Hi everyone,
This is an AU story that was inspired from the fan casts of Tom Hughes as Tom Riddle. Hermione is eighteen due to time-turner logic.
In this world no-one alive know's Voldemort's true name and will be a slow burn.
I haven't written in a very long time.
I hope you enjoy.
"Once again you disappoint me Lucius" I pause in front of the once regal man "You would have thought a handful of school children and a mudblood would be no match"
I reach down and strike the mask off his face.
"My Lord, please let me ex—" Lucius Malloy kneels, clutching my robes, his platinum blond hair hung limply around his face.
"Squib" I hiss, ripping my robes away from his coarse hands.
I turn to the rest of the Death Eaters, the smell of fear ripe in the air.
"Pitiful" I murmur.
Thunder ripples through the night sky, illuminating the thick trees around us. I hear Nagini slithering through the damp grass.
"I hope you fed well my dear".
I sense the rabble in front of me shift uncomfortably. I smirk, leaning down to stroke her head.
Nagini gives a low hiss of pleasure, circling my feet affectionately.
"Wormtail" I suddenly call out "Where are you? You disgusting cretin".
A few Death Eaters snicker, happy to not be at the receiving end of my deprecation.
The slimy little man comes out from the shadows he was cowering in, subconsciously clutching the hand I kindly gifted him.
"M-My Lord?" He stutters, fear etched into every line of his small rat like face.
"Prepare the potion" I command with a sneer creeping over my lips.
He scuttles off to the large black cauldron I conjured earlier, lighting a fire beneath it.
I clamp down on the minute foreign feeling of excitement from the dark depths within me.
Sweeping forward I address my audience.
"Seeing as you're all complete and utter failures, your Dark Lord has decided to take matters into his own hands" I hiss, relishing the look of horror on my faithful fools.
Some avert their eyes.
Others join Lucius and kneel, heads bent in shame and terror, muttering pleas of forgiveness.
Another clap of thunder above.
The cauldron crackles and splashes behind me.
"'However your Lord is a forgiving and benevolent one. I am willing to put aside the shit show of recent times now I have a fool proof plan in snaring Harry Potter" I spit out the last two words, pausing at the sound of jeers. "But be warned, I will not tolerate anymore inadequacies".
The sound of gratefulness and empty promises echo around me.
"My Lord what is this brilliant plan you speak of?" McNair pleads, having the gall to step from the circle.
Whispers whip through the group.
I lift my right hand, ceasing the noise.
"All in good time McNair" I purr, deciding against inflicting punishment for speaking out of turn.
The sky ignites in a flash of white.
"It's r-ready My Lord".
I turn to Wormtail and eye up the bubbling cauldron.
"You better not have messed this up Wormtail, otherwise this time I really will feed you to Nagini".
He trembles, glancing over at the huge snake at my feet,
"N-no I followed all the in-instructions like you a-asked".
I pause, locking eyes with him, seeing the tiny beads of sweat running down his pale face.
"Good".
Peering into the cauldron, I try not to retch at the putrid smell of rotting flesh. The contents glimmer red with black mist ascending from the core.
I look back at the circle, eager eyes watch me.
I lift my arms.
"Behold my loyal servants, the true power of Lord Voldemort".
Wormtail rushes over to remove my robe, tripping over a fallen branch.
I tut at him and resist the urge to cast an unforgivable.
The cold air rushes round my naked torso.
Thunder grumbles above.
I step into the cauldron, pain immediately snapping throughout my body.
Wormtail whimpers.
I plunge my head underneath the murky potion, turning the world to red.
"Come on girls, the Order are waiting".
Mrs Weasley's voice screeches up the stairs.
I sigh, turning away from the window and take another look around the room.
I know I haven't left anything.
Since arriving two weeks ago I hadn't even unpacked, believing that me, Harry and Ron would be off hunting for horcruxes shortly.
Closing my eyes, I swallow down the lump in my throat.
It won't do any good to keep dwelling.
The voice within me is right, but still my mind returns to the hurt ninety percent of the day.
How could they just leave me?
After promising that we were in this together?
After everything that I have done?
I open my eyes, resisting the temptation to hurl something across the room.
Damn them.
"These just arrived for you".
Ginny comes back into the room, arms full of parcels.
She smiles weakly at me, knowing what I was just thinking about.
"Thanks" I raise my lips slightly, taking the packages off her, chucking them into my trunk.
For the first time in my eighteen years alive I have never been excited to read.
"Did you pack your new robes?"
I nod my head, not even bothering to check.
"You were lucky to get everything owl mailed before term"
"Mhm" I mutter, resuming my perch at the window looking at the carnage from last nights storm.
I hear Ginny sigh and I know I shouldn't be so frosty, it's not like it's her fault. If anything she knows better than anyone what I'm going through, Harry left without even saying goodbye.
Blinking back tears, I try to compose myself.
Ginny comes over and put's her arm around me.
"It's going to be okay" She whispers.
I crumble.
The familiar tears trickle down my face.
Glum faces march into the once 'Great' Hall.
An aura of sadness, fear and loathing resinates within the walls.
No-one dares talk, not even the smug looking Slytherin's.
Me, Ginny and Neville take our seats at the Gryffindor table.
I look around and note the many empty spaces.
Don't think about them.
Don't think about them.
Don't think about them.
"Welcome back to another year at Hogwarts".
The bored voice of Professor Severus Snape pierces through my brain.
I look up in quiet rage.
There is a sneer on his lips as his eyes fall on the Gryffindor table.
"Professor McGonagall, fetch the fresh batch of dunderheads we will have to endure for seven years" he barks.
The Slytherin table erupts into laughter whilst the rest of us look at each other bleakly.
McGonagall stares down Snape, her cheeks flushed with a steely determination in her eyes.
"Certainly Headmaster".
Shit.
I forgot he was now headmaster.
Balling my hands into fists, I look to the back of the hall where a small group of terrified looking first years are led by Filtch with McGonagall bringing up the rear.
Memories flood back to me.
Taking deep breaths, worrying about the test that would await me whilst trying not to trip over my robes.
Harry and Ron in front of me. The pair of them already thick as thieves.
Neville to my left talking about his toad.
The hope of new friendship and fitting in.
Clapping jolts me out of reverie and I look to see that the sorting is over.
My heart sinks as I realise that Gryffindor has gained no first years, in fact four of them now sit proudly at the Slytherin table.
Draco Malloy catches my eye and whispers something to the awful Pansy Parkinson who stops stroking his hair and smirks at me, eyes full of malice.
"Now before we eat I have some new staffing announcements"
"Professor Alecto Carrow will be joining us as the new" Snape pauses, a sneer re-forming back on his lips. "Muggle studies teacher".
Jeers come from the Slytherin table.
A fierce looking woman stands, there is no smile on her face as she looks around the room.
This can't be good.
Snape carries on.
"Professor Amycus Carrow has been appointed teacher of History of Magic and deputy headmaster, so expect to see him popping in some classes".
A seedy looking man with short brown hair to the left of Professor Flitwick, flicks his hand lazily.
"Lastly the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts has gone to Professor Tom Riddle"
I stop glaring at Amycus Carrow and focus my attention on the young handsome man standing at the teachers table.
He smiles warmly at the room.
His black hair shines in the candlelight. He can't be more than twenty five.
His dark brown eyes reach mine and I find myself smiling back.
Perhaps we will finally have a proper DADA teacher since Professor Lupin.