Hey, everyone, I am really sorry I have been gone so long. But life happened, I have Autism and Polycystic Kidneys so I struggle with my health both physical and mental but I have not given up on my writing no matter how long my episodes keep me away. As my most recent episode ended my sister was having bad headaches, she wears glasses so we thought her sight was getting worse and needed a new strength. Unfortunately, they found a bleed in her eye and rushed her to hospital. A month later we were informed she had a mass in her eye and it had broken off causing the pain. Many tests later they found a tumour on the back of her brain. she had surgery and is back to normal life but everything was really hard on the family for a while. I am truly blessed with a strong sister who never gave up and was up and walking the day after her surgery. She has been my biggest support with my issues and despite struggling with protocols of care and people, it was my turn to do the same. This chapter is dedicated to the most wonderful sister I could ask for, caring for me and teaching me how the world works despite being five years younger. Kennedy, I love you with all my heart and you are my inspiration to keep trying in life no matter the hurdles, I am so glad you will be by my side when I say I do in four months. XXXXXX
- The ritual in the chapter below will be written in English so you can read it, but it is spoken in Latin like the funeral for Cygnus Black. But I figured it would be easier to write in English so you don't have to get to bottom notes to know what is said.
Magical celebrations amongst the Pureblood family circles in the Wizarding World were something magnificent, the picture of muggle fairytale dreams. Magic danced through every crevice of the homes wild and free, refuelling the souls of the ones honouring her, causing them to act very much the same. Riddle Manor and its occupants were no different, the festivities well underway as they prepared for their holiday rituals. Harry and Hermione laughed loudly and freely as they ran around the manor in the days leading up to Yule, ducking under their parents as they decorated the house, and sliding down the main entrance staircase bannisters. Over the weeks since coming back from Hogwarts, every family member had been over to see them home again. Even Andromeda with Husband Ted Tonks and daughter Nymphadora, Andromeda was desperate to reconnect with her sisters and wanted to get to know her niece and two nephews. Dora got on splendidly with her cousins and despite the seven-year age-gap was often seen playing magical tag with Hermione, Harry and Draco. Using simple disarming, paralyzing and defensive spells they chased each other around the massive Manor and its grounds when hit with a skin colour changing spelling that person became the chaser.
The massive Yule Log, which had to be collected from trees on a property woven with the magic of the family celebrating, was harvested by Harry and Hermione right as the clock struck twelve rolling into the morning of the first day of Yule. It was now resting in the middle of the large celebration gazebo in the backyard, the ground around it beautiful stone tiles, and stone bricks building the base of the gazebo. The actual rounded structure was made of white wood reaching up high and was large enough to hold close to eighty people sitting down around the rim. The Yule Log sat on dried Borage flowers gathered by the members of the Riddle family, to bring peace to the home, tranquillity in the family, and calmness in their relationships with each other. The first night of Yule as the sun went down the Riddle family stood around the Log, allowing Magic to flow in and around them, it was time for the ritual to begin.
"Mother Magic we call you now." Tom chanted, the Latin rolling off his tongue easily. The head of the family always started the ritual. Hermione and Harry shuddered as they felt the ancient Slytherin and Black family magic settled around them.
"Air from the East;
The one you gave us for our breath, sustaining life.
Through it, you grant us Communication, Imagination, Clarity and Knowledge.
We thank you." They chanted together, smiling as they felt the air whip around them softly, welcoming.
"Earth from the North;
The one you gave us for the crops that fill us to grow.
Through it, you grant us Fertility, Patience, Discipline and Endurance.
We thank you." The ground rumbled under their feet as if reassuring them that it was there. Despite being the start of the Winter Solstice the grass stood still as magic settled in the earth.
"Fire from the South;
The one you gave us for warmth and light in the dark.
Through it, you grant us Love, Courage, Freedom and Power.
We thank you." Even though the Log was still unlit, awaiting the end of the spoken ritual, the temperature around them started to rise. The ground beneath their bare feet and the air around them warming.
"Water from the West;
The one you gave us for the rivers, satisfy the thirst.
Through it, you grant us Empathy, Intuition, Compromisation and Health.
We thank you." Soft raindrops started to fall on the gazebo's wooden roof, the babbling creek that ran through a brick-sized opening at the base of the stone foundation seemed to get louder as it ran over beautiful white stones.
"Mother Magic tonight we honour you for all you have given us.
Guide us as you have before, feel our love and devotion as we willingly follow you with our open souls and cores." Tom finished the last verse himself again, before wandlessly and wordlessly sending an Incendio at the Yule Log. An immense wave of pure magic from the elements washed over the Riddle family as Mother Magic accepted them as the Log and Borage flowers went up in flames. Harry and Hermione sighed in unison feeling utterly content as they felt their magical cores being replenished, their souls being washed, and their minds resting at ease.
Basking in the purest form of magic, letting themselves forget every worry or fear melt away they waited before starting the next personalized step. In order of status within their family, they stepped forward with handmade flower bouquet, each flower symbolizing what they want for their family members in the new Solstice.
Tom stepped forward first, his bouquets were wrapped around by three white heathers symbolizing protection for his family. For his wife, he had laceleaf symbolizing abundance and happiness, paired with a daffodil representing new beginnings. Both flowers for how Tom wanted her to have a new beginning with her sisters and have the happiness she deserves after her Mother had ripped them apart. For his son and daughter, he had two identical bouquets made of Oak Leaves, representing patience, power, endurance and strength, all of which his children would need upon return to Hogwarts. Along with baby's breath symbolizing the pureness and innocence that he wants to preserve and everlasting love from their soulmates. A hidden bouquet was bought out of his pocket, it wasn't wrapped in anything, just fourteen peace lily's tied together, representing peace in the afterlife, usually used in these rituals to help those that haven't crossed over. Harry and Hermione shared a look, every year Tom added that bouquet but never told them why or who it was for, Cassi placed her hand on Tom's shoulder in silent support. With a sorrowful smile at his wife, Tom stepped aside giving her room, the mood changing as he felt genuinely uplifted with the warmth around him as he watched Cassi hold out her bouquet.
Like Tom's, it was wrapped in three white heathers, for Tom she had branches of a bay laurel tree with the leaves and little white flowers representing ambition, success and renown. All of which she wanted for his husband with his quest to save the Magical world. She had two bouquets, one for each Harry and Hermione, they had white lilac flowers representing youthful innocence which she wanted to preserve like her husband but they also meant confidence. She wanted them to continue to walk with their heads held high and follow their dreams. The last flower was oxeye daisy, representing patience. Something the twins would need desperately as they braved the halls of Hogwarts, facing down Dumbledore and his blind followers. She allowed her love for her two precious children to pour out into the bouquets before dropping them into the fire.
Harry and Hermione stepped forward as one because of their equal status, feeling the warmth get stronger with every step forward. Harry smiled happily as his parents love washed over them, this was his family, with his free hand he reached out and grabbed Hermione's hand. She turned her head to smile at her brother squeezing his hand, together they were unstoppable and knew the other would always be there to catch each other. Harry's bouquets for his family were all wrapped with white heather for protection like his parent's bouquets, he needed the extra reassurance that his family would be kept safe during this fight against the Light. For his Father, he had bay laurels like his Mother for the success against the Light, as well as Geranium for determination and wheat for wealth and prosperity. For his Mother, he had phlox for the Harmony he knew she wanted with her re-established relationships with her sisters, followed by red and yellow roses together meaning joy, happiness and excitement everything she deserved. The final bouquet, for his sister, was filled solely with cherry blossoms for a good education, transience of life, gentleness, kindness and feminine beauty.
Hermione had done the same as the rest of her family, wrapping her three bouquets in white heathers, it was fairly common for families who still practised to old ways to use white heathers due to the fact that the Light was constantly a danger to them. For her Father, Hermione had bird's-foot trefoil for revenge that he needed against those who had wronged them, and olive for continued peace, which Tom had finally found within himself from his family. For her Mother, Hermione had gone with pink tulips representing caring, good wishes, friendship, joyful occasions and confidence, wanting her Mother to have good things with her family, just like her Father and Brother had. Her final bouquet was for her Brother. She had eglantine rose for healing wounds, gladiolus for the strength of character, conviction and honour, black tulips for power, strength and supreme elegance and last elderflower for compassion. All of which he would need for his plans to follow his Father's footsteps inside Hogwarts and to reunite with Sirius and Remus.
Harry leant over to kiss Hermione's cheek as they dropped their bouquets together. The fire swallowed their plants, Mother Magic wrapped around them accepting their requests, sharing her love and power. The fire would continue to burn throughout the winter providing warmth and love through the dark and cold nights.
"I have a plan for the… current issues you are facing at school." Tom finally spoke, they had sat in silence by the fire for over an hour, just enjoying being a family forgetting for a time all their problems. But that moment was over now apparently. Harry and Hermione sat up straighter from either side of their Mother, as Tom stood up from Harry's other side and started to pace.
"But, your Mother and I have spoken about this and you need to know the backstory and truth of this situation."
"Okay," Hermione whispered, tucking her feet up under her legs.
"We are listening." Harry nodded with trepidation.
"First, the flowers I leave every year in the Solstice fire are the ending of this story. They are for a very special girl." Tom whispered sadness in his voice.
"She was the one to introduce me to your Mother. But before that, she was so much more." Cassi reached out a hand to her husband as he choked, Harry and Hermione shared worried glances. Not much could rattle the Lord of the Dark.
"When I was at Hogwarts I already knew Dumbledore was dangerous. He knew of my Slytherin heritage and had hidden it from me. I told him when he visited me at Wool's Orphanage at eleven, that I could talk to snakes and asked if it was normal. He said no and left it at that, I could feel his eyes following me the minute I arrived at Hogwarts. Because of him, I spent the first three years at Hogwarts being the Mudblood of Slytherin. I found out at the start of my fourth year that Parseltongue only ran in the Slytherin bloodline and I took my place as King and ruled over my housemates." Tom said smugly, he could remember all those who tormented him bowing at his feet, where they belonged.
"But it wasn't until June 1943 that I realized how dangerous and evil he was. How desperate he was to have another challenger that he could 'save' the Wizarding World from again. In my third year, I had started to feel my magic playing up, it was reaching out, feeling and searching for something. I couldn't understand it, and I refused to ask another student then as I was an outsider. It continued into my fourth year and then I was the King of Slytherin, a leader for the Dark Faction who either feared or respected me. I couldn't risk the ones who had opposed me using my lack of knowledge against me, reminding them of my Muggle upbringing would only put me in dangerous territory." Tom scoffed, those who had opposed him had been punished harshly once he had unleashed his vengeance and their families never recovered.
"I searched everywhere, but I was searching in the wrong place. A month into my fifth year I finally found my answers, inside a book I had scoffed at and ignored, The World of Magical Bonds." Harry and Hermione gasped, it was the same book Tom had given Hermione when she met Theo and Harry when he met Fred.
"My magic wasn't playing up or being damaged, it was looking for my soulmate. Once I had that information it only took me a few weeks to find her." Cassiopeia stood and held her husband's hand in comfort, stopping his pacing and grounding him.
"Myrtle Warren was a Muggleborn third year Ravenclaw. Merlin her intelligence rivalled mine already at thirteen, she was a far from a mudblood as possible. She had embraced her magic and celebrated the Magical celebrations, being taught by her Pureblood housemates. I caught a Slytherin third year, Olive Hornby teasing her and her glasses on the day I found her. I cursed her harshly with glee, left her in the corridor and took Myrtle aside. That night in the Slytherin dorms I called Hornby and her Brother, Sage, in front of the entire house with Myrtle at my side. I informed everyone that they had been caught tormenting a fellow student with the mudblood slur in the middle of the corridor where any professor could've seen. Then informed the shaking pair that it wasn't just any student. But their King's soulmate." Tom revealed. Harry and Hermione had to chuckle, the slur mudblood was not to be used on Muggleborns trying to assimilate, especially where a teacher could find them. They would've been punished by their house for that alone.
"The entire house ostracized them completely. Under my orders, no one was to talk to them or help them in any way. Olive had been betrothed to Cathal Yaxley in my year who had been one of my first supporters and followers, they lost the betrothal contract the next day. I could see Dumbledore getting suspicious as Myrtle and I got closer. She was getting stronger and more confident, with a unique outlook, much like your Luna, without the seer ability. In my sixth year and her fourth, I finally found the Chamber of Secrets, the two of us spent many afternoons done there in Salazar's office and library. We had found the famed monster in the chamber." Tom grinned as Harry and Hermione sat up straighter, leaning forward eagerly.
"Her name was, Aziza, Salazar had found her egg in Algeria, giving her a name of Arabic origin meaning strength power might and precious. He had placed her there to protect the students from Muggle threats. Salazar never wanted to wipe out Muggleborns. He had taken some under his wand as proteges, unfortunately, his favourite, the most promising, a young girl Ainsley who was a gifted Legilimens and Occlumens at thirteen. Unfortunately, she had been caught in the witch hunts and burnt to death at fourteen. That was when he bought Aziza into the school and hid her in the Chamber. He then tried to have Muggleborns taken from their families and adopted into the Purebloods to save them. What legend does not tell you is that Godric, who was his best friend until the end, supported him. He did not want to take children from their parents and instead wanted to monitor them and any sign of abuse have them taken then. They fought over it yet but not enough to break the harmony between the four friends. Rowena completely agreed with Salazar and Helga with Godric, but they comprised, they would do as Godric and Helga wanted but if too many were being taken from abusive Muggles that they would change to Salazar and Rowena's plan. All four founders knew of Aziza. All four had helped build the Chamber to keep her comfortable."
"What was Aziza?" Harry asked breathily, Hermione nodded wildly her curly hair bouncing around her face causing Tom to let out a genuine laugh.
"She was a Basilisk." Both children gasped in excitement. There were only four Basilisks known to the world all in a Magically Guarded reserve, Avon Reserve was in the middle of the Bermuda Triangle and protected the most dangerous of endangered magical creatures. Now they had learnt there was a fifth one, in Hogwarts no less. Tom grinned, their reactions had been identical to his and Myrtles when they found her. Although Myrtle had not been a parselmouth, Aziza had loved the caring girl who had learned everything she could about Basilisks as to properly care for her. He would often come out of the study to see Aziza sleeping with Myrtle on her tail napping.
"But then I started to lose days in my memories. According to my followers, and Myrtle I would disappear for hours and be aloof and distant when I did return. I didn't know what was happening. Then a Hufflepuff Muggleborn turned up petrified. I knew immediately it had to of been Aziza, not many things can petrify like a Basilisk, only two that it is known. A dark sorcerer of all Magic with the Parseltongue gift, even I cannot do it yet, and a Magically bred stonefish, touching their spines will petrify you. If you place a male and female normal stonefish in a lake surrounded by Magic, like ours or the Great Lake at Hogwarts, their offspring will be a magical mutated creature. We still don't know how, it is the only Muggle creature to do so, it is rumoured they were originally magical creatures that adapted to a Muggle world so emerging it in Magic brings it forward again. So it was fairly clear to me what the cause was, but Aziza can't leave the Chamber into the actual school unless ordered by a Parselmouth."
"She can't leave the Chamber?" A horrified Hermione interrupted.
"She can, just not into the school, there is a huge tunnel into the back of the forbidden forest where she has bonded with many of the creatures out there," Tom reassured her.
"Anyway we began to suspect someone was using me, the missing hours and days lined up. But I can fight the Imperius Curse, it washes over me and never has a chance to cling to me. By Christmas I was positive it was Dumbledore, he was watching me more than usual even for him, he seemed eager and happy whenever I disappeared. Four more students had been petrified, each one Muggleborn, the tensions between the other houses and Slytherin had elevated. Gryffindors were attacking us every chance they got, yet when we retaliated or protected ourselves we got detentions and point loss. We were researching what was controlling me every free period we had with no luck. Even back then Dumbledore was removing books from the library and trying to limit our learning." Harry growled at that. Stupid old coot had meddled too much in the Magical world and he had no doubts that his Fathers thoughts back then were right and that Dumbledore had behind everything.
"What I hadn't known was Myrtle had been doing her research into my family as a surprise for me. Trying to find out who my mother had been in the hopes of finding my Father. She was very much like you Hermione" Tom said with a sad smile at his daughter.
"Intelligent and vivacious. Even the most stoic Slytherin's grew to respect her as her own Witch instead of as my soulmate. On my birthday she presented me with her findings. She had already known that my most likely blood relation to the Slytherin family tree was the Gaunts. I had figured that out myself back in my fourth year. But after that I was stumped, the last Gaunt at Hogwarts was three generations ago. She had managed to find out about a young girl who had been almost a squib after all the abuse from her family, Merope. She had given me her last known address where her last known relative, brother Morfin lived. We had planned to go together when the school year ended and get my answers. But Dumbeldore ruined everything." Tom's magic swirled angrily with hatred, his eyes vibrant red while his hands shook. Harry and Hermione could only watch in horror as their Father stalked around in fury, his Magic felt unstable and broken. Smothering the area, the power was a taste in the air, encompassing everything. Cassiopeia had been quick to grab her husband and hold him close, allowing her magic to soothe him.
"Father, you don't have to tell us more," Hermione whispered as Harry hugged her closely.
"No, I am sorry. You deserve to know this." Tom shook himself, gaining control of his magic, reigning it back in. Despite the situation, Harry couldn't help but be in awe at his Father's power and control. Dumbledore always left his Magic out to feel so you were aware of his power, but he didn't even come close to what they had just felt from Tom.
"June 13th 1943 was the worst day of my life. There had been eight petrifications and Dumbledore and Dippet were interrogating everyone, yet the DMLE hadn't come in. That night I blacked out, I had been on my way to the dorm after dinner and after that black. When I woke up I was just outside the dorm and it was almost curfew, I was weak and drained, I felt this hole in my Magic and Soul. I was terrified of what this meant. I turned around away from the dorm and started to walk shakily, as prefect I knew I could talk myself out of trouble for being out after curfew. But before I could get far Professor Slughorn came barreling down the hallway and with fear and sadness on his face he ushered me into the dorm room. He sat the entire house down and informed us that Olive Hornby had found a student dead." Harry and Hermione gasped in horror, they had known a student had died last time the chamber opened, but with all the past tenses and current family, they had a dreaded knowing of who had died. Tom ran his hands over his face as tears gathered.
"I knew in my gut what was causing this hole in my Soul, for the first time since being a child I started to cry. No one could do anything, I was angry and lost control of my Magic. It destroyed the dorm room, thankfully Professor Slughorn had been able to protect my housemates from my rage when he finally said her name I screamed and passed out. My trusted followers and the closest I had to friends back then filled Professor Slughorn in on the fact she was my soulmate. He managed to get a potion in me to settle my core and got me to the Mediwitch Matron Madam Selwyn. Together they were able to stabilize me so my soul didn't disintegrate." Harry wasn't even able to bring himself to gasp unlike Hermione, he just felt cold, he hated Dumbledore more than he ever had before. How dare he do this to his Father. He couldn't bear to think about Fred dying, how had his Father continued? Most went crazy before killing themselves after the death of a soulmate before a bonding. Once bonded they stabilized naturally and could carry on or choose to die in their sleep unwilling to continue. Hermione was crying as she watched her Mother hug their Father before she joined them, Harry, right behind her.
"Three days later I came too, Headmaster Dippet, Madam Selwyn and Professor Slughorn waiting for me to come to. They gave me their condolences and said I could come to them as they understood. But how could they? I felt rage like I had never felt before, not with Billy Stubbs or Mrs Cole at the orphanage, not even with those who dared defy me and called me a mudblood all those years. Someone had to pay for what had happened. I started going through my bag to find if I had missed something, something that could maybe undo what had happened. What I found was worse. I found my diary, but it was not a simple diary anymore, I could feel my own essence pouring out of the pages. I leant over the bed in the hospital wing and vomited. I knew exactly what had happened, why both my Magic and Soul had felt different. I had been researching Horcruxes all year, my fear of my death had changed to the fear of Myrtles and I had been desperate but it happened anyway. However, he had done it Dumbledore had made me not only kill my own soulmate but make my first Horcrux from her death." Tom looked sick again recounting his story.
"I kept looking and found a folded parchment with my name scrawled on it in delicate cursive. I recognized Myrtle's handwriting instantly, it took me an hour to bring myself to open it. There was a vial of pink liquid within the paper. The page was torn from a book, the title Obscure Banned Potions was on the top of the page. It was a recipe and description of the potion called Imperium Summa, it literally translates to control unlimited, the highest power. It is essentially a liquid Imperius, but because it is ingested you can't fight it off, it removes the memory of what you do under its effect just like a possession. She had scrawled on the bottom that Dumbledore had sent Rubeus Hagrid with a note demanding a meeting with her and she had a bad feeling so she placed the antidote and information in my bag before meeting with him. I wish with every part of my magic that she had come to me first, but even we hadn't thought Dumbledore would go that far. I took the antidote straight away but even that couldn't fix how my soul aches and the chaos I could feel in the back of my head. I do believe that being responsible for my own soulmates death and the Horcruxes were the reason I lost my mind near the end of the first war." Tom admitted, he relished feeling his family close.
"I was walking back to my dorm plotting my revenge when Dumbledore found me. He told me it wasn't wise to wandering the halls due to the circumstances, I felt my blood boil, he had a twinkle in his eyes. I had to let him know that I knew what he had done as well as keep the school open. Myrtle had come back as a ghost of Hogwarts, I couldn't go back to the Muggle world unable to return to see her. She was currently tormenting Olive Hornby and laughing maniacally as she used to when she found something to use against others in debates. Like me, she hadn't been fully right even back then, although she let go more when she got attacked by a wolf pup and Dumbledore just waved it off as the fault laid with one of his Gryffindors. Just then it hit me I smirked at Dumbledore before turning around and followed the walls and corridors deeper into the castle. Finally, I found what I was looking for, that bumbling idiot was in love with dangerous creatures, always sneaking them into the castle to raise. Sure enough, I found Rubeus Hagrid trying to hide an acromantula of all these in a box. 'It's over Hagrid' I said. Startling him. 'he didn't do it' he pleaded over and over. 'You never meant him to hurt someone, but for this, they will have your wand' I was awarded a trophy, a special award for services to the school by Headmaster Dippet and the school Governors. Dumbledore hated me even more after that. It was the start of my revenge plans and it had worked so sweetly. I then cursed the diary to reopen the Chamber if ever back in Hogwarts with someone who wasn't my heir." Tom finished.
"I am so sorry Father," Harry whispered, his Father had been through the worst anyone could suffer and he had gone and started the cycle again.
"It is not your fault my son, yes you should have been more careful but you are only a child. Besides, I have a plan. Dumbledore will surely know where the diary is, he was the reason for the first time and most assuredly is behind this one just as much. The most likely scenario is that he was watching you just as closely as he watched me and then waited for a chance to grab the diary knowing it has my soul inside." At this Tom chuckled as he pulled out a small box from inside his enlarged pockets.
"You have to find the diary and replace it with this," Tom said as Harry hurriedly unwrapped the box only to reveal an identical book.
"This has similar powers, it can talk back but unlike the Horcrux, it does not house my soul." A dark smile appeared on Tom's face.
"Once you have the original and swapped it with the fake, you can pretend to save the sad sap that has it. I will then convince the board to award you the same one I got all those years ago."
"That would piss Dumbledore off so bad." Harry chuckled with his Father.
"Language." Cassi scolded her son but with a smile on her face.
"Question? How do we find the diary?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Firstly, watch Dumbledore, if he does know who has the diary then he will be watching them carefully. If that doesn't lead anywhere try focusing your magic on the family branch, it should warm up the more you use it and you will get stronger at sensing the family magic and recognizing it will become easier." Cassi said smiling softly, she had been working on this with Tom since they had found out the diary was missing.
Harry ran his hands over the book before handing it to Hermione, familiarizing themselves with the small sliver of their Fathers magic.
"We won't let you down." They chorused together.