Panting, Marvolo wiped the sweat from his face and pressed his body against the dark alcove to conceal himself. Earlier, he was lying on the bed and was suddenly aware of his surroundings. The house elf didn't come to give him the sedatives. He did not wait to think of an explanation for the house elf's absence. He struggled out of his restraints, which wasn't strong, and ran. He ran and ran until weakness took over and his legs gave in.
Something might have happened to Honey or Tom for the house elf to not tend to him. The other reason could be that Honey and Tom were teasing him. Soon, they might appear and drag him back to his prison. Fueled by fear, he pushed himself up and continued to run. He didn't know where he was going but he didn't care. He needed to get away. Put enough distance between him and them until he was able to gather his wits. When he did he would return for his revenge.
Marvolo's sprint came to a halt when he tripped over something on the ground. He pushed himself up and looked at what caused his fall. It was a broom. He picked the broom up and inspected it. It was new, polished, and had Honey's name carved on the handle. This was Honey's broom. What was it doing here? He glanced at his surroundings and saw cards scattered on the ground. Holding the broom, he picked up a card with his other hand. They were blank. He dropped the card back on the ground and followed the trail of cards with what little light he had.
Winifred patted her dress and ran her fingers through her hair. Edmund told her to meet him in the pier over the Great Lake that was south of the school. He was going to propose to her she just knew. They would live happily together and have children and then grandchildren. They would grew old together.
Wendy was pulled from her thoughts when Edmund arrived. He appeared nervous. It was to be expected since he was going to propose marriage in a moment.
When he reached her, he gave her an awkward smile and took a deep breath.
This was it! Winifred braced herself.
"Wendy, listen. We need to break up."
The large smile on Winifred's lips dropped from her face.
"What?" she asked him as she thought she heard him wrong.
"I'm sorry, but we can't be together anymore -"
Edmund never got to finish his sentence since she punched him in the jaw. His head turned at the impact of her fist, the taste of blood in his mouth. He looked back at her in surprise. He had expected she would be upset but never took into consideration that her anger would cause her to physically hurt him. It showed how shocked she was by this.
"Explain yourself!" she demanded.
Edmund swallow his blood and spoke. "Wendy, I love you but...I've decided to be an Auror and I think it's best if we end our relationship."
"You want to be an Auror? What does that have to do with ending our relationship?"
"Being an Auror is a dangerous career. I'm going to have to undergo intense five years of training. If I survive that there's a possibility of losing my life in a mission. I could leave you a widow. I can't do that to you."
As Edmund plead his case Winifred understood his reasons but she was not about to allow him to end their relationship. She loved him. The fool.
"We are not over. Go. Be an Auror. I will wait for you. After your training we are getting married." she said and refused to discuss this subject anymore and marched back to the castle.
Winifred found Alice in the courtyard, ran into her arms, and told her what happened.
"There, there, Wendy..." said Alice, patting her back.
Winifred sobbed uncontrollably on Alice's shoulder.
"That...that foolish Gryffindor!" Winifred choked out.
"I know." Alice said to comfort her.
"I can't believe him!"
Holding a basket of white flowers, Winifred placed them next to the gravestone with the name Alice Groston carved on it. She looked to the man sitting on the other side of the gravestone. He was heavily breaded with wild, untamed hair. His clothing was ragged with holes and dirt. He smelled awful as he had not bathed in weeks.
"Cadmus, you're brothers are very worried about you." Winifred said carefully.
Cadmus didn't respond to her. He continued to sit there, with a blank stare.
"I am also worried." she said and sat down on the other side of the gravestone. "Alice would not want to see you like this."
"How can she see me? She's dead."
"Well..." Winifred struggled to answer him. "My mum told me that when we die...our souls journey into another realm. It's called the Otherworld. There is everlasting youth, beauty, health, abundance and joy."
Cadmus slowly turned his head to Winifred.
"Are you saying she is in the Otherworld waiting for me?"
"Um..." Winifred shook her head. She could see where his thoughts where going.
"No!" he shouted and stood up. "I have to bring her back!"
"Cadmus! That's not what I meant!" Winifred said but he was too far gone to hear her.
"I've got to find a way to the Otherworld!" he declared. "I have to bring her back to marry me!"
He walked away from the gravestone. Winifred chased after him in an attempt to reason with him.
Winifred thought her tears had completely dried when she wept for Alice and Edmund. But there were still many left when Alice arrived at her home. The beautiful cousin she had loved like a sister had a body short of decay. It shocked and frightened her. The poor woman told her everything Cadmus had done. He brought her back from the dead and kept her locked away like a pet for years. She finally found an opportunity to escape from him and took his magic stone with her. Worse, she had his child in her belly.
"I want to kill it!" Alice confessed.
Winifred gasped in shock. "No, Alice, You can't! This is your child!" she reminded her. "Don't you love him or her?"
"I do! That's why I want it dead. Wendy, I know the pain. I suffer in this state. I can't let my child be like me. I would rather it die than be subjected to this dreadful existence."
Winifred hugged Alice. "How far along are you?"
"Thirteen months."
Winifred looked at Alice's distended belly as she touched her own. She was seven months pregnant herself. She had received education from a midwife about pregnancy and birthing. Carrying a child for thirteen months was far too long. Was that even possible?
"Wendy, I'm scared. I feel movement but there are no sign of birthing. You have to help me. Please. I beg you."
"What do you want me to do?"
"Help me die."
Winifred shook her head. "No! I-I can't do that! I can't do something like that!"
"Look at me, Wendy!" Alice waved her arms over herself. "Look what I have become! I am not human anymore! I am not dead! I am not alive! I don't know what I am but it hurts! Please, release me from this pain! I've tried everything! I can't end it. He always brings me back. Every time the pain worsens." She pulled her sleeve up to show cuts on her wrists. "They don't heal. I have no blood."
Winifred's body trembled from great sorrow. It shocked her to learn that Alice had attempted suicide multiple times. She agreed although it killed a part of her to do this. "I believe I know a method. I forced the Ministry of Magic to give me the animal that took Edmund from me. A Nundu. Its breath is toxic and filled with disease that can wipe out entire villages."
Having heard of the animal and its abilities, Alice nodded in agreement. "It might work, but what if Cadmus uses this stone to revive me again?"
"He can't revive you if he can't find your body and the stone. I will do this for you on one condition."
"Anything!"
"Your child, Alice."
"No! I told you how I feel. I thought you would understand me. I HAVE NO BLOOD! I don't know what this creature inside of my womb is!"
"I understand you, Alice. I do, love. I do. But we have to try and save him or her first. The guilt of doing this for you will follow me to my death." She said. "The knowledge that I ended an innocent child's life with pull me and my own child in an early gave."
"This child might be like me. You will be sparing it the pain. You will be saving it."
"Let's make a deal. If the child is like you I will lay it to rest with you. But if not I will raise it like my own."
Alice lay on a bed and allowed Winifred to remove the creature inside of her. Winifred bathed him in water before wrapping him in blankets. She rocked the wailing newborn in her arms.
"Alice, look at him. He's beautiful just like his mother." Winifred said, handing the small bundle of blankets onto her arms.
Alice accepted her child. She removed the blanket and inspected him, counting his fingers, toes, running her hands over his face and skin. She smiled with joy to see that he was perfect. Normal. Nothing like her.
"He is beautiful!" Alice wept. "Your son is beautiful, Wendy." she kissed his head before giving the newborn back to Winifred. She picked up a cup from the nightstand and drank the contents. She rested her back on the bed and closed her eyes.
"Good night, Alice. I won't let anyone bother you. Again." Winifred promised, letting her tears fall.
A house elf appeared and informed her that he was demanding to see her. Winifred nodded. She placed the newborn next to the woman on the bed and ordered the house elf to watch over them. She wiped her eyes, fixed her hair, and grabbed her coat to cover herself before going outside to confront the man behind the gates that surrounded the manor.
"Alice! Alice!" shouted the man. He had dark wild hair, untamed bread, and ragged clothing.
Winifred eyes flared with rage as she ordered him to leave.
"Give me back, Alice! I know she's here!"
"Get off of my property you wretch! Alice is dead."
"Alice is alive! I revived her! I can revive Edmund too! Wendy, listen to me! I have got a magic stone from Death - it'll bring Edmund back!"
"Edmund is dead. I have made peace with that fact. I have said my farewells to him and you should to Alice."
"No! I can't. I love her. I need her with me."
"You are selfish! Leave at once!"
He refused to listen to her and throw his body at the gates. The ancient magic guarding her home sent him flying back. He landed on the ground but quickly got up. He took out his wand and shouted charms and spells at the gates.
She took a breath before revealing the truth to him. "Alice is gone. I laid her back to rest and you will never find that stone."
"You murderer!" he accused her.
"I cannot murder someone who is already dead." she told him logically.
"She is with child, how could you, Wendy? She was your cousin - your best friend! You are a monster!"
"You have known me since Hogwarts, Cadmus. Have you just found out?"
"Just you wait! I'll be back with my brothers!" He hollered and Apparated.
Winifred returned to Alice's bedroom and dismissed the house elf. New tears fell as she pulled the sheets over Alice's body and face.
"Oh!" she gasped. She opened her coat and rubbed her pregnant belly to soothe her unborn child. "There, there, little one. Don't kick so hard." she looked at the newborn that was slumbering next to his other mother. "Your father and Aunt Alice is gone but mummy's got you a brother. We will be waiting for your arrival."
Marvolo sneered in irritation. He thought he escaped Honey's mind but apparently he was still trapped inside and he had fallen into a deeper level. He was viewing her dreams or something of the sort. From what he could gather, Honey or Winifred or Wendy, whatever her name was, was a spoiled brat and madly in love with the boy name Edmund.
He walked away from the scene. He got on the broom and flew, searching for an exit. Unfortunately, there was none. He was shown more dreams. He witnessed Winifred and Edmund's wedding. He saw them live a mundane and boring life. He saw her mourning Edmund's death. He was killed by a Nundu trying to save everyone. The fool. Winifred was beyond grief. She demanded it be fashioned into clothing and accessories. The Ministry was against it but she had her way. The animal was the only compensation she requested since Edmund did not have a body to bury. His flesh had been dissolved by the Nundu's venom.
Things got interesting when Alice returned from the grave. Marvolo paid extra attention to what was happening at this point. He especially, took note of what Winifred did to the magical black stone that had the ability to resurrect the dead. It was all cleared to him now. The other Horcrux inside Honey lied to him. Honey was not a split personality of him. Honey was Winifred Sheridan and in her possession was the Resurrection Stone. He knew there had to be a reason Honey survived all the times he killed her. He was positive that he succeeded in killing her. The power of the stone must have revived her all those time. Honey's body was not damaged like Alice's body because the stone was in her flesh. It made her immortal. If it made Honey immortal, it would make him immortal too. He had to have that stone. All he had to do was take care of Honey and the other Horcrux. With them gone, the stone would be all his.