Discovering Evil

Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER! ONLY THIS STORY! Thnx! ^-^

"Mother, why do I have to get all dressed up? Is there somebody new coming to visit? Do they have a kid like me?" A young, seven year old Sirius Black eagerly questioned his mother, all the time bouncing from one foot to the other in excitement.

Walburga Black, meanwhile, patiently attempted to hold him still as she buttoned up his emerald green vest. Finally achieving her goal, she let go of the rambunctious youngster and shook her head at his inability to hold still for even a second.

"No, Sirius, they do not have a child of your age, they are, however, a very important person, more important than the Minister even. Which means that you are to be on your best behavior and quiet unless-"

The young Sirius rolled his eyes. "Unless I am spoken to, I know that mother. Will Lucious at least be there?" Sirius, as usual, was more concerned about who would be there to entertain him, not who the main guest of honor was at all.

His mother, clearly frustrated with what she called his lack of ambition, sighed tiredly and frustrated. "Well, you don't always seem to know .And, yes, Sirius, he will be. But he won't be able to entertain you tonight, because our Guest of Honor is not one for us to be ignoring, at all. Really, Sirius, you need to learn to put your family before your own needs. You are the Heir to the Black family, and my son, which is why our Guest of Honor is here tonight, to meet you. So behave!"

Sirius' usual hyperactive excitement at meeting new people deflated. He loved meting people and making new friends, but hated meeting these kinds of people. The ones he had to impress, and behave for, for the family, as his mother constantly reminded him.

Sirius nodded, suddenly quiet and calm, his mother happily noted, and nodded. "Yes mother, I'm sorry."

His mother nodded curtly. "You are forgiven. Now, stand still as I fix your hair, it is an absolute mess…"

It was another hour before his mother deemed him ready to receive this "Most Important" Guest of Honor" and another twenty minutes before he decided to go and join his mother and father downstairs in the parlor.

Slowly, almost like he was walking to his death, Sirius descended the stairs and into the living room. He could faintly hear the voices of various adults that he knew: Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, Uncle and Aunt Black, and his own parents. None seemed to be the Guest of Honor tonight.

Sirius briefly wondered if they were trying to be fashionably late, before he heard a new, and terrifying voice come from the parlor. It was like fire in the way that it seemed warm, but like ice the way it made his blood run cold and his whole body shiver. His whole body protested in getting any closer to this new, terrifying person.

Taking a few calming, readying breathes and squaring his shoulders bravely, Sirius put on the blank, politely haughty face his parents had taught him to wear in front of company and opened the door to the parlor, immediately becoming the center of attention as he entered the dimly lit room.

He noticed immediately that the "Guest of Honor" was seated on what was usually his fathers' chair in the middle of the room. The adults had fanned out behind the newcomer, the men were standing on the right and the women on the left, only the Guest of Honor sat.

His father had his hand on the chair that the new "Guest of Honor" was sat when Sirius entered, and was thus closest to the man. His mother was the same, only she was standing as though she was an accessory, or a part of the scenery, behind the chair, proudly beaming at her husbands' good fortune.

Clearing his throat, his father straightened himself up, placing his hand back to his side, and proudly introduced Sirius.

"And here he is now, my eldest son and Heir to the Most Noble House of Black, Sirius Orion Black." Motioning for Sirius to come closer to the man, his father was about to introduce him, but the Guest of Honor held his hand up.

"Now, now, Orion, there is no need for you to introduce myself. This whole visit was, of course, to visit your son myself. Thus it would be very rude for me to anything but introduce myself."

Though he was obviously confused, Orion nodded and became quiet. Staring at the man seated in his armchair with a look that was between confusion and pride.

Turning to look at Sirius, the man smiled, extending his hand to Sirius in while introducing himself. "Hello, Sirius. My name is Tom Riddle, and I am very pleased to meet you. I came here to catch a glimpse of the Black Prodigy, and am happy to say that I am not disappointed! By the stories that I hear, you seem to be the epitome of what a pureblood wizard should be!"

Smiling cautiously, Sirius shook Mr. Riddles' hand. "Thank you, sir. I try to do the best that I can, for my family. I am lucky to have my mother and father to teach me so well, and, of course, the rest of my family to help me along in my life." Sirius responded, as he had been trained to.

Tom Riddle let go of Sirius' hand and settled back into his armchair, smiling suavely." But of course, young Sirius! It takes a proper wizarding family to raise groom a child into a boy such as yourself. It is only proper and fair that they themselves are praised and given credit."

The effect of Tom's words was immediate. All of the people in the room were stumbling over themselves in gratitude. Words of praises for Mr. Riddle and polite denial arose from everyone but his own father, who only beamed in pride and admiration and pure joy at first his son and Tom Riddle. Before things could get too far, his mother had just proclaimed that, with Mr. Riddle as a role model for himself of what a perfect pureblood should be, there was no wonder that he, Sirius, had turned out so well, Tom Riddle smiled as he put his glass down.

"Thank you, all. But, I'm afraid that I have yet had the opportunity to make an impression on young Sirius. Though, if you would give me the distinct honor, I would gladly accept, Mr. Black, to talk to him alone,. It is, I admit, the reason for my, though joyful as it has been, sudden visit."

Stunned, everyone looked at Mr. Black and then at Mr. Riddle, stunned. His mother looked ready to faint, from both happiness and shock. Mr. Black recovered quickly, and, nodding, found his voice also. "Of course, Mr. Riddle, we would be most obliged to such a honor.."

Mrs. Black seemed to recover from her close fainting spell and, seeing Mr. Riddle's affirmative nod, jumped up into action. "Oh! Sirius, did you hear? We have found you a most acceptable role model and teacher!" Laughing happily and haughtily, she smiled at the whole room, quickly ushering everyone else out of the parlor.

Sirius, meanwhile, was frozen in place. Looking at his Mr. Riddle, he felt a distinct feeling of fear and dread bubble up from his stomach and into his throat. Once they were left alone, Sirius looked the man in the eye, and what he saw there disturbed and frightened him so much that he immediately looked away.

Because, Sirius had never seen such a hunger as what he could see in Mr. Riddles' eyes. A hunger for power, prestige, and, above all, there was the distinct feeling of something he had seen in his parents and family and friends. Something that seemed stronger in Tom Riddle, but he felt himself go against.

That something was a pure, passionate feeling he himself could never understand or feell, that destroyed his family, his friends and, later, himself. That night, Sirius discovered what would shape the rest of his life and had shaped many lives before him. And would continue to do so for many more than himself. Sirius Orion Black had discovered evil.

A/N-

Hope you enjoyed the story, plz review and all criticisms are welcome!