Little Hangleton, England
December 24th, 1924
Merope Gaunt shivered as the cold bit through her thin, torn robe. She hid in the thick brush looking through a window of the Riddle house. She hadn't intended to get this close to the Riddle house. Before she knew it, she slipped through the gates, her curiosity had won out.
What was Christmas like for a wealthy family like theirs? The only thing she had gotten was a beating for asking. Did the Riddle family sing Christmas carols together? Hundreds of presents sat under the biggest tree in the village. She could imagine them all wrapped in gold paper with huge bows.
Merope's mind wandered as a small smile revealed her thoughts. Thomas Riddle would find her, wondering what she was doing. Then, as it was Christmas, he would take pity on her and invite her inside where it was warm, offering her a cup of hot cocoa. The family would even like her. They would tell her she was nicer than all those shallow girls that only cared about money.
The sound of a door slammed open, hitting the opposite wall. Thomas and his father stormed outside, both shouting at the other.
"Of course the funds have decreased, your incompetence saw to that!" Thomas's father shouted at his son's back.
Thomas spun around, his face distorted in fury. "Oh please! Your senility is to blame for the loss. Your getting old father. You should have left the family business to me years ago."
"If I left it to you we would have gone broke by now! Don't even think of buying me out. I've made investments so unless I allow it, you will never see a dime. Believe me, I don't plan on retiring any time soon either!"
Thomas shook his head and headed towards the stables.
"Where are you going this time of night?" His father demanded.
"I'm going for a ride if you don't think it will ruin our family reputation," Thomas answered. He turned his back on his father and ignored the insults being shout from behind.
Merope covered her mouth and shrank further into the brush. Thomas passed her without noticing her. She found herself alone as his father slammed the door and headed back inside. Thomas rode off into the night leaving Merope in shock.
When all was clear, Merope made her way back home, her thoughts on the Riddle household. Was Thomas as unhappy as she was? They were more alike than she realized. The sound of shouting from the park drew her attention as several wizards apparated.
"Spread out. You know what to do. Round them up as instructed, if any muggles give you trouble, kill them." A male wizard with brown hair shouted.
A blonde-haired witch saw Merope walking and whispered something to the other wizard. He nodded and the witch started toward her. A terrified muggle slammed into the witch from behind attempting to escape. She turned and went after him, forgetting Merope.
Merope froze for a moment, wondering what was happening. Wizards everywhere were firing at muggles who had come running out of their houses. Green lights ended several lives that night as confused muggles tried to either fight or run. A few captured muggles stood terrified as a wizard had his wand trained on the group. Chaos had erupted everywhere. The silent night became a living nightmare for muggles everywhere that Christmas eve.
A light shone through the Riddle house as a wizard killed Thomas Riddle's father. A woman ran out and towards the gate, heading right towards Merope in terror. A wizard followed her out of the house and raised his wand at his next victim.
Thomas Riddle was beside her on his horse, demanding answers she couldn't give. "What's going on?"
"Thomas," Merope whispered.
A beam of green light hit Mrs. Riddle in the back as Thomas watched his mother fall dead in front of him. Before he could shout or be seen, Merope pulled Thomas off his horse and apparated him to a cellar under her house. It was dark, with a stone floor and walls, leaving enough room for about three people. Small wooden crates took up a third of the space as the cellar had been used to smuggle dark magic artifacts.
Thomas Riddle shrank back against the farthest wall as possible. He watched Merope in terror his mouth ajar in a scream that never emerged.
Both looked at each other in silence.
Something told Merope, the muggle world would never be the same.