The Secret of Tom Riddle's Diary

Chapter Nineteen - Third Return to Hogwarts

The atmosphere in the 3rd year Slytherin compartment was icy.  No one dared to speak.  Ethan had refused to sit near Victoria, but all he would do was glare daggers in her direction.  Victoria was in her own dark mood.  She just stared out of the window watching the rolling hills.  The other six in the room had their own dark thoughts.  The Puceys had made a visit to Riddle Manor to stand before the Dark Lord.  They had presented Adrian who was now a 7th year Prefect.  Taylor’s older brother had gone on behalf of their father.  The hidden promise made – declare your obedience and I will free your father. 

The Greengrasses though not aligned with the Dark Lord nor with Dumbledore had given specific instructions to their children.  It seemed that Astoria was waiting until a quiet time, hoping that Victoria’s uncle had not given her any reasons to turn against her.  The mixed blood of Gideon and McCarthey had the two of them on edge.  McCarthey had not heard from his friend all summer either – already those two had argued.  Bulstrode remained a quiet enigma as always.

Astoria knew that when the 7th year prefect arrived, they had better be ready, so finally she stood up, and did something that was extremely rare for the reserved Ice Queen.  She looked at both Ethan and Victoria.

“With everything that is going on in our world, we need the two of you to make peace at the least.  We are all leaving.  You two need to figure things out.”

With a strong look at all her classmates – concern that perhaps the Death Eater children among them would ignore her silent command – she led the way out.  It was somewhat a surprise that the others followed her.  When it was Victoria and Ethan alone she turned to him. 

“What is the problem, Ethan?” she asked.

“My problem?”  He shouted.  He seemed unafraid of one of the most feared students in all of Hogwarts.  “All summer long we didn’t go on a single date.  All summer long I sent you owls.  All summer long I got no replies –“

Her eyes narrowed at him.  But her face softened a bit.  She hoped that what she said would work as she had planned.

“I was already presented to the Dark Lord,” she said quietly.

He gasped at the admission.  She looked sadly at him as she continued.

“The Dark Lord and my Uncle Rufus discussed my living arrangements and my studies –“ she remained quiet as if there was something else discussed.  She left that unsaid.  If Ethan only knew –

“Uncle Rufus must have intercepted all your owls.  He had already charmed the Manor that year to intercept all my mail –“  The Dark Lord had been concerned that Dumbledore who surely knew he had been raised might try something to gain Victoria out of his clutches. 

“I didn’t get any of your letters –“

At this she took off the bracelet on her arm. 

“I am very sorry, Ethan,” she said quietly.  “I didn’t want to do this, but Uncle Rufus insisted –“ she looked around and then added, “quite insistently.”

She handed him the bracelet that marked her as his steady date.  Ethan held the bracelet in his hand shaking.  His confidence in himself and his place in his society extremely shaken.  He was angry – still at Victoria, though he now understood her dilemma.  He was angry at their world that had taken her away from him.  He even felt anger at the Dark Lord.  But he remembered that his father had told him to be careful about thoughts around the Dark Lord.

“I understand, Victoria –“ he said.

She smiled at him.  “Would we be able to at least get a drink together in Hogsmeade at the first weekend?”