue is not easy, but you speak it well."
A small green glow emanated from under Lyra's fingers, pressed tightly into Tom's left forearm. He grinned devilishly at her hand, clutched tightly onto his arm and felt his heart skip a beat as the old witch turned towards him and continued.
"Before you speak, you must paint an image in your mind. This will be the mark placed upon you both, but choose wisely for it cannot be changed or altered."
Tom tried to think quickly, irritated he had not thought of this before and paused as he watched the snake down at the proud witches feet, coiled and alert.
"A serpent...how befitting."
"Mwen se ou, ou se mwen." He said softly, watching as the same emerald gleam radiated from his own fingers, followed shortly by a sharp searing sensation upon his skin. He felt Lyra tightly grasp his arm once more, her face twisted in pain. After a moment the burning slowly abated and they relinquished their grasp on each other, both trembling from the agony of the ritual. Breathing heavily, Tom looked down at his arm and smiled at the small black serpent that was now branded onto both of their bodies and ran his finger over the angry raised tattoo, covered in her blood that he now bore.
"It is complete." Madam Celestin said, walking towards her chest and placing the cup aside. "The bond that now links you is not one of blood, but of respect and loyalty. Unbreakable and eternal."
Lyra stared at the dark mark on her pale skin and rubbed it gingerly, watching as Madam Celestine reached into her small chest once more, pulling out a strange two sided mirror.
"Now that the simplest desire has been fulfilled, it is time for something less palpable, more complex. There are no potions, no magic words that will enable you to see what it is you seek. I cannot promise you will find answers on the other side...but I will try my best." She motioned for Lyra to come to her and pulled another vial from her robes, the contents a pale shade of light blue.
Lyra nodded and walked towards her, uncapping the small phial that Celestin pushed into her hands, hesitating as she brought it to her mouth. "What is this?"
"It is a draught of my own invention to help you relax, with luck it will help ease you into the world past ours and you will find the answers you require."
She stared at the bottle suspiciously and her eyes flitted towards the woman, who seemed both eager and uninterested both at the same time. Her heart leaped dangerously at the thought of taking an unknown potion and felt it calm slightly at the touch of a familiar hand on her shoulder.
"This is what you wanted." Tom said softly as she turned around to look at him, her eyes glancing at the mark upon his arm that she now shared, her insides fluttering uncontrollably.
"Do I have a choice?" She thought to herself as she turned her attention towards the light blue potion once more. Holding her breath, she raised it to her lips and poured the contents into her mouth, throwing the empty vial into the roaring flames beside her.
"Good." Madam Celestin purred as she grabbed Lyra by the shoulders and eased her down onto the damp earth beneath them, snapping her fingers as a hooded figure brought a large two sided golden mirror over towards her from the shadows. "This mirror is the gateway to all the answers you seek. Take heed of your reflection before you close your eyes. Clear your thoughts as it takes you into the unknown."
The drums and chanting around them quieted, the only noise heard was the fire before them, crackling and spitting angrily as it's embers sparked into the air. Lyra felt the cool soil underneath her as she tried to clear the thoughts racing through her mind, ignoring the throbbing pain that still raked through her forearm and watched as Madame Celestin held the mirror towards her face. As she stared into it's hazy depths she looked upon her reflection which appeared to her, strangely distorted, the skin and features of her face twisted and stretched in directions she knew to be inaccurate.
She felt Celestin's hand caress her face softly, her hand suddenly sliding over her eyes, blocking out the glow from the fire. "Now, close your eyes and imagine the sun. You must focus on that light and capture it."
Lyra frowned at her mysterious words and tried to follow the instructions. "Capture it? I don't understand-"
"You know what the sun looks like when it hits the surface of water, no?"
"Yes…"
"Imagine in your mind that the sun is trapped within a pool of water. You must try to reach in and grab it. These must be your only thoughts."
"What nonsense." Lyra thought as she tried to reimagine the sun in her mind, hidden beneath the surface of a lake.
"You." She pointed towards Tom, "You must wake me once the ritual has started and Lyra is unresponsive. If I am not woken, we run the risk of being stuck in these states permanently, do you understand?"
He nodded gently and watched the dark witch glanced into her own side of the mirror, murmuring softly under her breath while she rocked back and forth, her eyes rolling into the back of her head until only the whites of them could be seen.
Lyra felt her body suddenly relax, the potion dispersing her natural inclinations towards doubt and apprehension and she felt it thrust her forward into another plane of existence. The world was black around her, there was no noise, no light, no surroundings save for what appeared to be a large dark lake before her, the sun trapped beneath its surface. Reaching her hands cautiously into it's murky depths, she cupped the small ball of light and brought it towards her, watching it's light shine brightly until she became blinded, it's warm rays licking her face. Unsure of what was happening, she focused on the small breaths that escaped her lips, her chest moving slowly with the motion until she suddenly felt the earth beneath her melt away.
I'm so happy I was able to get this chapter out this week, between how crazy work has been and how exhausted I was I wasn't sure it was going to be entirely possible. But here it is and I'm so happy! So much happening in this chapter and we finally get to see how the dark mark is created. I'm going to call Madam Celestin's version a "rough draft" because I hardly think that Tom would do this for all of his followers and I think that he would figure out eventually how to put his own twist on it. As for Lyra, we'll see more about her experience in the following chapter, will she find anything useful at all or will this be an entirely wasted venture for her? We also see why Madam Celestin was assuring Tom that Lyra would help him, she kinda gave her no choice. Remember, her concern isn't with helping others either, she seems to do everything primarily for self-gain, she wants to placate Tom to ensure that he'll help her. To me it makes sense that she would lie to Lyra and bend the truth to ensure she gets what she wants. If Tom didn't possess the ability to talk to snakes would she have helped them at all? Probably not. As for Madam Celestin, jokes on her because Tom is quite focused on that gem. Will he be successful? Will he fail and get both Lyra and himself into loads of hot water? Stay tuned to find out! :3 Please review, follow and fav if you're enjoying it!
Response to KiraCalico's review:
In response to how I come up with these rituals, I watch a lot of horror movies. That and I tried to do a bit of research into the topics, because the creation of an "Inferi" is actually a rumoured Vodou ritual. There have been quite a few pieces floating around the internet on how it's supposedly done. I do try to place a lot of horror and gore elements into this story because I think there's a reason the Dark Arts are not taught at schools, some of the rituals would be repulsive, abhorrent and disgusting. But also pertaining to Voldemort and Tom Riddle, being the psychopath that he is, he would not be dismayed by the methods at all. He would relish them.
Celestin is old. How old? I probably won't address that, because it just adds to the mystery. With the aid of polyjuice and whatever dark magic she dabbles in, it's definitely plausible to assume she's old AF. Easter Egg: She also kind of gives it away, when she mentions how bodies used to be buried underground in New Orleans until they had to create surface tombs. The first above ground tomb in New Orleans was created in 1789.
This story is going to get way darker, as I feel it should. Tom Riddle isn't Newt Scamandar or Harry Potter. His story doesn't get to be uplifting, his story doesn't have a silver lining or have a bright spot off in the horizon. He was terrifying, he was manipulative and so incredibly tragic that I feel that the missing events in his life should reflect how he went from this amazingly handsome and charming man to this cruel, murderous snake like villain. A descent into madness if you will...JK Rowling herself had said that horcruxes are too grotesque to describe, so I think that any magic that Tom Riddle desired, would be just as awful.
Thank you so much for your review, as always it's much appreciated! :3