How Voldemort Made His Comeback

The Riddle House

The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," even through it had been many years since any member of the Riddle family resided there. It stood on a hill over looking the village, over the years erosion weathered away its once grand old fashion features. The Riddle House's windows stood in excitement, word had passed through its walls that a family member was returning. The improbable-ness of this rumor still remained, but the improbability theory stated that a chance still remained, no matter how slim.

The villagers all agreed the Riddle House was "creepy", they had many versions of the tale that accompanied the name. however each tale started in the same place: Fifty years ago, when the Riddle House had been in mint condition, a maid entered the drawing room to find all three Riddles dead.

"'Lyin' there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! Still in their dinner things!' Aye boy, aye! That's what my third wife said!" An old balding man slurped his coffee and waved his arms for emphasis. "Son, don't cha go near that house if ya love livin'!"

Nico chuckled at the man's story, he had meant most of the Riddles. A vile bunch, sort of greasy. "That's a nice tale there, why don't I tell you one of my own Mr. Bryce?"

"Ooo, boy ya haven't been around love enough to start tellin' tales! But let's see what-cha got, aye?" Mr. Bryce turned around and called to the bartender in a gruff voice. He quite liked this boy, after the war he couldn't find his family- he forgot their names and location. This boy seemed like a grandson of sorts. "Give this here laddie a drink o' whiskey will ya?"

"Actually Mr. Bryce I'm going to call it a night, the folks will be worried. I'll see you around man." Nico bid Mr. Bryce good bye but not for long, he could smell the scent of death all over this man. Thanatos or the Keres (lovely sisters of death) were coming tonight to claim his life, Nico would make sure to put in a good word.

Frank Bryce had recently divorced his fourth wife and moved back to Little Hangleton, where his third wife used to reside. They were on good terms, but Frank kinda of screwed things up when he forgot he had a third wife and married the fourth one. The amnesia had severely effected his memory, so severely that he thought he was still the gardener for the Riddle House when in reality the house had been abandon for years.

On this night, he glimpsed a strange glimmer in the Riddle House, probably the flashlight of those rowdy teenagers. Frank mumbled under his breath about teenagers these days, that brought back memories of Nico, the boy he believed he meant a few hours ago, or maybe a few days... weeks... years even? Frank temporary forgot about the glimmer, Nico watched from the shadows. He breathe a small sigh of relief, whatever Frank had noticed, it wasn't for his eyes.

Nico could sense the shady presence in that house, something satanic maybe. Perhaps a blood ritual, funny how many confused Hades with Satan. Creeping closer to the house, he drank in the scent of old mead and tainted purity. An unnatural mixture that came long after supernatural death, the Riddle myth must have been true. As he carefully opened up the back door, he swore he could hear murmuring. Decay hit his nostrils, dust circled the air, he sniffled a sneeze.

Instinct, that gutsy feeling in the pits of your stomach, they always say listen to it. However Nico's ADHD mind often forgot his instinct. A fatal mistake that would cost him four years.

Off to the distance, he felt a life force leaving the grounds, Mr. Bryce.

The muttering got louder, he rounded a corner and abruptly stopped. Nico caught a glimpse of a small balding, rat-like man and a child, they were obviously homeless people that needed a place a stay. The dull scraping noise of a heavy chair being dragged across the floor produced a screech that urged Nico to leave the place. Screeching of chalk, nothing could sound worse, and then the feel of chalk, ugh. HIs ADHD mind went back to the times of classrooms. If only Nico had stayed for a few seconds longer, then he would have realized they were much, much more then homeless.

Inspecting the limp body, Nico spotted a vampire-like bite by his neck and another set on his shoulder. Bam, mystery solved, the old man had died of snake venom. Leaves rustled around, haunting winds rattled the little cabin windows. It was a wonder the house hadn't collapsed yet, Nico reached out with his mind, sense other life forces. Mice, plants, grasshoppers, crows, and so much more, he wouldn't be finding that snake tonight.