[HP Doujin] 1943

After Elizabeth's funeral it rained for a week on the heights of the Stuart estate.All the servants up and down the manor were packing their bags.

Many people lined up to meet Francis in his study to discuss various matters.It was almost evening when Jeffrey entered the room, and Francis was sitting alone behind the desk, with a thick pile of ledgers and dozens of rolls of parchment sealed with red dripping wax in front of him.Like the last time Geoffrey came to see him in this library, he was also dressed in black mourning, but now his temples are full of gray hair, his eyes are swollen, his face is dull, and the whole person looks It seems to be decades old all of a sudden.

Seeing him walk in, Francis nodded, put down the quill in his hand, and said, "Sit down."

Geoffrey took off his hat awkwardly, pulled out a chair and sat down.

Francis let out a long sigh, his gray-blue eyes were lifeless. "You know how I'm feeling right now, Jeffrey?" he said, with a small laugh. "I feel like my life is over."

Jeffrey looked at him.He felt extremely uncomfortable, but he couldn't utter a word.

"I lost my temper with you the last time you were here," Francis said. "I think I owe you an apology."

Geoffrey grunted dully, feeling very embarrassed.

"I came to you today to talk about my future plans. I have already decided to move away with the children." Francis said calmly, "We will not live back anymore. But Stuart Manor is the most important place in our family after all. I will still let some people stay here to guard the ancient mansion. If you want, you can still be the administrator here."

Jeffrey shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.

"It's time to retire," he said. "I'm tired too. These days, I always have the feeling that the curtain is falling, as if an era has come to an end."

Francis picked up the quill and wrote a few strokes in the notebook that was spread out on the desk: "I respect your decision. I will provide you with a pension. Thank you and your father for the decades of dedication to the Stuart family. pay."

He stood up and the two men looked at each other and briefly shook hands.

"Take care," Francis said.

"Thank you, Mr. Stuart." Geoffrey stood up, bowed deeply, then stepped back step by step, put on his hat, opened the door and left.

Francis sat down again, closed his eyes and rested for a few seconds.Then he rubbed the space between his brows, picked up a photo frame from the desk, and stared at it.The photo was taken in the garden of the manor, when they were just married.Elizabeth was wearing an apple-green dress and a white silk scarf and was sitting on a wicker chair. She leaned slightly on Francis who was standing next to her. Glance at each other.

Tears flowed silently down his cheeks.

She was gone, leaving that terrible secret in his heart.

But he can't tell anyone, he can only take it to the grave.

******

Beginning on August 8th, the best Auror teams from both the British and French Ministry of Magic joined forces to launch several raids on Bernard's Vale, all of which ended in failure.

They dared not take a drastic offensive strategy, because Tony, Claudia, Elizabeth, and many others who hadn't had time to evacuate were missing.They could all be Tom's hostages.

Francis has not closed his eyes for more than 40 consecutive hours. He insisted that the attack should not be forced, otherwise all the hostages would be in danger.About half of the people who support him, some of them have relatives and friends on the mountain, and some of them are out of humanitarianism.They believe that no matter what, the victory should not be achieved at the cost of the lives of innocent people.

After meeting after meeting full of heated disputes, the Ministry of Magic still could not come up with a solution.

On the evening of August 8, Francis suddenly received a letter.The letter was so enchanted that only Francis could open it and see its contents.The content of the letter is very brief——

"Tony is dead. Claudia is seriously injured. Lizzie and I took her to hide in the Randall's house. Riddle's people will find us at any time, and Claudia is dying. If you receive the letter, please Come and rescue us immediately. Don’t bring too many people, now the valley is full of Riddle’s eyeliner. ——Ada.”

After Francis received the letter, he immediately had a secret conversation with the Minister of Magic himself, and then set off with a small team of only three Aurors.Dressed as Death Eaters under the cover of darkness, they cast the Disillusionment Charm and entered the valley on foot, all the way stooping through the trees.The journey was quite smooth, and did not attract the attention of the Death Eaters patrolling the sky.

Francis was familiar with the terrain around the Randall house.He led everyone to avoid the open road, through the woods on one side, and then through the hedge into the back garden of Randall's house.They walked cautiously across the garden and entered by the door of the living room of the house.

As soon as Francis entered the living room, there was a buzzing in his head-he knew he had stepped into a trap.

Following several dazzling white lights, the three Aurors behind him were all jinxed and collapsed to the ground.Before he could react, black smoke flew out from a flexible yew wood wand. Francis could feel the powerful black magic energy of the other party in the air, which was not something he could contend with at all.The three stunned Aurors were knocked against the corner by the shock of the spell.And Francis was bound hands and feet by the black smoke.

He tried to break free, but the black smoke tightened and began to burn his skin.He staggered back a few steps and fell on a sofa.

A pair of shiny black leather shoes came up to him.Francis raised his head with difficulty, looked up along the black robe, and Tom Riddle's sinister and vicious face appeared in front of his eyes.

At that moment of extreme fear, Francis seemed to feel that Riddle exuded an aura that did not belong to humans.He forced himself to calm down and asked, "Where is Elizabeth?"

Tom sneered and waved his wand. The door of the living room slammed open, and the bodies of Elizabeth, Claudia and Ida floated out from the deep corridor behind. They were all unconscious and suspended in the air by magic. Li, his face was ashen, and his body was covered in mud and blood.

Francis fought back the tears that welled up in his eyes, anger made him unable to think.But he has to calm down.He clenched his teeth, closed his eyes, and forced himself to think of the smiling faces of Elizabeth and the children.For them, he must live.

"What do you want?" Francis said.

Riddle suddenly raised his hand, waved his yew wand lightly, and there seemed to be an invisible fist in the air that slammed Francis on the face.His eyes went dark, and he lost consciousness for a few seconds. When he came back to his senses, he found himself lying on the floor with blood dripping from his nose and mouth.He just opened his eyes when another barbed whip lashed his body fiercely. The severe pain made his brain numb and his whole body twitched.

Francis opened his mouth and said with difficulty: "You haven't killed me and Elizabeth, which means you want to negotiate with me."

Riddle sneered, "You're very smart."

"You can ask for anything, please don't touch Lizzie." Francis said hoarsely. "Do you want the Ministry of Magic to retreat?"

Riddle sneered again, his laughter was much louder than before, and it was filled with a cruel and absurd irony. "Ministry retreat?" he said. "You really think I can't take on all the Aurors by myself? No, no, no, that's not what I want. I want you to see her for yourself..." She waved her wand and pointed at the unconscious Elizabeth, "...she chose me in the end! She could have left with the Tony family, but she didn't. I killed my own child in her belly, and I gave her a Take the chance of a lifetime, but she just won't!"

"Why on earth did you launch the Bernard Valley raid?" Francis asked angrily, "Just to humiliate me at this moment?"

Tom turned sharply to look at him angrily, grabbed Francis by the front of his hand, lifted him off the floor, and stared at him savagely.

"Humiliation of you?" he said through gritted teeth, spit all over Francis' face. "I have a grander plan! And she..." He glanced back at Elizabeth, who was suspended in the air by the curse, and a burst of pain suddenly filled his furious eyes, "She was not in my plan."

Tom seemed suddenly deflated.He let go, and Francis fell hard to the floor.Tom sat down on the sofa, covered his face with his hands, and let out a painful wail: "I have to do this! You know what, I have to do this!"

Francis got up from the floor and looked at Tom puzzled.He didn't understand what he was talking about.

"I'll give you a choice." Tom slowly raised his head, squinting at him, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, with a cruel smile. "I let you go, I let you go away unscathed. You can go back and be reunited with your children. I will never bother you again as long as you live." He spread his hands, evil There is an air of determination in the eyes.

"What's your condition?" Francis asked.He knew that this must not be a free gift.

"Let Elizabeth stay." He looked at him with a strange calm in his voice. "You can only leave alone."

"Even if you kill me now, you can still get her!" Francis said angrily, "What is your intention in doing this?"

"Because I want you to choose for yourself now. Don't you think it's more interesting?" Tom leaned on the sofa, crossed his legs, and the expression in his eyes became unfathomable. Free. If you will not, we shall now duel."

His long fingers played with the yew wand.Francis flinched when he saw the wand, and Tom smiled smugly.

"So..." There was a trace of sadness in Francis' eyes, "Are you forcing me to choose between my own life and Lizzie's?"

"You may think so," said Tom cheerfully.

"You know I can't win you. I have three kids, and my family... I can't... I have no choice but to drop my responsibilities..." Francis seemed to be talking to himself.His expression was very painful.

"I know." Tom looked more cheerful.

The long night was over, and the rising sun cast a thin ray of light in the living room.Francis wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with the sleeve of his robe, and walked slowly to Elizabeth.He stretched out his hand to gently caress her unconscious face, and wept bitterly.

Elizabeth's face was pale in a coma, and her eyes were closed.Her face had lost all vitality and seemed to have lost all beauty.

"I'm sorry," Frances whispered to her, "I love you...bye."

Then he picked up his wand in bewilderment, staggered open the door, and disappeared through the garden path into the pale morning light.

Tom still sat on the sofa, watching for a long time where Francis disappeared.

Light footsteps sounded on the stairs, and a witch in a clean black robe walked down lightly.This was Sylvia Black, and she walked quickly up to Tom and knelt on the ground.She took Tom's hands in his lap and kissed him deeply on the black stone ring.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" she asked in a trembling whisper.

Still staring at the door, Tom nodded absently: "Yes."

"But--"

"Enough!" Tom yelled angrily without warning.He stood up abruptly and kicked Sylvia away who was lying on his knee.Sylvia fell to the ground, with tears of despair on her pale face.

"But Tom, you can't do whatever you want, even if you become the greatest Dark Lord in the world!" Sylvia yelled, "You have to act rationally! Now you want to create your own physical death, and then use the Horcrux Regeneration, this magic hasn't been used in over 1000 years! You never know what could go wrong!"

"I told you to shut up!" Tom was completely irritated.The last thing he likes is someone who opposes him and challenges him, but Sylvia seems to be increasingly confused about where her place should be.

"I read all the historical records I could find!" Sylvia got up and rushed to Tom, "Listen to me, Tom! It is said in the book that this spell is likely to bring serious harm Side effects. It will devour part of your magical power, and may cause disfigurement and IQ drop!"

He stepped forward, grabbed Sylvia and threw her on the doorstep, then waved his wand: "Crucio!"

Sylvia let out a horrific scream.

"Do you think the Death Eaters are following me because I look so much like my dirty Muggle father's face!" Tom yelled at her, and he couldn't help but blow up half of the living room with a wave of his hand. .

Then he left Sylvia where she was, and disapparated himself with a snap.

******

In the middle of the night of August 8, both Aurors and Death Eaters retreated simultaneously, and there was no further confrontation.The hostages were rescued one after another.

At the same time, the Ministry of Magic made a decision and must seize this opportunity to send Aurors to hunt down the fleeing Riddle.Word came from Ministry agents that Riddle had taken a woman dressed as a Death Eater to Paris and got into a Muggle taxi.

This was a perfect opportunity, and the Ministry of Magic immediately decided to send a small team of Aurors to catch up with Riddle's taxi and blow up the car on the spot, killing Riddle.

The killing plan was placed on Francis's table.He filled the quill with ink, and placed it on the parchment that had already been signed with the names of high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Magic.The quill tip rustled softly across the parchment, and he signed his name smoothly.

"I agree with the mission of the British and French Ministry of Magic to hunt down Riddle,

Signed by the Director of the Auror Office at the British Ministry of Magic: George Hart

Signed by Director of the Auror Office of the French Ministry of Magic: Louis Saiga

Signed by UK Minister for Magic: Vesmina Taft

Signed by the French Minister of Magic: Raymond Duran

Signed by the Head of the International Magical Cooperation Department of the British Ministry of Magic: Francis Stuart

Signed by the Director of the International Magical Cooperation Department of the French Ministry of Magic: Jean Dubois"

This highly secret assassination operation went smoothly.The Muggle taxi exploded in the tunnel, killing the driver and two passengers instantly.

When Francis finally returned home to London, his assistant, Jonathan, stood at the door, watching him sternly.Francis stood still in front of him, and asked in a deep voice with no expression on his face, "Is she in the car?"

Jonas opened his mouth, but made no sound, as if he didn't know how to speak.He nodded and said hesitantly, "Mr. Stuart..."

Francis held up a hand, telling him to shut up.He looked up at the foggy London sky, his mind blank, dazed and numb.Then he pushed Jonathan away, walked into the house, and slammed the door behind him.

He walked to the study, stood still in front of the fireplace, and closed his eyes.He finally lost her.And he himself was one of many officials who signed the parchment that sent her to die.

The house was dead silent.In this dead silence, there was only a dull blankness in his mind, and it almost drove him crazy.

Although he knew she was dead, he just couldn't feel that she was really gone.He always felt that the house was full of her figure and smiling face, the shawl she didn't know when was thrown on the sofa, her breath was still on the pillow in the bedroom, and the hairbrush on the dressing table was still there. Sticking to her hair.He always felt that she was still pattering around outside in her beautiful slippers, and would open the door at any moment, walk in brilliantly, giggled and held his hand, and tiptoed mischievously Come and kiss his nose and forehead.

He found an owl waiting for him at the window.He pulled off the parchment scroll on the owl's feet, opened it, and it was Riddle's letter——

"In this world, she is the only one who deserves to go to hell with me.

You have to live and take good care of her three children.I will keep my promise. From now on, the Death Eaters will not interfere with the Stuart family.

I know the Ministry of Magic is going to cover up this operation, you cowards, of course you won't admit that you made a deal with me, and of course you won't publish so much of Elizabeth's involvement.You're sure to use her funeral to do a free Ministry PR crisis, whitewashing the Ministry as an innocent victim.Don't worry, I will accompany you to play the whole scene.I will be reborn at her funeral and find a scapegoat to kill on the spot. "

The letter was signed "Voldemort".

******

After Elizabeth's funeral, Francis and his family moved out.He bought a house on the outskirts of London and lived a reclusive life with his children.

He had been living in that dull daze.He put Elizabeth's hairbrushes and jewelry on the dressing table by the bed, he put her nightgown on the bed, and her skirts hung in the wardrobe.He also hung her cloak by the door, and every time it rained, he subconsciously said to the housekeeper: "Get the umbrella ready, Lizzie sometimes goes out for a walk when it rains."

It was a fine afternoon, and Francis was drinking tea alone by the window of the living room.He was drinking tea while reading the newspaper, which reported a kind of animal called Niu Niu.He thought it was funny, and Elizabeth would surely like it.Or write to Jonathan and ask Jonathan to bring some back to her.

A gust of wind blew through the window, and the newspaper in his hand flew up and fell to the floor.He looked at the empty chair opposite the small table where they used to sit facing each other and drink tea together.He could no longer jot down some novelty trinket while reading the newspaper and bring it back to amuse her.

Most of the time he lived in a trance illusion, as if she was still there.But from time to time, he would encounter moments like this, as if a sharp thorn instantly pierced the illusion he created for himself.The dark and heavy facts hit his face, and he realized very strongly that she was really gone.

The teaspoon in Francis' hand dropped to the floor, and he covered his cheek with his hand, and wept bitterly without warning.

A new young maid at the door, trembling with fright, held a silver tray full of desserts, not knowing what to do.An old butler came down the stairs and gestured to her.The maid walked up to the butler, looked at him tremblingly, and asked, "What's wrong with Mr. Stuart?"

The old butler sighed deeply: "He has always been like this. If you encounter this situation in the future, you should leave quietly and don't disturb him."

The new maid nodded half-understanding.

"By the way," the old butler added, with sadness hidden in his old eyes, "remember, never mention Mrs. Stuart's name in this house."