Went to see him was traveling by rail
By dawn we saw the lights
All these people were standing in line
I had to find out more
What they were waiting for

February 27, 2019 – Wednesday 4PM
Hogwarts

Severus and I tried for hours to tap into my connection to Voldemort. The only progress we'd made was Snape's swollen forearm and my splitting headache. It was inevitable that my father would come looking for me eventually, yet I still wasn't prepared for what burst through the door into Snape's quarters.

"What do you think you're doing?!" My father screamed, green eyes blazing dangerously. A small trickle of blood made it's way from his scar to the tip of his nose.

"We're trying to find Draco," I replied gruffly. "No thanks to you."

"Do you ever stop and think about your actions? You're hurting me Jenny, you're hurting your father." I opened my mouth, a strong retort poised on my lips. The haunted look in his eyes told me to hold my tongue. "I saw him," he continued, "Or at least I saw Tom speaking to him. He appeared to be fine."

"Let's go save him then!" I urged.

My father shook his head. "Absolutely not. We have no idea where Tom might have taken him."

"Are you sure about that?" Severus interrupted smoothly, "Are you sure you have absolutely no idea where the Dark Lord might be hiding Draco?"

I could see the gears turning in my father's head. "There's only once place," he gasped, "Riddle Manor!"

"Of course," I exclaimed excitedly. "His wife is still there, Evelien!"

"Then Draco is lost to us," Severus stated despondently. "Only one with Riddle blood can find the place."

"Would he summon you again? Then you could get there, right?" I gave him a hopeful look.

"The Dark Lord is not stupid," he spat, "He knows I am a traitor."

"Then there's no way to find him," I moaned.

"Perhaps Khalida will have an idea," my father offered, "You three got there once before."

"But we had Adrienne with us. It was her blood that made it possible for us to get there."

We found Khalida in the library, which I noticed was full of vampires all the time now. She gave us a concerned look as she put away the book she'd been reading. I motioned for her to follow us out into the hall. Once we had some privacy, my father explained our current predicament.

"The answer is easy then," the vampire stated knowingly.

"How's that?" I questioned.

"We need someone with Riddle blood to take us there. We'll just have to find someone with Riddle blood."

"We left Adrienne with Evelien and that's the only one I know of who has Riddle blood. What about you Dad?"

My father shrugged. "As far as I know, Adrienne is the last of the line. Do you know something we don't Khalida?"

"No, but Severus might."

"Me?" Severus asked, sounding truly surprised.

"Yes you," Khalida replied, "Voldemort took other women. Surely there must be a bastard child out there somewhere."

Severus was silent as he dipped into his memories. "The Dark Lord only allowed witches to share his bed, no muggles to my knowledge. I doubt any of those witches would publicize the fact that they were carrying the child of Voldemort."

"Dumbledore might know something," my father stated, "Why don't we ask him?"

"Ask me what?" Dumbledore questioned, causing all of us to start, except Khalida of course.

"You're as sneaky as Khalida," I commented.

"I am not sneaky. I just don't go bounding around the castle like a raging hippogriff." Khalida chuckled.

"So what would you like to ask me?" Dumbledore's eyes were thoughtful, twinkle completely absent.

"Do you know if Tom had may have any other children or relatives?" My father questioned.

Dumbledore ran a hand down the length of his beard. "It seems that there was a rumor before he graduated that a seventh year Ravenclaw might be carrying his child. They were never confirmed."

"I bet I know someone who would know for sure. She hears everything," I commented, attempting to sound mysterious.

My father shook his head and let out an amused chuckle. "I bet I know to whom you're referring. She'll go nuts when she sees me."

Severus cleared his throat loudly. "Care to tell the rest of us who this mysterious woman is?"

"She's not really a woman," I explained, "More of a ghost."

"Moaning Myrtle," Dumbledore exclaimed, "Of course! She hears all of Hogwart's gossip. Let's hope she remembers."

Our small confederation made its way to the second floor girl's bathroom. As expected Moaning Myrtle was wailing away in one of the bathroom stalls. My father held a finger to his lips as we walked in, motioning for us to keep quiet.

"Hello Myrtle," he said cordially. The wailing abruptly stopped.

"Harry?" a voice questioned tentatively, "Is that you?"

"Yes Myrtle, it's me."

The unhappy ghost floated quickly through the stall door and gave Harry a once over. "Is it really you? I heard that you died." A hopeful look appeared on her face.

"No Myrtle." He shook his head and her smile fell into a sad frown. "I'm afraid I'm still very much alive. I have come to visit."

Myrtle clutched her ghostly hands behind her back, looking everything like the shy schoolgirl she once was. "I suppose visiting is good. It's better than nothing."

"I was wondering something. Do you remember Tom Riddle?"

"That sneaky Slytherin!" she exclaimed, "How can I forget? He was very handsome though. Not as handsome as you Harry!" She added quickly, clearly afraid Harry might be offended.

"So he must have had a lot of girlfriends then?"

"Quite a few," Myrtle stated with a nod, "But one in particular almost got him in very bad trouble."

"A Ravenclaw?" Father asked.

Myrtle giggled. "That stupid girl he was seeing in Ravenclaw, that wasn't the one! There were rumors though, terrible rumors. He started those so no one would know."

"Know what?"

"That it was a Gryffindor," she pronounced gleefully, "It was one of the Gryffindor girls that he got into trouble. She was gone from here before she had…"

"Yes?" Father urged.

"The little baby boy."

I stepped forward, a question forming in my mind. "If she was gone from school when she had the baby, then how do you know it was a boy?"

Myrtle let out a loud snort. "She still cries about it all the time. I can hear her when I'm traveling in the pipes."

From the corner of my eye I could see Dumbledore's jaw drop. Severus' eyes were keen and calculating for a moment and then his jaw dropped as well. The girl, now a woman, was still in the castle and there was only one that fit the bill.

"Professor McGonagall!" Father exclaimed in surprise. "I don't believe it."

"Well it's true," Myrtle continued, "and she goes to see him in secret."

"How can this have happened?" Dumbledore stammered. It was interesting to see the wise old wizard so out of sorts. "How could it happen right under my nose?"

"You can't know everything that goes on," Khalida suggested. "Everyone has secrets."

We found McGonagall in her office, a thick book lying in front of her on her desk. She looked slightly surprised when her door swung open and she saw us all standing in the hallway. She started to rise from her seat but Dumbledore motioned for her to remain seated.

"I need to ask you something Minerva and I need you to be honest."

She paled slightly as she slowly nodded her head. "What is it Albus?"

"Do you have a son?" The question came out bluntly and the witch flinched as if she'd been hit.

"Yes…I have a son," she stated. It was apparent that she was trying to remain dignified but her resolve soon crumbled. "Please don't hurt him Albus. He's done nothing wrong. He can't help who his father is."

Dumbledore appeared shocked by his Deputy Headmistresses behavior. "My dear woman, why would you think that I would want to hurt your son?"

"Tom is his father," she spat, "I know what that means. All for the greater good, isn't it? Just another sacrifice in the war effort, like young Mr. Potter there. I won't let you have him! I will not!" She slammed her palms down upon her desk, tears leaking from both eyes.