Ink and Parchment ~ blood and bone

53

“Meanwhile, in the village of Little Hangleton, a maid was running along the High Street, screaming that there were three bodies lying in the drawing room of the big house: Tom Riddle Senior and his mother and father”

Killing them, it didn’t change anything. Didn’t change how I felt, didn’t change all the things I’d experienced, but it did change one thing.

“We have no memories to show us this, but I think we can be fairly sure what happened. Voldemort stupefied his uncle, took his wand, and proceeded across the valley to ‘the big house over the way.’ There he murdered the Muggle man who had abandoned his witch mother, and, for good measure, his Muggle grandparents, thus obliterating the last of the unworthy Riddle line and revenging himself upon the father who never wanted him”

It removed all doubt in my mind. I made it here not because of what I could have been but because of what I am. And if what I am is a monster then so be it.

But monsters came in all different shapes and sizes. Some were like Tom, and some were like her.

And some were like Dumbledore, creating a child soldier for the greater good, raising her like a lamb for slaughter.

Dumbledore poured another phial of memories into the pensieve, although unlike others previous these were congealed and murky.

“Now” he said brightly and Eliza resisted the urge to scowl “This won’t take long – once more into the pensieve. And I believe this may clear up the mystery surrounding Voldemort’s message”

Eliza peered in and blinked in surprise when she ended up somewhere very familiar to her.

The memory took place near the Slytherin common rooms, and most curiously it featured a much younger Horace Slughorn. He was lounging in a very comfortable looking arm chair, feet resting on a velvet buffet and hosting what could only be one of his famed Slug Club meetings. The man was sipping a glass of fire whiskey whilst his other hand riffled through a box of what looked like crystalised pineapple.

Dumbledore appeared next to her and Eliza took a moment to observe the rest of the boys that were sat around the table. She could recognise Alexander Nott, so much younger than what he was now but still recognisable. There was a Lestrange from the looks of it and she thought she could spot a Rosier and an Avery. And there, at the centre of the table, sat Tom.

The Gaunt Ring already rested on his finger, and Eliza had to stifle a grin when she saw his casual posturing. She wondered how any of the Slytherin boys had survived sharing a dorm with Tom in his Hogwarts year.

“Sir is it true that Professor Merrythought is retiring?” he asked casually but Eliza could see the curious gleam in his eyes. He would have been wondering about the defence job at this point, she knew.

“Tom, Tom, if I knew I couldn’t tell you,” said Slughorn, wagging a reproving, sugar-covered finger at Tom, though ruining the effect slightly by winking. “I must say, I’d like to know where you get your information, boy, more knowledgeable than half the staff, you are”

Eliza was sure Slughorn inadvertently gave Tom half of the information himself.

“What with your uncanny ability to know things you shouldn’t, and your careful flattery of the people who matter — thank you for the pineapple, by the way, you’re quite right, it is my favourite-

She would have to remember that.

Eliza blinked in surprise when the room filled up with a strange sort of white swirling mist, Slughorn’s voice filled the room, bouncing off the walls “You’ll go wrong boy, mark my words”