Regret
Tom POV
When I saw the disbelief in Adele's eyes, I instantly regretted coming today. I wanted to apparate, but she would escape and I would be suspected. Luckily, I had just tampered with Hockey's memory, Hepzibah's old house elf and so I had nothing to worry about besides Adele.
"Why?" she whispered.
"I've known you for this many years, you're not like this," she continued. I instantly felt hurt that she had such little trust in me.
"You think I killed her? How could you have so little trust in me," I said. She looked relieved immediately but I decided to tell her the truth anyway.
"But, you are right." She looked hurt, really hurt.
"This is not the Tom Riddle I know. Who are you?" she said in a strangled voice.
"Oh no, this is me, this is Voldemort, not little Tom Riddle anymore," I spat. That name reminded me of my heartless father, who abandoned my mother and I many years ago.
"Do you know, I managed to find my father, my biological father and I killed him?" I told her with pride. I never regretted killing him and never will.
She looked angrily at the boxes in my hand and shouted "Reducto."
I forgot that the locket and cup could not be destroyed so easily and slipped. I showed my fear as the spell sped towards the boxes but disappeared. Once I realised it, I quickly turned back to my nonchalant look.
"Oh no you…"I said but she cut in.
"I know the Tom Riddle that I knew is still in there. Don't do this, please," she pleaded. I could see that she was looking at something far away, but seeing the hope in her eyes, I felt a pang of guilt for doing this to her. She had been my first and best friend and was by my side when I faced difficulties.
"I'm sorry," I whispered with regret but I knew I could not let her go. At the same time, I couldn't bear to kill her, so instead I shouted the next spell that came to my mind, "Crucio."
I was surprised I managed to conjure up the spell, since I said it without hate but regret. Maybe it would not be as painful as the ones I usually do but still, she screamed in pain and it tortured me to see her like this. After a while, I could not take it anymore and stopped. Surprisingly, she still had the strength to stand up but was not steady. I wanted to go and help her but it happened too quickly, she fell and hit her head on the side of the table. Blood rushed out of her wound, I wanted to heal her but heard footsteps at the door.
I pointed my wand towards her and whispered, "Obliviate," chiding myself for not doing this earlier, then apparated with the two boxes in my hands.
After a while, the evil I came back and I swore, never again, could I show weakness or soft-heartedness, never. And it was at that moment, I lost to my dark side and it overtook my mind.