Chapter 23 The Riddles

It was almost 20 minuets before anyone spoke. It took them that long for Selphie to run over with the most shocking gossip she'd ever delivered. "Guys" she squeaked "It's Cedric ... he's ... he's dead." They left Michelle crouched on the grass to push their way through a crowd, unprepared for the sight that met them. Mrs. Diggaroy was crying hysterically over the body of her son, Cho was sobbing on the shoulders of her friends.

Shayna swallowed as the tears welled in her eyes. She moved quickly back to Michelle. "You o.k?" she asked Even if she had said she was Shayna wouldn't have believed her. Michelle looked more tiny and frightened then anyone had ever been. "He's gonna come for me again, isn't he?" she whispered "Who's coming Michelle?"

"What does this all mean?" Amber said joining the girls "Something big is happening" "Look its Dumbledore!" Jes pointed "Probably gonna take Cedric away from here."

But to everyone's surprise he bent down and whispered to Shayna and Michelle. "You two go up to my office quickly, the password is cockroach clusters. There you will find a rather large dog, tell him I sent you if he gives you any trouble. On my desk is an invisibility cloak, cover yourselves with it and wait, there are things you need to hear."

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Michelle and Shayna's footsteps echoed in the extremely quiet corridor. There was a loud ringing in Shayna's ears due to the absence of the noise there had been outside. And the feeling numbness was thickening around her. Though Michelle's eyes were dry by now her breaths were still coming in violent, quiet sobs. As strange as talking to a dog was Shayna did as Dumbledore said. The dog seemed quite agreeable, as long as it knew Dumbledore was o.k. with their presence. And after patting the dog on the head Michelle joined Shayna under the silvery wet invisibility cloak.

Moments latter Dumbledore arrived a sickly looking Harry with him. With a soft pop the dog was gone, and in his place stood Sirus Black. Both girls gasped under the cloak, which, luckily, Harry was too distraught to hear. He looked awful. Blood ran down his arm and leg, mud splattered his face. Black put an arm around Harry as he told them the story.

His words caused terrible images to swirl in Shayna's minds eye. The dark circle of masked death-eaters, the gravestone of her grandfather, and the horrid image of her father returned to his body and to power. She felt as though her knees were going to give, but some how they did not. Little Michelle began to cry silently and was squeezing Shayna's hand so tightly that she felt it may fall off.

As Sirus and Dumbledore accompanied Harry to the Hospital Wing Shayna and Michelle were beckoned to follow. It was difficult to move under the cloak, even more so because Michelle was so weak with fear that she was using Shayna as a crutch. She didn't like to second guess Dumbledore, but she couldn't see how putting all this on Michelle's shoulders was a good idea.

There was quite a group waiting for Potter in the Hospital wing. His two friends, a woman and young man who also appeared to be Weasleys, Professor McGonnal, the Minister of Magic, and Severus. Much of the conversation was a blur. The thought of what had just happened was thick in Shayna's mind and very little thinking could be done through it. The Minister, McGonnal, and the young Weasley eventually left, it was then that Dumbledore asked Sirus and the girls to reveal themselves. Potter looked at Shayna with those clear green eyes, and Shayna saw something familiar in them. He felt responsible, even guilty for her pain, just as she had for his. "It's alright Harry" she barley managed the words, while keeping her tears in.

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Neither girl spoke a word until they were safe in the empty common room. The fire was dieing slowly as Michelle turned to her. "Shayna" she began "I ..." but something stopped her. A small black owl swooped through the open window and dropped a letter on the table, next to Michelle's firebolt. It was addressed to the both of them. Shayna unfolded the parchment and read out loud.

Shayna and Michelle Riddle, Daddy's back girls and it's high time you two knew what was going on. Thanks to the assistance of my idiotic but faithful servant Wormtail, and of course young Harry Potter, I am back to my old self. The dark arts have been revived with me and they will have their day yet. I'm a very anxious to hear from the two of you, do write me upon receiving this. Don't worry about post, the owl will be able to find me I am certain of it. You're Father, Lord Voldemort p.s. I do hope the firebolts I sent reached you girls. I'm sure you're both excellent chasers, like your father.

After lowering the parchment from her face Shayna began sizing up Michelle, while she looked at her with unbelievable shock. She could see it now, the same pale skin, same skinny frame, and those bolt blue eyes, how could she have missed it? "He's your father too." Michelle broke the silence It wasn't a question but Shayna nodded

Michelle nodded, and began watching her feet. Shayna walked over the fire and toss the letter in. "How dare he?" she began "How dare he contact us, to even pretend we would-" Michelle looked suddenly up, face cold, body trembling. In one furious movement she was at the side table one which her firebolt sat. In a terrible burst of rage she began to beat it against the wall. Splinters flew in all directions and the crack of the broom echoed in the empty common room. Through it Michelle could be heard sobbing "I hate you! I hate you! Why? It's not fair! I hate you!" With her last bit of strength Michelle whipped the battered broomstick into the fire and fell to her knees, sobbing.

Shayna knelt down and held her sister tightly, stroking her blonde curls. "Why did he have to come back Shayna?" she sobbed into her robes "Everything was so good, why now! Why?!" But Shayna had no answers for her, as a Riddle all she had was more questions.