Unfortunate Relations

Disclaimer: Everything you see here is NOT mine. sobs Except for Katie. The rest are good ol' J. K. Rowling's. She rocks!

Note: OK everyone, before I start, I'd just like to say that this is my first story on golf clap Yay for me. Anywho, this first chapter may seem a little hard-to-get, but things'll fall into place once I get this story going.

REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE: This entire chapter is a DREAM sequence.

Chapter One: A Twist and a Blink

"Remember: You are dead. Make sure you don't do anything reckless for a long while." There was a twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes when he said it- almost as if he knew she wouldn't pay any attention to his words of warning.

"But sir-" the pleading was evident in her voice, but for once inherited pride escaped her. "Sir," she began again in what she hoped was a firmer tone, "How will I know-?"

"You'll know when you're ready to come out of hiding." The old headmaster's eyes no longer twinkled as he interrupted her. "Unless I am gravely mistaken, Katherine, I will never see you again. And for that I am sorry; there is so much more I could have taught you…"

There was a long pause as the slender girl bowed her head, hands trembling, tears fogging up her dark, grey eyes. Anything would have been better to run away to than this place- a damp cave out in the darkness- but even this thought was thrust to the back of her head as others, more demanding, took its place.

A bitter debate raged fiercely in her head- why couldn't she just tell Dumbledore that she had changed her mind? That she would rather take her chances among friends, instead of face the vast loneliness that was to be her only solace for- who knew how long?

'He'd catch you.' The sensible part of her reasoned. 'And then…then you'd be worse than dead- you'd be one of them. You know he'd make you.'

And then there was that little voice deep inside of her, always biting, always whispering…'But would it be so bad, being one of them?' the sweet poison tempted, 'Tom's your uncle. Why not trust…?'

Katie flicked her sleek black hair from her pale face, meeting the headmaster's eyes once again. "Goodbye, Dumbledore." She said loudly, silencing her inner turmoil.

Dumbledore, who seemed to have the knack of always understanding everyone, said in a sad, I-wish-I-could-make-the-voices-go-away, final kind of tone, "Goodbye." That was all he said. That was all he could say. Even Albus Dumbledore, a renowned wizard, could say nothing reassuring to her. So, with simply a goodbye, Dumbledore disappeared.

And with him, so did Katie's life, her school, her happiness, her everything. Gone, in a twist and a blink. She shivered, looking around at the cave that was to be her home (home? never was there more irony in the word!). At least she was close to Diagon Alley- though that wouldn't even do her much good. The purpose of living here was to hide, not socialize. Thunder rumbled ominously in the distance, lightning answered. Instinctively, Katie hugged her knees closer to her body, rocking back and forth.

"My name is Katherine Alex Riddle. My name is Katherine Alex Riddle. My name is-" She stopped. There was a lump in her throat, and Kat knew that the last thing she needed was to cry. She had played this childhood name-game so many times, so many thunderstorms ago, huddled on a couch or wrapped in a warm blanket.

But she was in a cave now. And she didn't have a blanket. In place of the warmth she should have felt at her own name, there was only a chilling cold that seemed to eat away at everything else. How could she feel comfort when her name now only brought back images of terror, of pain?

"My name is Katherine Alex Riddle, and I hate that name." she whispered brokenly into the darkness. All at once, as if oblivious to her pain, the darkness grew thicker.

"Yes, we're very similar, you and I…I used to hate the very same name…now I have a much better one." The soft, familiar murmur echoed hauntingly through the cave.

He'd found her! Startled, angry, Katie pulled out her wand. "Impedimentra!" she muttered, sending a bright stream of light rocketing straight towards Voldemort. He looked much younger, though…like the Tom Riddle she had known what seemed a long, long time ago…

"Is that all the greeting you give your favorite uncle?" He smiled coldly, eyes glinting red as he easily deflected the spell and lit his own wand to see her better.

"How did you find me?" Katie snarled, now upright and prepared to do battle. That was the only advantage of having Lord Voldemort as an uncle; she wasn't afraid of him.

His piercing laugh rang loudly in her ears. "How did I find you?" he mocked, "Katherine, I'm in you, your life, your very dreams."

"NO!" she screamed, trying to forget her uncle's biting words. 'But,' said that small voice inside her, 'There's no escaping the truth.'

"Why deny it? I am in your very blood, Katie. You will join me, before the end. You must. Don't you realize that you haven't any choice?"

"Every-everyone has a choice…" Katie's voice faltered. She knew she was fighting a losing battle. She didn't even believe what she was arguing.

Voldemort took advantage of the moment. Before she could stop him, he had closed the gap between them by grabbing her wrist. Katie screamed- powerless to stop the burning pain that shot up and down her arm. With a flick of his hand, Voldemort lifted Katie's robe so her wrist was visible- the dark mark flashed red.

"Everyone…but you."

Ok…end of the first chapter…dramatic music…hoped everyone liked it! PLEASE leave a review…I'd really like some feedback- advice, what you liked about this chapter, what you didn't, whatever. After all, what's an author w/out feedback? LOL I'll get to work on the next chapter…sorry if it takes a while! Later.