The Serpent's Eye (A Tom Riddle fanfic)

Chapter Twenty-Four: Night-time Terrors

"Constant Vigilance!" -Mad-Eye Moody

Azalea found herself in a cozy little living room. She didn't quite know where she was, but she couldn't help the sinking familiarity she felt with the place.

The walls were painted with a light tinge of gold and the chesterfields were scarlet with golden arms. Azalea could see the smallest emblem of the Gryffindor crest stitched to the cushions. Who ever lived here had Azalea's approval of the Gryffindor themed living room.

"Lily!" A male's voice called from upstairs.

A comfort had set into Azalea when she found the owner of the house not only had an association with Gryffindor, but also had the same name as her mother.

"What is it, James?" A soft, feminine voice answered. Her voice seemed to sound from the same floor Azalea was on.

"Harry's being fussy and he woke Azalea up. I need your help putting her back to sleep. Or at least take Harry out for a walk or something."

Parents named James and Lily with children named Harry and Azalea? Now the young witch understood the feeling of recognition with the house. It felt familiar because it was the house she grew up in when she was no more than a year old. It was the same house she grew up in when she had her parents, but didn't have the consciousness to appreciate them yet.

The crimson-haired witch that she knew to be her mother came out from another room to head up to her husband. Azalea followed her up the stairs.

She was led into a small but well decorated room with two cribs on opposite sides of the room. Neither of the cribs were occupied though. Instead, the father had taken the children out and set them on the floor, entertaining them by making tiny puffs of smoke with his wand.

"James! They're suppose to be sleeping. You know how fussy they are when they don't get a lot of sleep."

The father obliged to his wife's wishes and scooped the two infants up to put them back in their crib. He put both of them in one to spare him the walk to the other crib.

Azalea took her attention off of her baby self and the infant Harry to look at her parents who were now in each other's embrace. Seeing that stirred up feelings of admiration and heartbreak in Azalea. Her parents seemed to her like a picture-perfect couple but she'd never get to witness it first-hand.

A sudden burst downstairs caused her parents to sharply pull out of their hug and stare worryingly out of the door.

It was her father that sprung into action first. He bolted down the stairs and called up to his wife. "It's him, Lily! Take the kids and go!"

Her mother ran to the only window in the room and opened it. Perhaps she thought she could escape through there with the children.

Another thud sounded from downstairs and Lily knew it wasn't from her husband winning the fight with the assailant. It was quite the opposite actually. She knew her husband had fallen to Voldemort like so many other witches and wizards before him. She let out a piercing scream and rushed to the crib that contained both babies.

Her mother didn't have time to see if her plan to escape through the window would work because not even a minute later, Voldemort made an appearance at the door frame.

"Not my children, please! Have mercy!"

It was like Voldemort didn't even hear the pleas of her mother as he rose his wand. "AVADA KADAVRA!"

Azalea found herself wishing that she had the chance to look away before she saw her mother's body collapse to the ground, completely lifeless. Azalea's stomach tightened to the point she was positive she might either pass out or vomit.

Voldemort continued his path to the infants as if nothing had occurred in those past seconds. And it may have been nothing to him, but it was an action that changed the course of her life succeeding the event.

He lifted his wand toward her brother and spoke the same incantation his parents lost their lives to. "AVADA KADAVRA!"

Watching the life in her mother's eyes leave was a near impossible task, but seeing her previously awake brother who was just seconds ago peering at this murderer with profound curiosity, get hit with the curse broke her. Her brother fell back, not moving. Not even the slightest twitch could be seen. Both Azaleas wailed with the realization that their brother was hurt.

Voldemort turned to the other child and lifted his wand. Azalea knew what was coming and thankfully she didn't have to watch this one as well because she was mercifully jolted out of the nightmare.

Azalea woke up in the bed she had fallen asleep in. The only difference was that Ocean was leaning over her when she awoke, worry colouring her features.

"Are you okay? You've been thrashing and crying in your sleep for like half-an-hour and we couldn't wake you." It was only when Ocean mentioned crying that Azalea realized her face was damp around the eyes. Azalea peered around the room and found all of the girls were awake, looking at her in confusion. She turned her attention back to Ocean.

"Yea, I am. Sorry, it was just a bad dream."

Ocean nodded her head unconvincingly, but went back to her bed nonetheless.

Azalea also tried to get back to sleep to no avail. Her mind kept wondering to the images of Voldemort killing her parents and brother, and attempting to kill her. Nightmares weren't an odd occurrence for the young witch, but she has never had one involving the day of her parents' death before.

The residing feelings in Azalea sparked both fear and motivation in her. She needed to get her plan started because she was not going to let him create anymore orphans of war.