What a Riddle

The Chamber

Over the next few days, Granger was petrified and Young Weasley abducted into the chamber. The school will be closing in a few days and Dumbledore kept sending me glances as if he thought I could be the one that opened the chamber.

A note fluttered into my hands as I was walking down one of the hallways. Pansy talking about all the cute boys. I read the note it was from Dumbledore asking to see me as soon as possible.

"Sorry Pans" I start cutting her off "Dumbledore has summoned me" I show her the note

"I'll tell Draco were you at then" Pansy smirked at me. She had admitted she liked Draco but thought Draco and I would make a better couple and therefore she stepped aside. It hadn't taken her long to move on to the next guy.

I rolled my eyes as I changed direction towards the headmaster's office. 

I looked up at the gargoyle and then back down to the note to see if there was a password. Sure enough, there was. "Sherbert Lemon" The statue spins upward revealing a staircase. Climbing quickly up eager and almost terrified at what Dumbledore had to speak to me about.

as I was about to knock the muffled words of 'come in' could be heard. Timidly I opened the door. Dumbledore looked at me expectingly and I rebuilt my facade of confidence.

"Professor" 

"Miss Riddle" he nodded "close the door"

I shut the door gently before walking to the desk. His eyes gleam as he gestures for me to sit in an adjacent chair from him.

"You remind me much of your mother and father" When I didn't respond he continued "you about as... crafty as your father"

"I think cunning is the word," I said confused

"Crafty is just fine" he studied me a moment "You're an unusual Slytherin, Ms. Riddle you help others even if it doesn't benefit you, you study every detail, how long have you known about the basilisk?"

My eyes widen slightly "since before the first attack" I say honestly

"You use the resources you have" he glances at my sleeve where Medusa laid wrapped around my arm. "much like your father", I stayed neutral throughout his talk "you have your mother's heart... don't ever lose that Ms. Riddle"

"The sorting hat told me that," I said barely over a whisper.

"and it was right because if you lose that, Florence you lose yourself" I nodded but still wearing my mask of neutrality. "Your aware your father is the Dark Lord" I nod again steeling myself for a blow. "and are you aware he will be rising in a few years"

"I could only assume" I nod again "and that he will want to reconnect with me. My godmother had told me how much he adored me, wanted to give me the world... wanted me to rule after him"

"and do you... want to rule the world" he asked carefully 

"no" I was calm. "I don't share his ideals, his values... the only thing we share is one last name"

"Good to hear" he smiled kindly. 

"Was there anything else?" I ask as I feel an underlying tension.

"That Tom Riddle opened the chamber of secrets 50 years ago and I suspect he found a way to do so again," he said darkly "now go I suspect Mr. Malfoy is waiting for you" I got up and I was at the door when Dumbledore spoke again "I would keep what I told you a secret"

I nod before exiting to find Draco at foot of the Gargoyle.

"Hey Dray" I greeted 

"Flor! what did Dumbledore want?" he asked as he saw me

"That's between me and the old man" I joke and smile pushing him slightly on the shoulder.

"Oh come on you have to tell me!" He whined

"But I love to see you suffer" I laugh

~~ meanwhile deep under the castle ~~

"Because I told her to. You'llfind that I can be very persuasive. Not that she knew what she was doing. She was,shall we say, in a kind of trance.Still, the power of the diarybegan to scare her and she tried to dispose of it in the girls' bathroom. But then, who shouldfind it... but you. One of the verypersons I was most anxious to meet."

"And why did you want to meet me? who is the other?" Harry Potter said angrily at the boy, Tom Riddle.

"Ginny told me all about you. Iknew I had to talk to you, meetyou if I could. So I decided toshow you my capture of thatbrainless oaf, Hagrid, to gainyour trust" The boy smirked slightly.

"Who is the other person!" Harry yelled

"My precious daughter" The sixteen-year-old seemed to soften "my Florence Evangeline Riddle"

"and framing Hagrid! Hagrid is my friend!" Harry continued to yell.

"It was my word against Hagrid's.Only Dumbledore seemed to thinkHagrid was innocent." Tom Riddle turned serious.

"I'll bet Dumbledore saw rightthrough you." Harry sneered

"I knew it wouldn't be safe to openthe Chamber again while I wasstill at school. So I decided toleave behind a diary, preservingmy sixteen-year-old self in its pages, so that one day... I wouldbe able to lead another to finishSalazar Slytherin's noble work."

"Why not use your daughter?" Harry seethed now looking for a reason to hate his Slytherin classmate.

"too pure... too much like her mother" Tom spun Harry's wand in his hand. Harry scowled

"Well, you haven't finished it thistime. In a few hours, MandrakeDraught will be ready and everyonewho was Petrified will be allright again." Harry defied

"Haven't I told you, that killingMudbloods doesn't matter to meanymore? For many months now, my new target has been... you." an unsettling grin resting on Tom's features "Imagine my disappointment when Ilearned Ginny had stolen the diaryback from you."

"Ginny stole the diary from my room? But why?" Harry looked over to the slumped girl on the ground. She was looking weaker while Tom seemed to be getting stronger.

"She was afraid. Afraid you'dlearn how to work the diary.Afraid I'd tell you just who itwas that had been strangling allthose roosters." Tom was moving forward while Harry was moving backward. "Come now, Harry. Don't look sodisappointed. Had Ginny succeededin destroying the diary, she wouldhave destroyed me. And wecouldn't be having this littletalk. And I have so manyquestions for you."

"Like what?"

"Well, how is it that a baby withno extraordinary magical talentmanaged to defeat the greatestwizard of all time? How did youescape with nothing but a scar,while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed? How you took him from his daughter?" 

"Why do you care how I escaped?Voldemort was after your time." Harry's eyes wide

"Voldemort is my past, present, and future." Tom uses Harry's wand to write his name in red letters floating in the air. 

Tom Marvelo Riddle

with a flick the letters rearranged

I am Lord Voldemort

"You. You're the heir ofSlytherin. You're Voldemort?" Harry stumbles backward again

"Surely you didn't think I wouldkeep my filthy Muggle father'sname?" Tom sneers "I fashioned myself a new name,a name I knew wizards everywherewould one day fear to speak whenI became the greatest sorcerer inthe world... I suspect my dear Florence Evangeline to do the same when she joins my side" he looked to be daydreaming for a moment.

"Albus Dumbledore is the greatestsorcerer in the world!" Harry discarded what he was saying about his strange Slytherin acquaintance. 

"Dumbledore's been driven out ofthis castle by the mere memory ofme."

"He'll never be gone! Not as longas those who remain are loyal tohim!"

A bird's song can be heard down the tunnel "This is what Dumbledore sends hisdefender! A songbird and an old hat!" Tom laughs.