A/N: I actually always forget this book takes place in Great Britain, I almost even had Frank at the Battle of Iwo Jima unto I caught myself. I always have to catch myself from writing 'mom' vs mum. I'll fix that
Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passage. He whipped his head around to look and was paralysed with fright.
Something slithered towards him on the dark floor, drawing nearer to the sliver of firelight. He realised with flash of terror that it was a gigantic snake, one that had to be twelve feet long
Rooted to the spot with horror, Frank stared at its undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the tick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer, and he didn't know what to do. The only way to escape was through the room where the two men were plotting a murder, but if he stayed where he is now, the snake would no doubt kill him.
However, before he could make a decision, the snake was now level with him and it just slithered past him, following the spitting hisses that Voldemort made behind the door, and within seconds, the tip of its diamond patterned tail
Sweat trickled on Frank's forehead and his hand on the walking stick was now trembling.
Within the room, Voldemort's voice continued to hiss and this was when Frank's mind went to something that seemed impossible… the man could talk to snakes?
He didn't understand what was going on. All he wanted now was to be back in bed with his hot water bottle. The issue was that his legs didn't function, like they didn't want to be anything but jelly.
He just stood there, shaking, trying to retain contol over his right leg as Voldemort's chilling voice abruptly switched back to English.
"Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail."
"In - indeed, my Lord?"
"Indeed, yes. According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, my grandpappy's old room where the tree was made, listening to every word we say.
Suddenly Frank was back in the jungle or beaches, keeping his cool to escape the enemy. His instincts kicked in as he scrambled down the hall, the dust muffling his cane and footsteps a bit. He didn't care if he sort of fell, and his knee was in pain.
He scrambled into a dumbwaitor at the end of the hall, as the bedroom door burst open. knowing this house better then the two criminals. He had the advantage of ''home'' terrirtory. Just like when he was stationed at Calais, fighting off Axis forces.
He quietly closed the door to the dumbwaitor door as he heard the man yell something. He saw the hallway light up from the glow he could make out through the dumbwaitor door.
"Where did he go, Wormtail? Go find him!" The other man admonished. Frank heard the guy's footsteps as he ran down the hall and to the staircase, shouting spells.
As the the man's footsteps faded with his descent down the staircase, Frank cautiously maneuvered the dumbwaitor he was in.
It operated like a dumbwaitor that went between floors and also a portable turning stand. He turned out so it turned like he was on a giant disk. A linen closet and an interior closet was removed to have this dumbwaitor operate like a portable turning stand. Frank would know, as the maid of Riddle Manor showed him the dumbwaitor.
When he reached another door as the disk stopped spinning, he opened it a crack.
There was an armchair before the fire, but Frank couldn't see the man behind it. And there was the snake, which was curled up on the rotting hearth rug, like some kind of twisted pet dog.
Luckily the snake was on the opposite side of the room. "Fret not Nagini, Wormtail will milk you again at night."
The armchair spun around and Frank had to bite down on his stick to keep from screaming.
Frank slowly closed the door, not giving the snake time to smell him. He manuevered the dumbwaitor down, safetly for a few minutes.
Frank was now sure this monster killed the Riddles. They anyways were toeing every line, it's no surprise yhey summoned a monster. Or wizards, as they called themselves. Frank was suddenly scared these people could do anything to him.
Frank knew he had to get out of here, especially before that snake woke up. He was glad he didn't close the back door when he entered, so the man might not search the manor, thinking he ran out the door.
He turned the dumbwaitor again, then taking a deep breath, back at liberating camps again, he prayed to a God or bigger power. Then he lowered the dumbwaitor until it dropped fast enough to reach the basement before that man could.
The dumbwaitor sunk through the floors with a few scary jerks and jolts, but nothing scarier than he experienced hiding from axis forces. Once he reached the basement with a squeaky stop, he slowly opened the small door.
The basement was dark besides the moonlight spilling out from the high window. He didn't hear any footsteps and thr man was likely outside, going to look for him at his cottage, assuming he escaped back to his house.
The other thing apparently couldn't move without the man, even with the magic they were capable of.
Regardless Frank quietly made his way to the window, and quickly worked to move the table to below a chute
He should've stated escaping as soon as he heard their plans. After seeing the thing it's bette he hadn't. As much as he distrusts police he doesn't want to lead them to their death, or die himself following them back to the house.
Frank climbs on the table in a lot of pain and finds a rope nearby. He throws the rope to a bar at the top of the chute and ties it, just like he did while getting camps scross Eastern Europe. Using his cane as a leverag, he pulls himself up by the rope, grunting. He's back in the trenches again and in the tanks.
After securing the rope, he pulls until the top of the chute comes loose. The top of the chute comes off the iron door and Frank catches it before makes a noise. Then puts it down, quietly.
Meanwhile Wormtail hasn't found Frank outside nearby the house. Nor the bushes in the distance. It's possible the muggle made a break for it once outside, while Wormtail was shooting spells from the staircase. Wormtail did nimmo revelers which meant no one was nearby. In realtor Frank was in thr basement, which was too far for Wormtail's spell.
Wormtail moved out to check the bushes in the distance with the same spell, before he went back the house to deliver the bad news to voldemort. And possibly not come back, himself.
After Wormtail went inside amd got a brief crucatio for the bad news, Voldemort told him to search the house incase the muggle was hiding induce. Wormtail and even voldemort doubted it because the house was dark plus in ruins. The muggle would make noise wading thrift the house, and it was easier for the muggle to have run out the back door, which was open.
Still Wormtail did a homo revelers inside the house. He got no answer and moved around thr kitchen , then parlor. He moved to the basement door.
He coughs a bit then pulls himself up to the iron for. His cane such in his shirt. He pushes the iron door open. The iron door doesn't face his cottage but he still looks of for the other man, incase he's searching nearby for whatever reason.
The coast is clear and Frank eases the window open, by using his crutch. But he stops every now and then to lean on his can
He pushes the iron door that coal delivery used to supply people the fuel they needed to power their furnace. They used to shovel the coal down the shoot Frank shimmied up, so homeowners could take that coal from the basement. And shovel that coal directly into the furnace.
Remembering his war days, Frank uses the same technique he used to crawl out of a trench while injured. Frank pushes against the door with all his might, he pushes his upper body against the iron door until it opens then he throws his entire body through the opening.
The iron door falls on his upper body but Frank pushes through the tiny door, scrapping his body against it. He will have quiet a few scraps in his torso, but he doesnt care.
The cane almost snags on the iron door, but it also keeps the scraping iron door off his pushed the door with his body until he squeezes through scrapping his torso and his arms grasp the grass, gasping. He's storming Normandy again, injured, on D-Day. He grabs his cane, he he crawls to the nearest bush.
The other man must've told the baby- thing that he didnt find Frank at the cottage.
Getting up he ignores the pain and looking around cautiously, he hobbles away from the Riddle property. He looks back incase that man is behind him, or the snake is nearby.
Back at the basement, Wormtail enters with his wand lit. He walks around in the dark for two minutes. Finally he comes around a corner, then sees a table under the iron door.
He isn't sure Frank could get through the door, Nagini later mentioned the old Muggle had a cane. But Wormtail climbs up on the table then painfully pulls himself up. He pushes through the iron door, struggling and panting as the iron door falls back. He wheeze as the iron door squeezes his torso. Wormtail gives up, falls back on the table with a clang. He falls off the table and curses.
Cursing and limping, he runs back up the staircase, and out the back door. Then he rounds the Riddle Mansion to the front of the house where the iron door is. He casts another Homo Revealous but the muggle is gone from there
Frank runs on his pained knee until he reaches town. He runs to the first house he sees, and knocks frantically.
The guy opens his door in the middle of the night and sees Frank, panting, wild eyed, and leaving heavily on his crutch. He didn't ask any questions. He knows Frank but never saw Frank on this state.
"A bizarre intruder in thr Riddle house, very dangerous, " Frank pants. "Don't even call the cops."
The man is confused. But Frank is insistent about no one approaching that house.
The man leads Frank to his car, seeing the pure terror on Frank's face. The man wonders if this isn't a side effect of the war, but realizes it's important they get to the police station.
The man figures if Frank will attack him too, his neighbors will know where he is because he made a loud noise before pulling out in his car. And his grainy home security camera recorded Frank in front of his door.
Frank, reluctantly lets the man stop his car whet they can see the back of Riddle Manor. Frank warns him not to idle long since the other man can approach them and kill them in weird ways.
"Frank look someone is going towards your house!" The man t tells Frank. He also sees the light in the upstairs window of Riddle Mansion.
"What the devil is that?" The man says sees a man near Frank's house, point his stick at a shed The shed for opens itself, then an object flies out the window.
"What in the name of Christ!" The other muggle screams.
"Get out of here!" Frank hisses, seeing it too "they're very dangerous! There's a demon in the mannor!" The man doesn't need telling twice, he guns the car and they leave the street.
Wormtail pays the car he hears no mind. He was tortured badly by voldemort for losing the muggle, then told to search the muggle's cottage tor clues.
- FLASHBACK -
Back at the Riddle Mannor voldemort was furious. " YOU IMBECILE YOU LOST A MUGGLE? FRANK BRYCE MY GRANDPAPPY'S OLD GARDNER? FIND THIS MUGGLE AND BRING HIM BACK TO ME. HE KNOWS THINGS HE SHOULDN'T. IF ANY WIZARD SEES HIS MEMORY..."
- PRESENT -
Wormtail finds out the muggle's name is Frank Bryce along with other information about the muggle.
Meanwhile Frank and the other muggle - Jack - drove to the next town, near Little Hangleton. They stop by a police station ihere but Frank doesn't want to get involved anymore.
Frank told the Jack there is something very strange in there and anyone who goes there won't come back.
And they both know the police don't believe Frank. If the cops take them back there or the thing knows their real time location, all of them will be killed.
The Jack writes a note on the door of the police station, warning them about the fatal strangeness of the Riddle House. He mentioned that there was paranormal activity and whoever went inside won't make it out alive.
Then two buy a train ticket and got the heck out of Little Hangleton for good.
The next day police naively investigated Riddle manner at evening, ignoring the warning note. Their bodies are found outside the next day.
Soon the news about Little Hangleton has reached the entire country. First the Riddles, next police officers. Through it all Frank Bryce goes missing too.
The Ministry of Magic were alerted and the division for Magical Accidents and Catastrophies plus aurors were teaming the area.
Voldemort knowing Frank's disappearnce and the cops coming, meant the ministry would come knocking on Riddle Manor next. Which they did. Voldemort and Wormtail hightailed out of Riddle Manner after offing the police. Bartyjr arranged a new place for them with Mulciber's help.
Meanwhile when Frank and Jack got to Belgium, they stopped for a hotel. Frank made them stop at an ATM first. "First things first, lets not leave a trail," he said, solemnly. The horrors were behind, but they still felt the need to look behind them, for some inexplicable reason. Frank withdrew all his savings that he built up since before he went to war. Frank put the cash in his shoes, on the top part where laces were if he was wearing sneakers instead of loafers. Jack did the same thing then they went to their hotel.
Once inside their shared room, Frank turned to Jack as both men retrieved their money. They emptied a lotion bottle and put them in bowls, Jack got from room service. Then they cut open the lotion bottles to hide their cash in. "I'm going to move my cash to a new bank. It's inconvenient and my bank will be confused, but what else can I do during these times? How can I explain what I saw? I will also keep some cash on me, hidden. I've been good at storing cash in n hidden places right before the stock market crashed. And I dealt without banks when the Great Depression came around. "
"Fair enough," Jack said. "I can see your good at it. I can follow your lead for awhile, until whatever that was is well behind us. Now let's heal that knee."
After a short nap, Jack and Frank checked out. They boarded another train and travelled straight to Finland.
Luckily for Little Hangington, Voldemort and Wormtail had no idea that Frank left with Jack. They had no idea who Jack was. They also didn't have the time to torture the entire town for answers. They barely had time to die again in Tomjr's case.
They had a Boy Who Lived to kidnap, while aurors were hot on their trail now. Aurors were probably going to find that nosy, overly lucky muggle that dared best Voldemort before wormtail. And aurors were going to protect Harry even more now. Bartyjr had to be extra careful. And both Juniors, Tom and Barty, had to act quick now. Barty was a great servant, juniors had to stick together.
Master Junior, servant Junior, and Wormtail were busy as ever. The Prophet quoted what that muggle overheard, so the ministry was alert incase voldy plus Pettigrew were sold out it was just Sirius Black. Then Dumbeldore knew the truth, Pettigrew confirmed that. So the Order was extea alert.
And and all three know that Moody's reputation for paranoia didn't mean no one believed the break in was real. Moody was the best auror out there, and he could definitely spot the real thing. Servant Junior could testify to Moody's skills.
The trio had no time to check Frank's bank and try to imperio the muggle bank worker to release statements of where Frank withdrew money from. They didn't even know that Frank withdrew all his money to begin with. They were too busy stopping Wormtail from wrecking himself after meeting Servant Junior, and learning how Winky got him out of Azkaban. Wormtail heard about how Servant Junior tortured Frank and Alice with the Lestranges. Wormtail was already scared shitless of Bellatrix, he had no idea Servant Junior was also so ruthless. Then again Wormtail himself betrayed his friends in cold blood. But he never met the other death eaters, he sure as frack avoided Snape. If Snape finds out about his part in Lily's death...
The aurors on the other hand had the time and resources to make sure Little Hangleton was teaming with aurors. And muggle Mi5 agents. Both aurors and the Mi5 interrogated all the residents of Little Hangleton. They found out a Jack Leafe disappeared the same night Frank Bryce left Little Hangleton. That was the night before the police went to Riddle Mannor and died the same way the Riddles did. They found Frank's note on the police station in the next town. Muggle forensics found Frank plus Jack's fingerprints on the note, as well as confirmed the handwriting was Frank's.
The aurors explained that Frank was falsley accused for the murder the first time, it was clearly murder by a wizarding spell Ava Kedevra. The healers confirmed the bodies were Ava Kedevra'd. The Riddle remains that were able to be found/dug up, were examined by St Mungo's special devision. It was confirmed the remains were hit by Ava Kedevra.
The aurors and the Mi5 went to Frank and Jack's banks. Frank's last withdrawal was in Belgium. Same with Jack. It was clear they ran away together. The aurors' guess was they saw magic, maybe Frank was attacked, and got very spooked. It was clear by b the way jJack's car was abandoned in the police station of the next town. The Mi5 pieced together that the two took a train to Belgoi. Where they went after was a mystery.
Aurors from all over Europe were on the look out for Frank and Jack. Some muggles from Little Hangleton were given a compulsion drought to retrieve their memories. The aurors looked at those muggles' memories of how Frank and Jack looked, talked, and acted. The muggles were given a Flushing Drought before their memories were altered.
A month later some aurors spotted muggles who looked like Frank, albiet disguised. The auror whipped out a newspaper with the Little Hangleton murders headline/pictures on the front page, in front of the muggle. The effect was immediate. The muggle got up and walked away, looking over his shoudler. The auror followed that muggle around under a chameleon charm. He learned that muggle's route. The auror followed the muggle to his other spot and learned where he went during the day.
The next day, another auror sat next to the muggle at the other cafe he went to. This auror also pulled out a paper with the Little Hangleton murders picture/headline pasted on the front page, and muttered, "this doesn't add up. But I think I can guess how these weird murders happened." Again the effect was immediate, the muggle jumped up and all but ran out of the cafe. The auror followed him under a chameleon charm. The auror followed the muggle all the way to his apartment, and saw another muggle who looked like Jack.
"Jack," the guy muttered. "Someone had a paper about Little Hangleton! I think someone found us, maybe its that thing's people..."
The muggle called Jack's face drained of all color. "Don't call me Jack use our code names, we don't know what that thing can do to find people. We left so we wouldn't disturb it, we haven't told a soul about what you heard. We left our old names plus lives behind to distance ourselves from that thing."
That was all the confirmation the aurors needed. Some aurors looked up Jack and Frank's relatives to guarantee their houses were warded. Voldemort didn't have a lot of free servants but who knows who was helping him. Karkaroff might be busy with his champion but aurors were taking no risks.
The aurors go up to Jack and Frank's house with the Mi5. They tell the men they're asking about the Riddle murders and are not with the thing. Frank and Jack break down. They say if these guys are with the thing, they promise to never speak of what they heard.
The aurors and the Mi5 calm them down. Then explain that what they saw was a wizard. They ask for further explanation. "Please spare our lives, we'll cooperate," Jack begged.
"Please take a calming drought, we went hurt you,". Kinglsey promised. "These Mi5 agents are non magical folks like you." The aurors calm them down and assure them that they aren't aligned with the thing. They ask Jack and Frank to let them magically see their memories.
"Please sit still Jack, we are trained to deal with paranormal and will get to the bottom of this weird phenomenon," Kinglsey said.
Jack nodded and another auror put his wand against Jack and Frank's temples. A silvery string drew from the head, connected to the wand.
The aurors went over the memories with the two muggles. And told them they caught something big in the wizarding world. "So you're saying that man or wizard was their grandson and he's a dangerous wizard in your community?"
"That is correct, vold- He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is a dangerous wizard. And he called the Riddles, grand... grandpappy. And it seems the Riddles are his grandparents according to a trusted source," Kinglsey explained. Dumbeldore was there with the aurors, as an Order of the Phoenix leader.
"Yes, Tom Riddle jr is indeed Voldemort. You have got a confession from Voldemort himself," Dumbledore said. "He killed the Riddles then framed you. He's back there."
It was a bombshell that Tom Riddle Jr qas indeed voldemort and he killed the Riddles. That along with Peter Pettigrew possobly being alive was a huge shock to the Wizarding world. Well it v was once the ministry officially released the memory publicly in na basin at the ministry. But there was the minister of magic and the deniers who thought that Frank just overheard Sirius Black and his equally crazy accomplice. Frank didn't se anyone after all.
Only Dumbledore knew Frank hears voldy and he was afraid the ministry would alert voldemort about Dumbledore's knowledge. He shared this concern with Kinglsey privately. Kingsley promised Dumbledore that voldemort wouldn't find out Dumbledore knew this fact.
Of course voldemort now had to know the Order deeply suspected he was Tomjr. But voldemort still didn't knew Dumbledore always knew he was Tomjr or that Dumbeldore also knew about horocruxes. He chalked it up to Dumbledore being suspicious about him when he was at Hogwarts and believing Frank. Voldemort would just remember not to overestimate Dumbles in the future.
Riddle's identity and real blood line was all out in the papers now. And Sirius Black was getting a trial now that Peter Peirtigew was possibly alive.
Kinglsey realized Frank and the other muggle were in serious danger for overhearing Voldemort's secret plans. And being the reason the world knew Voldemort could be Tom RiddleJr, the half blood.
Voldemort's possible secret left l bad taste with supporters in Azkaban like Bellatrix, Rod,and Rab. Barty was still committed to the cause, relating to having family you didn't ask for. Peter wanted to back out, but he had no choice because there was a manhunt for him. And voldy promised him a prize, even thing he couldn't see how they'd get Harry now that their plan was published in the Prophet.
Barty was having a hard time carrying out his plans because the ministry and Order were now at Hogwarts, hearing Voldemort's servant was trying to get Harry for a revive Voldemort. They figured out the servant would use the Triwizard Tournament. And they were watching Karkaroff and Winky very closely.
It's clear the Quidditch World Cup dark mark was done by Voldmort's servant too. And Winky was connected to that servant so Coeuchsr wss heavily questioned as well.
Meanwhile Dumbeldore started the horicruxes hunt early, not being able to wait to tell Harry everything.
Frank and Jack's memory was modified and he was moved to a house under a fidelius charm. A house elf was hired to keep both men to stay at their houses.
This was useful during the 2nd war. The fake Moody managed to take Harry to the graveyard before the Triwizard Tournament's 3rd task and voldemort was revived.
Barrtyjr was questioned this time after he was caught, and a lot of details came out. Wormtaimlwas still in the run and voldemort's death eaters were take with hunting down the Frank in the years before they took over the ministry.
Then ministry was still incompetent but dumbeldoe sped up the horocrux hunt. And Kingsley the new head of aurors cooperated with Dumbeldore.
Umbridge was still a pain but Dumbeldore told Harry to lie low as they focused on horocrux by hunting. They started the DA outside school
Siris Black was free due to no evidence of him being at Riddle Manor by looking at his memories. Prior Incantum proved he never cast a spell to kill Peter and his memories showed that the Potters really switched secret keepers at the end. Harry's baby memories also showed the Potters and Sirius formarly switching Sirius with Peter as the secret keeper.
The new evidence proved Peter Pettigrew was indeed alive and it mightve been Peter at Riddle Manor. And therefore voldemort could've also been there. But the naysayers who said it was just Sirius in the manor now claimed it was just Peter in the manor, going crazy. The naysayers didn't beleive voldemort's servants found his wraith and were nursing him. They believed that voldemort's servants not voldemoet killed Bertha Jorkins.
The Department of Mysteries fight just ended with the order luring the Death Eaters. Bellatrix fell into the veil there, her heart not in to an alliance with the half blood Riddle.
Lucius also was disillusioned and he helped the Order as much as he could by being impassive. He had house elves secretly make things hard for voldemort later on.
By Harry's 6th year Dumbeldore, the Order, and the trio finished almsot ordered a large supply of basilisk venom.
Then Dumbledore a was thinking if chucking them in the veil but no one knew if rhe horocruxes would truly be destroyed that way.
In the end Dumbledore put the locket and ring in a huge box levitated said box lit the objects with fiendyfire. Once the whole box was burning Dumbeldore levitated the box throng the veil. Kingsley and the order were there to put out the fiendyfire if they needed to.
The whole time Dumbeldore was yelling, "ignore the locket Ron. Luna likes you!"
Dumbledore still perished under Snape because the ring poison spread, but the trio broke into Girngotts for the cup. And they still had to get the diadem from the room of requirements, while they were chased by Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
The war finished early with a small battle at Hogsmeade. And ended the same way except Harry saw his parents, grandparents, and Regalus when he used the stone, on his way to sacrifice himself. And survived.
The war had with much less causualties. Remus, Tanks, Fred, Colin, Moody, and Sirius all survived. It was all thanks to Frank, who was awarded a medal by wizards. When Frank his safe house and got his medal, he felt like coming back from the war again.