𝕬 𝕷𝖎𝖙𝖙𝖑𝖊 𝕳𝖊𝖎𝖗 𝕽𝖎𝖘𝖊𝖘 | 𝑇𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 |

Chapter 5- The Boy Hiding Behind the Mirror

"Sir?—Professor Dumbledore, are you there?"

Tom had just entered Dumbledore's office to see if he had returned from the winter holiday yet. According to Slughorn's most recent letter, the two were probably going to be coming back from the massive manhunt for Zell Gaunt sometime that day. Unfortunately, it said nothing much more than that. Tom would definitely be trying to smuggle some valuable information out of them later, if he could manage it. The whole thing simply baffled him. How could some of the most highly trained wizards of the century go out to catch one man and come up completely empty handed? However, regardless of their failures, Tom was there on Frankie's behalf and could not do the hard-hitting investigating he wanted to do just then. She was running a bit of a fever, so Tom came in her stead. If she didn't act as if she wanted constant updates on the situation, they would soon suspect her of being up to something. He would be better at acting concerned anyway, considering he was far more concerned for her then she was for herself.

So, Tom had merely been sent to Dumbledore to put him in a good mood and act interested in the search of Zell Gaunt, while Frankie was stuck in bed. He walked into the office only to find that Dumbledore appeared to still be absent. However, the owls seemed to be still delivering all his mail for him in that absence. The claw-foot desk was shrouded with different letters of different sizes, colors, and languages. Tom sighed and began to pick up the letters, thinking what a slob his teacher was between the mess of trivial contraptions on the wall and his clutter of a desk. Under the belief that Dumbledore wouldn't mind his desk being somewhat organized when he returned, Tom began to organize all the letters into one neat pile on the corner of the desk. However, hiding under the stack was one open letter, sitting next to a vial of silvery liquid. He would not have dared to pick the parchment up and read it, if some of the words hadn't managed to stick out to him in passing glance. They practically grabbed his eyeballs and glued them to the page,

"Dear Albus,

I was given this vial in confidence by Elizabeth herself, in the case anything was to happen to her during her time as an Auror. She seemed to know Zell Gaunt would someday return to cause havoc and felt her memories were worth reviewing in such a time. Upon her and Francis's murder, I had no choice but to open it and view the memories for myself. Although, somewhat meaningless in the case of their murder, perhaps they can help shed a bit more light on this situation and help illuminate areas even you could not have understood at the time. As I recall, you were always somewhat involved in the events that occurred during the Triwizard Tournament. Unfortunately, Zell Gaunt's memories were not captured upon his original conviction, which was a mistake on the Ministry, considering it's the main reason for this disastrous incident. The Ministry is prepared to give you anything else you might require for the investigation. Although, I was not Minister of Magic at the time, I will try to take responsibility for my predecessor's mistakes.

Another matter that must be discussed is no doubt an obvious one. You did not alert me to the fact my goddaughter is indeed alive, until this incident, and I don't think you ever intended to if she hadn't lost her magic. I doubt she's seen Diana either, considering the other day when I spoke to her she still believed her sister perished at the hands of Grigor, like her parents. I don't know where you've been hiding her for six years, but I'll be taking rightful guardianship at once.

Please respond back at your earliest convenience so that a meeting can be arranged.

-Macgregor Bane, Minister of Magic"

"What?"

A godfather? A sister? Dumbledore never once mentioned Frankie had people like that remaining in her life. People that definitely still wanted her. How could he be keeping something so important from her? Tom set down the letter and grabbed the vial on the desk, simply labeled, Zell, in her mother's script. The truth was literally in his hands. All the answers Frankie needed and all the answers she didn't even know she wanted. Tom turned to a stone basin sitting on his left surrounded by a cabinet of similar vials of liquid. He didn't know the object well, but he was smart enough to figure out that was where he needed to pour them. He slowly drained the vial into the basin and leaned in to view the memories.