My Father, Tom Riddle

Chapter 5

After a restless nights sleep and a nerve wracking morning, I walk briskly out onto the grass and see a bunch of Slytherin's waiting.
"Let's go, Delphi!" a suspiciously familiar looking head of blonde hair calls out.
"Malfoy?"
"Of course. Make our family proud." he grins, walking slowly up to me.
"Or else... you might not be part of the said household anymore." Draco whispers.
"Is that a threat, coward?" I jeer.
"You little..."
All of a sudden, before Malfoy punches the living daylight out of me, the godforsaken Slytherin shows up.
"Delphi, I'm so sorry...."
"Miss Lestrange to you." I snap. "Come forth and tell me your name."
I give him a hard look in the eye, and he stumbles forward, yet again after a jolt.
"I am Tobias Snape. Son of Professor Snape." Tobias murmurs.
My heart plummets. He's probably had lessons, and has half a dozen potions hidden.
I walk confidently forward, my heart pounding and my head telling me to run 50 meters in the other direction.
I bow, and Tobias does to.
Extending my arm, I remember what I was going to do.
It was a test - a test which was risky and dangerous.
Tobias fires the disarming spell, while I block it.
"Serpensortia!" I yell, praying to my lucky stars this would work.
A thick black snake erupts from my wand, it's head coiling in anger.
I find myself egging it on while everyone looks at me in horror.
The snake stops in front of Tobias, and he shoots a binding spell at me.
I thought fast and jumped.
But then, how could I jump 13 meters into the sky and hover there for a minute?
I drop, and start rapidly falling back to ground.
Then, I stop.
Just as I was about to splat onto the ground.
I run off in the direction of Dumbledore's office - he has a lot of explaining to do.

IN DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE

I run into the crevice, and rack my name for the password.
"Lolly.... Shaker..... Sherbet! Sherbet Lemon!" I yell.
I bolt up the moving stairs, teetering over the edge dangerously in my efforts to get to my Professor.
"Dumbledore!!! Professor... um, what?"
There, on a stool, looking like she had been there forever is Beatrix Lestrange. My mother.
"Delphini! What a... pleasant surprise." my mother laughs (forcefully).
"Sit down, wretch." she mutters.
I fall into a seat.
Just when I had gained Neville's trust.
"Miss Lestrange, we were just talking about you." Dumbledore smiles, cutting through the tension as if his voice was a knife.
"What do you want?" I demand.
"Shut up, Delphini. Let Professor Dumbledore speak." my mother jeers.
"Why did you run into my office in a fret?" Dumbledore smiles.
I look at my mother cautiously.
"Madam Lestrange, could you be as kind as to step out of my office for a moment?" Dumbledore asks.
"Of course, Albus."
As the door shuts loudly, Dumbledore casts a silencing charm on the door - trust my mother to eavesdrop.
"Delphini. Please, listen to me for a moment. You probably have your own views on this situation, but I need you to listen to mine first and foremost." Dumbledore sighs, holding up his hand as I make an attempt at speaking.
"I trust you have realised there are some.... irregular things happening in your life right now."
I nod in agreement.
"Your mother has had a very emotional talk with me."
"In what context?" I question.
"Delphini, these happenings are not spells, and they are coincidental. These... these may have something to do with your father."
I look at him querulously. Out of the corner of my eye, my snow white hair shimmers in the midday light.
"My... my Dad?"
"Yes. I have no idea how to say this... Merlin's Beard, I am speechless for once. Delphini, your mother had an affair."
"I suspected such. I mean, she's married and he's not my Dad." I ponder.
"She admired him very much... Unfortunately, she still does." Dumbledore sighs.
All of a sudden, it hit me like a cold and cruel punch. Tears spill out of my eyes.
"Professor... Is Voldemort my father?
I choke back tears, and Dumbledore looks at me in pity.
"You... you can't be serious." I mumble in disbelief.
"I am sorry, Delphini. This is the unavoidable truth." Dumbledore sighs.
I start to cry. Dumbledore rubs my back.
"He will attempt to contact you. Whatever you do, don't give in."
I stand up abruptly and slink out of the door.
My mother looks at me in disgust.
"You should be crying in joy. Your father is a great man."
"Shut up, Bellatrix." I snap, and stalk off into the stone halls.
I reach the Slytherin common room in tears, and fall into my bed.
I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.
Later that night, I awaken to a dark voice seemingly speaking in my mind.
"My young daughter. How beautiful you are. How... evil."
I open my eyes in terror. There, standing over me, is my father.
I try to scream, but my voice was stuck. I couldn't move.
He grabs me by the scruff of my shirt and we all of a sudden stand in a graveyard.
Masked men in black robes stand in a circle surrounding us. I couldn't see their faces, but I felt like their eyes were piercing through my skin, staring straight into my soul.
The bow down to their knees, and give me looks of utter respect.
"Our new mistress." they chant in unison.
I stare at them in confusion.
"Turn around and look, Delphini. These people are under your command." Voldemort cackles.
Without realising it, I inch closer and closer to my father, and only realise I am so close when he rests a gentle arm on my shoulders.
I spin in a circle. I had power, and I loved it.
I turn back to my father, eyes wide.
He has his wand pointing at me.
He utters a confusing spell, and I buckle down in pain.
I grit my teeth, resisting the urge to scream as my arm burns.
A snake-skull symbol I wish I has never seen again starts spider-webbing itself up my forearm.
As it finishes, I feel tears rolling down my cheeks.
Without another second, we apparate back into my dormitory.
A sick feeling erupts in my stomach.
"Rest, my daughter. It will be time for me to return soon. Then, we will teach you the most horrid black magic the world has ever seen."
He slips his wand in my pocket before leaving me panicking and hyperventilating in my bed.
I fall fitfully asleep, reminding myself I wouldn't do this as Dumbledore's words echo through the back of my mind.
News has spread like wildfire.
Older kids break down in terrified tears in my presence, and Slytherin is on a winning streak simply because the other houses are too scared.
I am miserable.
It is strange - every time I am near Harry, his head and scar starts throbbing.
I feel horrible, so I simply don't go near him anymore.
Meals will never be the same again. Now, I am flanked by Death Eater's children. They see me as their messiah.
Tobias now looks at me with a glint of awe in his eye, and his twin sister Arabella is my new best friend - but she's fake.
How I miss Harry, Hermione and Ron.
They were so easy to talk to; so understanding and non-judgemental.
Ugh. How did my like get so freakin' messed up?
I now always wear long sleeve - that tattoo of sorts is a reminder of how I will never get to live my own life.
And Harry was... Harry. The Boy Who Lived.
My sworn enemy.
But I can't help feeling like we were meant to be more than enemies.... and more than friends.

HARRY'S P.O.V

I see Delphini looking at me from across the room.
Gosh, she looks gorgeous in the early morning light.
I pinch myself. Seriously, Harry? She's your enemy. Her father and mother decided that when she was just a baby.
I felt guilty. Obviously she wouldn't want to approach us; her father would strip her limb from limb, or order her to kill us.
She looks lonely, even when flanked by her Death Eater descendants.
She looks sad, even in times of immense happiness.
Voldemort has crushed her soul.