Can't Turn Back Now

October 1931

Madelyn Riddle held the teacup in her shaking hand. She didn't know how she was going to tell him. Honestly, how do you go up to the man you love who just happened to be a Muggle and tell him that you are a witch? Not only a witch, but the direct ancestor of Salazar Slytherin himself.

Madelyn sighed and put a hand on her swollen stomach. She was seven months pregnant with Marvolo Riddle's son. Her baby was bound to be like her, and if Marvolo didn't accept it, she had nowhere to go. Both of her parents were dead and she had no other relatives. She was the last living member of the Slytherin family.

"Accio Wand," Madelyn said quietly and the wand flew out from its hiding spot under the bed. She twirled the wand in her fingers with a thoughtful look on her face.

She decided that if she was going to tell her beloved about her heritage and the likely heritage of his child, she was going to have a lovely dinner prepared for him. Madelyn stood up and got started fixing his favorite, steak and mashed potatoes. With a prod of her wand, she started up the stove and with a convenient spell, she began to mash the potatoes. She began humming a tune to herself and was so busy with her work, she didn't hear her husband come in from work.

"What's for dinner, love?" Marvolo asked as he set his bag in the entryway.

Madelyn gasped to herself and said a silent invisibility spell to conceal her wand. No need for Marvolo to find out about her secret until she was good and ready.

"Only your favorite. Steak and mashed potatoes," Madelyn replied, standing up on her toes to give her husband a kiss on the cheek.

"That's jolly well good of you darling. And how's the baby?" Marvolo queried, putting a hand on Madelyn's stomach.

"Quite restless actually. Been kicking around quite a bit. Takes after his father, I suppose," Madelyn replied with a sunny smile. "Darling, do you mind watching after this for a moment, I'm afraid I have to go to the loo."

"Well, its to be expected Maddie. Go on!" Marvolo said, swatting her behind playfully.

Madelyn hurried out of the kitchen and into the bedroom that her and Marvolo shared. Of course he'll understand! Look how kind and sweet he is. Madelyn thought to herself. When she finished her business in the loo, she rinsed off her hands. She looked up into the mirror, taking in her appearance.

Madelyn had long black hair that was held in place by a handkerchief. Her gray eyes were particularly stormy today, perhaps because of the secret she had been keeping. When she bent over to dry her hands off on a towel, she was aware of her height. Madelyn was especially tall for a woman, topping off at about five foot ten. Good luck for her that Marvolo was at least six foot two. She had always hated dating shorter men. And with that, she pivoted and walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen where the smell of steak was beginning to permeate the air.

* * * * *

"What a lovely meal Maddie! Where did you learn to cook so well?" Marvolo exclaimed with a contented look on his face.

Madelyn just smiled and shrugged her shoulders knowing full well where she learned how to cook like that. She had taken a cooking course for wizards when she was in her seventh year at Hogwarts and had excelled in it, making the top marks.

"Coffee, Marvolo?" Madelyn asked, beginning to get up from her chair.

"No darling. You mustn't. Let me get the coffee tonight," said Marvolo and with that, he was off into the kitchen, preparing the coffee.

Madelyn sat back with her eyes welling up with tears. What if he didn't accept her? She couldn't live without him!

About five minutes later, Marvolo bustled in with the coffee on a tray, accompanied by two cups, sugar and cream and to top it all off, he had a tea towel draped over his arm, like that of a waiter. Madelyn giggled as he came up to her with a slight bow.

"Coffee, my lady? Cream? Sugar?" questioned Marvolo as he poured the fragrant liquid into the china cups.

"Please," Madelyn replied, with another silly giggle. Marvolo was always doing crazy things to make Madelyn laugh.

Marvolo passed the cup to Madelyn and sat down across from her. He sipped his beverage throughtfully, pursuing Madelyn's face.

"So, Maddie, do tell me what is the matter," he finally said.

"I don't know what's wrong darling. I just feel odd tonight, that's all," Madelyn replied, absently circling the coffee cup with her finger.

"Are you worried about the baby?" Marvolo asked.

"No, the baby is just fine. I'm worried about something else. But I can't exactly tell you what," Madelyn said cautiously.

"Just tell me love, I'll understand, whatever it is," Marvolo replied, grabbing Madelyn's hand.

"Are you sure that you'll understand, whatever it is?" Madelyn questioned.

"Absolutely, I love you and I would do anything for you," Marvolo said.

"Right then. I don't know how to tell you this but...ermm...I'm a witch," Madelyn said, ducking her head as though he was going to hit her.

"What? Of course you're not darling, you're a wonderful person!" Marvolo
exclaimed with laughter in his eyes.

"No, Marvolo, I'm a real witch. You know, magic and broomsticks and such. I know I should have told you earlier but it was just too hard for me to do. I couldn't stand the thought of losing you. Please understand and don't be cross with me," Madelyn pleaded, grasping Marvolo's hand.

But Marvolo simply said, "Prove it."

Madelyn gulped and nodded. She pushed her chair back from the table and muttered the words, "Strepto Inviliabio," and then she said, "Accio Wand."

The newly visible wand flew out of the kitchen, landing neatly in Madelyn's outstretched hand. Marvolo's mouth flew open. Madelyn, sensing that he needed more proof said, "Wingardium Leviosa."

The cup levitated up off of the table. She stepped away from it and closer to Marvolo. The cup stayed hanging in mid air.

Marvolo couldn't even look at his wife. A witch? He thought. But this is impossible. Magic isn't real. All he could do was stare at the cup that was floating in the air as if it were held up by strings. He even poked his fingers at the air around it to make sure there wasn't anything that was holding it up. There was nothing. The cup was truly suspended in midair.

"Where did you learn all of this?" Marvolo said slowly, as though the words were stuck in his mouth.

"When I was eleven, I was accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I was there for seven years where I learned all sorts of magic. We had to hide it all from the Muggles though. When I graduated, I wanted to go into the Ministry of Magic but before I could, I met you and we fell in love," Madelyn explained, the words falling out of her mouth like water in a waterfall.

"Muggles?" Questioned Marvolo with an odd look on his face as though he was swallowing sour milk.

"Non magic people, like yourself," Madelyn replied with a nervous smile.

"And the baby?" Marvolo's sentance faltered off.

"Most likely a witch or a wizard," said Madelyn.

A pained look came upon Marvolo's face and he seemed to be struggling with his thoughts. He was silent for almost a full two minutes when he looked a Madelyn with a hard, horrible look on his face.

"I don't know you anymore. Get the hell away from me. Take your freak child away from me. I never want to see you again. Leave my house at once," Marvolo said softly, but his words were full of anger.

Madelyn gasped as her heart plummeted to her stomach. Tears filled her eyes and began making their way down her cheeks. She nodded and blindly stood up. She half ran to their room, sobbing and flung a suitcase onto the bed. She didn't know exactly what she was throwing into it but she managed to fill it
and close it.

Madelyn returned to the kitchen and wordlessly but with the occasional shuddering gasp that you get from crying, she picked up her wand, put a levitating charm on her suitcase, made it invisible and turned to face the man she loved.

"I'm sorry Marvolo and I want you to know that whatever happens, I will love you for all my life. But there will come a time when you will face what you did here tonight and you will pay."

With that Madelyn Riddle stormed out the door, into the cold night.

Two Months Later

"Congratulations Ms. Riddle, it's a boy!"

Madelyn looked into the tiny, red face of her baby boy. Marvolo's baby boy. She felt tired and she vaguely wondered why the doctors were so frantically moving about.

"I love you, my son," She said, placing a finger into his tiny hand. He wrapped his miniscule fingers around hers and she smiled weakly.

To the nurse she said, "I want to name him Tom. Tom Marvolo Riddle."

And with those words and a final look at her sweet baby, Madelyn Riddle was no more. The doctors stood still and one of the nurses made the sign of the cross. The baby opened his little pink mouth and began to howl.