AN
Last chapter / Epilogue
That's it, folks!
1967
The village was quiet in the early hours of dawn. Not even the bakers were up when Naenia concluded her walk and returned to the graveyard next to which her house stood. The pastor was still out of town and most of the village people still did not talk to her, so she did not resent her unwanted visitor – even if it was Dumbledore and she had never come to like the man.
She had noticed him the moment he had apparated to the outskirts of her little village, but not bothered to cut her walk short. He had come unannounced, so he could not begrudge her the wait. Her Inferi had not let him in and could Naenia see him from afar, standing patiently on her doorstep and watching her approach.
His hair was fully grey now and his beard longer than she had ever seen it. He wore purple robes under his dark cloak that would have cause quiet the stir, had the villagers not been asleep still.
Naenia nodded at the old man and wordlessly let him inside, where she gestured for Perseus to take his travelling cloak.
"Would you like a cup of tea?" Naenia asked.
"That would be nice, thank you," Dumbledore answered.
Perseus bowed and disappeared to the kitchens, followed by the old man's wary eyes.
"One of my most treasured Inferi," Naenia said. "I only kept three of them when I moved out."
"I see," Dumbledore said gravely, but didn't comment further.
He had, apparently, not come to discuss Naenia's use of the Forbidden Arts today. But she had already suspected as much.
Naenia led him into her living room where a tray with two cups and a pot full of freshly brewed tea already awaited them.
"Am I correct to assume your visit has to do with the recent disappearance of a certain wizard?"
Dumbledore settled into one of the armchairs and sighed deeply. "That is correct, Ms Lémure. I shall come straight to the point, then, as I am sure you will appreciate that. I fear that the disappearance of Lord Gaunt is a sign for something greater, more sinister – something he has been planning for quite a while now."
"Oh?" Naenia raised one of her eyebrows, offering a cup of tea to Dumbledore, before pouring one for herself.
"Lord Gaunt has always presented himself as a charming and handsome, but also very powerful individual," he said.
Naenia found it interesting that he did not use his first name, but decided not to comment on it.
"He has half the Ministry under his control," Dumbledore continued. "The Minister for Magic, himself, is one of his most loyal followers. He has delved deeper into the Darkest of Magics than anyone else. He has seen and learned what has been forgotten to most of our kind. He knows of the Old Magics and he is on a search for the Deathly Hallows to become the true Master of Death once and for all."
Because gaining true respect and creating several Horcruxes had still not been enough. Because nothing would ever be enough for Tom Riddle, the poor orphan boy who feared Death – or Marvolo Gaunt, as he called himself these days.
"No one can be the Master of Death," Naenia said. "Death is inevitable and Death conquers all."
And Tom was only after the Elder Wand, anyway.
"On that, Ms Lémure, we agree."
"You are asking me to step in and stop whatever it is he is doing," she said evenly and watched him nod, "but I cannot do that."
"And why is that? Surely you can see the importance of this – he may not have declared war against us, yet, but the crimes he has already committed are undeniable, even if there is no evidence pointing towards him. Someone has to stop him."
"And why are you not doing so, yourself?"
"Ms Lémure, with all due respect, do you not think that this task should fall on your shoulders and yours alone?"
Naenia smiled ruefully. "You might be right, yet I still can't." She sighed and leaned back, closing her eyes. "I cannot act against him."
He frowned. "Why not? Are you not more powerful than him?"
"Maybe," Naenia said with tight lips. "Maybe not. It does not matter."
"No, it really doesn't. You are immortal after all," he said, giving her a pointed look.
It was the eyes, always the eyes. And Naenia hadn't even opened them again, yet. But she could see his expression nonetheless, because Marin was lying on the mantlepiece of her fireplace and watching the old man carefully.
"That is not it," Naenia said.
"Then what is?"
She finally opened her eyes. Looked at him. Let him see the pain she was feeling.
"I cannot fight Tom, because, even after everything that has happened, that he has done, I still love him dearly."
"You love him," Dumbledore said tonelessly. "You refuse to go against him, refuse to fight him, are willing to let get away with his insane plans. And you are doing it out of love?"
"Have you not done the same in the past?" Naenia replied sardonically. "When you sat idly by as Grindelwald waged war against the world."
Dumbledore heaved a deep sigh. "I will not deny the truth, even though I cannot help but wonder how you came to know about this. It was a grave mistake that I regret to this day. You should not repeat the same mistakes I did, Ms Lémure. Especially not for someone you harbour no true love for."
"I do love him," she said in a clear voice. "As a friend, I do. Because love, even platonic, is such a strong and powerful emotion. Were I to fight him, it would break both our hearts."
It was something she had always struggled to understand, but it was the truth. She realized that now.
It had taken her so long. Her friends had died in front of her eyes. One at the hand of the one she cared for the most in her life and the other because of him. He had taken everyone she cared about from her. Perseus was dead. So was Amelia. Nott and Lestrange were part of his inner circle, two of his most loyal followers. Tom himself was forever out of her reach. Because had put himself there.
"Tom Riddle does not have a heart," Dumbledore said. "And he certainly would not hesitate to fight you."
"No, he wouldn't," Naenia admitted, because she knew it was the truth. "But it would still break his heart."
She put down her empty cup of tea and then looked him straight in the eyes.
"Amelia," she said and Dumbledore's eyes widened in recognition when all of her Inferi stepped forth, out of the shadows and into the light.
"Amelia Blythe," he said. "Emery Longbottom." He looked at Perseus, taking a moment to study his face. "Perseus Black."
"Her name," she said quietly, "is Amelia Longbottom."
And so Naenia showed Dumbledore her Inferi, so he may understand the pain Tom had caused her – he had killed her friend Perseus Black, driven Amelia into suicide and performed the Killing Curse on Naenia, calling it 'his last gift to her'.
She looked at Dumbledore and told him that she couldn't.
'She understood now,' she said, and that 'she could not condone his behaviour, but she would not stand in his way either. That was for the living to do.'
And he looked at her and he knew – he saw it in her eyes and felt it in the magic running through her veins, protecting her flesh from rot and decay.
"It saddens me deeply to hear your decision, but it is ultimately still your choice," he said eventually, his voice full of disappointment and his expression grave. "I will not try to convince you otherwise, but I still hope that you will reconsider. Do not make the same mistakes I did."
"I am dead, Professor," Naenia simply said.
He nodded and then rose from his seat, but his eyes lingered on where her hand was resting on one of the armrests, the golden ring on her left ring finger clearly visibly for all to see.
AN
Again, art of Tom & Naenia in the cave + Dumbledore and Naenia in her living room:
something-rotten tumblr com/post/654163480576983040/tom-and-naenia-in-the-cave-from-chapter-40-of
Tom specifically adjusted that ring to fit on her ring finger. (Most likely before he turned it into a Horcrux.)
This could also have gone in a totally different direction – for example: Naenia throws all her beliefs over board, they marry, she shows Tom her secrets and then they commit suicide, but only Naenia is granted immortality. It's a fun thought to play with, but not exactly in-character…
And that's it. We're done.
Thank you, everyone, for reading and leaving reviews!
The Story Continues…
Go to my profile for further details.
Parts 2 & 3 of the Old Magics series are sequels taking place in Harry's era. Part 2 is: Blue of Blood.
If you want to see a happy ending for Tom and his Necromancer and skip Harry's Era, Part 4 / the Epilogue for the entire series is: Over a Cup of Tea [Oneshot]
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Alternatively, part 2 of memento mori is a one-shot about a possible future where Naenia picks up Tom's shade and baby Harry on that fateful Halloween night: It Takes a Village [Oneshot]
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If you would like to read an AU of this story with a 'murder is totally fine' Naenia, then part 3 of memento mori might be for you: A Murder of Crows