Perfidy | Tom Riddle |

4.

August 11, 1943

Nearly a week had passed since her arrival here and she was nowhere close to succeeding. She had tried nearly every spell, every potion she could think of to help regain her memories. But no luck at all. Either the potion has one dreadful side effect or the strain of traveling back 57 years caused her brain to suppress the most important memory.

She finds herself again sitting at a table at the Three Broomsticks for the 6th day in a row with a bottle of firewhiskey and a cigarette with the haunting memories of what happened on her first day here replaying in her head like clockwork. She laid out all the facts that she was certain were true.

Smoking her third cigarette in the hour, a nasty habit Lyra picked up. She wanted to pull her hair from frustration, she had found a way to enter Hogwarts, perfected her backstory but the final element in which she needed was gone.

" You Malfoy's thinking you're oh so better than the rest of us just because of your family name." a man slurred loudly that turned the attention of many in the pub.

Malfoy. Draco's grandfather was here. She turned to see Malfoy sitting all by himself with a bottle as well, anyone with eyes could tell he was a Malfoy with the bleached white hair making him stand out.  But the drunken man's words did not seem to phase him at all. This was it, this was the moment Merlin had blessed her with, an opening into one of Voldemort's most loyal followers.

Lyra stood up hiding her wand at her side and made her way to the 2 men that surrounded Malfoy.

"Malfoy! Good Merlin, I've been waiting 20 minutes for you, and all this time you've been at the pub." she reached in for a hug and whispered in his ear " just go with it unless you want to be beaten to a bloody pulp." she pulled away from the hug and a few glances were exchanged between the two. After a few seconds, Malfoy stood up and pulled her into a tightening hug, and started laughing.

" Why you silly women, I've been thinking this whole time we were to meet here, nonetheless shall we leave, Lestrange is expecting us." he looped their arms together and were making their way to the door.

"S'cuse me Miss but I was having a word with the boy here, why don't you bugger off whore." The drunk reeked of alcohol and smelled as if he hadn't showered in days.

"You know there's nothing more I despise than a man who has no manners towards a woman you smelly foul toad." Lyra knew exactly what she was doing, she was deliberately picking a fight with him right now. After seeing Malfoy let out a small laugh she knew it was working.

" Got quite the pretty little mouth on you." the second drunk spoke, grabbing her arm. In that second Lyra pushed the man onto the table and pulled out her wand pressed right against his neck.

"My friend Malfoy here is a calm man you see, but I on the other hand have quite the short temper. Maybe a spell would teach you not only some manners, but to know how to talk to those above you. Perhaps the cruciatus curse?" a sinister smile took over her face. She needed to make this as believable as possible.

" Th- That's illegal, you can't use that spell." he was scared, Lyra heard the fear in his voice.

" Shall we see if I can or can't cast the spell? It has been a while since I've used it, I might need to brush up on it."

She let go of the man and the 2 frantically apologized to Malfoy and herself saying they were way out of line, quickly making their way out of the pub. Lyra said nothing and returned to her seat with a bottle and cigarette. From the corner of her eye, she saw him making his way towards her. It had worked.

He pulled the chair sitting across from her placing his bottle down, looking quite offended "So you hug me, help me, threaten to use the cruciatus on those men, and then leave all without telling me your name?"

" I don't give my name out to strangers." she opened her metal cigarette holder and placed on between her lips, she looked up at Malfoy to see him offering a light. Leaning just in the slightest he lit her cigarette as well as his own.

"How will I thank you then for saving my life."

"This was a good enough thanks." she referenced the lighter. But Malfoy couldn't leave well enough alone. He smiled at her and took a swing of his drink. " Seeing as we're "friends" it would be quite rude of me to not invite a friend to my family ball." he pulled out a small black envelope with the Malfoy crest embedded onto the sealed wax and slid it across the table.

"I don't give you my name but you invite me into your home?" she raised an eyebrow at him and picked up the invitation examining the crest.

He stood up and walked to her side not breaking eye contact once, leaning over her he quietly muttered into her ear, "Something tells me you're full of surprises." he moved to face her once again, after a few seconds of him staying towered over her he picked up his lighter and placed it into her coat pocket. Without another word he gave her a smile, one she returned and left The Three Broomsticks.

August 18, 6 o'clock. In less than a week, she would be in a room with the man who one day becomes Voldemort. But she wouldn't even know that when that day arrives, it would change everything permanently.