Stay - Mattheo Riddle

Family of The Dark Lord

Kirra managed to get the material off her mouth, breathing loudly as she tried to collect herself. In the eerie stillness of the graveyard, as Voldemort's dark form solidified, a storm of emotions raged beneath his sinister exterior. Hidden behind the crimson glare of his eyes was a profound sadness, a pain that ran deep, known only to him.

As Kirra uttered his former name, "Tom," and whispered her regret, Voldemort's icy facade faltered for a moment. He hadn't expected this confrontation to stir up the memories of a past that he had long buried within the depths of his soul. The anger he harbored had always masked an underlying sadness, and seeing Ophelia once more brought that pain surging back.

"You," he hissed, though his voice held a hint of vulnerability. "I never expected to see you here, Ophelia... it was just meant to be Harry"

As she looked at the man before her she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. All of this had been her fault. The pain, the destruction... she should have stopped him earlier. When they were in school she shouldn't have just ignored the signs, she had been blinded by her love for him and now he stood before her with the blood of thousands on his hands. 

Kirra's voice quivered as she spoke up, "Tom, this is all my fault. I'm sorry. I never wanted any of this to happen."

Voldemort's eyes bore into her, his resentment momentarily overshadowed by the rush of memories. "You left me, Ophelia. You chose death over me." He didn't blame her, he blamed himself. Looking at her was a constant reminder that he hadnt been strong enough to protect her. That was all he had wanted, to protect her, but that night Dumbledore had taken everything from him. 

Kirra's tears flowed as she lowered her head, her remorse palpable. "It shouldn't have gone that way. But what you've become, it's not what I ever wished for."

The moment hung heavy with unspoken regret, and Voldemort found himself grappling with emotions he had long suppressed. His anger toward Dumbledore, who had taken Ophelia away from him and seemingly torn their love apart, ran deep. He resented the old wizard for the choices he had made that led to Ophelia's death.

The realization washed over Voldemort that he had become the very monster he had once sworn to protect Ophelia from. He had been willing to do anything to protect her. Tom Riddle had loved Ophelia Winston with his entire being, willing to give up anything for her even the opportunity to take over the world and become the most powerful dark wizard the world had ever seen. 

But the person who stood before Kirra Potter was not Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle had died that night in the castle years ago, his arms clutching the dead body of his true purpose. 

In her presence, he was confronted with the stark contrast between the man he had once been and the dark, twisted figure he had become.

Kirra's words struck a chord within him, and his anger shifted. He wasn't mad at Ophelia; he was mad at the circumstances that had torn them apart, the choices he had made, and the life he had chosen. Deep down, he longed for a way back to the innocence of their past, to the love they had shared before darkness consumed him.

And that was why he had to become more powerful. Powerful enough to go back in time. It hadnt been done before but it had to be possible. He wanted to go back in time, back to when he felt whole. 

But the reality of the present was unrelenting. Voldemort had returned to power, and the world was in peril. He couldn't allow his vulnerability to show, not now, not in the face of his enemies. With a bitter resolve, he pushed aside his inner turmoil and turned his attention back to the task at hand.

In that graveyard, where past and present collided, Voldemort's facade remained intact, his emotions buried deep within. But beneath the surface, the pain of a lost love and the choices that had led to his transformation continued to haunt him, casting a shadow over his dark ambitions.