Chapter one

The given secret

Harry Potter is not mine in anyway

The rain had been pouring all night, loud almost deafening in heavy indecent assaults. Barely giving some, if any, sleep to the girl who lay in her bed. Even if there had been no rain, the little girl called Gavetta wouldn't have been able to sleep anyway.

Cold beads of sweat covered her tiny body, and her black curls stuck to her face. All night her parents had been up. Their echoed yells and sobs constantly reached her room upstairs.

Gavetta glanced around her gloomy room. A small circular window with black and red striped walls, it didn't look suitable for a child. The roof was a faded gold, with a painted tree; upon which many dates and names had been written in scarlet. A small bed hugged the wall opposite the window, allowing Gavetta to see that the night had ended.

Gavetta tightly hugged her rag doll, and pulled her shabby blankets over her head. Listening to the rain falling on her roof, she imagined it sliding down her window like tears.

Perhaps she could stay hidden here forever, then maybe the man wouldn't come for her. She wasn't afraid of him - but her parents seemed to be. Since his visit, many nights had come and gone like the one ending now.

Gavetta remembered, how he had arrived, with a faint pop. She had be playing outside on her broomstick. Watching the gnomes chase each other round the bushes and flowers. She had heard the man open the white rickety gate. Walk quietly up the messy path. Once at the wooden door of the cottage, he had knocked loudly.

Gavetta thought more of the flowers then the man. Outside the garden was beautiful, with hundreds of red and blue roses. Flutter bushes swayed even though there was no breeze. Gavetta imagined the garden to be small, but it was hardly a garden at all. Surrounding most of the cottage, almost choking it, the garden had once been magnificent.

Now it was wild and overgrown. Giving off the air that the garden and cottage had long been abandoned. If it weren't for the low white fence and smoky air rising from the chimney; it would have appeared to be an extension of the woods near by. The air carried the smell of spring, and the trees had begun to bloom. It was very beautiful-just like her, her father had once said.

"Gavetta come inside, its getting cold out there" came her mothers voice, drifting through a small stained glass window. Gavetta did so at once, and felt the warmth from the fire tingle her cold hands.

"Gavetta, I would like you to meet Mr Riddle. Come here, and meet him properly, closer child" her mother chided as Gavetta had tried to hide behind her robes.

"Good evening, Mr Riddle," Gavetta said to the floor, wiping dirt off her fingers. "Its nice to meet you. I've been playing in the garden, watching the gnomes chase one another."

"Have you now?" smirked the handsome man with dark hair and dangerous eyes.

"Yes, it was fun," replied Gavetta, finally looking into his eyes. Which reminded her somehow of both ice and fire.

"Come here child, come into the fire light, I would like to look at you."

Gavetta moved around the old furniture, where her parents were now sitting, walking away from the eerie candle light. The light cast indecisive ghostly shadows on the walls.At the end of the lounge, Mr Riddle stood directly in front of the fire. Gavetta stood next to him.

Riddle cupped her face in his hands, like a farmer viewing stock. "The child is very beautiful. Long curly hair, deep blue eyes, olive complexion, and pure blood. She appears to be a friendly child, and looks like she will grow to be a fine woman. I will take her. You do not know the contribution she will one day make to our wizarding world. Her pure blood, so important..." Riddles voice faded, apparently lost in thought.

He turned to face the fire, his expression impossible to read.

Behind his back, Gavetta's parents Druella and Cygnus exchanged worried glances. Both were concerned with his approach...their daughter was not an object. Gavetta was a 3 year old child, innocent and kind.

As if reading their thoughts, Mr Riddle turned to face them.

"It is for the best if I take the child, we kill two birds with one stone. You have had this child out of wedlock, she will never be accepted into your family Cygnus. I need a pure blood child, to bring up as my own. I will pay for her, look after her, and one day she may return to you. Druella, once you and Cygnus are married (which I hear is soon), you will no doubt have more children to bring into the pure noble Black family. So do not fear. You have not told your family about the child Cygnus, and Druella only your mother knows. So when I take her, no one will notice she is gone. I will return in a month."

"My mother has recently died"

"I am sorry to hear that," Riddle said, sounding unnervingly charming. "You are too young Druella to bare such things. You are barely twenty. You have a whole life ahead of you. Cut these binding ties away. Start again. Be kind to yourself; if you give the child up you will be welcome with open arms into the Black family. You will no longer have to live like this" Riddle said, openly surveying the house.

"True" replied Druella.

Cygnus spoke up, his blond hair almost glowing in the dim light. "You are right. My family will not accept this child, even if we married tomorrow. If my parents knew, they would disown me. Fornication is seen as weak and unjustifiable. When we marry, I will inherit my fortune. Druella and I will be very comfortable. There is no future for any of us, if the child stays. I can not continue hiding both Druella and Gavetta here, some of my family members are starting to suspect. My family have not seen Druella since her mothers death, and wonder why. Gavetta can not be left alone. Her mother Charlotte looked faithfully after Gavetta. During those times Druella would spend time getting to know my family. Earning my parents approval. We now have it, and will marry soon. Return in a month. We will have the child ready."

"Yes, I will return" whispered Riddle, and with that he turned on his heel and left.

A tiny pop could be heard in the spring breeze, but was drowned out by the wails of Druella. She had started shaking uncontrollably, her long hair covering her face.

"Bed," she sobbed to Gavetta. Gavetta tucked herself into bed, and that was the first night the shouting had started.

Looking up Gavetta saw her mother walk into her room, her face swollen from more tears. Druella looked at her daughter, who looked (apart from her curly hair) like a perfect miniature version.

No more tears, she thought. She picked the child up in her arms, and hugged her, like her life depended on it. Today the man would return. Until her precious Gavetta left, she would hold her grief and sorrow. First her mother, now her daughter.

Tomorrow will come she thought, and please let it be swiftly.

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