The Ritual worked: just not in the way Tom Riddle anticipated.

Remorse...it hurt like a motherfucker and if Tom Riddle, aka The Dark Lord were any other normal wizard...he’d be dead right about now.

But as he gasped for breath and held Hermione close to his body, he could’ve sworn he heard someone chuckling lowly within the room. Looking up, he also saw Severus gazing around in confusion while Draco was curled in on himself sobbing in grief, the young wizard’s gaze firmly fixed upon Hermione.

Hearing the sound again, Tom eyes stared up towards the Veil, where he was convinced the sound was coming from. The tattered black curtain wafted slowly outward and then a dark, black essence slithered out of the Veil and swirled around them until it coalesced into a dense form that moved itself directly in front of him.

“Tom Riddle.”

The form spoke in a voice that Tom could only describe as several voices whispering at once, speaking the same thing.

“Yes.” He stated, unsure of what to say or do.

The figure swirled around the dais as it ebbed and flowed through tattered curtain hanging from the entrance to the Veil. He took a second to look at the other men within the room, and all their faces registered the same sense of shocked disbelief.

“You have called me here, Tom Riddle.”

He shook his head, not quite understanding what was happening.

How could he have called?

As his eyes widened, Death chuckled at the sudden understanding that appeared on the wizard’s face.

“You understand at last, Tom Riddle. You, who have attempted to cheat Death itself, have been given a gift far more precious that any ever bestowed, since before the Veil itself came to be.”

Looking down at his daughter, Tom lifted the hand that held the Gaunt Family Ring, the Resurrection Stone, and gently took it off his daughter’s finger, placing it back onto his own. Then, taking the Elder Wand from where it had fallen out of Hermione’s grip, he grasped it firmly into his own and felt the warmth of the wand radiate up his arm and through his entire being. The Cloak sat where it had been left, ready to be claimed by the Master of Death.

Realizing what this meant, Tom Riddle wasted no time demanding what belonged to him be rightfully returned.

“Give me back my daughter.”

Death chuckled deeply as its essence swirled around the Veil. “I cannot, for she is not dead.”

“What!” Draco pleaded in astonishment, earning a harsh glare from his Lord.

“Speak!” Tom glowered angrily. “What do you mean she’s not dead?”

Death chuckled again. “Master of Death, can’t you not sense it? Don’t you understand that she bound your essence from the stone to me, thereby making it a Hallow once again. Her own Soul, and therefore her very essence lies dormant...suspended.”

He was fairly certain his countenance appeared utterly confused, but Draco breathed out in understanding.

“The Blessed Heart.” Draco whispered pleadingly to his Lord, begging for understanding. “Her betrothal gift...its imbued with Felix Felicis, My Lord.”

Death swirled around again. “The boy understands. Your daughter’s magic is beyond powerful. Her own soul protected by her love for her betrothed. Love and luck have protected her, but only one of equal power can restore her.”

Tom gazed down at his daughter as he whispered out “Marlene.”

“You do understand, Master of Death. Do not waste what has been restored to you nor the gift that has been bestowed upon you, Tom Riddle—for if you do? I will come for you and claim you back to me.”

With those final words, Death moved back through the Veil and returned to its realm, and the room went silent once again.

Tom stood up and ‘accio’d’ the Invisibility Cloak and Blood Replenishing Potions before moving quickly out of the Death Chamber—Severus, Draco and Pius following closely behind. When he made it to the Atrium, he saw Rabastan coming out of the floo and heading his way.

The younger Lestrange’s face dropped as he saw the limp body within his Lord’s arms.

“My Lord?” Rabastan stared at Hermione and then the other wizard’s, while his Lord glared at him harshly.

“We will have words, Rabastan...both you and your brother, but not now. Why are you here?”

Rabastan’s face paled even further as he spoke as calmly as he could muster under the circumstances.

“Lady McKinnon sent me here—she felt something was wrong with Hermione and once she’d realized what Hermione was most likely attempting, she begged me to come here to check on her.”

“Where is she now?” He demanded.

“The Library at Malfoy Manor, My Lord.”

Moving swiftly, Tom called out ‘Malfoy Manor Main Library’ before the green flames whisked him away to the only person who could hopefully save their daughter.