Chapter 14: Letters

Ella and Tom sat in the Slytherin common room, once again, Ella telling Tom the full Dumbledore episode, and how he knew everything.

"He knows, Tom! He knows who my father is, and all the rest...but he wouldn't tell me anything!" Ella exclaimed, other students staring at her until Tom's frightening glare shooed them back to what they were doing.

"I told you." Tom said. Of course the old basterd isn't going to tell her who her father is. He won't help anyone who's associated with me; Tom thought.

"He gave me this though. A stupid old book that doesn't tell me anything about whats going on."

Tom looked at it. Yes, it was a stupid book. Odd and Furry Creatures From the West- By Christian Gibbs. It had nothing to do with wizard families, or anything to do with Ella's possible father. But then again, they hadn't actually read the book yet. It might be a clue, at least. Theres no harm in reading it if it's not cursed. And Dumbledore wouldn't harm a little, innocent girl like Elladora St. Clair.

"It might be a clue...actually. There's no harm in reading it. Your father must've given that to you for some reason." Tom said.

Ella opened it. In the first page was a scribbled name reading, Abbadon Hazard-Black. Interesting name, she thought. The first page showed a drawing of a camel with an elephant trunk, and a zebra with leopard spots. But as she continued to flip the pages, she noticed that they were ripped out and replaced with paper. Paper with actual ink. Someone was writing in this. She flipped on...
Wait...this is a journal. Or something like that. It has nothing to do with it's cover. It must be...Abbadon Hazard-Black's.

March 9th, 1925.
Do I need say more? Aria Marie Hale and I are finally together. She is the love of my life, I'll love her forever. I'm glad that I don't live with my mother's family, the Blacks. They wouldn't approve of this marriage, father though, believes that Aria is a perfect witch as I do. Meh, mother's family doesn't even know I exist. "The Blacks would kill you anyway," she thinks. I never liked them anyway. Aria's parents were killed by Grindelwald because they were half-bloods but only three years ago, when she was sixteen. I promise I'll kill anyone who tries to harm her.

The next couple of pages showed more journal entries. More about Abbadon. Who Ella thought was her father.

"Thanks, Tom. I wouldn't have figured it out without you.

Later that evening, Ella sat alone, in her bed. She skipped to another, 2 years later.

September 20th, 1927.
Aria wants to have a child. I don't think mother, Belvina Black, wants her to. She could hardly keep her temper with Aria alone, but a child? "Definitely not." she had said. My mum thinks that a child would be something outrageous. My father thinks it's a great idea. He likes Aria, always has. The Hazards welcome her always, as they reside in America. I was raised there, but moved to England when I would be attending Hogwarts. I don't care about my mother. Aria means more.

April 22nd, 1930.
Today was the best day of my life. Aria bore a child, a girl. We named her after one of the Blacks, to please my mother, at least. Elladora. She's beautiful, and everything more than I imagined. But I'm worried...worried very much. You see, the Hazards are descended from Hellewise the Great. Direct descendants, to be exact. And it is known that all female descendants of Hellewise possess the great gift of dreamwalking, mood-changing, and a temper that would scare even my mother. Legend has it that all the male descendants of Hellewise are fallen angels reborn. Well, they're just legends anyway, and there hasn't been a female direct descendant of Hellewise in 30 years. I'm just worried that if young Elladora has the power she won't be able to control it.

April 22nd, 1931.
I have to leave. As much as I love Aria and little Elladora, I must. For their safety. Grindelwald has searched for me...he wants to recruit me. I am almost positive that he wants me for my Wings of Darkness that I was born with. In order to protect them...it has to be done.

In the back of the journal, Ella found a note. It was addressed to her.

My dear Elladora,
I am sorry. Sorry for leaving you and your mother. I trust her though, she is a very powerful witch. Though I must say, when you receive this I might already be dead. Grindelwald is getting more powerful. I love you, you know that? What can I say? Be strong. Have a great time at Hogwarts. Take care of your mum. I don't care what house you're in, my mother was in Slytherin and my father was a Ravenclaw. Do well. I am always proud of you. Don't go to my mother's house. Don't speak that you are a Black. They don't know anything about you. The Hazards do, and they'll love you. Only problem is that they live in New York City, in America. So don't go there either. I'm sure that you are well. Aria would want to keep you from Hogwarts, I know that. But it doesn't matter, she can't keep you from your magical blood. Don't look for me. I want to see you so bad, but I am fighting for the wizarding world. You must understand. I'll come back one day, if not, you'll find me. I admit, I have seen you in my dreams, or your dreams. I know a letter isn't much, but it'll have to do for now.
-Abbadon Hazard-Black.

Ella couldn't believe what she had just read. Dumbledore must've known. And there were more. More journal entries that is.

I don't understand...Why wouldn't Dumbledore have told me if all it took was to look inside this book? Probably wanted to respect my father... Bur Wings of Darkness? Hellewise? What does all of this mean? I need to find him. Abbadon, that is. But how? Tom can't help me much more, can he? And I promised him that in return I would help him create a horcrux. It would be wise to make one for myself as well actually..., Ella thought.

She thought all about her father as she fell asleep, suprisingly, without any nightmares.

"So how are we going to...you know, make a horcrux?" Ella asked Tom the next morning, in the Slytherin common room.

"Patience, Ella. Before we do that, I have something else to tell you."

"What, Tom?" Ella asked with excitement. She wondered what other secrets that the mysterious Tom Riddle hid underneath his calm complexion.

"Well, you see, a long time ago, there were four great wizards. They were actually the founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Helga Hufflepuff, Godric Gryffindor, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. They taught and shared all their knowledge with the Hogwarts students, until one day the great Salazar Slytherin wanted there to be no mudblood or muggle born students to attend. He didn't trust them, and thought that they might spread the secret of wizards and witches with other muggles. But Gryffindor disagreed, and so they fought. Salazar eventually left the school, for the three others to teach at. But little did they know, Slytherin left more than his house name at Hogwarts. He left something more. The Chamber of Secrets."

"The Chamber of Secrets?" Ella asked in wonder.

"...And so," continued Tom, "The Chamber of Secrets contained something of such rarity and great value. The Basilisk."

"A Basilisk?" Ella asked.

"A giant snakelike beast that only the true heir of Slytherin can awaken. You see, Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. A person that could talk to snakes. And they would obey him. Legend has it that anyone who looks into the eyes of the Basilisk will die. And anyone that looks into the eyes of a Basilisk through a translucent or mirror-like object can be paralyzed."

"Then why would you want to go looking for it, Tom?"

"Because I am a Parselmouth. And that being said, I am an heir of Slytherin."

"Oh, Tom!"

"Yes, Ella. And I am determined to carry on his work."

"Slytherin's? To destroy all muggle-borns?" She asked. She wasn't angry, or frightened, or even sad. But in wonder was all.

"Not exactly destroy...but to eliminate them from Hogwarts." Tom said with a smirk.

"Well where should we start? Where's the entrance?" She asked.

"I was hoping you'd ask that."