Chapter Two: Teachings of the Dark Lord

As Ashlyn cried over her mother, Tom gripped her arm tight and turned on the spot. With a swish of his cloak, Tom and Ashlyn Riddle were gone, leaving Ansley dead in her own living room. Suddenly, they were in a dark place, there were others around, they were moving.

"OUT! NOW! OUT!" Tom shouted and there were many scuttling footsteps as many people left the room.

Ashlyn let out a soft whimper and Tom looked down at her. He set her down on a couch and he sat down beside her.

She pulled her feet up to her chest and curled up, and then she looked up at her father, "Are you going to kill me too?"

Tom put a hand on her head, "Of course not, why would I do that?"

"You killed my mother. Why did you kill her?" Ashlyn flinched in fear of his touch and let out another soft whimper.

"I killed your mother, because she would not let me be your father again, and she had raised you all wrong." His face showed anger again.

"You did leave for thirteen years, you have to understand that."

Tom looked at his daughter, that heart-stabbing feeling in his chest again, "I wanted to come back, but I-- I just couldn't. I could barely take care of myself; I wanted to come back when I could take care of you as well." He still couldn't believe the words coming out of his mouth.

"What do you want with me? I don't even know you, and you don't know me. Why did you take me from her?" tears ran down her face as she remembered the look of her mother's dead body.

"I need you, Ashlyn. I also have a very special plan for you. You will just need some teaching. I will teach you everything I know. You will be as powerful as I am." He choked out the rest, not knowing what he was saying, "I've missed you."

"I don't want to be as powerful as you are if you use your power to kill!" Ashlyn said and scooted further down the couch away from him.

"Ashlyn, I am Lord Voldemort, I know it must shock you, but that is who I am. And I am going to be your father, whether you want me to be or not. But it would help if you would give me another chance."

"Who is 'Lord Voldemort'?"

Tom looked down at her, shocked, "You mean, you've never heard of THE Lord Voldemort?"

Ashlyn shook her head, "No. But, if you are him, why would that shock me?"

"I will tell you at a later time. I just need to know if you will give me a second chance. Please, Ashlyn."

There was that odd look on his face again, "Everyone deserves a second chance." She looked up at her father, wondering what had happened to her life and what had she just done?

Ashlyn stood in the room once again, but this time it was fully lit. She was meeting her father here for the fifth time in the last two weeks. She was to have another lesson from him this day. He had said something about dueling. Ashlyn gulped. She did not want to duel with the man, the man who had killed her mother, but still, she had agreed to give him a chance, and she was actually learning a lot from him. She just wasn't sure if she liked what she was learning.

The door burst open and in walked her father, looking as pale as ever, "Alright, daughter, today we will learn the proper way to duel." He flicked his wand and the door shut.

Ashlyn nodded and listened intently as Tom instructed her on the ways of dueling. She knew that he meant well, but would she ever have to be in a real duel?

A year later, Ashlyn was nearing her fifteenth birthday in August. It was now late July, a year and a month after her father had killed her mother and brought her to his parents' old house. She had not gone back to school; Tom had told her that his lessons would take the place of school for her. She was quite glad not to have to return to Beauxbatons, but she was not too happy about staying at the Riddles' house, all alone when her father was gone. Of course, there were the few men around the house, but they scared Ashlyn, especially when they referred to themselves as the 'Death Eaters'. She was scared in that house, and the only thing she enjoyed was the lessons with her father. She did not like them at first, but now she enjoyed them, she enjoyed learning the things her father knew.

Last week, he had told her that next year, she would be entering her sixth year, and she would be going to Hogwarts, and this was part of the plan he had for her. She was excited, she had always wanted to go to Hogwarts, and she would finally be going, and she couldn't wait to find out his plan for her. She had learned about Lord Voldemort, and all the killing he had done. But, he had explained that those people had deserved to die, and he only did it to protect her and everyone else he had loved. It took her a while, but she now believed him, and admired his bravery and strength. She could never imagine having to kill someone to save someone else. The memory of her mother's death was faint; she barely remembered anything of it. Her father saved her, but did not have enough time to save her mother; at least that was what her father had told her.

He had still not told her what had happened the night he left, but she trusted him now, and knew that he would tell her when he was ready. Today her father was gone again, doing something mysterious, getting ready for his 'big plan'. Ashlyn was again left to freely roam the house. She had been kept inside that house for a whole year, and she had seen many glimpses of 'Death Eaters'. There was one 'Death Eater' though, who seemed to sneak around and stay out of her father's path. He looked a bit friendly, unlike all the others. All the others looked evil and scary.

As Ashlyn searched the house, she saw the friendly looking 'Death Eater' and she stopped as she almost ran into him in the hallway. He jumped at the sight of her and immediately started mumbling some excuse.

"What is your name?" Ashlyn asked, curious.

The man stopped mumbling, "My name is Regulus Black. I suppose you are the Dark Lord's daughter?"

"The Dark Lord? Oh yes, my name is Ashlyn." She stuck out her hand to him and he grasped it with his.

After their firm hand shake, Regulus looked down at Ashlyn hard, "You are being taught by your father, are you not?"

Ashlyn nodded.

"Even after he killed your mother, you trust him?"

"He didn't kill my mother; he just didn't have enough time to save her." Ashlyn stared at this man who was accusing her father of killing the woman he loved.

"Come with me. There is someone you need to meet." Regulus offered out his hand again, intending for Ashlyn to grab it so he could lead her somewhere.

She stared at it for a moment, but he did look friendly, and despite the fact he accused her father of murdering her mother, she believed she could trust him. If he had been any of the other men, she would have said no in an instant, but something inside her told her to go with him. She extended her hand and placed it in his. He nodded, and led her down the hall, into the kitchen, and out the back door.

"Where we are going, you may hear some things you do not want to hear at first. But you must, you can trust us." Regulus said, and before Ashlyn could say anything, he took her arm and they spun on the spot.

Ashlyn and Regulus Black stood in a semi-dark room, with two candles on opposite sides of the room. There were three chairs in the room, and one of them was occupied. The figure in the chair was hidden by darkness, but Ashlyn could see he was very tall.

"Ashlyn Riddle, I am pleased you could join us." An old voice spoke, a voice full of knowledge and wisdom.

Ashlyn nodded and sat in the chair Regulus was offering. Regulus then sat in the last chair. The other man pulled out his wand and muttered something and the room lit up. The man was very old, with long white hair and a white beard that went all the way down to his waist. He had a very crooked nose and he wore half-moon glasses. His wand now lay on his lap, and his hands were folded, his right hand blackened and shriveled, and Ashlyn gasped at the sight of it.

"Professor Dumbledore, thank you very agreeing to talk to her, I believe he has modified her memory. She believes her father saved her, but did not have enough time to save her mother," Regulus whispered to the man, in a voice that Ashlyn could not hear.

The man nodded and then looked over at Ashlyn, "Ashlyn, My name is Professor Dumbledore, and I want to assist you in any way possible. But, first I have a request of you. Can you tell us what happened the day you mother died, if you are not too upset to talk about it?"

"My father came home to find our house on fire, and he ran into save us. He carried me out, at a great risk to himself, and then before he could run into get Mum, the house collapsed, and he could not get to her." Ashlyn gulped, she did not like the way this man was looking at her.

"Ashlyn, I'm afraid the Ministry of Magic found your mother's body in her house a year ago. Your house was perfectly intact, and your mother had been murdered with the killing curse, 'Avada Kedavra'. I am very sorry to inform you, but your father has lied to you."

Anger rose inside of Ashlyn, "No, no he did not! My father is a very powerful man who only kills to ensure the safety of other people!"

Professor Dumbledore shook his head sadly, and then lifted his wand. He pointed it at Ashlyn's head and as she looked at the wand, terrified, he muttered another spell. Suddenly, it was as if a wall had been removed in Ashlyn's brain and all her memories of the day of her mother's death came back at her with force. Tears ran down her cheeks.

"He killed her." She whispered, "He killed many people."

"Yes. Your father is Lord Voldemort. He kills anyone who gets in his way, and anyone he wants to die, he kills them. There was only one person that ever survived when Lord Voldemort wanted to kill him."

Ashlyn took in a deep breath, she was scared and shocked to find out the truth of her father, but once again, her curiosity took over instead, "Who was that?"

"A one-year old boy, named Harry Potter. Your father tried to kill him almost fifteen years ago. He now enters his sixth year at Hogwarts. When your father tried to kill Harry, all of his power was lost, and he was on the brink of death. The only thing that helped Harry survive was the fact that his mother died to save him. Love is the only magic your father could never understand. He lived on the brink of death for about thirteen years, then, Harry saw him come back to life last summer. A much different Tom Riddle than he had been when he was your father. As I am sure you have heard, you look remarkably like he used to. Anyway, Harry was traumatized when he saw your father come back to life, and your father tried to kill Harry, but again failed. Then a few months ago, your father attacked the Ministry of Magic. He, again, tried to kill Harry, but he failed, and what's more, he also was back into the open, everyone now knows that Lord Voldemort is once again alive and in power. He was very angry that night."

"I do remember him coming home one night, raging about something and yelling at everyone around him." Ashlyn said, thinking back to that night, months ago.

"Yes, I am sure your father was extremely mad. He failed three things that night. But the most important one to his plan was his secrecy. And that is now long gone. But Harry has difficult times ahead, as do we all. We are all about to enter a war with your father and his side, but we need to know something. Ashlyn, which side are you going to choose?"

Ashlyn was quiet for several moments, letting all the information sink in. She remembered overhearing her father and some other men talking about a 'boy' and that Ashlyn would soon help with their problem with him, "Professor? I believe my father has a plan for me. He is sending me to Hogwarts next year, for my sixth year, and he says he has a large plan for me. I believe it has something to do with Harry Potter."

"Ashlyn, there is something you must understand; we must not let your father kill Harry. If your father kills Harry, the whole Wizarding World will pay the price. You must understand. Harry's parents, James and Lily Potter died protecting their son that night, we must NOT let Voldemort get a hold of Harry, and I believe he will stop at nothing to get Harry in his grasp. Harry has been chosen to kill your father. No one else will be able to, but him. And your father knows this. So, knowing that, nothing will stop him from trying to destroy Harry, not even putting you in a dangerous position."

"So, what am I supposed to do? My father will know that I am against him! He can use Legilimency! He'll know!"

Professor Dumbledore slid to the edge of his seat and took Ashlyn's hand, "Ashlyn, this is going to be a very difficult task, and at times, it will seem impossible. But, if I am not mistaken, your father has taught you everything he knows, has he not?" Ashlyn nodded, "Then you, as well, know how to perform Legilimency, and Occlumency, do you not?" Ashlyn nodded again, "Then you will need to keep your father believing that you are on his side. You will only have to keep him in that mind for a year, then you will be at Hogwarts, and will be free to help us. We will need your help. Harry will need it. We will need you to assist Harry in anyway possible. You will know all about your father, so you can help Harry on his journey to destroy your father. I will not be able to help for much longer."

"Yes, sir, I will do all I can. I do not want anymore people to die at the hands of my father." Ashlyn nodded.

"Good. On that note, I have a task for you and Regulus to do sometime this year. I need you to learn about Voldemort's Horcruxes. Ashlyn, you will need to do this, since you are his daughter, it is more likely he will open up and tell you, than Regulus. Also, Regulus is believed to be dead to his family, so he is only at your house when no one else is, so you will need to assist him with knowing when to come, as well. He needed to have the shield of death so he could get closer into Voldemort's circle and find out information for me. He is not a skilled Occlumens or Legilimens, and that is why he needed to pretend to be dead. In order for this to work, Ashlyn, you are going to need to do most of the work. I need you two to destroy as many as possible, or at least let me know of any you know of. This is extremely important to Harry and myself, as well as the rest of the Wizarding World. Do you two accept?"

Ashlyn nodded, and so did Regulus.

"Very good, this is very good. Ashlyn, thank you, I know this is going to be very difficult for you. Regulus, I thank you for agreeing to help her. I know you stand at great risk of being caught, but this will help so many people in the end. I thank you both, and I wish you a good luck. It is now nearing eleven 'o' clock p.m. I need to go pick up Harry Potter very soon, I need to discuss a very important matter with his relatives. If you will excuse me," and with that said, Dumbledore stood up, twirled around on the spot, then vanished.

Regulus stood up and grabbed Ashlyn's hand to help her up, "I can only take you back outside the house, I can not risk going in, someone might be in there. I believe you and I will be able to do much for Harry and the professor, and I am glad you agreed to help."

Ashlyn nodded, "If I didn't help after everything I just heard, I would be putting many lives in danger, for fear that I might get in trouble. Many people will be able to live because of what I might do. Plus, I don't want Harry Potter to fail. He must be very special, and I know Professor Dumbledore knows something special about him. I want to be able to find that out."

Regulus grinned, then grabbed her arm, and they Disapparated. They were now in the back of the Riddle house. Regulus whispered a good-bye, then he Disapparated again. Ashlyn took a deep breath, then walked back into the house, knowing that this was the first day of many that she would have to focus on her mind, and keeping her father out of it.