Visitors

When Merope rode off into the sunset with Tom Riddle as her knight in shining armor she was happy or at least thought she was. For two weeks Tom was given a dose of love potion every morning and every night. She thought the potion would eventually turn to true love but, something wasn't right it felt artificial. What makes it even worse, Tom Riddle was ….bland. All Tom Riddle ever talked about was politics and horses but, mostly his horses (especially in breeding them). Merope only planning on bailing town if this didn't work (clearly it wasn't) but, she hit on several snags.

One, she was a witch even if she was a squib. Two, she was a women with no money in a time were women weren't really allowed to work a decent job. Three, Tom Riddle proposed to her three days later after 'rescuing' her. Riddle insisted to wed her within a month. Merope dreaded every day of every hour that ticks closer to the wedding day. She felt trapped in the mansion, with all its diamonds and pearls it felt like a prison. All day she wondered around the house like a ghost thinking about her future. Forever she would slip a potion in his drink because Merope knew deep down in her heart Tom will never love her even if she was a muggle like him. The thought of being with him left her in despair in her prison palace.

Even though she was trapped during the day, she had freedom at night. Every night, Merope would sneak out of her palace into the forest like she did before many times. In the heart of the woods she would step into the Circle of Stones and pray to Mother for comfort. A week before the wedding, Merope was in full sorrow. Her life was about to be sealed to a man she didn't love at all. Once her would be husband was asleep she snuck, running away from the mansion into the woods like a fox set free from its cage. Merope stepped into the Circle weeping for herself. She cried out to Mother, "Mother, if you hear me, please help me. If there's anyway out of this marriage….If there's another man in my life, please give me courage! Mother, I beg of you! Send me an angel, send me hope of happiness if there is any, even death is more blissful then a life time chained to a man I don't love!"

Mother didn't hear her pray but, the Darkness did. While Merope was in woe, Leviathan was watching her in lustful fascination. "Don't worry my dear, cutting off your maiden head would either give you bliss or plunder you in sorrow to were you wished you were dead," he whispered. As Merope left the Circle, Leviathan left to forest into the dark Labyrinth. "I think I should bring some company," he said smiling to himself as he knocked on the door of Angelique and the new pupil, Xipe Totec.

#

It was the day before the wedding were so many guest were invited in their 'bliss'. Merope felt claustrophobic with so many people she didn't even know. They were either his family or his friends from some were or whatever but, never hers. It was when she shook hands with Tom's cousin, Caption Elliot Spencer her fate was sealed.

"Hello, Elliot! I've never thought the day I see you as an army man! Congratulations and who are these two? I'm hoping the girl's not 'just your friend'," said Tom. Elliot smiled, more like baring his teeth at the man. The newly born demon remembering his human years didn't like Tom Riddle very much. His cousin had a way of injuring him, one time almost killing him by playing piggy back while he was swimming in a deep lake. Lucky his mother was there to save him. It was the last time the Spencers went back to the Riddle house.

Once breaking free from Riddle's grip, he introduced the two strangers. "This is Angelique, my fiancée and this is my army friend, Levi Quirrell." Merope didn't pay much attention to the women but, was instantly hypnotized by Quirrell. He had long black hair in a pony tail, his eyes were like burning sapphires. For some strange reason, he looked familiar to her. Merope didn't know how long she was starring into those fiery blues but, was instantly snapped back into reality when Tom introduced her to the three. "And this is my soon to be wife, Merope Gaunt."

She shook hands with all three, Quirrell felt the longest but, oh how she desired to not let go of that hand.