Tales of Damien Riddle

Chapter 11: Confessions

Damien stiffened at the use of his old name. He stared at Professor Slughorn with wide eyes, and he quickly tried to regain his composure. He cleared his throat as he shook his head, "I don't know what you're talking about, Professor. I am not that boy with a hero complex. My name is Damien Riddle," he said firmly, "I'm the son of-,"

"Thomas Marvolo Riddle," Slughorn cut him off. Damien's eyes widened once again. Slughorn laughed a little as he shook his head silently, "You look exactly as your father did at your age. I may be old, but I am not blind, Mr. Riddle. Or as crazy as most make me out to be."

"Y-you knew my father?" Damien questioned, and Slughorn nodded his head once as he moved towards his desk.

"Yes I knew your father. I taught your father many years ago when I first taught at Hogwarts," he said as he began to clean the parchment on his desk, "I know he is Lord Voldemort, I know you were taken from him as a baby, I know your adoptive parents died trying to return you to him," Slughorn took a seat at his desk and he looked up at Damien, "And I know you are only here on a mission for him."

Damien felt as if his brain were going to explode. If Horace Slughorn knew all of this information, Damien wondered who else could know. He rubbed his temples as he tried to process everything he had been told. Finally, he looked up at the potions professor, "If you know I am here because my father then that means-."

"Dumbledore does know as well, yes," Slughorn spoke calmly, "Only him, however, not the rest of the order. I believe he is trying to keep it to himself because he fears once everyone learns the truth they'll turn their backs on him. He also does not know that I know."

"How is that? He uses legilimency. He can see your thoughts."

"I've been practicing occlumency for a great number of years, Mr. Riddle. That old dungeon bat cannot see anything I do not wish for him to see," Slughorn said, "You and your friends should practice it yourselves. I'm sure Severus knows how to use it."

"W-why...what do you want, Professor? Why are you helping me? I do not understand. Are you not a light wizard?" Damien questioned, lifting a single eyebrow.

"I'd like to believe in this war I am neutral. I have not chosen a side. I have only returned to Hogwarts because Albus had begged me, and he told me I would be teaching Harry Potter. I thought it would be a great honor," he chuckled as he shook his head, "Imagine my surprise when I see that I got Damien Riddle instead."

"That doesn't explain why you're helping me," Damien's eyes narrowed as he looked at the professor who he was sure was trying to beat around the bush.

Slughorn's smile fell and he sighed as he looked down at his hands that were crossed against his desk, "James and Lily. That is why I am helping you. I favored your adoptive mother greatly. When she told me that you were not her son, and that she wanted to return you to your rightful father, I swore I would do anything to help her," Slughorn looked up at Damien with a frown on his face, "I blame myself for their deaths. I was supposed to meet them, to give them aid, but...I had gotten caught up with a situation with Albus, and I had to run. Because of my cowardly decision, your parents died and you suffered greatly for 16 years. And for that, I am sorry. I wish to help. I will help as much as I can, but do not ask me to fight. That is what I will not do. I will remain neutral in this war."

Damien didn't bother to tell Slughorn that if he chose to help him and his friends that he had already chosen a side. He figured having another teacher on the inside would be very useful, and he would take all the help that he could get.

"Thank you, Professor," Damien said simply, giving his teacher a nod of his head.

"Yes yes, anytime, now off you go, Mr. Riddle. Wouldn't want you to be late for your next class, would we?"