I woke up a few hours later, around four-thirty in the morning from a rather intense dream.
Upon realizing that I wasn't going to able get back to sleep, I slowly climbed out of bed and went to shower.
I stood under the hot spray until my tense muscles loosened. Once I got out I slipped on my undergarments before making my way back into the room.
I made sure I had everything I would need in my bag for the trip. I checked it thoroughly, unpacking, and repacking as I did so.
I had put in three travel cloaks, the sleeveless one, my boots- heeled and un-heeled, my leather shoes and ankle boots, five pairs of stockings, my thigh high socks- thick and regular, three-floor length skirts, four dresses, and four blouses, and the rest of the stuff I had originally packed.
Also remembering to put two books at the very top along with my small pouch of endless money I had saved up throughout the years of doing chores within the orphanage and around the neighboring houses.
My wand and a box full of potions that I had secretly brewed in the small empty shack at the edge of the woods.
Once I finally finished packing, I shrunk my trunk and put it on top of Bellatrix's trunk.
BeforeI pulled on my thick, thigh-high, black travel socks. Then I slid my dress on and leaving out my travel smock if I should need it. I braided my long multi-colored hair and clipped my choker on before wrapping my scarf on top.
I waited for six o'clock to come and then slowly made my way down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
It was practically empty as students scurried all around the castle trying to get their last-minute packing done.
I shook my head in amusement at their lack of foresight and watched as all the food began to appear for the students who did want to have an early breakfast.
I grabbed some home fries, a couple of pieces of sausage and bacon, and three strawberry topped pancakes. Watching as students began coming into the Great Hall, while I began to eat.
"You seem to be in a great mood this morning. Did you finally let Riddle have his way with you?" Grisha teased, looking at me amused, as she sat down next to me on the otherwise empty table.
"No, not yet," I replied dryly after I swallowed a piece of fluffy buttermilk pancakes.
"Hmm." She said, looking down at my plate.
"So, my mom is expecting you the fourth week of break. Right before New Year's Day." She said.
I nodded, chewing a piece of sausage. "Would it be alright if I brought Tom along? H-he grew up as I did. The orphanage he stays in is down the street from mine. It's rather horrid there. Everyone of them fears him, including the wretched woman, who is in charge of that wretched place." I said, hesitantly.
"I'm sure mom would be happy to have him over. The more the merrier, she always says." She said, nodding.
I smiled excitedly and nodded as I finished my pancakes.
"Please tell them I send my regards. I'll see you all soon. I sort of promised Bella that I'd stay for a week or so at her place. I'll be arriving sometime after then." I explained as she got up.
She nodded, as she walked over to the Gryffindor table.
After breakfast, I slowly made my way back to the Slytherin common room. I ended up sitting there for a while, before it was time to go.
The girls and I got into one of the carriages, laughing as we planned out the week I would spend with them at their house.
Originally, I was supposed to go straight to their house just like Tom was supposed to go to Lestrange's house. But I decided to accompany Tom to where he was going.
So, now my break was divided into three parts.
Since the break was three weeks longer this year, it made sense to me.
While I stayed at Bella's house her parents were going to have a Christmas dinner party, slash ball. And shopping with their mother. Then I would be going to meet my maternal family.
'Tom?' I thought, pushing into his mind.
'Yes?' He thought back. I could almost see his eyebrow raised and his head slightly tilted to one side.
The boys were in another cart seeing as we all didn't fit into one.
'Would you like to come to stay with my maternal grandparents for the last two weeks of winter break?' I thought, looking out of the cariage's window, as we passed everything.
'Do I have a choice?' He asked, dryly.
I rolled my eyes, shaking my head before closing the telepathic link, effectively shutting him out, as we arrived at the Hogsmeade Train Station.
We quickly stepped out of the carriage and made our way onto the train, quickly setting in a compartment, and getting comfortable.
"So, you're coming two weeks from now?" Bella asked, yawning tiredly as Bastian made it into the compartment.
"Yes," I replied pulling out one of the books from my bag as I felt the train begin to move forward.
Tom sat right next to me, pulling out his own book, as he did so. I felt the present time disappear before my eyes as I let out a gasp.
Flashes of images played before me, sometimes too fast to catch everything that was playing at once.
The one image I did see was of Tom, lying motionless on the ground in a dark room, struggling to breathe. I watched in horror as his back suddenly arched off of the ground as an agonizing scream left his parted lips.
Finally, after a while, he laid motionlessly.
It was clear he was breathing heavily, but the rest of his body was motionless, sweat sewing across his forehead. Not a limb twitched as he did.
I felt heat begin to penetrate and run down my nose as I snapped back into the present. Feeling as my body went limp as I began to feel so.
Everyone in the compartment was crowding around and above me, looking worriedly down at me.
I felt Tom's lap under my head as I moved it slowly to the side, my eyes snapping back to his worried one.
"Are you alright, Soph?" He asked, worry clear in his voice.
I nodded, furrowing my eyebrows as I began feeling as my head begin to spin.
A small whimper escapes through my lips as the train's movements made the vertigo worse.
"She's looking a bit pale. Too pale. Maybe we should take her to a medic or something?" Bella suggested as Rod tried to grab her hand.
Bella cringed away from his touch, as she looked back to me, wide-eyed.
"Quit trying to grab her hand," I ordered, opening my eyes, as I felt the vertigo cease, to stare him down.
My voice sounding weaker than I wanted it to sound.
"What are you even doing here?! Go sit with your little friend in the Slytherin compartment." I snapped, as I pushed myself into a sitting position.
"Calm down, Soph. Lestrange, leave. Now." Tom ordered, helping me sit down correctly.
"Not you, Bastan, your brother," I said, rolling my eyes at him.
I slipped my book back into my bag, and spent the rest of the train ride with my head on Tom's lap, with my eyes closed, with Tom trying to calm me down. While I attempted to force myself to keep my breathing normal, and my mind calm.
When the train finally reached its final stop, I sat up and stretched my arms above my head, groaning as I felt my shoulders pop, along with my back.
"You looked like a cat right now," Tom said, smirk as he shook his head in amusement, slipping his book into a black leather rucksack I hadn't noticed he had when they boarded the train.
"Where's your trunk?" I asked him after we said goodbye to the group and made our way towards the exit of King's Cross Station.
"I gave it to Bastan to hold until we got back. I'll be staying with him." He told me as we walked in the direction of an alley.
"Have you ever apparated before?" He asked as we walked into the alley.
"Err. No, not outside of school." I replied, carefully.
He nodded in response, before holding his arm out to me.
Thinking he'd apparate as soon as I touched his arm, but he surprised me when he pulled me towards his body and wrapping his arms around my waist before smirking down at me.
"Good then, this will be a treat for both of us." He replied smirking down at me, as his eyes began to narrow as he focused on something, probably our destination.
A silent moment passed between us before I felt a pull on my navel and the floor underneath my feet suddenly disappeared.
My head began to swim, but my hands stayed on Tom, gripping onto him for dear life.
When I felt my feet plant on solid ground, with my head still swimming, I loosened my grip on Tom's shoulders and stumbled back, falling on my arse, hard, onto the pavement, as I tried to gain my equilibrium.
"Don't you dare say a word, just help me up," I snapped, keeping my eyes still closed.
When my head finally stopped swimming, and I felt everything stop spinning around me I finally opened my eyes to look up at him. Raising an eyebrow at him, waiting.
He chuckled, as he slowly made his way over to me and helped me up.
We had ended up apparating into a dirt road. One which was located just outside, and in between another town called, Great Hangleton. The other town being Little Hangleton, on the road right outside of it.
"What now?" I asked, frowning at his smirk.
"Now, comes the fun part, darling. I need you to get us a room at that inn, just over there. I'll wait right here until you get back." He said, pointing in the direction as we walked towards a two-floored shabby inn.
"Why do I need to go alone?" I asked, frowning.
"Just go. I'll explain everything later." He said, giving me a small shove in the inn's direction.
"Oh no, you don't. You're coming along with me." I said, dragging him by the arm.
Just before we walked in I made my appearance look a bit flushed.
"Excuse me, sir, do you... have any rooms available?" I asked, in a tired voice.
The elderly man quickly took in my appearance, as I pretended to sway on my feet, letting Tom wrapped his arm around me to 'support' my weight.
"Oh, dear child. Mr. Riddle, what a-are you doing here?" He asked, shocked.
"What are you-" I asked, before Tom pinched my side, causing me to jump up in surprise.
Tom turned to answer the question, instead, he chose to raise an eyebrow at him, quickly using Legilimency to pry through the elderly man's unprotected mind.
I could see emotions fly through his eyes as he pried deeper into his mind with a crease growing between his brows.
"We have only one left, just sign here, dearie." He said taking out a signing book and throwing it onto the counter.
I quickly sighed it as Genevieve Hopkins and Gordin Richwields, as the old man handed us the key and pointed us to the stairs.
"Second floor, third door on the right. Have a nice stay. If you need anything... be-be sure to give m-me a call, and I'll be up as soon 's possible." He said, stuttering when Tom threw a glaring his way, as he kept his curious gaze at us as we made our way towards the stares, confusion crossing his face.
"He thought you were your father, didn't he?" I whispered as we walked up the stairs.
He simply nodded in response, his brow furrowing as he followed me up the stairs. I made a point to walk slowly up the stairs just to annoy him.
Enjoying as I heard him scoff at my slow pace.
When we entered the room, we realized that it had one bed and a big fluffy looking couch.
I set my bag down on the armchair that was positioned by the hearth, and unbuttoned my smock, and set it down on top of my bag.
"I'll take the couch and you can take the bed," I said, as I slid off my boots, and walked over to the couch, sighing as my sore back pressed into the fluffy cushions.
"No, you take the bed, I've probably had worse than you. I'm used to it already. The bed in my room at the orphanage has wire springs pocking out." He said, walking over to it and sitting down next to me.
"Too late, I've already settled in." I pointed out, sighing as I slowly pulled my travel socks down my leg then repeating the process with the other leg.
I could feel his piercing gaze on my legs as I tucked them under me on the couch.
"Do I have something on my face?" I asked, raising an eyebrow his way.
He shook his head in response before standing up and walking towards me, bending down, before he reached towards me, throwing me over his broad shoulder.
I gasped as I felt the blood rush to my head before I felt him throw me onto the bed.
"You're sleeping on the bed, you little minx." He said, before grabbing his sleeping clothes and head to the bathroom.
While he was in there I quickly changed into my black night dress and unfastened my hair from the braid. Before climbing into the bed I performed a charm that would make the bed more comfortable and changed the sheets into some black silky ones with a thick fleece blanket.
There was a hearth in the room to warm it up, that Tom had enchanted to throw emerald flames like the Slytherin common room. I smiled as I climbed in slowly, pulling the fleece above my head.
"Interesting." I heard Tom say as he walked back into the room.
I had conjured up some blanket and an extra pillow and placed them on the couch. m
Before getting up and walking to the bathroom to relieve myself. I had been holding it in since we began walked out of King's Cross Station.
When I was finished I washed my hands and face, before washing my teeth and walking back into the room.
I was started walking towards the bed when I was suddenly pulled into a strong embrace, and my neck was assaulted with rough wet kisses.
I could feel my will beginning to crumble as I felt him begin to nip a tantalizing trail down my neck to my shoulder.
"What's going on? I thought you wanted us to wake up early?" I asked, almost biting my tongue in the process.
I could feel his lips pull into a smile as he bit down onto my collarbone. My eyes rolled back into my head, and let out a whimper.
"Let's do whatever you came to do here done. Then, and only then, if we have time... we'll talk." I said, pulling away.
"What if I said that, everything I have planned doesn't matter to me anymore? What if I say all I care about is you?" he replied, sitting down on the bed.
"I would have to make sure you aren't lying to me just to get what you want. You seem to be extremely skilled at lying to others but it's harder with me, and you know this." I said, sitting down.
"Do what you must. I am not lying to you." He said confidently, throwing my favorite smirk my way.
"I want to show you what I've seen. Everything, I've seen." I murmured, beginning to pace, silently awaiting his answer nervously.
He visibly gulped, uncertainty written all over his face for a second, but he nodded in response.
"Lay on the bed," I commanded, while I began putting a silencing charm, imperturbable charm, and impervious charm around the room, door, and windows.
"Relax," I said gently, as I sat down, cross-legged next to him, putting my hand over his, inhaling slowly as I tried to concentrate.
"What are you going to do?" He asked me, with his eyes still closed.
"I'm going to need you to be quiet, otherwise this is never going to work," I replied, my brows furrowing as I brought all the images I had ever seen of him to the front of my mind.
Straining to keep myself calm as I slowly began to see those images.
I focused on projecting those images towards Tom, making sure he saw them clearly.
His grip on my hand tightened slowly as he began seeing the images, hitting him, full force.
There were things in there that he thought nobody saw, but I did. I had just gotten to the part where he made his first Horcrux when he began to feel a searing pain inside him.
The pain he would experience should he try to actually create one.
He gasped, his eyes clenching shut, his back rose off the bed, and a pained gasp escaped through his lips. I intensified the pain, a tiny portion more, making sure he felt it as bad as I did when I first saw it. I kept the images going, watching as he flinched back as he watched himself kill his father and his paternal grandparents.
I had just gotten to the part where he was about to kill the Potters, showing him as he killed James when I heard his hoarse voice.
"Stop!" He gasped, his breath ragged.
"What's wrong? We're not even halfway through." I said, holding his hand as I slowly placed my hand on his chest, removing all the gaping pain he was experiencing as he watched.
"I'll stop. Just... Don't show me this anymore. I can't... go through that-that pain." He said, half-conscious.
"Even for power?" I asked him, skeptically.
"Even for power." He repeated, breathlessly. "When in bloody Merlin's beard did you see all of this?" He asked, as he tried to sit up, shocked.
"A long time ago. When we met, the first year." I mumbled.
"Are you serious?! How- Why-- I apologize for you having to go through that alone." He said, sincerely.
I smiled down at him, watching as he fell asleep, tiredly.
I was hoping I didn't have to do it that way, but since it happened the way it did, I felt remorse watching as he writhed in pain as he watched a nonexistent future.
I think what scared him more was his physical appearance since he was used to using his appearance to get his way.
I thought about everything that I had seen and noticed with deep satisfaction that the future had indeed changed, for good, I hoped.
As I laid down on the couch, under the thick fleece blanket I laid there watching the emerald flames dance, I felt a smile spread across my face as I sunk into a deep sleep.