Chapter 16: Little Hangleton
The next morning Gienah asked Ginny if they could talk during lunch. Ginny seemed brighter than usual when she agreed. The weather was picking up so she met Ginny by the Black Lake with a picnic basket.
"You are looking really well Ginny, I'm glad you're finally settling in." Gienah started with a smile she could tell looked false because Ginny just looked at her.
Gienah handed her a blueberry muffin. Ginny just placed it on her lap.
"Is everything ok?" Ginny said quietly. Gienah didn't notice when Ginny looked around after asking her and her hand reaching for her wand.
"What do you know of Tom Riddle Ginny?" Gienah asked her, deciding to come straight out with it.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Ginny replied smoothly, an innocent look on her face.
Gienah brought out Riddle's diary and looked closely for a flicker of emotion. Nothing.
"You've been writing in this diary since September." Gienah said slowly. "You tried to flush it away in the girls bathroom on the second floor. Why?"
"I've never seen that before." Ginny continued to look at her as she said it.
"I'm sorry Ginny but I don't believe you." Gienah sighed.
"Why would I lie?" Ginny asked innocently.
"Why would you indeed." Gienah murmured to herself. "How are your classes?"
That evening she told Harry, Ron and Hermione that she had denied knowing anything about the diary and Ron sighed in relief. Though he said to her afterwards of course she wouldn't know anything about the diary.
"But we still have a basilisk to deal with." Harry said, interrupting Ron and Gienah's little spat.
"How is it getting round the castle without being seen?" Hermione said with frustration. That's what I want to know."
"We still don't know who the heir is." Gienah grumbled. "I'm going to find out more about Riddle."
The second years were given something new to think about during their Easter holidays. The time had come to choose their subjects for the third year, a matter that Hermione, at least, took very seriously.
"...it could affect our whole future," she told Harry and Ron as they pored over lists of new subjects, marking them with checks.
"I just want to give up Potions," said Harry.
"We can't," said Ron gloomily. "We keep all our old subjects, or I'd've ditched Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"But that's very important!" said Hermione, shocked.
"Not the way Lockhart teaches it," said Ron. "I haven't learned anything from him except not to set pixies loose."
Hermione decided to pick every subject. Harry copied Ron. After asking her fathers for advice Gienah settled on Care of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies and Ancient Runes.
Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood was insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so that Gienah barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier, and the evening before Saturday's match she went up to her dormitory to drop off her broomstick feeling Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch cup had never been better.
"Their hasn't been another attack since Justin." Hermione whispered to the three of them in Charms the day after Easter. "Don't you think sitting on information such as the monster of Slytherin is a basilisk and Hagrid was innocent are things we should let the headmaster know?"
"Dumbledore still doesn't know where the chamber lies." Gienah said. "The information is… incomplete."
"Oh please." Ron laughed. "You just want to find out for yourself."
Gienah winked at him.
"Gienah" Hermione calmed herself. "There are lives at risk."
"Then we should be putting more efforts into finding out where the chamber lies and who the heir was last time and who the heir is this time." Gienah hissed and turned her attention to Professor Flitwick.
Hermione looked at Harry and looked a little nervous. Ron shook his head and Gienah ignored them, her head racing with information.
That night Gienah took Harry's invisibility cloak and snuck into Dumbledore's office. She walked into a room she had noticed last time. A small indescript looking door. Luckily it was unlocked. Her breathing seemed to fill the room. She stopped and breathed deeply. Trying to forget the fact that if she was to be found she'd be expelled.
Once she entered and lit her wand she gasped. The room was much bigger on the outside. There were rows and rows of filing cabinets. Each row began with a year. Gienah walked down for a few minutes before she reached 1945. Walking down she searched for Riddle. Finally she found the file, on the top was his picture. When she opened the file she found it empty. Gienah turned it upside down. Nothing.
She slammed the cabinet close before remembering it was the middle of the night. Gienah ran out with her invisibility cloak and found Dumbedore standing by the window watching the moon in the night sky.
"Good evening Gienah."
Gienah gasped. She took the cloak off so she only had a floating head.
"How did you know?"
"I have wards in my office." Dumbledore turned and smiled at her, his eyes twinkling.
"Did you find the information you needed?" He asked her pleasantly, sitting on his armchair, his legged crossed.
"Urm, no sir." Gienah just stared at him, not quite sure how to act in these circumstances.
"Sherbet lemon?" Dumbledore offered.
"Thank you." Gienah took a sweet and sat down opposite him. Her head still the only visible part of her body but she hadn't noticed. Dumbledore smiled at the sight but thought not to say anything.
"Perhaps I may be able to answer the questions you seek." Dumbledore gazed at her. Gienah shivered as she felt he could look into her thoughts and pull away at all her secrets.
"I-I was" Gienah couldn't think of a lie quick enough. "Was looking for Tom Riddle's file sir."
"I see."
"I wanted to find out where he lived. Who his parents were."
"Any reason why?"
"No sir." Gienah blushed at the outrageous lie.
"I see." He said again, his fingertips pressed together and his half-moon glasses on the end of his nose.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle grew up in an orphanage. He was a half-blood. His parents were Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle of Little Hangleton." Dumbledore said off by heart. "I hope you understand this information is confidential".
"Yes- sir." Gienah looked at Dumbledore suspiciously. "Then why did you tell me?"
"Please return to your dormitory." Dumbledore turned to the skies once more. She had been dismissed. She felt a cool air between her and the headmaster and she ran out the door. Once she was in her bed she attempted to calm down. Failing, she opened the window and jumped out the window. Just before she crashed she closed her eyes and stretched her wings. Little Hangleton. Little Hangleton. She wasn't sure how they did it. But without thought she effortlessly flew and knew she was being led in the right direction. Hours later she found herself looking down onto a village. Soaring down she looked for sign of something living. She had to find the Riddle's. The face of the man in the photograph haunted her. He had black wavy hair, immaculately in place. Dark eyes and a pale face. He was incredibly handsome. The most beautiful man she's ever seen and something about his eyes were familiar.
Finally she saw an old man sitting in his front yard. She landed a few metres away before she transformed. Hesitantly she approached.
"Sir" Gienah called. "Sir!"
"Hello lassie." The old man smiled. "What ya doin' out in the dark?"
"I'm looking for the Riddle's sir, I'm an orphan and I - I ran away from the orphanage to find my father. They say he lives in this town. Please sir, I've travelled miles." She allowed her bottom lip to quiver, thinking it wasn't all a lie.
"The Riddle's you say?" The man pondered as he looked at her, he hobbled nearer on his walking stick, his light eyes a little hardened as he said the name.
"I'm sorry to say your family are dead." The old man bowed his head. "The manor is empty now, but you may want to talk to the ol' gardener, Frank. He's a nice man."
The old man directed her towards the manor. She thanked him and walked briskly towards the old house in the distance. The house was ostentatious, even in the distance. A great gothic building. As Gienah neared she shivered. It was the same warning she received when she held the diary, when she saw his face and somewhere else she couldn't quite place.
Gienah stared for a little while at the big house with its many windows and climbing ivy. It looked like something out of a muggle horror movie. A haunted house in the very flesh. Gienah walked forward and followed the path that winded round to the back of the house. There was a little house with a light flickering. Gienah knocked on the door with her fist finding no knocker. She heard a movememt inside.
"Who is it?" A deep voice called from behind the door, looking through a small peephole. Gienah went on her tiptoes and waved at the little hole. "What on earth-"
The door opened and the man looked down at Gienah.
"Do you know what time it is girl?" Frank had a walking stick and a grey shawl over his stripy pyjamas. His hair was silver and his eyes an icy blue.
"I'm sorry but my father is Tom Riddle and I wanted to know what happened to him."
"Come in girl" The old man sighed and showed her into his kitchen where there was a few basic necessities and a small round table with two chairs around it. An arrangement of flowers was placed on the centre.
"The Riddle's were murdered in 1943 by Riddle's brother-in-law Morfin Gaunt. Riddle, he claims, was hoodwinked by Merope Gaunt. The daughter of a- a tramp that lived in a shack just out of town." Frank was boiling a kettle of water and placed two mugs on the table. "Merope Riddle had a son but by then he returned to the manor, and lived the life of a recluse, became an alcoholic, the whole works. The mother and the son never returned."
Frank poured her a cup of tea and placed a jug of milk and a sugar bowl before her. Gienah thanked him as she stirred her tea.
"Now your father- they say he grew up in an orphanage and the mother died. Others say there was no son but if you say your father was a Riddle, he must have survived."
"What do you know of the Gaunt's sir?" Gienah asked him, her voice betraying her excitement. There was a glint in her eye that put Frank on edge. But her appearance deceived him. She was a young girl, looking to find her family…
"They were nasty and in-bred. Kept to themselves and had an obsession with snakes. A snake was hammered into their front door. It's still there I think but no one goes near it. It's surrounded by nettles and overgrown weeds and trees. A bad aura about the place. Merope wasn't a- pretty girl. Very plain. Tiny thing. Treated like an animal by her father and brother. I saw her once when Riddle returned. She was begging on her knees, crying her heart out, a sorry sight lemme tell ya."
"Can you direct me to the Gaunts?" Gienah asked him hopefully.
"They're all dead child." Frank sipped his tea. "No point rummaging around there. Your father did not grow up in this area. Your grandparents are dead. I'm sorry you couldn't find what you were looking for."
"Just one more thing sir." Gienah hesitated. "How did Riddle say he was hoodwinked?"
"At first, at first he said she drugged him with love potion, that she- she was a witch. Course noone believed him. Mad we all thought he'd gone. Eventually he sobred, well, became a drunk but said she wooed him, said she was pregnant- Not sure with what she wooed him with but there ya are-"
"Thank you sir." Gienah smiled at him and stood up. "I should return to the orphanage before morning. They will worry."
"I'm sorry I couldn't give ya good news child" Frank walked her to the door.
"Goodbye." Gienah waved her hand before she walked down the road and transformed. She searched for the shack, it took her minutes to find as she circled the small village.
It took Gienah a few moments before her eyes discerned the building half-hidden amongst the tangle of trunks. It seemed to her a very strange location to choose for a house, or else an odd decision to leave the trees growing nearby, blocking all light and the view of the valley below. Its walls were mossy and so many tiles had fallen off the roof that the rafters were visible in places. Nettles grew all around it, their tips reaching the windows, which were tiny and thick with grime
Approaching the shack she could sense the magic. The serpent was indeed nailed to the door. Knowing that she had learned what she needed to know she hesitated. Tom Riddle must be a descendent of Slytherin. He had opened the chamber fifty years ago and now somehow, the diary was involved in its reopening. What could she gain by entering the cursed house which radiated with dark magic.
"Gienah."
Gienah almost screamed, she turned and saw the tall figure of Albus Dumbledore. There was no twinkle in his eyes.
"A lone thestral is a strange sight indeed. Flying south in the middle of the night I was curious. I had Fawkes follow you." Dumbledore walked forward and stood by her, gazing at the house. "So you know that Tom Riddle was a descendent of Salazar Slytherin."
"I- yes, I guessed sir." Gienah felt her heart quicken. She had no fear of expulsion, but the qizard before her. Tall and imposing, the most powerful wizard in the world had caught her in a cursed shack, chasing a trail that was darker than she'd ever even heard of. This was the qizard that had defeated Grindelwald.
"Do not fear me Gienah" Dumbledore said kindly. "You have done what I have delayed for many, many years."
"Sir?"
"The beast that lies in the chamber is a basilisk." Dumbledore stated simply. "You and your brother can hear her voice when she is released to hunt her prey."
"If you know!" Gienah gasped. "How could you allow the school to continue, there must be experts which can hunt the beast, the chamber."
"You think I have not called upon them child?" Dumbledore's voice was severe for the first time that night. Gienah bowed her head in shame.
"I have tried and tried again." Dumbledore murmured, still looking at the shack. "There is dark magic here."
"Are you going inside?"
"Would you have if I were not here?" Dumbledore asked, a small smile on his lips.
"I- I- yes." Gienah confessed. "I would have."
"So would I" Dumbledore chuckled as he waved his wand.
Dumbledore began circling the shack, his wand tracing random movements in the air. To her eyes anyway. Gienah just watched as she worked. Finally he lowered his wand, sweating slightly at the exertion. He beckoned her forward as he opened the door.
Dumbledore held out his hand, asking her to stay by the door with no words. She looked around her. It was one open living area with moth-eater armchairs, a small kitchenette and two doors leading to what she supposed were to be the bedrooms. There were old portraits on the walls. An expensive looking rug. Small trinkets here and there that looked out of place in the debilitated shack. Dumbledore finally opened a cupboard and jumped back as a nest of snakes began to slither out of the cupboard, hissing threateningly at Dumbledore. They were thin but long. Poisonous green with red eyes. Not normal snakes.
"Stop" Gienah stepped forward. "Come away from the old man."
The snakes almost froze and settled down, moving towards her instead. The largest one headed the party, watching her with interest,
"My lady" The snake bowed its fanged head.
Dumbledore looked at her, his eyes glinting as he continued to look into the cupboard. There was a blanket and a lumpy pillow. Dumbledore flicked his wand and found a ring under the pillow. Dumbledore stared for a few moments.
"Headmaster?" Gienah called to him.
"He musst not wear the ring, my lady" The snake warned. "The ssnake-man has curssed the ring."
"Professor" Gienah called tentatively. "The snakes say the ring is cursed. You must not touch the ring."
Dumbledore remained standing, entranced.
"Headmaster!"
Dumbledore turned sharply.
"Yes of course Ms. Black".
Dumbledore began weaving a spell with his wand, a bright light surrounded the ring before everything went dark. The snakes hissed, their red eyes glowing in the dark.
"Headmaster?" Gienah called weakly.
Dumbledore lit his wand and approached the ring, Gienah wanted to stop him, tell him it was to dangerous but he reached out with a handkerchief and took the ring quickly. The shack began to tremble. Gienah shouted as the snakes dispersed, finding any crack in which to escape.
"Fawkes!" Dumbledore shouted as hedived towards Gienah, grabbing her hand and in a flash they were gone.
Gienah opened her eyes and found she was in Dumbledore's office once more. A beautiful bird perched on Dumbledore's shoulder. Dumbledore stood and placed the ring on the desk and summoned a small vial of potion for her to drink. Immediately her heart rate settled, her breathing became less frantic and her eyes were brought into focus.
"I believe you have a match to win Ms. Black." Dumbledore waved his hand, the candlelights were extinguished and she was left in the darkness of his office. The moon offering her a little light to show her the door.
Gienah woke the next day to brilliant sunshine and a light, refreshing breeze.
"Perfect Quidditch conditions!" said Wood enthusiastically at the Gryffindor table, loading the team's plates with scrambled eggs. "Gienah, buck up there, you need a decent breakfast."
Gienah left the Great Hall with Harry, Ron and Hermione to go and collect her Quidditch things. People were now emerging from the Great Hall behind her, talking loudly, exiting through the front doors on their way to the Quidditch pitch.
"You'd better get moving," said Ron. "It's nearly eleven - the match-"
Gienah raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected her Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds. Her mind was far away. She had managed to get four hours of sleep.
The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver Wood took off for a warm-up flight around the goal posts; Madam Hooch released the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.
Gienah mounted her broom, all worries of the outside world fading in place of one golden ball.
"Three, two, one" Madam Hooch blew her whistle and fifteen broomsticks took to the air. Gienah was out for blood. She closed her eye and transformed her vision to a hawks, allowing her to seek the snitch without circling the pitch. The vision enabled her to zoom in with a quality a human eye could never achieve without equipment. She wondered if it would count as cheating. Unsure and not willing to ask and jeopardise the match her eyes turned back to her emerald green.
The Hufflepuff seeker was keeping an eye on her. She winked at him as caught him at it. To her surprise Diggory blushed!
Shaking her head she continued her search. Gryffindor had just scored their second goal and Gienah was in no mood to draw the game out. She lost some height and scoured the grounds, keeping her eyes on the skies as she passed.
"And Diggory is gaining speed! The seeker has found something Black hasn't seen!" Lee commentated and Gienah urged her broom forward, he was diving and she was soaring upward. Diggory was too close, but then, BAM.
"Weasley deters the snitch from being caught. The seeker is injured." Lee's voice was barely heard above the jeers and cheering.
Gienah cursed as she lost the snitch once more. Diggory called for time-out. Gienah headed towards the group huddle by the hoops.
"Cheers George" Gienah said seriously as he approached her, swaggering with his bat over his shoulder.
"Anything for a damsel in distress." He winked and laughed at loud. "Keep an eye on the snitch eh Black, not the seeker."
Gienah blushed and turned to Wood.
"60-10 with an injured seeker, it's looking good but Gienah, focus, get that snitch and we win."
Gienah nodded as they flew nacl to their positions. The whistle blew and the game continued. Gienah circled at the same height as Diggory and as she neared the Hufflepuff hoops she dove in an impressive speed, urging her broom to the ground. Behind her she heard Diggory on her tail. Almost there, almost there, and Gienah turned, clinging onto the broom for dear life as it tumbled left. Diggory however was less fortunate. He crashed into the ground with a loud crunch. Gienah shrugged as she took the time to search for the snitch.
Timeout was called again as she heard the stands chant her name. Gienah smiled but she hadn't won yet. Five minutes passed this time and they continued. The game became more brutal. Gienah dodged the bludger more than a dozen times. Losing her temper she charged at the beater, almost knocking him off the broom. His bat dropped to the amusement of the crowds but she mustn't get distracted, she needed to-
"And Diggory has the snitch! Hufflepuff win with 140-90. Hufflepuff catch the snitch. Bad luck Black." Lee Jordan calmly announced the results, the disappointment evident in his voice.
Gienah dismounted and ran into the castle so fast no one noticed she hadn't gone into the changing rooms and people had only just began to leave the stadium so the castle was eerily empty. Once she reached the tower she punched the wall, enjoying listening to the sound of her knuckles against the wall and the blood emerging from her open skin. She entered the shower and let the hot water scold her. Wrapped in her towel she walked to her desk and brought out Riddle's diary.
I know you killed her.
She had no idea why she felt victory in writing her confrontation, the discovery of the Headboys dark discretion. SHe was about to rip the page when the words disappeared.
Fifty years ago perhaps. But who opened the chamber this time?
Gienah almost screamed.
"Ginny Weasley" She whispered, slamming the diary and stuffing it beneath her pillow. She cast a notice-me-not charm on it and walked across the corridor and up the stairs into the first year dormitory. She knocked, no one answered. Relieved she entered. They were commiserating downstairs she supposed.
She looked around and found the bed near the window with a poster of the Holyhead Harpies, the same one as hers and a photo with the whole Weasley family. She opened the drawer and found a black diary. One she had brought. She reached her hand to take it when she heard the door close. She turned and saw Ginny Weasley staring at her from across the room. Her wand was raised, and her mouth curled into a sneer.
"Did anyone ever tell you you were too nosy for your own good?"
There was a flash and Gienah fell to the ground.
