Hello luv... A Harry Potter Fan Fiction

chpt 13

I was running through the dimly lit corridors and hoping not to run into anyone, I had my wand out just to make sure that if I was attacked I could fend them off. I wasn't taking any chances while running to Dumbledore's office. I kept alert the whole way and when I finally got to the stone gargoyle the staircase was already open. I considered that it might be a trap but overlooked it because there were no signs of any struggle or breaking in. I ascended the stairs and knocked on the oak door. More than one voice was raised inside as my knock went unheard. One of the voices of course belonged to Dumbledore, the other I couldn't place, though I knew I had heard it before. I knocked again, this time thumping my knuckles into the wood with more force. The voices stopped and for a second there was quiet. "Come in." Dumbledore finally called from inside. As I opened the door I saw Dumbledore standing behind his desk and a short pudgy looking man standing on the side of the desk closest to me. It was the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge. He smiled when he saw me, "Ah you must be the new teaching aid that I have heard so many good things about. Nice to meet you." He shoved his hand towards me and I shook it while carefully looking at Dumbledore. "Nice to meet you as well Minister, I am sorry for interrupting your discussion," I looked from Fudge back to Dumbledore again. "I’ll come back later Headmaster." I turned to leave and was at the door when he called me back. "No Robyn, stay here I'll be back shortly, the Minister and I have finished anyway." I saw Fudge give Dumbledore a dirty look out of the corner of my eye as I turned around and walked back to a seat in front of his desk. "If you are sure," I inclined my head towards the fat man. "Minister, it was a pleasure to meet you." With that the two men left me alone in the warm office. Fawkes gave out a solitary cry and I felt it keenly as I sat in the tangible silence of the room my wand back in my hand. I stood and walked over to the bookshelf in the corner of the giant room. On it there was a book that looked familiar to me, I lifted it gently out and placed it down on a table. I opened to the first page and there was a large title that read. "Annalium."  It said "Our history" in Latin. The pet language of my people. I flicked through the familiar pages and sifted the paragraphs until I came across the section I had been looking for. Marriage. In it there were rows on rows of dates and names. I found the line for my parents, below was the line for my brother, and then there was my name. Beside it the writing said, "Marriage to be confirmed, betrothed to Tom Riddle." It wasn't in Latin.

"Do you know how hard it was to get a copy of that book?" I span on my heel and watched guiltily as Dumbledore approached me with a smile on his face. He laughed, "I can't blame you for your inquisitiveness it's a trait that is not reserved only for humans, but may I ask why you’re here?" I closed the book and picked it up, clutching it tight in my fingers.

"How much of this have you read?" I asked hoping he wouldn't tell me what I didn't want to hear.

"All of it." He answered and I felt as if a new weight had been shoved onto my shoulders. I let out a deep sigh. "I was hoping you wouldn't say that." His smile faded as I sat down heavily on the seat that had appeared with a flick of his wand. He created another and sat opposite me, patting me on the shoulder reassuringly, "I've read it; that much is true. But I didn't nor do I plan to judge you on the contents of that book, what I wonder is why you didn't tell me to begin with." I closed my eyes and sighed again.

"I didn't tell you because for so long I have tried to pretend that it wasn't true, that I wouldn't eventually end up with a monster like Voldemort. I just wanted to have the choice. I'm sorry." I muttered the last bit and lifted my head to look at him when there was only silence.

He was thinking, "I understand, but you can't run away from your problems, it only makes them greater," he paused, "you say that you tried, what's changed?" It was why I was there so there was no use in trying to evade it any longer.

"Voldemort has found where I am and he's communicated with me. He wants me at his side. And if he comes for me I have no choice but to go- we're betrothed." There was a sense of finality about those words coming from my own mouth that scared me.

There was a sudden creak from the floorboards behind us, "So that's why you left."