The Xavier Riddle Series
Year two

Chapter Seven: a change of pace

Xavier looked up at the front of Slytherin Manor with a smirk, this was his ancestral home
"come Xavier" Voldemort said to him "you still need to issue Lucius with his punishment" he glared at the blonde haired man, who visibly paled at the words
"indeed father" Xavier agreed "shall we adjourn?"
"yes, we shall" Voldemort pushed the doors open with a wave of wandless magic. The group strode through into one of the meeting rooms

Voldemort turned to Lucius
"Lucius...kneel" He hissed slightly, Lucius knelt in the centre of the room, Narcissa and Petunia moving the other children back from him.

"Xavier... do you have a specific punishment for Lucius?"
"I do father..." he glared at the elder Malfoy and withdrew his wand from his robes and began to stalk around Lucius
"you deserve this Lucius" He sneered "FERVEO!" he cursed him with the blood boiling curse, Lucius began to twitch, he collapsed in a heap as the intensity grew, then suddenly it was gone, leaving him completely exhausted

"excellent choice" Voldemort patted his son on the shoulder in a rare show of affection "Narcissa, take your husband to the guest suite to recover, i don't want to see him until i call"
"yes my Lord" Narcissa nodded quietly.


The summer holidays started with the usual buzz of excitement for students and certain staff of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. For the newly finished second year Gryffindor, Hermione Granger, the holidays lacked any source of excitement, other than the annual family holiday in August to look forward to. Her parents had told her they were holidaying in France this summer.

Hermione stared out of her bedroom window, her homework for the summer spread out on the table in front of her, a Potions essay left half written, quill sat in her ink pot. She was bored, and she had only been home for two days. She sat there for most of the afternoon, cursing herself for having forced herself to be accepted to Gryffindor over Slytherin. If she had managed to get into that house, maybe she would have friends to talk to over the summer, Magic friends, to converse about spells and potions with, instead of having to lie about where she had been to her friends that lived around the corner, her MUGGLE friends. She sneered to herself, little did anyone know that Hermione Granger was just as against Muggles as Voldemort. She was disgusted to find out she was a Muggle born witch, but her powers she had hidden from everyone proved she was more than she let on...

Just as she was brooding over the injustices of the Wizarding World, a screech got her attention. She turned to her window and saw a black raven with a letter sitting in its beak, it was sitting just under her open window, obviously waiting to be invited in. Hermione walked to the window and put out her arm, the raven jumped onto it, sidling up to her shoulder and let her take the letter from its beak before flying onto the owl perch in the corner of the room, sitting carefully next to Hermione's screech own, Horus. Horus regarded the raven with a curious glance, before turning and taking flight onto the wardrobe where he settle to sleep, letting the raven have as much water and food as it wanted.

Hermione turned the letter over in her hand, a spidery script on the front stated her name. Curiously, Hermione opened the letter, noticing the seal on the back, a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth embedded in green wax. Having a faint idea who would use such a seal, She pulled the letter from the envelope and sat on her bed to read it.

Miss Granger

It has come to my attention that you have been secretly helping my son since he arrived at Hogwarts in a number of ways, no doubt you have seen his potential and wish to befriend him in less than public circumstances. Xavier tells me you are an exceptionally gifted witch and this works well against your red-coloured enemies, it is always helpful to have a snake or two amongst the Pride, if you get my meaning. I trust with the unintentional goings on from last year that you have worked out exactly who I am. I hope this letter will not fall into the wrong hands. Xavier's safety is paramount, this i hope you understand. By now you will be wondering why I have written a letter to you, being of Muggle blood? Well My son has expressed a wish to extend a hand of friendship to you, it seems he thinks that you share some of the same principles that my son prizes.

If this is amenable to yourself, please send a reply with my raven Hades, he will wait for a reply and we shall take it from there.

Sincerely

Lord Voldemort Riddle

Hermione stared at the letter in her shaking hand. Lord Voldemort was alive?! She couldn't work that one out and was thankful she was sitting down when she had read the letter. A sinister smile spread across her face at that moment, she couldn't really turn down such an invitation, that would not be a good idea. A sudden knock on her door made her jump

"Hermione?"
"come in mum" She hastily looked around the room for somewhere to hide the letter but couldn't think of anywhere. Her mum opened the door and walked in to her daughters room
"Homework already?" She smiled

"Um.. yeah" Hermione did her best to look sheepish, wiping the smirk off her face and hiding her true nature under a mask of childhood innocence "i thought if i got it all done then i would have summer to relax" she said "I don't want it hanging over me when we go on holiday"

"That's fine with me, as long as that's what you want...Hermione dear, why is there a raven in your room?" She asked

"Oh! er... i got a letter that's all..." she said, frantically trying to think of an excuse
"who from?"
"just someone from school" She shrugged, putting the letter in a drawer "Parvati, i share a dorm with her, she's lost one of her assignments, ill send her the question in a minute" she lied

"I see.. well dinner will be ready in twenty minutes" her mum told her

"right... I'll be down soon then, i just want to write to Parvati" Hermione tried to smile innocently and her mother left her to it.

When she was certain her mother wouldn't both her, Hermione took the letter back out from her drawer and grabbed a new piece of parchment

Lord Voldemort

I graciously received your letter and whole-heartedly agree that Xavier's safety is paramount. Therefore I extend my hand to meeting you as soon as is appropriate. However I should tell you that I unfortunately live in a Muggle area and am unsure of the nearest Wizarding area to myself to meet you.

Hermione Granger.

She sealed the envelope and handed it to Hades, who took it firmly in his beak, soaring through the open window. Hermione watched him go, a smirk on her face as she watched Hades fly in to the distance... third year was looking to be interesting.


A few days later, Hermione had finished all her homework and was packing up her school supplies when the doorbell rang.
"I'll get it" Her father shouted, having been at the bottom of the stairs. He opened the door to see a tall man with long black hair and piercing red eyes, a boy with him that could only be his son, the resemblance was astounding, only he had emerald green eyes
"Mr Granger i presume?" said the man
"Yes.. can i help you?" he asked

"Xavier Riddle... I'm here to see Hermione if that's possible" the boy stepped forward

"of course..." he turned "please come on in, the front room is through that door just there" he lead them into the front room "Hermione?" He shouted up the staircase "You have visitors"

Hermione walked into the front room
"Xavier? This is a surprise" She said, her eyes flicked to Voldemort and back again
"Indeed Gr-Hermione" Xavier coughed into his hand "i believe we have some issues to discuss?"
"i believe so...please. Sit down" She gestured "i was a bit startled when i got your letter" she said, her eyes never leaving Xavier's.

"What letter?" asked her mother

"Mister Riddle wrote to me, about possibly doing some extra work over the summer" Hermione told them, Voldemort smirked slightly

"i see.." said her father "what extra work?"
"Your daughter is highly gifted" Voldemort said "as you have no doubt heard, the Wizarding World is on the brink of an all-out war...Albus Dumbledore is threatening the safety of not only Hogwarts, but the secrecy of our world, your daughters life is at risk" He continued
"but we were told that Dumbledore was the defender against the Death Eaters, against You Know Who...whoever that is" said her mum
"You know who?...my dear, my name is Lord Voldemort" he smiled slightly "this is my son, Xavier Salazar Riddle, he is in the same year as your daughter"

"Yes, we know" said her father "Xavier... why don't you and Ms Granger go and talk while i speak to her parents?"

"of course Father.." He stood up "Shall we?" He asked

"of course, we'll go upstairs"


Hermione turned to him as soon as her door was shut, her wand pointed between his eyes

"All right Riddle, what the fuck is going on?" She spat "you father sends me a letter then you turn up-"
"Silence yourself Granger, if Father wanted to kill you he wouldn't have knocked on the door" Xavier chuckled "We have had information from the Ministry that Dumbledore is up to some dangerous tricks and as you've been so helpful as a spy for me in Gryffindor, Father is here to invite you to train with Draco, Dudley, Neville, Ginny, and of course, myself, so that you will be prepared for the coming year" He explained

"How do you mean?" Hermione asked him "What plans?"

"I'm not sure right now, Father won't tell me the specifics, look Granger, i need to know what your answer is" He folded his arms, his eyes almost glowing Killing Curse green.

Hermione smirked at him in a very Slytherin manner, making Xavier raise an eyebrow
"being taught in a group will only enhance what i already know, besides, i may be able to teach you a few things" She said with an almost sadistic grin


The pair of them headed back downstairs after an hour or so to find their parents sitting talking amiably

"Father?" Xavier spoke up

"Ah, right on time Xavier, Mr and Mrs Granger have just agreed for Hermione to spend the summer at the mansion learning for the year ahead" Voldemort stood up
"I'll just get my things then" Hermione began
"No need, i see you have your wand" Voldemort shook his head "everything will be provided for you once we get to Slytherin Manor."

"Oh... well... I'll see you before i go back to Hogwarts then" Hermione turned to her parents
"Indeed Hermione, we will see you at the end of august, and behave, i don't want you upsetting Mr Riddle"

"I'll be on my best behaviour" Hermione barely restrained from rolling her eyes.


Soon enough Voldemort, Xavier and Hermione were walking down the street away from the house
"The Portkey station is just across the road" Voldemort told her, quickly crossing into the park. He turned and handed her a chain
"Xavier will come with you on the Portkey, I will Apperate, Xavier I will see you back in the study once you arrive." he disappeared without a sound

Xavier took hold of the chain and without a sound, they disappeared in a sea of colour.


"...And whatever you do, don't leave the rooms unaccompanied, the house is a maze if your not sure where things are, click your fingers and a house Elf will come to your aide" Xavier continued
"Yes you have said this before" Hermione said, nettled
"just making sure you understand Granger" he sneered

"now now Xavier" Petunia chuckled "Miss Granger it is a pleasure, I am Petunia, Xavier's auntie"
"Pleasure" She replied "thank you for the invitation"
"Yes well, i shall get you settled in your rooms" Petunia said to her "then we shall go and greet the boys..." she escorted her from the room and up into the west wing of Slytherin's manor.

On the way, the two females began a rapport, talking briefly about magic and their favourite subjects at Hogwarts.
"this will be your room whilst your here, there are clothes for you in the wardrobe, training robes and things that you will need during your stay here. Would you like to change before seeing the boys?"
"No I'm fine thank you" Hermione replied

"very well" Petunia smiled "the boys are in the parlour at the moment, i will show you down there"


As soon as Hermione walked into the parlour, Draco let fire a Stupefy curse
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione snapped back, ducking Draco's curse and hit him straight on with hers, sending him crashing over the table
"excellent reflexes" Lucius smiled at her
"thank you Mr Malfoy, i must say i was expecting it" Hermione smirked

"I think this summer is going to be very interesting" Lucius smiled like the cat who had the canary.