𝐀 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 ║Tom Riddle ✔ [EDITING]

Chapter Five: Hog's Head Inn

"Cause that worked so well in the past. You loved him." I state deadpanned telling it as I saw it. The wizard pales, and I raise a brow at his blatant silence.

"How did you know that?" He asks in a tone higher than a whisper. I roll my eyes and point at myself.

"I'm from the future," I tell the wizard, making him rub his forehead as if getting a massive headache.

I look at him pointedly. "I'm not the one that wanted to go back in time, bud. That's on you." I say in a sickeningly sweet tone.

"Come along, Ms.Dumbledore. I'll take care of Gellert." He tells me, and I scoff.

"First name basis are we." I mock, causing him to glare at me.

We reach the courtyards leading out of the school, and he offers me his elbow as we exit the school. "Hold on tight Valentine." He orders and I nod, reaching out to grip his arm tightly. He grabs my hand with his other hand, making sure I was secure and then apparates without warning.

I felt my whole body being squeezed, sliced, spinned and skinned alive. I stifle a scream, but all at once, I was on my own two feet, and I was stumbling back in horror.

"Oh my god! That was AWFUL!!!" I heave, trying to control my breathing.

I point at him accusingly. "A WARNING would've been nice!" I demand, and Albus looks amused.

"Albus." A voice snarls behind us. I turn around to come face to face with a man in a light blue apron.

He was a barman and was currently glaring at Albus with such hatred; it made me flinch. He looked similar to his brother in that he had such long, stringy, wiry brown hair and such a long beard. He wore spectacles that hid a pair of piercing, brilliant blue eyes.

The tall and thin man moved around the counter, eyes not leaving Albus's.

"Brother," Albus said in a strained voice. I could see the noticeable brotherly resemblance now, but Albus's brother wore much more casual attire than Albus, causing them to carry different airs about them. Albus seemed more serious than this man who seemed more laid back.

"Who's this?" He snarls, looking at me unimpressed. "Your concubine?" He snarls.

He had a wand aimed at his throat faster than he could blink.

"Say that again; I dare you." I snarl back. He looked at me with something of newfound respect.

"Valentine. Aberforth is mad at me, not you. He was trying to anger me and insulted you in the process." Albus explains, but my lip curls unamused.

"Apologize then." I snap at Albus's brother, who grits his teeth at being ordered around like a child.

"Sincerest apologies, miss." Aberforth demands and I smirk, taking my wand back and placing it back into its place in the folds of my ponytail.

"Valentine, meet your cousin Aberforth. Aberforth, this is Valentine Dumbledore. She's aunt Hornoria's daughter." He informs his brother. I watch as Aberforth looks between Albus and me, staring at us like we were mental.

"Hornoria never had children, Albus." He tells his brother and Albus shrugs.

"Her story matches up. Hornoria never cared for family. You know this. She left her as a child in a muggle orphanage." He tells Aberforth. Aberforth's eyes soften slightly in pity.

It was true, though. My parents had died when I was a mere baby, and my sister Petunia hated witches and magic, so she'd put me in an orphanage where I lived there my whole life until Hagrid had come to get me, telling me I was special.