December 31, 1926
“A broken soul in unimpaired parts
In a quest for light,
It was the dark that embraced the raven child”
(The Raven Child - Avantasia)
December 31, 1926
It was snowing heavily that year. The New Year Eve would be in the next hours, but the young woman did not care.
She just wanted the pain in her womb to stop soon.
She was not a particularly beautiful woman, and just looking at her face no one could guess how intelligent she was. If she was not home schooled by a fool father and even fooler brother, she for sure would be one of the greatest witches of her time.
But life was not gentle with her.
One day, so long ago, she had believed blindly in the words of her father about how her blood were special, and how she was the magic incarnated only for that.
Now, alone and cold in the middle of night, she was just afraid to have the same fate her mother had, dying in childbirth.
The world had denied her the love of a family, and the love the man she had loved too. Thomas stayed with her for a while without the potion, it was true; but in the moment he discovered about her powers, he left the young woman all alone, even knowing she was pregnant, because he “would never have children with demons blood” it was his words. Thomas Riddle saw the magic with the same superstitious feeling the people would in the inquisition times, and how could she blame him, if she really did attracted him first with a love potion?
When she ringed the convent bell, the young woman just wanted not give birth completely alone.
The young novice screamed when she opened the door.
“Oh, dear God, someone help me here!”.
“My good Jesus, what is your name, child?” asked the Mother.
“Merope...” she murmured “Merope Riddle”.
Even if Thomas denied her now, she would rather his surname. It made her remember of sweet times, sweeter than those she always had as a Gaunt.
My child, let me protect you for our cursed name and that cursed lineage... if they don’t find your identity, they won’t come to hurt you.
“Girls, I need you get a room for this little lady, and fast!”.
Hours later, almost in the midnight, the child was born.
A boy, with black hair and beautiful black eyes, looking at his mom with curiosity.
“Tom, my Tom...” she murmured, holding the baby in her arms “You’ll be called Tom as your father, and Marvolo as your grandfather... but we will live away of them, right, my little boy?” she gave a little laugh, in the middle of tears, kissing his front “We will be happy, my little Tom...”.
But she was feeling weaker and weaker. She haven’t eaten for days, and she was already too thin when she got pregnant. She could feel the blood in her legs, non stop.
“Please... Tom, be happy...” she murmured while the sleep took her.
“It’s not stop bleeding, mother, what should I do?” screamed the nun, massaging the girl womb.
“I’m afraid there is no much we can do, dear” the old woman whispered “She was to weak to childbirth, it was clear since the time she came. But I had hope...” she sighed, the chaplet in her hands “Let me see the boy”.
Another novice took the baby to her, who gave a pious smile “Tom, right? You seems beautiful as your mother should have been, if she wasn’t so sick. I hope our Greatest Mother can look after you”.
The boy cried.
Some hours later, he was officially a resident in the Wool Orphanage.