Harry potter and the Hazy eyes

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

Let me take you back to the year of 1938…

A young boy with dark hair and a handsome face entered through the main entrance of Hogwarts castle along with several other children in the same age, looking just as lost and innocent as the others, but he was far from that. Except for feeling slightly disoriented, this particular boy had otherwise a confident feeling inside him. He knew he was precisely where he should be, among people like himself. Or rather, people that understood the powers he possessed, because no one was like him. He was highly extraordinary in many ways, and what was worse; he knew it.

Despite his young age, there was something intimidating about this boy. His dark eyes peered curiously around in the room. He grinned maliciously to himself. He was home.

Next to him stood a frightened-looking girl, a head shorter than him. She peered nervously around her in the new hall they had just entered. This was by far the strangest thing she had ever experienced. All around were students of the school, eyeing them suspiciously and curiously. The feeling that all eyes were upon her frightened the eleven-year-old girl and she squeezed herself into the middle of the hoop of eleven-year-olds. The boy, who had been standing beside her however, seemed to enjoy the attention from the older students. The hoop stopped in front of a table with older wizards and witches. It was the professors of the school and in the middle sat the Headmaster, Professor Armando Dippet.

The headmaster showed an expression of slight boredom as he sat leaned back in his throne-like seat, looking down on the students. His hand was twirling a lock of his bone white beard absent-mindedly. To his right was another wizard with long auburn beard. He wore elegant dark blue robes and had a comforting smile plastered on his lips. His appearance calmed the girl slightly. She had seen him before, and it felt good to recognize someone in this very strange situation. The wizard stood up from his seat. In his hand he held an old worn-out hat. He placed himself in front of the nervous new students.

“My name is Albus Dumbledore and I will be your Transfigurations Professor. A few of you have already met me.” He nodded to a few students and then held up the old hat for everyone to see.

“This is the sorting hat,” he explained. “It will sort you into your houses. During your time at Hogwarts your house will be like your family. There are four houses; Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw. When I call your name I want you to step forward and I shall place the hat on your head.”

Professor Dumbledore took out a long scroll of parchment and began placing students into different houses.

The girl still felt uneasy. Which house would she end up in? What was that old hat going to do? Suddenly Dumbledore called out the name; “Tom Riddle!”

The girl turned her head and watched the tall good-looking boy being sorted. The hat yelled “Slytherin!” and the boy sat down among his fellow Slytherins, looking pleased. The brown-haired girl turned her gaze back to Dumbledore and he yelled; “Ruby Boleyn!”

The girl swallowed hard at the sound of her given name. Ruby slowly made her way up to where Dumbledore was standing and allowed him to place the hat on her head. After a few moments of consideration, the hat yelled; “Gryffindor!”

Relieved that it was over, Ruby went to join the others by Gryffindor table, smiling happily.

The End.

Unfortunately this sad story does not end here, no matter how badly I wish it did. That was my first day at Hogwarts, and the first time I ever met Tom Riddle. I will never forget it, but the memory will not die with me. I will make sure of that by writing this. Of course I did not think that much of Tom during my first years at Hogwarts. He was just a Slytherin like the rest of them. Oh, how wrong I was.

Our paths crossed again, and the year was 1943. Our fifth year…

Ruby hurried through the crowded corridor, her black and scarlet robes billowing out behind her. Her shoulder-length light brown hair kept falling in her face, but she ignored it. Ruby tried her best to avoid bumping in to the older students as she marched through the corridor in a hurried pace with two heavy old books under her arms. She entered the Transfigurations classroom, knowing that she was late. She closed the door behind her and took a seat. Professor Dumbledore shot her a look which usually meant “See me after class,”

Ruby sighed, this was not her day. Suddenly her eyes met a pair of dark ones. Tom Riddle, one of the most popular students of her year, was looking at her. They shared a few seconds of eye contact before Ruby finally managed to break the trance and start with the assignment Professor Dumbledore had given them. This was her OWLs year and she didn’t want to get a bad grade because of a Slytherin like Tom. Tom looked away and pretended to be reading, but Ruby knew better. He never did anything useful on the lessons, and still he managed to pass with good grades. This annoyed Ruby greatly. Tom had never done anything to her, but he was a Slytherin. Gryffindors and Slytherins had always been rivals. Prejudices had already been set the day they were sorted into different houses.

The lesson passed by slowly. Every now and then Ruby caught Tom’s eyes, but it was only for short glances. She didn’t know what it meant, but it made her cheeks heat up. Why was he looking at her of all people? Tom had never looked twice at her before. Ruby frowned and turned her attention back to her book, hiding her face behind it. She had all rights to be suspicious; Tom was an odd bloke. Strange things always seemed to happen when he was around, but Ruby couldn’t say that the mystery that was Tom Riddle didn’t intrigue her, and the fact that he was indeed very attractive didn’t make the whole situation any better either.

When the lesson finally came to an end, Ruby gathered all her books and left the classroom avoiding Tom’s eyes. After a quick exchange of words with professor Dumbledore, Ruby left to find her friends. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and all sorts of weird birds were singing, but Ruby took no notice. She entered Gryffindor’s common room through the portrait hole and spotted her friends by a small table, playing wizards chess. Ruby walked up to them and took a seat next to the black-haired girl with glasses, who looked fairly bored. Her head was resting in her hands and her eyes were gazing wearily at the chess match.

“I know, boring, eh?” Ruby said, smiling slightly at her friend, who looked like she might fall asleep anytime.

“Yes, very.” The black-haired girl replied with a suppressed yawn, stretching.

“So how was Transfiguration today?” The girl continued, looking at Ruby through her round spectacles.

“It was fine, I guess.” Ruby said. “What about you Myrtle? Was potions any fun?”

The black-haired girl named Myrtle wrinkled her nose in disgust. “It was horrible! Professor Slughorn made us do this 20-steps potion. I failed badly and Olive laughed at me…” Myrtle said with a sigh.

“Never mind Olive. She’s just a stupid Slytherin.” Ruby said with a comforting smile.

“Thanks Ruby.”

“Was Tom there?” Her other red-haired friend asked, looking up from the game of chess, her eyes wide.

Ruby frowned, “Why do you ask?”

The read-head, who was ironically named Scarlet, shrugged, “No reason,”

“Tell me!” Ruby demanded.

“Oh, I just thought you liked him, that’s all.” She shrugged and then looked carefully up at Ruby with an innocent look.

“Well, you’re … wrong.” Ruby said, although it didn’t sound as convincing as she had hoped.

“Am I?” Scarlet smirked mysteriously, but Ruby wouldn’t budge.

“Yes, you are very wrong!” Ruby assured, “I don’t want to discuss this anymore.”

“Fine!” Scarlet help up her hands in surrender. “We’ll wait and see what happens… I guess I don’t need to remind you that Professor Slughorn is having a party next week…”

“And you think he’ll ask me?” Ruby asked and snorted.

“Stranger things have happened, you know.” Myrtle said and moved her queen to E4. Ruby didn’t reply that. The conversation died out and an annoyingly tense silence fell over them. Ruby fell back into her seat, her arms crossed over her chest and her head spinning with questions. Why had Tom looked so strangely at her? She had to know.

A few minutes later, the silence was broken by Scarlet who exclaimed; “Checkmate!” followed by a disappointed sigh from Myrtle.

this was the first chapter my next the chapter is coming in 5 minutes or less (i already made 3 chapters)

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

OK heres my second chapter if its nice you could react but no LONG reactions only shorts plz thnx

II. The End

So far this tale appears to be harmless, but don’t let yourselves be fooled by this cute little beginning. Every good tale has its fun and happy moments. This one is no exception, but as much as it pains me, I have to tell you that my troubles had only just begun.

You have been warned. I advice you to keep reading, even if what you are about to find out may seem horrible and frightening.

The year is still 1943, the year of tragedy…

With each day that passed, the lessons appeared to get longer and harder. Ruby found herself with tons of homework and other assignments. The warm and sunny weather seemed to mock her since she was now trapped in the castle, spending most of her time in the library or in the common room.

“I could use a break.” Ruby said and closed the book in front of her. Myrtle looked up at her friend from under her glasses.

“Ruby, we have to finish this today or Professor Merrythought will be very cross.” Myrtle reminded. Ruby sighed and looked longingly out the window. Being a fifth-year had turned out to be more challenging then she could’ve ever imagined.

“Oh, alright…” Myrtle suddenly sighed and closed her book as well. “I guess a short pause wouldn’t hurt…?” She said and a smirk formed on her lips. Ruby smiled too and stood up.

They left the dusty library to go find Scarlet. They passed the Trophy Room and entered the Corridor of Glory. As they walked pass the school’s all Quidditch awards, Ruby saw the familiar handsome features of Tom Riddle’s face. Myrtle, who had obviously noticed him too, gave Ruby a push in his direction. Ruby got the hint and walked up to Tom from behind while Myrtle left the corridor alone. Tom was peering through a display case of glass at old Quidditch trophies. Ruby was surprised to find him here alone. He was never alone under normal circumstances.

Ruby coughed slightly to get his attention. Tom immediately spun around, looking innocently surprised, as usual, but Ruby had the strange feeling that he had been waiting for her.

“What are you looking at?” Ruby asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Tom was a Slytherin and therefore could she not let down her guard completely, even if it was hard when Tom always managed to look so innocent.

“I’m looking for my father’s name.” Tom said.

“Was he a Quidditch player?” Ruby wondered.

“I don’t know … perhaps.”

Ruby couldn’t see why this was so important. Perhaps, she thought, she couldn’t understand it because she was muggleborn. Ruby knew that most of the Slytherins were Purebloods. She couldn’t understand why blood was so important. Most of her friends were, as the Purebloods called them, “Mudbloods” but that didn’t matter to her. Tom was probably a Pureblood too.

Suddenly Tom turned around to face her with a slight smile. He looked really handsome. This made Ruby relax a bit.

“Miss Boleyn, I’ve been meaning to ask you a question for quite some time now.” Tom said, talking to her with such dignity in his voice that Ruby almost melted.

“And what is that?” Ruby asked.

“I was wondering if you would like to go with me to Professor Slughorn’s party this Friday.” Tom explained calmly. He didn’t seem the least nervous at all, like he already knew her answer would be yes.

Ruby just stared at him for a second. Had she heard that right? Had Tom Riddle, one of the most popular Slytherins in Hogwarts, just asked her, Ruby Boleyn, a muggleborn Gryffindor that no one ever seemed to notice, to be his date for Slughorn’s party? It was just not normal.

“Well? What is your answer?” Tom suddenly asked, obviously confused by her shocked stare.

“I … I have to think about it.” Ruby heard herself say, regretting it already. At first, Tom looked really surprised, but he soon found himself again.

He nodded, “Yes, of course.” Ruby smiled coyly to ease up the tension between them. Tom looked away, obviously not sure what to say.

“Well, um, I have to go.” Ruby lied.

“Yes, well, I’ll see you later, Ms. Boleyn.” Tom replied, still not looking at her.

“Please, call me Ruby. I’ll see you later Tom.” Ruby said and started walking away. Tom remained still and Ruby could feel his dark eyes piercing through her from behind as she walked. She headed for Gryffindor Tower, thoughts circulating in her head. Her brain still hadn’t worked out what had just happened. Why had he asked her?

With a frown etched on her face, she entered the common room. She found Myrtle alone in the corner of the room and walked up to her. Myrtle wore a fairly bored expression, but she quickly arranged her features when she saw Ruby approach.

“Oh, hi Ruby!” She greeted her, a little too cheery. Ruby raised an eyebrow and gave her friend a questioning look.

“So, what took you so long? What did Tom say?” Myrtle asked curiously.

“He asked me something.” Ruby began hesitantly. Myrtle motioned for her to go on.

“He wondered if I wanted to o to Slughorn’s party with him.” Ruby continued, shrugging at the matter, like it was nothing.

Myrtle made a squeal and hugged her friend. “Oh Ruby, that’s wonderful!! You and Tom! Who would’ve thought?”

“Yes, well I still haven’t answered him yet…” Ruby confessed. Myrtle let go of her and looked at her in confusion.

“You’re not turning him down, are you? Because that would be really stupid!”

“I don’t know! Tom is so …” Ruby searched for the right words to describe him, but she couldn’t find any. He was a Slytherin, a bullying prat!

“Maybe there’s more to him than meets the eye!” Myrtle suggested. Ruby nodded. There most certainly is, she thought to herself.

“Maybe he has hidden depths?”

“I don’t know … I’ve never been to one of Slughorn’s parties before.” Ruby said.

“Well, it’s bout time then!” Myrtle said. “You go. Have fun.”

Ruby thought about what Myrtle had said. She would probably look pretty stupid if she turned down Tom Riddle! After a few moments of consideration, Ruby nodded her head, “Alright,”

She walked quickly through the crowded corridor until and down the marble staircase. Almost immediately she spotted Tom among all the students as she entered the entrance hall. She could always spot him out of a crowd. It was like h was glowing. Every time Tom entered a room, it was like time stopped. He had this magical glow around him. He stood out. He was unique and special. Ruby had always thought that, but she had never really liked him before.

He was standing among his Slytherin friends, talking and laughing as usual. He was always in the centre. Ruby took a deep breath and walked up to him, all his friends staring at her.

“Um, excuse me, Tom?” She asked and he turned his head to look at her. To Ruby’s surprise his face seemed to light up when he laid his eyes on her.

“Yes Ruby?” Tom urged, looking straight into her blue eyes. Ruby felt her heart miss a beat.

“I just wanted to say that I’ve thought about you invitation, and…” She paused and looked up at him, his eyes motioning for her to go on.

“And…?” He pushed.

“And my answer I yes.” Ruby finished with a shy smile.

Tom smiled his most warming smile and Ruby felt her cheeks blush. She looked away.

“Well, I’ll see you in the Entrance Hall at … shall we say eight o’clock?” Tom suggested and Ruby nodded.

“Alright, I’ll see you then, Ruby Boleyn.”

“Of course.”

The news that Tom Riddle was taking Ruby Boleyn to Slughorn’s party spread quickly among the gossiping students and reached Ruby’s friends before she had the chance tell them herself. They were, of course, happy for her.

“I can’t believe it! You’re going on a date with Tom Riddle!” Scarlet said for what seemed like the hundred time.

“It’s not a date.” Ruby reminded her. “We’re just going as friends.”

“Oh, I’m sure…” Scarlet said with a smirk, but Ruby decided to ignore it. She still couldn’t understand why he had asked her. The trio was sitting in the Library trying to study, but it was nearly impossible.

Myrtle let out a sigh. “I wish someone would ask me to Slughorn’s party.” She said with a dreamy expression on her face. Suddenly Olive Hornby, a smug-looking Slytherin, conveniently passed by their table.

“Tsk, like that is ever going to happen…” she said, grinning at Myrtle. Myrtle’s face immediately turned bright red and she looked away.

“You should talk, Olive. You’re just jealous because you haven’t gotten an invitation either.” Ruby said in Myrtle’s defence, glaring at Olive. Olive’s smug look flickered, her dirty blonde hair falling over her piercing eyes. Without a retort she walked away. Myrtle gave Ruby a thankful look before they returned to their homework.

This invitation Ruby had received from Tom to the party, also invited her to something else; to a popular life. She had never been popular during her years at Hogwarts, but now she was getting more attention than ever. She even found it a bit annoying. Flattering, but annoying. Friday came quickly and a little before eight, Ruby walked down to the Entrance Hall wearing her best scarlet robes. There were lots of other girls in the hall as well, glaring at her in jealousy. When Tom arrived, Ruby couldn’t help but stare. He looked as handsome as ever, smiling at her.

“Shall we go then? The party is in Slughorn’s office.” Tom explained and took her hand. Ruby felt her face heat up and they began walking up to the Potions Master’s office, receiving contemptuous glares from the other girls. Tom was still holding her hand when they entered the party. Ruby wasn’t sure how she felt about all this. She felt really confused at the moment. As soon as they entered the office, a booming voice was heard throughout the very big office.

“Tom m’boy!” Professor Slughorn exclaimed and walked up to them with outstretched arms.

“Professor Slughorn, Sir.” Tom greeted.

“Jolly good that you could come! And who is it you brought with you?” Slughorn suddenly asked, having just noticed Ruby.

“This Sir is Ruby Boleyn.” Tom said. Slughorn took Ruby’s other hand in his.

“Ah, yes of course. It is lovely to meet you.” Professor Slughorn said.

“The pleasure is mine.” Ruby assured as the walrus-like Professor let go of her hand.

“Excuse us a second Professor.” Tom said and Slughorn nodded and went to welcome some new guests.

Tom led Ruby to a table and they sat down. Loud music was playing and most guests were on the dance floor. Ruby turned to look at Tom, who was sitting on the other side of the table.

Suddenly Ruby couldn’t keep it in anymore. She had to ask the question she had been dying to ask ever since Tom invited her to this party.

“Tom, why did you ask me to be your date for the party?” Ruby wondered, looking curiously at him. Tom didn’t reply immediately. After a few seconds he said simply; “Because I wanted to go with you.”

Ruby frowned, “But why me? You barely know me.”

“Maybe I want to get to know you.” Tom said, looking into Ruby’s eyes. Ruby couldn’t prevent a smile from forming on her lips. Tom smiled too, but suddenly his smile faded. Slughorn was currently busy with letting some new guests’ in. These guests seemed to catch Tom’s interest.

“Will you excuse me for a second? I will be right back.” Tom said and left her alone by the table to go and talk to the guests. Ruby stayed put and waited for him, rolling her thumbs. She couldn’t help but feeling a bit awkward. What was she doing here? She watched as Tom exchanged some words with the recently arrived guests. It seemed like he knew them. When he finally returned to her he apologized and said that they were friends.

Ruby didn’t think much more of that and enjoyed the rest of the evening with Tom very much. She was finally doing something she enjoyed instead of studying. Tom seemed so different from what she had imagined him to be.

When she returned to her common room late that night she found that her friends had stayed up to wait for her. They wanted to know everything and Ruby told them that she would fill them in on the evening’s events tomorrow, because she really needed to sleep.

The sun shone in through the curtains and a beam of sunlight touched Ruby’s face, blessing her with its warmth, which unfortunately wasn’t welcome and Ruby hid her head under her pillow. But despite Ruby’s desperate tries to hide from the sun to get at least a few more minutes of precious sleep, she couldn’t hide from her morning spry friend Scarlet.

“Rise and shine, Ruby!” Scarlet said in a singing voice and pulled off Ruby’s covers.

“I’ll rise, but I refuse to shine…” Ruby muttered, realizing that falling asleep now would be impossible so she sat up straight in her bed, rubbing her tired eyes.

“Maybe you shouldn’t go to any more parties in a while. You’ll miss breakfast.” Scarlet told her and sat down beside her on the bed, eyeing her friend with her lively eyes.

“It was fun, though.” Ruby said with a weary grin.

“I bet it was.” Scarlet replied, smiling curiously. “And how was Tom?”

“He was nice…” Ruby said simply.

“Well, maybe it’s time you stop drawing all Slytherins over the same line. Not all Slytherins are bad.” Scarlet reminded.

“You think so?” Ruby asked.

“I know so.” Scarlet replied with a smile plastered on her lips.

Anyone who has been in love knows what a powerful emotion it really is, and those who are unfortunate enough to have managed to escape loves firm grip cannot possibly imagine the feeling. You only have to read about it, but I experienced it. It is impossible to describe in words the enormous happiness that was growing inside of me…

But love can also be frightening. It is strange how love makes you blind. My love was no exception.

Autumn was coming with its bright colours and, of course, more homework for the fifth-years. The colourful leaves fell from the trees around Ruby as she made her way down to the paddock for Care of Magical Creatures, one of her favourite subjects. Her Professor in the subject however, Professor Kettleburn, looked like he could do without the subject. He was a wry-necked shabby-looking man in his forties with threadbare clothes and straggling greyish hair, which made Ruby think of an old dying wolf. As Ruby crossed the grounds with a large book in her hand, she suddenly spotted someone among the shadows by the outskirts of the Forbidden Forest. Ruby stopped dead in her tracks and looked at the unnaturally big silhouette by the forest. The silhouette seemed familiar and she walked a bit closer. The wind caught her hair as she hurried her pace towards the tall figure further away.

“Rubeus!” She called out and the hairy figure turned around. A smile formed on his face and he waved happily at his friend with his enormous hand. Ruby walked up to him. The boy before her, no matter how hard it was to believe, was actually only thirteen years old, but he was three times as high as Ruby. Ruby smiled up at her friend.

“Blimey Ruby, I didn’t see yeh’!” The enormous boy named Rubeus exclaimed with a Scottish accent.

“Lucky I saw you, then!” Ruby joked. It was actually very hard to avoid seeing Rubeus. Rubeus let out a roaring laugh at this.

“So what are you doing here all alone?” Ruby then asked. She had just observed that Rubeus’ left hand was clutching something inside his pocket. She frowned.

“Jus’ takin’ a walk.” he explained, smiling. Ruby nodded absent-mindedly, looking at her big friend’s pocket. She could’ve sworn that something was moving in the pocket.

“What’s that in your pocket, Rubeus?” Ruby asked apprehensively, not sure she wanted to know.

“Oh, it’s nothin’” Rubeus assured, although he didn’t sound as convincing as he had hoped. He had always been a bad liar.

“Let me see.” Ruby demanded. Rubeus looked down into the pale girl’s pleading face and sighed, “Fein, I’ll show yeh’ if yeh’ promise to keep it secret!”

Ruby nodded eagerly, “Show me.”

Ruby was curious to find out what it was, but she also felt a bit worried. She knew Rubeus liked dangerous things and especially when they were big. Since this thing fitted in his pocket, which wasn’t much smaller than Ruby’s book-bag, she probably had no reason to worry. Except if the thing grew bigger…

Rubeus could barely hide his enormous excitement as he dug deep in his pocket after the thing he was about to show. He took out the thing from his pocket and held it in his hand for Ruby to see. When she realized what it was she had to strain herself not to let out a shriek. He was holding a huge spider, big as his enormous fist. The giant spider looked at Ruby with its multiple eyes. Ruby reluctantly shuddered, but Rubeus seemed to take no notice of her lack of awe.

“Isn’t he beautiful? I call him Aragog!” Rubeus exclaimed happily and, to Ruby’s relief, put the animal back in his pocket. Rubeus’ eyes were glowing underneath his extremely bushy eyebrows. Ruby made a week attempt to force a smile on her lips, but failed sadly.

“Where did you get him?” she suddenly asked.

Rubeus shrugged, “Does it matter?”

“Yes, it does! Rubeus, if I’m not mistaken, that thing is going to grow! You can’t keep him a secret for much longer! What if Headmaster Dippet finds out!?” Ruby spat.

“But he ain’t goin’ to feind out I have him, is he?” Rubeus eyed Ruby closely.

She let out a sigh, “No, I won’t tell…”

Rubeus face lit up and he patted Ruby so hard on her shoulder that he almost knocked her to the ground. Ruby managed to smile too, even if it wasn’t genuine.

Rubeus Hagrid was after all one of her closest friends. He didn’t have many friends, perhaps because of his clumsiness, or because he was very shy. It could also be because of his shocking appearance. He was only in his third year and already he was twice the size of many of his Professors. Ruby hated the way everyone treated Rubeus. The worst thing she knew, after pumpkin juice which she was allergic to, was unfairness and injustice. Ruby herself was a very quiet and humble person, but not when someone was treated unfairly.

The hunchbacked Professor Kettleburn was leaning tiredly on his walking stick, which he always carried with him, and talking about something when Ruby arrived. She was late. All students stood gathered around their Professor. Ruby placed herself next to Myrtle, who was eyeing her thoroughly after any sign that might tell her where Ruby had been.

When she couldn’t find any she asked, “Where have you been?”

Ruby shrugged, “I went to get my book.”

“Liar!” Myrtle spat. “You were with Tom, weren’t you?” she accused, sounding a bit jealous.

“No, I wasn’t! I have barely spoken to him since Slughorn’s party…”

“Where were you then?!” Myrtle asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

“I was talking to Rubeus.” Ruby confessed.

“Rubeus Hagrid? I’ve told you to stay away from him!” Myrtle said, her face heating up.

“You can’t tell me what to do! You’re not my mother!!” Ruby spat before she could stop herself.

Myrtle was a very sensitive and insecure person. She was easily offended and hurt, especially when it was one of her few friends that had said something. Ruby saw her friend’s eyes fill up with tears behind her glasses. At this point Ruby knew that any attempt to comfort Myrtle would be useless. She watched Myrtle walk pass her and stride off in the direction of the castle.

Professor Kettleburn straightened his wry neck slightly and let out a slight cough to get the students’ attention once more and continued with his extremely boring lecture about leeches. His hoarse words entered Ruby’s mind without leaving the slightest trace of meaning behind.

What was he talking about? Ruby tried hard to focus, but her mind was busy thinking about other things. Her mind wandered to Rubeus and the giant spider, then to the crying Myrtle and then to Tom Riddle. Her thoughts stayed with Tom until the end of the lesson.

Hope you liked it Very Happy

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

Heres Chapter 3

III. Lost in Confusion

Despite all the odd things happening at Hogwarts, nothing special occurred and for a few months I thought that everything was back to normal again, except for the giant spider, which was still under Hagrid’s care, since I had sworn not to tell anyone about it. I didn’t want Hagrid to get in trouble.

Before I knew it, Christmas with all the joy had arrived…

“Myrtle, please come out of there!” Ruby begged. She and Scarlet were standing in the girl’s lavatory outside a locked cubicle. Sobs and wails were coming from inside the cubicle.

“Myrtle, what happened?” Scarlet asked, her ear against the door, listening.

“Olive … Hornby! She was teasing me…!” Myrtle said and a noise echoed through the lavatory as she blew her nose.

“I’ve told you to ignore her, Myrtle!” Ruby said.

“Well, it’s easy for you to say!” Myrtle snapped and sobbed even louder.

“There’s no use…” Ruby sighed to Scarlet. “We’ll leave her alone until she’s calmed herself a bit.” Scarlet agreed and they left Myrtle alone in the second floor lavatory. The two friends walked side by side in silence through the empty corridor. The moving pictures on the walls followed them with their eyes. Ruby and Scarlet made their way down to the Great Hall where dinner was currently being served. The hall was already full with hungry students when the duo entered. The enchanted roof was as sunny as ever and small flakes of snow were falling from the sky. Ruby walked pass the Slytherin table to join her friends by her table when suddenly Tom Riddle stood up and jumped in front of her, making her halt abruptly.

“Ruby.” he said.

“Tom.” She said. For some reason Tom twitched uncomfortably when she used his first name. He was close, so close that he could count the freckles on Ruby’s nose if he wanted to. They stared awkwardly at each other for a few seconds before Tom finally spoke, his voice gentle and polite, as usual.

“I’ve been thinking about you.”

Ruby felt herself blush against her will. “Oh, really.” She said.

“Yes. I was wondering … if we could … talk?” For the first time ever Ruby was sure that she had detected a bit of nervousness in Tom’s otherwise so confident voice and she raised an eyebrow in doubt.

“Talk? Um, well, alright.” She managed to say. A smile graced Tom’s featured. He was particularly shining like the sun above them. He took her hand and led her out of the hall which she had just entered. It was then that Ruby noticed that Tom had something under his cloak. Something that bulged out. When they reached the big marble staircase Tom stopped and looked at Ruby.

“I have something for you.” He said and took out the thing he had been hiding under his cloak. It was a tiny box. He motioned for Ruby to take it. She took it in her hands and looked at it. It was beautiful.

“Open it!” Tom urged and Ruby did as she was told. Inside was a beautiful golden locket. Ruby looked at it and felt a lump in her throat and she swallowed nervously. Her mouth had suddenly become very dry and her eyes very wet. She looked up at Tom.

“Tom … it’s lovely…” She said with a strange hoarse voice.

“Allow me.” He said and he helped her put the golden chain around her neck. Ruby shivered as she felt Tom’s hands touch her skin.

“Perfect.” He smiled at her.

Ruby looked down at the locket around her neck, feeling guilt wash over her. It was so pretty.

“But I don’t have anything to give you.” She said with a pout.

“Yes you have.” Tom said. With those words he left her and walked back into the Great Hall. Ruby was left confused by his words before she too walked back inside with the locket around her neck.

A token of affection. A proof that he did care for me. Reassurance was all I needed. The locket became a symbol of Tom’s love. I was so happy. I was in a blissful dream state for several months. Everything was perfect. But nothing lasts forever. As I wise wizard once said;’ Love is blind, but friendship closes its eyes.’ I was awoken from my happiness in the beginning of June…

A gentle wind swept over the rolling lawns around Hogwarts castle. Birds were singing and the summer heat had already arrived. The water in the lake by the castle was as blue as the sky and the giant squid was playing happily with some of Hogwarts younger students.

Yes, everything on the grounds seemed to have been touched by the joy of the arriving summer, but for the fifth-years, the arrival of June meant something else than swimming and tanning. It meant the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests, for short OWL’s. The otherwise empty library was now crowded with studying fifth-years. Madame Pince, the old librarian, had a hard time making all the noisy students whisper in her musty old library.

Ruby couldn’t believe how fast her fifth year at Hogwarts had passed. Soon the term would be over and the summer would begin. Unlike many of the other tired students, Ruby disliked summer vacations greatly. Summer meant going back to her grandparents who, old fashioned as they were, hated everything about magic. The reason was probably fear of the unknown, Ruby figured. She sighed and gave up her attempts to study. It was too noisy to study in the library so she decided to leave.

Ruby, unfortunate as she was, had the bad luck of bumping into the ‘Slytherin Superiors’, as they called themselves (or the Slytherin Sluts as Ruby called them behind their backs). They were standing around someone Ruby didn’t recognize, but she guessed that the boy had to be in her age because he was taller than her and looked very mature, even with the scared expression he was currently wearing as he gazed around at the Slytherins surrounding him.

“So, pray tell Vespin … what was it you saw?” a tall girl with dark hair asked the boy, towering over him.

“I saw…” The boy with dirty-blonde hair begun, looking from one Slytherin to another.

“Well…?” The tall girl in front of him urged.

“I saw tales under your robes! You are all forsaken!!” The boy preached, his eyes wide.

The Slytherin Sluts … forgive me; Superiors were a group of Slytherin girls from wealthy Pureblood families. Their greater purpose in life appeared to be bullying other students and fail all their exams. At least that was Ruby’s theory. Ruby watched from behind as they laughed at the boy they called Vespin, who looked very serious. Ruby decided it was time to do something, before the Superiors got too carried away.
Ruby walked into the circle and placed herself in front of the guy. The girls around her stopped laughing.

“Well, well … Boleyn.” sneered the girl with piercing dark eyes and long, shiny black hair. She laid high emphasis on Ruby’s last name, almost spitting Ruby in the face as she pronounced it.

“Prince.” Ruby said, for that was actually the greasy girl’s name. Prince was her last name and also her alias. Ruby never called her by her first name Eileen. Very few did.

“And what is a Mudblood like yourself doing here all alone, defending a freak like Vespin here?” Prince continued, crossing her arms.

“Tough question. What could I possibly have done in the library with a book in my hand?” Ruby snapped staring into Eileen’s eyes with hatred etched on her face. Prince’s upper lip twitched oddly as she moved a little closer to the Gryffindor, her black cloak billowing out behind her.

“Trying to be smart, are you?” she hissed threateningly.

“I must at least be smarter than you if you don’t even know what a library’s for.” Ruby retorted, refusing to break the eye-contact but in the corner of her eye she saw Eileen’s hand reaching for her wand in her pocket. Ruby was just about to do the same when a determined and angry voice prevented her.

“Leave her alone, Prince!” the voice demanded. Ruby immediately recognized the voice and turned around. It was Tom. Tom marched up to them, glaring at Prince. Vespin, who was still standing behind Ruby, peered nervously around him, his hand clutching his wand in his pocket.

“How many times do I have to tell you?” Tom spat. Prince looked for a second like she was going to grab her and wand anyway and hex Tom, but something made her change her mind. Her cronies of girls behind her looked like they weren’t sure how to react.

“I suggest you leave Prince before I report this incident to Headmaster Dippet!” Tom threatened. Prince looked like she was about to say something, but she remained quiet, glaring angrily at Tom, her face twisted into a hideous grimace. After a few seconds of staring, Prince and her girls left. Ruby breathed out, suddenly realizing that she had been holding her breath.

“Thank you.” She said, her voice barely a whisper. She turned around to look at the boy called Vespin, but he was already on his way, mumbling something to himself.

“You don’t need to thank me. I’m a prefect, it’s my responsibility.” He replied, like he was programmed to say it. Ruby just responded with a nod, her eyes still following Vespin as he walked down the hall, talking to himself. Suddenly Tom’s expression softened and he gave her a look of concern.

“She didn’t hurt you, did she?” he asked, frowning.

Ruby turned to look at Tom, her eyes tracing his features, examining him, “Oh, no you got here before she had the chance to do anything.” Ruby explained.

“Good. Well um, I’ll see you later Ruby.”

“Yes, of course.”

Ruby watched him walk away until he was out of sight. He was walking in the direction of the girls’ lavatory.

Perhaps he’s going to patrol there, Ruby thought. She then continued to walk up to Gryffindor Tower with her hand clutching the locket around her neck. When she entered the common room through the portrait hole she found that the common room was just as packet with noisy students as the library was. Ruby sighed and decided to give up her studies for the evening.

She put down her books when suddenly a familiar sound caught her interest. Someone was sobbing quietly. She found Myrtle in the corner of the room, sitting alone on the sofa and staring into the sparkling fire in the fireplace, her eyes blank.

“Myrtle, what’s wrong?” Ruby asked and sat down next to her.

Without taking her eyes from the fire, Myrtle replied, “Olive Hornby … she was teasing me about my glasses…” Myrtle’s squeaky voice was, if possibly, even more high-pitched when she then said, “Am I ugly in glasses Ruby?”

“No! Of course you’re not! You mustn’t let Olive get to you like this! What she says is not true, Myrtle!”

That sentence was supposed to be used to comfort Myrtle, but it didn’t work out very well…

Myrtle stood up and glared down at her friend. “And…and how do you know that!?” Myrtle snivelled. “How do I know that you’re not only saying that to make me feel better??”

“Myrtle, I am your best friend! We’ve known each other since we were eleven! You know you can trust me.” Ruby said softly and smiled gently up at her friend. For a split second it looked like Myrtle was actually going to stop crying, but for those who knew Myrtle also knew that once she had started to cry, there was no talking her out of it. With a loud wail Myrtle ran pass Ruby and out through the portrait hole to lock herself in a cubicle in the girls’ lavatory.

Ruby sighed but decided to leave her alone. It hurt her to see her friend constantly get hurt. She wished that it was something she could do to make it stop.

Finally facing the fact that it was probably nothing she could do, as least not alone, Ruby decided to just sit by the fire and wait for Myrtle to return. An hour passed and many of the other students in the Common room went to bed. Ruby didn’t know what time it was but she was determined to wait until Myrtle came back. Another hour passed. Where was she? Maybe she had she fallen asleep inside a cubicle, because that had actually happened once…

When two and a half hour had passed and the moon had risen on the sky Ruby decided to go look for her friend. She walked through the dark and empty corridors with her wand lit. Suddenly she saw a shadow of something a few metres in front of her.

“Myrtle, is that you?” Ruby called out. The silhouette of something really big stopped. It was definitely not Myrtle. Ruby put out her light, her heart racing. Suddenly a loud noise echoed through the corridor. The sound was hideous, terrible and Ruby knew that the sound of the friendly but slightly worried voice that was now speaking to her would haunt her for the rest of her life…

“Ruby?”

Ruby recognized the voice immediately and lightened her wand so that she could see the face of a giant thirteen boy standing before her.

“Rubeus? What are you doing roaming the corridors at this late hour?”

“I could ask yeh’ the same thing.” Rubeus said. His eyes were looking nervously around him on the floor. Ruby frowned.

“Are you looking for something?” she wondered, not sure if she wanted him to answer that.

“Who, me? No, it’s nothin’…” But Ruby couldn’t help but detect the nervousness in Rubeus’ voice as he looked around him.

“Rubeus? Where’s Aragog?” Ruby asked with trembling voice.

“He’s … ehrr … in the castle, he is…” Rubeus answered absent-mindedly.

“Where in the castle!” Ruby demanded. Fright had now got the best of her. Rubeus tried to avoid her eyes, but failed.

“I lost him, alrigh’?! But don’ worry, he’ll come back!”

Ruby was prepared for those words, “Ok … listen, you stay here and try to locate the spider. I have to go and look for Myrtle.”

Rubeus nodded and Ruby ran as fast as she could towards the girls’ lavatory. She felt her head spin as she approached the door. With her wand ready she stormed through the door and looked around her. There was a surreal silence. A deadly silence. Even the old dripping taps seemed to have stopped dripping. The light of Ruby’s wand cut through the darkness and her eyes scanned the room in a hurry.

Time seemed to have stopped. Her heart seemed to miss a beat when she saw something lying on the floor. There, on the cold stone floor outside one of the cubicles was Myrtle, her eyes staring madly out in space and her face as pale as the light from the moon, coming in through the windows. Ruby dropped her wand and threw herself on the floor next to Myrtle, her hand reaching out and touching her cheek. Cold.

Hello dear readers. I hope you liked this chapter. I realize that jumping from Christmas to June is a giant leap, but I want the plot to be very focused. What did you think about it? Good? Bad? I would really appreciate if you reviewed. I do reply all my reviews. Thank you all!

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

i just got the fourth chapter finisht

IV. Creating my own Hell

It is a cruel thing, death. To lose someone you care for is something no one can understand, not even those who have suffered such loss.

I warned you. I told you this wasn’t a very happy tale. Maybe you should stop reading now while you still can. It is these sort of things that gives you nightmares, you know. Hogwarts was now in risk of closing down and send all the students home. Like things wasn’t already bad enough already for me…

It is still June, 1943. We are not quite finished with that year…

Ruby walked alone through the castle’s corridors. The summer weather had now come to Hogwarts to stay, but Ruby couldn’t feel the warmth. Everything felt so cold. Like walking through an endless fog, an endless darkness…

She reached the Gryffindor Tower after several hours of aimless wandering. Slowly she made her way up to her dormitory, ignoring the students in the common room that was watching her as she walked, whispering behind her back; “That’s her! That’s the girl who lost her best friend! Has anyone seen my socks?” When Ruby entered her dorm she was happy to see her other friend Scarlet there.

“Scarlet! I’ve been looking all over for you!” Ruby exclaimed. She hadn’t talked to Scarlet since the day when Myrtle had died. Scarlet slammed her trunk, which she had been digging in, shut and turned around to face her friend, her eyes filled to the limit with tears. Suddenly Ruby noticed that she had packed all her things.

“Are you going somewhere?” Ruby asked, feeling her own eyes fill up with tears as well.

Scarlet walked over to Ruby and took her hands. “Ruby, I’m going home. My father is coming to pick me up…”

“What? Why?” Ruby asked, but she knew why.

“Hogwarts will probably close, Ruby! Our friend just died! What if we’re next!?”

“So your parents won’t let you stay??” Ruby spat. Scarlet let go of Ruby’s hands and turned around to grab her trunk.

“They don’t think it’s safe.” Scarlet said, her back still facing Ruby.

“So that’s it? You’re just going to give up and go home!? They don’t even know what killed her!”

“Ruby, I’m scared!” Scarlet spat and turned around, looking into her friend’s eyes. Ruby felt tears fall down her cheeks.

“And what about me? You’re all I got left and you’re just going to leave me?” Ruby’s vision got blurry from tears and she closed her eyes. Her heart was breaking. She was now losing both her friends. Suddenly she felt Scarlet’s arms around her, hugging her.

“I wish I could stay. I wish I was strong, but I’m not. It’s up to you now. Make sure that whatever killed … that whatever or whoever killed her gets punished!” Scarlet whispered into Ruby’s ear. They just stood there locked in a tight hug, crying on each others shoulders until they had no more tears left.

Scarlet left that same evening. After saying good-bye Ruby slowly walked into the Great Hall for supper. She could feel eyes watching her as she walked over to her usual seat. Headmaster Dippet was talking about the possibility that they might have to close Hogwarts down if they don’t find out what killed Myrtle soon. It was raining and thundering outside, reflecting Ruby’s feeling. She felt hollow inside, but not hollow enough to fill up that space with food. She couldn’t eat anything. Images of Myrtle’s lifeless body kept flashing before her eyes. She felt her stomach turn and she stood up from the table to leave. As she reached the Entrance Hall she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around and faced s worried-looking Tom Riddle.

“Oh, Tom, It’s you…”

“Are you alright?” He asked.

“No, I don’t think so…” Ruby replied honestly. It would do her no good to lie.

“I noticed that you didn’t eat anything.” Tom said. Ruby looked up at him. Had he been watching her? It was sweet of him to care about her like that.

“I’m just not hungry.” Ruby answered, feeling a little better.

“Alright, but you know you can always come to me if you need to talk. You will come to me, right?”

For the first time in days a smile formed on Ruby’s lips and she nodded, “Of course.”

Tom gave her a sweet smile before he turned around to walk back into the Great Hall. Ruby watched him go, her head spinning. Suddenly, without really thinking it over, she called out his name just before he had entered the hall.

“Tom, wait!”

Tom turned around, looking puzzled as Ruby hurriedly walked up to him. Worry once again darkened his features.

“Tom, there’s something I have to tell you.” Ruby heard the words leave her mouth without really understanding why she told him this.

“What is it?” Tom asked.

“It’s … It’s Rubeus.” Ruby stammered, feeling tears build up in her eyes. “The night Myrtle died Rubeus had lost Aragog. We looked for him, but…”

“Wait, Ruby slow down. This Rubeus you speak of, is it by any chance Rubeus Hagrid?” Tom wondered. Ruby nodded.

“And who is this Aragog?”

Ruby looked around and then lowered her voice. “It’s his big pet spider!” she explained, nearly choking on the words.

“I see. Ruby, did it ever strike you that this spider might be the reason Myrtle is dead?”

Ruby looked up at Tom’s dark eyes. They were gleaming in a strange reddish glow. She remained silent. What if it was the spider that had killed Myrtle?

“I think it was very wise that you told me this, Ruby. Before anyone else gets hurt.” Tom told her.

“What are you going to do?” Ruby said, her voice failing. It was barely a whisper.

“What I have to do; tell the Headmaster about this spider and report Rubeus Hagrid.”

Ruby didn’t know what to say. “But what if we’re wrong!” she suddenly managed to say.

“We can’t take that risk. I’ll go and find Hagrid immediately. You stay here.” Ruby was just about to protest when Tom suddenly leaned closer to her and kissed her. Ruby felt like electricity was travelling through her body as his lips met hers. Her heart started beating faster and it felt like all her problems had just vanished. Then suddenly their lips broke apart and she looked up at Tom. She felt warm inside.

“I’ll see you later.” Then he started climbing the stairs up to the second floor. Ruby was left alone in the Entrance Hall. She touched her lips with her fingertips, an eerie feeling filling her up.

I might have caused some real damage that day. Tom confronted Hagrid about the spider. Aragog ran out of the castle and into the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid was accused for bringing a dangerous creature into the school. He was expelled.

Well, you’ve now read this far so you might as well read the rest…

The day’s last lesson, Transfiguration, was finally over. Professor Dumbledore reminded the students about the coming OWLs, which was now only a week away, and then he gave them a new assignment.

“I want you to work in pairs. Two and two from different houses. You are going to write an essay about the four founders of the school. It shall be finished next week.” Dumbledore said before the students left the classroom. Ruby was the last one left in the classroom. There was no need to rush, in her opinion. Suddenly Professor Dumbledore walked up to her, his eyebrows were furred and he looked concerned. Ruby sighed. Was he going to tell her how sorry he was about Myrtle’s death? So many had already paid their respect and it was starting to be somewhat tiresome to listen to. Ruby looked up at her Professor.

“Forgive me Miss Boleyn; I’m sure you are tired of condolences. I just wanted to let you know that if you ever need to talk, you can come to me.”

Ruby smiled. “Thank you Professor. I know.”

Dumbledore smiled through his auburn beard when his eyes suddenly noticed the golden locket around her neck.

“What a lovely necklace. May I?”

“Oh, of course.” Dumbledore took a closer look at it and smiled.

“It is beautiful. May I ask where you got it from.” He wondered.

“It was a gift from Tom Riddle, sir.” By the use of Tom’s name Dumbledore’s smile faded. Something dark overtook his features, something Ruby hadn’t seen before.

“I see. Is there something you wish to tell me, Ruby?” Dumbledore looked her straight into her eyes. Ruby frowned. A teacher who used a student’s first name was highly rare.

“No, sir.” Ruby replied.

“Alright then. Well, you better get going. You mustn’t get late for your next class now.”

Ruby took all her books and left the classroom, puzzled.

She hurried out through the main gate and down to the greenhouses. Her next lesson was Herbology, a fairly dull subject in Ruby’s opinion. As she passed Greenhouse nr 4 she spotted a familiar person. This large build boy was watering some plants and humming on a melody when Ruby rushed over to him.

“Rubeus!” she exclaimed. She was so happy to see him. She hadn’t seen him in several weeks and she didn’t think she was ever going to see him again. The giant turned around and looked down at his friend.

“Ruby! It’s good to see yeh’ too!” he said when she hugged him.

“So, you’re back! You’ve been gone for several weeks. It thought they expelled you. What happened?”

“They broke me wand, they did. Ruddy ministry… Said Aragog was a dangerous beast who deserved to be killed… Lucky Dumbledore was there. Good man, he is. He gave me a job here as gamekeeper assistant when they expelled me…” Rubeus explained.

“Oh Rubeus, I’m so sorry…” Ruby said.

“Don’ be sorry fer me! I’m workin’ fer Ogg now and I like it.”

“Ogg … I see …” Ruby sighed and thought about their gamekeeper.

Ogg was an old senile squib. He was the school’s gamekeeper and lived in a small hut on the grounds. Those who had met Ogg would probably describe him as a brain-dead Neanderthal who only communicated with loud barking sounds and gestures.

“Rubeus, this is all my fault!” Ruby exclaimed.

“Yer fault?” Rubeus looked puzzled.

“Yes. I was the one who told Tom about Aragog…” Ruby confessed, feeling awful. What had she done?

“Tom Riddle? Yeh’ still seein’ him, ey?” Rubeus asked. Ruby nodded with tears in her eyes. Rubeus seemed to think for a second before he said, “I can’t be yer friend if yer goin’ to see him.”

Ruby just stared at her big friend for a second. She couldn’t believe what he had just said.

“Rubeus, Tom only did what he thought was right! He did what he thought was best for the school!” Ruby told him.

“Tha’s pure bull, tha’ is!” Rubeus spat, his already thundering voice rising. “Yeh’ promised not to tell no one abou’ Aragog!”

“My best friend had died! I had to tell someone!” Ruby answered, hoping to Merlin that Rubeus would understand.

“Aragog never hurt anyone!”

“How can you be so sure of that?!?” Ruby spat angrily, her voice rising. Rubeus dropped the watering-can in his hand, his face red and his eyes glowing, towering over her. Ruby backed away slowly.

What happened next is too painful for me to say, but I can tell you this; I’ve never been afraid of Rubeus before, but this time he scared me. Now I was alone. All my friends were gone, because of me.

Now things are really starting to happen! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next one will be up shortly. So what do you think about Ruby? Am I describing her enough? Do you feel like she fits in? Please tell me what you think in the review you will be writing now! Thank you

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

i wroted this story a long time ago so i didnt now where all my chapter where could only find 4 of them but i found the fifth one.
i think i will need write chapter 6 again:( sorry for letting you guys wait its probably going to take a week or 2 weeks to write chapter 6(cos im busy with school to)well have fun with this one.

V. Obvious

The OWLs tests had arrived. I found it hard to concentrate with so much on my mind, but Tom was there for me. I don’t know what I had done without him. We worked together on the essay about the founders and he helped me with my other assignments. Everything was fine.

…but things aren’t always what they appear to be.

Ruby walked alone the path of pebbles up to the castle with the wind in her hair and her mind wandering. Her fifth year was almost over. After she was finished with her OWLs tests, she would be back for yet another horrible summer, hoping that Hogwarts wouldn’t close and that she would return for her sixth year. The chilly wind grew stronger and Ruby hurried her pace. She hadn’t gotten far when she suddenly met a group of Slytherins. She recognized them from afar and it was clear that they had recognized her too. The Superiors blocked her way. Eileen Prince obviously wanted revenge since last time.

“Well, well if it isn’t Ruby and all her friends!” Eileen sniggered and let out a snorting laugh as her own joke.

“Nice to see you too, Prince.” Ruby replied, feeling very alone without her friends by her side. By herself it seemed much more difficult to start a row with Prince. She didn’t want to fight right now.

Prince made a sad face. “Aww, what’s the matter Boleyn? Not so tough now, eh? Not when you don’t have your boyfriend to hide behind!” those words hit Ruby hard, like a killing-spell through the heart. She was just about to say something in defence. She was going to tell Prince that Tom did love her, and she had the locket to prove it! But for some reason Ruby’s mouth had become extremely dry. Prince walked up to her and leaned closer to her face. Ruby could feel her warm breath against her skin.

“He doesn’t love you, if that is what you think. You mean nothing to him. Nothing.” The last word was barely a whisper. Ruby felt another jab of pain. She shuddered and backed away.

She looked up at a grinning Prince. She wasn’t going to take this. Not from Prince, not from anyone. She simply walked pass the gang of Slytherins and continued her way up to the castle. They were now roaring with mocking laughter, but Ruby tried hard to ignore it. She wasn’t going to let Prince get to her, but unfortunately that wasn’t easy. A tear trickled down her cheek but she quickly wiped it away.

No. She wasn’t going to waste her tears on Prince. She had other things to cry about. She held back her tears and walked with her head held high up to the castle. Her grandfather always told her that crying was a weakness. People who could hold it in were more respected and tougher. Ruby entered the castle, happy that it was warm and far away from Eileen Prince. She wondered silently what the Slytherins were doing out there anyway.

Not that she cared. She didn’t care about anything. She couldn’t care less if Hogwarts closed! All it ever did was to hurt her! She didn’t care if she had to live with her grandparents! I was like all the hope inside her had vanished, leaving nothing but a big black hole inside her.

But there was a spot of light left in all the darkness. She still had Tom, and for that she was grateful, but she couldn’t help but think of what Prince had said; you mean nothing to him.

Was that true?

Ruby didn’t have more time to think any deeper into it. A gentle knock on her shoulder made her lose her train of thoughts and she turned around. It wasn’t who she had expected. Before her stood Professor Dumbledore, looking down at her. His worry lines were deep and it looked like something was troubling him.

He had what Ruby called a fatherly face. Kind and honest, and now he was worried. About her, perhaps?

“What’s wrong, Professor?” Ruby asked, frowning.

“I am looking for Mr. Riddle. Have you seen him, Ms. Boleyn?” Professor Dumbledore asked, looking straight into her eyes, just like her grandfather used to do when he suspected that she was lying. Why would she lie to Dumbledore about Tom’s whereabouts?

“I don’t know, sir,” Ruby replied honestly. Dumbledore looked at her for a few seconds before he straightened and said,

“Very well, then I shall continue to look for him. Thank you.”

Ruby followed her Professor with her eyes until he disappeared behind a corner. Why was Professor Dumbledore looking for Tom? Since she still had one hour before class she decided to look for Tom too. She walked up the big marble staircase which led to the second floor. The pictures on the walls followed her with their eyes as she walked through the corridor which led to the girl’s lavatory. She hadn’t been there since the night Myrtle had died, and she didn’t know why her legs led her to it now. It was like they wouldn’t obey her. Slowly she made her way to the lavatory, her heart beating faster for every step she took.

She grabbed the doorknob and slowly opened the door. Her breath was heavy and her heart was racing when she crossed the threshold. She looked around in the lavatory, her eyes landing on the cubicles. She tore her gaze away from them and looked at the sinks. It wasn’t until then that Ruby realized that she wasn’t alone in the room.

By the sinks stood a tall figure, the reflection of the person’s handsome face looked straight at her. It was Tom. He was looking through the mirror at something behind her, and judging by the troubled look on his face, it wasn’t something good. Ruby opened her mouth to speak, but Tom motioned for her to keep quiet. Ruby slowly closed her mouth again, her eyes not leaving Tom.

“Whatever you do Ruby, don’t look behind you and don’t move and inch.” Tom said with a calm and deadly serious voice, his eyes wide and haunted. His appearance frightened Ruby and she quickly understood the seriousness in the situation. Silence fell over them, except for a dripping tap.

The dripping sound echoed in Ruby’s mind. Slowly, Tom turned around, his face as pale as the cold and white stone floor. Is eyes were still fixated at the thing behind her. Ruby tilted her head slightly to look in the mirror behind Tom. Slowly she leaned her head until he could see something big and dark behind her. She looked at Tom again who had a determined look on his face. Suddenly he started to hiss like a snake. It sounded like some kind of language.

“Tom, what’s happening!?” She asked, her voice quivering with fright. For a second Tom caught her eyes, and just for a second it felt like time stopped.

“RUBY, CLOSE YOUR EYES!!” Tom yelled, panic in his voice, which bounced off the walls. I was followed by a loud hissing-sound. Ruby shut her eye-lids tight. She felt something push her aside. She fell over and crawled on all four in blindness to the corner of the room. When she reached the wall she opened her eyes. She could see a big and long shadow behind her, towering over her. An orchestra of hisses and other strange noises melted together in an echoing mess. It sounded like a fight. Ruby closed her eyes again and didn’t open them until silence fell over the room once more. She felt Tom’s arms around her, helping her stand up.

“Ruby, are you ok? Are you hurt?” he asked. Ruby shook her head; feeling a little light-headed and she gripped the front of Tom’s robes for support to help her stand straight. Her arm was aching and she wasn’t quite sure what had just happened. It had all happened very quickly.

“Yes, I’m fine. What happened?” She looked up at Tom, who seemed to be thinking.

“Nothing, alright? I want you to forget what happened. The important thing is that you are alright.” He said and before Ruby could ask anything else he embraced her in a warm hug.

I didn’t ask Tom any more questions about the events in the girl’s lavatory. I never found out exactly what he was doing in there, but I had my suspicions. I wanted to ask him, I wanted him to let me in, but it turned out that he wasn’t very keen on sharing his feelings with me and he probably had his reasons. It shocked me how little I actually knew about Tom Riddle. He was very secretive and mysterious. He had always been. Maybe that’s why I liked him so much…

As the sun set over the Forbidden Forest, a crimson shade coloured the heavens. The evening welcomed the darkness with the beautiful red twilight. The sun descended down and disappeared by the horizon behind the trees of the Forbidden Forest and left an eerie darkness, which seemed to swallow the grounds of Hogwarts, until the pale light of the moon replaced the sun. The night had come and far away a bird’s song could be heard, echoing over the rolling lawns.

Ruby stayed up and listened to the loud whistling crescendo of the lone Nightingale which sliced through the darkness. It was a mixture of noises, thrills and whistles, which together made a beautiful symphony. Ruby closed her eyes tight, suppressing a yawn.

She fell asleep to the Nightingale’s song, a part of her hoping that she wouldn’t wake up anymore.

By the break of dawn she was already awake, staring up at the canopy of her four-poster bed. She didn’t know how long she had been lying there, staring in the darkness. It felt like hours. Slowly she sat up in her bed. Her body felt heavy. She definitely hadn’t gotten much sleep. Thoughts were clogging her mind, haunting her. She stood up wearily and pulled on some clean robes and walked down to the Great Hall. She was in a sort of numb condition.

The memories from the day before were blurry and she didn’t remember that much of the incidents in the girl’s lavatory, quite frankly she didn’t want to remember. She was afraid that if she brought it up to Tom he would get mad at her and leave her too, just like everybody else had.

She knew this was paranoia speaking in her head. Wake up, Ruby! Wake up now, dear!

It took her several minutes to pick herself up and get dressed to face yet another day. Reluctantly she began walking down the stairs, lost in her thoughts about the situation she had placed herself in.

It’s all my fault, Ruby thought as she entered the Great Hall. Tom is all I have left.

She placed herself at the end of Gryffindor table with no intentions of eating anything. She just wasn’t hungry. Her mind was elsewhere and her eyes seemed locked on her empty plate. She managed to force herself to swallow some toast before she left the Great Hall as quickly as she had arrived. Walking aimlessly around in the castle, Ruby found her legs steering her in the direction of the great marble staircase. She was just about to climb the stairs when she noticed someone sitting on the first step, looking as absorbed in his thoughts as she had been. She gave a slight cough and the bloke lifted his head. Suddenly Ruby recognized him. His name was Vespin, she remembered. He was in her year, Ravenclaw. He looked at her, waiting for her to speak.

“Hello.” She greeted, unsure of what to say.

“Why? Oh, I mean … hi.” He staggered, obviously more unsure of himself than she at the moment. She decided to sit down next to him. He gave her a puzzled look as she placed herself next to him on the first step.
“Do you want me to leave you alone? I can sit somewhere else if you want to sit here.” Vespin said and made an attempt to stand up.

“What? Oh, no! I just wanted to talk to you, that’s all!” Ruby assured. She couldn’t understand how Vespin thought her intention was to drive him away.

“Really?” Vespin wondered, sounding hopeful.

Ruby smiled at this, “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

“No, it’s just I have seen you with Riddle and I assumed…” Vespin didn’t need to finish his sentence. Ruby understood quite well. He thought that she was a smug Slytherin. She was just about to tell him that he was all wrong about her, when he said, “Besides, why would you want to talk to me?”

This made Ruby frown. There was nothing wrong with Vespin. Not anything she had noticed. His words were followed by silence, until Ruby decided to break it, after searching for the right words. Unfortunately she didn’t find any.

“So how did you end up in an argument with Eileen Prince?” Ruby asked.

“She has a dark soul.” Vespin stated. Ruby just nodded in agreement. They sat there for some hour or so. They didn’t say much, but enough. They understood each other. After their talk Ruby felt much better, and she would like to believe that Vespin did too.

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

ok i found the whole story an if ppl want send me pm and i will send it with e-mail to you ok here it comes(chapter by chapter)

VI. Voldemort

My fifth year soon came to an end. Summer arrived, much to my displeasure, and I was in for yet another horrible summer at my grandparents. Tom was sent back to the muggle orphanage which I knew he hated more than anything. We promised to keep in touch and send owls.

After what seemed like an endless vacation, September 1st finally arrived. My sixth year at Hogwarts was about to begin. I was going to see Tom again. My happiness and anticipation seemed to grow stronger by the hour.

I found myself on platform 9 ¾, ready to go back to Hogwarts. The year was 1944…

King’s Cross Station, platform 9 ¾ was full of students waiting for the Hogwarts Express to arrive. Ruby stood among them, but didn’t participate in any of the students discussions about the new school year. A sigh was all that escaped her lips. She looked around, her eyes searching for a familiar face. Suddenly the train arrived, without any sign of Tom. Disappointed, Ruby walked inside to find an empty compartment. She found one and shut the doors. She sat down and peered sadly out the window as the train started moving.

She watched as all the houses disappeared. Soon the train had left London, travelling through rolling lawns and forests. A series of knockings on the compartment doors made Ruby jump slightly. The doors opened to reveal a young boy Ruby didn’t know, much to Ruby’s displeasure since she had been hoping that the boy was someone else.

“Yes?” She asked, trying not to sound too annoyed, since the little boy already seemed pretty uncomfortable in this situation.

“I h-have a message f-from Professor Slughorn, Ms. Boleyn. He wants you to c-come to compartment C right away. That was what he said.” The boy stammered and left the compartment immediately after he had delivered his message. Ruby didn’t even get the chance to ask the boy why in the world Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin, wanted her to join him in his compartment.

Deciding that Slughorn’s compartment sounded more tempting than sitting alone, Ruby stood up and began looking for compartment C. She located it and opened the doors. She was greeted by almost twenty students from different houses. They were all crammed in Slughorn’s double suit, sitting around the Professor himself.

A bit surprised, Ruby entered the compartment, looking around her at all the other students. Some of them she recognized. Eileen Prince was there, and Tom as well. Ruby’s eyes locked with his and he gave her a smile. This made Ruby feel a lot better and she smiled back. It felt like faeries were flying around in her stomach.

“Ah, Ms. Boleyn! How wonderful that you could join us!” Professor Slughorn’s voice boomed.

Ruby just nodded, still looking at Tom. She had just observed how pale and thin he looked. Almost like he was ill. Ruby sat down next to him in the corner of the room and to her surprise he took her hand. He was really cold. Talk broke out in the compartment. Everyone seemed to have already forgotten about Ruby’s presence, much to her delight and she felt that her red-tinged cheeks started to gain their normal shade again. She turned to Tom, who still hadn’t said a word, nor had he let go of her hand.

“This is nice. Kind of like a little meeting.” Ruby said, trying to start a conversation. Tom seemed lost in his thoughts and he had a frown etched on his brow. Suddenly he turned to look at her.

“Yes, this is the Slug Club.” He told her.

“The Slug Club?” Ruby repeated.
“Yes. It’s a club formed by Professor Slughorn. He handpicks his members. It’s an honour to be a member, Ruby.”

“Oh, I see. So, why did he pick me, then?” Ruby couldn’t help but wonder.

“Maybe because he has acknowledged what a talented witch you are.” Tom suggested.

“You think?” Ruby asked, catching on that Tom had called her talented. Tom just nodded and squeezed her hand affectionately.

Ruby smiled wryly and lowered her gaze. It was quite obvious that Tom wasn’t so keen on talking right now. Was something bothering him?

“So, how was your summer?” Ruby asked him in one last attempt to make him talk to her.

“Same as usual.” Tom replied absent-mindedly, his eyes focused on the big black-stoned ring he had on his finger. Ruby hadn’t seen this ugly ring before. It was new. She let out a sigh, deciding to give up her attempts to form a conversation, when Tom suddenly stood up, pulling her up from her seat as well.

“Come on, let’s find an empty compartment.” Tom said and dragged her along in the direction of the doors. Ruby let go of his hand and stopped. Tom stopped as well and turned around to look at her.

“Are you sure we can just leave?” Ruby asked.

“Yes, of course. I’m sure no one will even notice.” Tom said, sounding very sure of himself. Ruby hesitated and turned around to look at Slughorn, who was busy talking with a girl from Slytherin. She turned her gaze back to Tom and nodded slowly.

“Alright.” She said and followed him out. Tom led her to an empty compartment and sat down. Ruby closed the compartment doors and sat down on the opposite side, looking carefully up at Tom’s dark eyes, waiting for him to tell her whatever it was that was so important.

“You asked me how my summer had been.” Tom started, fiddling with the grotesque ring on his finger.

“Yes.” Ruby said, motioning for him to go on.

“Well, to be frank with you, it wasn’t my best summer. I … I learned more about my parents. Turned out that I had been wrong all along. I didn’t inherit my magic from my father as I had assumed. He was a muggle. My mother was a witch.” Tom stopped and gazed out the window. Ruby thought about what he had just told her, but she couldn’t understand why this was so important. Why did it matter so much to him where he got his magic from?

“I went to visit the village where my mother and father grew up.” Tom suddenly said.

“Little Hangleton. Since my mother is dead I was hoping to meet my grandfather. Instead I met my uncle. He gave me this ring.” Tom explained, pointing at the ugly ring.

Ruby nodded, “Well, at least now you know where you come from. Who you are. That must feel good, doesn’t it?”

Tom gave her an unreadable look. “My mother died giving birth to me! She wasn’t a powerful witch!” Tom spat, his voice darkened with hatred. Ruby was shocked by the strong resentment Tom had towards his mother.

“But you are powerful! You’re a good wizard, Tom! The best student at Hogwarts!” Ruby said. Tom just snorted and continued to look out the window. Silence engulfed them. Tom continued to avoid her gaze as Ruby tried desperately to find the right words.

“So, you were named after your father?” she asked carefully, unsure of how he would react.

“Yes. My father’s name, Tom Riddle. My middle name is after my mother’s father.”

“What’s your middle name?” Ruby asked him. Tom looked up, his dark eyes gleaming with a reddish glow.

“Marvolo.” he said simply.

“Oh, fancy. It’s a beautiful name. Mine’s not quite that unique.” Ruby said with a faint smile.

“What’s yours, then?” Tom asked, obviously trying to steer the conversation away from him.

“It’s Anne. My middle name is Anne.” Ruby said, shrugging.

“It’s nice.”

“Thank you.” She smiled at him, feeling her cheeks blush. Suddenly Tom lowered his head. He coughed slightly.

“Um, Ruby. There’s something I need to tell-”

Suddenly the doors to their compartment opened to reveal a boy Ruby remembered as Avery, one of Tom’s friends. Tom’s sentence was interrupted and he looked at Avery.

“We’re almost there. Better get ready Voldemort.” He said.

“Alright, thank you Avery.” Tom replied and Avery closed the doors behind him as he left. Ruby turned to Tom, a frown etched on her brow.

“Who’s Voldemort?”

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

VII. Trust

We arrived at the castle for the beginning of our sixth year. I remember it so clearly. I was determined on that this was going to be my best year yet, but a growing feeling of dread was manifesting inside me. Tom was acting strange. I knew something was wrong, but what could I do? I decided to find out what was wrong. Something I would later regret doing…

Hogwarts castle looked the same since Ruby had left it some months ago. She was glad to be back. Back home. This was where she was the most happy. This was where her friends were. Tom, on the other hand, was hiding his enthusiasm well. He didn’t look so happy to be back, although Ruby knew he liked Hogwarts much more than the orphanage. She knew something was wrong.

After the annual sorting, the feast begun. Headmaster Dippet greeted the new students and welcomed the older ones.

Ruby sat by Gryffindor table, trying to catch Tom’s gaze, but he seemed to be lost in his thoughts. She gave up, thinking that she could talk to him after the feast.

Suddenly hundreds of owls came flying in through the windows with mail. A snow-white owl soared over Ruby’s head, and dropped the Daily Prophet in her knee. She stared at the news-paper in confusion. The owl was already gone. This was strange, since Ruby was absolutely positive that she was not a subscriber, and this paper was indeed addressed to her.

Puzzled, Ruby picked it up and read the headline;

WIZARD KILLED MUGGLES! A TRAGEDY WITH A CONFESSION!

Ruby turned a page to read the article;

Yesterday, Mr. Morfin Gaunt confessed that he had murdered local muggles of Little Hangleton. All members of the Riddle family were found dead in their house two weeks ago. Bob Ogden, an employee at the Ministry of Magic’s Magical Law Enforcement, and the last person to talk to Morfin before the murders, describes the tragedy as a “foreseen mishap”

Rudy stopped reading. Her eyes had locked at the name ‘Riddle’. Her head was spinning with questions. Could it possibly be Tom’s relatives that had been murdered? Ruby quickly read through the entire article. Suddenly, her eyes came across the name ‘Marvolo’.

“Tom’s middle-name. Tom Marvolo Riddle. He was related to the murderer … and the victims.” Ruby said to herself, not knowing what to believe. Didn’t Tom mention that he had visited Little Hangleton? Hadn’t he visited the man who had now murdered his real father?

Did something happen while he was there? Is that the reason to why he’s acting so strange? Ruby had so many questions. She looked over at the Slytherin table. Tom was gone, and so were his friends. Without finishing her food, Ruby left the Great Hall with the Daily Prophet still in her hands. The hallway was silent and empty. Ruby made her way up the marble staircase and when she reached the second floor she turned left. The walls paintings followed her with their eyes curiously.

She looked everywhere for Tom, but it was no use. He and his friends was gone without a trace. What was it that was so important that they had to leave the feast? Ruby stopped, sighing. There was no use looking for them now. It was starting to get late. She cast a glance out through one of the windows. Darkness had started to fall.

Ruby was just on her way to her dorm when a noise caught her interest. Muffled voices were coming from the last door to the left; Professor Slughorn’s study. Careful not to make any sound, Ruby walked over to the door, which was locked from the inside, and listened. A boy was speaking. Ruby could only hear every other word he said. He sounded very young. Suddenly another one spoke, this voice was slightly darker, belonging to an older boy, Ruby guessed. What on earth were students doing in Slughorn’s office at this time? She put her ear against the wooden door and listened with all her might. Suddenly she heard Professor Slughorn’s booming voice, followed by loud laughter. Ruby guessed that there were at least twenty boys in there.

Perhaps it is a Slug Club meeting, Ruby thought, still listening. Then another voice spoke, sounding calm and relaxed. It was Tom. Depending on the tone in his voice, Ruby guessed that he was asking Slughorn something. His words were followed by silence. She could hear Slughorn cough nervously.

“No, Tom, I couldn’t tell you…” Ha said, but Tom seemed eager for answers. He mentioned a word; Horcrux. Again there was a deadly silence. Ruby held her breath.

Suddenly Slughorn started speaking. There was something different in the way he spoke. There was something serious and frightening about it. Like he was sharing a big secret. He lowered his voice, and Ruby tried her best to hear what he was saying.

“Looking for something, Ms. Boleyn? Or should I say someone?”

Ruby jumped and spun around, pulling out her wand from her pocket.

“Oh, relax my child. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” Professor Dumbledore said, giving her one of those heart-warming smiles. Ruby lowered her wand, feeling her heartbeats slowly return to their normal rhythm.

“Professor, I was just-”

“Looking for Tom Riddle?” Dumbledore asked. Ruby looked at him, but still he just kept smiling.

“Yes,” Ruby replied, puzzled.

Dumbledore looked down at the paper in her hand. He took it and looked at it.

“Have you read The Prophet today, Ms. Boleyn?” He asked her, while turning a page, looking down at the text with a serious frown. Ruby was just going to reply when she realized something.

“It was you, wasn’t it, sir? You were the one who sent me this copy of The Daily Prophet.” She said, more to herself then to her Professor.

“Of course, Ms. Boleyn. I trust you read the terrible news about the murders in Little Hangleton, then?” He asked, looking up.

“I did. But why-”

“We don’t have time for questions now, my dear. We will have to discuss this matter tomorrow. It’s nearly eleven o’clock. I think you do right in returning to your dormitory, Ms. Boleyn.” Dumbledore told her, handing back the newspaper.

“Pleasant dreams.” He told her with a wink, before he left, his midnight-blue robes glittering in the moonlight, which was escaping in through the windows.

I knew that Professor Dumbledore knew something. There was something he was trying to tell me. I guess the question was just if I would listen to him or not. Tom on his behalf seemed to avoid me. He would lock himself in his dormitory and stay there for several hours at the time. I had no idea what he was up to, but I was going to find out.

“It is a very effective spell which will numb you enemy. Use it wisely in defence. You will find that the effect is very…”

Professor Merrythought’s voice faded. Ruby sighed and looked out the window. Tom hadn’t spoken to her in a week. She glanced over at his seat. His head was buried in a book. He seemed to be busy with something important, more important then to listen to Professor Merrythought.

“Why don’t you give it a try, Ms. Boleyn?” Professor Galatea Merrythought suddenly suggested. Ruby quickly took her eyes off Tom and gazed at her Professor. Merrythought was looking straight at her with her huge spectacles, making her look like a giant beetle. Her eyes looked enormous.

“Try what, Professor?” Ruby asked. She could hear some of her Slytherin classmates giggle slightly, but she ignore them.

“The spell we were talking about, Ms. Boleyn. Maybe you should pay more attention to what I say, instead of staring at young Mr. Riddle.” Her Professor said, crossing her chubby arms over her giant bosom.

Ruby felt her cheeks go read and she could feel Tom’s eyes upon her. She looked down and mumbled, “I’m sorry, Professor.”

“Of course you are. Well, you just got both Mr. Riddle and yourself a detention.” Ruby looked up, “But Professor-”

“Begging is useless, Ms. Boleyn, now if you please, I have a lesson to continue with!”

Ruby kept her mouth shut and tried her best to pay attention until the lesson ended. She glanced over at Tom and met his gaze. He smiled. Ruby smiled back, feeling slightly better. After the lesson Tom and Ruby stayed in the classroom for their detention.

“I’m sorry I got you into this.” Ruby apologized. Tom shrugged, “Don’t be.”

Ruby opened her mouth, but then closed it again. Silence fell over the room. They didn’t talk much during their detention. Ruby felt like she had so much she wanted to ask him, but an eerie feeling held her back, afraid of what he might tell her. Before she knew it, their detention was over. Tom gathered all his books. Ruby did the same, not looking at him.

“Well…” she suddenly said, not really knowing what she was going to say. She looked down at her feet. Why did the mere presence of Tom make her so nervous? Make her feel so strange?

“Would you like to join me? I’m going up to my dormitory. There we could talk?”

Ruby looked up at him. His dark eyes sparkled in the dim light.

“Can I?” She asked carefully.

“Of course, Ruby Anne.” Tom smiled at her. Without hesitation he reached and grabbed her hand. He was cold. Ruby took a hold of his hand and he led her down to Slytherin’s common room. From there they followed a stone staircase down. Burning torches were hanging on the walls of the dormitory. Tom locked the door magically so they wouldn’t be interrupted. Ruby looked around. She sat down on Tom’s four-poster bed, stroking the green silk sheets with her hand.

“It’s nice. So different from Gryffindor Tower…” she said. The walls were decorated with green and silver tapestries with serpents and dragons on them. Tom moved to sit down nest to Ruby, looking around in the dim lit room. Ruby watched him for a second.

She hesitated, but then she asked, “Did you read the Prophet a few days ago?”

“The Daily Prophet?” Tom snorted. “You can’t take anything they write seriously!”

“Oh, so you’re saying that we should listen more to The Quibbler, then?!” Ruby spat, annoyed. Tom turned to look at her.

“What is your point?”

“There was an article about some murders in Little Hangleton.” She explained carefully. Tom’s eyes darted around in the room as she spoke. He knew what she was talking about. Tom stood up, looking anywhere but at her.

“Some man called Morfin Gaunt had confessed that he had murdered the Riddle family. That must be your grandparents, right?” Tom nodded.

“Morfin is my uncle. He murdered my father and grandparents. That was after I had visited him this summer.” Tom said, still avoiding Ruby’s gaze.

“That’s alright. You couldn’t know what was going to happen. Did the families get along well?”

“No. My uncle never liked my father.” Tom explained with his eyes locked on one of the tapestries.

“I see, but you mustn’t blame yourself, Tom. It wasn’t your fault! Is this the reason why you’ve acted so strange lately?”

Tom hesitated and then gave her a slight nod. It looked for a second like he wanted to say something. Something in his eyes flickered and it was gone as quick as it had come.

“Well, it’s over. Morfin is in Azkaban now. Everything’s ok now.” Ruby assured, not knowing if her words would have any effect. Surprisingly enough Tom looked at her and smiled weakly. He walked up to her, still with a grateful smile on his lips. His face looked almost angelic.

He took Ruby’s hands and pulled her up to him. Their lips met and they shared a passionate kiss. Ruby put her arms around his neck. Tom grabbed her waist and deepened the kiss. Ruby felt like she was floating. She didn’t ever want to let go. Carefully Tom laid her down on the bed, still kissing her affectionately. He placed himself on top of her. Ruby felt her head spin and she moaned as he left a trace of gentle kisses down her neck with his warm lips.

With a flick of Tom’s wand the lights went out, leaving them swallowed in darkness.

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

VIII. A Piece of You

Present time.

Ruby put down her quill and stopped writing. She stared at the drying ink and read what she had written about her sixth year. How it had all begun. A yawn escaped her lips. She could barely keep her tired old eyes open. She took a hold of the glass of fire-whiskey next to her and took a swig. It burned, all the way down to her stomach. Her eyes looked wearily at her reflection in the now empty glass.

“What has become of me?”

With her free hand she touched her cheek, still looking at her reflection. In the glass, she saw an old wrinkled lady with grey hair and lifeless eyes. The spark in them was long gone, leaving nothing but an empty shell. Suddenly her thoughts were interrupted by knocks on her door. She stood up with a start.

“Who’s there?!” She demanded, trying to hide the fear in her voice. Her shaking hand reached for her wand. The knockings stopped and only the sound from her old gramophone could be heard in the room. Ruby walked over to the door locked it. Then she limped back to her seat to finish her writing. She had to finish. Everything depended on it, and she knew it…

I believed what Tom had told me about his visit in Little Hangleton, Ruby wrote, her hands slightly shaky. She glanced one last time at the door, before she continued, her otherwise so neat handwriting now leaving a trace of ink spots as she wrote in a hurried pace…

…or at least I wanted to. I believed his words, and I was very understanding, but after this incident, a new feeling had been created inside me, slowly eating away at me. The question was if I could really trust him.

The year is still 1944…

November had arrived and the weather had already gotten colder. Ruby gazed out the window with a sigh escaping her lips. She had spent the night with Tom. It had been beautiful, but there was still something that wasn’t right. Something was troubling her mind, and she didn’t know what it was.

“Hello,” The voice made Ruby turn around. It was Vespin.

“Oh, Vespin you scared me.” she said, breathing out.

“Sorry about that. I was looking for you yesterday. Where were you?”

“I was with Tom.” Ruby answered and continued to look out the window. Small flakes of snow had started to fall.

“Tom Riddle, you mean? So you’re still seeing him, then?” Ruby thought this was an odd comment coming from Vespin. She turned around once more with a frown etched on her brow.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“No, it’s none of my business, really, but you’re my friend and I would hate seeing you get hurt.” Vespin said.

“What? Tom would never-” she stopped. Would he? Now that they had shared this night together... was he done with her?

“I don’t know Ruby, I just … I have a bad feeling about him. He’s not like the others. I think you do best in staying as far away from him as possible!” Vespin warned her, sounding very serious.

“No. No, I trust Tom! I love him!”

“Does he love you?” Vespin asked carefully. Ruby wanted to scream YES with all her might, but something stopped her. She looked at Vespin with a mixture of hate and sadness, not knowing what to believe.

“I didn’t mean to upset-”

“Just leave me alone, Vespin. Please?” Ruby cut him off. He nodded ant left her looking out the window. Suddenly she realized something. It was all so clear.

She rushed up the marble staircase and followed the empty corridor which led to the big oak door, the entrance to Dumbledore’s study. She had been here before. Once in her third year she had accidentally set the Caretaker Apollyon Pringle’s hair on fire. Dumbledore had caught her in the act.

She knocked carefully on the door three times.

“Come in,” A voice from the inside told her. She turned the doorknob and walked inside. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, looking quite surprised.

“Ms. Boleyn? And what brings me the pleasure?”

Ruby didn’t know where to begin. She barely knew what she was doing here in the first place. Dumbledore seemed to notice her confuse and motioned for her to sit down.

“Take a seat, Ms. Boleyn.” Ruby did as she was told, looking around in the small study. Shelves with peculiar instruments and other things covered the walls.

“Now, I want you to take it from the beginning. I understand that you have something to tell me … about Tom Riddle?”

Ruby swallowed hard, avoiding her Professor’s gaze. What was she going to say? Was she betraying Tom by being here?

“I don’t know, sir, but I think something is wrong.” She said. Dumbledore nodded.

“Yes, that makes two of us. Of course Armando is too proud to listen,” Dumbledore mumbled, talking about the Headmaster.

“What do you think it is, Professor? Has it something to do with Tom?” Ruby’s heart started racing.

“I believe Tom is involved, yes.” He said.

Dumbledore’s words were followed by an uncomfortable silence. Ruby was the first one to speak, “Professor, what exactly is a Horcrux?”

Dumbledore’s eyes flickered and he sat up straight, “Where have you heard that word?” he asked. Ruby could’ve sworn she was a flicker of fear in his eyes.

“I heard Tom ask Professor Slughorn about it.” Ruby told him frankly. Something dark overtook Dumbledore’s features.

“A Horcrux is an object which contains a part of its creators’ soul. A piece of a soul, you can say,” Dumbledore told her. “Horcruxes are very Dark magic.”

“But sir, why would anyone want to split their soul?” Ruby asked, still not understanding.

“To gain immortality.” Dumbledore explained.

“And how do you do it?”

“A Horcrux? Well, first of all it takes great magical skills. And second, and most important of all, you have to kill someone.”

“Kill someone?” Ruby repeated in a whisper.

“Yes. Murder shatters the soul. Now, Ms. Boleyn, do you have any idea why Tom Riddle would want this information?”

“No…” she shook her head. “Wait, the murders. In Little Hangleton. Was that…?” Ruby didn’t dare to say it out loud. Had Tom killed his relatives to make Horcruxes? No, it wasn’t possible! It couldn’t be…

“I am sorry to say that I have the same suspicions as you have, Ms. Boleyn.” Dumbledore said calmly, as if he had read her mind.

“But, he couldn’t … he wouldn’t…”

“It is hard to say what Tom Riddle is or isn’t capable of, but I do believe, no matter how many people who disagree, that Tom is dangerous.”

Ruby felt a tear slide down her cheek. It couldn’t be true. She loved him.

“No. No, it can’t be true! It’s a lie!!” Ruby exclaimed. “He’s not a murderer!”

“Now I have told you what I think. You don’t have to agree with me. But a word of caution, my dear; you don’t want to get stuck in his web-”

“I refuse to listen to this!” Ruby spat and stood up, ready to leave.

“Remember what I said, Ruby! And I don’t think I need to tell you how important it is that what we just discussed stay between us. Have I made myself clear?”

“Perfectly clear,” Ruby said and wiped away a tear from her cheek.

She left Dumbledore’s study and rushed through the corridor. She could hear her own heart beat in a hurried rhythm as she ran up to Gryffindor Tower. Up in her dormitory she collapsed on her bed, tears falling freely now. Slowly, she cried out her silent sorrow, and cried herself to sleep.

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

IX. Born from a Wish

December came and the snow fell over the scenery, lying like a cover over the frozen ground. Christmas was getting closer once more, together with the cheery holiday feelings. Beautiful Christmas decorations were spread out all around in the castle to welcome the holiday. I hadn’t found the spirit yet. I never told Tom about what Dumbledore and I discussed. Tom was still on my mind. He confused me at times. Was Dumbledore right? Did I really know Tom as well as I thought I did? Or was he just … born from my wish?

Ruby was sitting in the snow by the lake, watching some younger students ice-skate on the frozen water. Her hands were playing with the golden locket, the gift from Tom, which was hanging around her neck.

“Do you mind?” A voice told her. Ruby looked up and was met by Tom’s dark eyes.

“No, not at all.” Ruby said and Tom sat down beside her. She could feel the warmth of his body and she inched a bit closer. She inhaled his scent. He smelled so good. He followed her gaze out over the frozen lake. The sun set over the ice, its red, burning glow reflecting in the water.

“Did you know that there wasn’t a lake here from the beginning when Hogwarts was founded?” Tom suddenly asked.

“No, I didn’t.”

“It was a gift. From Godric Gryffindor to Rowena Ravenclaw as a token of his affection. She loved water. Or so the legend tells in Hogwarts - A History.” Tom explained.

“That’s very romantic. Imagine conjuring a lake! What happened after that?” Ruby asked and cuddled a bit closer to him.

“Well, according to the book they lived the rest of their lives together in Hogwarts castle.” Tom told her, putting an arm around her and pulling her even closer.

A smile formed on Ruby’s lips, “So some people really do spend their whole lives together…”

“Yes, some do,” Tom said.

He took her hand in his. Ruby looked up. Their eyes met, and for a second it was like all the darkness in his eyes was gone. In that exact moment she could see his soul. His eyes glowed in a reddish glow.

“I love you.” He said, his voice barely a whisper, but just enough for Ruby to hear him. Something went through her and she broke the eye contact. It wasn’t that she didn’t believe his words, because she did, but did he? He didn’t know how it was to be loved. He had never been.

“Is something wrong?” he asked. She avoided his questioning eyes, thinking about what Dumbledore had said.

“No,” She replied. “Everything is fine.” She looked at the horizon. What if Dumbledore was right? Suddenly Ruby let go and stood up.

“Where are you going?” Tom asked. Ruby shot him a quick glance, her voice darted nervously.

“I have to go.” She replied.

“Alright. Will I see you later?”

Ruby turned around, “Yes, later.”

I had begun to realize what I had to do. I had to end it. It was ending with me. A week later it did…or so I thought…

It was the last day before Christmas. Ruby walked out of the Transfigurations classroom with books in her hands. She saw Tom standing with his Slytherin friends a few metres away. She watched him from afar. His kind smile graced his features as he told Nott something. Ruby took a deep breath to muster up some courage. She walked up to Tom, feeling the others shooting her strange looks.

“Tom? Tom I need to talk to you.” She said, but he didn’t seem to hear her. She walked up behind him and stated his name. This time he heard her.

“Ruby?”

“You don’t respond to your given name anymore?” Ruby asked coldly.

Tom was just about to say something when another sixth year, Wilkes, said, “So this is the little girl you’ve insisted on seeing, Voldemort?” his words were followed by a barking laugh. Ruby shivered by the use of Tom’s nickname Voldemort. She didn’t like it at all and she shot Wilkes an icy glare. Little girl, eh?

Tom looked pretty angrily at Wilkes as well before he turned his attention back to Ruby, “Was there something you wanted to talk about?”

“Yes. Come,” she took his hand and led him to the old muggle studies classroom. No one was using it anymore and a big layer of dust covered the floor. Ruby closed the creaking door behind them.

“I needed to talk to you alone.” She explained, taking another deep breath. Tom gave her a puzzled look.

“Is something wrong?” he asked. Ruby looked into his eyes, trying to find the right words.

“I don’t know, Tom. Is there? You’re hiding something from me, you can’t deny that! Tell me what you’ve been up to!” Ruby demanded, although she was pretty sure she already knew the answer, but she wanted to hear it from him. She had to; otherwise a part of her would never know.

Tom sighed but remained quiet, looking carefully up at her with a pleading look, which had so many times made her melt, but not this time.

“What is wrong?” Ruby asked, her voice failing her. Something shifted in Tom’s eyes.

“Before you judge me about my actions I want you to remember that I did it for you.” Tom said. Ruby covered her ears. She couldn’t take it anymore. It was true. All those horrible accusations were right.

“She looked up at him, her vision blurred from all the tears. Tom’s dark eyes glittered.

Ruby shook her head, her heart acing from all the pain. “No. No, I can’t do this. I can’t be with you anymore.” The last sentence was just a whisper, but judging from Tom’s expression he heard her. He walked up to her and violently grabbed her arms, shaking her. His eyes were glowing in anger.

“NO! You can’t just end it, do you hear me!?! I LOVE YOU!” he spat. Ruby managed to wrench free, backing away from him.

“You don’t know what love is,” she said, her voice darkened with hatred. “You never will. Leave me alone.” she said and left the old classroom. As she closed the door she could hear things break inside. Old dusty things smashing to the ground, but she ignore it. She ran. She ran as fast as her legs could carry her. She didn’t know why her legs led her to the girl’s lavatory. Maybe because she associated the place with sorrow and pain. She locked herself in Myrtle’s old cubicle and cried, just like Myrtle used to do, and it hurt. She hadn’t been here since Myrtle died.

Her sobs echoed in the lavatory, filling the room with her pain. It felt like the tears would never stop. What would she do know?

“Ruby…? Why are you crying?” a soft voice asked her gently. Ruby dried her eyes and looked up. Her eyes were met by a transparent girl, floating in the air.

“Myrtle?”

Myrtle giggled, “Hi Ruby.” Then suddenly she looked serious. “Why haven’t you visited me?”

Ruby stood up and reached out a hand. Her hand went right through Myrtle’s head.

“You’re dead.” She whispered.

“I’m a ghost, Ruby.” Myrtle told her.

“Why?”

“I thought I’d get back on Olive for all those years of bullying me.” Myrtle let out a small giggle and sighed at the thought of it.

It broke Ruby’s heart to see her best friend as a ghost, and it was all her fault. What had she done?

He never confessed that he had made a Horcrux, but I didn’t need his word. I knew. I think I knew all the time. I don’t know if he knew that I knew about his real secret, but he would. Yes he would. Soon enough he would know.

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

X. World War II

That was the last time I spoke to Tom before Christmas arrived. I decided to go home over the holiday. There was nothing keeping me in Hogwarts. I needed some time to think. About Tom, mostly. What would happen now? I had no one. I was all alone. The following term I was mostly with Vespin. He was a good company, despite his sometimes strange behaviour.

He was my only friend. I tried to avoid going to the girls’ lavatory. Seeing Myrtle as a ghost tore me up inside. Tom ignored me completely. He was up to something, but I didn’t know what, and I wasn’t in the position of finding out either. I tried to forget about it, but it was hard. I couldn’t forget the night Tom and I had shared. I knew he loved me. And I loved him. The term ended and a new summer vacation begun. My sixth year was over. I went home and had a rather boring summer. Nothing special happened. I liked the quiet.

We have to move fast now. I will now take you to the beginning of my seventh year, the year of 1945…

Ruby was sitting in her room, listening to the radio. They were talking about the Great War and about Adolf Hitler. Unfortunately Ruby never heard the end of the broadcast. She had to leave so she wouldn’t miss the train. The war had affected the Wizarding world too and many had died. But Hogwarts was safe. Of this Ruby was certain, and she was relieved that she was finally going back.

She arrived at King’s Cross Station just in time and jumped on the train. From the window she waved goodbye to her grand father. It was warm in the wagon. She took of her jacket and found an empty compartment. She looked outside the window as the train left the station, and eventually London altogether. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back, suddenly realizing how tired she was. She was lulled to sleep and the train rocked her back and forth on the rocky roads across Scotland.

She woke up later by a loud whistling noise. The train had stopped. Where they there already? Ruby looked outside the window. It was dark outside. Too dark to tell where they were. Had they broken down? No. It sounded like someone was getting onboard on the train. She could hear the doors creak as they opened. They closed with a slam and the train started moving again. Why did the train stop to pick up new passengers here?

Ruby decided to change to her robes. They would probably be arriving soon. Her thoughts led her to Tom for the billionth time this holiday. She still hadn’t told anyone about his Horcruxes. She was too afraid. Her thoughts stayed with Tom until the train finally stopped in Hogsmeade. When she got off the train she could hear someone call her name. She looked around the misty station full of disoriented students until she finally saw Vespin. He walked up to her.

“Hello Ruby. So, how was your summer?” the standard question.

“Fine, thank you,” Ruby lied. She was just about to ask him the same thing when he cut her off.

“Did you see the armed men who inspected the train? Probably from the war…” Vespin said.

“Oh, so that’s why the train stopped?” Ruby asked.

“Yes. The officers wanted to see what the train was transporting to Scotland, I presume.”

“I see…”

“Did you hear that Tom was made head boy? I only just remembered.” Vespin said to change the subject, but Ruby just waved the matter away. She didn’t want to talk about Tom. Not with anyone. Unfortunately that was not up to her. After the feast she was called to Dumbledore’s office. Ruby walked the stairs up to her Professor’s office with a heavy heart. Gently she knocked on the oak door.

“Come in.” she heard her Professor’s voice from the inside. She walked inside and closed the door behind her. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk, his hand fumbling with his auburn beard. He looked at Ruby, almost examining her.

“You wanted to see me, sir?” Ruby said.

“Yes. Please sit down.” Ruby did as she was told and watched Dumbledore serve himself some tea.

“Can I offer you some tea, Ms. Boleyn?”

Ruby shook her head. She hadn’t come to her Professor’s study to drink tea. She twitched nervously in her seat as Dumbledore took a sip of his tea, still not saying anything. Ruby decided to hurry the matter.

“What was it you wanted to talk to me about?” she asked.

“A quite unnecessary question, don’t you think. I wanted to talk to you about Tom Riddle. I heard that you’re not seeing him anymore.”

Ruby’s heart missed a beat, “That’s true.”

“That is probably a good idea, Ms. Boleyn. Dark times lie ahead. Very dark indeed.” He told her, putting down his cup. Ruby swallowed. What did he mean?

“Did you question him about the Horcrux?” Dumbledore suddenly asked.

Ruby froze by the use of that word. She hesitated. What would she say? What would happen if she told him the truth?

Dumbledore, who was a very observant man, immediately noticed her doubt and leaned closer, his face very close to hers and his blue eyes looking straight at her.

“Is there something you wish to tell me, Ruby?” Ruby looked up by the use of her first name.

“I hope you realize the seriousness in this situation.” Dumbledore said, watching her every move. That was when she made a decision.

“No. No, you were wrong. Tom has not killed anyone. You were wrong,” she repeated. Dumbledore leaned back in his seat and sighed.

“You can go,” he said simply, his face showing an unreadable expression. Did he believe her?

“But, sir-”

“You better go, Ms. Boleyn. I don’t like to repeat myself.” There was something in the tone when he spoke to her. Disappointment rung in his voice. He knew she was lying. Ruby quickly got up from her seat and left the study. What would happen now? Had she made the right decision by lying? Half of her regretted what she had done, but there was no going back now. What was done was done.

I realize that I might have done a big mistake in lying to Dumbledore that day, but I couldn’t tell him the truth. I had simply been unable to tell him that his suspicions were right because of the fear that he might do something do harm Tom. I was afraid. I didn’t know which side I was on and it confused me. I was lost and confused. The days went by and nothing happened, but I knew it was only a matter of time. Dumbledore would choose his opportunity. He needed proof since he didn’t have my confession. Christmas came, again, and then more months passed before anything really happened.

On the last day of April, the 30th, Dumbledore called for me again and told me what was going to happen next. We are nearing the end of my story, the reason you’ve read all this, so please hear me out. I never meant for anyone to get hurt. I was confused. You can judge me for some of my bad decisions, go ahead I dare you, but remember that I did it for love.

I was a beautiful day. The last day of April had arrived, Walpurgis Day. This was an ancient tradition. An old holiday, celebrated by witches and wizards all over the world to honour Saint Walpurga.This was Ruby’s favourite holiday. During the ceremony they would light a big fire for all the witches who were burned alive. As Ruby watched the Great Hall get decorated for the evening's feast Tom walked up behind her.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he whispered in her ear. She spun around, facing him. He looked as handsome as ever.

“Yes, very.” She replied curtly. He gave her a sweet smile.

“I miss you.” He said.

“Tom, don’t…” she couldn’t listen to this right now. She was trying her best to keep her heart from breaking. She was just about to walk away when Tom reached out and grabbed her arm. He took a firm grip and pulled her closer to him. Ruby cast a glance over at the Professor’s table. She saw Dumbledore eyeing them.

“Tom, you’re scaring me. Please, let go of my arm,” she begged. Tom let go, looking around.

“I love you.” He told her. “And I know you love me too.” Ruby shook her head. His words tore her up inside and she felt tears burn behind her eyes.

“I’ve been thinking about you lately,” Tom continued. “Knowing that you’re not mine anymore is killing me! I need you!”

Ruby looked up, “Dumbledore knows,” she whispered. She couldn’t keep it from him anymore. He had to know.

Tom’s eyes darkened, “About what?” he asked, his voice cold and hard.

“About everything. I think … I think he’s going to do something to you.” Ruby said. Tom seemed to be thinking.

“I don’t know how he found out,” Ruby added, rubbing her sore arm, afraid to meet Tom’s eyes. She looked up at the enchanted ceiling. It was getting dark. Tom seemed to have noticed that too. Tom grabbed her hand.

“Follow me!” He ordered. Frightened and confused, and scared by the tone of his voice, Ruby followed him. She cast one last glance at Dumbledore before they left the Great Hall. Tom dragged her by the hand into the Entrance Hall.

It was empty. Tom let go of her and looked around to be sure that they were all alone. He looked different somehow. Something had changed. Ruby watched him take out a coin from his pocket and clenched his fist around it. He looked at Ruby and once again took a hold of her hand. Before she could ask what they were doing she felt the familiar and unpleasant sensation of travelling with a portkey.

Darkness.

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

XI. Walpurgis Holy Night

I think a part of me had always known. I just didn’t want to see what was right in front of me. The worst of it all was the thought that I might have been the trigger. The one thing that made him cross the line. I was weak. I’ve always been. This is what separates my tale from a fairytale. Fairytales have real heroes in them. The truth is that there are no real heroes. Everyone has their faults. Mine was love…

Ruby felt her feet hit the ground with such power that she fell over. She landed heavily on hard ground. Slowly she got up on her feet, rubbing her back. She looked around her. Tom was gone. She was standing in the middle of a dark and dense forest. There was nothing but trees around her with big roots. She could barely see the evening sky because of the giant tree crowns with their long branches, covered with leaves. This was an old forest, of that Ruby was pretty sure. She looked around to locate Tom, but he was already gone.

“TOM!” Ruby yelled with all her might, but no one responded. Her mind was racing, trying to think clear, but it seemed impossible. Suddenly she heard voices, coming from northeast. Ruby held her breath and listened to the voices, which seemed to grow stronger by the second. They were coming closer. Ruby started moving towards the sound, her heart beating hard in her chest.

As she walked closer she could see light. She was nearing the forest’s edge. Hiding behind a tree she watched a group of hooded persons, men judging by the dark voices; swear what sounded like some kind of oath. In the middle of the formed circle stood a tall dark figure, his wand raised above his head.

“We swear lojalty to the brotherhood on this sacred day. We swear on our honour to protect what’s pure, and eliminate the filth, in the name of Walpurgis,” They messed.

“MORSMORDRE!” They all said with one voice, raising their wands in the air. On the sky above them hovered a skull of green mist with a serpent protruding from its mouth. Ruby gasped in fright. Suddenly another figure entered the centre of the circle. It was Tom.

“Oh Merlin…” Ruby whispered, covering her mouth with her hand. Suddenly she felt something pointy poke her in her back. A wand.

“Save your prayers, meine kleine. Merlin won’t help you now.” A voice from behind her whispered in her ear, sending shivers down her spine. He violently pushed her out of the bushes, his wand still against her back. The circle of men lowered their wands to witness the event.

“Führer!” the man said and the tall figure from the centre of the circle walked up to them. The man behind Ruby said something to the other man in German. Ruby couldn’t understand what they were saying, but she could distinctly hear the dignity in his voice and guessed that the tall man was their leader. He wore a white mask and a black hood. Ruby tried to wrench free from the other man’s grasp, but failed. He was too strong.

The leader turned around to face the others. He raised his arm in some kind of salute and spoke, his voice cold and hard;

“Knights of Walpurgis! Servants of Death! Hear me!”

The Knights all raised their wands once more, “We serve thee, Lord Grindelwald!” They cried.

Lord Grindelwald lowered his arm and turned to Tom. He was standing among what Ruby assumed must’ve been muggles. Suddenly she recognized the man in the uniform and small black moustache next to Tom. It was Adolf Hitler himself, the German Nazi leader. Behind them stood other men in uniform. Some of them had guns. They were cooperating. That was why the war had been almost impossible to end. So many innocents had already died. It was the war of two worlds. The wizarding world and the muggles.
Ruby made one last attempt to free herself from the man’s grip as she watched Tom walk up to them, his eyes glowing fiercely. Ruby held her breath, not knowing what was going to happen. Beyond the craggy peaks of the mountains surrounding them, she could see the blood-red sun setting over the landscape. The air was thin and Ruby guessed that they were pretty high up. On a mountain.

“My Lord,” Tom said as he neared them, avoiding to look at Ruby.

Without a word, Lord Grindelwald unsheathed his sword from his belt and handed it to Tom, who took it and with a frowned expression examined it. Ruby watched them exchange looks, feeling her heart race.

“Kill her, Tom,” Lord Grindelwald told his young apprentice, whose eyes grew big, glittering in the dark.

Tom simply nodded and with a neutral expression he took a step towards Ruby with the sword in his hands.

“No, no Tom, please!” Ruby begged with slight hysteria in her voice, her eyes on the sword.

Tom’s expression hardened and he raised the sword, holding it in a firm grip. Ruby felt a single tear run down her cheek when she finally met Tom’s eyes. For a second it was like time had stopped. He held the sword; ready to swing it to decapitate her, but suddenly he lowered it, breaking the eye contact. He let the sword fall to the ground. Ruby breathed out. He couldn’t do it. Suddenly a shard voice broke the evening’s silence. Ruby recognized the voice, and apparently so did Lord Grindelwald.

“Lord Grindelwald. What brings me the pleasure?” The voice was calm, yet firm. It belonged to Albus Dumbledore. Lord Grindelwald picked up the sword from the ground, but as soon as he had, Dumbledore had sent an expelliarmus spell in his direction, disarming his enemy. This made the man holding Ruby ease his grip and Ruby freed herself. Enraged, Grindelwald drew his wand and with his Knights right behind him, Dumbledore was surrounded.

“Let me see you make your move now, my dear Albus,” Grindelwald grinned.

“Did you honestly think I’d be going here to Harz Mountain alone? I must say, dear Grindelwald, I am disappointed at you.” Dumbledore said and suddenly about ten other wizards and witches appeared on Dumbledore’s side. A battle ensued. Ruby looked around her as spells and hexes hailed around her. Suddenly she became aware of the fact that Tom was gone. She peered around her and tried to get away from the battle zone. Suddenly she caught a glimpse of his black hair. He was running in the opposite direction. Ruby followed. Rain had started to fall, making it hard to see anything. Drops of rain hit her face like needles as she an after him.

Because of the bad sight she lost track of him. She stopped. Heavens vault must’ve cracked open. The rain was now pouring down like an endless river. Ruby looked around, her heart beating hard in her chest. For every beat she felt weaker. The high latitude was making it hard for Ruby to breathe. Suddenly she saw him. He was standing by the edge of the mountain, looking down. He cast a glance behind him and caught Ruby’s eyes. He winked at her. Ruby stopped dead in her tracks, looking pleadingly at him. Just then, it was like time had stopped. Tom smiled. He spread out his arms and jumped of the edge.

“NOO!!” Ruby screamed, filling her lungs with cold air which ripped her lungs. She ran over to the spot where he had jumped and looked down. He was gone. Ruby swallowed her tears and tried to think straight. Where did he go? Her breathing slowed down. The air was much better here. She touched the ground where Tom had been standing. This place had known magic. The whole mountain had, she could feel it deep in her gut.

Without thinking any further into it Ruby stood up straight and took a leap into the air. She felt her feet leave the ground as her body fell over the edge of the mountain. She closed her eyes, feeling the force of the air against her face. Suddenly her feet touched ground. She fell over on the side and heard something in her arm break, followed by a stab of pain in her upper arm. She let out a small cry in pain and opened her eyes. She was lying on grass. Far away she could hear the sound of birds and water against cliffs. The smell of seaweed and salt filled her nostrils. She stood up, careful not to move her arm too much.

It must be broken, she thought and looked around. She must’ve fallen through a portal, some sort of magical barrier when she jumped off the mountain. That meant Tom had to be somewhere around here as well. Ignoring the throbbing pain in her arm, Ruby started walking towards some caves to her left; guessing that Tom had ran into them. There was a fissure in the cliff, but the water was high. Ruby could see light coming from inside. Tom was in there, but she couldn’t do this on her own. She needed help. Carefully with her injured arm she took out her want from her pocket.

Then she picked up a small pebble from the ground. With an easy incantation she had made a portkey of the pebble. She closed her eyes and in a matter of minutes she was magically transferred back to Hogwarts castle, cold and wet. Her wet robes weighted her down and she shivered. Quickly she walked up a few floors and stormed into the girls’ lavatory.

“Myrtle? Are you here?”

The ghost of her late friend appeared from behind the sinks. Her transparent appearance floated closer and a smile formed on her lips.

“Ruby, how kind of you to visit me,”

“Myrtle, I need your help,” Ruby sobbed as the sound of the water from her robes dripped onto the floor, creating a small puddle around her feet. The ghost’s smile faded.

“What is it, Ruby?”

“It’s Tom,”

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

XII. Death is my Gift

Ruby put down her quill and looked at what she had written. She stood up and cast a glance at the door. It was still locked. On her desk was a copy of the latest Daily Prophet. The first page read:

Headmaster of Hogwarts Albus Dumbledore has passed away.

Ruby let out a deep sigh and climbed up on her chair and tightened the slipknot on the snare hanging from the roof…
+

The relaxing sound of the waves of water hitting against the massive cliffs was the only source of sound in the darkness of the night. Everything was still. The pale moon had cast an enchanting spell upon the scenery with its eerie glow, touching everything in its path. Suddenly a sound cut through the silence like a knife. Two muffled voices.

Ruby breathed in the smell of the salty water as they walked over to the cliffs she had watched Tom escape to. She stopped and pointed. The transparent silhouette of Myrtle followed her lead. It looked almost like she was glowing in the light of the moon.

Ruby pointed at the fissure in the cliff and walked over to it. Mumbling an incantation under her breath she lit her wand. High water filled the opening. She looked at the ghost by her side.

“What do you think?”

“It looks like it is the only way,” Myrtle’s squeaky voice replied. “What do you think we will find in there, Ruby? Any guesses?”

“No. I prey we find nothing at all…” Ruby told her frankly and jumped from the boulder where she was standing down into the cold water, her wand in her mouth, guiding her as she swam towards the dark slit in the rock face. With Myrtle behind her they entered the opening, which was almost completely filled due to the high tide. The dark tunnel led them deeper into a cave.

It was almost no water in there and Ruby got up from the icy water, her robes dripping. The sound bounced against the walls of the dark cave. Ruby looked around, examining the cave walls. Myrtle’s silent wailings echoed ghostly in the chamber. Ruby touched the wall with her frozen fingers.

“The walls are wet. The tide can come any minute.” She warned. “Look for a way out, Myrtle!”

“What about here?” Myrtle pointed at a narrow crack in the wall. It was just the right size for a human to walk through it and it seemed to lead to a bigger chamber.

“Good Myrtle! That must be the entrance!”

“See, I may be dead, but I’m not completely useless…” Myrtle sighed and passed through the wall.

Ruby walked entered through the crack and followed her friend. Inside was a much bigger chamber. It was also much darker. It wasn’t until Ruby let the light of her wand examine the floor that she understood that they were standing on the edge of a big black lake. The darkness was total, but despite this, Ruby was sure she could see a greenish glow coming from what seemed to be somewhere in the middle of the lake. Velvet blackness surrounded them.

“We need to reach the centre of the lake,” Ruby told Myrtle, who did not look too happy to hear that,

They started walking around the still dark water. They walked slowly, careful not to touch the dark fluid. Suddenly Myrtle stopped dead in her tracks in front of Ruby.

“What is it?” Ruby asked testily, her heart pounding.

“Don’t you see it, Ruby?” Myrtle asked, her gaze focused on something in front of her. Something Ruby could not see.

“No, I can’t.”

Myrtle reached out her hand and tried to grab something out of the thin air in front of her, over the water. She grabbed and pulled in the invisible object. Suddenly a thick green chain appeared out of no where right in front of them, with Myrtle’s ghost hands clenched around it. A noise echoed and something from came up from the depths of the black water. A small boat appeared, glowing ghastly green. Ruby stared at it, her mind racing. Myrtle took a seat in it and motioned for Ruby to join her. Hesitantly Ruby joined her in the small boat, sitting down in a very uncomfortable position.

An invisible force began moving the boat towards the lakes middle where they could see the greenish light come closer. Suddenly the boat came to a bumpy halt against something which seemed to be a small island. Ruby looked hesitantly at Myrtle who immediately floated out of the boat, looking rather excited about it all. In the middle of the small island stood a pedestal. On it was some sort of basin. Ruby approached the basin, not knowing what to expect. It all felt so surreal, like she was trapped in one of her nightmares.

She could barely see because of the bright green light coming from the basin. She narrowed her eyes as she slowly made her way over to it. She walked up to the basin and looked down into it. It was filled by some sort of green liquid. Myrtle appeared by her side.

“What is it? Is it poison?” Myrtle asked.

“I don’t know,” Ruby mumbled. She carved up her sleeve and made an effort to touch the green fluid.

“DON’T!” Myrtle stopped her, her voice echoed in the cave.

“What!?” Ruby snapped.

“What if it’s dangerous?” Let me do it.” Ruby snorted and stepped aside, allowing Myrtle to put her hand into the basin. Her transparent hand sank through the liquid.

“There’s something at the bottom.” Myrtle said.

“Can you take it?”

Myrtle tried hard to focus on the object under the fluid. Suddenly her transparent fingers grabbed the object and managed to take it out of the basin altogether. Ruby smiled triumphantly as Myrtle gave her what looked like a golden necklace. She looked at it. It was a locket; similar to the one Tom had given her, except that this one had an S engraved on it. There was nothing inside it.

“What is it Ruby?” Myrtle asked.

“A piece of Tom, which we need to destroy. That’s all you need to know, Myrtle.” Myrtle nodded solemnly as Ruby inspected the locket thoroughly. Was this really his first Horcrux, of had he done more?

With her wand Ruby conjured a quill and a bit of parchment. With a trembling hand she began to write;

To the Dark Lord, Ruby wrote in despise and hatred, understanding that with the end of the war and Hitler, and if Dumbledore managed to destroy Lord Grindelwald, Tom would take his place.

I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to know that it was I who discovered your secret. I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can. I face death in the hope that when you meet your match you will be mortal once more.

R.A.B

Not bothering to undo the clasp to the chain around her neck, she violently pulled in the fine chain until it snapped in two. She opened the tiny golden locket and put the little piece of parchment inside. A tear slid down her cheek. Before she replaced the Horcrux with her locket she kissed it.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered.

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

Epilogue ~ Letter from the Lost Years

Slowly Voldemort unfolded the piece of parchment and began reading Ruby’s letter;

Dear Tom,

When you read this I am already dead. I’ve passed away with lightness in my heart. It was my turn to go, Tom. When is it your turn? I write you this to tell you that I never stopped loving you. Not even now, even though I am no longer alive, have I stopped. Love is forever, Tom. True love, is a kind of immortality.

We could’ve had forever, Tom. We could’ve loved forever, but you wanted to reach your precious immortality, to live forever. I take it you failed. Or at least you will. All this time I was living to die, just like everyone else. I wanted to grow old and die with you, but all this time you were dying to live. To live forever.

Death is my gift, Tom, my reward. I prey that you will understand. When you are human enough to die, we shall be together once more. After all, love is forgiving.

I love you,
R.A.B

Feel free to judge me. I loved him, there is no denying that. When he finally was more creature and less man he had the strength enough to kill me, but that also means that he was ready to be killed, and I find some comfort in that thought. Perhaps I was wrong in my belief that no man is born evil. There is a piece of good in all of us, but maybe this time I was wrong, and it cost me my life. And I think, in the end, it will be the destruction of Tom as well.

I sent my book I wrote, my autobiography, if you will, to someone I knew needed it more than I did. My time was over. I prey that Tom’s soon is too.

Yours truly,
Ruby Anne Boleyn,
+

Far away, in another time, a big red bird was soaring high up in the sky, its eyes glowing in the dark. In its claws it held a leather-bound book. A book he was going to deliver. The bird’s massive wings looked like burning flames when the long red and golden feathers flapped in the air. The bird with wings like fire gave a musical cry as it flew over London towards its destination.

And somewhere in England a man with raven-black hair could hear its lament as he watched a massive fire burn out. This mans appearance suggested that a great tragedy had darkened his life. Something about a boy and a mistake he had to correct. Many lives depended on it.

The day itself was a reflection of the dark shadow surrounding the dark-haired man, engulfing him. Dull, heavy clouds spread across the dark sky, over the landscape of dead trees and the remainings of destroyed houses. The air was thick with smoke and there were several clear signs that a big fire had just raided through the area, killing everything crossing its path. The smell of death hung in the air and above him, the man could see a vague silhouette of green smoke demonstrating a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth; the same mark he had on his upper arm. The green mist made him think of a pair of lovely deep green eyes. A woman’s eyes. The bird gave another musical cry. The new war had arrived.

The influence of each human being on others in this life is a kind of immortality.-
John Quincy Adams,

BlueFalcon · Dreuzel Verdiend: 49 Sikkels

that was it hope you guys liked it plz react and have fun reading and send me a pm if you whant the story

cos then i will send it in an e-mail

Already started with the next one its dutch but on request from ppl i will make it english