A/N: Thank you to the reviewers who have lightened up my gloomy day!
To tastycakes187: Glad to see you are enjoying it! :)
The next few months were rather uneventful. I dragged myself out of my bed, with red rimmed eyes and with hair even bushier than a squirrel's tail. I tugged a brush through my hair yet again and righted my robes. I didn't look as neat as I did back when I was with Tom, but I certainly looked neater than any other students. I often had sleepless nights, just reading over the letter Charlus had sent me. It broke my heart to know of what had happened to my brother, but I stayed firmly among Harry, going through classes like they were a breeze, always keeping myself away from Quirell and never allowing myself to stay in one room alone with him. Christmas was approaching and I had to return to my muggle house with my, well, parents. The worst classes were not Snape's, but Voldemort's. I always stayed alert around Voldemort with my mental shields up high. I never let him stare straight into my eyes without him stumbling in pain later on. The days ticked faster and faster until Draco said an unpleasant comment about Harry.
" I do feel sorry," He drawled. "For all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." Crabbe and Goyle snorted and Draco smirked in Harry's direction. I sighed and stood up.
" If you think you're making anyone laugh, then you are." I said. " But everyone's laughing at you." There were a few snickers behind me and Draco turned pink. He glared at me.
" If you think you're so intelligent, then meet me outside of the Slytherin portrait. And then fire shall meet water." He commented. I gritted my teeth.
" Whatever, Blondie." He raised an annoyingly elegant eyebrow.
" Is that a yes?" He asked.
" Challenge taken." I replied. And we awkwardly shook hands.
I strode over and silently made my way down to the Slytherin portrait hole. Draco was standing there, obviously expecting me. I stepped through the darkness and threw my Griffindor- red cloak hood back. Draco smirked.
" So, Riddle." He said. " Decided to go Pureblood against mudblood?" I gritted my teeth in frustration. Draco saw this and before he could open his mouth to make another comment, I spoke instead.
" Voldemort was a half- blood. You're basically offending him." I bit back. Draco got into a huff.
" NO! The Dark lord-"
" Oh?" I raised an eyebrow. " So it's the Dark lord now, hmm? If you weren't this..." I eyed him up and down. " Young, I would have said you served him." He tightened his grip around his wand.
" I was raised to serve him!"
" And so was I." I muttered, my head downcast. Draco faltered. His grip around his wand loosened slightly before my head snapped back up. " Well? What are you sitting there smirking for-" Draco whipped out his wand.
" Wingardium Leviosa!" He exclaimed. His spell suddenly lifted me three feet off the ground. I smirked.
" Is that all you can do, Draco? My, my. You're just as pathetic as your grandfather." I taunted before I shouted a spell at him.
" Rellindorum Lisaria!" I whispered before a red and green light shot out of my wand and hit Draco square in the chest. He fell down to the floor before eyeing me in disbelief. " Want me to finish you off, Malfoy?" I asked. He swallowed.
" Heinum Letitum!" He yelled. A gray light spiralled out of his wand and hit me on the leg. I hissed in pain as it charred through my skin, leaving a shallow burn on my shin. I lifted my wand, thunderous. I saw Aquarius instead of Draco. Just then he gave a pathetic whimper and I froze.
My morals won over.
" What the hell am I doing?!" I asked. Draco heard me. I looked up at him. Cold, stone gray eyes bored holes into my mind. " You're so young, so innocent..." I trailed off. I had gotten so caught up with the moment that I became someone else. I wasn't Tia, the sixteen year old girl who fell in love with Charlus Potter. And I wasn't the girl who had a Dark Lord as her brother. I was Hermione Jean Riddle. A merciless geek who used magic that she certainly shouldn't have known at this age to hurt other, innocent children who were way younger than me. I was no better than my brother. I dropped my wand and offered Draco my hand. He stared at it and back at my face before puffing his cheeks up and getting up on his own.
" This is a truce. Don't tell anyone about this or I will have filthy, muggleborn blood on my hands by the time I'm done with you." Draco threatened. I swallowed and lifted my hood up, obscuring my face.
" You have yourself a deal, Draco Lucius Malfoy." I replied before I walked back toward the Fat Lady portrait, cloak billowing behind me.
I sat in Potions, brewing a very fine and delicate medicine for werewolf bites. Snape hovered above me. I refused to meet his eyes.
" Miss Riddle, what excellent work indeed." He sneered. And to my relief, he left, hanging over a potion that Draco had made. " Brilliant potion, Draco. Ten points for Slytherin." I balled my hands into fists before I evened out my concentration. I could feel Draco's bewildered gaze on my back, wondering why I had shown him mercy last night. I met Harry's eyes and he winked. I winked back. Soon, the lesson was over and I was all too happy to leave the place. Ron, Harry and I left the dungeons and found two enormous feet paired under a fir tree. I smirked.
" Wingardium Leviosa." I recited, bored. The fir tree began to levitate and Hagrid's bushy head peered out from behind it, contorted into a merry smile.
" Would you mind moving away?" Draco made it sound more of a command than a question." Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley?" He added, coldly. " Hoping to be a gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose- that hut of Hagrid's must be a palace compared to what your family's used to." Ron dived at Malfoy before I even got the chance to grab his shoulder. Just then, Snape came into sight.
" Weasley!" He bellowed. Ron meekly let go of Draco's robes.
"He was provoked, professor Snape." Hagrid defended Ron. I only hoped it was enough. " Malfoy was insultin' his family."
" Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid." Snape replied, silkily. " Five points from Griffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you." I glared at Malfoy and he gave me a triumphant smirk. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle pushed past and Ron started to throw curses.
" I'll get him. One of these days, I'll get him-"
" I hate them both. Malfoy and Snape." Harry lamented. I watched Snape's retreating back. I swallowed. What was it about him that made me so suspicious? I kept wondering back to the pictures, the cloak and the letter. I still hadn't pressed the red button on the black box yet.
I packed my bags after I left them in the common room, my robes folded neatly on the bottom of the trunk and my wand, books and other resources nestled on top. Finally, I packed the wooden chest that belonged to Tom. I breathed a heavy sigh when Harry suddenly came behind me and attacked my sides with his tickles.
" Ah- Harry- stop!" I pleaded. He finally stopped, his cheeks flushed and his hair slightly tousled. I passed him a silver comb. " Keep it. You need it." I ordered although I knew he wasn't going to use it anyway. He glanced at my suitcase and caught sight of the chest.
" What's that?" He asked. I turned around and flipped the lid of the suitcase shut.
" Em- nothing! It's... It's-"
" Books? Did you steal them from the restricted area?" He asked his eyes twinkling. I almost melted in relief.
" Yes, yes. I stole it from there." I breathed.
" But why would you take out books about the Dark Arts?" He asked, frowning. I swallowed.
" I'm suspicious of Snape. Plus, I haven't found out anything about Flamel, so I just took this from there." I replied. Harry smirked.
" Wow, Hermione. I never expected you to be suspicious of a teacher. You used to think that all teachers were saints!" He chortled. I shrugged.
He was wrong.
Quirell certainly wasn't a saint.
I leaned my forehead against the window, watching the trees dusted with snow fly past. The Hogwarts Express chuffed faster than usual across the tracks. Neville got into the cart and shut the door. I turned around and gave him a small smile. I hadn't come any closer to finding out who Nicholas Flamel was- and I was fast becoming impatient. Neville and I sat in an awkward silence.
" So, what did you do over the Christmas holidays?" I asked. He twiddled with his thumbs.
" Um... Nothing much. I stayed with my Gran." He replied as timidly as he was in the first few days in Hogwarts. I nodded, not really paying attention. " And you?" He asked. I shrugged.
" I don't know. Read, I guess." I replied. I heard Neville sigh.
" And you find studying fun." He stated with boredom, shyness gone from his voice. I nodded.
" I'm a muggleborn. If I don't have powerful connections, then I've got to be intelligent enough to land myself a job in the wizarding world."
" True, true." He agreed. Just then, we had stopped outside of Hogwarts.
The silence must have been longer than I realized.
I burst into the Griffindor common room.
" Harry! Did you find out who Flamel was?" I asked. He looked sullen. I immediately knew the answer. " Oh."
" I just don't get it! I'm sure I've heard that name before somewhere, I just can't remember where!" He exclaimed, his head in his hands.
" Let's study!" I exclaimed in an overly excited voice. Harry smiled, slightly.
" Only you would find something so boring to be fun." He muttered. I winked at him and we both laughed.
" Seriously, though. We're going to have exams in a couple of weeks time and we haven't even started to revise. Harry, if you fail they will kick you out- the Boy- Who- Lived or not." I reminded him. He rolled his eyes.
" Can't a boy have fun? Malfoy hardly ever studies and I bet you that he writes the answers down his arms-"
" He does." I interrupted. " I saw part of a spell written down his arm in our Transfiguration assessment. Call me a snitch but I told McGonagall about it and she gave him naught. I really do not like picking on others and I even have limits with Malfoy, so I won't be bothering him this time." I smiled. Harry smiled too.
" Got him back, 'eh?" He nudged me with his elbow. It went straight past my arm but thankfully he didn't notice. I began to panic. The glamour was wearing off! I cleared my throat.
" Erm, Harry, I need to go unpack. Be with you in a mo'-" I sprinted off to the girl's dorm and up the winding staircase before I even finished my sentence. I uncorked my potions bottle whilst I was running and forced the putrid tasting liquid down my throat. I went over to my four poster bed and found that it had a note on it. I swallowed and walked over to it.
Hermione Riddle,
Don't you even think of turning me over or your pathetic, mudblood life will be over quicker than you could say Quidditch.
Meet up with me in my classroom in a week's time, Monday morning break at 11:46 sharp. I will not harm you. I just want to ask a few questions.
I'm watching you. Don't you ever forget that.
Lord Voldemort
I almost laughed. Lord Voldemort? My brother? Inviting me around his classroom using pretty much a death note?! I wasn't stupid- I didn't want to go, but I knew that he meant what he said. If he got past the charm that Godric Griffindor put on the stairs just to put this note on my bed, then who knew what else he could do! I looked up and stared holes straight at my reflection in the mirror. I looked a touch bit haggard. It was best if I placed this note under my pillow. That way the girls wouldn't be able to find it. I quickly fixed my bushy hair into a tight pony tail on the peak of my head and brushed my new fringe to the side, much like it is under the glamour I was wearing. I sorted my uniform out, tightened my tie, checked my reflection in my almost disgustingly clean shoes and then walked out.
I sat next to Ron, Harry opposite me, skimming through all of the books. I sighed and threw my book on the floor.
"We'll never get this done at this rate. Let me do a word- check spell. It will search for the name: Nicholas Flamel and then the ones with results will come in front of me." I explained to the boys. They looked relieved that they didn't have to do anymore checking and collapsed onto the floor. " Indexus Repensurchus." I whispered. Immediately, all the books started flicking their pages wildly, searching for the name I had in mind. After a few seconds, all of them sided away in their places. I sighed. " Nothing! I could search the whole library and even then it would take ages to do it!" I growled before kicking the nearby bookcase.
I walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Why did Voldemort want to see me so much? I swallowed before I pulled my robes tighter around me, my Griffindor-red cloak situated around my shoulders. My hood was not obscuring my head- to show that it was me. Just as anticipated, Quirell walked into the classroom. His turban was loosened, just a little bit, and the funny smell of garlic came distinctly from behind his head.
" Welcome." Voldemort said at the other side of Quirell's head. I gulped.
" What did you want to talk to me about? You're a Dark Lord who hates all muggleborns and some half bloods. But why aren't you harming me?" I asked. There was a long silence.
" Because there is a possibility you could be either my sister or my heir." I almost fainted. Voldemort?! Having the birds and bees with another girl?! Ew!
" Voldemort, I can assure you, I am the first magical being in my father's side of my family- and my grandmother and my great grand mother are still living, thank you very much. And I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have some one as..." I felt a painful pang in my heart as I said the next words. " Foul or heartless as you as my father or great grand father. I wonder how you treated your sister. Did she beg you to leave her alone?" I taunted.
" Stop it." He spat.
" Did she beg you for mercy? Did she beg you to be-" My next words were cut off. Quirell had his gloved hand around my neck, squeezing it painfully as his eyes glinted a livid blood red.
" She did. She begged me to stop being so evil. She begged to have her Tommy back. And do you know what? Even though I had made all these horcruxes, I still feel pain. I still wonder what she would say when I returned home with fresh blood of innocents on my hands. But I have a twisted want- a need- for it. I just have to- need to- see that precious life source draining from another human," He had a menacing glint on his ring. It made it's way slowly to my neck, but before he could cut it, he suddenly slammed his hand the other way, making me jump. It hit a red wine bottle, the wine dribbling out looking an awful lot like blood. Trembling, I turned to see Voldemort dominate Quirell. " One drop after another." And the wine from the bottle eventually slowed, drops falling from the hem of the bottle- and just like he said- they dripped to the floor.
One drop after another.
I, thoroughly creeped out, bit Quirell's gloved hand. He winced before shrieking in pain as I sank my teeth, lower and lower into his hand. He jumped away from me and I took that chance to run away from him. I ran out of the classroom and welcomed freedom with open arms.
Ron and I were playing chess. It was one of the only things I was horrible at. I realized with a painful pang in my heart that the chess set belonged to Brian. Harry burst in.
" Don't talk to me for a moment." Ron ordered, silencing an enraged Harry. I put my hand on Ron's.
" Ron, something bad has happened. Let Harry speak." I whispered. Ron nodded and turned to Harry. Harry broke into a fit somewhere when he was explaining what happened. The only things I caught was 'Quidditch', 'Greasy Git' and ' Suspicious'.
"- And now Snape's the referee!" Harry exclaimed, distraught.
" Don't play." I immediately piped up.
" Say you're ill." Ron added. I nodded in agreement.
" Pretend to break your leg." I suggested.
" Really break your leg." Ron said. I gave him a strange look. He shrugged it off. " Best I could think of." He shrugged.
" I can't." Harry cried. " There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Griffindor can't play at all!" At that exact moment, Neville came stumbling into the common room, his legs seemingly bound together. Every body laughed, but inside, I felt pained. It reminded me too much of the time I first met Voldemort when Tom's arms were restricted by invisible chains. I quickly incantered the counter curse and his legs sprang apart. I rushed to his side.
" What happened?" I asked. Neville swallowed.
" Malfoy," He said, shakily." I met him outside the library. He said he'd been waiting for someone to practise that on."
" Go to professor McGonagall!" I urged him. It could also mean that Slytherin lost some points. " Report him!" Alas, Neville shook his head.
" I don't want more trouble." He murmured. I sighed and gave a pointed look to Ron.
" You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" Ron exclaimed. " He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier!" Neville still looked uncertain. I motioned for Harry's pocket. He nodded and he produced the chocolate frog that I had given him for Christmas. I kneeled in front of Neville and held his hands in mine, my new, intense brown eyes searing and searching into his own blue ones.
" You're worth twelve of Malfoy," I said, passionately to him. His eyes gleamed with pride. " The sorting hat chose you for Griffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin- just where I was about to be before I literally begged to be in Griffindor." I smiled, squeezing his hands. He looked slightly confused.
" Why did you want to be in Griffindor?" He asked. That got the attention of all of the people in the Griffindor common room- unfortunately for me, that was the whole of Griffindor.
" Yes, why?"
" Why?"
" Slytherin!"
" Liar!"
" Cheat!"
" You don't belong here!"
" MUDBLOOD!" Someone screamed. I felt tears come to my eyes as people clambered in front of me, their eyes narrowed in mistrust and hatred.
" Don't trust her tears- the sorting hat said she was good at lying."
" She'll harm Harry!"
" Everyone, protect Harry!"
" Protect-"
" Protect-"
" SHUT UP!" Harry bellowed. Just then, I fled from the scene like a coward, my tears leaking from my eyes as I felt accusing eyes searing into my cloaked back.
I sat, slumped against the wall outside of the Slytherin portrait hole. I was shrouded in the invisibility cloak. I leaned my head against the cold, stone wall just as Draco passed by. He looked rather sadistic, but he wasn't with his two henchmen. Draco took sweeping kicks as he walked across the corridor. One of these kicks landed on my side. I bit my lip to keep from screaming in pain and Draco looked quite confused as to why his foot had kicked thin air. He shook his head and continued on his way. Another Slytherin stood in front of the portrait hole.
" Salazar." He said. The portrait swung open. My breath hitched and I moved closer to the portrait, slipping into the space just before it slammed shut.
I sighed as I followed the Slytherin boy. What was the matter with me?! Why was I suddenly so touchy? I finally landed myself in familiar surroundings. The Slytherin common room. I gave a half- smile as I walked toward my old dormitory again. Luckily for me, there was no one there. I opened the door and slipped inside. I had a sudden thought. Tom was likely to have more hidden compartments about... so why not test them? I walked about on the floor, testing each and every floor board I came across with invisible feet. Just as I was about to give up hope, I put my foot on a loose floor board. I felt excitement rush through me, adrenaline pumping through my veins. I pulled back the carpet and then lifted the floor board. I held my breath, waiting for something worth dying for to be hidden there. And there was.
Swaddled with cotton and surrounded with rotting wood... was Tom's diary.
I lifted the precious thing off the ground. I tested its weight. It wasn't the diary that held the horcruxes, that was for sure. Rather, the book in my hands was a dark green with yellowed pages within it. I swallowed and placed it into my pocket. I wasn't looking forward to reading Tom's dark ideas about the world, but I was going to have to put a stop to it, just like I foiled Tom's search for immortality in my second year. I carefully put the carpet back on the floor and then crept out of the room. I fled across the deserted Slytherin common room ad banged the portrait open. I rushed down to the Griffindor portrait before I took my invisibility cloak off and said the password.
" Revision." The Fat Lady let me pass. I pushed the door open and then rushed up to my bed, flinging myself into the empty dorm. I carefully opened the diary. It was written in Tom's neat handwriting. He obviously took pride in this.
Wednesday 17th September, 1937
Dear diary,
It was a remarkably uneventful day. Tia and I had gone to our lessons-
" This is boring. I'm going to skip to the second year entries." I said to myself.
Monday, 11th October, 1938
Dear diary,
Tia had found out and foiled Voldemort's plans of becoming the next Dark Lord. Voldemort keeps telling me that if I don't do it, he will take me over and harm Tia. I guess I'll just have to distance myself from her, make it look like I hate her. Maybe then Voldemort would leave me alone.
" Oh, Salazar. Tom..." I whispered. I couldn't imagine having to deal with a personified dark side. It must have been really hard for Tom. I flipped over to the third year entries.
Saturday 29th February, 1940
Dear diary,
Voldemort had taken me over more than he used to. He had cut Tia just to make a blood promise... I was so angry at Tia for agreeing to it. And the way that Voldemort said that it would protect her from me... It made me wonder if I was the one who was hurting her. I suppose I'll have to reign in Voldemort for now, then. But he keeps telling me that there was no good or evil, only power and those willing enough to seek it. It makes me wonder... Is he right?
I wanted to punch Tom for thinking that. I flipped over to the fourth year entries. His handwriting had become a little bit scruffy, but it was still neat enough to read.
Thursday 12th December, 1940
Dear diary,
That despicable Charlus Potter had finally left my Tia alone-
I couldn't read anymore of that entry. I flipped over to the fifth year entries, although I knew that it was going to be worse.
Tuesday 30th September, 1942
Dear diary,
Tia and I have excelled in nearly every single subject. When I say nearly, I mean she has to master the Dark Arts. I'll teach her them in her seventh year. Next year, however, she has to kill that horrible Myrtle-girl. I hope she dies a painful death-
" And I thought that was better." I murmured. I flipped over to the sixth year entry. His handwriting had sloped to the right just a little bit. When I leaned in closer, I could see the contours of fallen tears on the paper. " Oh, Tom." I stroked the yellowed paper almost as though it would comfort Tom.
Wednesday 4th October, 1944
Dear diary,
This year in particular had been horrible. I only just caught sight of Tia's coffin before they whisked her away. Dumbledore- that god forsaken professor- kept her resting place secret from me. I think he knows my intentions of using the Dark Arts to bring her to life. How I wish I had the resurrection stone. I made her horcruxes out of fear that Voldemort might kill her someday. So, what better way to protect her than make her immortal? But I had failed. I had failed my sister.
I flipped over to the last page.
Monday 10th September, 1945
Dear diary,
I had been rushed to St. Mungos for the last ten days. I don't know what they were being so dramatic about. They mentioned stress- induced starvation, but I only skipped last week's meals. I know that if Tia were here, she'd probably slap some sense into me. But she isn't. Charlus suggested that I buy a memory box. I bought a small chest and put some pictures of us inside it to help me cope. It just makes me feel just a little bit painful, but at the same time, I can remember all those childish bickers and the fights we got into. But when I leave Hogwarts, I'm going to leave this diary and the chest for another student to go through them. Like a time capsule. I still haven't given up on my ambitions to become a Dark Lord, though.
Charlus also advised I wrote a paragraph about Tia in my diary and place our best picture of us in here. I don't know why he's helping me. He said he was feeling the same way that I was, but no one could even begin to imagine how close Tia and I were.
So, here goes.
Tia has black, wavy hair and green eyes- like me. In fact, she is nearly identical to me in appearance apart from our genders and the length of our hair. Tia and I were twins. Charlus Potter was her ex- lover. I was fuming with jealousy when I found out, but I thought that she needed her own space. But I always watched her. And I was always just a second too late to hide and she'd always spot me. Tia is a remarkable young lady. She had helped me through the worst of problems and she nearly always knew what was best for me. At the same time, however, she shows her emotions well. She is excellent at her studies, but a little self- centred. Our ambitions are quite the opposite, however. She wants to live a 'normal' wizarding life. I want to become the next Dark Lord with her at my side. The unstoppable twins. However, when I forced her into making a horcrux, I thought that would have made her immortal. I guess I shouldn't have made her eyes a horcrux, then. She died an unfortunate death when she became petrified. I wish I was on the light side, I really do. But Voldemort- my personified dark side- dominates my mind. I wish you were here, Tia. Even the Griffindors feel for you. We had a remembrance assembly for you and the other three girls that went 'missing'. I wish I could own up for them- for you- but I guess I'm too much of a coward.
I miss you, Tia. I love you.
I choked over my sobs. At the bottom of the page was a photograph of me and Charlus. For a moment, I thought my eyes were deceiving me. Tom had selflessly placed a photo of me and the person who he was jealous of because he thought it was the best! I swallowed and stroked the paper. I knew that I felt guilt overtake me when I thought this, but Tom meant so much more to me than Charlus ever did.
A/N: Enjoy? Cyber souffles still up for offer for any reviewers!
