Disclaimer: I can't take credit for the Harry Potter world, but I am proud to present the newest product of my muse. Sorry if she's a little insane.
A/N: I came up with this idea ages ago, and it's been sitting in my computer until I could finish the prologue. You'll figure out what makes this plot so unique once you get reading. What are waiting for? Move it!
Warning: Mild language and possible violence later on.
Canon: This story takes place after Voldemort's downfall, but you can consider it post HBP. In other words, I will be using a lot of facts from that book in this one.
My name is Ana. A last name? Well, I don't know if I should tell you that… People tend to react badly. My brother and I aren't what you'd call normal. Hell, I doubt there was enough left of my father to be called human. You see where I'm going with this? We aren't liked by many people. Ha! Understatement of the century. How do I put this? Oh, I'll just come out and say it! I'm descended from a dark lord! Sucks, huh?
If your intelligence isn't as lacking as one would presume at first sight, then you must know who I'm related to. Come now, it's not that difficult to guess! Still not sure? Well, then I suppose I should let you in on a little secret.
My name is Ana Riddle. My older brother's name is Tom, after our father. Our father is dead now, defeated by the Boy-Who-Lived, Harry Potter. Do you see now? My father was Tom Marvolo Riddle, a.k.a Lord Voldemort. My brother and I are his legacy, the last of Salazar Slytherin's noble line.
At least, according to my brother. I never did agree with some of Tom's values regarding the wizarding race. I couldn't care less about the purity of blood. Who am I to talk when I'd have to be at least a quarter muggle, and my veins flow with more dark magic than actual blood? On the other hand, Tom believed that we were superior to all those fools, the muggles and mudbloods. He claimed that we had the power to bring back the dark ages, a return to pureblood society, to finish what our father couldn't.
Tom changed. Over the years, he didn't stay the loving brother who had held my hand when we were left orphans, who comforted me after my nightmares of bright green light and screams of pain, who smiled at me when I was shaking with nerves before my sorting, who stood by me when the others students shunned me, who saw me as just Ana… until he betrayed me. He became something else. Something darker, colder, unfeeling, and power-hungry. The Tom I once knew disappeared, leaving a monster in his place.
But I won't bother getting into messy details now. I am here to give you some insight into my Hogwarts years. The brief calm after the second war, and the storm that was to come. I am going to tell you my story, and the story of my brother. Our descent into darkness, and my fight to break free. Listen closely now, for the tale of a Dark Legacy…
In a secluded village by the name of Little Hangleton, not a soul stirred as the villagers slept soundly in their beds. None of them were aware of the momentous event that had taken place barely an hour ago, of the final battle to decide the fate of the wizarding world. And not one of them knew that in the derelict old mansion at the top of the hill, that many a ghost story was told of, a thing of great evil had been destroyed at last.
As opposed to the deserted streets and silent homes of Little Hangleton, Riddle Manor was alive with activity. Strange people in cloaks, which would have surely been out of place at any other time, were spread out over the property. The once-great house was no more than a charred ruin, having caught fire in the magical backlash when its owner was destroyed.
Aurors searched the smoldering remains while a few others dealt with the reporters. Most of the excitement had finally died down. Lord Voldemort's body had been portkeyed to the ministry for observation, they wanted to be sure he was actually dead this time, and those from the battle, including Harry Potter, had been sent to Saint Mungo's for medical treatment. The rest of the crowd had already broken up, intent on getting in a few celebrations before the ministry banned the more lively entertainment because of muggle security.
However, not everyone was celebrating. Two small children, a boy who couldn't have been much older than five or six, and his younger sister, stood hand in hand on the trampled grass. Both were thin and deathly pale, with straight black hair, and almost pitch black eyes that glowed blood red in the firelight. The boy held himself stiffly, trying to ignore the witch that was questioning him on how he and his sister had ended up in the hands of Death Eaters. 'How had they survived? Where were their parents?' The little girl just stared at the ground, looking lost, the ragged doll in her hand trailing on the ground.
Ana clutched at her brother's hand, and squeezed her doll tighter. She was all but silent as they stood in the night, watching their entire life go up in flames. A single tear escaped and she wiped it away furiously, trying to focus on what the tall woman in ministry robes was saying. Something about everything being alright. But Ana knew that wasn't true. Nothing would ever be right again.
She looked helplessly toward her older brother who stood hunched, nodding occasionally to the auror. His eyes were the complete opposite of his sister's, the ruby irises burning with tight fury, ready to uncoil and strike out at the nearest living thing.
A man had joined the three people, irritably brushing the soot off his impeccably clean robes. He whispered a question to his colleague, and growled in frustration when she answered negative. 'Yes, she had tried to find out what the children knew. No, they weren't talking.' The man clenched his wand tighter, and barked at the elder child. Ana's brother remained silent, glaring back rebelliously. The man repeated the question. When no answer came forth, Ana heard him muttering about them being no help, probably muggles, not their problem any more.
Ana's eyes widened in fear and confusion. She opened her mouth to speak, but her brother tightened his grip on her hand in warning. Her lips thinned, but she said nothing. The woman mentioned something about 'child services' and an 'orphanage' before walking off.
The young girl turned to her brother, "Tom, why didn't you tell them-"
"No, Ana!" he interrupted sharply, "We can't trust them. Remember what mother used to say. No one can know the truth."
"Tom?" Ana raised her shining eyes to his, "Where are mother and father? What happened to them?"
"They're gone," he said bitterly.
"Why did they leave us here?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"They would never abandon us, you should know better. These people, they took them away. They killed them."
"But why would they do that? They said they wanted to help us!"
"Because they don't understand. We can't tell them the truth, Ana, not until the time is right. Someday, though," he continued, the gleam in his eyes giving Ana chills, "someday we'll show them, and then we'll make them pay."
REVIEW!
What do you guys think? This is just a little break from my other stories. Don't worry, I will update all of them sooner or later. I came up with this months ago, and I can't stand having an entire chapter made up without posting it. The idea itself is still in progress but any suggestions from my wonderful readers would be helpful.