Riddle Me This, Riddle Me Twins

by Beautiful space

Tom Riddle. A cold hearted, horrible person. Or is he? Perhaps an event so catastrophic, so devastating left him to be that kind of person. Perhaps, at some point in his life, he had a twin sister... Tia Marge Riddle supposedly died a horrible death. But fifty years on, a girl turns up who calls herself Hermione Jean Riddle. Also, this had aroused suspicion from many teachers... AU

11. Chapter 11

A/N: Looooong entry for a loooong overdue update! Hope you all enjoy!

To redDaeth: Thanks I have just popped around the corner shop after getting the languages all wrong! I asked for eggs, but they thought I was asking for plastic ice cream bowls! :3 I certainly won't exterminate you- but this chapter is so long it's worth exterminating for! Here's a cyber soufflé!

---

It had been a week since the teachers were all reassured that I wasn't Voldemort's heir or his sister. I smiled as I immersed myself in the book I was reading in front of the fire. It was Tom's green diary, but it was charmed on the outside to look like Voyages with Vampires. I was thankful that it wasn't his horcrux diary I was interacting with. If it had his and my memories inside it, then all you had to do was request to write to one of us and we'd reply. I didn't have enough space in my trunk due to my need for my invisibility cloak to be in there, but I told everyone it was because of the Lockhart books. I never really liked him, but I let one of the girls draw hearts around my timetable at his lessons- and now Harry and Ron thought I had a 'crush' on him. I had noticed that Harry kept dodging from Lockhart's sight whenever he swept along the corridors with his usual pomp. It was Harry's Quidditch practise today. I sighed and slammed Lockhart's book shut before stuffing it into my bag. I went downstairs and picked up a piece of buttered toast from the kitchens before jogging toward the pitch, still munching on my toast. I met up with Ron.
" Hello, Ron!" I exclaimed with as much enthusiasm I could muster.
" 'Ello, 'ermione!" He said whilst he chewed on his own slice of buttered toast with marmalade on top. I recoiled, having lost my appetite from his usual manners.
" Erm... Here. And please do eat with your mouth closed, Ronald." I gingerly placed my toast on his, seeing no bin. He beamed.
" Thanks, 'Ermione!" He said, still munching on his toast.
" You're welcome." I replied before hitching my bag higher and walking along the corridors and to the pitch. " Which stand should we take?" I asked. He pointed at one of the front row seats.
" There." He stated. He was yet to finish off my slice of toast.
" Okay." We jogged over to them, just in case someone else took the seat. I watched a haggard and bedraggled Harry drag himself onto the pitch, enviously eyeing the toast that Ron had in his hand.
" Aren't you finished yet?" Ron asked, incredulously. I rolled my eyes.
" Haven't even started," Harry replied. " Wood's been teaching us new moves." I smirked mischievously as I spotted Crabbe and Goyle from just opposite us, their bags stuffed with stolen slices of toast. I brought out my wand.
" Accio, toast." I whispered under my breath. One of the slices immediately shot to my hand. I passed it to Harry. " Here. Enjoy!" I had a sly twinkle in my eyes as I watched a confused pair of dunder heads search for their missing toast. Harry almost snatched it out of my hand and wolfed it down. " Careful. Don't want to get hiccups." I chided. He nodded graciously in my direction before he kicked off, soaring into the air. I watched with glee on my face as he sped through the air, cutting through it like a knife through soft butter. Suddenly, I noticed Slytherins trooping into the pitch. I gritted my teeth as they began to argue. I crossed the pitch with Ron at my side to see what was going on.
" What's happening? Why aren't you playing? What's he doing here?" Ron asked Harry.
" I'm the new Slytherin seeker, Weasley." Draco gloated, stroking his broom as though it were a pet. " Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father brought for our team. Good, aren't they? But perhaps the Griffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweep fives, I bet a museum would bid for them!" I ground my teeth, glaring at Malfoy. His stone grey eyes met mine and for a moment, everyone in the Slytherin team was paralyzed with apparent fear. The Griffindor team swung around to see who everyone was staring at when they backed away, terrified.
" At least no one in the Griffindor team had to buy their way in," I snapped, sharply bringing Malfoy back to his place as he snapped out of the trance. " They got in on pure talent."
" No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little mudblood." He spat. My glare intensified and my hand kept trailing down to my wand. Draco's eyes flitted to my wand and his eyes widened in fear. I gave a cruel, twisted smile.
" How does it feel, Draco? How does it feel to be terrified... of a muggleborn? I have something to tell you, Draco, and it's that muggleborn blood and purebloods alike both run cleanly along our veins." I sharply stabbed my wand into my finger, just enough to allow my blood to trickle out. " See this? It's just the same as yours." I drawled, my glare not once faltering.
" Hermione?" Harry whimpered.
" Yes, Harry?" I replied, immediately calmed as my glare stopped. Everyone released their baited breath.
" Your eyes... They went red again." He answered, quietly. I sighed and massaged my temples before I looked up at Draco with anger, but I controlled my temper.
" If you dare challenge me to a duel again, I will not show mercy, Draco Lucius Malfoy. Go." I spat. He jumped and sprinted away when Ron produced his wand.
" How dare you!" He shrieked before aiming the wand at Malfoy's retreating back. Instead, a green glow filled the stadium and the spell backfired at Ron.

---

Halloween arrived and the incident concerning slugs was mostly cleared away, gossip and rumours halted and directed elsewhere. Ron, Harry and I had attended Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, and I was suddenly distracted by a hissing sound which I immediately recognised as Parseltongue.
" Rip... Tear... Kill..." It hissed. I swallowed. Harry noticed it.
" Hermione? Harry? What're you-"
" It's that voice again- shut up for a minute!" Harry snapped. I felt weak at the knees. Harry could hear it?! Just then, I remembered what Quirell said last year.
' There is a possibility you could be either my sister or my heir.' I felt cold tears roll down my cheeks. I fiercely wiped them away.
Was Harry Potter actually my nephew?
I suddenly lost it and began to follow the voice.
" Guys, pay attention. C'mon, Harry. Let's find out where it comes from." I chastised the two boys. Harry bit his lip and nodded as we stroked the walls, a very confused ginger tailing us.
" Listen!" Harry urged.
" Kill... Time to kill..." It began to grow fainter, moving upwards. I shuddered, feeling tears roll off my face again. Tom... What have you done?
" This way!" Harry and I yelled before grasping each other's hands and running toward the source of the voice. I completely forgot about my cover, acting as though I were Tia Marge Riddle.
" Harry, what're we-"
" Shh!" Harry and I immediately responded.
" I smell blood... I SMELL BLOOD!" It was going fainter still, coming from upstairs.
" It's going to kill someone!" I shrieked. Just then, I realized what it was.
A Basilisk.

We hurtled along the stone corridors, trying in vain to relocate the voice that hissed such dreadful deeds into our minds. We finally turned the last corner to a deserted passageway.
" Harry, what was that all about?" Ron asked. " I couldn't hear a thing-"
" Look!" I gasped. Down the corridor, hung upside down by a torch bracket, was Mrs. Norris- Filch's cat.

We journeyed closer to the petrified animal and I caught sight of the foot- high words that had been painted on the wall opposite us.
' The Chamber of Secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware.' Was inscribed on the wall.
" Let's get out of here." Ron whimpered, terrified stiff of the sight.
" Shouldn't we try and help-"
" Trust me." Ron replied, quickly. " We do not want to be found here." I, wholeheartedly, agreed with Ron. Unfortunately for us, the rumble of pounding feet interrupted our conversation and within minutes, everybody froze before the message.
" Enemies of the heir, beware! You'll be next, mudbloods!" Malfoy shrieked. I lost my temper.
" Shut the hell up, Malfoy, or you'll be kissing the arse of the nearest muggleborn to you!" I shouted. Suddenly, there was a roar of laughter. Malfoy blushed under this new rush of negative attention and tried to make himself as unnoticed as possible. Unfortunately for him, the trademark silver hair that donned his deathly pale head was making that rather impossible.

---

In the next few days, all the school was talking about was the attack on Mrs. Norris. I had found it irritatingly hard to read or even study things for my seventh year I never had in Hogwarts so I could keep my grades up. I had ruled Harry out as a suspect and I was fast beginning to panic. What if this heir of Slytherin came from an unknown relative? What if... Voldemort never died? What if Voldemort had merely reattached his soul to someone else? What if I sleep walked? I sighed and pulled at the roots of my hair. Too many questions. I was walking along the aisles of books in the library when I spotted Ron and Harry conversing about their homework. I faked a melodramatically sad look and sighed before plopping myself onto a chair and throwing my bag on the floor next to me.
"All the copies of Hogwarts: A History have been taken out!" I groaned. Harry and Ron looked confused at me. " And there's a two week waiting list. I wish I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it into my trunk with all the Lockhart books!"
" Why did you want it?" Harry enquired. I stared at him as though he were crazy.
" The same reason that everyone else wants it," I replied, tersely. " To read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets." I lied about it being a legend. I was feeling anxious. I wanted to speak to Dumbledore about this, but I knew he wouldn't trust me if I told him I had been manipulated into opening the Chamber, fifty two years ago.
" What's that?" Harry asked. I bit my lip and continued to lie.
" That's just it," I added, quietly feeling guilty about lying to him so much. " I can't remember. And I can't find the story anywhere else-"

" Hermione, let me read your composition!" Ron exclaimed, pouting as he tried desperately to get me to give it to him. I wouldn't give in. Tom had tried that method too many times.
" No, I won't." I deadpanned. " You've had ten days to finish it."
" I only need another two inches, go on..." I shook my head and pursed my lips into a tight line. Thankfully, the bell rang and Ron and I led the way toward History of Magic. We continued to bicker, but I was only half listening.

---

History of Magic was one of the most tiring lessons on the timetable. With a ghost as a teacher and with a voice that just droned on, even I fought to contain my anxiousness for the Chamber of Secrets, my heavy lidded eyes daring for me to allow them to slip down. Frustrated, I gave in and lifted my hand, my argument planned if he refused to talk about the Chamber of Secrets.
" Miss- er-?" He seemed to have forgotten my name for the billionth time.
" Riddle, professor." I replied, tensely. He suddenly went more white than he already was- if that were possible- and he suddenly spasmed before shaking his head. I tried my best to ignore this. " I was wondering if you could tell us anything about the Chamber of Secrets?" I glanced around my room to claim my prize for this comment, people slipping out of their stupors and suddenly wide awake and alert.
" My subject is History of Magic." He drawled, irritably. " I deal with facts, Miss Fiddle-" I could tell he was saying my surname wrongly because he feared it.
" Riddle-"
" Not myths and legends." He continued in his bored tone, as though I had never even interrupted him to correct my name. I immediately shot my hand up to the air and he was interrupted again.
" Miss Liddle-"
" Riddle. Please, sir, don't legends always have a basis in fact?" I smirked, triumphantly as he began to get flustered, watching the faces of his- for once- eager pupils suddenly pay attention to his words, hanging onto every last pause he left dangling in the air. Tempted by the sudden surge of attention, he gave in.
" Well," He began, very slowly. The class began to pay more attention. " Yes, one could argue with that, I suppose." He scrutinized me with his translucent, pearly- grey eyes. "However, the legend you speak of is such a very sensational- even ludicrous tale." I fought my urge to smirk just a bit more.
I knew more than he did. He slowluy started to cave in as he watched the students pay more and more attention. " Oh, very well... Let me see, the Chamber of Secrets... You all know, of course, that Hogwarts was founded over a thousand years ago, the precise date is uncertain, by four of the greatest witches and wizards of the age. The four school houses are named after them: Godric Griffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin. They built this castle together, far away from prying muggle eyes, for it was an age when magic was feared by common people and witches and wizards suffered much persecution." He explained. He seemed amazed that the whole class was actually paying rapt attention. " For a few years, the founders worked in harmony together, seeking out youngsters who showed signs of magic and brining them up to the castle to be educated. But then, arguments sprang up between them. A rift began to grow between Slytherin and the others. He wished to be more selective about the students admitted to Hogwarts. He believed that magical learning should be kept within all-magic families. He disliked taking students of muggle parentage, believing them to be untrustworthy. After a while, there was a serious argument on the subject between Slytherin and Griffindor, and Slytherin left the school. Reliable history sources tell us this much, but these honest facts have been obscured by the fanciful legend of the Chamber of Secrets. The story goes that Slytherin had built a hidden chamber within the castle, of which the other founders knew nothing. Slytherin, according to the legend, sealed the Chamber of Secrets so that none would be able to open it until his true heir arrived at the school. The heir alone would be able to unseal the Chamber of Secrets, unleash the horror within, and use it to purge the school of all who were unworthy to study magic." Silence. " The whole thing is arrant nonsense, of course. Naturally, the whole school has been searched for evidence of such a chamber many times by the most learned witches and wizards. It does not exist. A tale told to frighten the gullible." My hand immediately shot up in the air. I swallowed. I knew the answer to my own question, but it felt reassuring to hear it coming from one other person.
" Sir- what exactly do you mean by the horror within the chamber?" I asked, curiously cocking my head and quirking an intelligent, small smirk.
" There is believed to be some sort of monster, which the heir of Slytherin alone can control. I tell you, the thing does not exist." He began to shuffle and organize his notes. I nearly sighed and twiddled my hand around a strand of bushy, wavy brown hair. " There is no chamber and no monster."
" But sir," Seamus piped up. " If the chamber can be found only by Slytherin's true heir, no one else would be able to find it, would they?" No, they wouldn't. Not unless the heir told them where it was.
" Nonsense, 'O Flaherty, if a long succession of Hogwarts Headmasters and Headmistresses haven't found the thing-"
" But, Professor," Parvati Patil interrupted him. " You'd probably have to use Dark Magic to open it-"
" Just because a wizard doesn't use Dark Magic doesn't mean he can't, Mis Pennyfeather!" He snapped. " I repeat, if the likes of Dumbledore-"
" But maybe you've got to be related to Slytherin, so Dumbledore couldn't-"
" That will do." Binns said in a sharp voice. " It is a myth! It does not exist! There is not a shred of evidence that Slytherin ever built so much as a secret broom cupboard! I regret telling you such a foolish story! We will return, if you please, to history, to solid, believable, verifiable fact!"

---

We had just returned from the lesson, with my stomach up to my throat when Ron had said something about being put into Slytherin. I bit my lip, hurt, and looked away. Harry also looked a little pained. I was so distracted from the comment, that I didn't even think about where I was going. It was too late. We had arrived before a door. I looked down at the chipped floor tiles, not even looking up. But when I did, my breath caught in my throat.
No.
No.
We can't go here.
But they might suspect me...
And I, most of all, missed my bespectacled friend.
" Can't go in there," Ron grunted. " That's a girls toilet."
" Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone there..." I replied, rolling my eyes and trying my hardest not to tremble with the guilt. " That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look."

I swallowed as I journeyed toward the cubicle I killed Myrtle in, blinking repeatedly as images of her death sprung to my mind.
Knives.
Blood. Blood everywhere.
Tom.
Basilisks.
I shuddered, pulling my robes tighter around me. I swore I saw a stain of brown blood on the floor, turned mahogany with age.
" Hello, Myrtle." I licked my lips. " How are you?" She looked up. She was picking on a spot on her chin. I allowed myself a gracious smile, but to me it seemed false and forced.
" Hello... Who are you? No one's ever seen me... Only Tia and Tom... Oh, I miss her... She died, didn't she? How long has it been?" She wondered. I kept silent. This wasn't the Myrtle I knew, but I got what I deserved. In fact, this was better than what I deserved.
I deserved to burn in hell.
" No, Myrtle," I said, gently so the other two wouldn't hear. " Tia and Tom haven't been here since fifty two years. Tom probably had been seeing you." Ron and Harry journeyed over to my side. Myrtle looked lightly depressed.
" She had been my only friend... When I get my hands on her brother-!" She cut herself off at the disapproving look on my face. She was red in the face with fury, but she bit her lip and changed the subject. " This is a girls bathroom. They're not girls." She eyed Harry and Ron and mumbled something distinctly like ' though one of them could have asked me to the Yule Ball about fifty something years ago'.
" No," I agreed. " I just wanted to show them how- er- nice it is in here." I said, quickly.
" Ask her if she saw anything." Harry mouthed at me. I frowned at him and my eyebrows went do low they over shadowed my eyes. If there's one thing you shouldn't do around Myrtle, it's whisper.
And my justifications were correct.
" What were you whispering?" Myrtle asked Harry, suspiciously. Harry swallowed.
" Nothing, I just wanted to ask-"
" I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" She wailed. " I do have feelings, you know, even if I am dead!"
" Myrtle, no one wants to upset you. Harry only-"
" No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" She had tears streaming down her face. " My life was nothing but misery at this place- and my only hope was that she came to help lighten up my life! And she did! She helped me through so much! But her brother was so... ugh!" She bawled. I felt tears sting my cheeks. I was the only thing she looked forward to in her life and I murdered her. I desperately wanted to console her, but I knew that I couldn't do anything in this form. Not without raising suspicions, anyway. " And now people come along, ruining my death!"
" We just wanted to ask you if you saw anything funny lately," I explained, quickly, but even to the others my voice sounded strained with guilt. " Because a cat was attacked right outside your front door last Halloween!"
" Did you see anyone near here that night?" Harry asked. Myrtle gave a small sigh.
" I wasn't paying attention," Myrtle replied, dramatically. " Peeves upset me so much I came in here and tried to kill myself. Then, of course, I remembered that I'm- that I'm-"
" Already dead." Ron deadpanned. Myrtle gave a angst filled sob before she levitated higher and plunged into a nearby toilet. I felt a pang of guilt when I realized what she had said.
She had tried to kill herself.
Oh, Salazar... Myrtle...

---

That night, I lay in my bed, insomnia clouding my mind and the ideas for the Polyjuice potion beginning to erupt into full blown fantasies. Who was it? Was Tom back to normal? I swallowed.
Pitiful, really.
I so badly wanted my Tommy back. Just like Voldemort said. I turned over in my bed and gave a deep sigh before I stared at the flickering flames of the fireplace in the dorm. It reflected off my eyes, giving the effect of golden light shimmering in my warm, chocolate irises. I swallowed before finally getting up and throwing my legs off the bed. I went over to the mirror and grabbed my hairbrush. I sneered at my reflection.
" Look at yourself. A seventeen year old girl condemned to the body of a mere preteen because she wants to avoid trouble. Why are you so stupid?! If you had stayed in the past you could have prevented Voldemort- but oh, no. You just had to break Tom's heart!" I tugged the hairbrush through my deranged waves and tangles called hair before wincing. Deciding this was a good way of getting myself a grip, I yanked it out- pulling out a small clump of hair in the process. I growled and gritted my teeth before I threw my hairbrush to the floor, the girls not even stirring from their sleep. I finally looked up at my reflection, a hard look in my eyes.
Time to open the Chamber of Secrets.

I grabbed the lantern from under my bed before lighting it with a simple fire spell. I pulled my Griffindor-red cloak tighter around me before I journeyed down the stairs. I had no desire to go out with my invisibility cloak. I swept along the corridors and down the staircases before I finally reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. I swallowed before I steadied myself, tears threatening to overflow from my already glistening eyes. I silently pushed the door open before I went over to the sink, after double checking that Myrtle wasn't awake. I screwed the tap with the snake on the side a couple of times before I switched languages.
' Open to me.' I said, simply. The sink unfurled like it did oh- so- many years ago as I stood there, almost emotionless. I took one step forward before I jumped down the hole, my cloak billowing above me.

---

I finally landed on the bone- infested floor below before I swallowed. Why did I even want to open the Chamber? I sighed before pulling my cloak tighter around me. I knew the Chamber like the back of my hand- thanks to Tom and his persistent need in taking maps of the place from coming here. I journeyed further into the circular room before I reached a door with serpent stones seemingly stuck onto it.
' Open.' I stated, sharply in Parceltongue. The door opened before I climbed inside. I saw the majestic but damp, cold place in front of me. What was I doing here? I walked closer, shuffling my reluctant feet across the floor, my petite frame swamped with the cloak that even hid my face- if I wished. I sighed before heading back behind me.
Why did I come here, anyway?

---

I had just got up from the Chamber of Secrets, my hair a mess from the humid, damp air below and my eyes heavily ringed with dark circles. It was a remarkably calm day- and I had yet to read the library book I had pulled out- Moste Potente Potions. I dragged a brush through my hair as I contemplated whether Griffindor were to win the upcoming Quidditch match today. I knew that Harry would be getting up late, so I journeyed down the corridors and down the stairs toward the Great Hall. I plonked myself next to Ron and shovelled the food in my mouth.
" So, how was your day?" He asked. I raised an eyebrow.
" Look at the evidence, Ron. Do you seriously think I got much sleep last night?" I asked, sarcastically as I gestured at my heavily ringed eyes. "I look like a panda. And anyways, I'm too anxious about the Polyjuice." I lied. I wasn't that worried about it- I wasn't good at potions for nothing- but this recipe was one of the most fragile I had ever encountered. It seemed to be quite easy to make a mistake- and half the ingredients in there were incredibly hard to get. I had already started on making it. I idly tried to make small talk with Ron. " Do you think Griffindor would win?" I added. He gave me an incredulous stare.
" Well, you said they got in on pure talent. Slytherin bought themselves in. Match them two up." He replied. It was supposed to be reassuring, but I bit my lip.
" I know, but they've got one of the most fastest brooms available. I know how much this means to Harry- especially since he didn't get the chance last year- so I want him to think gladly on this memory. Do you understand what I'm getting at?" I twiddled my thumbs, ignoring the gazes from the other Griffindors as they watched my unnaturally anxious state.
" Yes, I understand," He said, exasperated. " But just let him do his best. He'll pull through." I swallowed.
Sometimes, they reminded me too much of Tom.
" I understand." I responded, quietly as I resumed poking at my breakfast with a spoon.

---

I watched, anxiously as I inspected the match so far. The bludger kept going for Harry- and it looked like it was going to-
" Harry, look out!" I shrieked. But he couldn't hear. He fell to the ground, his arm bent at an awkward angle. I grimaced as I pulled through the crowds, yelling his name, hoping against hope he wasn't hurt. " Harry!" I shrieked again. He lay, motionless on the floor. My heart leapt to my throat- and not necessarily in a good way. I felt tears fall down my cheeks. " Harry!" I yelled. I finally got to the pitch, running over to his side. I grabbed his right arm, begging that he was still alive. " Harry, please. I've lost one brother... I can't lose another one." I begged. I sniffed before wiping my tears fiercely with my sleeve. I turned his arm over before feeling for a pulse. It was there.
Beating away.
Hope in the light of darkness.
A beating heart amongst the dead.
" Harry." I breathed with such relief. I felt happy tears escape my eyes before I hesitantly leaned in and kissed his forehead, just over the lightning scar that we both now shared. An eruption of 'Aw's' and coos were heard along the crowds before I held Harry's head on my lap. " Harry, wake up." I whispered. The rain kept pelting at us like pebbles shot from the sky, showering us with water. Lockhart ran over. I glared at him with such hatred that he backed off, but he went around me, going on the other side of Harry. Harry finally came around- and at that time- most of the Griffindors had already crowded around us. When his brilliant emerald eyes flickered open, I was so blinded with relief that I didn't even register what was going on.
Harry Potter. The Boy- Who- Lived.
Had yet to die.

---

I had escorted Harry to the hospital wing with Ron. Ron had offered to change Harry into his pyjamas ( at this, I had began to blush violently). I watched as a small first year came scurrying toward me.
" Hello? Is it true that you love Harry Potter?" He asked, timidly. I raised an eyebrow and crouched to his tiny height.
" I do, but not in that way. You see, I lost a brother. Many years ago. I loved him with all my heart, but he thought I had died. When I met Harry, he was like another brother. Which is why I care for him so much. Do you understand, now?" I asked. The kid nodded, feverishly. I cracked a smile. " Good lad. Now, would you mind busting those rumours about us being involved in a... relationship?" I asked. The boy nodded.
" What is your name?" He asked. I gave him a half smile.
" Hermione. Hermione Jean Riddle." I replied. He gasped before pushing my fringe out of the way. His eyes landed on the lightning bolt before he hiccupped. "I've met Hermione Jean Riddle!" He exclaimed, before running off to meet up with his friends; no doubt. Just then, Ron piped up from behind the paper curtain.
" How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" He said, triumphantly. I blushed as I tried to defend the teacher I pitied the most- but unfortunately, Ron and Harry had thought of as a 'crush'.
" Anyone can make a mistake," I replied, quietly reminiscing Tom and his many mistakes. If only I could change them... " And it doesn't hurt anymore, Harry, does it?" I asked, concern leaking into my voice.
" No, but it doesn't do much else, either." He replied. I bit my lip and placed myself on a nearby chair, arranging my limbs neatly.
" You're in for a rough night," Pomfrey said, pouring out a cup of Skele-Gro. " Regrowing bones is a nasty business." Harry took the cup and drank it. He looked like he was somewhere in between intense pain and throwing up.
" We won, though!" Ron exclaimed. " That was some catch you made! Malfoy's face... He looked ready t kill!" I gulped.
I couldn't help but think that assumption was correct.
" I want to know how he fixed that bludger." I gritted through bared teeth.
" We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion." Harry replied. " I only hope it tastes better than this stuff."
" If it's got bits of Slytherin in it?! You've got to be joking!" I winced and bit my lip. Harry noticed this and furrowed his eyebrows at me. I looked up.
" Bad memory." I mouthed. He nodded, sympathetically. Just then, the doors burst open and the whole Griffindor Quidditch team burst in.
" Unbelievable flying, Harry!" George exclaimed. " I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy!" I could barely contain my smirk. " Something about the Snitch being on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy." They had brought cakes, sweets and juices for Harry. I gave Harry a gentle smile before Pomfrey got in.
" This boy needs rest! He's got thirty three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!" She thundered. I meekly ran out of the room, Harry staring behind me.

---

It was a Sunday morning when I had decided to start on the Polyjuice potion. I smiled tenderly at the potion, feeling the familiar sense of control and calm as I slowly stirred the frothing potion.
" It's me," Harry suddenly hissed. Ron jumped, but I calmly continued stirring before I put the stirrer down and went over to the door. I peered through the keyhole, delighted that Harry was alright again.
" Harry! You gave us such a fright! Come in- how's your arm?" I asked, softly touching his right arm before he squeezed into the cubicle. It was getting a little hot and stuffy due to the portable waterproof fire I had conjured and the amount of people in this pitiful excuse for a cubicle, but overall, we were content.
" Fine." He replied, tersely.
" We'd've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice potion," Ron explained. " We've decided this was the safest place to hide it." I nearly snorted as I delicately started to stir the potion again with nimble hands. Yeah, right. I saw Harry open his mouth to speak, but I bit my lip.
" We already know about the attack on Colin, we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning. That's why we decided we'd better get going-"
" The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better." Ron snarled. I averted my eyes from Ron's intense, blue, thunderous gaze and instead focused on the potion. " D'you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."
" There's something else," Harry interrupted. I began to tear up the knot grass and allow the blades of grass float gently into the potion. " Dobby came to meet me in the middle of the night." Harry soon launched into a full explanation of what happened in the infirmary.
" The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" I tried to sound incredulous, but my voice was a bit high. Luckily for me, Harry deciphered it as fear.
" This settles it," Ron smiled. " Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was in school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious." I felt guilt tear at my insides.
They wouldn't suspect their dear friend. " Wish Dobby'd told you what kind of monster's in there, though. I want to know how come no one's noticed it sneaking round the school." He sneered. I desperately tried to think up a lie.
" Maybe it can make itself invisible," I added, hastily. " Or maybe it can disguise itself- pretend to be a suit of armour, or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls-"
" You read too much, Hermione." Ron commented. I bit my tongue to make a rude reply.
Well, what did he do all day?
Exactly.
" So, Dobby stopped you getting on the train and broke your arm," I pondered. " You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life, he's going to kill you."

---

On the third week of December, I had signed myself up for the Duelling club, along with Harry and Ron.
I thought it was going to be fun.
How wrong I was.
" – And you, Miss Riddle, you can partner up with Miss Bulstrode." Snape ended. Now that he knew I wasn't capable of doing what my brother does, he was becoming- progressively- more and more horrible to me as the days passed. It was alright, though, him being nice to me was quite... strange. Almost as soon as we were allowed to start, Millicent charged toward me and had me in a head lock. It shocked me, and almost immediately I was reduced to whimpering in pain. Harry seemed to notice this, and being ever the hero, he pulled her off me with some difficulty. I managed to get up and off the ground and smiled sweetly at Harry, giving him a train of thanks before glaring at Millicent with such hatred that I knew my eyes had turned a livid red. She trembled under my glare. I took a step forward before I sharply turned to watch Harry and Draco duel. Relieved, she scampered off with her friends.
" Serpensortia!" Draco exclaimed. A snake burst out of his wand. I, terrified, hopped onto the stage, oblivious to the hoots and whistles as people tried to watch my interactions. I made a human shield in front of Harry before Snape began to say his usual, irate comments.
" Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it. Riddle, I suggest you return to your place-" I glared up at Snape, eyes flashing. His eyes widened in fear before he pursed his lips. People were getting more and more scared of me. I made eye contact with the snake, holding it into a trance.
" Allow me!" Shouted the stupid professor called Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the serpent and it flew ten feet into the air. It landed with a dull thud before turning livid, attempting to attack Justin Finch-Fletchley. Alarmed, I abandoned the human shield and began to come nearer and nearer to the snake.
' Leave the boy alone and come to me...' I hissed in Parceltongue. I didn't care about the shocked, terrified, hate filled glances at me.
All that I cared for was the student's safety.
The snake obediently hissed before slithering up to me. ' Ssssstay.' I commanded. It lay, motionless on the floor. Harry started to back me up.
' Ssssstay.' He hissed in Parceltongue. Shocked, I whirled around to him.
"How did you know?!" I yelled in English, startling nearly everyone as the snake dozed on the floor. Harry averted his eyes.
" What do you mean?" I turned to look at Justin, but he was just plain terrified of me. I felt myself becoming desperate.
" Justin, please-"
" You tried to kill me!" He exclaimed. I shook my head, frantically. " You and your boy friend! The Girl and the Boy- Who- Lived!" He accused, suddenly bitter. I gritted my teeth.
" For your information, I just saved your arse! The next time you start accusing me of killing you when I had done the opposite, think again, Finch- Fletchley!" I growled.
" Ten points from Griffindor!" Snape announced, before vanishing the snake, suddenly not afraid of me anymore. Tears burning in my eyes, I ran away from the milling crowd, ignoring Harry's pleas for me to come back.

---

I sat in Myrtle's cubicle as she sat next to me, nattering about nonsense. I sniffed and dabbed my face down with a napkin before I drew a long sigh. Myrtle suddenly fell silent and the door creaked open. She went up and into another cubicle and continued talking nonsense. I, regretting I couldn't walk through walls, pulled my legs up and on the toilet lid I was currently sitting on. I knew who was looming above me. I buried my face in my knees, my bushy hair forming a curtain.
" 'Mione, don't be like this." Harry sighed before kneeling on the floor. I swallowed and took in a trembling breath.
Should I tell him?
No.
" H-he-"
" He isn't right. Hermione, you tried to save him. He was just being stupid. Even Ron agrees with me." He added. I looked up.
I must look a right mess.
Why am I so sensitive these days? What happened to the arrogant but kind girl who actually had a spine?
" I-It's nothing. H-honestly, H-Harry." I stammered. He stared straight into my eyes, and for a moment, I thought he could see right through my glamour.
" Hermione, I see you as an older sister. Please, don't lie to me." He pleaded. I nearly chokedwith tears.
I'm so sorry. My life is a lie.
" I-I mean it, Harry. I'm just being over sensitive. I- I don't like people finding out about my hidden talents." I replied. There was silence.
" Hermione?" He asked in a small voice. I looked up.
" Yes?"
" Do you think that we could be... related?" He asked. I frowned.
" I don't know."
" Ron said that Salazar Slytherin could speak Parceltongue. I- I know I'm going to sound needy, but I want a family that cares. Don't tell anyone this, but you are so much more closer to me than Ron ever was." He licked his lips. " We could both be his descendants. We'd have family. You wouldn't have to confide in only an orphanage and muggle parents. You'll have me." He added, timidly. I could tell that the poor boy wanted a loving family so much, I just wanted to reach out and tell him I'm his legal guardian, according to his grand father's will.
But at this rate, I doubt I could even look after myself.
" I don't know, Harry. But I hope we are related in some way." I replied. He cracked a small smile.
" There is a way-"
" No. I know what you're thinking." He suddenly turned upset.
" But-"
" Blood bindings is Dark Magic, Harry. They can make us siblings- heck, they could change our appearance- but I am not going to be involved with the Dark arts." Well, not anymore.
" Oh. Alright." He looked crest fallen. I sighed and drew myself out of the tight ball I had made myself. I put out my arms and Harry hugged me. I could feel his tears dribbling down my shoulder, but I did nothing to stop them. I began to ponder on this tempting decision.
Did I really want him to become my blood brother? For him to become part of the Riddles? For his brother to be a bloodthirsty man who craves the sight of pain and blood?
No.
Never. But then, I began to contemplate on our appearances and I began to consider how alike we looked if I took the glamour off. Well, only a few things and the colouration were correct, but we could be brother and sister- if someone looked at us in a glance. Harry pulled away and wiped his tears away.
" Better?" I asked, gently. He nodded.
" Yeah. Thanks, Hermione. But if we were related-" He held his finger up to silence me. " I would consider you an older sister." I bit my lip and looked down.
" And I would consider you my younger brother." I replied. He cracked a half- smile and I smiled back.
It was good to have family.
Though not by blood.

---

We awaited our chances to get our cup of the potion. It was the early Christmas holidays- and I wasn't looking forward to drinking a piece of Millicent Bulstrode. I didn't want to drink it, but I could do later. So, I ladled three dollops of the liquid into three cups. I dropped Millicent's hair into my cup. It turned a sick, pus- like yellow, frothing and churning in the cup. I felt ready to throw up.
" Urgh- essence of Millicent Bulstrode," Ron commented. " Bet it tastes disgusting." Harry dropped Goyle's hair in and Ron dropped Crabbe's. Their's turned more of a khaki- green or a murky brown.
" Hang on," Harry said, frowning. " We'd better not drink them in here- once we turn into Crabbe and Goyle, we won't fit. And Millicent Bulstrode's no pixie." I almost snorted.
" Good thinking- we'll take different cubicles." Ron responded.
Perfect.
Just what I needed to spy on the school.

I tipped the potion into the toilet bowl.
" Are you two okay?" Harry asked. His voice sounded like Goyle's.
" Yeah." Replied Ron. He, like Harry, sounded like the person he was acting as. I was just Hermione Jean Riddle. They got out of their cubicles and talked for a bit before Ron hammered on my door.
" C'mon, we need to go!" He urged.
" I- I don't think I'm going to come, after all. You go on without me." I replied, weakly. Merlin! I hadn't even thought up a good enough excuse!
" Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you." Ron replied, impatiently, but there was a spark of humour in his words.
" No, really, I don't think I'll come. You two hurry up- you're wasting time." I argued. I gave a relieved sigh of relief when I heard two retreating footsteps and I crept out. I swallowed before taking out a strand of my hair.
Oh, glamour potions. I do love them.

---

I had just finished off painting my message on the wall that usually occupied a victim.
' Pureblood runs cleaner than Mudbloods. Her soul shall remain within the Chamber of Secrets for eternity.' I had only used a batch of muggle fake blood. Overall, it looked pretty gruesome- especially with my double cooped up beneath it. I swallowed before I shrouded myself in the invisibility cloak once more when Draco Malfoy came running along the halls. My breath hitched. What would he do? To my utter surprise, he jerked to a halt. He stared at the stone- grey face on my clone's face before gently touching it. He looked up at the wall and gave an unmanly scream. Within seconds, there was a crowd of students surrounding my double's body. Was this how it was like when I got petrified? I swallowed and a familiar head of red came tumbling through the crowds along with a scar in the shape of a bolt of lightning.
" Hermione!" They shrieked. The teachers had already gotten a stretcher and had dragged the clone out. They looked up and there was a buzz of panic. I swallowed before I fled the scene.

I walked through the corridors and into the girl's dorm, still covered with the invisibility cloak. There was a batch of Griffindor girls sitting on my bed, gossiping about my supposed death. I gritted my teeth. Do I have to sleep on the armchair?! I gave an aggravated sigh before I strode down to the common room, nestling myself into the comfy armchair before drifting off to sleep.

I awoke to a buzz of activity. There were Griffindors panicking in the common room. I bit back a groan and turned over to the window. It was dawn. I crept down to the kitchen with my invisibility cloak wrapped around me before stealing a plate of toast and a glass of orange juice. I went back up and into the Griffindor common room before catching sight of a distraught Harry Potter. I bit my lip as I followed him up to the boy's dorm. I was thankful that Godric Griffindor hadn't put a charm on these stairs. I reached the top and Harry was sitting on his bed, staring aimlessly at the wall opposite him with tears leaking out of his eyes.
Harry.
I walked over to him but froze before I saw the little black thing clasped in his hands. I nearly gasped. I crept over, and to my horror, my fears were confirmed.
Nestled in his arms was Tom's diary.
And not just any diary.
The Horcrux.

---

I swallowed before cautiously tip toeing toward him. He opened the diary. He looked frustrated- like he had seen the same thing over and over again.
Only I knew how it worked.
He grabbed a quill and wrote into it.
' My name is Harry Potter.' I held my breath as two different replies came up on separate pages. One was:
' Hello, Harry Potter. My name is Tom Riddle. How did you come by my diary?' And the other was:
' Hello, Harry. My name's Tia Marge Riddle. Are you related to Charlus Potter?' Harry swallowed. He didn't know who to write to! He chose the left page- the one that spoke about Tia Marge Riddle- in other words; me. I watched as he picked up a quill before writing a reply.
' Yes. How did you know him?' I knew the answer before it came out.
' He was my ex- lover. Who are you to him? His son? His grand son?' Harry bit his lip.
' I guess I'm his grand son. Tell me about yourself. Do you know about the Chamber of Secrets?' He wrote. The ink took a second longer to sink in.
' Tom Marvolo Riddle is my twin brother. I was in my sixth year when I died. I was in Slytherin- an incredibly intelligent pupil but the Sorting hat found it a little hard to place me in the right house. It said I was a mixture of all. And, of course, I know about the Chamber of Secrets. It was opened in my time. But the only way to find out about it is to talk to my brother- Tom- on the other page. I'll see you later, my child.' Harry looked stunned that she called him his child. He bit his lip before writing back. I loomed over his shoulder.
' Okay. Thank you, Tia.'
' You're welcome.' Was her reply. I swallowed before leaning in closer. He leaned over to the other page before writing in:
' Hello. Tia told me to talk to you about the Chamber of Secrets. Do you know anything about it?' Tom was quick to reply.
' Of course I know about the Chamber of Secrets. In my day, they told us it was a legend, that it did not exist. But this was a lie. In my sixth year, the Chamber was opened and the monster attacked several students' It suddenly stopped replying. Harry gave a dejected sigh.
' What happened?' Harry scrawled. The ink sunk in.
' My twin sister was amongst the first to die.' Was the instant reply. His handwriting was messy and the paper was smudged with tears. Harry saw this and wrote quickly.
' Oh. I'm so sorry.' He wrote. The ink sunk in again. I was interested to see the response.
' It's alright. She deserved peace.' I nearly choked. The words were even more smudged- if that were possible- and the tear stains were numerous. ' I often try to forget her, but that didn't work. Your grandfather helped me. He suggested writing a paragraph about her in my other diary. Should I continue?'
' Yes please.' Harry wrote, instantly.
' Very well. The monster attacked my sister first and then many others, finally killing them. I caught the person who opened the Chamber and he was expelled. But the headmaster, ashamed that such a thing happened in Hogwarts, forbade me to tell the truth. A story was given out that the girl and my sister had died in a freak accident. They gave me a nice, shiny, engraved trophy for my trouble and warned me to keep my mouth shut. But I knew it would happen again. The monster lived on and the one who had the power to release it was not imprisoned.'
' It's happening again, now. There have been four attacks- one on my best friend- and no one seems to know who's behind them. Who was it last time?' Harry wrote, desperately. I felt tears brim up in my eyes. I wanted to keep this diary. Tom was preserved in there- at least his emotions were in there, that was.
' I can show you, if you like. You don't have to take my word for it. I can take you inside my memory of the night when I caught him. Let me show you.' Harry hesitated, but I was too eager. I held my breath as Harry wrote the reply.
' Okay.' The pages in the diary began to blow as if a wind with high force were pushing its pages forwards. I leaned forward with Harry, watching the mini television as our bodies left the real world and entered the world of lies.

---

We landed in the headmaster's office. It wasn't Dumbledore who sat behind the desk, but rather an old teacher I didn't know. I frowned. Why would Tom make up something as big as this?
" I'm sorry," Harry said, hesitantly. " I didn't mean to butt in." The wizard ignored him, continuing to read from a parchment. " Er- I'll just go, shall I?" Harry asked. The wizard did nothing to acknowledge him. " Sorry I disturbed you, I'll go now!" Harry half yelled in the room.
Still, the wizard didn't pay attention. There was a knock on the door.
" Enter." Came the teacher's response. Then, someone I barely recognised came into the room. I looked closer and almost gasped.
Tom?!
My twin was malnourished, his cheek bones prominent and his eyes red, tear tracks still worn down his face. His usual, wavy fringe was- like his seventh year photo- tidy, but somehow tangled. " Ah, Riddle." The boy winced and the teacher gave him a sympathetic look.
" You wanted to see me, Professor Dippet?" Tom asked, hoarsely. Harry was looking at my twin brother with pity.
" Sit down. I've been reading the letter you've sent me." Dippet commanded. I swallowed before Tom did as ordered.
" Oh." He sighed.
" My dear boy," Tom winced again. " I cannot possibly let you stay at the school over the Summer. Surely you want to go home over the holidays?" Tom bit his lip.
" Sir, my sister died in these premises. I'd prefer it if I stayed here. I feel safer. Closer. Like she's here, watching over me." He trailed off.
Tom, you don't know how right you are.
" You and Miss Riddle," Harry's eyes were wide with astonishment as he realized that many teachers called me by the same name. " lived in a muggle orphanage, I believe?" Dippet asked, curiously.
" Yes, sir." Tom replied, blushing lightly.
" You are muggleborn?"
" Half blood, sir." Tom corrected. " muggle father, witch mother."
" And are both your parents?-" Tom had tears slipping off his cheeks.
" My sister has joined them, sir." He replied. Harry looked at Tom in a completely new light whilst I raised an eyebrow. " My mother died just after she gave birth to my sister. They told me in the orphanage that she only had enough time to name both me and my sister. Tom, after my father. Marvolo, after my grand father. Tia, to let people know we were twins. Marge, after my grandmother." Tom wiped his tears away.
" The thing is, Tom," Dippet said, sympathetically. " special arrangements might have been made for you, but in the current circumstances..."
" You mean all these attacks, sir?" Tom asked, eyes wide. Harry suddenly seemed eager to learn more.
" Precisely," The headmaster replied. " My dear boy, you must see how foolish it would be of me to allow you in the castle when term ends. Particularly in the light of the recent tragedies. The death of those poor girls... One of them was your sister, yes?" Tom nodded, tearfully. " You will be safer by far at your orphanage. As a matter of fact, the Ministry of Magic is even now talking about closing the school. We are nowhere near locating the source of the- er- source of all this unpleasantness..." Tom's eyes widened. I knew immediately that this was the false memory.
" Sir, if the person was caught... if this all stopped..." I knew what was going through his mind. He looked up with tears in his eyes. " Sir, if we do stop this, I wish to make a memorial for my sister. Perhaps an extra classroom... or just a plaque..." Dippet nodded, solemnly.
" Indeed, my child. There must be a stop to all these attacks. If the saboteur is caught red handed, I'd prefer it if you'd bring him or her to me and I'll deal with them. Then, I shall out up a memorial for your sister. How does the potions classroom sound? The subject she was best at?" Tom nodded, sadly.
" Thank you, sir. May I go now?" The teacher gave a nod of dismissal. Tom got up and out of the office before he went down the spiral staircase. Harry and I followed him. Tom jerked to a stop, his face pained. He suddenly looked like he had made a decision before he swept to the entrance hall. Dumbledore was already there, fifty years younger and the same professor I had befriended.
" What are you doing wandering around this late, Tom?" Dumbledore asked. His eyes were haunted and slightly pained. I swallowed before tuning myself a bit more into the conversation.
" I had to see the headmaster, sir. I'm finding it hard to cope without... her." He muttered. Dumbledore's eyes automatically went soft, but they were obviously still suspicious of Tom.
" Well, hurry off to bed. Best not to roam around these corridors. Not since..." He sighed before muttering about an excellent student and riddles.
And with a pang of guilt in my heart, I realized he was talking about me.

Dumbledore had long since bade Tom goodnight and I was waiting just outside a door after what seemed like an age. Eventually, we crept through the door, with me still safely invisible in my cloak. Harry still thought he was alone. We suddenly heard a coarse- sounding whisper and I immediately recognised it as Rubeus Hagrid's voice.
" C'mon, gotta get yeh' outta here... C'mon now, in the box." Tom suddenly ambushed Hagrid.
" Evening, Rubeus." Tom said, sharply. It seemed filled with spite and hatred for the half- giant. Hagrid slammed the lid shut and before he stood up, fumbling for words.
" What yer' doin' down here, Tom?" Hagrid asked. Riddle stepped forward, his movements menacing.
" It's all over," He spat. " That... thing. You killed my sister. You murdered Tia. What did she do to deserve this?" Hagrid opened his mouth to reply, furious, but Tom spoke over him. " I'm going to have to turn you in, Rubeus. They're talking about closing Hogwarts if the attacks don't stop-"
" What d'yeh-"
" I don't think you meant to kill anyone. But this thing killed my sister. I can't afford to lose anyone else." He croaked, his voice heavy with pain. Harry seemed heart broken by this. " Monsters don't make good pets. I suppose you just let it out for exercise and-"
" It never killed no one!" Hagrid exclaimed, furious.
" Come on, Rubeus." Tom coaxed. I moved closer and tried to put my hand on Tom's shoulder, but it went straight through. Distraught, I sighed and put my hand to my side. " The dead girl's parents will be here tomorrow. The least Hogwarts can do is make sure that the thing that killed their daughter is slaughtered." I nearly sighed.
What about my parents?
" I am alone in this world. Tia was all I had, Rubeus. You've destroyed not just a life, but mine, too." Tom sighed, fresh tears rolling off his cheeks.
" It wasn't him!" Hagrid roared, making the walls tremble, slightly. " He wouldn't! He never!" Livid, Tom retracted his wand.
" Stand aside." He growled. Hagrid stood firm. Tom muttered a spell I couldn't quite catch and the door behind Hagrid slammed so hard open that it threw the boy to the ground. A vast spider came crawling out of the door, scuttling across the stone floors before my brother raised his wand again. Hagrid leapt on him before he could do anything and the spider scuttled free.
" NOOOOO!" Hagrid yelled.
And that was the last thing I registered before I fell into a deep sleep.

---

I awoke with a start on Harry's bed. Oh, Salazar! I've fallen asleep in the boy's dormitory! I blushed violently under the cloak and looked around me. I must have been asleep since last night... Then, it all came rushing back.
Tom's diary.
The false memory.
And someone was opening the Chamber of Secrets. I smiled, slightly as I caught sight of the black diary on the drawer. I picked it up and placed it in my pocket before heading down to the infirmary. Once I reached the place, it was buzzing with panic. More and more students were being attacked. I tip toed silently under the invisibility cloak before I reached each ward.
Colin Creevy.
Justin Finch- Fetchley.
Nearly Headless Nick.
And my double.
I paused before her, taking in her seemingly porcelain- like grey face. I walked over to her side and pulled a strand of her hair. And immediately, she was gone. Just gone. I muffled a startled jump before I gave a heavy sigh and left a crumpled library book page on the bed with 'pipes' scrawled on it. I could hear Ron and Harry coming. I left a nearby hand mirror on the bed, hoping against hope that they would figure out the creature. I splashed a bit of fake blood on my hand before scrawling out:
' Her soul shall remain in the Chamber of Secrets for an eternity.' I almost jumped in alarm when Ron swept the curtain open and he screamed.
" Harry!" He shrieked. Harry ran to his side and I saw the tears in his eyes. I blinked my own ones away. Stupid girl. Don't be weak. I needed to do this so they wouldn't think I was the heir of Slytherin.

---

The gossip had spread around the school like wild fire. The missing girl. Just... gone. I settled down in my bed before flipping open Tom's black diary. I took in the yellowed pages and grabbed a quill.
' Hello. My name is Hermione. Hermione Jean Riddle. Who are you?' I wrote. Just as expected, the ink sunk in and there was an immediate reply.
' Hello, young lady. I've heard a lot about you. My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. We share the same surname.' He noted. I cracked a half- smile, deciding to tease him a bit.
' Suppose we could be related?' I scrawled. His reply was quick.
' Who was your father?'
' My father? My father was called Sebastian. Sebastian Riddle.' I wrote.
' And his father?'
' I do not know.' I wrote, truthfully on the paper. The ink took a little longer to sink in.
' I could see, you know. Tell me the most emotional day of your life and I'll come in front of you- in the flesh. Deal?' I swallowed.
' Deal.' I replied. ' The most emotional day of my life was the day that my brother died. He had cast a blood promise on me, but he was having a few problems of his own.' I wrote, simply. The ink dissolved and a light shone in front of me. I looked down at the paper and I was suddenly entranced, hypnotised. I felt myself getting dragged deeper and deeper into it, feeling myself getting taken over, in a trance. I shut the diary and put it in my pocket. Then, I knew nothing but to open the Chamber of Secrets.

---

I awoke with a start on a cold, damp floor. I looked around me and nearly gasped. On the floor, immobilized, but still very much alive, was Ginevra Weasley.
" Ginny!" I squeaked. Her eyes widened as she looked at me.
" Hermione!" She replied. I dragged myself over to her and hugged the first year. I was the first to pull away.
" Are you alright?" I asked, searching her face for any signs of pain. She nodded.
" Fine. How did you get here?" She asked. I frowned, my eyebrows furrowed.
" Um... I can't remember. Sorry, Ginny." I deadpanned. Her eyes widened in fear and horror.
" You- you-" She took in a deep breath before she began calmly. " Hermione, did you- by any chance- come across that diary?" She asked, gesturing with her eyes toward the black diary on the floor. I swallowed. She took my silence as a yes. " I met him. Tom Marvolo Riddle. The only one who listened when I had something to complain about. I told him my deepest secrets and he betrayed me. He left me here in a full- body binding spell and the only thing I can do is speak. He loves to hear me scream for freedom." She looked shaken, but she didn't move.
" I'm so sorry, Ginny. I only spoke to him once and I told him about my brother. He died. He betrayed me, too. He made me open the Chamber of Secrets not to kill, but to bring me here. Well, that's what I think." I replied, honestly. She sighed.
" Each second here makes me feel weak, Hermione. I feel like I can't do anything. Only speak. And even then, I feel like my body is shutting down." She glanced up at me with only her eyes, fearful. " I am going to die, aren't I?" I shook my head, feverishly.
" Of course not! You're Ginny Weasley! You're not going to die!" I exclaimed. I reached into my deep robe pockets and produced a bottle of potion. " Here. It gives you a bit more strength. You're going to need that." I tipped the whole potion cautiously down her throat once she opened her mouth and stroked her neck so she could swallow. She immediately had a rosy tint to her cheeks and she could move her head once more.
" Thank you, Hermione." She muttered. I cracked a smile.
" You're welcome." I responded. She sighed. I propped her head on my lap as I looked around me. I was in the Chamber once more, but I didn't want to go anywhere. That might just alert Ginny of who I really was. I turned to the girl.
" Ginny?" I asked, shakily. Frowning, she turned to me.
" Yes? Is there something wrong?" I turned to the diary on the floor.
" I have to ask him, Ginny. It's the only way. Otherwise, I talk to his sister." I replied. Ginny furrowed her eyebrows.
" Sister? He never had a sister!" She exclaimed. I winced, but she didn't notice.
" He did. You just have to write on the other page." I replied. Not waiting for her permission, I went over to the book and opened it. I flicked through the pages and produced my emergency quill.
' What have you done to us, Tom? I know who you are. Come out. Talk to me face to face. Don't be a coward.' I wrote. The ink dissolved and his writing faded into view.
' Do not insult the Dark Lord. I shall come when I please. Leave me.' He replied. I felt a stab of pain in my heart.
' Fine.' I replied. I turned to the other page whilst Ginny stared curious holes into my back. ' Hello, Tia. I have something to ask you.' I wrote. Her wary reply came back.
' Who are you? What have you done?' I almost smiled.
' I am Harry Potter's best friend. I came down to the Chamber of Secrets and I can't remember how. Could you tell me? Please?' I wrote. The ink faded after a slight pause, as though hesitant.
' I can't tell you how. Tom is stopping me from telling you. But you will gain answers from him when he comes. It was a pleasure talking to you. Good bye.' She wrote, shakily. I gulped and put the book, gingerly, down.
Fat lot of help that did.
" You were right, Ginny. That was no help at all." I sulked. I waited a few seconds for her answer.
Nothing.

---

I turned around- and to my horror- Ginny lay on the floor, unmoving. Her hair was splayed around her head in a fiery red halo and her brown eyes were wedged shut. I let a sob escape my throat before I turned to the diary. Only, it was glowing a Slytherin green. I gulped and crawled forward. The green light split into two- one of them forming the shape of a standing man and one of them was laying vertically on the floor. The green glow vanished and the two figures either stood or lay. They were blurry, and the only thing I could make out was green eyes and black hair. But even then, I knew who they were.
The one on the floor was my memory.
The one who was standing up was Tom.

---

I stood there, gawking at them for a few minutes before I turned to the diary. I wrote feverishly into it.
' Tom! Voldemort! If you dare-' But I was cut off. The diary sent a repelling curse and I lay on the floor, immobilized, just like Ginny was minutes ago. I swallowed as I heard a shrill, maniacal laughter fill the room. I tried to open my mouth, but it was stuck fast, wedged into a slight pout. I repressed the urge to struggle. I knew what Tom was doing. It was fast becoming obvious by his features becoming more and more chiselled, more clearer. But my memory remained blurry, on the ground. Eventually, Tom was blurry no more. He stepped forward and instantly walked toward the blurry girl on the floor. He watched her with his usual green eyes that sparked with hope and untold plans when he turned to me, furious. He took off the curse and I was immediately reduced to gasping for breath on the floor.
" Pathetic. Just like you always were." He commented. I gritted my teeth.
" Tom, why did you bring us here?" I asked. " From what I can gather, you are the heir of Slytherin. That girl is Tia- your sister. You are using both Ginny and my energy to sustain yourself. But why?" I asked. He smirked.
" You're remarkably intelligent. I could use you... Of course, Ginny, here, told me all about you and Harry Potter." He said, silkily. " How she fantasized about being his only friend. His girlfriend. She was oh- so- jealous when she found out about your relationship-"
" That's not how I see him!" I screeched. " He's like my brother!" Tom winced. I bit back an apology.
" How you two defeated Voldemort. My past. My present. My future." He added. I rolled my eyes.
" Look, Tommy- boy, I already know who you are. Future Dark Lord and all that gobble-gook. I don't need to read it again and again. I'm sick and tired of you, so I think I'll just walk out of here. Bye." I said before strutting in the opposite direction, smirking.
Hermione: 1, Tom: Nil.
" Don't you dare insult me!" He yelled. I smoothly ducked under a crucio he had sent hurtling my way. I suddenly whipped around and shouted:
" Expelliarmus!" His wand flew out of his hand before he hit the wall opposite.
Really, Tom.
Be thankful I had put up some cushioning charm on the wall before you could fall unconscious. He stood up, bewildered about why I had not hurt him and livid that he had been beaten with a simple deflecting spell. I smirked and twirled my wand between my fingers- a common habit of his.
" Why you little-"
" Silencio!" I yelled. His rant was immediately muted. He looked quite comical, his stamping feet and his mouth opening and shutting- resembling remarkably like a gold fish. I, melodramatically, yawned before he realized what I did. He looked enraged, but I kept it up, his face going red. I inspected my nails for a good five minutes before I put the silencing charm down. I raised an eyebrow. " Are we quite finished yet, Tommy?" I patronized. He winced at the nickname I used to call him and I immediately felt bad for him. He turned angry again and I rolled my eyes.
Time to amaze him.
" Expecto Patronum!" I exclaimed, not bothering to disguise my animal. A cobra came out of my wand, flashing an ethereal blue and white and lighting the chamber up. It looked strangely beautiful. I smirked at his gobsmacked expression.
I was the youngest person to ever cast a Patronus.
" Bu-but-"
" I know." I commented, smugly. He seemed to be picking up on his breath.
" Would you like to become a Death Eater?" He asked. I suddenly turned serious and walked up to him, my face inches away- unfortunately due to our height differences- from his chest.
" No." I whispered. He turned angry and suddenly gripped my shoulders whilst I remained calm. He forced me to look up at his blood- red eyes.
" Fear me. I have killed many, many people." He growled. I quirked a smirk. This annoyed him to no ends, I was glad to report.
" Fear me. I have killed my closest friend. And I am inches away from grabbing a time turner and preventing your birth." I replied, my eyes flashing a matching red. He stumbled back, dazed.
" Bloody hell! Your eyes!" He shrieked. I smirked even wider.
" I know." I said, smugly. " But it isn't like a Dark Lord to be terrified of a twelve year girl, is it? Or perhaps, I am older than I look..." I said, egging him on to become more curious about me.
Just as anticipated, he looked drawn in, wanting to learn more about me.
" Red eyes, the ability to cast a Patronus- and a snake though you are," He looked down, briefly at my tie before he sneered and plastered a disdainful look on his face. " A Griffindor... I might go as far to say that you may be my heir." He gave me a malicious smirk, Voldemort flashing through his eyes. I raised an eyebrow.
" An heir? Aren't you a bit young?" I asked. He scowled at me.
" No child of mine shall treat me in that way." There was silence.
Then, I was howling with laughter.
" You should see yourself! Tom Marvolo Riddle- sixteen year old Ice Prince of Slytherin- ordering his potential heir about! I almost fell for it!" I laughed. He turned beet red before he pulled out his wand.
" Crucio!" He exclaimed. Caught unaware, his spell hit me. I bit my lip so hard it drew blood before I collapsed to the ground in agony. I only just caught Tom's face twisted in a strange look of guilt and satisfaction before he lifted it. I glared at him in anger.
Not hatred, though.
Never hatred.
" Why the blaises did you do that for?!" I bellowed. He sighed before doing a lazy flick with his wand. I fell to the ground, in a full body bind. He walked over to me before he shut my eyes with his fingers and pushed my chin up, gently with his fore finger, making it look infuriatingly paternal.
Tom, I'm not your child.
I'm your sister, for Salazar's sake!

---

The only thing I had to keep me company for the rest of that day was my ears. Tom sometimes spoke to me about his plans- about having his sister and his daughter at his side once he had sculpted us into the dark people he was. I just stayed there, motionless, with him talking to me like he knew me his whole life. Sometimes, I do question his sanity. I desperately wanted to hex his arse out of here and bang some sense into that thick skull of his, but obviously, he wasn't going to have that. Eventually, after a couple more hours, he partially released the binding curse so I could talk.
" You know, I do question your sanity, sometimes. I do hope you aren't going to treat me like that for the next six years of my life. I'm looking forward to graduating, thank you very much." I commented, wearily. He ignored me, straining his ears. Then, he shook his head and turned to me.
" You honestly are a curse, you know. But I can't afford to loose another family member." His eyes- once again- looked pained. " So I shall await the next victim to come and revive Tia." He gazed tenderly at the blurry figure on the floor.
" He's Looney." I muttered under my breath.
" Silence!" He bellowed. I bit my lip and looked down. He calmed down. " Thank you. Now, do you want to gain control over the wizarding world or not?"
" I don't know how to answer that, daddykins." I replied, icily. He glared at me. I rolled my eyes. " You clearly need some support with parenting, you know, Just leaving me here on the floor without food for the day is basically child abuse!" I accused. He turned, sharply to me.
" You have no idea what my sister endured, so you keep your petty mouth shut before I condemn you to live with the Basilisk." He warned.
" Sorry." I replied, humbly. He swallowed before flicking his wrist. The curse fell away as I gazed at the blurred figure. I never actually realized how bad the abuse actually was. I shuddered as I placed my cold, left hand on my right shoulder, recounting the scar on there before I turned to a concerned looking Tom.
" Are you alright?" He asked. I nearly laughed. Future Dark Lord who had mercilessly killed thousands asking me if I was alright?! I'll give him alright!
" Yes, I'm fine." I replied, calmly. He seemed surprised that I hadn't insulted him and then reached into his pockets before pulling out a packet of cookies.
Someone wasn't very experienced in parenting.
" Here. Eat." He passed me the cookies. I warily took it from him. He looked a bit pained that I didn't trust him, but I brushed that off.
" Thanks." I replied. I opened the cookies before I pulled one out. I ate one and passed him the next. It just went straight through him, just like in that false memory he had shown us. He looked faintly annoyed and glared at me- not the angry glares, but a mock- glare. I burst into giggles, and soon he began to laugh. It was music to my ears. I had almost forgotten how much I missed Tom- and yet here he was. After two years of separated from him, I don't know what to say to him!
Oh my god. I think I'm dreaming. Someone pinch me. I'm laughing with Voldemort!
" That was... fun." He said, puzzled. I bit my lip. " I hadn't genuinely laughed like that since..."
" Since your fifth year." I answered for him. He looked up, amazed.
" How did you know?" I shrugged.
" Maybe I'm using Occlumency. Maybe you can't trust me..." At this, I gave him a disarming wink, so he knew I was joking. " Or maybe... I was there." I added, mysteriously as I munched on the cookie. I noticed that Tom now looked less ghost- like. I hesitantly put my hand on his. It met a warm palm. I looked up and smiled. " Now, what about that cookie?" I asked. He raised an eyebrow and I passed him one before he shoved it in his mouth.
" I've forgotten how much I loved these." He said. I sighed.
" What's the matter?" He asked, gently.
In the same way he used to.
" Nothing." I replied, quickly. He narrowed his eyes at me.
" Don't lie."
" It's just..." I sighed. " I don't feel like this is going to work." I dejectedly gave him the rest of the cookie packet before making my way down the corridor. He jogged to catch up with me, behind me.
" Why not?" He called. I stopped and turned around.
" I'm acting way too chummy around you. You killed my best friend's parents. You orphaned him like you were an orphan. I could never stay with someone like you." I admitted. He narrowed his eyes at me, once more.
" And what makes you say that? I'm your family, Hermione Jean Riddle, you can never run away from me." He threatened. I glared at him.
" I say I can." Before I ran off toward one of the tunnels.

---

I traipsed past the many passageways in the place, knowing that Tom was somewhere close. I swallowed, staying silent when my back hit a wall. I jumped three foot in the air, thinking it was Tom before I realized what it was. I relaxed and continued walking.
And walking.
And walking some more.
And then, I returned to the mouth of the entrance, to the main hall again. How in the name of Slytherin did I get back here?! Tom, being his usual, arrogant self, felt the need to show off. He sat on a throne that was transfigured from a rock.
" Joining us yet again, Hermione?" He asked, sarcastically. I glanced down at Ginny.
" What did you do to her?" I gritted out. He smirked.
" Nothing much. I've only divided her energy to flow into my dear sister, here." He gestured at the unmoved figure that still lay slumped on the floor.
" When I get my hands around your throat-"
" That's no way to treat your father, now, is it?" He tutted. I stayed there with my mouth hanging open. He smirked. " I am going to be taking you in as my daughter. You don't look like me- but that would soon be arranged. I can adjust my age and appear like a thirty- six year old man. Then, we launch our attack on the wizarding world." I blanched.
" What in the name of Salazar are you saying?!" I hissed. " Have you not considered that the real you is running around, trying to find a new soul to reattach to?!" He smirked.
" I will be paying the wizarding world a favour. I shall kill my future self and then rule the world." He gloated. I spat at his feet.
" Have you not considered that he- you- have six other horcruxes?!" I exclaimed. He raised an eyebrow.
" I sometimes wonder what they teach you here. No wonder you got put into Griffindor." He spat the name with disdain. " l will be home tutoring you. You will be learning the Dark arts, Occlumency and duelling. If you do not consent, the punishments will be severe." He drawled. I gave him a weak smile.
" No cookies?" I joked. To my immense surprise and relief, he chuckled.
" Come here." He said with a warm, genuine smile on his face. I looked at his eyes and could only find mirth and amusement. I walked over to him and he pulled me into a hug. I squeaked ( it sounded so very lady like) and then he pulled away, scrutinizing me. " You have great potential. I always value courage and bravery." He commented. I blushed and cast a wary glance at the slowly sharpening figure on the floor.

---

The next day, I awoke on the throne that Tom had transfigured from a rock. Tom was at the corner, obviously expecting someone. I yawned, watching my brother just watching the door in a dark corner.
" What are you doing, Tom?" I asked. He turned to me.
" From now on, you shall address me as 'my lord' when others are around, and 'father' when we are within privacy. Also, if one of the students walks in, I expect you to lie on the floor like Weasley, and do not react to their attempts to rouse you." He deadpanned. I sighed.
" Listen, Tom-"
" Father." He corrected, patiently. I swallowed.
" There's something I need to tell you." I spared another hasty glance at my double. " Now." Just then, I heard familiar voices outside.
Harry and Ron.

---

I gave Tom an apologetic look before diving to the floor. I heard the door mechanisms crank open and the whispered comments of awe from Harry and Ron. I heard a great rumbling before the entrance was sealed shut. I closed my eyes and breathed regularly. I would need to pretend I wasn't breathing later; so I could fake my death.
" Ginny!" Harry exclaimed. I heard approaching footfalls. " Ginny! Don't be dead- please don't be dead!" He pleaded. I heard a sigh of despair before I heard faster footsteps- more desperate. " Hermione!" He yelled. " Hermione!" He grabbed my shoulders. I stopped breathing as Harry tried to wake me up. He shook me, he called my name but nothing happened. I heard a strangled cry of despair. " Don't die on me Hermione- you were like a sister to me!" He pleaded. Then, I heard Tom's voice.
" She won't wake. Neither will the Weasley girl."
" Tom- Tom Riddle?!" Harry sounded incredulous. He still cradled my head on his lap. I felt something wet fall on my forehead. Harry was crying.
" What d'you mean, she won't wake? She's not- she's not?-"
" Hermione is dead." Tom said, flatly. I felt Harry tremble with tears. " But the Weasley- she's alive. Only just." He said, softly.
" Are you a ghost?" Harry asked, uncertainly. Tom quickly replied.
" A memory. Preserved in a diary for fifty years." He nodded toward the little black diary that had remained untouched since yesterday.
" You've got to help me, Tom." Harry urged. " We've got to get them out of here." What, and get him arrested for making horcruxes?! Harry Potter, I sometimes wonder if your brain works properly! " There's a Basilisk... I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment. Please, help me." He pleaded, hugging my head and rocking my body. The atmosphere was so tense it could be cut through with a knife. I opened my eyes just a little bit to see Tom staring uncertainly at Harry, guilt and hatred playing wars in his eyes. " Did you see-" Harry turned his head to see Tom holding his wand. " Thanks." Harry reached out to get his wand, but Tom gave him a smile. To anyone else. It may have looked cruel, but I could see the sadness behind it. " Listen!" Harry begged. " We've got to go! If the Basilisk comes, then who knows what will happen to Hermione! And Ginny!"
" It won't come until it is called." Tom replied, calmly.
" What do you mean?" Harry asked, irritated. " Look, give me my wand, I might need it."
" You won't be needing it." Tom replied. I swore I saw a flash of red across his eyes...
" What d'you mean, I won't be-"
" I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter." Tom said. Well, it was Tom, but I could tell that Voldemort had taken over. " For the chance to see you. To speak to you."
" Look," Harry barked, having finally lost his patience. " I don't think you get it. We're in the Chamber of Secrets. We can talk later."
" We're going to talk now." Tom said with a broad smile, gracing his handsome features. If Ginny saw him, she'd probably ditch Harry and go after Tom.
" How did Ginny get like this? Ad how did Hermione..." He trailed off.
" Well, Hermione happened to come across the Basilisk. Quite tragic, really." Tom began to lie with that silver tongue that he and I shared. " She stared straight into its eyes. Fell down, dead. Funny, really. I thought she was to be my heir." He said with an amused smirk before he winked at me. Harry was furious.
" WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOUR HEIR?!" He bellowed. Tom raised an eyebrow.
" She can speak Parceltongue-"
" So can I." Harry deadpanned. Tom's eyes widened.
" She is the heir of Slytherin." He argued. " Now there is no more Slytherin blood line. I am the last left. Tom Marvolo Riddle. Did you ever wonder what it became when using an anagram?" He asked. He turned and wrote his name in mid- air. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the words scrambled and became ' I am Lord Voldemort'. Harry's mouth was agape. He kissed my forehead, tenderly before placing me on the ground.
" May you rest in peace." He stated. I nearly choked.
" I am Voldemort. He is my past. My present. And my future. But the only one who mattered to me more than Voldemort was my sister." He said. He pointed at the blurred figure on the floor. Harry squinted, but he couldn't make her out. " When she died, I was driven insane. I tried to kill myself. I starved myself, I used to cut. It was horrible, but it was just what Voldemort needed to overtake me. Tia had tried so hard to get me in the light side." He hung his head. " But I failed her. I had already created my and Tia's first horcrux against her will just three days before she died. And now, she will be resurrected." He finished, triumphantly. Just then, the blurred features immediately sharpened and she was clear to the three people in here. I watched through half- open eyes. And there she was. Tia Marge Riddle. The only girl who Tom Marvolo Riddle thought was a cut above the rest.

---

I watched with horror as the memory of myself's eyes flickered open.
" Where am I? What am I doing here? Tom? Charlie?" She asked, uncertainly. Harry watched with fascination. He was so sure he had seen her somewhere before, I could tell that by his face. But obviously, my Occlumency shrugged that off him and he watched her with an expression that was filled with hatred. " Tom?" She sounded frightened,now. Tom ran to her side and held her hand. She looked up at him with wide eyes. " It was horrible. I- I-"
" Shh." Tom reassured her and he wrapped his arms around her trembling form. How weird was this.
I was jealous of myself. " You're never going there ever again. I promise." He muttered, leaning his angular chin on her head. I swallowed, but otherwise remained on the floor, playing dead. I could feel Harry's despairing gaze lingering on my back. Tom stroked her cheek. She smiled, gently before he helped her up.
" Thank you, Tom." She said, weakly. She looked up and her eyes were wide with wonder. " Where are we?"
" We're in the Chamber of Secrets, Tia." Tom responded, gently. She winced. Tom noted this. " Don't worry, we don't have to do it anymore." He soothed. She sighed in relief. Her eyes landed on Harry's, her eyes matching his.
" Charlus?" She asked. Harry glared at her. She gave a tragic sob before I scoffed.
So much for spineless.

" Voldemort." Harry spat with as much venom he could muster. Tom smirked.
" Hello, honey." He replied, sarcastically. I could feel the tension. The 'other me' finally got a grip of herself and wondered out of Tom's strong embrace. To my and Harry's surprise, he didn't try to pull her back. He allowed her to walk toward Harry.
" You look so much like your grand father... But you've got someone else's eyes." She commented. She kneeled down to his height before she whispered into his ear: " He's not as bad as you think." Harry stared at the 'other me' before nodding, slowly. Well, at least she seemed to be in his good books. I don't think I could bear it if Harry rejected the person I was under my glamour. Harry licked his lips before he replied.
" I have my mother's eyes, ma'am." He said. The 'other me' gave a twinkly laugh that I wished I could strangle out of her throat.
" Please, just Tia will do nicely." She replied. She wondered back to Tom and I felt the over whelming need to punch the 'other me'.
Grr.
Suddenly, the Chamber was filled with singing. I swallowed. I recognised it.
Fawkes. Said Phoenix landed next to Harry and dropped something.
The sorting hat.
'Ssssspeak to me, Ssssslytherin, the greatessssst of the Hogwartssssss four!' he hissed.
" Tom!" The 'other me' exclaimed. I swallowed, but it was too late. The Basilisk was released. And there was nothing that the 'other me' could do. Tom had put a Silencio on her.

---

Harry ran out of the Chamber. I shot up to my feet, thunderous. I walked up to Tom and slapped him.
Hard.
His cheek was burning red and the imprint of a petite hand was seared onto it. He looked absolutely terrifying, but I stupidly stood my ground.
' Do you know who I am?' I hissed in Parceltongue. Tom glared at me.
' Do you think I care?!' He raised his hand to conduct a curse, but I held his wrist in an iron grip.
' Tom, look in my eyes and tell me you don't recognissssse me.' I told him. He stared, readily into my eyes. He gasped once he saw the flurry of red, the love, and the sacrifices. I reached into my pocket and produced a pen knife before I slashed my palm with it. I held it up before my form started to change. I was soon the same height as him, with black curls tumbling to my waist. " Tom, it's me." I added in English. He gasped.
" How-"
" I lived, Tom. After I got given the counteracting potion, I used a glamour potion and made a copy of me. I crept out of the ward and came across a time turner. I played with it, but it sent me far into the future by accident. I re-entered Hogwarts as a female muggleborn with a squib as a mother and a muggle father. Well, I lied about the squib thing when I needed it, but I lived two years of my life here. I just wanted to say... I love you. And I always will. But Harry Potter will always remain as a brother to me as you were. Or perhaps even a son." I said. I cupped Tom's cheek as he trembled, tears falling down his cheeks.
" You left me. You left me and you knew it. You let Voldemort take over-"
" Tom-"
" NO! Let me do the talking for once! You left me for a petty little boy who isn't even your brother by blood. Does our bond mean nothing to you?!" He roared. He wrenched my hand off his cheek, his eyes suddenly burning with a passion. I glared at him.
" Even if you hated me from the bottom of your heart, I could never hate you. And I'm sorry about this. But if you want a needy, spineless girl for your sister, then so be it. You obviously can't move on. Am I really worth the death of billions of innocent people?!"
" YES!" Tom shouted. I hung my head.
" Well, I don't think so. I will defend Harry James Potter to my final breath. Even if it meant defending him from you." I said before I stormed out of the room. I heard approaching footfalls, quick and hard. Just then, Tom's hand closed around my wrist. He brandished the pen knife I had in my pocket.
What?!
He stole it!
" Don't you dare walk away from me, Tia." He growled. I kicked him in the shin.
" I can do what I want, Voldemort, and you can't stop me." I put down the Silencio around the 'other me' and then I drank my potion I had in my pocket. Smaller and more agile, I managed to escape from Tom's clutches and soon found myself running after Harry.

---

I encountered said boy just in front of the Basilisk. I glared up at it.
' Leave the boy. Leave the boy.' I repeated. But the Basilisk began to converse.
' Sssso hungry... For so long...' I swallowed. It needed to eat. It needed to kill.
' Then kill me.' I said. I jumped just in front of Harry just as one of the fangs sunk into his elbow. I got the worst of it, though. Another fang pierced my stomach and through my arm. Harry blinked dumbly at me before taking into account of my status.
" You're alive!" He exclaimed.
" Not for much longer, Harry." I replied through gritted teeth. The fang only just protruded from my stomach, but luckily for me, it didn't go straight through my body. The world was suddenly splashes of murky, Slytherin green and black. I only just saw Harry wedge a sword through the roof of the Basilisk's mouth and Tom run mell- pell toward me before everything went black.

---

I blinked in surprise at the sudden light change.
" She's alive!" Someone hissed. Someone else made their way toward me and as my vision adjusted, I realised that the light was coming from... the tip of a stick?
" Lucky Potter was too distracted with killing the monster- he would have seen her without the glamour." I recognised that voice. Who was it? Why can't I remember?
" Who are you?" I croaked, my voice raspy.
" Easy does it. I'm here, Tia." I recognised that voice, too.
" Who are you?! Why can't I remember?!" I demanded, desperately.
" You- You don't remember me?" The light shifted and the wand lit up the face of a young teenager with an angular face. His fringe was wavy and his eyes were a sparkling green. I knew he sparked memories somewhere, I just couldn't remember where.
" I- I know you from somewhere. I- I'm sorry, but who are you to me?" I asked. There was a tear snaking from the teen's eye. " No! Please, don't cry!" I exclaimed.
" I- I'm Tom. Your twin brother." He replied. " Tom Marvolo Riddle. Your name is Tia Marge Riddle. You are a Slytherin. We used to go to a school called Hogwarts. You're eighteen years old-"
" I have no idea what you're talking about." I frowned. The wand moved and lit up a different face. Well, different as in her features was the same as Tom's but a little more dainty and her hair was longer. She was female, too.
" Perhaps this face may spark memories?" She asked. I swallowed.
" I- I haven't seen you before in my life. I'm sorry, but I've never seen you two before." I stammered. " But why?! I can tell you two are important to me, but I don't know how!" I wailed. The boy was more distraught than the girl.
" Give her the potion. She needs to become Hermione Jean Riddle again. Just to cover her up." The girl said. The boy nodded before tipping a disgusting potion down my throat. I nearly choked, but he stroked my throat.
" It's all my fault. I sent the Basilisk." He murmured. I looked up at him.
" Basilisk?" I asked, innocently. What was a Basilisk? He shook his head.
" It- It's nothing. I love you, Tia. I'm sorry. What you said earlier was right. I was being selfish. Good bye. I love you." He muttered. He kissed my forehead and left me a pendant before he stabbed a fang into a diary. Both he and the girl howled in agony, white lights shining right through them. I blinked.
" Wait! Who are you? Who am I?!" I screamed. The boy looked up, and before he stabbed at the diary again, he said:
" You are Tia Marge Riddle. And the only thing you need to know is that I love you. And I'm sorry." And he plunged the fang within the diary again, and they were gone.

---

I crawled over to another boy. He had a lightning scar, jagged across his forehead and he was helping a crying, ginger girl up. I walked over to them, my vision woozy and my arm and stomach in pain. I pressed my hands to my stomach and I felt something warm. I pulled my hand out and noted the red, warm liquid.
Blood.
" Who are you?" I asked them. They turned around and the boy's eyes widened in alarm.
" Hermione!" He exclaimed in joy. I furrowed my eyebrows.
" I'm sorry, but I don't know a Hermione. What is a Hermione, anyway?" I asked. The curiously shaped scar on his forehead did spark something in my mind, though. I walked over to them.
" Hermione?" The girl asked, cautiously.
" Again with the Hermione!" I exclaimed, exasperated. " I think... My name is Tia Marge Riddle. Who are you?" And the boy with the strange scar trembled in fear before his jaw fell open.
" Your name isn't Tia Marge Riddle." He replied. I narrowed my eyes at him.
" Of course it is! Well... Someone told me it was... Tom Marvolo Riddle, I think." I said after thinking a bit. What was wrong with these people?! What was their problem with my name?!
" Hermione, do you know who we are?" The boy asked, desperately. I stared deep into his eyes. The beautiful shade of dazzling emeralds pierced my mind. They reminded me of something... Or someone. A boy... Tom, I think.
" I don't know... But your eyes remind me of Tom." I said. " I think... I think he's my twin brother."
" Hermione, why do you have your hands over your stomach?" The girl asked. I looked down at my bloodied hands.
" Um..."
" Hermione!" The boy shrieked. I jumped and looked around.
" For the last time; my name is Tia!" I yelled. They fell silent.
" Your name isn't Tia-"
" Why would my twin brother give me false information?! Where am I? Why am I hanging out with you two?" I demanded. Suddenly, I felt a stab of pain in my abdomen. I groaned before I keeled over, bent double.
" We need to take her to the infirmary!" The boy exclaimed.

---

Moments later, I was in a bed with letters, candies, love letters, flowers and photos piled up and around me. I blinked as the sun came up. Now that I knew my name- Tia Marge Riddle- and I knew that I was a Slytherin; whatever that was; and that I attended a school called Hogwarts, all I had to do was find my brother.
Surely it wouldn't be that hard, right? Well, at that second, a nurse came bustling into my ward with a trolley load full of sweets and letters, flowers and cards. I groaned before she looked at me in sympathy.
" Fame really can be hard on people, can't it?" She commented. I blinked at her.
" Fame? Am I... Am I famous?" I asked. She blinked in return.
" Of course you are, dear, you are the most famous females in the wizarding world!" She exclaimed. I eyed her in astonishment.
" I can't even remember what I'm famous for. And wizarding world? What kind of drug are you on?!" I exclaimed. She looked hurt, and almost immediately, I felt guilty. " Sorry." I mumbled.
" Ahem. You are famous for your scar that you share in common with the Boy- Who– Lived. You are one of the only two people to have survived the killing curse from You- Know- Who. Your name is Hermione Jean Riddle-"
" No it isn't." I rolled my eyes before folding my arms. " My name's Tia Marge Riddle. My twin brother said so." I replied. The woman raised an eyebrow.
" Oh? What's your brother's name?"
" Tom Marvolo Riddle." I replied. Almost immediately, she fainted, unconscious at my feet.

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A/N: Poor Tia... She's lost her memories and all she can rely on is a couple of sentences- and she's searching for a boy that doesn't even exist anymore...

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