A True Riddle

Chapter 13 - Announcements

"Listen up students!" Umbridge stands in front of the podium on top of the slight stage at the front of the hall. She claps her hands, one of them bandaged to hide the words carved in her skin. The gathered students slowly quieten and face the front. "It has come to my attention that there have been a few so-called 'pranks' played among you, and now the teachers. This is not suitable behaviour for the wizarding world's next generation. I have also noticed that a few of this tricks have revolved around Dumbledore, and this coupled with the incidence a few weeks earlier," Here she stops to glare at the people who had been in Dumbledore's Army, "Have made me request that the Minister comes to speak to you, I did not like doing this, as he is a very busy man, but I believe you will benefit greatly from hearing him speak, and so does he. He has agreed to talk to you about the dangers of believing liars. Minister Fudge." Umbridge steps out of the way as Minister Fudge steps into her place.

"Thank you, Headmistress Umbridge." Fudge says to her before turning to the gathering of students. "I know that all of you have heard the lies spread that the Dark Lord is back, I am here to reassure you that there is no need to panic, because he is not back." Here he is interrupted by a slow clapping. Swinging his gaze around he finds Hadrian, lounging in his chair, and mockingly bringing his hands together.

Ignoring him the minister tries to continue with his speech, "These lies have been powered by Cedric Digory's death. They were made up by a traumatised teen who had just seen a school mate die in front of him, and he needed a reason for why Cedric died. But the Dark Lord is not back, and as such he did not kill Cedric Digory."

"Well done minister. You've finally said something that's true." A drawling voice interrupts the speech. Hadrian's voice.

"What?" Fudge blusters.

"Well, that's where I was mistaken." Hadrian stands up and makes his way up the stage, with Draco following. "I thought the Dark Lord killed Cedric, but he didn't, not the true one at least. Cedric Diggory was killed by Lord Voldemort, but he was not killed by the one who has tormented the world as the Dark Lord." Hadrian declares.

"What do you mean Potter?" Fudge asks.

"That's another thing that's wrong. Harry Potter. That's not my name. The Potters were my godparents. And Harry was never my true name."

"Explain yourself!"

"Of course, that's why I've went to all this trouble." Hadrian dips his head, "To be sure that you believe what I'm about to tell you, I asked Professor Sprout to make a veritaserum for me, and she was kind enough to do so." Hadrian holds up a small vial of veritaserum, "I know you are probably all wondering why I didn't go to Professor Sprout, but I did not want my story to be doubted in anyway and as I tell it there is the possibility that you will believe that he just pretended to make the potion to help me. So I hope you will believe that Professor Sprout made the potion, and Professor Snape was watching to make sure it was made correctly, but he had no hand in the making of it."

"I did make it, under Professor Snape's guidance." Professor Sprout confirms.

Hadrian quickly glances to his father, who dips his head just enough for Hadrian to see, and then to Draco before downing the vial.

"If you are not Harry Potter, who are you?" Fudge asks.

"My name is Hadrian Severus Riddle, and I am the child of Tom Marvelo Riddle and Severus Snape, with Bellatrix LeStrange as my surrogate mother. My mate is Draco Lucius Malfoy." Gasps spread throughout the room as people register what he said. "Fourteen years ago my parents had to go out, so they left me in the care of Lily and James Potter, my godparents, who were actually on my parent's side. When he found this out the true Dark Lord invaded their house, killing them when they tried to protect me. He was about to kill me, but my father, Tom Riddle, got there before he could. Instead of fighting honourably the Dark Lord tried to kill me, my father jumped in front of me and got hit instead. When his soul left his body part of it latched onto me, linking us. The Lord knew that my father would be back, so instead of killing me he changed me, made me look different, and then spread a story to the world, with the assistance of his loyal followers. The story that I was Harry Potter, the Potter's son. He had Ron Weasely put potions into my food so I would continue to have no idea who I really was. He did this so I would ruin my father for him." An arm slips around his waist, and when he turns his head he sees it is Draco.