𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘦 ; 𝒹.𝒽

thirty-one

"The Horcrux. Where is it?"

"Below us."

"Did you put it there?" 

She shook her head, "No. I got in contact with a few magic users here, and had them set a trap to make it difficult to find. I do not know how to retrieve it, and those who hid it are long gone."

"Natrix... that name... Augustus. His father's name was Natrix."

Scarlett folded her hands in front of her body, "Natrix married Hesperia Cairo. He took her name not wanting to be known as a Riddle."

Aurora let out a breath, "So, Augustus... he– he's related to Voldemort."

"You know him?" Celestina asked. 

Aurora nodded, "He was my best friend." She quietly said, "He never told me."

"I doubt he knew." Orinthia said, "Natrix was always trying to hide who he truly was."

"My aunt, Lavinia Black, she killed Natrix. I'm sorry." Aurora quietly said. 

Scarlett huffed, "Chances are her strings were being pulled. Tom probably wanted him dead. Those with Riddle blood cannot kill one another. Since a part of him lives in Natrix, he wouldn't have been able to kill him."

"That doesn't make sense." Aurora said.

"It doesn't need to." Orinthia said, "My brother was stupid for staying. He had it coming."

"Natrix was a Death Eater. He served the Dark Lord. Until–"

Orinthia scoffed, "Please. They weren't really serving my father. Natrix hated him. Probably sided with him to keep Hesperia and his sons safe."

"Why would Voldemort allow Lavinia to kill them? It doesn't make sense." Aurora said. 

"Because Tom is incapable of love!" Scarlett yelled, her voice booming through the room, "He has never loved anyone or anything but himself!"

Silence overtook the room. Celestina stepped towards Aurora, "You should sleep, I know you're probably tired."

"No. I need to find this Horcrux and leave as soon as possible."

"You will get the Horcrux in due time, Aurora." Scarlett said.

Celestina led Aurora up to her own bedroom. She shut the door behind Aurora and pointed to a twin bed by a window, "That's all yours."

"You don't have another room I could stay in? By myself?"

Celestina sat on her own bed, "Trust me. You don't wanna go in those other rooms."

Aurora sat her bag down and glanced out of the window, "I can't believe Augustus was a Riddle this entire time."

"That should't change what you think about him."

"It doesn't. It's just shocking. That's all."

Celestina fiddled with the ring on her hand, "I can tell you want to talk about the Horcrux. What do you want to know?"

"What can you tell me?"

"It can't be destroyed in the same way as the rest. We have a dagger with Basilisk Venom in the blade. Two  people of Riddle blood are needed to destroy the Horcrux. You use the blade and make a cut on your hand, the Basilisk Venom mixed with the blood weakens the Horcrux, and then you stab it with the dagger. After the Horcrux is destroyed, those who cut themself have to be killed or they'll die horribly slow and painfully. And you can't use magic to kill them, it has to be with the dagger, through the heart. Some sort of weird Dark Magic shit was put on my mom and her brother when they were born. The Killing Curse works only if done twice, otherwise they have to be killed without magic. Meaning I can't really be killed unless I'm stabbed through the heart or hung or shot or..."

"I get it." Aurora said before she swallowed harshly as she looked at Celestina sadly, "Now I feel bad about asking for your help." She quietly said. 

"I was going to lend a hand, I know what it'll come to." Celestina replied, her voice equally as quiet, "But this Horcrux, the finding it and destroying it, it won't be easy. It also has to be the very last Horcrux to be destroyed as this one is the most personal to my grandfather."

"What happens... if you're hit with the Killing Curse?"

"I'll look dead. I won't have a pulse. My soul will essentially be trapped, until freed. I don't know how the soul is freed and frankly I'd rather not find out." 

"So the only two Riddles related to Voldemort by blood are you and your mother. Will she..."

Celestina shrugged, "Let's hope so."

"You seem oddly calm talking about all this."

"I've known for a while, I've had time to let it sink it." She said while pulling out a pack of cigarettes from her nightstand, "Want one?"

Aurora sighed, "Why not."

The strong scent of cigarette smoke filled the room. Aurora sat back in her bed, "So, did you go to a Wizarding School?"

She nodded, "Yeah. The big one here in America. Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's in Massachusetts. I graduated back in '94."

"I'm guessing you didn't go by Celestina Riddle..."

"No. Cassandra Raines. The only people that know about my real name are my mom and grandma, and now you."

Aurora yawned as she finished her cigarette, "If you don't mind, I'm going to attempt to get some sleep."

"Fine by me."

Aurora changed into pajamas and laid down in bed, staring up at the ceiling. She had a feeling she wouldn't get a proper rest being in the home of Riddles who were suspiciously welcoming. 

Celestina fell asleep quickly, which eased Aurora's nerves slightly. Knowing that she couldn't use magic as well brought some comfort. 

She sighed and held her locket up, opening it. She rarely opened the locket. She saw Cedric's bright smile, happy and carefree. It pained her thinking about it. He had no idea. No idea of what was to come. He was innocent. 

Aurora slowly closed the locket, twirling the ring her father gave her. She turned her back to Celestina, looking out of the window as a tear slipped from her face. She felt out of place, more than ever. 

She wanted nothing more than to go home, feel George's warmth and eat the food he makes, have a nice conversation with Remus, bicker with Althena, listen to Fred talk about his inventions with George, visit her parent's graves and chat with them. 

But no. She knew what she had to do. Despite how badly she wanted to just ignore it all, she knew she couldn't. 

Because if not her, then who?