Chapter 3:

"You seem to know your way around here, done this sort of thing before?" Tom asked as they slide into the library.

"Shh, not so loud…maybe once or twice," she added pulling her wand out of her pocket. They made their way into the restricted section with great caution. Nicole reached out her wand, whispered an incantation and a stream of light spouted from it.

"Tom, there are a bunch of history books on different families around here, it's a good place to start." She pointed to a particularly shady looking shelf.

He grabbed the first book that came into sight. "The Gaunt family," he said aloud.

"Gaunt, Riddle, same thing right?" Nicole added. "Let's stick to a need to read basis." Tom frowned. "Then stash it in your pocket." Tom looked at the book, then his pocket, they were by no means size compatible. "Fine then, we'll read it here."

She snatched the book from his hand and opened it on to the bench. "It says here the members of the Gaunt family are the last remaining descendents of Salazar Slytherin and thus are the only known Parselmouthes in Europe to date."

Tom looked closer at the page, "Parselmouth? What's that?" he asked Nicole.

"Umm, it says here that it is the ability to…communicate with snakes, it's like your English, so you speak English, does that make any sense?"

"I can talk to snakes or 'communicate' with them, there's a bunch of garden snakes outside the orphanage." He said.

She laughed until she realized his seriousness "Are you sure your mother wasn't a witch? As far as you know, 'Gaunt' could have been her maiden name." A few seconds after a sound was heard; he creaking of foot steps. "It must be the caretaker. Stash the book in your robes; we'll meet in the kitchens tomorrow after double potions." She whispered hurriedly.

"Again with the kitchens," he sighed and went off in the opposite direction. It was a narrow escape from the library to the Slytherin common room.

He couldn't sleep, and he wasn't about to try. He opened up the book and began to scan through the pages.

"The Gaunt family has been rumored to favor inbreeding because of their sullen faces and generally weak bone structure but this can not be confirmed or denied…The Gaunts are infamously known for their hate of non pureblood wizards, an emphasis of hate put on that of muggles…They prefer themselves in no company or that of a snakes…The family has often been referred to as clinically and criminally insane… A once prosperous family now lives in rags…Only one of Salazar's treasures remains…Marvolo Gaunt is the oldest accompanied by his two children…"

"Tom, come on mate, your gunna be late for breakfast, and you don't want Slughorn on your tale, eh?" asked Felix, a rather gullible third year. "Look at you studying all night, no wonder you get such good grades," he said smiling obliviously and left the common room.

Tom had to tell Nicole what he had learned. He had so many questions he new could be answered if he just asked someone. Double potions was excruciatingly long and Slughorn's constant fawning over the two of them made him sick to his stomach.

"So you read anymore of it yet?" Nicole asked anxiously as they entered the kitchens.

"Butterbeers?" asked one of the house elves. They each took one and sat down in the corner as was usual procedure. "Hadn't seen you in ages, Miss Sullivan, Mr. Riddle, nice to have you back." He said as if he were in a daze and went off in a rather dizzy manner.

"A bit. Marvolo Gaunt, one of the family members, I have his middle name, and the snakes thing, and it all fits, he had two kids."

"So your mum's dad or your dad's dad?" she asked impatiently.

"It must be my mum's, unless my father changed his name, they didn't give the names of the two children," he added.

"Huh, there's a Slug Club meeting tonight." She replied abruptly. Tom couldn't believe what he had heard. He just opened his mouth trying to make sense of her comment.

"Well…Slughorn is in love with you Tom, you can't deny that, and you see how he works his students, he's bound to be well connected."

Tom thought for a moment, it made sense. He'd have to try it he needed to know. "I'll do it, right after the meeting, I promise." She just stared back and headed toward the Great Hall, It was her brilliant idea to skip lunch.

"Yes Tom?" Slughorn asked his eyes peering over him with concern. Tom looked around but Nicole had already left.

"Umm, yes, I was wondering if you knew about Slytherin descendents, uh, the Gaunt family, I heard it was called," he said trying to act as casual as possible.

"Why yes, I know a thing or two…wait a minute, how did you come to find that name?" he asked with a curious gleam in his eye.

"I just heard the mention of the name in a book," then he quickly added "I don't remember which."

"Ahh, I see. Well all that's left is Marvolo and his son now. They're Parselmouthes you see….and umm, a very anti social bunch," Slughorn said hesitating.

"He only had a son?" Tom asked with great interest.

"Nah, he had a daughter too, by the name of Merope, the son's named Morfin."

Tom given up the hopes of his father's wizardry asked "What was she like?"

"Tom, I don't know how to answer you. I never met her myself, they're a rumor I heard about her running off with some muggle and disappeared around twelve or so years ago but that's it."

"Ohh," said Tom slightly let down. "What was the muggle's name?"

"I'm sorry Tom, I don't know, besides…It's best not to let rumors control your lives anyway, anything else you wanted to ask me?"

"Not at the moment, I'm going to go now," he answered defeated.

"If I think of anything else you'll be the first to know!" he yelled as Tom passed out of the dungeons.

Half way to the common room a familiar voice was heard behind him.

"What did you find out?" asked Nicole.

"Mum's a witch, and I'm related to Salazar Slytherin, a typical day. Slughorn didn't know much, all I have is a name, Merope," he said with distaste.

"I thought it might be something like that," she sighed; disappointed as he was at the lack of information Slughorn had to offer.

Tom had few other questions, the year had left him drained and confused, a part of him was even glad to return to that god awful orphanage.