Chapter Fifty-three

A Visit to Hogwarts

Over the next few months Voldemort was true to his word. Hermione often wondered if she was doing the right thing. But now that she and Tom discovered they had another child on the way, and because she knew why he was behaving as he was, she was determined to endure.

Because Tom was determined to cause as much destruction as possible, he had begun terrorizing Muggles and making life miserable for as many Witches and Wizards as he could. He had destroyed property, interrupted rituals, and blocked goods and services wherever he could.

But what he intended to do today left Hermione literally terrified. Today, Tom intended to beard the lion in his den. He was about to plant a Horcrux in the Room of Requirement. This was a Horcrux that was outside of Hermione's own memory, but which had been mentioned by Minerva McGonagall, and so they did not expect Dumbledore to be aware of it.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Tom?" Hermione asked worriedly as she wrapped him into her arms. "What if he decides to kill you instead of keeping all the events the same? Edmond suggested as much, you know."

"He certainly could try," Tom scoffed. "But I don't think he would be so foolish. He would know that it wouldn't work. Don't worry, my love, you won't be losing me this day."

"It's just that you were supposed to ask Dippet for the teaching job and you got turned down right out of school. And after Hepzibah's death you're supposed to disappear. If you show up at Hogwarts right now you could ruin his entire plan. That's sure to make him angry, don't you think?"

"None of this is going to be according to his plans, love," he said. "That's the whole point. If he wants a war with a formidable enemy, that's what he's going to get."

"Just be careful, Lord Voldemort," she whispered. "Don't become the creature I once fought to stop. Don't let the Tom I love die."

"Hush," he said as he kissed her soundly. "I will never let that happen."

With that, Tom Apparated away, leaving Hermione and all of his followers to wait for his return. She turned around after a few moments and looked directly into Abraxas' eyes.

"If he's not back by nightfall, we're going after him," she said.

)0(

"What a fool you are, Tom, coming to Hogwarts with that thing," scoffed Dumbeldore as he paced around his bound form, pointing an accusing finger in the direction of the Horcruxed diadem he'd tossed aside on the floor. "Really, when Dippet let it slip that you were here looking for a job, I knew precisely what you must really want. Did you think just because I cannot kill you that I would do nothing at all about your presence?" "Actually, old man, I was counting on it," said Lord Voldemort with a malevolent smile.

"What do you mean, Tom?" he asked. "What could you possibly do to me?"

"Me, personally?" he asked with a smirk. "I won't bother. But there's someone else I can think of who may just want to do a great deal more than that."

"Talking in riddles again—Riddle?"

Horace Slughorn walked into the room, staring at Dumbledore with a rather feral look in his usually jovial eyes. "I think he's talking about me, sir," he said as he held up a vial of some concoction in his hand.

"What is that, Horace?" Albus laughed.

"It's Tom's potion for combining Horcruxes, actually," he smirked. "He's helped me with the final touches."

"And what do you think you're going to do with it?" Albus wanted to know.

"We're going to put All of Grindelwald back inside of you, of course," he smirked.

"You two? You and what army?"

"As to that, my army will probably be here any second, sir," said Tom. "At least they will if I know Hermione."

"You know me very well, love," said Hermione as she and several knights stepped into the room as well, along with Minerva McGonagall and several Ministry officials.

"What's going on in here?" demanded the Auror.

"This young wizard is Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said quickly. "You must arrest both him and his conspirator, Horace Slughorn, at once!"

"Not his time, Albus," said Minerva with a smug smile. "Miss Granger has given the Ministry all of her memories. You're not going anywhere."

"Now that is where you're wrong," said Albus as he smirked at all of them. "I can go anywhere, and I can be anyone I please. Nothing can stop me now."

With a snap of his fingers, the wizard was gone, leaving everyone in the room staring uncertainly at each other.

"Well, I suppose Mr. Riddle and his army now have their work cut out for them," said the Auror. "Come along, all of you. We'll sort everything out at the Ministry."

"And leave the trail till it's cold?" protested Tom as he broke free of the binding spell he hadn't truly been concerned with. "I don't think so. Dumbledore asked for an epic battle. I'm about to give him one."

"I hope you know what you're doing, Tom," Minerva told him. "I don't know if I can rescue you again."

"No, Nerve, I'm about to rescue you," he corrected. "I'm about to rescue the world."