“Maybe…” said Amy sadly with tears welling up in the eyes. But she knew Tom must have taken it. He always takes other peoples things, especially if they are valuable to the owner.

The children were lead into the inn just as it started to rain. The three children were put in front of the fire to dry off. Mrs. Cole noticed that Tom sat alone while the other two huddled together as far away as they could from him.

*****

That evening after returning to the orphanage Mrs. Cole summoned Amy and Dennis to her office.

“Children tell me. What happened today at the beach?”

“Mrs. Cole you wouldn’t believe us if we told you. Tom brought us to a cave and …and… I can’t remember the rest.”

“Amy, do you remember anything else?”

“Sorry Mrs. Cole that’s all I can remember too. We have been trying to remember what happened for the past hour but somehow we lost our memory.”

“Alright, that is all. Go to your rooms now. You need to have a good nights rest after the ordeal you have been through.”

Mrs. Cole sat there for over an hour thinking about what happened. She called a local map maker to find out if there were any caves in the region but as far as he knew there were none. She sat wondering ‘What really happened?’

*****

A few years later a Professor Dumbledore came to offer a place to Tom Riddle at a school called Hogwarts. Tom readily accepted. A day after his visit a miracle took place. Many missing toys, books and other valuables suddenly appeared with a note stuck to each reading ‘Sorry’.

It was immediately apparent to Mrs. Cole that Tom had been stealing his peer’s belongings but she did not have proof and he had apologised. So she let him off, intent on keeping a closer eye on him from then on.

Dennis had gotten rid of Terry. That demented snake was the reason he and Amy had to go through that terrible ordeal that they barely remembered.

Amy was very glad she got back her mothers necklace. She had always known it wasn’t lost to the sea. She also concluded that she was right and Tom had taken the necklace. But she wouldn’t go near him. Since that day at the country, Dennis and Amy kept their distance from Tom. They were never near him long enough for him to remind them of that terrible day.

The news that he was to be leaving the orphanage for most of the year was music to their ears more so than it was to anyone else there. From then on, they only had to worry about Tom for five more summers. After which he disappeared from their minds forever.

*****

That is until that moment along the Thames River. Tom was back.

After coming of age and leaving the orphanage. Amy and Dennis had gotten married. They had a wonderful life together but now a demon from their childhood has returned and with a new name to boot.

“Dennis, should we call this number? We could help with the investigation. I mean he was a psychopath then too. That could be useful in the hunt for him.”

“No, we shouldn’t. We have lived well into our sixties. By testifying to the police, I don’t want a crazy person coming after us and killing us in our sleep. Let’s just leave it at that. He won’t bother us if we don’t give him a reason to. Now let’s get back home. I don’t feel safe out in public now.”

“Ok dear.”

They would be living in fear from then on. What they didn’t know was that the Dark Lord has already been killed and would not be bothering anybody ever again.

The End

* Characters and some locations have been adapted from J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series. The content of the story is however my own. Hope you enjoyed it!