Fan Fiction ❯ china doll ❯ consolatio ad filium ( Chapter 6 )

Virginia could get up since a couple of days: she could have done it before, but Bianca had been strict about this - Mrs. Weasley wouldn't have done better. That morning Isabella was more hyper than usual, surely not because of her Arithmancy test she should have faced within few hours.

" What's up? I didn't think that you could love Arithmancy testes!"

" I don't give a damn about the test and the prof., Gin!" the brunette said," I am very, very happy: today, May 22nd, it's To's birthday, and though he don't use to celebrate it, I want cook his favored cake; but it above all is the eve of the oh, so much awaited The Matrix-Reloaded Day!"

" The what?!"

Asked Virginia frowning. Isabella sighed and explained as if speaking to a three-years-old little girl:

" Since tomorrow, at the cinema, there will be the second episode of The Matrix." the redhead look at her even more confused, " How, don't you know that marvelous, superb, exceptional movie?! Ah yeah, I forgot that you had /never/ watch a movie. Well, there is always a first time: tomorrow you and To will come with us, and this evening we'll go over the first episode."

" How can you be so sure that Thomas will go back tonight, Isabella?"

Bianca insinuated sipping her white coffee; Isabella stuck out her tongue.

" I know it and that's enough! And then today is his seventy-first birthday: he /must/ spend it with us!"

" What if his bootlicker have organized one of their horrifying parties for him?" asked Virginia biting a slice of ring-shaped chocolate cake," I mean, he is their boss, it seem obvious if..."

" Thomas doesn't celebrate his birthday."

" Why?"

" Aunt Herentas died few after he born, and for To today is the anniversary of the death of his mother. But this doesn't mean that he won't eat a slice of the cake he likes so much: you'll help me, won't you Gin?"

Virginia nodded with a smile: she had always liked helping her mother in cooking; moreover she was curious to know which were Tom's tastes about desserts. In the afternoon Isabella's good humor was a bit lowered because of the Arithmancy test's flop: but despite this, she dragged Virginia in the kitchen.

" You should know that my cousin is crazy for the Sacher." said Isabella settling the ingredients on the large table," When I went to Austria two years ago, I got the original recipe: a drop of Veritaserum and a Memory Charm has done their job quite well; and I must admit that my Sacher is the best in the world!"

" How humble." Virginia smiled," What should I do?"

" Pound the almonds, I take care of the chocolate."

The two girls spent the afternoon in kitchen cooking a very inviting cake: a triumph of plain chocolate and homemade apricot jam with a decoration of ganache and candied violets. But all their efforts were useless: they waited Tom's return until 9:00 PM and had to eat a cold dinner. Isabella sulked for whole evening, and not even the vision of one of her favored movies gave her that morning's happiness.

Virginia didn't go to sleep but, worn a nightgown, she sat on the couch before the French window with a book on her knees: she felt tired and sleepy, it had been a tiring day for her who was still convalescent; but a tiny voice in her mind told her that she must stay awake and wait. What, she didn't know. She threw a glance to the clock: it was few after Midnight. < If I close my eyes for a couple of minutes, just to rest them a bit, nothing will happen...> she thought watching the starry sky against which the clouds ran in abstruse evolutions: she slipped a bookmark between the pages, arranged two pillows behind her back and with a yawns she closed her eyes.

SBANG!

Virginia jumped, the book fell with a thud on the majolica floor and she looked the clock with wide eyes: it was 1:40 AM. Hearing footsteps and grumbling behind her, she turned: Tom, in very bad mood, he had nervously taken off the cloak and had thrown it on a chair. It looked as if he hasn't noticed that the girl was awake.

" How they could... How they dared! I had been very explicit! If I find out who has had the great idea to organize that party, I'll kill him and... no, I'll torture him so slowly that he will whish death more than everything; I will reduce him to a mere skeleton and make the rest of his days as miserable as possible!" he grumbled walking back and forth," Yes, I'll do in this way: the lower ranks are about-faces, they need to be treated like house elves if not worse. An exemplary punishment is what they need, so the next time they'll think twice before disobey!"

" Tom?"

He gasped, staring her with an upset look: she felt a vice squeeze her breast looking in those eyes, that in the light of the moon's last quarter became honey colored -the same vice that oppressed her every time she watched him sleep. Tom said nothing and looked at her in silence as if, with his eyes, he wanted to ask her something; but before Virginia could understand what, he approached the French window and stared Orion. Virginia bit her lower lip and looked with worry at his back.

" What is happened?"

He didn't answer, his left hand tightened the curtain's fabric spasmodically. Thinking to not get an answer, Virginia picked her book up and went to bed.

" Do you think it's fair that I have fun in the day of the anniversary of the death of my mother?" Tom whispered unexpectedly, " Is it fair that those fools don't respect my wish to honor her memory in a worthy way? Or am I the fool, which at my age I'm still so attached to the memory a woman that I haven't ever been able to know?

" As each year, at twilight I went in cemetery near my old orphanage. When I was a child, Maddalena -St. Michael Archangel Institute's nurse- she has told me that my mother liked roses, above all the wild: wild roses are the only flowers I bring on her grave. They were great friends, my mother and Lena, even if the latter was a Muggle: she has told me everything she knew about my mother, it was much since they knew since children and her aunt worked for grandmother Agata. I was before her grave, I had arranged the roses and was reciting the rosary for her soul, when an owl has come with a message: an urgent meeting had been fixed and my presence was indispensable. ' It must be something serious if they have disturbed me in this recurrence' I said to myself: so I ended my prayers and went to Riddle House. And do you know what I found when I arrived? Do you know what?!" he shout stooping his head, " I don't... everybody was there, except the Twelve and the Loyals. They had... they had organized a party, for my birthday: they had brought the families of two Auror that in the last months were bothering us. I have felt... outraged, it was as if they have offended my mother and I. You know how Death Eaters' parties are, Virginia, and I let you imagine in which way they were enjoying. There was a girl, around twenty-two years: you don't know how much she resembled my mother, she had the same look that she had when that son of a bitch left her... left /us/. I saw red: I ordered to tell me who has had the idea to celebrate my birthday; I was so furious that when nobody came forward, I went away, I couldn't stay there any longer. They are incompetents! If I have ordered that today every activity is suspended, I have my reasons; and they aren't able to execute an order so simple! In any other circumstance, I would have approved it; but today... my poor mother!" he exclaimed with broken voice punching the window pane," How have they dared to besmirch my dear mother's memory, whose only sin was to have loved with all herself, unconditionally a... a Muggle!"

Virginia was invested by a tidal wave, a mixture of anger, pain, sadness, tenderness. She felt even stronger that oppressive feeling while she looked at his trembling back: without think, without a word, without move the eyes from him, Virginia reached him and took his hand, noticing astonishment his damps cheeks. Tom covered his eyes with the other hand and let her brings him near the couch and let her make him sit close to her. Taken by an inexplicable impulse, Virginia embraced him, letting that he lean his head on her shoulder, letting that he encircled her waist with his arms.

~* flashback*~

The bakery's bell tinkled happily when, smiling, Thomas Riddle got out of the shop gripping in one hand his leather briefcase and in the other a paper bag filled with his wife's favorite pastries. The young lawyer was at the peak of happiness: it was a wonderful late May day; he had just won an important case; but above all, in few more than a month, his first-born would have born. Thomas was convinced that it would have been a baby girl, beautiful as his wife; Herentas, instead, that it would have been a baby boy and that he would have done great things in his life: actually, the daddy-wannabe didn't care about the baby's sex, the important thing was that the woman he loved would be his children's mother. Before go back home he bought some gorgeous rosebuds -Herentas loved roses.

The Riddle lived in a London's satellite town, in a house surrounded by a small and pretty garden taken care with love by Mrs. Riddle: though they at the beginning were unpopular -after all they eloped, in six or seven months they had conquered the respect and the trust of everybody. After all it was impossible don't appreciate a woman like Herentas, whose talents were exemplary for the district's women. When the sky began to dye with pink, Thomas was in front of his house: he crossed the small anterior garden; climbed the four steps that led to the principal entry; entered house and putted the jacket on the hat stand and his briefcase on a nearby chair; he went toward the staircases loosening his tie but stopped near the living room's closed door.

Voices. His wife was in living room with somebody.

Feeling the jealousy grew inside, Thomas made to open the door and... shook his head smiling: Herentas was speaking with Agata, her mother. Donna Agata Meridiae née Trao was the only among their parents to support the young couple: both his parents and Lord Meridiae had planned an advantageous marriage for their children -he with his mother's friend's daughter; she with one of her ex-schoolmates. Donna Agata, with the help of her brother, nephew and nieces, she had made so that Herentas and Thomas realizes their love dream, even if in a not so orthodox way. Now was better leave the two women to their feminine questions and then reveal his return: his mother-in-law could have dined with them, and even stay for some day.

" ... if I tell him!"

Thomas froze hearing the thin and desperate voice of his wife: feeling grow inside a horrible suspicion, he drew near the door without noise.

" My child, don't get upset: if I tell it, it's only because it's the better thing to do."

" Thomas isn't yet ready, mammà: he isn't yet able to accept things that for him are... weird. First I must teach him to accept that in this world there is also other things... different thinks."

" You had to tell him a long time ago, before your relationship became too serious: it is since when you married that you're blabbing this tale. Are you ashamed of what you are?"

" No, mammà! I am proud to be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin and that also the Trao's blood flows in my veins! But I know my husband, I could imagine how he would react in front of something he doesn't understand, something he doesn't know: and I am sure that he won't understand me if when I 'll tell him he won't be able to accept what he doesn't know."

" And what do you want to do? Keep him in the dark until your son will receive the letter from Hogwarts? Then you will be /forced/ to tell him that you are a witch; and perhaps it'll be too late to remedy: the sooner you tell him, the better will be for both."

Thomas froze hearing these words: the woman he had married was... was a witch?! In those six long years Herentas hadn't told him that she was... a demoniac monster?! Then this meant that...

" You are... you are right mammà." Herentas sobbed, " I must tell him. When... when the child will bear. Yes, when the child will bear I will tell him. But what if... if when he will known he'll... he'll leave me?"

" I don't deny that the news will shock him, that at the beginning he could be upset. But if he really loves you, then you have nothing to fear. And if things go badly, uncle Alfio is always ready to greet you with open arms. Now stop to cry." Agata whispered incomprehensible words," Much better. Your husband will be back home soon, and if he finds me here he will want me to stay at least for a week. Good-bye Herentas, take care of the baby and yourself."

Thomas heard a pop and the noise of glasses. The door opened with a creaking: Herentas turned, a bottle of Marsala in her hands. The young woman smiled to her husband, a smile filled with love and sweetness.

" Welcome back, dear: how your case was? Ah, the Wilkins has organized a party this Saturday, there will be many important people that... why that dark face, Thomas? Don't tell me that... that you have lost the case!"

Whispered apprehensive Herentas: she placed the bottle on the table, approached him and stretched a hand to touch his face. With a furious gesture, Thomas moved away her hand looking at her with hate.

" Thomas, what is happened to you? Why are you so angry with..."

" Shut up!"

He yelled slapping her with such strength that she had to grab the console to don't fall. Herentas brought a hand on the offended cheek, feeling it swell under her fingers, tasting the ferrous taste of her own blood on her lips: her husband had never beaten her. She looked at him upset, she searched the feelings that she had read in his eyes the same one morning, the same feelings that lit up her days for six years: she read a mixture of anger, grudge, disgust, hate. The baby moved inside her, giving her the strength -the hope- to try and calm down her husband and understand what has happened to him.

" Honey, please calm down and tell me wh..."

" Shut up shut up shut up! The charm of your eyes and of your words doesn't have any more effect on me!"

He growled throwing a crystal pot full of roses: she raised her arms to protect herself, the splinters and the thorns hurt her skin, the water soaked her dress. He slapped her again and this time she wasn't lucky: she fell, beating the side against the console's edge. Herentas felt a sharp pain in her ribs; she shut her eyes and tightened her lips; tears flowed on her face; she tried to take back breath but it was impossible: because of the hit, she could only inhale. She let herself lying on her back trying to dominate the pain, to allow her lungs to resume working: after half minute she was able to breathe, even if in breathless gulps and she tried to reach the closer chair.

" Where are you going?!"

Shouted Thomas kicking her back and threw down console upon her; she hardly held back a groan of pain when the piece of furniture broke her leg, just under the knee.

" P-please... stop it: yo-you'll hurt our... our b-baby... "

" Shut up!"

" B-but..."

" I won't let you change me in a toad or hex me, damn witch! Ah no, for too much time I has held bound with your spells, and who knows which mixtures you have made me swallow in these years!"

" I swear on the wand, the cauldron, the sword and the coin that I never ever..."

A choked yelled got out her throat when he resumed hitting her vomiting insults; she curled in a ball trying to protect the creature inside her. She tried to hold back the tears, to not shout, to dominate the pain <The descendants of Salazar Slytherin must /never/ appear weak!> her father's voice sounded prophetic in her mind. The physical pain that Herentas felt was little thing before the emotional one: for the young woman each word, each insult of the man that had loved and that she loved above everything was like a stab in her heart.

" Thomas... plea-please c-cal-calm down! Let me ex-explain...."

" There is not nothing to explain, damn witch! I shouldn't have helped you the damned day I have met you! My parents were right; they have told me that one day I would have repented to marry you! But now I know who you are and your spells don't have effect on me: recommend your soul to the devil if you have one, because now I'll give you what you deserve!"

He ended with a fanatical laughter and got out of the living room. The tears flowed while Herentas think about what to do: if she didn't act soon the child and her would die, but what? Her wand was above the closet in the bedroom, and she wouldn't have been able to reach it before Thomas was back; the fireplace was near and she could reach it crawling, but the Flow Powder was in the Sevres azure potiche in the cupboard with her porcelains collection. Wandless magic was impossible, it would have killed her: the only solution was Disapparate, but she couldn't go very far, perhaps not more than two miles. A new and unexpected pain cut her breath.

" No.... not now! It's... it's still soon!"

She glimpse Thomas pass with a lighter in one hand and lead in the basement, while an other contraction squeezed her womb: Herentas closed her eyes and picked up the few strengths that she had.

" Now I'll get rid of you: if in the past those of your race were burnt, it evidently is the better way to..."

Thomas ran out of words seeing the empty living room and he threw the two lamps that he had took from the basement, the oil left an enormous spot on the wall and carpet.

Maddalena looked sadly at her dinner, knowing that it wouldn't have been sufficient after an intense working day: the apprenticeship was as relaxing as anticipated. The boiler hissed wildly, a hiss that oddly sounded like "Lena": the young woman shook her head and prepared a cup of tea, she was very tired and imagining things. She sat tiredly at the table, and began to eat: she had just bite into a sausage when she heard a faint voice call her. Alarmed, Maddalena got up and went in the next room, from where the voice came.

" Holy Rosalia!" she gasped with wide eyes," Herentas, what is happened?!"

" ... Lena... my child wants.... bear... please... help me, for the friendship that bonds us... "

" Oh God, what should I do?! " the nurse panicked," We need... hospital! Yes, I have to bring you to hospital: can you get up? Can you reach the street if you lean against me?"

Herentas shook the head.

" ... my... " she winced in pain at a new and hard contraction," ... ribs... I think they are broken... "

" Let me see." Maddalena unbuttoned her dress exposing the torso: it was swollen, bruised and three ribs were fearfully out of place," I couldn't move you or it would worsen... doctor McPherson! He lives in the fourth floor and surely he'll know what do to avoid to pierce your lungs: I'll be right back!"

Maddalena ran without close her flat's door, leaving Herentas alone: after ten minutes she was back. The young woman took all the sheets, towels and blankets she had and covered the stoves with pots full of water.

" Doctor McPherson will come in few minutes, we'll try to help you until the ambulance comes. Tell me who is so heartless to do this."

Herentas told what had happened: she didn't know how, but her husband had found out that she was a witch and he had reacted very bad. While she listened, Maddalena felt her stomach writhe and a wave of nausea: Mr. Riddle had seemed a nice man, maybe a bit impulsive. Whatever Maddalena had felt for her friend's husband now had changed in pure and deep hate. The poor woman had just ended her story when the physician came: doctor McPherson did her a first, quick visit.

" She's too dilated, the child could bear before the ambulance comes: it wouldn't be a problem, but those ribs... the effort of the birth could aggravate the situation. I haven't seen a case so desperate."

The two women exchanged a look: Maddalena had worried and was hardly able to keep her cold blood; Herentas was aware of her conditions, but her eyes shone with determination.

" ... the child... at least he must... he must survive..."

" But, Mrs., your lungs could be pierced: we must keep your conditions stable until we won't be in the hospital and there... "

" We both will die if... we wait!" Herentas coughed," I don't care for... what will happen... to me, my son must be ours... priority!"

Fought by opposite feelings, the doctor McPherson looked his own hands; then he took off the jacket and rolled his shirt's sleeves up.

" Ok, I'll do as you want." he whispered slipping the gloves on his hands," And God be with us."

Maddalena signed herself and threw a quick prayer to the Holy Virgin and Saint Anne. It was a fast childbirth, but not easy: the pregnancy didn't have ended the eighth month and this would have influenced on the baby's survival; and for the same reason the child hadn't turned over. But were the damages caused by the received hits to worry the physician: Herentas had lost much blood and wasn't able to breathe well; a sudden issue of foamy blood confirmed his worst prevision.

" Hold on," whispered doctor McPherson," I have almost... taken! Push at my three: one... two.... three!"

Herentas pushed with the few strengths she had, she almost didn't hear her son's weak whimper; she wanted to take back breath, but at each breath the pain radiated from the side to every inch of her body; she felt her lungs filled with liquid, as if drowning: she would have laughed, if she has had the strength, after all she was drowning in her own blood.

" The ambulance has come, Ms. Laurora, they are going up to take Mrs. Riddle: I would wish you to tell me who has done this to your friend," Maddalena paled," but I know that this isn't the right time. Tomorrow we'll speak with a cold mind of it."

Maddalena nodded, tightening the newborn wrapped in a flannel sheet: Herentas looked at her intensely, her breath irregular and bubbly. The nurse understood what she had to do and placed the newborn on the woman's breast.

" You are right, Herentas: it is a baby boy... and he has a birthmark just like yours."

Herentas smiled weakly at the mention of Meridiae family's embarrassing trademark -a heart-shaped strawberry birthmark on the groin- and she placed her tired look on her son: he was a child without strengths without fingernails neither hair, the weight too much light, still damp with amniotic fluids and stained with blood and fragments of placenta. It was a good sign. She stroked the soft little head with a hand and then pressed her trembling lips on the small forehead hissing three words and watching the newborn with love:

" ... Thomas.... Marvolo.... Riddle..."

Sobbing, Maddalena closed her eyes and took the child in her arms; her tears of sorrow washed the skin of Thomas Marvolo Riddle.

~* end flashback*~

" If that... if that bastard had just gone away, my mother... wouldn't have died! I... I would have known her... I would have spent my life at her side... I would have learned so much things from her! W-when L-Lena told me the circumstances of the... of the death of my mother I... I have hated and still hate that man... that's why I killed him, he and those fanatics of his parents! I-if he hasn't beaten her to the death, but he has tried to understand her.... I-I would not b-be gr-grown in... in that damn orphanage.... I would ha-have had a family just li-like you! Do you k-know wha-what is wri-written on her he-hea-headstone?! He-her on-only s-si-sin w-was to ha-have lo-lo-loved."

Tom whispered between sobs, grasping desperately the girl. Virginia, with tears in her eyes, was shocked: while she listened, her stomach twisted and her throat tightened. She wanted to vomit. But she had stayed and she had listened: she didn't know why he had shared with her a memory -if she could call it in this way- so inner, painful and sorrowful; perhaps he had been pushed by the simple impulse to confide with anybody, or... Virginia gave up to answer this question. Then she had an epiphany: who was the real monster between Tom and his father? The first, who for his greed of power had killed whom, was an obstacle; or the latter, who had used violence on his own wife - a pregnant woman- only because he didn't accept her for what she was despite she has loved him with all her self. Who, between the two, was the worse crime? Use every mean for what, in accordance with a sick and twisted logic, was fair; or leave that fanaticism and mental closing push a man to hurt an innocent? Sure, Lord Voldemort had hurt more than one innocent, however Virginia must acknowledge one thing: Herentas Maria Riddle would have been the most loved and adored mother of the whole Britain; and the affection that the Dark Lord had for her memory was the only shred of humanity that he kept. Virginia embraced Tom, rocking him back and forth with sweetness: with her great surprise, she found the same gestures and the same words with which her mother had soothed her after the Chamber of Secrets' accident, and she kissed his wet eyelashes, surprise that even his tears are salty like her own. Tom cried for many hours, without utter a sound, letting out the sorrow that he had kept for his whole life until then: he fell asleep, but even his sleep was shaken by sobs.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This is CHIDO's sadder and touching chapter. I must admit it, ol' poor Uncle Voldie's dad's reaction is really horrendous, I don't approve it -hate who act in such way- and I have been really ill while writing it -even because part of this chapter has written in hospital: I have been really sadistic, perverse and evil, but I needed something really strong to try to explain Uncle's behavior; that's why I have decided to introduce four traumas in his life -the way in which his mother has died is the first. Ops, maybe I'm giving too much previews!

Bound to this chapter, there is also a fan art at the following address:

www.fanfiction.it/index.php?module=My_eGallery&do=sho wpic&pid=176&orderby=titleA

Ah, if you want to know Voldie's parents' whole story, you can read my new fic "Guilty" ;)

And it's thanks time! You were stayed quite few to review the fifth chapter, evidently you hadn't liked it.

From FF.net:

Lil kawaii doom: knowing that you've missed my story is a sign that you like it; thank you so much!

Liv: Tom trying? Well, it's a matter of point of views ;)

:) : uhm, oh... thank you!

From AFF.net:

Bogan: here's the next chapter, but please don't die, I don't have enough money to send flowers to your funeral ;P If want to read more Gin 'n' Tonic, on AFF.net, there's only "Control" by Slappy; and on FF.net there's a quite large one.

Cuttie_blossom: you touch a painful point when you talk about grammar… since I'm not an English speaking and beta-readerless author, I can't improve my grammar further :'(

From FF.it:

Nimue: well, I don't like dead times, even if some time I'm forced to write filling chapters -I hope that this doesn't ever happen with CHIDO. Thank you for how you had reviewed the fifth chapter, and I hope that you could judge in a likewise way impartial this one, despite there are things that make people furious but that mirror a sick everyday life. And don't worry about your burst, now Italy is known in the world for the fashion, the good food and the good wine :: YUM!::

Ele: every of us has his personal style. I always seek realism in what I describe, so, for how absurd the situation could be, they always can and however mirror everyday life: this forces me to file tons of information, but as the good Socratic I am, I know that there are so much things that I don't know.

anonymous reviewer: I answer immediately to your question. In this fic the Malfoys -senior and junior- are so power-hungry, that they has arranged to bow before Lord Voldemort; naturally, being very proud, this is only a way to protect themselves while they wait the right moment to take what they want. Draco can also hate his father, but even he acts in this way.

Ok, that's all.

See ya!

Herentas Meridiae, Queen of Evilness