AN: thank you all for putting this story in your story alerts (it makes me happy) haha but pleassse…don't forget to review first (: and you have to admit, it was pretty cool of me to update within a day :P

To the 'Anonymous' reviewer: i live in Australia so its winter over here and it's the middle of term. Hahaha how i wish we were out for the summer….oh well :P

Chapter 5: Don't Judge a Book by its Cover...

"Who was the man, anyway? The man she loved?" Harry questioned. Gina looked up, her eyes still red, and sighed.

"You know him too well, Harry. It was Tom Riddle."


Harry was sitting in the Common Room, back from an unbelievably weird encounter. Tom Riddle. Tom Riddle had loved someone. Someone more than, maybe, his own life. Ron and Hermione were also visibly shocked at hearing Gina's revelation.

"Blimey," whispered Ron, "Can you believe that Voldemort was ever in love?" The others shook their heads slowly.

"Wow. So could that be the reason why he's like…this now?" Hermione softly asked.

"I dunno. Your guess is as good as mine I suppose," Harry replied. He reflected back to that conversation, where many more truths had been uncovered…


Ron's jaw dropped. Hermione let out a squeak and Harry was speechless. This Gisele girl had been in love with Voldemort? This information alone had been enough for a 5 minute awkward silence.

"How-how did you know he loved her? Voldemort, I mean. I mean, what if he was using her, like now?" Harry questioned. Gina smiled warily.

"I understand your reasons for doubting all this, but when Gisele was sentenced to die, he came to me that one night…

"Mrs Lockwood…please. Can't you do anything?" pleaded a grief-stricken Tom. The rain was lashing against the window and there was a strong wind blowing.

"Honey, you know just as well as I do that Adrian and Lira aren't going to change their minds," Gina softly replied. There were tears welling up in her eyes. Her niece, whom she had loved as a daughter, was going to be executed tomorrow. Tears started to run down Tom's face.

"She can't die. How can someone I truly love be taken away from me? She's too young, too beautiful, too innocent. We have a son together. How is he supposed to grow up without a mother? She can't die." Tom's cries were drowned out by the thunder…

"Every time I picture his face that night, my heart breaks for him. It was the face of a burning man. He was in so much agony and, oh, the day she died. Harry, you have to understand. What you see as Voldemort today is NOT what he was before. Tom had a kind, gentle soul and the death of Gisele killed him internally," Gina replied. Hermione sat their flabbergasted. To think that Voldemort had a 'gentle soul' was beyond comprehension.

"What happened after that?" Ron asked.

"After that?" replied Gina thoughtfully, "he disappeared. No one saw him for many months after that. William Jr., not confusing Gisele's son with her brother, was given to Gisele's parents and they put him up for adoption. You may have realised that Gisele's entire family, apart from me, are dead?" she asked. They all nodded mutely.

"He returned to avenge Gisele's death. He killed Avery and William first, then Adrian and Lira. He tortured Adrian to near insanity and finished him off. It was horrific and oh, tragic. But I knew it was Tom who had done that. He had come to make them pay for taking someone he loved with his entire life away from him. I'm certain that was when he started killing other people." Gina visibly shuddered.

"Oh God that must've been heartbreaking," murmured Hermione.

Ron stared at her.

"Ohhh so suddenly you're feeling for Voldemort eh? A tragic little love story got you fraternising with the enemy eh? Shows where your loyalties lie," spat Ron.

"Ronald, shut up. I didn't say I understand why he is a psychopath now. I was mentioning the fact that at that time he must have been torn. It really is sad," she replied, annoyed.

"Guys, guys calm down," scolded Harry. Turning to Gina he asked, "So you're saying that the reason Voldemort is killing others is because Gisele was killed?"

"Hmmm, hard to say, but I'm thinking along those lines. Oh and he is obsessed with the whole blood status thing too. It's why my poor darling Myrtle was killed."

"Wow, all those people for one girl," Ron commented. It earned a scathing glare from Hermione.

"Has he come back here ever since?" asked Harry.

"Once. It was before he murdered Gisele's family. He came back to give me Gisele's diary, saying he couldn't bear to read it after the first page. Oh and to give me Gisele's will. It wasn't much, just that I would take care of her son to the best of my ability. I've betrayed her, oh God! I promised her I would take care of little William and I didn't," she started sobbing uncontrollably. She dried her tears and regained her composure. "Ahem. But after that, I never saw him again. Apart from all the things you see and hear in the local Muggle and wizarding papers."


Harry returned to reality and checked the time. It was 11pm. He better go to sleep. He had a long day ahead of him.


The next morning, Harry joined Ron and Hermione in the Great Hall for some much needed catch-up.

"So what are we gonna do with all this info?" Ron asked as he piled large amounts of bacon and eggs on his plate.

"Ronald, stop being such a pig," replied a disgusted Hermione.

"Well I reckon we should go to Little Hangleton. You know, the place where Voldemort and supposedly Gisele grew up," Harry stated. The others murmured in agreement.

Half an hour later, the three joined each other at the entrance. With a crack they all disapparated.


Little Hangleton was a quiet sleepy town. For the Muggles who lived there, it was regarded as an isolated little community, where all children attended the same school and everyone knew each other. However, for the magical folk living there, it was a completely different atmosphere. Each day they lived in fear, not knowing whether Voldemort would return to his birthplace to take revenge on the people who had mistreated him.

With a crack, Harry, Ron and Hermione apparated in the middle of a football pitch.

"Interesting place, this is," Hermione commented.

"Yeah, whatever. Let's just get this over with," replied Ron, grudgingly. They strolled over to the local post office and browsed the directory for addresses.

"Blackburn, Blackburn," muttered Harry, as he traced his finger down the list of B's. "Ah. Found it. C'mon, it's 77 Rewet Close."

After muttering their thanks to the slightly confused desk lady, the three made their way to the famed mansion of Gisele Blackburn.

After about 15 minutes of walking, they found it. It was a beautiful Victorian styled mansion, with gabled windows and a manicured garden.

"Who's tending to these gardens if no one lives there?" Ron curiously. Hermione shushed them.

"Look here, can you see it?" The others squinted, but couldn't see anything. Frustrated, she continued. "Well, I can detect a trace of magic here. No one tends these gardens, and I bet the house looks spotless inside. This house is enchanted. Someone's placed a charm here so that it remains perfect, without anyone having to do anything!"

"So if the house is enchanted, will we be able to go in?" inquired Ron.

"Well, we're about to find out," Harry replied. The three made their way to the gate and tentatively pushed it open. Nothing happened, so Harry stepped forward. Suddenly out of nowhere came a magnified voice.

"STUPEFY!"

AN: that's chapter 5, i personally don't like this chapter, i dunno. Let me know what you think by reviewing! And remember, please don't story alert this or anything without reviewing (:

PS i have this fully formed story in my head about the history of Tom and Gisele, i'm thinking of writing a sequel to this, focusing on their lives together. What do you think? And you know what would be helpful? If there was some device which would record whatever i think into text so that whenever i have my brilliant story ideas at 2am, i can instantly record them and they will just upload themselves haha. Oh well that's on my list of things to invent…along with a mariokart themed theme park :D

Til next time,

xx