A/N- Yet again, I have writer's block, but I will STILL try to get these
chapters out. Fanfiction.net has been REALLY unresponsive for me for a
while, so that's why 17 was so late. Hopefully, this one will work. Read
and review! And, in response to the 5th book. This chapter was written
BEFORE it came out, so I don't know what it says. If, in the probable case
that, the 5th book makes the facts of this story and Lily's Lake
impossible, I will still continue, but it will be slightly AU. Kay? Cool.
Read and review!
Disclaimer- I own nothing. It all belongs to the Great Harry Potter people. I'm not getting paid.
Erika - The Legacy of Lily and James
We arrived at Hogwarts at the usual time. By then, everyone was hungry, and looking forward to the feast that awaited us. Meg and I pushed our way, trying to blend into the crowd so we wouldn't have to see Adrienne. Which was very hard considering that everyone took a step back when Meg approached. Afraid she might kill them, I supposed.
Usually you ride in groups of four up to the castle, but we had a carriage all on our own. The general fear of Meg still resided in the students.
"Wonder what they'll do when they find out about Adrienne," I said, "She's not going under an alias, right?"
Meg shook her head, "She's known as Adrienne Riddle. Another presumed 'spy' for Voldemort."
We both scorned.
"It will be kinda funny to see their faces when they call her up," I siad, suddenly grinning, "Sad, but still funny."
* * *
Hogwarts Castle
As told by Anya Jones
Dumbledore, the Hogwarts staff, and I were standing in the Great Hall during the final moments before the students arrived.
"We have a hard year ahead of us. Our enrollment count has dropped as families are moving away, to 'safer' destinations. We house targets of Lord Voldemort, and, now, instead of one Riddle child, we house two; Megan and Adrienne Riddle. Both are innocent children who knew nothing of this. It is our duty to keep them from those who might harm them," Dumbledore said, "But let us also remember that Hogwarts is a school as well as a haven. Let us d our jobs to the best of our ability."
The faculty nodded.
"I must get the first years," McGonagall said, and walked away from the rest of us.
Everyone else moved to their places as the doors opened and the first of the students entered.
* * *
A few minutes later
As told by Erika Potter
Meg and I walked into the Great Hall, talking to each other, and sat at our normal places. Everyone else filed in and took their seats. While Avery, Jewel, and Lucy didn't trust Meg 100% yet, they still took their seats across from us.
"So, Erika, Megan, did you have a nice summer?" Avery asked, her smile looking fixed.
I nodded, "Yes, a very good one. What about you three?"
Avery smiled, "Wonderful. It is good to be back, though, and as second years, isn't it?"
"Yes," I answered, and turned back to Meg.
I rolled my eyes, and then motioned to Avery, Jewel, and Lucy. Meg put her hand to her face to hide her laughter.
I looked up at the High Table. Anya was sitting there, talking with Professor Flitwick. She looked down at us, and waved. Meg and I waved back.
"I can't belive she's back," Jewel said, "I mean, she's probably the first professor in years to actually stay for two years! And after everything that's been happening around here, I'd leave if I were here."
Meg shrugged, and replied, cooly, "She likes it here."
We both knew what she left out: she was safe here, and she was happy here. Personally, I was glad she was here, one of my few connections to my past.
"I wonder I they'll have Sirius Black here again. He was here a lot for the last part of the year," Avery said.
Meg and I exchanged glances, remembering Meg's comment in our apartment, about Anya being anywhere Sirius was bound to be for a while. It must go the other way around, too.
"Oh, I'm sure he'll visit," I said, "Him and Dumbledore are quite close."
We were interuppted by the doors opening and the first years being led in by Professor McGonagall.
They stood in the straight line, and I remembered what it had been like to stand there, staring at the whole school. I picked out Adrienne from the crowd, looking so pale in her black robes and standing out from the rest because how light her hair and skin were. She looked over at us, and smiled. Meg and I didn't return the smile, and directed our attention to the sorting.
While the hat sang away, Meg turned to me.
"What house do you reckon she'll be put in?" Meg asked, her voice a whisper.
"If I were anyone else I'd say Slytherin, going by her last name, but then again, you aren't in Slytherin. So, really, I have no idea. What about you?" I whispered.
Meg was silent, and then shrugged.
We turned back to the sorting, since Avery was shooting us evil looks. McGonagall started calling people up. I paid attention to the best of my ability. Two girls were sorted to Gryffindor, and three boys, before they got to the name that I was waiting for.
"Riddle, Adrienne."
A ripple ran through the crowd. It had the same effect as "Voldermort." People turned to whisper to their friends, and none of them were being quiet about it. One girl actually screamed. I recognized her as someone whose family had been killed by Voldemort, and felt sorry for her. Quite a few people turned to cast Meg evil, suspicious, looks. I saw Meg tense in front of me.
The small figure of Adrienne walked up to the stool. Before the hat was placed over her head, McGonagall gave everyone a look that said "quiet before I give everyone detentions". Everyone shut up, but the anger on everyone's faces was evident.
Adrienne sat there for a full minute, while the hat debated. Meg tensed with every passing second. Anya looked over at Meg, and offered an encouraging smile before turning back to Adrienne.
"RAVENCLAW!"
There were no claps, just utter, angry, hateful, silence. Adrienne slid off the stool as the High Table began clapping. None of the students followed.
I looked up at Snape, who was clapping lightly, glaring at Adrienne's retreating back. Another victim, I thought, and wondered if Snape would be as forgiving as he was the year before, partly out of fright of Meg and partly out of sadness of the memory that the image of Meg forced upon him, of his wife and daughter being killed by a young, but still merciless, Ruth.
Adrienne slid into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, and everyone slid down to be as far away from her as possible.
In front of me, Meg relaxed.
"Not Slytherin," she whispered to me.
Her whisper was the first sound in the Great Hall before the next name was called.
Even after Adrienne had been sorted, the clapping and general cheerfullness of the Great Hall was not the same. The clapping was forced, and the cheerfullness had been replaced with hate and fear. Everyone kept looking over at Meg, and then at Adrienne, expecting one of them to produce a wand and kill everyone in sight.
I almost felt sorry for Adrienne, until I looked at her. She seemed unaware of everyone's feelings, and was merely enjoying the ceremony thoroughly.
McGonagall rolled up her list, and the Sorting Hat was taken away. Dumbledore stood, and said his few words, and then the feast began.
The moment the food appeared, everyone turned to start piling up their plates. Avery was glaring at Meg.
"So one spy isn't good enough for your Dark Lord, is it Riddle? You have to have TWO! Why don't you just kill us and get it over with. I know you're just ITCHING to do it!" Avery shouted.
Everyone who could hear turned to look at us, and went silent.
"Avery, I am NOT a spy!" Meg countered, "I'm a student, just like you! Ask the Ministry! I've been HELPING them, giving them INFORMATION! If anything, I've been spying on Voldemort!"
That comment sent the Great Hall diving into a state of fear and chaos. Meg had said HIS name. I rolled my eyes, and then groaned.
"This is pathetic,you guys! Meg isn't a spy, and we can say his name. Voldemort. Voldemort! VOLDEMORT!" I shouted.
Avery turned to glare at me, "You should know better, you're a Potter!"
"I'm not scared of his name!" I told her, "It's only a name, and besides, don't you think every time someone whispers 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named' he doesn't feel victorious because he's BEAT YOU! Just by making you scared of his name he's BEAT you!"
Megan joined my outburst, "He lives on your fear! He KNOWS you fear him, and that makes him happy! He wants you to be scared of him! If we're scared of him, we'll never be able to face him! And if we never face him, WE WILL DIE! Look around! Half the people in this room are wanted DEAD by him! If we fear him, we've as good as lost! You're a Gryffindor, he'll want you dead too!"
"Are you THREATENING ME?" Avery shouted, standing up, "Are you threatening me, you stupid RIDDLE!"
By now, everyone in the Great Hall was watching, their mouths hanging open. Avery had shouted at Megan Riddle, the grand-daughter of Lord Voldemort. I had stood up for Megan. Both of us had shouted his name. And Avery had accused Megan and Adrienne of being spies.
I had been to busy shouting at Avery to notice Adrienne had stood up from her seat, and walked over to our table.
"Megan is not a spy. Neither am I. Both of us are here at our own risk. Both of us are wanted dead," Adrienne said, cooly, "Who are you, to accuse us of something the Ministry has proven us not to be?"
Avery glared at her, "Everyone is wrong! My parents are angry! They think Megan should never have been permitted to come to Hogwarts. And now that you're here, my parents will be VERY upset! My uncle is on the Board of Governors for this school! He will see to it that both of you are expelled."
"No one will be expelled," Dumbledore said, calmly, from his seat, where he was standing, at the High Table, "Both Megan and Adrienne Riddle are here on my invitation. If the Governors are upset over this, I truly do not care."
The Great Hall was silent.
"Now, Megan and Adrienne Riddle are not spies. They were tested under Vertiseraum, the strongest Truth Potion known to our kind. Now, let us please return to our feast," Dumbledore said, and sat back down.
With one more glare at us, Avery sat down. Adrienne turned, and walked back to the Ravenclaw table, and sat down. Everyone scooted down to be as far away from her as possible. She sat at the end of the table, and ate, looking quite content.
Our part of the table was silent.
At the end of the feast, Dumbledore stood to make his announcements.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts! Before you return to your dormitories, I have a few annoucements. Firstly, Mr. Filch has added Screaching bombs to the list of forbidden items, viewable in his office to anyone who so wishes. The forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Quidditch try-outs are to take place the second week of term. If you are interested in playing, see Madame Hooch. That is all. Now, off to bed!" Dumbledore announced.
Everyone stood, and Meg and I followed a prefect to the tower, where we were told the new password.
Up in our room, Avery, Jewel, and Lucy were talking about their summer on Avery's bed. Meg and I sat down on Meg's bed, in the corner, and talked quietly.
"Well, tonight was different," I whispered.
Meg nodded, and glared at Avery, "I'm sick of people thinking I'm a spy. I'm trying my best to help protect them, and they are just making it harder!"
I shrugged, "They'll figure it out soon enough. I think the only reason Avery got mad was because of Adrienne. She was just starting to get used to the idea when, poof, another Riddle shows up."
"I shouldn't have exploded like that, though. Now everyone's going to think I'm a spy with a anger management problem," Meg said.
"No, they won't," I assured her, "You're quiet enough, usually. They won't think you have an anger management problem, they'll just think you'd finally had enough, and spoke out."
Meg sighed, and told me, "Anya doesn't like me going to the Ministry for questioning."
"Really?" I asked.
Meg nodded, "She doesn't trust them. She trusts Dumbledore a whole lot more than she trusts them."
I nodded, "I can see them. The Ministry failed her when she needed them the most. Almost all her friends are gone. She's only got a few left. Dumbledore's actually working to stop Voldemort directly. The Ministry is beating around the bush, pretending their helping, but not really doing anything but trying to cover their butts using you and what you See."
Meg laughed at the way I put it, but admitted, "That is true."
"You know how I keep myself going?" I asked, "I remember that eventually, this has to end. Voldemort's reign will end. What goes up, has to come down. Laws of the universe."
Meg smiled, but reminded me, "Wizards defy laws of the universe on a daily basis."
"Well then," I replied, smiling, "We'll just have to make sure that this law is kept, at least in Voldemort's case."
"Deal," Meg said.
We both laughed, causing Avery, Jewel, and Lucy to look over at us.
"What are you two so happy about?" Jewel asked.
"We're planning how to cause Voldemort's downfall," I answered, grinning at them.
They glared at us, mostly for mentioning his name, and partly just for joking about it, even if we weren't joking.
I rolled my eyes at them, and said, "Well, tomorrow's the first day of classes. Better get some sleep or I just might forget everything else I forgot over the summer."
"You do know that made no sense," Meg said.
I nodded, and replied, "Of course, I'm not COMPLETELY daft."
We laughed, and I climbed into my own bed, happy to be back at Hogwarts, but sad because I partly missed our apartment in London, and my brother, Hermione, and Ron.
A few days later I was talking to Meg at the breakfast table, when I very happily saw Hedwig fly into the Great Hall with the rest of the owls.
She dropped a package in front of me, which I hurridly opened.
"Yum . . . fudge," I said, looking at the package of wrapped fudge.
I opened the letter attached to it. An article fell out, which I set aside, and read the letter from Harry.
"Dear Erika, How are you? How are things at Hogwarts? Are your classes going well so far? We're getting along fine here, though the cooking isn't half as good without you there to yell at us for doing it wrong. Sarah wants me to tell you she got a job in London, and an apartment, too. She made you the fudge as a back-to-school present. How is Megan? Don't forget about Quidditch try-outs. Good luck on them, too. Well, I have to go. Have fun. Harry. P.S. - I want you to read this article."
I took a piece of parchment and quill, and quickly wrote a reply.
"Harry, I'm fine. Hogwarts is still standing, though the professors all seem stressed. Classes are fine. Please don't burn down the apartment building! Tell Sarah I said congratulations and thanks for the fudge, it's great, Meg and I already ate a bit of it. Meg's fine. We had a little spat with Avery Hide at the Welcoming Feast, but everything's all right now, wary, but all right. I won't forget about Quidditch, either, I'm just as excited about it as you are. Here's a bit of news: Adrienne, remember her, was sorted into Ravenclaw. She's pretty much a loner. No one will talk to her, save a few occasional words from Meg and I. If they have to adress her, they call her "the Riddle girl". It's a bit sad. Tell Ron, Hermione, and Sarah I said hi. Erika."
I gave my letter to Hedwig, who took off.
Meg, who had been reading the article, handed it to me and said, "Read this."
I took it from her, and read it over. It was a Daily Prophet Article, about Adrienne coming to Hogwarts. It said all sorts of things about spies, Voldemort, and much more.
"Great, this is bloody stupid!" I complained, putting the article down, "Talk about not giving you guys any time to let people trust you. They're ALWAYS pointing fingers at you. You should complain."
Meg rolled her eyes, "Like they'd listen to me. Erika, come on, they think I'm a spy, a Death Eater."
I shrugged, "We have to do something. How is anyone going to trust you with the Daily Prophet throwing all sorts of suggestions about you being a Death Eater into peoples' faces?"
Meg sighed, and whispered, "I dunno."
I couldn't have asked for a better day for Quidditch try-outs. The Saturday dawned beautifully, and at noon, there was still not a cloud in the sky. After lunch, Meg and I went back up to our room. I changed into a pair of robes that we had bought in Diagon Alley, and tied my hair back into a ponytail. Examining myself in the mirror, I nodded.
"Come on," I said, and grabbed my broom.
Meg and I walked down to the Quidditch pitch. I was VERY nervous. Slytherin and Hufflepuff had had their try-outs in the morning. Gryffindor's was at 2:00 pm, and Ravenclaw's was at 4.
When we arrived it was 1:53 pm, according to my watch.
Meg was going to watch me from the stands, for "moral support". I was sure I'd need it. I was feeling queasy.
"You'll be great," Meg assured me.
We walked up to the registration table, where Madame Hooch was sitting, writing down names.
"Erika Potter, second year," I said, "For the position of Chaser."
Madame Hooch nodded, and wrote "Potter, Erika" in the name column, "2" in the year column, and "Chaser" in the position column.
She handed me a piece of paper with a number on it, which I pinned to my robes. Meg and I went to sit down on the side with the rest of the Gryffindors trying out. The team was standing on the ground, watching us.
I counted them. There were only a few positions open, one for Keeper, because Ron had left, one for Seeker, because Harry had left, and one for Chaser because the third chaser had decided to try out for Keeper instead. The third chaser had to try out, as did all the subs. There were five others trying out for Chaser, and three of them were the subs from the year before.
I felt sick.
"You're going to be great," Meg kept telling me.
Finally, the try-outs started. The first position they tried out for was Keeper, then Beater, then Chaser.
We all had to mount our brooms, and hover at about fifty feet from the ground while they threw Quaffles at us. Occasionally we'd have to move to catch one. Once, the person throwing the Quaffle at me threw it too far to the side that I couldn't just reach. I had to quickly tip my broom, catch it, and tip back up, very quickly. I did so, since Harry, Ron, Fred, and George had gone through that drill with me.
Next, we had to speed-fly up and down the pitch several times. Then there was an obstical course.
Once we dismounted, they dismissed us for the Seeker try-out, telling us that we'd be informed the following day on the list of who made the team.
I felt I did pretty good, considering before the try-out I felt I was going to puke. But the moment I was in the air, it was so strange, I nearly forgot that I was trying-out, and just had fun doing what they told me to.
When we came down from our room the next morning, the list was posted in the Common room of those who made it. The moment I saw it, I turned around with the inention of going back upstairs.
"Oh, no, you're looking at that list," Meg said.
I shook my head, "I can't!"
"Sure you can't! You faced Ruth, didn't you? You can do this! It's just a bunch of writing on a piece of paper," Meg told me.
"A bunch of writing telling me wether or not I'm a good Quidditch player," I said.
Meg rolled her eyes, and led me down the stairs.
Grimly, we started walking towards the list. A third year who had tried out for Seeker turned around, and saw me. She smiled.
"Erika! Congratulations! We're playing together!" she said.
I frowned, "What?"
She rolled her eyes, and smiled, "I made Seeker and you made Chaser!"
"I made Chaser?" I asked.
She nodded. I went up to the list, and looked at the paper. Sure enough, it said Chaser- Erika Potter.
"I did it!" I shouted.
A/N- that's chapter 18 for ya. Erika made Chaser! A little cliché, I know, but you'll have to deal. Trust me, the rest of this WON'T be cliché, except for maybe little bits here and there. Next chapter, something serious happens in Hogwarts that puts all the students on the list of the suspicious, especially Adrienne and Megan. Enjoy! Review!
Any additional comments can be given to me at StarlightEve111@aol.com. P.S. - I love getting emails *winks*.
Disclaimer- I own nothing. It all belongs to the Great Harry Potter people. I'm not getting paid.
Erika - The Legacy of Lily and James
We arrived at Hogwarts at the usual time. By then, everyone was hungry, and looking forward to the feast that awaited us. Meg and I pushed our way, trying to blend into the crowd so we wouldn't have to see Adrienne. Which was very hard considering that everyone took a step back when Meg approached. Afraid she might kill them, I supposed.
Usually you ride in groups of four up to the castle, but we had a carriage all on our own. The general fear of Meg still resided in the students.
"Wonder what they'll do when they find out about Adrienne," I said, "She's not going under an alias, right?"
Meg shook her head, "She's known as Adrienne Riddle. Another presumed 'spy' for Voldemort."
We both scorned.
"It will be kinda funny to see their faces when they call her up," I siad, suddenly grinning, "Sad, but still funny."
* * *
Hogwarts Castle
As told by Anya Jones
Dumbledore, the Hogwarts staff, and I were standing in the Great Hall during the final moments before the students arrived.
"We have a hard year ahead of us. Our enrollment count has dropped as families are moving away, to 'safer' destinations. We house targets of Lord Voldemort, and, now, instead of one Riddle child, we house two; Megan and Adrienne Riddle. Both are innocent children who knew nothing of this. It is our duty to keep them from those who might harm them," Dumbledore said, "But let us also remember that Hogwarts is a school as well as a haven. Let us d our jobs to the best of our ability."
The faculty nodded.
"I must get the first years," McGonagall said, and walked away from the rest of us.
Everyone else moved to their places as the doors opened and the first of the students entered.
* * *
A few minutes later
As told by Erika Potter
Meg and I walked into the Great Hall, talking to each other, and sat at our normal places. Everyone else filed in and took their seats. While Avery, Jewel, and Lucy didn't trust Meg 100% yet, they still took their seats across from us.
"So, Erika, Megan, did you have a nice summer?" Avery asked, her smile looking fixed.
I nodded, "Yes, a very good one. What about you three?"
Avery smiled, "Wonderful. It is good to be back, though, and as second years, isn't it?"
"Yes," I answered, and turned back to Meg.
I rolled my eyes, and then motioned to Avery, Jewel, and Lucy. Meg put her hand to her face to hide her laughter.
I looked up at the High Table. Anya was sitting there, talking with Professor Flitwick. She looked down at us, and waved. Meg and I waved back.
"I can't belive she's back," Jewel said, "I mean, she's probably the first professor in years to actually stay for two years! And after everything that's been happening around here, I'd leave if I were here."
Meg shrugged, and replied, cooly, "She likes it here."
We both knew what she left out: she was safe here, and she was happy here. Personally, I was glad she was here, one of my few connections to my past.
"I wonder I they'll have Sirius Black here again. He was here a lot for the last part of the year," Avery said.
Meg and I exchanged glances, remembering Meg's comment in our apartment, about Anya being anywhere Sirius was bound to be for a while. It must go the other way around, too.
"Oh, I'm sure he'll visit," I said, "Him and Dumbledore are quite close."
We were interuppted by the doors opening and the first years being led in by Professor McGonagall.
They stood in the straight line, and I remembered what it had been like to stand there, staring at the whole school. I picked out Adrienne from the crowd, looking so pale in her black robes and standing out from the rest because how light her hair and skin were. She looked over at us, and smiled. Meg and I didn't return the smile, and directed our attention to the sorting.
While the hat sang away, Meg turned to me.
"What house do you reckon she'll be put in?" Meg asked, her voice a whisper.
"If I were anyone else I'd say Slytherin, going by her last name, but then again, you aren't in Slytherin. So, really, I have no idea. What about you?" I whispered.
Meg was silent, and then shrugged.
We turned back to the sorting, since Avery was shooting us evil looks. McGonagall started calling people up. I paid attention to the best of my ability. Two girls were sorted to Gryffindor, and three boys, before they got to the name that I was waiting for.
"Riddle, Adrienne."
A ripple ran through the crowd. It had the same effect as "Voldermort." People turned to whisper to their friends, and none of them were being quiet about it. One girl actually screamed. I recognized her as someone whose family had been killed by Voldemort, and felt sorry for her. Quite a few people turned to cast Meg evil, suspicious, looks. I saw Meg tense in front of me.
The small figure of Adrienne walked up to the stool. Before the hat was placed over her head, McGonagall gave everyone a look that said "quiet before I give everyone detentions". Everyone shut up, but the anger on everyone's faces was evident.
Adrienne sat there for a full minute, while the hat debated. Meg tensed with every passing second. Anya looked over at Meg, and offered an encouraging smile before turning back to Adrienne.
"RAVENCLAW!"
There were no claps, just utter, angry, hateful, silence. Adrienne slid off the stool as the High Table began clapping. None of the students followed.
I looked up at Snape, who was clapping lightly, glaring at Adrienne's retreating back. Another victim, I thought, and wondered if Snape would be as forgiving as he was the year before, partly out of fright of Meg and partly out of sadness of the memory that the image of Meg forced upon him, of his wife and daughter being killed by a young, but still merciless, Ruth.
Adrienne slid into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, and everyone slid down to be as far away from her as possible.
In front of me, Meg relaxed.
"Not Slytherin," she whispered to me.
Her whisper was the first sound in the Great Hall before the next name was called.
Even after Adrienne had been sorted, the clapping and general cheerfullness of the Great Hall was not the same. The clapping was forced, and the cheerfullness had been replaced with hate and fear. Everyone kept looking over at Meg, and then at Adrienne, expecting one of them to produce a wand and kill everyone in sight.
I almost felt sorry for Adrienne, until I looked at her. She seemed unaware of everyone's feelings, and was merely enjoying the ceremony thoroughly.
McGonagall rolled up her list, and the Sorting Hat was taken away. Dumbledore stood, and said his few words, and then the feast began.
The moment the food appeared, everyone turned to start piling up their plates. Avery was glaring at Meg.
"So one spy isn't good enough for your Dark Lord, is it Riddle? You have to have TWO! Why don't you just kill us and get it over with. I know you're just ITCHING to do it!" Avery shouted.
Everyone who could hear turned to look at us, and went silent.
"Avery, I am NOT a spy!" Meg countered, "I'm a student, just like you! Ask the Ministry! I've been HELPING them, giving them INFORMATION! If anything, I've been spying on Voldemort!"
That comment sent the Great Hall diving into a state of fear and chaos. Meg had said HIS name. I rolled my eyes, and then groaned.
"This is pathetic,you guys! Meg isn't a spy, and we can say his name. Voldemort. Voldemort! VOLDEMORT!" I shouted.
Avery turned to glare at me, "You should know better, you're a Potter!"
"I'm not scared of his name!" I told her, "It's only a name, and besides, don't you think every time someone whispers 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named' he doesn't feel victorious because he's BEAT YOU! Just by making you scared of his name he's BEAT you!"
Megan joined my outburst, "He lives on your fear! He KNOWS you fear him, and that makes him happy! He wants you to be scared of him! If we're scared of him, we'll never be able to face him! And if we never face him, WE WILL DIE! Look around! Half the people in this room are wanted DEAD by him! If we fear him, we've as good as lost! You're a Gryffindor, he'll want you dead too!"
"Are you THREATENING ME?" Avery shouted, standing up, "Are you threatening me, you stupid RIDDLE!"
By now, everyone in the Great Hall was watching, their mouths hanging open. Avery had shouted at Megan Riddle, the grand-daughter of Lord Voldemort. I had stood up for Megan. Both of us had shouted his name. And Avery had accused Megan and Adrienne of being spies.
I had been to busy shouting at Avery to notice Adrienne had stood up from her seat, and walked over to our table.
"Megan is not a spy. Neither am I. Both of us are here at our own risk. Both of us are wanted dead," Adrienne said, cooly, "Who are you, to accuse us of something the Ministry has proven us not to be?"
Avery glared at her, "Everyone is wrong! My parents are angry! They think Megan should never have been permitted to come to Hogwarts. And now that you're here, my parents will be VERY upset! My uncle is on the Board of Governors for this school! He will see to it that both of you are expelled."
"No one will be expelled," Dumbledore said, calmly, from his seat, where he was standing, at the High Table, "Both Megan and Adrienne Riddle are here on my invitation. If the Governors are upset over this, I truly do not care."
The Great Hall was silent.
"Now, Megan and Adrienne Riddle are not spies. They were tested under Vertiseraum, the strongest Truth Potion known to our kind. Now, let us please return to our feast," Dumbledore said, and sat back down.
With one more glare at us, Avery sat down. Adrienne turned, and walked back to the Ravenclaw table, and sat down. Everyone scooted down to be as far away from her as possible. She sat at the end of the table, and ate, looking quite content.
Our part of the table was silent.
At the end of the feast, Dumbledore stood to make his announcements.
"Welcome back to Hogwarts! Before you return to your dormitories, I have a few annoucements. Firstly, Mr. Filch has added Screaching bombs to the list of forbidden items, viewable in his office to anyone who so wishes. The forest on the grounds is forbidden to all students. Quidditch try-outs are to take place the second week of term. If you are interested in playing, see Madame Hooch. That is all. Now, off to bed!" Dumbledore announced.
Everyone stood, and Meg and I followed a prefect to the tower, where we were told the new password.
Up in our room, Avery, Jewel, and Lucy were talking about their summer on Avery's bed. Meg and I sat down on Meg's bed, in the corner, and talked quietly.
"Well, tonight was different," I whispered.
Meg nodded, and glared at Avery, "I'm sick of people thinking I'm a spy. I'm trying my best to help protect them, and they are just making it harder!"
I shrugged, "They'll figure it out soon enough. I think the only reason Avery got mad was because of Adrienne. She was just starting to get used to the idea when, poof, another Riddle shows up."
"I shouldn't have exploded like that, though. Now everyone's going to think I'm a spy with a anger management problem," Meg said.
"No, they won't," I assured her, "You're quiet enough, usually. They won't think you have an anger management problem, they'll just think you'd finally had enough, and spoke out."
Meg sighed, and told me, "Anya doesn't like me going to the Ministry for questioning."
"Really?" I asked.
Meg nodded, "She doesn't trust them. She trusts Dumbledore a whole lot more than she trusts them."
I nodded, "I can see them. The Ministry failed her when she needed them the most. Almost all her friends are gone. She's only got a few left. Dumbledore's actually working to stop Voldemort directly. The Ministry is beating around the bush, pretending their helping, but not really doing anything but trying to cover their butts using you and what you See."
Meg laughed at the way I put it, but admitted, "That is true."
"You know how I keep myself going?" I asked, "I remember that eventually, this has to end. Voldemort's reign will end. What goes up, has to come down. Laws of the universe."
Meg smiled, but reminded me, "Wizards defy laws of the universe on a daily basis."
"Well then," I replied, smiling, "We'll just have to make sure that this law is kept, at least in Voldemort's case."
"Deal," Meg said.
We both laughed, causing Avery, Jewel, and Lucy to look over at us.
"What are you two so happy about?" Jewel asked.
"We're planning how to cause Voldemort's downfall," I answered, grinning at them.
They glared at us, mostly for mentioning his name, and partly just for joking about it, even if we weren't joking.
I rolled my eyes at them, and said, "Well, tomorrow's the first day of classes. Better get some sleep or I just might forget everything else I forgot over the summer."
"You do know that made no sense," Meg said.
I nodded, and replied, "Of course, I'm not COMPLETELY daft."
We laughed, and I climbed into my own bed, happy to be back at Hogwarts, but sad because I partly missed our apartment in London, and my brother, Hermione, and Ron.
A few days later I was talking to Meg at the breakfast table, when I very happily saw Hedwig fly into the Great Hall with the rest of the owls.
She dropped a package in front of me, which I hurridly opened.
"Yum . . . fudge," I said, looking at the package of wrapped fudge.
I opened the letter attached to it. An article fell out, which I set aside, and read the letter from Harry.
"Dear Erika, How are you? How are things at Hogwarts? Are your classes going well so far? We're getting along fine here, though the cooking isn't half as good without you there to yell at us for doing it wrong. Sarah wants me to tell you she got a job in London, and an apartment, too. She made you the fudge as a back-to-school present. How is Megan? Don't forget about Quidditch try-outs. Good luck on them, too. Well, I have to go. Have fun. Harry. P.S. - I want you to read this article."
I took a piece of parchment and quill, and quickly wrote a reply.
"Harry, I'm fine. Hogwarts is still standing, though the professors all seem stressed. Classes are fine. Please don't burn down the apartment building! Tell Sarah I said congratulations and thanks for the fudge, it's great, Meg and I already ate a bit of it. Meg's fine. We had a little spat with Avery Hide at the Welcoming Feast, but everything's all right now, wary, but all right. I won't forget about Quidditch, either, I'm just as excited about it as you are. Here's a bit of news: Adrienne, remember her, was sorted into Ravenclaw. She's pretty much a loner. No one will talk to her, save a few occasional words from Meg and I. If they have to adress her, they call her "the Riddle girl". It's a bit sad. Tell Ron, Hermione, and Sarah I said hi. Erika."
I gave my letter to Hedwig, who took off.
Meg, who had been reading the article, handed it to me and said, "Read this."
I took it from her, and read it over. It was a Daily Prophet Article, about Adrienne coming to Hogwarts. It said all sorts of things about spies, Voldemort, and much more.
"Great, this is bloody stupid!" I complained, putting the article down, "Talk about not giving you guys any time to let people trust you. They're ALWAYS pointing fingers at you. You should complain."
Meg rolled her eyes, "Like they'd listen to me. Erika, come on, they think I'm a spy, a Death Eater."
I shrugged, "We have to do something. How is anyone going to trust you with the Daily Prophet throwing all sorts of suggestions about you being a Death Eater into peoples' faces?"
Meg sighed, and whispered, "I dunno."
I couldn't have asked for a better day for Quidditch try-outs. The Saturday dawned beautifully, and at noon, there was still not a cloud in the sky. After lunch, Meg and I went back up to our room. I changed into a pair of robes that we had bought in Diagon Alley, and tied my hair back into a ponytail. Examining myself in the mirror, I nodded.
"Come on," I said, and grabbed my broom.
Meg and I walked down to the Quidditch pitch. I was VERY nervous. Slytherin and Hufflepuff had had their try-outs in the morning. Gryffindor's was at 2:00 pm, and Ravenclaw's was at 4.
When we arrived it was 1:53 pm, according to my watch.
Meg was going to watch me from the stands, for "moral support". I was sure I'd need it. I was feeling queasy.
"You'll be great," Meg assured me.
We walked up to the registration table, where Madame Hooch was sitting, writing down names.
"Erika Potter, second year," I said, "For the position of Chaser."
Madame Hooch nodded, and wrote "Potter, Erika" in the name column, "2" in the year column, and "Chaser" in the position column.
She handed me a piece of paper with a number on it, which I pinned to my robes. Meg and I went to sit down on the side with the rest of the Gryffindors trying out. The team was standing on the ground, watching us.
I counted them. There were only a few positions open, one for Keeper, because Ron had left, one for Seeker, because Harry had left, and one for Chaser because the third chaser had decided to try out for Keeper instead. The third chaser had to try out, as did all the subs. There were five others trying out for Chaser, and three of them were the subs from the year before.
I felt sick.
"You're going to be great," Meg kept telling me.
Finally, the try-outs started. The first position they tried out for was Keeper, then Beater, then Chaser.
We all had to mount our brooms, and hover at about fifty feet from the ground while they threw Quaffles at us. Occasionally we'd have to move to catch one. Once, the person throwing the Quaffle at me threw it too far to the side that I couldn't just reach. I had to quickly tip my broom, catch it, and tip back up, very quickly. I did so, since Harry, Ron, Fred, and George had gone through that drill with me.
Next, we had to speed-fly up and down the pitch several times. Then there was an obstical course.
Once we dismounted, they dismissed us for the Seeker try-out, telling us that we'd be informed the following day on the list of who made the team.
I felt I did pretty good, considering before the try-out I felt I was going to puke. But the moment I was in the air, it was so strange, I nearly forgot that I was trying-out, and just had fun doing what they told me to.
When we came down from our room the next morning, the list was posted in the Common room of those who made it. The moment I saw it, I turned around with the inention of going back upstairs.
"Oh, no, you're looking at that list," Meg said.
I shook my head, "I can't!"
"Sure you can't! You faced Ruth, didn't you? You can do this! It's just a bunch of writing on a piece of paper," Meg told me.
"A bunch of writing telling me wether or not I'm a good Quidditch player," I said.
Meg rolled her eyes, and led me down the stairs.
Grimly, we started walking towards the list. A third year who had tried out for Seeker turned around, and saw me. She smiled.
"Erika! Congratulations! We're playing together!" she said.
I frowned, "What?"
She rolled her eyes, and smiled, "I made Seeker and you made Chaser!"
"I made Chaser?" I asked.
She nodded. I went up to the list, and looked at the paper. Sure enough, it said Chaser- Erika Potter.
"I did it!" I shouted.
A/N- that's chapter 18 for ya. Erika made Chaser! A little cliché, I know, but you'll have to deal. Trust me, the rest of this WON'T be cliché, except for maybe little bits here and there. Next chapter, something serious happens in Hogwarts that puts all the students on the list of the suspicious, especially Adrienne and Megan. Enjoy! Review!
Any additional comments can be given to me at StarlightEve111@aol.com. P.S. - I love getting emails *winks*.