The Mark of a Death Eater

The Heir of Slytherin

I was disappointed when the common room only emptied much later. I'd brought with me a few books to study as well as my homework and I'd finished it all ages before the last person went to bed.

Now that I was alone, I pulled the big book out from under the couch and settled it on my lap. I was pretty much exhausted but that didn't really matter, not when you have an ancient runic book in your hands.

Earlier, I'd gone upstairs to fetch a brooch - an emerald and diamond one that had been in my family for a while - and now I used to now to prick my finger very gently. It didn't break the skin the first time so I did it again, much harder. Blood welled up where the pin jabbed and I quickly held it to the stupid silver depression.
"Anguem recludem," I muttered moodily.

I pulled open the heavy cover and turned to the first page. It looked like an introduction of some sort and I found myself eager to make out the latin on the yellowing pages. It took some effort, but finally, it translated roughly to this:

Dear reader:

You hold in your possession the book of the one Salzar Slytherin. If you are reading this, you are undoubtedly a pure blood, of my descend. A Slytherin.  In this book, you will uncover the greatest of truths, worst fears, darkest secrets and filthiest lies. Predictions, spells, calculations and saviors. My dear Slytherin heir, complete the book in which I have began my story, with yours. Allow the next heir to benefit from our legacy and pass it on to others. This book is to be replaced in the Chamber of Secrets after use. Once opened, there is no return.

Salazar Slytherin

S

The end of the note had a pale green 's' embossed into it, undoubtedly made with a stamp and sealing wax, with a protective charm on it. I don't see how the wax wouldn't crack otherwise.

One half of my brain insisted that this book was wrong and I should return it to the library in a more secure location at that very moment so that a future me-like Hogwarts student wouldn't find it. The book was dangerous. It was a self introduction to Salazar Slytherin, hater of muggles and mudbloods. There couldn't be any good to the book.

The other part -the half that thirsted for knowledge, the logical half- was ruminating over the part 'This book is to be replaced in the Chamber of Secrets after use.' Surely, surely it couldn't have been there. My mind was furiously working. The heir of Slytherin had been responsible for the opening of the Chamber in my second year. It was of course known that Ginny Ginger had been abducted by the heir and Potter, the brave Prince Potter had gone to find her, but the school had never specified on who was really responsible. They said it was a dark wizard that none of us knew, and now he was in Azkaban, which satisfied everyone. But this showed that the heir of Slytherin had taken this book. Perhaps when he himself went to summon the monster in the school. And he probably couldn't take it back but rather stuffed it hastily under the library. Or maybe the reason he left it by the library was because he intended for someone to find it. Saying that, however, would be insinuating that he never had faith that there would be another descendent who would possess the ability of opening the Chamber. After all, I'm not a descendent of Salazar Slytherin. I know my families generations for centuries. I could have sketched out a family tree right then from memory. I had just happened to come across the book. Anyone could have done so, from a Hufflepuff first year to a Gryffindor 7th year.

I flipped through the uneven pages, eventually coming to a page with a large ancient rune symbol for finish. I turned the page, expecting there to be blank pages. Instead, it was a page filled with black ink in a very neat handwriting that I immediately envied. So, someone had used the book before me and after Salazar's initial greeting. That supported my Chamber-Heir theory. It spelled introduction, with what appeared to be the exact same introduction as Slytherin's one. On closer examination, I saw that there were a few other words that I couldn't exactly translate.

After the introduction was another one, this time in english:

Tom Marvolo Riddle. Slytherin house. Half blood. Aged 16.

I committed that to memory.