Author's Note: This story was originally written with pictures of the characters; hence, there is not much character description. If you'd like more of a sense of what the charries look like, you may use the link in my profile.
Disclaimer: JKR's characters are not mine.
She woke in a large, unfamiliar bed beneath layers of rich, silken sheets and a heavy, emerald duvet. Her eyes blinked rapidly as she took in her surroundings: a large, lavishly furnished room with towering mahogany bookshelves, a matching desk, and a chaise in the same shade of green as the opulent hangings on the canopy bed. She sat up slowly, still wondering why her room resembled a Slytherin dorm instead of a Gryffindor's, as it should have been. Cautiously, she swung her feet out and placed them on an ornately woven rug of green and silver, which sported a design of intertwining serpents. After rising to her feet and glancing around the room once more, she strode to the nearest window and pulled back the curtain to see if the view offered any clue to her strange whereabouts. Unfortunately, it only revealed that she was in a very high tower, and that the grounds were vast, with beautiful gardens and magnificent forests. She saw no sign of life, however, so she turned back to her quarters.
There was an open door-frame which she presumed led to a bathroom and a set of mahogany double-doors with silver, serpent-shaped handles. She instinctively knew that they would not yield to her touch,but she knew she had to test them anyway. Her suspicion was soon proven, and she wandered back over to the bed with a perplexed, forlorn expression.
She was just about to go explore the bathroom when there came an abrupt knock at the door.
"Hello?" she queried softly.
The click of the lock was followed by the turning of the silver handle and the slow opening of the heavy doors, revealing a tall, slim figure dressed in black robes. As he strode into the room, the doors shut on their own behind him, and Selene let out a terrified gasp.
Tom Riddle was standing in the middle of the room, gazing at her with a cold, bemused expression.
At once, the memory of the previous day erupted in her mind. She, James and Remus had been hunting for Sirius in the forest… he was gravely injured when they found him… they took him to the hospital wing, yes, there was Madam Pomfrey wondering how in the name of Merlin he could have gotten a wound like that… then, then he had appeared in the doorway… he demanded that Sirius be handed over, but then Dumbledore arrived…
-
"Good evening, Tom."
Riddle's face momentarily betrayed his sudden panic as he turned to face the tall, gray-haired wizard standing in the doorway. Everyone in the room was already breathing a sigh of relief, certain that the Dark Wizard was now done for. But Tom was a mastermind of trickery; he would not fall so easily.
"That is no longer my name, old man," he said in a voice that could have frozen water. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm rather in a rush."
He took a step towards Sirius's bed.
"I do not advise you to move any closer, Tom."
Dumbledore's wand was suddenly pointed at Riddle. His blue eyes were calm, but his voice had such an authoritative tone that the Dark Lord had no choice but to halt in his tracks. He threw the headmaster a casually cruel sneer and paused for a moment. His cold brown eyes then traveled nonchalantly around the room, seeming to light on nothing in particular. But suddenly, before anyone knew what was happening, he was reaching out and grabbing Selene by the arm, now holding her at wandpoint.
"Step aside, old man," he hissed venomously. "…unless you wish to see her die."
Madam Pomfrey's eyes were wide with fright, and Remus looked ghastly pale. James had whipped out his wand and was moving to curse the Dark Lord, but Dumbledore's voice flashed warningly.
"Stay where you are!" he bellowed at James. Then, turning his tranquil blue eyes upon Tom, he inclined his head slightly and stepped aside from the door, giving Tom a clear exit. The dark haired wizard gave him a cold stare and quickly strode from the room with an unconscious Selene in tow.
-
She gulped as the memories flooded back and instinctively scurried farther back on the bed, causing him to laugh mercilessly.
"Selene," he said with a devilish smile, "you look as though you've seen a monster."
His lips widened sardonically at his own joke before his expression fell into a sort of stony coolness and he continued:
"Breakfast is at ten o'clock. I do not advise being late."
He spun on his heel and was nearly out the door when he suddenly turned back around and flicked his wand at the bed. A set of green robes appeared.
"Your attire, Milady," he said with an impish half-smile as he closed the double-doors.