"Hey, you! You're finally awake. You were trying to cross the border, right?
Border? What border?
"The border between the muggle and magical territories, of course. The Albanian Ministry had that border drawn for security. You were stumbling your way into town when I saw you. Glad I fetched you when I did. You looked as if you had been left to hang from the gallows, but apparently, you were just magically-disoriented. I couldn't possibly let those zauberlose examine you when I am perfectly present now, could I?"
Hanged from the gallows? It felt more like he was sitting on an uncomfortable carriage travelling down a rocky road, honestly.
Tom vaguely felt his own head resting on his palms as he struggled to gain his agency. His head still hurt. How long has it been? Who was this person talking to him? He has a slight German accent. Zauberlose? That's the German term for muggles. He talks too much. He felt as if a savage storm had swept through his mind and he was standing before the aftermath, just starting to clean things up.
"I'm hungry," were the first words Tom was able to say coherently, and the stranger graciously served him a bowl of soup with generous portions of small-cut meat and vegetables for easy digestion.
It took a few more hours, but he was able to gather his thoughts enough to finally comprehend the situation he had unconsciously gotten himself into.
"My name is Dr. Hans Schugel," the older wizard across the table introduced himself with a broad grin, and Tom tried not to hiss at the use of the muggle title. When asked, Schugel gladly let out a whole spiel about his woe of the wizarding world not having an acceptable professional title for his wide range of expertise.
Usually, he would instantly be irritated by another person's ramblings, but Tom was feeling more lenient as he used the older wizard's words as a measure of how much clarity he's finally gaining. It also allowed him to confirm the wizard's main profession as a healer.
"What is it?" Tom asked after Schugel finished casting his diagnostics on him. The soup sat heavy in his stomach, yet he was still feeling a bit peckish.
The older wizard hummed curiously, "I would like to check one more thing- can you please hold out your hand?"
Tom didn't trust this stranger, but he needed to know if there was something wrong with him. Based on some of the diagnostic spells he recognized earlier, his expert claims did notseem to be without merit.
He held out his hand cautiously, and through obvious years of practice, the self-proclaimed doctor held it palm-up as if he was reading his palm lines. Except Schugel was staring straight at him, and beyond him, at the same time.
His monocle caught the sunlight that streamed from the nearby window of the doctor's hut.
Both men leaned back on their respective chairs once Schugel finished. While Tom stared at him with expectant caution, the other wizard merely steepled his fingers together and hummed loudly in thought.
"If you are curious about your overall physical health, then as long as you continue to eat a proper meal and drink water for the next few days, then you'll be back into shape in no time," the good doctor's grey eyes stared at him piercingly, "You were obviously subjected to instantaneous starvation for more than a week."
9 days and 9 nights, to be exact. Tom reflected. He was stuck in that hollow tree, bombarded with an influx of knowledge without a single morsel of food nor drop of water. No wonder he felt so hungry.
"What else?" Tom asked sharply.
The good doctor had the gall to look at him innocently, "Now why should I tell you?"
"I would expect a healer would grace all of their findings to their patient."
The doctor smiled, with a mischievous glint in his grey eyes, "Ah but that would be under the terms of a mutual transaction. I did not ask for any compensation when you already rested in my home and ate my food."
"I did not ask you to do such things."
"Yet you accepted them graciously, and you still ask for more," he bellowed out a laugh as if he thought the situation was truly funny.
Tom's expression darkened, irritated from the ridicule, "Aren't healers sworn to aid an ailing person indiscriminately?"
"I suppose that answers why you woke up in a humble home, instead of a hospital or practicing clinic then."
Faster and swifter than a snake, the doctor merely blinked and Tom was instantly looming over him like an ominous shadow with his wand at his throat.
"That wasn't a request, doctor ," he spat. His eyes glowed terrifyingly red.
"My, how hot-blooded," the older wizard kept smiling despite the bead of sweat that trickled the side of his face, "I've gotten the feeling that you are quite the character the moment I saw you."
"I assure you; you would regret witnessing my true character if you continue to keep up with this charade. Tell me now while I am feeling merciful, or I will force it out of you."
"Ah! But even if you are able to force me to tell you, I highly doubt you would be able to understand what I saw."
Tom snorted, "Try me."
"If you insist! I am never one to shy from testing a subject's full capabilities," the doctor actually beamed, and this odd behavior took Tom aback for a moment. But before he could enforce himself, the older wizard tapped his monocle with a finger and continued, "But before we begin our session, I have a very important question to ask you- and it is best that you answer honestly, for it truly is related with your… unique condition. Are you perhaps suffering from any heart problems?"
"Huh?"
Dear Hermione,
I'm sorry but I'm afraid I cannot meet with you this week. I'm making great progress with one of my side projects that I thought I had hit a wall with. I don't wish to be disturbed unless it's an emergency. You understand. I'm also not sure when I will be available next.
I will owl you when I can.
Take care,
H
"What's wrong, mother? You look a bit upset."
Hermione turned her frowning expression to her son blissfully eating his sandwich.
"I received a letter from Hector… this is the third time he's postponing our meeting."
"Oh, did he say why?"
She shook her head, "The same thing as last time, he said he's doing great progress on his side project and doesn't want to be disturbed."
He hummed, "Hadn't mother also sent letters to postpone meetings before, because you're also busy doing something? Knowing grandfather's personality, I wouldn't be surprised if he's also the same."
"Grandfather?" her eyes widened.
Alduin gave her a sheepish smile, "I know that Mr. and Mrs. de Sena dote on me, but Sir Hector has been with us ever since I was a baby, and mother also trusts him the most, right? I've been thinking about calling him that the next time I see him. Do you think he'll mind?"
"I believe he would like that very much, Al," even though her smile was warm, Hermione couldn't help the nagging feeling inside her. Her son had a point, this wouldn't be the first time they postponed their meetings for whatever reason.
' But why do I get the bad feeling that Hector's avoiding me?'
The door opened and Tom let himself in without so much as a knock.
"Good morning, father," Alduin greeted.
Tom nodded, "Good morning."
"Back again?" Hermione said without heat.
He shrugged as he joined them at the table, "Breakfast."
Hermione shook her head as she resumed with her own breakfast. She half-listened to her son and his father chatting about his training. So far, despite the expected aches he felt after every session, Alduin seemed to be genuinely enjoying the exercises. She trusted her son when he said Mr. Rosier was a decent instructor. He didn't overly praise nor mock and criticize without cause, and Alduin took every criticism like a champ in his own desire to improve.
Although… every once in a while, Hermione would catch Tom staring at her. It wasn't the first time he had done so, but her intuition told her there was something different in this stare of his. For now, she chose to ignore it.
"And you know the three primary laws of the island by now, right?" Tom inquired.
"Yes father," Alduin nodded and listed said laws with each finger, "The creation, sale, and use of the love potion- Amortentia is extremely prohibited, no one is allowed to venture to the other half of the island (which is beyond the crater) without your explicit permission, and last but not least, anyone who causes a disturbance during a Night of Astron will be punished with extreme prejudice."
"Good," Tom nodded in approval.
"But father, while I understand banning a nasty love potion, can you please explain the other two? I'm especially curious what the Night of Astron is! Is it some sort of festival?"
"You could say that," he paused for a moment, "I shall tell you someday, but not right now."
"Oh, then could you at least tell me why you chose the name Midgardsormr? Don't you think Jormungandr rolls off the tongue better?"
"Because Jormungandr means big monster, whereas Midgardsormr means world serpent. While they're both the names of the same creature, the latter sounds a bit more… friendly, don't you agree?"
"Touche."
"Furthermore, I already gave the name Jormungandr to one of my ships."
Silence passed over them, and they were all just about finished with their meals when Hermione chose that moment to speak.
"Tom, are you free today?" she asked, earning two pairs of dark eyes, "I'd like to take you somewhere."
"I do believe I have some free time today," his tongue flicked up to his upper lip. When it seemed that she wasn't going to elaborate further, he teased with a debonair smile, "It's a date then."
Hermione choked on her tea and Alduin dropped his sandwich on his plate as his wide eyes snapped at his father.
"I want to come too!" the young ravenhead raised his hand up high.
"It's a date, Alduin, you can't come along. Besides, don't you have training today?"
"I don't think Mr. Rosier will mind, or… you could wait for me?"
"You are not neglecting your training," Tom scowled and Alduin scowled back before whipping his head around to his recovering mother.
"Pleaseee mother? Can't I join you today?" he pleaded, eyes wide and lips pouting with that signature puppy-dog face.
"Alduin…" she glared at her husband, "We are not going on a date."
"But where will you be going?"
"Yes dear, do enlighten us," Tom added, his amused smirk hidden behind his cup.
Hermione sighed exasperatedly, "We're just going to the bank."
"The bank? Ohhh… lamb chops," Alduin's look of confusion instantly morphed with his mischievous grin. His eyes sparkled in distant interest as his tongue slipped out to lick his lips at the thought of a tasty morsel. Then, as if he wasn't about to go toe to toe with his own father in protest, he grabbed his sandwich and happily beamed at them. "Alright then, you two have fun!"
While Tom blinked confusedly at Hermione for the boy's sudden change in behavior, she just shook her head at him.
They finished their breakfast without much fanfare. Alduin kissed his mother and waved to his father goodbye as he held his own pocketknife portkey to Skyborne. It took no effort at all for the boy to send a bit of his magic and be transported to his father's office. There, Yril and Rosier would be waiting outside the office for him to resume his training.
"Shall we?" Hermione asked as she donned on her coat.
"Will we apparate there?" Tom asked as he did the same.
"No need for that."
She approached her door with Tom on her heels. She could feel his curious gaze as she grabbed onto her doorknob. Instead of opening it, she pulled the knob till it distended for an inch. Then she turned it in a specific set of turns- thrice clockwise, once counter-clockwise, two more times clockwise, and five times counter-clockwise. Once done, she pushed the knob back in its rosette and the door before them changed in appearance. What was once a door made of dark wood suddenly became a bleached four-panel door.
"Fascinating," Tom commented, eyes once again breaking down the machinations of her door.
When Hermione finally opened the door, they found themselves in an entirely different corridor.
"Where are we now?"
"Athens."
Tom remained silent as he followed closely beside her. It was a short trek from the apartment to their destination.
"The Arch of Hadrian," Hermione gestured to one of Greece's famous landmarks.
Through muggle eyes, the arch looked nothing more than a piece of ancient history, but for all magicfolk, a steady stream of foot traffic freely entered and exited from the arch as they would for any building.
"The wards used is supposed to be similar to the one at Platform Nine and Three-Quarters," she informed to which Tom just hummed in acknowledgement.
Muggles passing by remained oblivious as wizards and witches pass through the arch only to disappear before they could fully cross to the other side.
Tom and Hermione followed after another couple, and the moment their feet passed through the archway, they suddenly found themselves inside a massive building. With a high ceiling held up by columns painted in Athenian blue and gold, moving sculpted panoramas depicting various magical Grecian beasts overlooked the mosaic floor, where the image of the serpentine Colchian dragon slithered freely beneath people's feet. At the center of the large lobby were sets of sunken seating areas occupied by waiting wizards and witches. While those who weren't sitting or moving around were standing in queues in front of alcoves spread along the walls. Each had a pair of warrior statues carrying different types of weapons. Those that did not display some piece of work of art were occupied by desks and a very peculiar creature behind it.
"Welcome! Welcome to the Bank of Midas, baa! Where your wealth is not only safe, but grows in our hands. How may I help you today, baa?"
"Greetings, baa. Here to make a new account?"
"Of course we would happily take your deposit, sir, baa!"
"If you are starting a new business, baa, might I interest you in taking a loan, baa?"
" Baa, perhaps you might be interested in starting up an account for your child, ma'am? Our Little Lamb Savers Club is made just for the little ones!"
Caprinae. Magical creatures that appear like any member of the caprine family. They can stand on their two back hooves, and have heights that vary between 3 to 4 feet. They appear round due to their thick coats, and while they do not wear any sort of footwear, they donned clothing that mimicked Grecian-style wizarding robes. But their most distinguishing feature were the horns growing atop their heads. Whether curly or pointed, or decorated by fancy accessories or simply filed and waxed, no two caprinae have the same style of horns. To the caprinae, their horns are basis of an individual's beauty and character.
It was one of these caprinae that eventually stood before the Granger-Riddle pair. This one resembled more like a sheep with a thick mass of curly white wool sticking out of the collar. Yet a pair of smooth horns curling downwards crowned their head. Two gold rings decorated the right horn while the left was kept bare. This caprinae also had a distinct female voice, "Welcome my lady, and guest . We're ever so pleased to see you here, baa!"
"Hullo," Hermione greeted back, "I have set up an appointment with your Chief Treasurer."
"Of course, baa. Please come this way, he has been expecting you."
They followed the caprinae towards the end of the lobby where a large tree bearing the logo of the Bank of Midas stood within a habitat of perpetual blue skies. If one looked closely, one could catch the glimpse of a winged, golden fleece in its canopy. As they approached, the caprinae waved a gloved hand and one of the front roots of the tree parted to reveal a golden door.
"Before we proceed further in, customers should wear their gloves provided by the bank, if they have one baa, for identification and security purposes."
Hermione did as instructed and took out a pure white glove with an image of a golden ram's head from her bag. Whereas Gringotts had keys for their clients, the Bank of Midas have gloves in true thematic consistency.
"You have an account here too?" Hermione wondered aloud when she saw Tom took out a similar glove from his inner coat pocket.
"Of course," his lips quirked up into a knowing smirk.
Behind the golden double doors was a forested area with towering trees reaching up to the eternal sky, as if they were actually outside and not in a magical bank. Though everything around them resembled a forest, beneath their feet was a golden brick road that led all the way to another door on the other end.
The sound of chirping birds, the scent of leaves and soil, filled their senses as every once in a while, the Colchian dragon would flick its three tongues and peer at them from between the thick trunks to observe them as a guard.
"Right this way please," the caprinae gestured as she opened the door. She did not follow inside and instead closed the door behind them.
"Ah! Lady Hermione!" Sitting behind a tall desk inside a classical Greek-inspired office, was the Chief Treasurer of the bank. However, unlike the caprinae they saw at the lobby, the chief was tall, of at least ten feet, with two sets of twisting thorns decorated by golden chains and precious stones attached to one another. His hands were bare, hairy, and without nails as he spread them wide to welcome the couple. "And if it isn't Lord Voldemort! My, what a pleasant surprise!"
"Corxus," Tom inclined his head in greeting.
"May I offer you two some refreshments, some tea perhaps?" Similar to the other caprinae, Corxus was very welcoming, and while his voice was deep, he did not bleat like the others.
"Tea is fine," Tom answered.
"Then please sit anywhere you like," the tall beast gestured to the set of sofa at the center of the room in front of the desk. His long, flowing white and gold robes made him appear as if he was gliding as he went to one side of the office to fix their tea.
"How do you know Corxus?" Hermione asked the moment they sat down. Her mouth slightly parted at the revelation.
"The Bank of Midas is the primary bank of Skyborne," he answered casually, sitting beside her with that amused glint in his eye. "Oh don't look at me like that, dear, there hasn't been an opportunity to tell you about the island's banking sector. Besides, their branch is currently undergoing construction for renovation and expansion."
"I- but why this bank specifically, and not Gringotts? No offense, Corxus," she shot the Chief Treasurer, and the caprinae only smiled in understanding.
"None taken, my lady."
"Well, Gringotts was the natural first choice," Tom answered, "but the goblins demanded something I wasn't willing to give for any offer. Specifically, they wanted a large portion of the island's underground to use for their extensive vault system."
"And you didn't want them to construct their underground system because…?"
"Apart from the fact that the island's aquifer is located underground and is protected by powerful magic," he held up two fingers, "Primary law number two."
Hermione blinked in recollection, "No one is allowed to venture to the other half of the island without your explicit permission."
He nodded, "Simply put, I don't want anyone or anything disturbing that part of the island."
"Why?"
"If you're good, I might tell you someday. Just know that whatever is over there is my business, therefore none of your concern."
She sniffed, "Fine. And the bank?"
"I heard that the only wizarding bank daring to compete with Gringotts was suddenly gaining traction. I arranged a meeting with Corxus as soon as I could. Fortunately, the caprinae are more reasonable than goblins."
"Why thank you, my lord. Unlike us, goblins never truly know how to value gold. The hoarders they are," Corxus snorted as he brought them their tea. His large hands dwarfed the tray and tea set he prepared, yet he handled each fine china with practiced ease. He settled himself back on the large chair behind his desk, "No, we caprinae know that wealth should be grown and moved. It shouldn't be kept in some vault to be left to collect dust! And unlike goblins, we caprinae held no animosity towards magicfolk. Therefore, we are more than willing to cooperate with you. Especially when given such a tantalizing offer like Lord Voldemort presented."
"I immediately placed them in charge of the island's banking sector, and while I still managed to strike a small deal with Gringotts, the Bank of Midas will be Skyborne's priority, and all those who have a fleece in Midas will be granted plenty of incentives," said Tom.
Corxus added, "Not to mention, we caprinae don't need such an unrefined storage system. Our magic can turn knuts, sickles, and galleons into fine strands which we then turn to fleece. Our security is also top-notch thanks to our close relationship with the Colchian dragon, unlike the goblins who had to enslave one," he grumbled, "and only a caprinae can revert the fleece back into actual money. But of course, the lady knows all of this already."
Tom set down his cup after taking a few sips of his tea, before fixing his gaze towards Hermione, "And now I believe it is your turn to explain how you knew Corxus, wife."
Corxus' ears fluttered in delight instead of overtly reacting to the revelation.
"Huh…" Hermione sighed, once again floored at how extensive Voldemort's influence became compared to her previous life's. "It's actually the reason why I brought you here, as my part of our agreement. Corxus, if you please?"
"Of course, my lady." The Chief Treasurer donned on a pair of golden gloves before holding them out. His hands and fingers flowed about in the air in an unrecognizable pattern as gold particles gathered from thin air into the space in front the Granger-Riddle couple.
"The golden fleece?" Tom frowned once the gold dust stopped gathering and turned into the very item of legend in the Greek myth.
"Usually, those who wish to access their account will be presented with their fleece and a ledger that kept a record of their transaction history. However, for Lady Hermione, I'm afraid we could only present you an image of her fleece or else the Colchian dragon himself would throw quite a fit for attempting to bring down the entire fleece from its tree. Instead, please feel free to look through the lady's ledger."
A thick tome floated from Corxus' desk to Hermione's hand. She opened it to the last entry, which was a withdrawal of 1,000 galleons, 500 sickles, and 100 knuts, before handing it off to Tom.
Dark eyes widened the second he saw her remaining balance. It wasn't an extreme reaction, but it was a great expression nonetheless, especially from someone such as Tom Riddle. Hermione was so used to his micro-expressions at this point that this sight surprised her as well.
She swore to sear this image into her mind palace no matter how brief it was.
Tom carefully closed the ledger and asked, "How?"
Corxus answered, "Mostly thanks to my lady's multiple returns of fruitful investments, but the biggest contribution is the capital return per annum from the bank itself. For you see, my lord, the Bank of Midas will forever be in debt to Lady Hermione Jean Granger."
"I was the one who told Corxus about a large gold vein near the northern mountains," Hermione admitted before sipping her own tea.
"The Grecian Gold Rush of '53," Tom recalled.
Hermione nodded in confirmation. Back in her previous life, the Bank of Midas had already existed, but they weren't as prominent as Gringotts in the wizarding world and mostly served the magicfolk of the Mediterranean region. She was familiar with them because Mrs. Reicher also had an account in that bank; something that she eventually had to manage once the old witch trusted her enough with more responsibilities regarding her assets.
It was two years after she went under Mrs. Reicher's wing did news broke out about an immensely large gold deposit found in the northern part of Greece. Discovered only recently because it was hidden by natural magic that prevented detection. The Bank of Midas did their best to lay claim over the deposit but Gringotts' power and influence was just too immense and the deposit eventually fell into their hands.
Upon awakening in her new life and realizing that she needed money to take care of herself and her newborn son, she begged Hector (using his name and existing account) to help her gain an audience with Corxus and tip him off about the gold deposit. Her previous experiences with goblins may have greatly influenced her decision to choose Midas over Gringotts, but she also knew the caprinae would honor their debt to her in saving and giving the Bank of Midas a greater foothold in the wizarding world than the goblins.
"How did you know about the deposit's existence?" his dark eyes were hungry for information.
"That is my business and therefore none of your concern," she returned, "What you only need to know is that this is my source of income, apart from the curse-breaking and potion-crafting commissions I get from time to time, which you already knew."
"Fine," he relented, dissatisfied.
"If I may, my lord and lady," Corxus began, "Since it occurred to me that you two are a married couple, are you perhaps also here to make some arrangements in your accounts? My lord also has yet to add a beneficiary to his fleece."
A look passed between Tom and Hermione at the suggestion.
"We actually haven't discussed things that far," Hermione admitted.
"Oh, I see," the caprinae's ears flopped down in obvious disappointment, "Then how about a quick edit to your names? This way, we could easily link your fleeces in case you make any joint transactions in the future. Shall I rename the lady's last name to Riddle as well?"
"No."
"Yes."
Hermione and Tom answered in unison.
She glared up at her husband, "Our marriage rite doesn't work like a conventional rite."
Tom snorted, "Of course not. Technically, you can still use your Granger last name as you wish, but for ease in legality, you will have to use Riddle." He informed Corxus, "We decided to share our names."
"My! How romantic!" the caprinae's ears fluttered once more in delight.
Hermione frowned. What Tom said wasn't wrong. Sharing their last names was an explicit declaration of the express equality in their relationship. Alduin would also beholden to this. Since the rite focused solely on the couple, when it came to their son, he would have to carry his father's last name. For example, while Alduin can preferably call himself, and be called by others, as Granger-Riddle, if he ever decides to marry in the future, his last name would revert to only Riddle so his bride would adopt the name as well.
"I suppose…" Hermione relented after a bit of rumination. Linking their fleeces would not affect their individual accounts anyway.
A round of talks later and Hermione and Tom found themselves blinking beneath the sunlight outside the Arch of Hadrian once more.
"Well, that's that," she broke the silence. Beside her, Tom was wearing that practiced smile on his face, and he was looking at her in that weird way again. To which she scowled at in reflexive response. Seeing her immediate change in expression, his features dropped like a slipped mask. His face, albeit looking more bored and impassive, was definitely more relaxed. Nevertheless, it did not lessen the intensity in his dark eyes. Hermione, whether she realized it or not, found this aloof expression much preferable, and her inhibitions slacked in return.
"I suppose that answers why you never asked for monetary support for Alduin, or yourself," he said.
"Yes. I was fortunate to have the tides turn in my favor, though I had a friend who helped me along the way," she bit her lip before adding softly, "I didn't always have this sort of luxury. When Alduin was born, I didn't have a single knut in my pocket."
Or any pocket at all.
Black brows furrowed, "Didn't you have a family?"
She shook her head sadly, "I had nothing left."
"Why didn't you try to find me sooner then?"
"Mind you I never had any intention of finding you. Besides, I didn't know where you were."
A moment of silence passed over them. Of mutual understanding to honesty, yet juxtaposed with suspicion of half-truths.
Hermione sighed, "Though in the beginning, it still took some effort in my part. Alduin needed constant attention, and the easiest way I could earn money with little effort is by appraising artefacts."
Tom hummed, "I, too, started by handling magical artefacts."
"So I've heard."
"But I never let such a means come to last. Like you, the tides eventually turned in my favor, and also thanks to some companions along the way." He paused for a moment, "When I was a boy, I had to carefully manage my money from the smallest pence and knut I had. Now, I move millions of galleons in a blink of an eye. I have more money than I know what to do with; I'd want for nothing for as long as I live."
And he'd make sure it would be a very long life to live.
Hermione stared at him carefully, his expression ever impassive even amidst his reminiscence.
"Professor Slughorn mentioned that you had humble beginnings."
He snapped a glare down at her, "Do not pity me."
"I don't," she answered back sharply, "But it makes me realize that you've come a long way. I'm not so petty as to not acknowledge something that's praiseworthy when it's in front of me. If I have to be completely honest, it is… enlightening."
His glare softened.
Perhaps it began after their last duel, or even the moment she learned about Skyborne, but somewhere around that time, her pre-drawn image about this man had shattered. For the last few days, she had more questions than she never thought would think of. She wondered. She doubted. The smoke over her eyes faded.
Before she knew it, the metaphorical glass full of precognitive water about a man named Tom Marvolo Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, was suddenly half-empty.
"Do you have any other plans for today?" Tom asked.
"Not really- though I would like to go back to Skyborne… and perhaps meet with Alduin later for lunch," she hastily added in the end.
"Leave the boy be. I gave him permission to explore the crater, provided he behaved himself.," he offered his arm.
"Where to?" she asked, hooking her own around his after a moment's pause.
"Somewhere with a little bit more privacy."
.
It was hard to believe this place was once a hub of chaos.
The smatterings of colorful plants were beautiful against the mostly red roofs of Skyborne's homes and structures. Whatever created the crater this port town had built itself in, it had created a nearly perfect circle that, from her vantage point, could fittingly classify Skyborne as a crescent island. Not to mention the evergreen that blanketed the unbroken half of the island, which made a picturesque view with the eternal blue of the sky and ocean over the horizon.
Would anyone believe her if she said this beautiful place was created by a dark wizard? Would anyone listen if she said this was built by Lord Voldemort? The monster who destroyed everything he touched and the cause of her damnation? How would Harry react, most of all?
How does one set aside their animosity towards another? Especially if such a grudge was well-founded for?
Did it help that she had never truly seen the monster that once was? Perhaps. Hermione, by all accounts, had never truly interacted with either Tom or Voldemort. Merely one of the most-suffered victims of his wave of terror as part of the vanguard.
Still, Hermione was no fool. The remnants of the past-future carried through to the present-past. Just as she swore, she could never forget. But she also knew it was not absolute.
Remnants. Fragments. Shards. Were mere reflections. And she knew, that a glass that is full, will never spill what once filled it, no matter how much fresh, clear water is poured into it.
"Hermione."
"Hm?" she blinked rapidly away from the view of Skyborne Crater.
Tom, ever the gentleman, had transfigured his coat into a large blanket for them to lie on after he had brought them to the highest point of the crater's rim.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing," she shook her head, "I just suddenly had a weird sense of déjà vu."
He patted on the blanket beside him, and Hermione sat on a spot with a companionable distance between them.
For a moment, they remained silent as they both took in the perfect view of the town below.
"I heard you've been asking questions," Tom began, "About how I run my business, and interviewed some of the locals and children."
"Would you blame me? I've only ever heard of Midgardsormr, but never about its island."
"It was a necessary measure. My priority are the employees of my company. While I had expected the island's population to grow overtime, I also needed to be careful about a population boom. Not to mention, the establishment of the primary laws is most important. It is far easier for immigrants to follow if the culture and practices of the land have been integrated with its current residents. I don't particularly care where people originally came from. It is mandatory to follow my laws, especially the primary three, and I will not take no for an answer," Tom turned to her, "What have you learned that caught your attention the most?"
"Well, it will have to be that there is no restriction for the use magic. Children, even underage, do not have the trace and are even encouraged to practice freely," Hermione took a deep breath, "This place- if I were to guess- is the only place in the entire world that is purely a magical territory. A place where people and creatures, could freely use magic without having to hide their powers at any time, place, or occasion, or fear of being discovered by muggles. In Skyborne, no one has to tip-toe around of exposing the wizarding world."
"That is the plan," he said a-matter-of-factly, "As someone who traveled frequently, you should know, that no matter which country you go to, no matter how dense the wizarding community you visit, or no matter how remote the area is, restrictions on magic will always be in place. Cast a simple spell in a wrong place at a wrong time, and you will immediately be charged and tried for exposing our world. When I was a boy, I had hoped such a place of complete magical freedom existed. Sadly, there was none. So, I went ahead and created one myself."
"It's truly impressive," she admitted, "I noticed that you have a penchant of creating things… but I also heard that people were looking forward to see you in the UK's Ministry of Magic years ago."
He snorted, "Is that another tidbit from Slughorn?"
"Perhaps. He was a bit disappointed you didn't pursue politics," she led. She was very much curious about this too.
"Many were. While I am not shy to sit on positions of authority, I am no show-pony." Minister for Magic may have appealed to a younger Tom once upon a time, but his ultimate goal was not to please a crowd no matter how good he was at it. Oh, he's sure to enjoy the power that came with it, but Tom preferred to have his power plays in the shadows and have as little eyes on him as possible. "Besides, why should I be settling for an archaic council of quasi-democratic parliament when I could have a lordship over an independent state all to myself?"
Hermione's lips pressed hard on that. He had a point. By now, she had concluded that Skyborne's form of government resembled the Vatican City with Tom- Lord Voldemort- as the absolute monarch, and directly below him was a Council of Knights, whose members weren't difficult to guess. Did that mean she and her son would have a role in running the state as well? She doubted one for herself, but it's highly probable in regards to Alduin.
If their stay here reaches for that long…
"It takes quite a lot of ambition to achieve everything you have right now."
"I wouldn't expect you to understand, but when you had nothing, everything becomes achievable in your eyes," he held up an open palm, and then closed it as if he was crushing an invisible object, "All it takes is the power to reach it."
"Power…" Hermione hummed, her mind drifted off to a time before time, "Someone once told me, fire is change given form. It is power at its most primal."
She also remembered, that before there was water, there was fire. Fire that burned her very being. Before the world opened to the cloudless night sky of the new world.
" Yol."
She felt a flutter within her stomach, "What did you say?"
" Suleyk," Tom continued, and Hermione sucked in her breath, "Someone also told me something similar before. Power, is something I certainly have. But power is inert without action and choice. It itself will not care what it will burn or spare. Everything will be up to me. What have you done with your power?"
Hermione blinked furiously, "My… power?"
"Ambition… dreams…. And the power to achieve them, you have it too," he turned to her fully, eyes piercing through her, but all she could seem to do was flap her lips speechlessly like a fish, "You hesitate."
"It's just… I don't think anyone has ever asked me that before," she was telling the truth, and she found herself a little shocked at the realization. When she was very young, dreams were not something she pondered about. Her early life, overall, was simple and content. Her parents doted on her, she had her books to sate her, she didn't have to worry about what food to eat or what to wear. Her parents ensured she was well-provided for. She had wanted for nothing, "Perhaps… when I was a little girl, I dreamed of having a friend."
Tom sniffed, "How trite."
"Oh hush you," she snapped him a pointed look, "Then when I began to study magic, all I wanted was to learn everything I can. I've always dreamed of having a massive library, and I wanted to fill it with every magical book and scroll I could get my hands on. I also wanted to be the best I can in front of my teachers. I believed, if I do really well in my studies, my teachers would see me worthy of teaching me everything they knew."
Unfortunately, she wasn't successful on that part. People may have dubbed her as the Brightest Witch of Her Age, but they would always find an excuse or two from teaching her anything beyond the curriculum.
"And? What else after that?" Tom prompted.
At this, Hermione's face fell, "I had someone to protect, but I failed."
Thinking back on it now, what would her life might've been if not for Harry Potter? And by association, Lord Voldemort? It was because of Voldemort that Quirrell managed to sneak a troll in the dungeons, but it was because of Harry taking responsibility in warning her that that incident happened. What if no troll entered Hogwarts on Halloween? What if Harry had forgotten she was missing from the Great Hall that night? Would she even become their friend? Or would a different chain of events eventually bring the three of them together in the end?
"Then I had Alduin and I never desired for anything more than what's good for his sake," she smiled softly.
"It is not a crime to want something for yourself, and a child should not prevent you from achieving that," argued Tom, "Ambition is what drives character. It sets a goal for their growth, whether big or small."
"No, it's not a crime, and I agree with what you said, but ambition without heart blinds, and burns indiscriminately," when she turned to lock eyes with his own, the stars behind her eyes burned bright, "I may not have used my ' power' as I should've in your eyes, but now, and all those years before, Alduin needs his mother. I will never regret exhausting all of the power I had in raising him, and I will do it all again if I have to."
For the briefest second, Tom's expression pinched before he turned his head and clicked his tongue, "So that is your decision to keep your power from being inert."
"You weren't wrong with your opinion, Tom. I believe people should be ambitious, to have something that would drive them, whether for their own sake or for others. Or else they would never be able to move further than where they are. They will become stagnant, and worse…"
Her heart panged at the dark period of her life. When every wound she had was fresh and bleeding, and she felt more dead than alive.
"Lost," Tom supplied, his own expression distant.
She nodded wholeheartedly, "Yes."
"Not all mothers think the same as you. You are… less selfish than others," whatever or whoever he was thinking about as he said those words, caused the muscles in his jaw to tense.
Hermione wisely chose to not comment on it, "I cannot speak for other mothers, but this is the decision I chose to make. Whatever pros and cons it came with, I will gladly accept. All the pain and hardship I went through is nothing compared to the smile on his face. After all, Alduin is my most precious child."
Her smile was dazzling, and Tom felt oddly… small at the sight of it. The only reaction he could do was to turn away.
Jealousy and envy… admiration and relief.
"Hey," she nudged his shoulder with hers, breaking the silence that settled over them for however long, "Neither of our opinions are wrong. It's just a matter of perspective, and what priorities we took given the circumstances present. I'm sure you had your own. They're just different from mine. You know, my da once said that life will never get easier, but you can make yourself stronger."
At this, Tom finally turned his gaze back at her. His expression was no longer pinched, and the intensity of his eyes was back again.
"Wise words."
Before she realized it, the corner of Hermione's lips curled up at his compliment.
Minutes passed as they just sat there at their spot, watching the clouds roll by across the sky, and the breeze buffeting their hair and kissing their cheeks as it brought with it the scent of the ocean. Eventually, their companionable silence came to an end when Tom rose to his feet and offered her his hand. Hermione accepted it and she stood just a bit closer than she was willing to be before.
"Power," Tom began, "keeps me from being nothing."
She blinked at him slowly, "Is it worth it?"
He shrugged, "It has its pros and cons, but it's a choice I gladly accept."
Her eyes rolled at that, "Very original, Mr. Riddle."
Whether he meant to or not, a small smile broke on Tom's face, and it was nothing like the practiced smiles he showed before. This one was small, almost imperceptive, but she knew it was genuine.
It took her breath away.
Tom let go of her hand and used his wand to clean and transfigure the blanket back into his cloak.
"It has been a while since I had to…" he pursed his lips as if carefully selecting a set of words, "put some effort in a duel like that. If you are amenable to it, I would like to schedule a spar with you, regularly."
She mulled over his offer a moment. Then, suddenly feeling playful, gave him a coy smile as she said, "I suppose I could squeeze you into my schedule, Mr. Riddle. Granted that you will owe me a favor after my every win."
"Careful, Mrs. Riddle, it isn't wise to get lost in dreams. You might end up owing a favor to me, instead."
"Whatever helps you sleep at night," she shrugged as she turned on her heel.
She had only taken a few steps away when her senses flared in alert. Hermione swiveled on her heel in time to redirect a spell Tom had shot her way.
"You'd curse someone when their back is turned, Tom?" she raised a brow.
"If it means I'd win," he shrugged, his wand held loosely in his hand, "Besides, that was a Jelly-Legs Jinx."
Hermione took one step back, and the moment she positioned into a dueler's stance, an unspoken duel began. However, unlike their previous duels, this was by far the tamest match they ever had.
"You should really learn how to tame that hair," Tom tutted when a small bit of lightning frizzed up Hermione's hair.
She glared at him with her face red with embarrassment.
Whether they be charms, jinxes, or curses, every spell they casted against the other were no more dangerous than what a second-year student would know. Boring, and underwhelming it may be based from their standards, they still somehow made it a bit interesting by sneaking wordless incantations and compounding magic. A rictusempra with the mimblewimble, or a tentaclifors with an anteoculatia, to name a few. All creative, and harmless.
Even though their last duel ended in another draw, it certainly released the tension between them.
They found themselves easily settling into the rhythm of their ' duel'. No matter how harmless the spells they used against each other, both still displayed an impressive feat of speed, agility, and grace. While some spells were dodged, countered, and rebounded from shields, the flurry of multi-colored spells were like a display of fireworks beneath the sun.
Tom was fast, as usual, and Hermione was just as unyielding. Whether in an actual dance at a party, or combat out in the field, each relented that they were… excellent partners.
And in this dance of unspoken truce and tempered bloodlust, Hermione found herself giddy with a sort of excitement she hadn't felt in a long time. If ever. So it wasn't long till an uncommon sound joined along the rhythmic pops and zaps of magical prowess.
Hermione was laughing. An easy, exhilarated laughter that momentarily caught Tom off-guard. For once, neither of them were truly trying to best the other, only their pride fueled their competitive nature.
Tom had said it first but… if she were to think about it herself, when had she been able to duel like that? Like this? To trade spells only for the sake of friendly competition, a show of magical creativity. No anger, no demand for dominance, no stakes.
It was almost… fun.
She yelped when she was caught by a wordless spell and fell with her back on the grass below. Tom hovered over her, his tall frame casting a large shadow over her supine form, but before he could tease or do anything else, Hermione disguised a switching charm with a stinging hex. Tom barely blinked and the ravenhead found himself on her position, with his back on the grass and staring up at her hovering form.
She grinned, "I suppose you aren't infallible to a messy hair yourself, eh Tom?"
He rolled his eyes but otherwise said nothing as he raised himself up.
The laughter had died but it was still present on her smiling lips and rosy cheeks, and it was at this sight which she caught Tom staring at once more with that indiscernible look of his.
"Stop that," she rebuked without much heat.
"Stop what?"
"You've been staring at me like that for the whole day."
He tilted his head, "Like what?"
"Like that! Exactly like that! Do I have something on my face?"
Hermione pouted slightly, but all of her playfulness disappeared when Tom raised his hand towards her face. His large, bare hand, was warm upon her cheek, and all Hermione could do was stand still as sensations long dormant was beginning to make itself known.
When Tom spoke, she could hardly hear a word he said, "I don't understand why I'm telling you these things."
His thumb, raised high enough to be just below her left eye, moved with the softest, most tender caress she hadn't expected he'd possess.
This time, she heard him clearly, "Have you always had the stars in your eyes?"
Hermione's lips parted, but instead of a response, a loud rumble from above interrupted her. Tom's hand pulled back abruptly as he put some distance between them. They turned their heads to the loud rumble and found dark clouds approaching quickly towards the island.
Hermione used her wand and hands to quickly fix herself, "We'd best head indoors now."
"Agreed," Tom replied as he did the same with his own appearance.
It was only when they returned to Tom's office when he chose to tell her the news.
"By the way, I meant to tell you, I received a letter from Halloway last night."
"Really? What does it say?"
"He wants us to come over for one last inspection. The house is ready."
At exactly 11 o'clock in the evening, a knock came from Tom's office door.
"Enter."
Dr. Schugel, ever-adorned in his laboratory coat, strode inside his imperious office that rivaled the Minister for Magic's.
From the dark green curtains and seats, dark and fancy furniture, to the additional serpent imagery apart from the banners that displayed the symbol of Skyborne and Midgardsormr; Tom held no compunctions when he had it decorated to inspire after the Slytherin common room.
He turned from the window behind his desk, which had a perfect view of the city below, and said, "More than ten years ago, you once asked me if I was suffering from any heart problems. Earlier today, you asked Hermione the same question. What did you see?"
"My lord, your wife, the state of her soul is… abnormal."
Tom stared at him fully, his red eyes freely revealed shone ominously, "Are you saying… like mine?"
"Ahh… not exactly," the good doctor smiled apologetically.
"Explain."
"Then let me first start by reminding my lord of important key points for context," Schugel began and tapped his monocle with a finger.
Once, Tom thought of stealing the strange artefact, but quickly gave up the idea when he realized how futile and rewardless the endeavor would bring him. Regardless, the loyalty and servitude of the older wizard before him was a far better acquisition than the harsher method he thought in yesteryears.
For Dr. Has Schugel had the ability to see a living-being's soul.
"Do you remember why I specifically asked if you are suffering from heart problems?"
He nodded, "Because the heart is where a person's soul is anchored."
"Correct! In my eye, and after years of extensive research, I have discovered that the soul of all living beings is housed in the general location of their heart. Visually, they appear as balls of ethereal flames with the innermost zone anchored at the heart while the outer, less concentrated, zone fills up the rest of the body.
"I asked you that because, based on my studies, any form of damage, whether minor or major, will physically affect the body. Depending on the damage, it could range from abnormal heart rates to excruciating pain. The issue is that, the physical heart itself has no problems. Therefore, treatment cannot be done through normal means, and the greater the damage done, the more difficult it is to detect.
"It was the reason why I was able to deduce my lord's condition- that you created a horcrux."
"Yes," Tom nodded as he sat down on his chair, "and I almost killed you for it."
Instead of terror, the doctor actually beamed and guffawed, "Quite! I still get shivers just remembering the look on your face! But I suppose it was a natural reaction to a highly guarded secret."
Tom shook his head at the man's bizarre personality. It was only thanks to time that he eventually accepted his antics. He thought the man had no self-preservation if not for the extensive measures he had on hand to protect himself. Tom would've really hunted him down and kill him with extreme prejudice if not for the doctor's insistence to see reason. He wouldn't deny that the healer was as brilliant as he claimed himself to be. To Schugel, Tom was an invaluable case study in his pursuit to study souls.
Apparently, while ailments on the soul existed in the wizarding world, its rarity made it a difficult field of study, and those who attempted did no go farther than theoretical discussions and debates. The fact that no human is capable of even seeing a living soul made it impossible to subject anything under observation, let alone study it in practice.
He had thought of obliviating the man as well, but decided against the futile action no thanks to the doctor's unique ability.
The reigning hypothesis both of them agreed on was because of a human's lack of insight.
"In my lord's case, when I first saw your soul, not only was it placed directly at the center of your chest, it is smaller, and cleaved in two as if some invisible force was wedged between the flames. The outer zone was also constantly leaking out through your eyes. It is because, the moment you ripped your soul apart when you conducted the ritual, you broke it from its anchor point. Your damaged soul had to do something to compensate for its missing parts," Schugel stared at Tom's impassive expression intently, "Now, while your soul is still small and damaged, it is only a bit off-center from its original anchor point, and it is no longer leaking where your eyes are. Although… a bit of concentration remained there, like scars… Still! It's in a far better condition since we completed your recuperation, my lord."
To this day, Tom still wondered what would have happened if he hadn't met the eccentric healer and 'treated' his leaking soul.
"But what of my wife's, Schugel?"
At this, the doctor took a deep breath, "My lady's soul… is also not centered at her heart."
Tom's back straightened, "Do you mean she's-"
Schugel raised his hands up, "No, no, no, my lord! Unlike yours, Lady Hermione's soul is perfectly whole. Its location is just not where you expect it to be."
"Where is her soul anchored then?"
He pointed at his monocle, "Her eyes, my lord. The innermost zone of her soul are in her eyes."
Black brows furrowed in absolute confusion, "Why?"
The good doctor sadly shook his head, "Unfortunately, I have no answer to give you, my lord. It is my first time to ever see such a case. I have seen many displaced souls due to one reason or another, but none ever strayed far from the chest where its original anchor point was. It was why I also asked if the lady was having any problems with her eyesight… I believe she was telling the truth when she said there were no issues.
"However, I found that there are traces of soul 'scars' on my lady, just like my lord's. Except hers are found on her back."
"On her back? Why on her back?"
"Again, I'm afraid I do not know, my lord. Though it was quite curious to see, her scars are much more numerous than yours, and they seem to form some sort of pattern, but I'm afraid I could not examine them as much as I want without arousing suspicion from the lady. There's also something you must know about your son-"
"What about Alduin?"
"My lord, the young lord's soul also seems to have an abnormality."
"What's wrong with him?"
"His soul is much smaller than what it should be. If I were to hazard a guess, it is missing one-quarter of a whole. Furthermore, it is also displaced, but weirdly anchored at the area of his stomach-" Tom's jaw tensed at that revelation, "-I felt oddly cautious to ask about the boy's health in the presence of his mother but with you, my lord… may I ask, is the young lord suffering from any stomach problems?"
"Not a problem, exactly…" he ruminated for a moment "I noticed that Alduin is quite a voracious child. He is always hungry, prefers meat if given the option, and he has this uncanny ability to eat a large amount in seconds. If you keep your eye on him, he eats normally, but the moment you blink or take your attention away from him for even a second, his plate will already be empty."
"Most intriguing, and has the young lord or the lady provided an explanation for it?"
"No. I haven't the chance to ask either. I still find myself baffled by it every time."
"There's one last thing you should know about your son's soul, my lord," this time, the good doctor sounded uncommonly careful, "There is… something else in the boy's eyes."
"A scar?"
"No, my lord… how should I explain this? Err, while all living beings have one soul that looks like a ball of flame, your son's, while he has a smaller soul anchored at his stomach, there is another, greater, raging inferno in young lord Alduin's eyes."
Tom frowned, "An inferno? Are you saying my son has two souls, Schugel?"
"Not exactly, my lord. While I do believe that whatever is in your son's eyes is something soul-like, it seemed to be solely confined there. Please forgive me for saying so, but as much as I wish to examine this ethereal inferno further, I must admit that I felt this… sudden fear and anxiety just thinking so. I feared that if I stared, something else would be staring back."
This didn't make any sense at all. Schugel, mad healer and eccentric scholar as he was, would never lie nor fabricate his precious findings. But that fact only perplexed and added questions to the ones he already had regarding about his wife and son.
'That old hag from the circus before… hadn't she reacted strongly about Alduin's nature?'
"My lord, you said that you tested your blood using that familial artefact, didn't you?"
"Yes. It clearly confirmed that Alduin is my and Hermione's child."
"Truly… the results of that artefact are absolute and without contest. And yet… is your son's condition the result of you splitting your soul prior to his conception? Is it unique to those who performed the ritual of creating horcruxes? Does that mean the damage to one's soul is contagious? But what about the lady? The marriage rite the lord and lady performed is unique. Was her soul disturbed after their marriage? But both mother and child are perfectly healthy. The soul scars on her back meant that some form of damage has happened before… Had the lady done something to her soul before Alduin was conceived? Is the reason why he has a small soul because of his parents? But what is the significance of their souls in their eyes? Now that I think about it, if you look closely at their eyes, it's almost like you can see the stars… My lord! If you would please allow me to ask you one last question- Were you present when your son was born?"
"No."
This is the most Tomione chapter in the whole story! Apologies if it took this long. I hope it didn't disappoint.
I am also very eager to know what you readers, especially the theorists, think about the bomb that just went bang on this chapter. Did it clear up some of your suspicions? Confirmed your theories? Or have I just confused you even more?
Feel free to let me know!
I hope you all have a pleasant day! Stay safe and stay awesome!
Ciao~!