Chapter 42

The group drank and ate in the candlelight. Mulciber and Lestrange had prepared all the food themselves, meaning only half of it was edible but very appreciated none the less. As Nott told a story of Avery being rejected by Annie Hendricks in their second year, a sudden cool breeze wafted over the long oak table. They fell silent, one by one, as they looked up to see Tom's imposing figure in the doorway.

"Please, don't stop on my behalf." Tom floated in, his hands firmly held behind his back as he went to take his usual place at the head of the table. Anastasia watched him sit, silence still lingering in the air. Tom had been gone for nearly a month. As days had turned to weeks the group had become more and more free with one another, but within a simple moment they had all returned to their usual states of obedience.

"Go on." Tom waved his hands before turning his gaze to Anastasia. The boys slowly started to pick up words again, but Anastasia kept her focus on Tom. He was different. She wondered what had changed, but it wasn't simply his demeanour it was more internal than that. As the elves cleared the plates, Tom stood up to address the table.

"I'm sure you've all wondered where I've been. That information will be given to those I believe deserve it, when I believe they deserve it." His grin, she thought, was different to his usual condescending smirk. It showed more emotion than usual, an almost manic expression of confidence. 

"But what I can assure you is that I have made great strides towards our goals." Tom purposefully turned to Anastasia, raising his glass as he swooned in his own excellence. As they all drifted away from the table towards the library, Anastasia remained firmly in her seat, hoping Tom would do the same. After Rosier left she watched Tom walk to the door, only to close it and turn back towards her.

"Miss me?" His voice dark and smooth as he placed himself in front of her. His height looming over as the chandelier above him caused his body to become a silhouette. He placed both hands on her cheeks, leaning in slowly to drop a gentle peck on her lips.

"Where have you been?" She whispered, suddenly remembering what it was like to be touched by him.

"I've done it Anastasia." Her eyes fluttered open to look at him as his thumb ran over her lips, parting them ever so slightly. "I've done what we both should have a long time ago. The muggle who's name I bear is gone. I've severed the ties that once dragged my prosperity through the gutter." Anastasia's eyes widened, but before she could speak Tom wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, clutching her hair and lifting her up to her feet. He pushed his lips into hers with force before revealing his new grin once again.

"Why-"

"Don't worry Miss Delaney. His end was not solely for my amusement or petty vengeance." Tom kept one hand firmly clasped around the back of her neck as he raised the other in front of her face. Anastasia looked to see the ring on his finger. She recognised the sign engraved on the ring instantly from a book her father gave her as a child.

"The Deathly Hallows?" She whispered in confusion, only making Tom smile even more.

"This ring belonged to my uncle. He sadly has had to move away." Tom chuckled. "But now it serves a larger purpose Anastasia. A part of me lives in this ring. A promise that my soul will never fade. A horcrux." As Tom explained what he had done he kept their bodies pressed against each other. Anastasia could feel his excited heartbeat as he explained the story, and felt overwhelmed by his touch with his words.

"You want to be immortal..." Anastasia began piecing all of it together. He talked so often about his goals, but she had never realised how far he meant to take it.

"No little one." He leaned in, placing one more kiss on her dry lips. "I am immortal." Tom let go of her, turning to exit the dining room. Anastasia slumped back down into her chair, suddenly remembering Rosier's words on the beach weeks ago. He had said they'd never escape him. Now Tom had created a horcrux, maybe he was right. Anastasia shook her body. She told herself that she was in it now, there was no more room for doubt or errors. She could never look back. She walked out of the dining room to find Tom on the stairs waiting for her. Without even looking into the library where all the boys watched awkwardly, she walked towards him, following his footsteps up the stairs.