White Crystal: Yay! Our first Hermione and Tom fic, sorry Hermione, you've been the victim all along, people pair you up with a lot of people eh…
Hermione: that's okay, as long as they're hot winks
Black Crystal: Right then, enjoy, our latest creation…
White Crystal: Maze of Truth !
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling
Pairings: Hermione Granger x Tom Riddle
Summary: What if, Tom Riddle used an illusion when he encountered Harry in the chamber of secrets? Yes, Tom is still alive, young and powerful. But where is he now? What does the snake Nagini and filthy Filch has to do with driving Hermione to find an unknown death eater around, when she actually finds the young dark lord himself, what will happen next?
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Prologue: Another Murder
"Snape", a veiled figure called," Is that you?"
The veiled figure stepped onto the light, looking for Snape, but who he saw wasn't who he was looking for.
"Who... Who are you?" the man asked, stuttering as his cat ran before him, he then gasped, "I know you, Tom, are I right, Tom Riddle, but you're supposed to be… be…"
"Dead?" Tom laughed," Unseen, perhaps, does not mean death, Filch"
Tom's glare turned cold again, and he stepped forward, closer to Filch. Filch stuttered, for he knew Tom Riddle was Lord Voldemort, just as bloodthirsty and just as mad. Tom smiled and lowered his veil, his face now showing clearly under the light of the lantern hanging from Filch's hand.
"Please don't kill me my…my lord", Filch pleaded and fell onto his knees "Have mercy, I swear I will never tell anyone about your existence here"
The lantern fell onto the ground, crashing with the dry autumn leaves of the forbidden forests. The moon was high and round, but the forest was still dark, as the wolves howl and silent footsteps embellish the tension. Like drums the centaur's footsteps rolled somewhere deep inside the forest, but no unicorn was heard, not a single white fur of it shown tonight.
Tom Riddle laughed again, "I know you won't, but He knows you've been out here, he will know"
"I won't tell him sir, please, let me go", Filch pleaded; sweat dripping down his shaking throat.
Tom Riddle took another step towards the stiff but shaking Filch and his hand reached out for Filch's collar, he grabbed it harshly and pulled it. He gave Filch a deep and harsh glare before he finally let go. Filch fell to the ground holding his neck, he stuttered as he tried to stand. He stood at last; hands trembling as each finger followed and gripped his coat in nervousness.
How I am going to escape this, he thought, and then, he saw a light from far.
The holder of the light, Hagrid walked slowly into the forest. "Hello, anyone here?" he asked loud and clear.
Filch was going to scream for help when Tom held Filch's mouth shut and clamped it shut.
"Let a word out and say good bye to the world", he whispered into Filch's ears, who just nodded in trepidation.
Hagrid came closer and Tom pulled Filch and hid behind a huge tree root. His eyes peeked through holes and saw Hagrid coming closer.
"Funny", Hagrid muttered to himself, "I thought I heard someone talking, maybe it was just my imagination"
Hagrid turned his back and left without further inspection in the area, the light of his lantern faded and Tom retreated from his hiding place, dragging Filch along. Filch bumped his head and immediately cried out in pain.
"Who's there?" Hagrid's voice boomed again.
Tom flinched and glared at Filch, who was now cowering away, his teeth chattering with fear.
"Now there's no other way", he said as he neared towards the startled Flinch.
'No sir, please sir, I…" Filch pleaded but he was cut by Tom, who was reaching in for his wand.
Hagrid's lantern could already been seen, and he was about 50 meters away.
"Any last word?", he asked Filch as he drew his wand in front of Filch's petrified face, then he broke out a small laughter, "Now why would I care, AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Filch's body fell down with a loud thump and Tom left quickly, trying to leave no trace, but under all the hurry, the young dark lord left behind his own lantern.
Hagrid hurried and ran, where he saw Filch's broken lantern, along with Riddle's lantern sitting on a tree stump, then he saw that Filch was lying lifeless on the ground. His face was pale and his eyes were wide open.
"Mr. Filch", he said in panic, shaking Filch's body as if he was asleep, "Mr. Filch"
But Filch did not move, so Hagrid got hold on him and lifted him up, carrying him on his back as he strode off to Professor Dumbledore's office to report Filch's sudden and mysterious death.
Hagrid climbed the stairs up to Professor Dumbledore's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in", sounded the elderly voice of Professor Dumbledore as Hagrid stumbled in midnight with Filch's dead body on his back.
Professor Dumbledore stood up from his desk and fixed his glasses, his gaze fell on the body Hagrid just laid on the floor, Filch's stone petrified and dead body.
"What happened Hagrid, oh my, Filch is, dead", Professor Dumbledore said as he stared at the face-down Hagrid in disbelief.
"When I found him, I heard some people, so I went to look, then I saw him dead already sir", Hagrid said, still horrified by the fact that a murder had happened again in Hogwarts.
"Very well, I shall, announce his death tomorrow morning, make sure he has proper burial", Dumbledore said, taking a deep breath, "And Hagrid..."
Hagrid looked at Professor Dumbledore as he lifted Filch's body to bury him.
"Be careful"
"Yes sir", Hagrid said, and closed the door of Professor Dumbledore's office, leaving him with his thoughts.
"Oh my, we might have to close Hogwarts for real this time", he thought as he called for Professor McGonagall.
Minerva McGonagall rushed up the hallways and up to professor Dumbledore's office as she entered without a word and slammed the door shut behind her. She entered Dumbledore's office with a stern look on her face.
"I heard Filch's been murdered", she said.
Dumbledore stayed silent, but he gave her a look she's seen before.
"Is it true, was it the curse?" she asked quickly.
Dumbledore looked at her with a sad expression and nodded, "Looks like a death eater is on the loose in Hogwarts"
'Or it might be Him', he thought, 'Can the dark lord really be back already?'
"Professor", she said, "We might have to close Hogwarts for safety reasons"
Dumbledore sighed, but he didn't say a word.
The moon hung high where Tom Riddle was deep in the forest, no creature befriended him, not even get near him, and they all stayed away as if in fear.
At 2 am, Hermione was awakened by a soft tapping on her shoulder; she slowly opened her eyes and found Harry beside her, panic.
"Hermione", Harry called her and whispered, "I need to talk to you, personally"
Hermione followed Harry to the Gryffindor common room.
"Can't it wait until morning?" she asked.
"No, Filch's been murdered", he said frantically.
Hermione's eyes widened in shock, "Oh my god"
"That's not the worst part yet", he continued, gripping her hands fearfully, "Dumbledore's worried there might be a loose death eater near, it might even be You-Know-Who himself"
Footsteps tinkled down the stairs as Ron appeared beside them
"Bloody hell, what are you guys doing here this late?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.
"And what are you yourself doing here this late, Master Weasley?" Hermione retorted back sarcastically.
"Ron, listen", Harry started again, "There's been another murder, and we think a death eater's loose in Hogwarts"
Ron turned pale and uneasy, "Let's just discuss this tomorrow", he said sleepily, but trembling
Hermione nodded in agreement as she climbed the stairs to the girls' dorm.
"Good night Harry, Ron", she said and disappeared through the door.
"You're right Ron, we better leave it till' tomorrow", Harry said.
Ron and Harry left the warmly lighted Gryffindor common room and headed to the boys' dorm, Neville stood at the door.
"I... I", he stuttered, "I heard everything"
Harry and Ron froze in their tracks. The dimly lighted corridor's paintings looked at them. They hushed Neville and pushed him inside the dorm, then closed the door with a soft thump.
"Neville", Harry said, but he stopped.
"Is it true Harry, has there really been a murder?" he asked quietly.
Harry just sat silent on his bed and let himself fall back on his bed.
He didn't answer Neville's question, instead, he told him to get to sleep and wait until tomorrow. Neville just followed like a robot and waited till tomorrow in uneasiness.
"There's been another murder", Harry sighed. He twisted and twirled on his bed, but he couldn't sleep as those words rang in his words.
And deep in Harry mind, he knows that 'he' is back.
To be continued…
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White Crystal: Hey! How was that? Our first hg/tr fic! Thanks a lot for reading, and please review, I hate it when there are hits but no review, AT ALL! takes out gun
Black Crystal: Put that away, anyway, thank you to J.K. Rowling for creating these characters!
White Crystal: Hope you enjoyed the prologue, Chapter One: Conflict of Proof, will be uploaded soon, when I have time to write it!
Black Crystal: Bloopers for the next chapter, when Hermione insist there's a death eater hiding somewhere in Hogwarts, she tries to find proof against all rules…
White Crystal: What will happen next? Follow with Maze of Truth!
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