[HP] Companion

"I heard you got married. Congratulations, Tom."

Dumbledore watched Fawkes turn into a baby bird again in the ashes. He gazed at the beautiful phoenix, and then turned his head to look at Tom Marvolo Riddle standing in the middle of the headmaster's office.His appearance is as handsome and charming as ever, just as his heart is as crazy as ever.

Tom's marriage was very simple, no ceremony, no vows, no witnesses.They just registered with the Ministry of Magic, put on the ring, and became eternal family members.

Of course Tom wasn't the only one who got married in this way.But he doubted whether Tom really paid attention to this matter, and he also wanted to ask Alice Hunter if she really paid attention to it.Has she considered what marriage really means?Even though Dumbledore knew they had been together since childhood, being together and being married were two different things.

Dumbledore thought of the day he had gone to the orphanage.They sat in the room, watching him, the strange visitor, with wary eyes.Alice said at the time that others at the orphanage saw them as monsters.

monster.

Dumbledore sighed inwardly.He hadn't felt this powerlessness for a long time.He wanted the two children to come to Hogwarts for a better education.In the new, inclusive environment, he hopes they will be on the right track.

However, these two children... one is a descendant of Slytherin, and the other is a Hufflepuff with Hellman blood.

Tom and Alice are doing well in school.Everyone seems to love them.Even though Alice prefers to be alone, it didn't affect her popularity.They seemed to be going the way he hoped they would.But Dumbledore knew, or he had a premonition, that the two would not stop there.

Dumbledore doesn't want to be biased, but the famous Slytherin descendants of history seem to be more biased, just like Slytherin himself.Dumbledore is wary of Tom, he doesn't trust him.Although Dumbledore also hopes that he can entrust his trust to him.

And Alice...

Dumbledore knew she was from the Hellmans when Edith first contacted her.Edith didn't intend to hide it from him, perhaps it was a disguised threat.Edith was warning him not to let Alice get hurt.

Dumbledore knew the Hellmans, and he knew Edith's temper.If Alice was really hurt, then Edith would definitely come to England directly, and even Gellert couldn't stop her.

The Hellmans had crazy blood.They love their families and can do all kinds of horrible things for it.

Just like back then...

In the end, Dumbledore still couldn't think deeply about the past.He used to use the Pensieve to trace his memory, to find out those important details that had been overlooked.However, some memories are really painful in the past, and even he doesn't want to recall them.

"You called me here just to say that?"

Tom's tone was full of impatience.After he had enough power to rival Dumbledore, he tore off the mask of politeness without hesitation.This made Dumbledore a lot easier. After all, it is very tiring to figure out other people's thoughts, and Dumbledore is no exception.

"Isn't it what a professor should do to care about the situation of his own students?" Seeing Tom's face getting worse, Dumbledore's smile remained unchanged, "Alice and you are both my students, seeing you I'm happy to be together. So how's her health? I'm sorry she didn't finish her studies."

Tom didn't speak.This kind of situation rarely happens to him, after all, Tom is a person who can do both, no matter what the situation is, he can handle it.His silence gave Dumbledore a bad feeling.

"...can she survive?"

Dumbledore asked quietly.For a moment he thought he was back in that gloomy orphanage again, in that cramped room again.At that time, Tom was not as good as he is now. At that time, he was young and immature, and he said in a slightly helpless tone that he was a snake whisperer.Today's Tom stands there, his tone is very similar to the past: "I don't know."

Sure enough.Dumbledore felt helpless, and no one knew.He remembered her mother's death, he remembered Edith breaking down and crying, and he remembered everything after that, so engraved in his mind that he didn't even need a Pensieve to recall it.

He remembered the conversation he had with Alice at the gate of the castle on that snowy night. She was the same as the Hellman he knew, doing what she wanted to do at all costs, even if it hurt others.

"They've always been like this. The Hellmanns are not a happy family. They have to make decisions, and only they can decide whether they live or die."

"Stay with her more, Tom."

This sentence was said by Dumbledore from the bottom of his heart and put aside his position.He and Tom disagreed on many issues, but Dumbledore was old and his strength had been drained from the confrontation with Gellert.Besides, Tom had to admit that he was right on some points.The wizarding world needs a revolution, and this is not something the old man Dumbledore can do.Their differences lie with Muggles.

Tom didn't realize that Alice had changed him. If it wasn't for Alice's subtle influence, he might have done more.Maybe it will be like Gellert Grindelwald back then.But he didn't, at least he could still get along with Dumbledore.

Dumbledore did not say this, and at this time, it is best to let go of your position.

As for whether they are sincerely married, the answer is self-evident.

When I saw Alice again, it was at her funeral.

I left college that night, and the next day was sunny again, making it hard to keep my eyes open.According to Alice's wishes, she was buried in England.Maybe it was to make up for the mistakes of alienating Tom for so many years.Edith and Christon came and went in haste.England will always be a sad place for the generations of Hellman, and they will never want to stay long.

Tom didn't invite too many people to the funeral.Alice doesn't have many friends, but surprisingly, there are Muggles among them.Alice and Tom hated orphanages, he knew it.But he didn't know why there were Muggles here.

Later he heard that this Muggle was called Annie, but he didn't ask for details.

Dumbledore presents irises to Alice.The sad thing in the world is that a white-haired person gives a black-haired person.He is old, but his students left earlier than him.

Her grave is engraved with the name and the year, with the emblems of Hellmann and the saints.

"I have failed many people, but I have never regretted my decision."