It had been another long, stressful day at the Ministry. Tom was exhausted. He had stayed late again, not unusual, but his wife would be angry about him missing dinner. He didn’t particularly care. She would get over it. As Minister of Magic, his responsibilities far outweighed her frustrations. Tom thrived under pressure, and loved devoting himself to work. Lately, his constant absence had strained their marriage. Still, she had to accept that his work came first. Yet, despite his outward indifference, he did care for her.

They had met at Hogwarts, where she had been the only one to truly challenge him, both frustrating and intriguing him. They began dating at the end of 5th year at Hogwarts. Marrying her had been logical. She was perfectly tolerable and as a member of an esteemed pureblood family, she had helped smooth his rise through the Ministry.

After apparating home to the Riddle Manor, Tom shrugged off his robes and suit jacket. He then headed to the living room toward the bar cart. He poured a generous glass of whiskey into a crystal glass, loosened his tie, as he took a deep drink of the amber liquid reveling in the way it burned. For a rare moment, he allowed himself to have a moment of peace.