Whisper

catch me as I fall
say you're here and it's all over now
speaking to the atmosphere
no one's here and I fall into myself
this truth drives me into madness
I know I can stop the pain if I will it all away

2 Days later, Knight Manor.

Zarian was beginning to get concerned. Two nights earlier Tom Riddle had apparated to his home with a shaking Anya, he had placed Anya in a chair by the fire and then disapparated without another word. Zarian was glad that his parents had been out that night as it would have been hard to explain, how he had carried an unresponsive Anya up the stairs and drawn her bath. He wasn't sure what to do; she wouldn't answer his questions or anything. He knew Anya though when she was ready she would tell him, in the meantime he would look after her, like he always had and always would. He had merely tucked her into bed and held her close.

However Anya still hadn't told him what had happened and Tom hadn't replied to his owl. Anya was distant and would just wonder around the grounds. Tomorrow it was time for Anya to go back to Hogwarts and he was worried, she wasn't herself and he wouldn't be there to protect and cover for her. He had to know what was wrong.

Anya was deep in thought. It seemed like all she could do at that moment, think. Think about everything, her father, the man she had loved more than everything, and the one person she thought she could trust above all others had betrayed her. Her grandparents, well that was no great loss, she hadn't really seen eye to eye with them anyway, but her father. How could he! How could he have held her trust all the while hating her kind and knowing that she had had a sibling out there, lost and alone in the world!

That wasn't what scared her most though, it was that she had killed him and felt nothing. Or rather something but it wasn't guilt, she was sad that he was dead after all it was her father, but she didn't feel guilty for saying the words that ended his life. How could that be! She should be consumed with guilt, hate herself and Tom for allowing her to do it, but she didn't. Far enough she had thought nothing for Myrtle when she had killed her, but this was her own father. The questions kept going over and over in her head, she couldn't escape them.

Zarian had been so good to her, he hadn't pushed her for answers and she was grateful, how could she answer, when she wasn't sure what had happened herself. However she knew it wouldn't last, he would ask sooner or later. Sure enough he was coming towards her. She was at the lake that was located on the Manor grounds, and Zarian stopped himself a small distance from her, trying to read her expression, not the easiest thing to do.

"Anya what happened? Why are you acting like this?" he questioned. Anya knew she could trust him, he wouldn't run from her, wouldn't betray her, he had proven that many times after all he knew her darkest secrets. He knew about Myrtle, The Chamber of Secrets, and Her relation to Slytherin. She could trust him with this. She sighed and beckoned him to sit with her, which he did, pulling her to him and wrapping his arms around her, noticing how cold she was. Anya laid her head on his chest and began to speak. Once she had started it seemed she couldn't stop. Zarian never interrupted and although his expression changed a few times, it remained neutral never judging.

He would never judge her, not even if she were to tell him the true darkness in her soul. He wasn't exactly an angel, he probably would have done the same, so who was he to condemn her or leave her. That was something he would never do, he would never leave her, not willingly anyway. He would easily kill for her, or to stop her from being harmed and he knew although she would never say it that she felt the same way. They had each other and as far as he was concerned, that was all they needed to take on the world.

- Hogwarts -

Anya walked slowly to the headmaster's office. She knew obviously what it was about, and knew she really needed to play her part well. It would be foolish to give the game away now. Tom had explained to her all that he had done; replacing Morfin's memory with a fake one was ingenious especially seeing as she had used his wand anyway. He had also tracked down her stepmother, who had obviously snuck out when her and her father were having their confrontation and killed her, leaving her body with the others. Perfect.

She would now have to play the part of a distraught daughter upon getting the news of her father's and grandparents deaths, that wouldn't be to hard after all she was sad about it. She knocked on the door, carefully making sure her face was innocent and neutral.

"Ah Miss Riddle, do come in and take a seat." Came the voice of Professor Dippet however his face was very serious and his voice didn't hold its normal warmth. Professor Dumbledore was there too standing in the corner his eyes as always trained on her as though trying to read her very soul.

"Professor Dippet, Professor Dumbledore" she said in greeting before sitting in the chair in front of the headmaster's desk.

"Miss Riddle, I am afraid that I have some bad news...I'm afraid that...well I am afraid that a horrible crime has been committed at your home Miss Riddle and that your parents have been...well they have been...they have been murdered my dear...I truly am very sorry..." Professor Dippet was at a loss for what to say never had he had to explain to a student or anyone that their family was dead, that they were alone.

Anya was able to pull her thoughts together to play her part. She was however startled by the realisation though, it had really happened, there was no going back. Professor Dippet didn't suspect a thing that much was obvious, he fell for her tears and denials. However Professor Dumbledore wasn't and he found himself wondering if this girl in front of him could really be capable of murder.

Tom was also called into the office at Anya's insistence, although she made sure to make it clear that the two had never met before. Yes they played their parts well, very well indeed.