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.
"Where are you taking us?" He asked cautiously as Lyra started to walk towards the base of the mountains before them, the desert sky above them a watercolor portrait of dark hues, black, blue and purple, the stars glittering incandescently against the backdrop.
"Somewhere where we can rest. The nights here get cold-" She paused as she opened her bag and summoned her cloak from within, throwing it around her shoulders. "-and the wind can be unforgiving."
Tom shuddered as he felt the night breeze lick against his back and slowly followed suit, sliding himself into his coat. He had never imagined the desert to drop to such a temperature, but then again this country had surprised him in so many ways. He followed her silently, his feet sliding around in the sand underneath them until they had reached a large rock near the base of the mountains, semi hollow but which seemed to provide enough shelter from the elements to pitch their tent within its mouth. Lyra quickly opened her purse and waved her wand elegantly, the tent growing in size until it had neatly settled itself at the base of the boulder.
"If you wouldn't mind-" She motioned towards him to help her as she murmured a few protective enchantments under her breath, his voice echoing her own until they had both finished.
"Is it really necessary?" He asked, turning towards her skeptically, his wand held loosely in his hand, mimicking her spells. "I don't think there's another soul around for miles."
"Have you ever had a Fire Dwelling Salamander light your tent on fire? Or had a hungry Desert Acromantula nose around looking for its next meal? Just because there's no human beings within range around doesn't mean there isn't danger."
He clenched his jaw at her snide remark and finished the rest of the protective enchantments, watching as she stalked off towards the tent.
Once inside, he observed her wave her wand, a few orbs of light leaving the tip, each nestling atop the candles spread out in every part of the space, illuminating the darkness. Flicking the wand hastily, the fireplace to their right suddenly burst into flames, the warmth of it's belly spreading throughout the common area. Lyra nodded in approval and slid the cloak from off her shoulders, draping it against a nearby chair.
She opened her purse quickly and summoned the old book and parchments filled with both of their notes and walked over towards the room to the left silently, leaving him to his own devices.
Tom frowned at her willful segregation and made his way towards the room he had stayed in previously, his annoyance floating away at the sound of silence and gratefully slipped behind the wooden door letting out a sigh of relief.. "Solitude...fat last. I'd almost forgotten what it felt like."
He placed the small case down onto the desk and threw his coat over the bed, rolling up his sleeves in exhaustion. Bending over the case he murmured in parseltongue and watched as it's top clicked open, his hand reaching in and pulling out the small crudely formed ring before slipping it back onto his finger. A familiar thrumming emanated from its skeleton and warmed his fingertips, small whispers calling out to him in pain that only he could hear. He shut his eyes and listened, the voices filled his ears, grinning wickedly as he rubbed the stone on top.
"The things I've had to do on my road to immortality…how many times have I ripped myself apart?"
Reaching back into the case, he pulled out the golden locket and looked at it fondly, cradling it between his fingers before slipping it gently over his head. "...Not nearly enough."
He rubbed his face as he sat down on the bed, his mind swimming from the events that had transpired earlier on in the day. Lyra had proved frustrating, despite his attempts at plying her she had refused his offer and had instead immersed herself completely into her own world.
"Another opportunity will arise. It always does."
He thought back to their heated debate and her words rang throughout his head.
"You should focus on yourself."
He grimaced.
"She's right. I persuaded her to let me accompany her on this fruitless journey in order to convince her to join me, but I need to quickly decide on where I must venture next." He walked over to his case and pulled out a few more books that he had brought with him and lay them down in a neat pile atop the wooden desk, picking up the first volume off the stack. Tom sat down in the chair and waved his wand over it lazily, reading the excerpt that he had left off at.
"Usually celebrated for its bright and festive celebrations and growing magical communities within its large cities, Brazil has proven itself to be a wizarding destination for witches and wizards abroad. The cultural epicenter of Rio de Janeiro boasts some of the latest advancements in potions, cures for magical maladies and has brought many fascinating new advancements to the international wizarding communities. While the cities tend to be the focus of tourists and nationals alike, there still remains an aura of mystery and rich tradition amongst its smaller communities located deep within the confines of it's wilderness and vast jungles. Legendary rumors still swirl around these small outposts, including that of the Corpo Seco and the infamous Boitata…"
"Brazil…" He thought quietly to himself as he rubbed his thumb against his lower lip, holding the page with his other hand as he closed the book momentarily.
His musings were distracted as he heard Lyra's door open and shut angrily as she cursed loudly. He placed the book down and opened his door quietly, watching her furiously pace the room.
"Whole day-"
"-waste of time"
"-infuriating."
He let out a small chuckle and stood in the doorway watching as she dug through her purse and pulled out the potion, taking a small sip. Noticing his dark figure leering at her from afar she scowled and motioned in his direction.
"I'm glad my failures provide you with much amusement."
He frowned, the smile fading from his face as he shook his head and walked towards her. "Quite the contrary actually."
She waved her hand angrily towards her room and placed the glass vial down onto a nearby table angrily. "All day. I have read and studied that language, cross-checking and analyzing it in every way I know how...and I have gotten nowhere." Lyra silently cursed as she ran her hands through her hair.
"You-" She hissed. "How did you end up translating any of it? I've made my career based on my ability to read ancient languages-"
"She's jealous." He thought, a small grin spreading across his face. Tom watched her face rise angrily in color, aware of her growing resentment. He could understand the shame, how frustrating it could be to have someone else achieve something that eluded her so painstakingly.
"With much difficulty. But remember those were only wild guesses. I never said any of it was correct...I myself could not make out a coherent sentence." His eyes softened. "Even if you could decipher the rest of language Lyra, I hardly doubt you'd find anything of value."
"Why do you say that?"
Leaning against a nearby chair. Tom shrugged and looked upwards toward the ceiling of the tent, letting out an exasperated sigh. "What do you expect to find within those pages?"
"Answers..an explanation...something-" She responded furiously.
"What makes you think anything of consequence to you lies between those pages? Translating it is of no value until you know where it came from. Now that's the important part."
Her shoulders slumped as she realized what he said was true and she plopped down uncharacteristically into a nearby chair.
"I wouldn't trouble yourself with what it says. You already said that you have someone who might be able to translate it for you, why frustrate yourself like this? Is that not the purpose of this entire venture? You'll go mad if you keep pushing yourself this hard."
She gave him a strange look and let out a miserable laugh. "You're right. Although that's not something I'd expect you to say…"
Tom frowned as he thought back to the black veil that overtook her eyes aboard the train and a realization dawned upon him. "You need to be careful with your emotions right now."
"What makes you say that?"
He sighed and took a seat opposite her. "You said that the potion's effects are waning, you have no idea why you change as you do...it may be wise to keep your emotions in check until you understand what triggers the transformation."
Lyra's eyes widened in shock for a moment before she nodded weakly. "You're right."
"It might be completely unrelated to your emotional state...but until you figure out what it is that's causing all of this, it's best to take precautions."
She bit her lip and stared at the floor silently, a small lump starting to form in her throat. A feeling she was unaccustomed to started to take hold of her heart and she felt her stomach twist uncontrollably.
"Tom…"
He looked towards her at the sound of her voice, small and unlike her usual tone.
"Yes?"
She hesitated, her mind screaming at her to stay silent. "...for the first time in my life…"
He held his breath, waiting for her to finish.
"I'm afraid."
Disappointment settled within him as he struggled to respond, the confession not what he had expected. He was unsure of what to say, his natural inclination was to show utter disgust with her weakness and he automatically felt repulsed by her admittance of it.
"You shouldn't fear the unknown."
It was all he could offer and he felt jaded by the words, for he himself feared the one thing she awaited if she could not rectify her situation. He opened his mouth once more to extend his offer from earlier and quickly closed it, knowing full well that she would reject him once more. He had to wait and bide his time, but until then he knew he should offer her solace and comfort to further his chances.
"But how?"
"It is not the unknown I fear." She answered quietly. "It is what I already know that frightens me."
"If you've already made peace with your fate, then there's no reason to fear it…" He smiled reassuringly, her eye's slowly rising to meet him. "Unless you haven't truly accepted it yet…"
Lyra averted her eyes from his intense stare and felt herself falter at his words. "What he says is true. I don't want to accept what will happen if I fail, I want more than anything to leave this place, to put all of this behind me…" She thought of his departure once more and felt the miserable pit of despair in her stomach grow. "If only I could go with him, if only I could have accepted his offer...but there's too much at stake here for me…I can't leave."
Tom watched her silently mulling over his words, biting her lip as she always did when she was deep in thought and he felt pleased with his shrewd advice.
"She wants to come with me. I can see the conflict in her eyes."
"Fear will only hinder your chances at overcoming this obstacle…you would do best to strike it from your mind."
"How can I strike it from my mind after what Germain told me?" She furrowed her brows and rubbed her temples, wincing as her bracelet caught the angry scar on her face from their close encounter in the bayou. Feeling a bead of blood start to form from its angry divide, she swore under her breath and summoned the vial of dittany once more, fumbling with its cover.
"Here. Let me." Tom said softly as he made his way over towards her and took the restorative from her hands, holding the dropper gently against her cheek.
"You don't have to do that." Her cheeks flushed at his attention and tried to control her heart that started to flutter against her chest.
"If it weren't for my lack of foresight , you might not have been injured." He said as he stared at her face wiping the excess off gently with his finger. "I'm afraid I have to agree with you about it leaving a scar, it hasn't healed as neatly as it should have."
Lyra let out a small laugh as she rolled her eyes. "Look at the rest of my face, will one scar really make much more of a difference?"
He let his eyes roam over her features and realized the potions effects had indeed started to wear off, the small burns under her eyes had started to appear once more, clashing angrily with her newest disfigurement. Her mismatched eyes seemingly frowned at his lack of a response and she looked away, her cheeks flushing in shame.
If the marks on her face were supposed to deter him in any manner, they did not, they only added to her enigmatic look and he felt his heart quicken at the rosy hue rising on her cheekbones. They were scars born from experience, from her attraction to darkness and he could not help but feel drawn to her in an aphid like manner.
"You shouldn't be ashamed." He murmured.
"Not only do I become a monster, now I look like one as well." She whispered and let out a bitter laugh.
"I disagree."
She smiled towards him and shook her head. "You always disagree with me."
"Not always."
She smiled and her eyes trailed off towards the fire, once again lost in her thoughts.
"There's something you're not telling me. Something's bothering you."
"You mean something besides all of this?" She whispered sarcastically.
Tom frowned as he placed the cap back on the dittany and leaned in towards her. "The night before we went to the bayou. Where did you go?"
"I told you where I went. I was replacing-"
"You're lying."
Lyra sighed and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. "I went back to Rue du Rouge. To see Germain."
He observed her quietly before speaking. "I knew you knew him more intimately than you let on."
She smiled faintly before taking the dittany from his hands and placing it back into her purse. "An old friend of mine. He was my backup plan if I could not find Madam Celestin. He possessed certain skills that I was in need of...and he owed me a favor, although I had to make up for the stunt you pulled."
"My little mishap then…"
"A setback that I had not counted on. But no matter, all was swept under the rug."
Tom narrowed his eyes towards her and opened his mouth to speak. Lyra interrupted him before he could continue.
"Payment was made."
"What kind of payment?" He asked quietly.
She chuckled bitterly and raised her eyes. "What kind of payment would a vampire desire?"
Looking at his suspicious eyes she shook her head. "Not mine. I gifted him…others."
"Ah…and what did he tell you in return?
Lyra stared into the fire once more and whispered weakly. "It seems that somehow my body is no longer my own." She recounted what the vampire told her as he listened carefully, a few moments of silence passing between them. Tom digested her words carefully before replying.
"This is unusual...and troubling."
"I had meant to keep it to myself...I'm uncertain as to what it means."
"And the books you've studied?"
"None have answers. That's why when you showed me the books clasp that matched the image I saw in my vision, I decided to switch my focus."
She ran her hands through her hair and sighed. "It seems it's more complicated than I had initially thought." Looking towards him once more she let out a small laugh and motioned towards her face. "Now you see why I'm unconcerned with scars and physical appearances. In the end none of it will matter."
Tom pulled his wand out of his pocket and raised it upwards, pausing slightly before opening his mouth. "Perhaps not...but if you will not allow me to share your burden then maybe you'll let me assist you in other ways."
"Other ways...like how?" Confusion spread across her face.
"If your appearance truly bothers you, I can change it, mask the reminders of your affliction...but it'll only be an illusion... underneath the spell, the scars will still remain."
Lyra looked at him strangely, puzzled by his actions and nodded her head in agreement.
He pointed his wand towards her face and waved it gently, watching as a golden light emanated from it's tip, settling on her face for a moment before her scars suddenly vanished. As if he was guided by an unseen force, he slowly raised his hand towards her cheek and touched where the angry scar had been, his thumb gently rubbing the soft skin of her face. Lyra hesitantly raised her own hand up to meet his, pausing momentarily before her fingers grazed the top of his own.
They stared at each other for a moment, their faces closer than they had ever been and he felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest, his mind screaming at him to break from the moment; but he could not.
"What are you doing?" Lyra thought to herself as she felt his soft delicate hand upon hers, his face closer than her body could bear. "This isn't right. This is exactly everything you were trying to avoid."
Without warning she pulled herself away from his touch and quickly stood, her back turned towards him awkwardly. "I-" She let out a soft sigh and wrapped her arms around her. "It's late. We should both get some sleep before the morning. It'll be a long day tomorrow."
Tom leaned back in the chair and clenched his jaw in frustration as he watched her make her way towards her room, closing the door gently behind her without looking back.
"She's withdrawing from me again. Why does she have to be so stubborn?" He thought angrily to himself, standing up and making his way back towards his room. He felt his insides roil as he lay down on the bed, his mind swimming with animosity towards his own actions.
"This obsession inside me is festering like a rotting wound. I've tried to ignore it, that didn't work. To avoid these feelings...it feels as if I'm staring at a burning house with all the doors and windows shut tight, I can smell and taste the smoke, but out of harm's way. Useless..Initially I thought I could try to pretend that everything was normal, everything was as it should be. But pretending a fire doesn't exist, doesn't put it out."
He had always valued his intellect and his patience, both went hand in hand with the other and they were both responsible for why he had made it so far in his quest for immortality. But now he felt as both of those qualities that he valued so highly were starting to waver, their importance cast aside for this newfound infatuation.
"No. Not all was entirely put aside. I still managed to gather what I came here for...and more." He continued to argue with himself as a soft green glow emanated from his briefcase, catching his attention from afar. Tom stood up slowly and made his way to the case, picking up the stone and admiring it. His eyes slowly drifted down his arm to the black mark branded upon his skin and frowned, returning the gem to his briefcase. "What do I do if I can't convince her to come with me?"
The thought bothered him and he sat down in the chair, leaning against the table as he started to rub his forehead. "Then you must leave her behind to her fate. You cannot lose sight of your aspirations, your life's work."
Tom grimaced, he had never failed at procuring something he desired and the idea was difficult to accept. "The irony of it all. My initial plan was to use her and dispose of her when my time here was finished. Somehow along the way my plans were changed and I found myself looking at her differently, a useful tool, someone that could provide me aid in the future...if she stays here she will suffer the same fate I had already laid out for her previously."
The thoughts that swirled around in his head offered him no solace from his disappointment. He did not want to leave her behind and he had told himself that in time she would change her mind, but he could no longer linger in a country that had served its purpose, he would need to depart soon, onto the next part of his journey.
"Three days." He thought to himself grimly. "That is all I will give myself to further explore the mark and to convince her otherwise, whether an opportunity presents itself or not. If she decides to stay, let it be on her head."
Tom waved his hand towards the candles that illuminated the room and extinguished them. Walking over towards his bed he thought back to when she had first shown him how to harness magic without his wand and he let out a soft growl. "Even the simplest of things leads my mind back to her. How long will I have to endure this weakness?"
The bed was soft and plush beneath him as he lay down, letting out a soft groan at the pleasant feeling. It had only been two days without a bed, but the lack of sleep had started to affect him, his mind groggy and clouded. He had decided that this was the cause for his confusion and the strange pull he felt towards her that he had refused to break. If she had not pulled away from him at the last moment, he wondered as to what would have happened.
On the subject of books and knowledge he was superior to most, his keen intellect and skill far surpassing those that surrounded him, but when it came to emotions and physical attraction, he was pitifully stunted. He was immoderately aware of his physical appearance and it had dawned on him long ago that despite how much he had learned to hate his resemblance to a man who loathed, it came with its advantages. Learning that his appearance appealed to so many, he had decided to use it to his favor, flirting with members of the opposite sex to get what he wanted and exploiting others insecurities when they were around him-But that was where his understanding had ended. To have these unexplored emotions-that he had avoided so carefully-bombard him later in life, he found himself unprepared and hesitant.
"Can I turn this lust i a powerful tool ? Or will I always struggle to keep my head above water as I drown in it? If I were to wield it towards her before she admits her own feelings, before she has time to think, would it not be possible to ensnare her body and soul before she drags me down any further?"
Admitting to his carnality, though difficult at first, had proven to be the easy part. Accepting and allowing it to manifest physically is what he continued to struggle with, torn between his self-actualized image of superiority and his discovery that he was not as immune to these blemishes of character than he had previously thought.
"The old witch spoke about these urges as if they were more simple, less complex...she called it natural. I can hardly call any of this instinctive."
His fingers wandered down towards the necklace that lay upon his chest and entwined his fingers around the chain, running themselves over the gems that were set upon its face.
"Perhaps all these thoughts wouldn't haunt me as much as they do if I simply let fate unfold them for me? In three days time I will leave...if she does not change her mind then I will no longer have to deal with this confusion, fate will have chosen for me. I'll push it from my mind and never dwell on it again." He grimaced as he closed his eyes, the opposite situation running through his mind. "But-If somehow things change and I find myself still in her company, then I will have no choice but to accept it and stop fighting what is beyond my control. These are the only choices I have...if I continue to fight with myself like this it will prove to be an ongoing interruption."
That was something he could not let happen. His mind needed to remain clear and unfettered, especially as he made his way through strange territories.
Accepting his decision, he felt an invisible weight float off his chest and let his thoughts drift away, the warm embrace of sleep calling him.
Lyra sat down on the bed and took a deep breath, trying to stop her heart from racing wildly.
"What in merlin's beard was that?" She thought to herself and rubbed her forehead, her mind a sea of turmoil. "You let your emotions get the best of you again...this time it came too close."
She frowned and looked at the standing mirror that stood off into a corner of the room and walked over, touching her face tenderly with her hand and observing her face. The scars had indeed vanished, although she could still trace their lines where they still lingered underneath the magic with her fingers. To her dismay her eyes were still unchanged, their mismatched colors taunting her cruelly. Lyra peered closer into the mirror and gently whispered, waved her hand over the reflection. "Revelio."
It was if a second skin had peeled away and instantly the scars resurfaced, her face marred by their presence once more. Quickly turning away from the mirror, she let out a disgruntled growl and cupped her face, her body trembling with disgust. "Monster."
Looking back hesitantly into the mirror, her smooth appearance stunned her again and she raised her fingers to the reflective glass, stroking it's surface. A small voice spoke out from within her mind and tried to reassure her gently. "Tom did not think so…"
She scoffed at her thoughts and shook her head, pulling the hair up from off her back and fastening it around her crown, loose waves of her hair hanging around her face delicately. "It doesn't matter what Tom thinks. Put him out of your mind. These foolish desires...these feelings...ignore them…"
Changing out of her clothing carefully, she placed a silk nightdress over her head, biting her lip as she continued to think. "Would it be so terrible to entertain the idea? Do these urges make me weak? Is it not normal for everyone to feel this way at some point or another?"
She waved her wand delicately, watching the candle lights dim as she threw back the covers of the sheets, sliding gently between them. "Maybe for others, but you don't get to be normal. Especially not now...your attention needs to be on yourself. Not him."
She fiddled with the bracelet around her wrist, irritation rising within her as she felt a small ball of rage well up within her heart. "When did all of this happen? Why have I even started to feel like this? It's so sudden…"
Her heart dropped as memories of their excursions materialized within her mind, tender fragments of their time spent together spreading through her thoughts like wildfire. A blush started to form on her cheeks as she remembered his treatment of her when she had become injured, his attention uncharacteristically kind and nurturing. His lack of fear or disgust when he had divulged his knowledge of her condition and his contributions to help her prevent it.
She turned onto her side and stared at the candlelight dancing across the room, the light reminding her of the soft atmosphere that had been inside the ballroom where they had danced together for the first time, the music from those short precious minutes playing through her mind. The gentle touch of his hands, the strange look in his eyes and how when the night had gone south, she herself had raced to him for security. Seeing his dark figure entering the garden that night sent a wave of relief through her that she had never experienced before from seeing another person.
"These feelings..have they been growing all along? How could I have not realized it until now?" What had started out as an infuriating and platonic companionship, had somehow morphed into something else.
Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she remembered how it had felt to wake up under his coat, listening to the furious sound of him scribbling endlessly against the parchment and she felt her heart start to pound wildly at the thought of his proposal. His request of her to follow him...his eyes searching her own for any sign of concession.
"Maybe he doesn't feel the same way. No point in torturing yourself when he could easily not be interested." She let out a sigh of bitter relief and tried to calm herself. "Then all of this would be pointless and I would be driving myself mad for no reason at all!"
Lyra thought back to only moments ago, when his hand had softly cradled her cheek, his face mere inches away from her own and felt her stomach sink, knowing that her arguments were invalid. Something had changed between them and she needed to muster up every ounce of discipline she possessed to ignore it completely until he took his leave.
"I don't know what worse…" She thought to herself miserably. "Knowing now how I truly feel or knowing that despite how I feel, how much I long for it, that I can never have it."
A memory from her youth suddenly crossed her mind, fresh and vivid as if it were yesterday.
"Do we really have to leave again mother?" A six year old Lyra said softly as she placed a small book she held into her hands into a suitcase. Her eyes looking out through a small window longingly. "I liked it here, I thought-"
"None of that now Lyra." Her mother said absentmindedly as she waved her wand around the small apartment, the few belongings they owned flying into a large backpack. "You know my work doesn't allow me to stay in one place for very long."
"I know, but I thought maybe this time it could be different…maybe we could stay? You can find another job-"
"Lyra…" Her mother sighed and knelt down next to her. "My work is my life, you know that. We've been through this before. Don't give me a hard time. Please?"
Lyra nodded sadly, her little hands pulling at the hem of her dress, her voice small and distant. "It's just that...the children here were nice…I thought if we stayed here long enough maybe I could make a friend-"
"You could make friends anywhere Lyra."
Lyra felt the tears tug at her eyes and threw her case down on the floor, stomping her foot angrily. "That's not true! I can't make friends anywhere because we never stay in one place long enough!"
Her mother grabbed her shoulder and wiped the tears from her eyes and reached into her coat, pulling another book out from it's deep pockets. She placed it into Lyra's small hands and smiled sadly. "I know it's not easy for you, but soon you'll be old enough to do magic just like me...and none of this will matter anymore." Lyra sniffled as she nodded and clutched the book to her chest.
Rubbing her cheek tenderly, her mother pulled her into a hug and spoke firmly. "In order to be successful you'll need to study and soon there won't be any time for playing. You're going to be the most talented little witch in your grade, I can already see it, especially with your dedication to your studies. You've already surpassed children almost twice your age when it comes to reading material-"
"But I don't want to only read books-I want to-" Lyra tried to interject
Her mother stood up and crossed her arms, her face impassive. "Sometimes we have to sacrifice the things we want to get ahead in life Lyra, but look at it this way, you're not losing something if you've never had it."
She looked down at the book, her face withdrawn and forlorn and nodded, knowing that the conversation was over.
The scene slowly faded from her mind and she drifted off to sleep, murmuring quietly to herself. "...you're not losing something if you've never had it…"
Sorry this chapter took a few extra days to post, it's been a crazy week. Don't have too much to say on this chapter other than it was a bit more fluffy than any of the others we've seen so far, which I hope you all enjoyed! Don't forget to review, follow or add it to your favorites if you enjoy it! More to come soon :3.