“And you’re sure you want to do this?”

Tom just looked at the girl in front of him. No, he didn’t want to do any of this. He didn’t want to give up everything he had, everything he cared about, and everything he could ever want just for a silly girl. He didn’t even like her all that much. Yet, there was just something about her that lured him. It was almost as if he had no control over his actions-- her power just pulled him forward.

“Yes, I want to do this. I want to be forever connected with you.”

That had done it. He knew that once he made the final decision to marry the girl all that was left of his self-control would be torn away. But, for some reason, he didn’t feel the need to choose his own actions. He almost enjoyed following the suggestions of the unknown feeling. He felt safe that way.

“You know you’ll be giving up everything. Your family, your money… I don’t want you to feel pushed into this.”

“I don’t. I love you.”

He didn’t know how many of those words were true. He knew that the girl standing before him was head-over-heels for him and would do anything to make him happy, yet he truly did not love her. He felt strangely attached to the girl, almost to the point where he could not control his own words or actions.

The two were standing in a rundown cabin located in the middle of nowhere. The walls were covered in grime and mold, while each surface only held dust. The outside look of the house was old and grey, and the inside only held the same feel. The last occupants of this shack had been extremely proud, but extremely narrow-minded, and because of this the place was a mess. One would almost think no one had lived there in years.

The girl had lived there all her life and knew nothing of fancy clothing or riches, yet the young man had known both. He looked sure of himself as he stood proudly in the dusty shack, yet on the inside he felt only unsure. He wasn’t quite certain how the past few days had flown by, but he did know that as long as he was next to this girl everything would be okay-- or so he hoped.

“If we’re going to do this, we have to leave now.”

At those words, the man simply stood up and walked over to the door. He acted as if nothing in the world could stop him from running away from his heritage to be with this girl-- this girl who had an aura of mystery around her. Something about her just enticed him. It was almost as if he was walking on a thin log, with only her glow leading him. He knew that if he strayed to the side he would go crashing down, but if he kept his head facing forward and his mind on his balance he knew everything would turn out fine.

“Okay, love. Let’s go.”

~*~

The new couple walked along the path leading to anywhere. They didn’t have a final destination, and they didn’t know what they would do once they got there. All that was going through the female’s mind was getting away fast enough to avoid being caught, and finding a suitable place to be married.

But Tom’s mind was going crazy with thoughts of everyone and their brother. He didn’t know how his family would react when they awoke the next morning to find him having escaped in the night, but he wasn’t going to wait and find out. He wondered if his friends would take it seriously, or if they would think it was all just a joke. But this-- this was no joke. He was indeed following a path of the unknown, and he still wasn’t sure what was leading him to continue walking it. But he did know that the woman beside him was part the mystery, and he was going to stay by her side until he solved it.

“Where are we going to go, love?”

“I’m not sure. I was thinking we could follow this path into town and catch a train from there. We could take it to somewhere with a beautiful church and gorgeous sunlight shining all day. Somewhere where we can be safe and feel at home.”

“That sounds lovely.”

“I just don’t know where I’m going to find the money.”

“Don’t worry about that. I’ll give you anything.”

And it was true. He had indeed stolen money from his own family just to give this girl whatever she could want. He wasn’t sure what had made him do it, but this voice in the back of his head had told him it was the right thing to do. And now he could take her anywhere she wanted to go. He hadn’t lied when he said he would give her anything. Even though he wasn’t quite sure why, he felt as if he should give her everything. He felt like she was the one to spend the rest of his life with. He wanted nothing more than simply to make her happy.

The girl just blushed. She knew that it was because of the love potion she was giving him that made him act this way, but she still felt a connection to the young man next to her. Sometimes she felt as if she could feel his thoughts. She knew that he felt attracted, and she loved having someone that needed her.

The long walk came to an end just as the sun was beginning to show over the hills. The couple kept their minds on what they were trying to do, and quickly boarded the train to a near-by town. They hadn’t paid much attention to where they were going, just as long as it wasn’t where they were now and it had a decent church for them to wed in.

“You don’t look good, Tom. What’s wrong?”

“I’m fine.”

But Tom wasn’t quite sure if this was the truth. He knew that leaving his home was leaving safety, and he wasn’t quite sure why he was doing it. This whole time he had felt sort of trapped in his body with no way out, and his actions were now having their consequences. As his hands bought the tickets and held the wrist of his fiancée, his mind was telling him to stop it all now when he could still back out. But his subconscious was telling him differently. It was saying, ‘Follow the charmed girl. You know you want to.’

The couple boarded the train, all the while Tom’s mind was continuing to wander. He suddenly felt completely out of control, and wished that he could go back home. Nonetheless, his feet carried him onward, and his outward movements remained calm. Even his speech seemed unchanged, yet his mind was still racing.

~*~

“We’re getting married there tomorrow, Tom.”

“I know, love. I know.”

The odd couple stood in a far-off meadow holding hands. They looked out upon a gorgeous white church in the distance back dropped by a colourful sunset. The area seemed to glow with happiness and excitement. Everyone could feel it.

Everything had been set up. The ceremony was going to be a relatively quick Muggle service, consisting of basically only the vows. Merope had bought her dress, very simple but effective. And Tom’s tuxedo was much the same. That night they would be staying in a nearby hotel, and the next day would be the big one. Everything was going to be perfect.

Everything-- except for one thing. Tom. He was still unsure of this, and felt forced into making the decision. He was pretty sure he didn’t want to marry this woman, yet somehow he did. All of his reactions were going crazy, and he just didn’t know how he felt anymore. Whatever charm this woman had put on him, it was working, and well. He no longer had control of anything, and he was beginning to feel angry. He knew it wasn’t like him to act that way, but it wasn’t like him to pretend to be in love either. The whole world was flipping around in his mind and he just didn’t know which way was up anymore. Nothing was right.

“Trust me, I know.”

Tom could hear the bridal march playing in the background. It was signing sweetly to everyone in the room-- but not him. To Tom the sound was just ringing in his ears, almost screaming at him to back out now. It was telling him to turn around and leave the building. This wasn’t the right thing for him to do-- he was making a big mistake.

But there was the priest waiting at the front of the church for him to begin walking in through the side. He had practiced once before, but nothing could prepare him for this. He took a few steps forward toward his final destination, but his mind was still screaming warnings at him.

Don’t do it!

You don’t love her!

Back out now!

Yet his feet continued to move forward. He just kept walking and kept his face still as he approached the center of the church. He didn’t know what he was doing here, or why he had come. Everything was just becoming a large blur in his mind and even the room seemed to fade in and out in front of him. He could see rows and rows of empty pews, surrounded by only an organ, a priest, and two people to count as witnesses. He didn’t know who any of these people were, and he wasn’t sure if he wanted to wait to find out.

But then his bride appeared at the very back of the church, looking out at the same view that he was seeing from the opposite direction. He knew who she was. He knew her, he cared for her, he was intrigued by her, and still he despised her. It had been she who had brought him this far, and he couldn’t stand her for that. Yet, despite everything, it had been his decision to run away, and he knew it. But things weren’t supposed to turn out this way.

As the woman who had haunted his dreams began to walk closer and closer to him, Tom’s mind continued to race. He didn’t know what to do. He couldn’t just leave her here, but he couldn’t back out either. He tried to take a few steps away from the altar, but his feet stayed glued to the ground. He had lost complete control of everything.

I don’t love her. I don’t even care about her. What am I doing here? I need to leave now!

But she is so attractive. Her whole aura as she walks just pulls me towards her. I need to follow her. I need to stay with her.

No! I’m making a big mistake! I can’t do this! She’s driving me CRAZY!

She’s making me crazy.

Once again Tom tried to pull one foot forward and then the next, but his subconscious mind was telling him to stand still. She soon would be by his side once more and then everything would be all right. She would always be there for him, and she would never hurt him. Right? She would?

Only seconds later the girl was standing right at his side. Tom was starting to feel claustrophobic as he realized how close he was to her. They were so close, that he could just reach out and touch her. But Tom kept his hands by his side and his heart in his stomach. Everything was going wrong. This wasn’t supposed to happen.

"Merope Gaunt, will you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, through sickness and through health, till death do you part?"

Tom’s body language stayed completely calm, and he almost smiled as she looked over at him for reassurance. His face continued to look like the sweet and kind man the woman had first fallen in love with. But on the inside he was becoming a monster, and he didn’t like it. It wasn’t like Tom to let himself explode on the inside. He was always cool and collected. Who was this new person?

I don’t love her, yet she’s driving me up the wall. How can I escape from this prison she’s trapped me in? I’m stuck within my own body, and there’s no escape. How could this have happened? I was a good man.

"I do."

No! Stop! You don’t know me anymore! You don’t know who you’re marrying! I’m a monster! Look what you’ve turned me into!

Tom knew that he had to calm himself down. Soon it would be his turn, and that would be the final contract between the two. If he could just back out now everything would be fine. If he could just turn around and walk out the door he could pretend none of this ever happened.

"And Tom Riddle, will you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, through sickness and through health, till death do you part?"

Tom tried desperately to pick up his feet and walk out the door. With all his might he tried to twist and turn his body so that he could escape. But he knew he was trapped. It hadn’t taken him this long to realize the situation he was in, but it wasn’t until now that he had no way out. Once he said those final words, everything would be over. He would no longer have an escape route to bring him out of this nightmare.

There’s no way out. She’s taken me this far, and she’s going to pull me the rest of the way. I just can’t escape from her. Her power is too strong. I have to give up. I have to. If I keep holding on she’s going to take my sanity as well. And I can’t let her have that. I can’t let her take my mind.

Tom took one last glace at the woman standing next to him. She had brought him from his safety and taken him into the unknown. With her irresistible lure she had trapped him inside his own head and made him become crazy. It had been because of her that he was standing where he was right at this point, and the whole world had indeed flipped upside down. Nothing was right anymore-- nothing.

“I do.”