Feeling the warmth on his face and the glare upon his closed eyes that he now equated with the rising sun, an experience he couldn't remember from either sleeping at Wool's or at Hogwarts, Tom opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. The fan over his head, that was also powered by magic, like every other muggle-like appliance in the cottage, spun slowly as Tom watched on, his thoughts stirring into a wakeful state from what ye felt was a decently restful night sleep. It had been three weeks since he had moved into the cottage near the town he now knew was called Smethwick, quite a few miles away from Birmingham. On the very first day he had asked why Lilith had chosen this spot, with her response being a map of Great Britain, filled with red dots covering all the major cities. She made it clear that she had tried to find a place far enough away from population centers, but that the German Luftwaffe had changed their approach to the air raids sometime in April, making any location equally as dangerous. While the Germans would attack cities near military or industrial targets, they would also attack seemingly strategically worthless cities and towns, all to sow chaos in the population. The British Government kept many of these attacks from the general population until the news would mention them days later, with no casualty lists. She had picked this area as it was the furthest inland magical cottage she could find next to a viable leyline. The area had been attacked before, but the attacks were closer to Birmingham and far enough away from the nearby town of Smethwick, so they would be relatively safe.
So far, her prediction rang true. The last three weeks had been quiet in a way that Tom had never experienced. At Wool's, there was always noise coming from the rooms with the younger orphans, while Hogwarts was always a cacophony of noise with the only exceptions being the Yuletide season. Even then, the feeling of quiet in the massive stone structure felt more foreboding than peaceful, with the windless nights being a nearly unnatural stillness that still gave Tom goosebumps. Out here, beyond the reach of paved roads and away from the town, the silence was surprisingly comfortable. Not that it was a deep silence. Most days, there was the soft noise of the leaves of the trees rattling in the wind, the songs of birds filling the air, or the sound of music playing from a record player. This morning, like most, there was only the sounds of nature outside his window and the soft humming noise emanating from his roommate, who was probably cooking up their breakfast as Tom went to wash his face and brush his teeth. While he had been a bit anxious about spending the summer with Lilith as his roommate, Tom couldn't deny that so far their time together had been some of his most pleasant days in the life that he could remember.
Lilith was an exceedingly patient instructor when it came to magic, with Tom managing his first successful apparition just a few days prior. For said Apparition exercises, Lilith had taken Tom to the Edinburgh Magical District, as well as Diagon Alley, with the two using some oddly empty alleyways between a few buildings in Knockturn Alley, with the exception of a few Hags that were quite unlike the ones he had met on his second visit to the darker side of Diagon. While their visage wasn't any different from what he remembered during his previous visits, their temperament was far from the intimidating dread that everyone equated to them. Lilith was clearly respectful of the Dark Creatures and they returned that respect in kind, the three often speaking in a foreign language that Tom didn't know, but never in a way that seems secretive or disrespectful to him and his lack of understanding. The two times he had accidentally splinched himself, with the first being his arm bent backwards and the second being a missing finger, both of the Hags used their poltises and unique form of magic to repair or reverse the damage, with Lilith paying them for their services and material expenses. Apparently, the Hags' infamous taste for human flesh lends itself well for them to understand human physiology and how to repair it. It certainly made him pay a lot more attention to the other Dark Races. Tom had used some of his own galleons and sickles to buy a few texts from "Borgin and Burkes", as well as a quiet book store further into the dark street. Lilith's lessons in cooking had also gone quite well, with them only losing three meals to Tom burning something on the stovetop or oven.
As Tom dried his face, his thoughts wandered over his roommate again, specifically an incident that occured one particular morning. That day Tom had woken up from one of those weird dreams he was having, this specific one leaving him feeling cold and clammy, despite his inability to find the memory of said dream in his thoughts. One of the practices he was improving out here was concerning his Occlumency defences, with Lilith providing him with a book that went into far more detail on the mental exercises required to envision a mindscape and protect it and the information within. Yet, despite his usual memory retention and recall skills, this dream had vanished out of his grasp, slipping away like water through his open palms, leaving only the cold dread feeling behind that something horrible had happened. Needing to warm himself up, Tom had rushed out of his room and into the bathroom, not taking note of the time. So rather than finding the bathroom empty, he instead was confronted with the visage of Lilith, still naked and wet from her daily morning shower. The two had spent one protracted moment staring at each other in shock before Lilith's face went red and Tom was reminded that even a teenager with magical difficulties like Lilith could use wandless magic to some extent, as the door was slammed into his face.
He had been fortunate enough not to have broken his nose with the door as he had been in the process of looking away, but his cheek had certainly stung from the impact for the rest of the day. Oddly enough, Lilith didn't chastise him for it. She did get him to admit that he had a bad dream and said it was fine then, so long as he didn't do it with the intended purpose to see her in the nude. The rest of the day went pretty normal after that. That said… even now Tom couldn't get the image of Lilith's body out of his mind and a part of him didn't want to. Like most witches, Lilith wore clothes that showed little to no skin, even wearing gloves over her pale hands. Unlike most women and witches, she wore clothes that were far more masculine in style, not to mention being of a slightly more fashionable, modern look, rather than the more Victorian style favored by the Magical population. The vests Lilith usually wore over her usual white dress shirts showed off her figure well enough, but nothing else was shown, even as she never fully buttoned up the neck, with her foregoing wearing ties when not being out and about. So the fact he got to see her without the clothes really changed how he perceived her. For one, Lilith's body had scratches and scars that were clearly from Dark Creatures or animals, which explained her interest in the Care course under Professor Ross. She was also quite physically fit, as seen by her performance in the duel, with muscles that, while not excessive, showed that she maintained some degree of fitness. Everything was as Tom would have expected from his ally; not the vision of perfection that the other boys seemed to yearn for, but the body of a person who wasn't afraid to suffer injury in the pursuit of her ideals.
So why? Why did he find himself wondering what that skin would feel like under his fingers, to trace the curves of flesh through his palms? Why did he continue to feel a desire to see her once more like that, to commit more of her beautiful form to memory? Because she was definitely beautiful, that was something that Tom could easily admit. Most of the boys and girls in Slytherin would say it, but none of them could likely grasp just how truly beautiful she was. "Breakfast is ready!" Tom took a deep breath after her words snapped him out of his thoughts. He took a few more deep breaths and sealed away his thoughts, feeling some comfort in the knowledge that the memory of Lilith would be preserved, unlike his fleeting dreams. After combing his hair and inspeaking himself in the mirror, Tom took a moment for his pants to become a bit more comfortable before stepping out. He found Lilith placing the plates of food on the table, giving him her usual smile. "Guten Morgen. I have to step out and pick up some correspondence. Anything you want me to get you while I am out?" Tom thought for a second as he pulled the seat back away from the table. "Do we have access to the rationed meats again? I was thinking of staying in for today, going over the laws concerning Heirs, especially at Hogwarts, before trying my hand at some roasted chicken and vegetables, if they are available." Lilith thought for a second as she sat down in front of her own plate. "I will check with the butchers, but I think we still have the vouchers. I'll see what I can bring back." The two ate in silence as they made their own plans for the day ahead.
-✦-
"Welcome back. How is your roommate? Going stir crazy yet?" Lilith rolled her eyes at Alexander as he appeared before her behind the door. "He can come and go now as he pleases, at least between the nearby town, Edinburgh's Magical District and Diagon Alley. I am planning on apparating him back to Hogsmeade and get him to try and apparate to and from there, just in case something happens. Being able to get to and from Hogwarts at a moment's notice will probably be something he will need, as Heir Slytherin and in case of emergency." Alexander shrugged as he closed the door to the Peverell Manor after letting Lilith in. "A wise precaution. Speaking about happenings, anything I should know about as a concerned guardian?" Lilith blinked at him in confusion. "What do you mean?" Alexander gave her a knowing look. "At fifteen with a lovely girl as my roommate, away from anyone who could bother you? I would be more concerned about you getting pregnant than getting splinched." Lilith's eyes widened. "We aren't old enough for that!" Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Really? I thought you were nineteen?" Lilith blushed in embarrassment. "Ok, fine, so maybe I am old enough, but he isn't and as much as you think hormones dictate a boy's thoughts, I am certain that at least Tom is mature enough not to behave inappropriately. So far he has been the perfect gentleman. Now, have any of my packages arrived?"
Alexander waved in the direction of her side of the Manor. "The one from Greece is here. It's in your workshop." After reaching said workshop, Lilith began to strip the cover off the package as Alexander wandered in the room. Lilith knew that he was too honorable to look in on her stuff when she was out of the Manor, which had been quite often the last few weeks. She watched as he picked up one of her latest constructs, before he closed his eyes. Lilith managed to catch a glimpse of flowing magic between Alexander and the construct before it started to move, the mechanical owl shaking its thin, metallic feathers up and down, its head spinning around, with a soft hooting noise filling the air. The construct had been in Lilith's mind since the start of term and she had been slowly building up the design of it before sending the specifications to the Dwarven smiths, who sent her the pieces for her to assemble on her own. "Impressive." Lilith waved her hand dismissively. "A trick any skilled enchanter could replicate." Alexander nodded as he placed the construct down on the perch Lilith had made for it, the bird going still once more without magic to supply it. "True, but this is your accomplishment. Even if it lacks the independent power source you are looking for." Lilith lifted a grey leather bound book out of a wooden and weathered box, her hand tracing the Ancient Greek letters on the cover. "Well, let's hope the answer to that quandary of mine lies in this."
Lilith pulled her seat back and sat down, opening the book. Alexander looked over shoulder and frowned. "Lilith. If you practice any of the dangerous stuff in this book…" Lilith sighed. "Relax, I am not looking to strip a living being's soul from its body and stuffing it into an automaton's frame. Still, as much as it pains me to say it, a magical soul is one of the few things in this world that seems to generate magic on its own. Having a passing knowledge of Soul Magic couldn't hurt." Alexander sighed in relief. "Good, because messing around with souls is what got your companion to lose his sanity the first time around. Soul Magic is quite the dangerous craft to study, regardless of intent. It's why it's still heavily regulated, if not outright banned." Lilith turned a few pages over, finding one that showed hand drawn renditions of an animal and a human together. She flinched a little and was about to turn the page when a thought occurred to her. "Alexander, a Familiar bond is a type of incidental Soul Magic, right?" The dark haired man pulled away from her shoulder and rubbed his chin. "When you think about it, then yes, that is an accurate description." Lilith started reading the page thoroughly. "I never got to practice magic with a Familiar. In your own knowledge, how does magic flow between a Familiar and its other half?" Alexander shrugged. "Never had a Familiar myself, though my uncle did. Pretty sure it's a continuous flow of magic. Both are constantly aware of the other and can find each other easily enough across great distances. A few talented magicals can even use magic through their Familiars and vice versa."
Seeing similar descriptions in the text about Familiar Bonds, Lilith had a smile growing on her face. "Then that might be the key. A Familiar Bond. If I can figure out how to create a Pseudo Familiar Bond with a construct's core… it can get the magical energy to operate them from the owner, even from a distance. As the owner's energy is mostly self-sustaining, so will the constructs." Alexander's face went from surprised to smiling softly. "Well, that is a better alternative than splitting your soul and placing a Horcrux in a construct." Lilith gave Alexander a dark look. "I would never do that." Alexander patted her on the back. "And I am glad to hear it. How long will you be staying?" Lilith, blushing slightly out of embarrassment from being treated as a kid, looked at the mechanical clock on her desk. "A few hours. I promised Tom that I would fetch some chicken from the butcher and I should probably bring a few other non-perishables. The government rations on food are getting quite severe." Alexander nodded. "That they are. Had to go quite far to find some eggs myself." Lilith looked at Alexander, resting her chin on her open palm. "Says the man with a few acres of open land at the back of his house. I told you a vegetable farm and a chicken pen would have saved you some trouble. You also have enough space for cattle or pigs." Alexander sighed. "I know, I know. I made an order for some chickens, feed and seeds. Me and the elves already have the enclosure and greenhouse ready."
Lilith chuckled. "Well, better late than never. Anything else I can help you with?" Alexander thought for a second. "How's the eye treating you?" Lilith instinctively brought her hand up to her right eye. "It works fine. It's just…" Lilith paused for a second, trying to figure out how to phrase what she had been feeling. "It's weird. It behaves exactly like my eye, though I noticed its concealment enchantment isn't as accurate when it's replicating quick changes. Pretty sure Tom has noticed it. He has an incredible eye for detail. I also keep losing focus and slipping into the void." Alexander hummed to himself. "You can stop by Gringotts and see if they can tune it better, but I don't think there is much that can be done about the delay. Just be careful about what you spot through it whenever you do lose focus. As for young Riddle, I am glad to hear he is doing better and is behaving himself. Just remember. His upbringing at an Orphanage wouldn't have been the best place to learn what affection is like." Lilith blushed lightly. "I am not trying to bed him, Alexander!" The dark haired man chuckled. "That may be, but you never know. Lillian lived seventeen years with his soul embedded in her. It served as a catalyst for a soul bond ritual. The link between you two was severed… but that doesn't mean that you won't be drawn to each other by the very natures that bound you two together in the first place." Lilith's blush deepened as Alexander walked away, before she returned to her text. She had a lot of research to go over, hormones be damned.
-✦-
Distant thuds woke Lilith up from her pleasant dream as she drowsily looked around the room. Hearing another, much louder thud, Lilith sat up and pulled her clothes on, before stepping out of her room. The main area of the cottage was without light, though the bright moonlight outside showed the shadow of her roommate looking out through the window. Lilith walked up to his side, making enough noise to not spook him, before reaching his side and looking out into the near darkness. Through the glass, she could hear the faint noise of a siren alarming the nearest residents, probably waking many in the dead of night with a start. "A bombing raid?" Tom nodded. "Seems like it." Lilith clenched her fist against her chest. She had hoped that she had picked a town far enough away from any raid targets. It seems that she was wrong. Now that there was one going on, just a few miles away… "The noise is coming from Smethwick, isn't it?" Tom sighed. "It's the only town nearby with an air raid siren." Lilith turned to him, noticing his choice of clothes. "Tom… I know this is a lot to ask, but could you get dressed in the leather jacket and proper clothes?" Tom looked at her and frowned. "You aren't thinking of going out there, are you?" Lilith stared at him, her own anxiety over what she wanted to do rising, even as she squashed it. "I am, though not until the bombers have left the area." Tom shook his head. "There is nothing for us to do." Lilith closed her eyes, trying to restrain her feelings. Lillian wouldn't go out there. She would just wait for it to be over and be done with it. But that was Lillian before jumping back in time.
For the last year, she had been struggling with the guilt that came from knowing all the horrors of the Second World War and being powerless to stop any of them. Millions of people would be dead, both soldiers and civilians, and she could do nothing to stop that. She hated it. She hated it so much. Here, just a few miles away, people were dying. Civilians, innocents, dying because the German Lufwaffe probably didn't get to pass through the RAF and Anti-Air defences around Birmingham, all the while she kept herself safe here, behind wards and being far enough away from other structures. It wasn't fair. It wasn't right. She needed to make it right. Lilith shook her head. "We can help the people caught in the rubble, keep them from dying because the firefighters and the Reserves aren't able to reach them in time." Tom sighed. "We can't use magic. I mean, you might get away with it, but I can't. The Trace…" Lilith debated for a second. Her status had allowed her to ask Ollivander to remove the Trace from her own wand and she was certain Tom could use it. But doing that might reveal more of her connection to him than was safe currently. On the other hand… a devilish idea took root in her mind as Lilith smiled. That could work. "True, you will be setting the Trace off, but I will cover any fines you suffer. Please Tom, I know this isn't easy, but I can only apparate there, spot victims and use some reinforcement magic. I can't extinguish the flames or use magic at a distance. I need your help. Please."
Tom turned to look out the window, deep in thought, before he sighed and turned towards his room. He came back, wearing a proper shirt and slipping his hand into the sleeves of his recently bought jacket. While not dragonhide, as those tended to be relegated by the DMLE, the dark green jacket was enchanted to be damage, fire and spell resistant. It had been one of the more expensive purchases he had made in their recent ventures into Diagon Alley, the other being clothes better suited for formal events that would adjust themselves to his frame in the next few years, before he would need to buy tailor made clothes. "Ok, what's the plan exactly?" Lilith smiled softly, glad he was willing to help her out. "I get us there and point out the people stuck under the rubble, you make sure it's safe for us to pull them out. When the Aurors arrive, I will deal with them." Tom sighed but nodded, before the two sat quietly in the dark, listening for the distinctive noise of explosions in the distance, with Lilith using her new sight to scan the dark night sky, catching glimpses of moving wisps of light that she now knew were the faint souls of non-magicals. Within half an hour, the night sky had finally settled down, the thuds having gone silent, though a faint red glow lit the night sky in the distance. Stepping out into the night, Lilith held Tom's hand and apparated both of them to a road just outside the town of Smethwick.
This close to the town, there was no hiding the fact that many buildings were alight, as Lilith rushed into the streets, her eye peering through the stone, wood and brick walls. She spotted a building to the right with several faint wisps of fading souls. "Come on!" The two entered the building, with Lilith casting a few reinforcement spells by touching the ground and walls, in order to keep the structure from collapsing with them inside. Tom and her were able to pull out two people from under broken beams, both advanced in years, out of the ground floor of the structure and onto the street, who were soon being tended to by other volunteers, before moving up the stairs. On the second floor, where the roof had been blown apart, Lilith managed to spot two more souls before an object sticking out of the floor caught her eyes. "Tom, stop!" Freezing in place, Tom followed her gaze and felt his own blood run cold as a metallic cylinder with fins was sticking out from the floor, the wood underneath it cracked. Lilith ran a few things through her mind before remembering something she had heard about bomb disposal units and the effects that cold temperatures had on chemical reactions. She prayed that her idea would work. "Tom, tell me you know the Glacius Spell? Because freezing that bomb is our best bet right now to not set it off accidentally."
Whipping his wand in the adequate wand motions, Tom whispered " Glacius !" The two watched as the bomb started to frost over, before a thicker layer of ice started to build around it. Lilith knelt down and touched the ground, feeling her skin split open from a red arc of magic backlashing against her. Fighting through the pain, Lilith managed to reinforce the floor, keeping the bomb safely in place, so as not to trigger the pressure or impact switch that had already failed from the collision with the floor. She looked at Tom. "Let's get them out quickly. That will only hold for so long." The two managed to pull out two young children from underneath the rubble of the severely damaged ceiling, before rushing out the door and back onto the streets, handing the children to the elderly couple who were now restored to consciousness, their eyes covered in ash and years as they gripped the infants. As firefighters and medics were moving about the street, taking care of the wounded, Lilith pulled one of the firefighters aside, pointing at the building they just vacated. "There is an undetonated bomb on the second floor of that building. There aren't any more people inside, but it could take the building down, not to mention the ones adjacent to it." The firefighter nodded. "Got it. I will tell the Area Manager and the others. Thank you!" Lilith and Tom proceeded to inspect a few more buildings, away from the firefighters, with Tom using his wand to extinguish the flames blocking their way into a building, when Lilith heard the sounds of apparitions just a few yards down the street. "The hell do you think you are doing?"
Lilith turned towards the now familiar figure of Auror Euphemia Potter, who was wearing her Auror jacket and robes slightly ajar, meaning that she and her fellow Aurors hadn't been expecting any work tonight. Lilith raised an eyebrow at her. "Helping. The town was hit by a bombing raid and there are civilians dying inside these buildings." Euphemia stepped up to her. "You two are breaking the Decree for Underage Sorcery and are potentially breaking the Statute of Secrecy. You will stop this at once!" Lilith waved her hands, pointing at the burning and ruined town in the dead of night, the sky still illuminated by flames. "Are your laws more important than the lives of the innocents? Well, are they Auror Potter? This war was started by one of our own and while these attacks are being carried out by muggles, that doesn't make it any less our responsibility. We have an obligation to save as many of their lives as we possibly can." Euphemia shook her head. "You and Mr Riddle here are minors. This isn't your responsibility. Let the adults handle it." Lilith stared at Euphemia, raising her voice. "Then handle it! Get your wands out and start helping get the survivors out of the collapsed buildings and to safety. Or is this too much of a hassle for you? Because if it is, then it reflects poorly on a Ministry that has vowed to stand up to Grindelwald's barbarity, and it certainly doesn't reflect well on your family."
Euphemia growled softly. "You don't know what you are saying and Aurors can't go out of their way to help out in these random and infrequent attacks." Lilith yelled into her face. "They aren't infrequent. They happen all the time, harming muggle and magical alike. Muggleborns are losing their families left and right while you do nothing, while a few have probably perished already! Your own brother-in-law is serving on the frontlines, fighting to end this war a moment sooner. So tell me, Euphemia Potter née McKinnon, will you do any less within the borders of your own country!?" The two stared at each other as Tom and the Aurors watched in stunned silence for a few moments, before Euphemia turned to the Aurors. "Goddess be damned. Wood, head back to the Ministry and get the Obliviators and any off duty Aurors willing to lend a hand. Everyone else, get to work searching for and pulling people out of the rubble." Lilith spoke up to the Aurors. "If you see a metal cylinder, freeze it with a Glacius and prevent it from moving however you can but don't touch them. They are undetonated bombs. They go off and you won't live to see St. Mungos." Some of the Aurors looked nervously at each other before they got to work, before Euphemia looked at Lilith and Tom. "You two are with me. After we are done here, we need to have a chat back at the Ministry." Lilith nodded, with Euphemia tagging along as they entered the next building.
Lilith stared at the body of a young man of Indian ancestry, his body cold and still to her touch, before focusing on the remaining three survivors, all unconscious and beneath collapsed furniture and masonry as they tried to make their way to the back door of the house. With Euphemia's help in levitating the rubble, the three were safely pulled out of the building, when two figures apparated in front of the ruins of the former home, the couple rushing to look over the survivors. "Kama, Pratham! Prisha!" The woman remained with the three as the man looked at Euphemia. "My brother, Arjun. Have you seen him? He and his wife were minding our children." Lilith sighed. "There is a body of a man inside. We have been prioritizing getting those still alive out safely, so we did not get a chance to move him. I am sorry." The dark skinned man, his face illuminated by a nearby fire, grew saddened as he rubbed his face. The four of them together had no trouble pulling the man's body out of the building, even as the neighboring house collapsed from the damage and flames that consumed it, with the older brother closing the eyes of his deceased sibling. The man turned to the three of them and bowed his head. "I am Ansh Patil. Thank you for saving the lives of my family, those that you could." Euphemia sighed but indicated with her head at Tom and Lilith. "Thank these two. Ordinarily we don't get involved as we had no idea you were living here, but these two youngsters were setting off alarms at the Ministry."
The man looked at them both, recognizing them. "Ah, you two have been visiting the town for weeks now. You have my gratitude and that of my family. If you two need anything, anything at all, please feel free to ask. We are in your debt." Lilith shook his hand. "What debt might lie between us should wait till your family is safe and settled. You have our condolences for your loss." The man nodded, before he looked at his wife, children and now widowed sister-in-law. He turned back to Lilith and Euphemia. "There are others of my family and people in the town. I need to check on them." Euphemia sighed, rubbing her arm across her forehead, leaving a small trail of ash, not that different from the smudges on Tom and Lilith's faces. "We will help where we can. Lead on." The four lingered in the town, scouring buildings and helping to pull out a few more survivors, with the Healers that came with the Obliviators stabilizing the more at risk victims. Eventually, the light of the burning blazes was replaced by the morning sun, as thinning clouds of smoke filled the air, with survivors and townsfolk looking for many missing people among the ruined buildings, though a great many were outside, the shock and adrenaline from last night finally turning to exhaustion and grief. Lilith sat down on the side of the street, looking into the town center, as Tom joined her, the two covered in ash, masonry dust and sweat, both thinking about the night they just went through. Lives had been saved, but they were just a few compared to the losses already happening, but these Lilith had at least managed to help in their time of need. Whatever consequences may come were worth it if it meant that her and Tom being here had made a difference, no matter how small.
-✦-
A dark figure walked down a quiet and unassuming town road, several of the houses adorned with jack-o-lanterns and other Halloween paraphernalia. His servant had picked the perfect night to reveal to him the location of the safehouse that housed his destined enemy and the families in charge of protecting the two candidates. When one of his younger but loyal Death Eaters had overheard the prophecy being revealed to the Old Man, Voldemort knew he had to deal with this threat without delay. Waiting for the child to be raised and trained to match him in power and skill wasn't something he had any desire to deal with, especially not now that victory seemed all the more certain, even with the Ministry taking a more lethal approach to his followers. It was too little too late. No, what Voldemort was more concerned with was the future that could follow. He needed the population of Great Britain to accept their defeat and subservience to him. That would not happen so long as the Old Man and his Order continued to stand up to his forces, and it certainly wouldn't be happening if word spread about some destined Chosen One having been born to vanquish him. Sadly, the Old Man had been paranoid enough to put the families into hiding just as quickly, switching locations and secret keepers every few months, so as to avoid drawing attention to the communities they chose. Now, over a year later, their luck had finally run out.
Spotting a small but nimble figure rushing by his side, Voldemort felt some of the relief that had washed over him when his spy reported that the Order had chosen him, above all others, as the keeper of the secret location for this particular safe house. If all this proved fruitful, his timid Death Eater would have less to be concerned with after tonight. If things went badly… well, Voldemort had no illusions about whom to blame. As he passed several children, none of whom reacted with fear to his appearance due to the muggle Holiday, he walked past a graveyard that had a few decrepit wards on it, pausing briefly in thought before continuing to his destination. He would have to look into that one day, as there were many graves of his ancestors he had yet to find. He still needed one more relic to acquire and the Graveyard at Goddric's Hollow seemed like it might just be the place to locate one of Godric Gryffindor's artefacts, possibly buried along with one of the wizard's descendants. Voldemort smiled to himself as he thought about his treasures. He had done what no other wizard had ever achieved. He had not only secured his immortality but had done it five times over, soon to be six. Even if one of these treasures were found, the others would be safe. The very containers he had selected were perfect, as any magic on them would be attributed to the object's own properties. After tonight, there would be no one capable of challenging him, prophecy or not.
The rat Animagus led Voldemort right to the door of an unassuming home, one that was heavily warded, which ordinarily would have been hidden even from his sight, had his spy not given him the secret phrase. Voldemort's smile widened as he drew his wand, summing up his magic. The door withstood two of his siege engine spells before a third and final blast tore it off its hinges. Casting a dueling shield on his offhand, he had no trouble entering the house, with the three Auror occupants casting stunners against him. What a joke. The two men fell quickly, the green light of his curse stripping away the life in their eyes as the woman screamed. "Lily! Get to the kids now! It's him!" The Lady Longbottom breathed her last breath soon after, her body slumped over the landing of the stairs leading up to the second floor, with Voldemort's eyes looking upwards, as he unceremoniously kicked her body out of his way. Using Homenum Revelio, Voldemort could see the last living adult moving about in a room upstairs, with two smaller figures next to her. Rushing quickly so as to prevent an escape, the locked door between him and his targets wasn't able to withstand a single blast from his wand. There, her hand shaking as she aimed a wand at him, stood Lily Potter, those piercing green eyes fixed on him.
"Please, they are just children." Voldemort chuckled to himself as he stepped into the room. "For now, but one day one of them will challenge me. That day can never be. Now, I will ask you to surrender and stand aside. This is what little mercy I can offer you." Lily's shaking hands went rigid. "I can't. I can't let you kill my daughter. Avad-" A flash of green light filled the room, before the woman's lifeless body hit the floor, her wand rolling out of her hand as the green light faded from its tip. Voldemort approached the woman and nudged her face with his boot. "Such a waste. Still, I admire your commitment. Unlike your husband, you were willing to kill me to save your daughter. I will honor your resolve by ending her life quickly and painlessly." The nursery was now filled with the crying of a baby as Voldemort looked at the two figures sitting together in a cot. He frowned as he loomed over both. The one wearing blue was crying his lungs out to exhaustion and yet, the one wearing pink seemed calm, looking at him with curious eyes. As he neared them, he watched as the girl reached out with her hand, trying to grab his wand. Not worried in the least, Voldemort allowed the curious child to grip it. The moment the tiny hand touched the wand, magic rushed through the wand and into him as green harmless sparks escaped the tip of his wand, much to the giggling baby girl's delight.
"How fascinating. You can use my wand easily enough and you are not afraid of me. Would you happen to be my sworn enemy, young Lillian Potter?" Not expecting to get a response, the girl simply sat back down and giggled at him, those green eyes, very much like her mother's, looking at him, still curious, yet lacking any hint of fear or animosity. He spent a moment contemplating the child. "No, I think not." Voldemort looked over the child again and wondered if perhaps she could be of use to him and his cause. If he slayed the Longbottom boy, the girl could serve his interests well, if she was raised by a proper magical family. Her ease at his side and ability to use his wand made it very likely that she would one day be a powerful witch and a strong asset, her name drawing the attention of those who would otherwise challenge his authority. Perhaps she could serve his cause better alive rather than dead. Voldemort looked at the crying boy, the infant's eyes showing some signs of irritation, if not anger. Voldemort nodded to himself. It had to be the boy. Only a Pureblood could hope to wield the power to challenge Voldemort's accedance, especially one from such a distinguished family such as the Longbottoms. The boy would die here and the girl would serve him as a loyal servant. His young Death Eater Potion's Master may have wanted the mother but he would have to settle for the child.
Voldemort raised his wand and aimed at the boy. "So ends your threat to my rightful rule, young Mr. Longbottom. May you find some comfort in the afterlife in the arms of your parents. Avada Kedavra! " The green light of the curse left his wand tip as Voldemort smiled, before a bit of movement caught his eye. There was nothing he could do as the Potter girl reached out with her left hand, intercepting the curse. Whether it was his desire not to kill the girl, some act of divine intervention or the magic of the so-called Chosen One's power, the green light of the Killing Curse exploded right before his eyes. For the first time since he suffered the effects of the Cruciatus Curse back at Hogwarts as a fourth year student, his entire body was consumed in unexpected, excruciating pain, his ears registering a loud explosion, before he found himself floating above the wrecked nursery, a pile of ash marking the exact spot where his body once stood. Voldemort unleashed a scream of pure rage before rushing at the boy, only to find him protected by some unknown magic. He barely noticed that the girl was crying softly, cradling her left hand, before he heard someone screaming for the Potters. Voldemort, now a incorporeal wraith, left through the wretched window and out into the world, already considering how best to return to a physical form, in order to kill the blasted boy once and for all. For there was no longer any doubt in his mind. Neville Longbottom was to be his so-called vanquisher. And for that, he had to die.
-✦-
"Tom! Tom! Wake up! It's just a dream!" The young Slytherin Heir's eyes snapped open as he sucked in a deep breath, his eyes struggling to focus as the dream's echoes lingered in his mind. His skin felt as if it was ablaze, his nerves screaming in pain. He instinctively drew the wand he held under his pillow and pressed it against the throat of the person next to him. The two remained still as Tom took deep breaths, before a few things became clear. He wasn't in some wrecked nursery suffering from what looked like a backfiring Killing Curse. He was back in his room inside the cottage that he shared with… Tom's eyes focused on the person leaning next to him, seeing the wand against her throat. Green eyes that reminded him of both the dead woman and the infant looked back at him but Lilith remained perfectly still, her gaze searching Tom's face, not a hint of fear in her eyes as she looked on him with concern. Feeling a bit of embarrassment warming his cheeks, Tom lowered his wand from her throat, relaxing the grip he had on it. "I am so sorry. I… didn't know what was happening." Lilith smiled softly at him. "It's ok. It's my fault I broke into your room without permission. Are you alright? You were screaming in pain."
Taking mental stock of his condition, Tom found he was feeling fine, even though his skin still felt unnaturally warm. "I am fine now. Sorry about that. It was just a nightmare." Lilith's smile dropped and she looked pained. "It was about the bombing, wasn't it? I am so sorry. I knew you were suffering from having lived through a raid and I dragged you into another bombed out town. I can't imagine what horrible memories that dredged up." Tom ran his hand across his hair, finding it wet with sweat, though he shook his head. "It wasn't about the air raids. In fact… it's odd. After we helped get the people safely out of so many damaged buildings… I don't know. I feel… lighter. Like a burden I was carrying for over a year had been lifted. Though I am probably going to be sensitive to the noises of bombs stricking in the distance, I think my issues with the air raids are not as bad as they once were." Lilith gave him an incredulous look. "You sure that's not the high from getting left off the hook by the Minister for Magic? Or the fact that you got a commendation from him for services rendered?" Tom blushed lightly as his memories from the aftermath of the rescue flooded his mind. He couldn't exactly blame Lilith for not believing him, since he had indeed felt quite good about after the Minister himself appeared at the DMLE.
"Auror Potter. I heard about the incident from last night. Are these the students responsible?" Euphemia had looked quite frustrated by the time Minister Spencer-Moon had barged into the DMLE, with Head Auror Shafiq at his side, the dark skinned man having spent the last few minutes looking over his fellows. The woman, still sporting some ash stains and her slightly disheveled hair, had been taking a statement down from both Lilith and Tom, with the latter clearly seeing that she was feeling conflicted about whether or not to charge them. Lilith's instructions and their discreet use of magic ensured that there was no major breach to the Statute of Secrecy at all during the incident. The only work the Obliviators had to do was to adjust a few memories of the survivors who had been pinned down within their homes, most of the work being done with their permission as none of them cared about how they were saved, just that they were. The Patils themselves proved very helpful in getting the local Indian population, which had lived in the area since the end of the now First World War, to keep quiet, as these people knew about magic from their lives in the Subcontinent and understood the importance of not breaking the Statute. A few definitely remembered getting pulled out by Tom and Lilith, their words of gratitude building an unexpected feeling of warmth in Tom's chest.
"That they are, sir. These are Tom Riddle and Lady von Schwarzwald. Mr Riddle's wand was the one with the Trace, which registered as active by the Improper Use of Magic Office during the night in the proximity of the town of Smethwick." Leonard had looked over the kids, clearly recognizing Lilith. "Miss von Schwarzwald. You clearly seem to have a thing for being in the right place at the right time." Lilith blushed slightly. "My apologies for that, Minister. Mr Riddle and I were in the area and as victims of this war, neither of us felt inclined to let others suffer as we had without lending a hand." The minister's face softened. "No, of course not. In these dreadful times, courage such as yours is a rare thing, but one worthy of praise, not condemnation. Auror Potter, I believe any fines and charges can be waived concerning this incident. In fact, I would like to provide you two with a Commendation. Not only for saving muggles and magicals alike, but also for providing our people with an appropriate means to aid in this time of crisis. I will be discussing the use of Aurors and Reservists with Prime Minister Churchill myself, as a way to maintain the government's censure of these raids by reducing the casualties and damage where possible. I can't imagine how many lives we could save by taking such an active response to the German's barbarity. Thank you both, for showing us how we could do our part to aid in this god forsaken war." The man patted them on the back and wished them a good summer, with a relieved Euphemia releasing them a few minutes later.
Tom shook his head as he looked back at Lilith. "Ok, so I may yet get some bad dreams from that, but the nightmare wasn't about a bombing raid. It…" Tom clamped his jaw shut as he tried to think what he could or couldn't say to Lilith about these odd dreams he was having. Lilith noticed his reticence and sighed. "You don't have to tell me if it's something truly private." Tom looked at her green eyes, again feeling conflicted by the fact his dream showed two people with matching eye color. Were they relations of Lilith? Tom doubted it. Still, aside from the physical reaction that was now all but gone, Tom was feeling a bit of guilt. He hadn't taken a life yet, and somehow this future self of his had done that and more, barely batting an eyelash as he thought about killing two infants, all because of some prophecy. As Lilith stood up and made for the door, Tom's eyes caught the odd shaped scar on her left hand. "What's that from? I've never seen it before." Lilith seemed to freeze the moment she realized he was talking about her scar. Running her hand over the discolored skin, Lilith took a moment to answer. "On the evening when my family was attacked, I was hit by a curse that should have killed me. I woke up a few minutes later, with the scar on my hand. I… don't like showing it, hence why I always wear gloves when I can."
Feeling that he had invaded her privacy, Tom decided it was only fair to share a bit of his dream. "My dream was about me. Or someone I could become. I… was in the room of a house with two children, having just killed four adults. I then aimed my wand at one of the kids, planning to kill it for some odd reason, before I died instead." Tom rubbed his face. "Ever since summer of last year, I feel like I have been having odd dreams. Most don't seem to linger in my mind by the time I wake up, though this one did." Lilith returned to his side, reached out to touch his hand, before stopping herself. When Tom didn't react, she wrapped her fingers around Tom's hand. "I can't say I know exactly what it is that is happening with these dreams, but I don't think you need to worry about them." Tom frowned at her. "I was killing children." Lilith nodded softly. "And how did that make you, the you sitting in this bed, feel?" Tom thought for a second. "Cold, sick… disgusted with myself." Lilith gave him a reassuring smile, squeezing his hand. "Then whoever that was wasn't you. And as long as you can feel that killing children is wrong, that will never be you. A few days ago you helped me save the lives of innocents. Though you didn't want to do it, you did. So believe in the person you want to be, not what you might fear you might become."
As Tom nodded to himself, Lilith stood back up, releasing his hand gently, after seeing the time on the clock at his bedside table. "We should get some sleep. In a few days, the Hogwarts Letters should be arriving and then we have to spend a few hours in the Alley buying the books and materials listed. After that, we need to go over our plans for finding your family's legacy at Hogwarts." Tom, seeing the time, nodded in agreement, even as he rubbed his fingers on the hand Lilith had been touching. "Yeah, you're right. Thank you for checking in on me, Lilith." The redhead blushed at his words. "I promised I would help you and I will. This is just part of it. Pleasant dreams, Tom. I will have breakfast ready by the time you're out of the shower after the sun rises." As Lilith was closing the door, she paused. "Though please take a moment to check if I am in the bathroom before you enter it, if you do wake up early again." Tom blushed softly. "I will. Goodnight." Tom slumped back onto the bed, his mind still trying to make sense of the dream before he just pushed the images aside. Instead, he focused on the way Lilith's hand felt on his and the warm feeling it elicited in his heart. Though their time together was a product of their alliance, Tom was just happy to have her by his side. He fell asleep, having a far more pleasant dream about a girl with green eyes than the one before.