Young Writers Society

Christina had left shortly after she had been accepted as not being a Death Eater. Harry was stunned and so was everyone else in the room.

“ Can we trust her?” Harry asked Lupin quickly.

“ I do not know. Until we know more about her it is difficult to say.”

“ Hermione’s flooed to see Professor Mcgonagal and ask her if she knows anything about Christina Riddle and if she can use the Library to find things out about her.”

“ Hermione is a very intelligent girl.” Lupin laughed and so did Harry. It was true. If anyone were going to find out about Christina Riddle’s past it would be Hermione Granger.




“Professor Mcgonagal.” Hermione said as she stepped out of the fireplace in the Head’s study at Hogwarts. Professor Mcgonagal had been writing something on a piece of parchment when she looked up sternly at Hermione.

“ Miss Granger. What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself?”

“ Don’t be so hard on her Minerva. It must be very important or she would not be here.” The portrait of Professor Dumbledore smiled at Hermione.

“ Professor Mcgonagal. I was wondering if I would be able to use the library for a few days?”

“ What for?” Professor Mcgonagal asked suspiciously.

“ We had a visitor today. And we would all like to know a bit more about her.”

“ Who was the visitor?” Dumbledore was listening closely to the conversation. Hermione took a deep breath before answering.

“ Christina Merope Riddle.” All the colour in Minerva Mcgonagal’s face drained away. Professor Dumbledore looked as if he wished to jump out of his portrait and do something.

“ Did you say Miss Riddle?” Professor Mcgonagal spoke in a small and quiet voice that betrayed that she was frightened by what Hermione had said.

“ Is this why you wish to use the library?” Hermione nodded.

“ I think, Miss Granger that I should tell you about Christina Merope Riddle.” Spoke Professor Dumbledore. Hermione turned to face him as he sat down in the golden chair that had been painted into his portrait.

“ As I am sure Harry has told you Merope Gaunt married a muggle named Tom Marvelo Riddle and died when she gave birth to her one and only son Tom Marvelo Riddle. This last part is untrue. She died after giving birth to twins. Tom Marvelo Riddle and Christina Merope Riddle. They were sent to different orphanages on the request of Merope. When I met Tom for the first time and learned that I was to see yet another Riddle called Christina I could not help thinking that she would be like her brother. I was shocked that when I met her that she only looked like her brother. She had none of the same characteristics as her brother and unlike her brother she knew everything I was going to say to her and she also knew who she was and who her family were. I was astounded that Tom had been kept in the dark yet she had not. She told me that she knew everything from a letter he mother had wrote to her. She was told that her family, her bloodline, were the descendants of Salazar Slytherin. Christina did not seem to be cruel and unkind. She was kind and fair but there was some cruelty in her and there was something else stirring within her that I could not see but that I knew would become an important part of things later on. I left worrying about when Christina and Tom would meet. It was not on the train but when they were being sorted. Tom’s name was called out first then Christina’s was. I can safely say that Tom was shocked. He could not believe that someone else shared his surname. Christina was sorted into Slytherin House as I expected her to be.” Dumbledore paused for a moment then continued.

“Christina and Tom clashed very soon after this and stories began to fly around the school how Tom had suddenly started hissing at Christina. He was speaking in Parseltounge and would have got an even bigger shock when Christina replied, I Parseltounge. From that day onwards wherever Tom went Christina would not be far behind and she was always ready to jump in and stop her brother from doing something or jump in and protect him from something. It is my belief that Merope Riddle had asked Christina to look after her brother when she went to Hogwarts. During there sixth year Tom had obviously had enough of Christina and attempted to kill her. Before he could even raise his wand Christina had defended herself, without using a wand, and had nearly killed Tom in the process. Tom was shaken after this encounter and I believe this is one of the reason’s why he was so desperate to live forever. He had fought with Death and had nearly lost. What I must tell you know Miss Granger is that you must protect Christina Riddle. You must not let her near her brother or any object that has been darkened magically by Voldemort. If you do what I have told you then we shall be relatively safe. If you do not then I cannot even begin to think of the consequences. Christina Merope Riddle is a very, very powerful person. She is even more powerful than her brother. Remember what I have told you Miss Granger. Now go and repeat what I have just told you to everyone at Headquarters.” Hermione nodded to the portrait Dumbledore and stepped back into the fireplace, flooing back to Grimmauld Place. When she had disappeared Professor Mcgonagal spoke.

“ You know so much more about this than I do Albus. What is it that’s troubling you?”

“ I discovered something not long before my death Minerva. Another prophecy was made concerning Miss Riddle. Harry will have to trust her but there is a risk involved with this whole business. The prophecy concerning Harry and Lord Voldemort will still stand but without Miss Riddle’s help there is no way that Harry will even have a chance of destroying Voldemort. The danger is that Harry will create an enemy that no one could destroy. No one would destroy. An enemy so powerful that I am frightened even thinking of them.”

“ Who Albus? Who?”

“ Miss Riddle.”




Hermione stepped out of the fireplace at Grimmauld Place and before anyone could begin to question her she repeated what Dumbledore had told her about Christina Riddle. When she had finished there was a stunned silence.

“ No wonder she got so angry when I shouted that she was Voldemort’s sister.” Everyone in the room nodded when Harry had finished speaking.

“ Harry. Can I talk to you and Ron for a second? In private.” Harry and Ron nodded, following Hermione out into the hallway and up the stairs until they reached one of the room that Harry and Ron had shared during the holidays in there fifth year.

“ What is it?” Harry asked.

“ When I was speaking to Dumbledore he seemed frightened.”

“ What?” Harry and Ron said in surprise. The idea of Dumbledore being afraid only made matters worse.

“ I know it sounds so unlike Dumbledore but I swear that he was frightened. There was something in the way he spoke, the words he chose, how he started talking faster from when he mentioned what happened in Voldemort and Christina’s sixth year. His manner wasn’t exactly confident either and it worries me.”

“ Yeah. He’s never been frightened of Voldemort before.”

“ Harry. I don’t think its Voldemort he’s frightened of. I think its Christina.”

“ What do you mean? He just told you Christina was good.” Confusion was evident on both Ron and Harry’s faces.

“ I know that. And that’s what’s making me so worried and so frustrated.” There was silence between Harry, Ron and Hermione until a small cough from the portrait that had been empty when they first came into the room broke the silence. It was Phineas Nigellus.

“Most interesting conversation you three were having there. I must say that at least one of you is intelligent. My giving a message to Mr Potter doesn’t seem to be needed. After all, Miss Granger over there could tell you what Minerva Mcgonagal wishes to tell Mr Potter.”

“ What’s the message.” Harry growled at Phineas. He had never liked him and could not be bothered with anything he had to say unless it was a message from Dumbledore. Or in this case Mcgonagal.

“ She wishes to speak to you about a certain Miss Riddle. She shall be waiting for you at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.”

“ Right. Thanks for the message. Goodbye.” Harry said curtly. He turned his back on Phineas but spun round angrily when he coughed again.

“ What do you want now?”

“ Such a temper.”

“ Look, if you haven’t got anything useful to say then just go away or keep quiet!” Phineas crossed his arms and looked at Harry sternly before speaking.

“ You’ll never get anywhere with manners like that!” After he had finished speaking Phineas turned on his heel and disappeared from his portrait.

“ Good riddance. I’ve never liked him.”

“ I’ve never met him and I actually quite like him.” Harry looked at Hermione as if she had sprouted another head.

“ He seems rather funny. And you were horrible to him Harry. He could have stayed in his portrait in Mcgonagals office and not delivered the message. Have you thought about that? If he comes back I want you to apologise to him.”

“ You only like him because he said you were intelligent.”

“ Yes. And what about it? It’s the truth!”

“ Oh Hermione. Of course it’s the truth. But don’t you realize that Phineas is a Slytherin and is stupid. Just like Malfoy. And he’s related to Malfoy.”

“ He is?” Harry nodded his head.

“ I don’t like him.” Harry and Ron both laughed and Hermione smiled warmly at them both before sighing.

“ What’s wrong now?” Asked Ron tiredly.

“ Everything seemed simple when we left Hogwarts. We knew what we all had to do and we knew the risks.”

“ Everything was simple?” Snorted Harry.

“ Simpler than it is now Harry. Simpler than it is now.”

“ Why’s it not simple anymore?”

“ Because Christina’s involved now. And that complicates things a lot. Just imagine Voldemort’s reaction if he finds out. From what I could tell he thinks she’s dead. She’s gone. She’s not a threat to him anymore. Just try and imagine what’s going to happen when he finds out she’s with us. Just think about it.” Harry thought about it and he felt as if a large boulder that had just been dumped on top of him was crushing him. Voldemort would be angry. Voldemort would be murderous. Voldemort would come after Christina and he would find Harry. He would want to fight Harry and kill him. Harry wasn’t ready to fight him yet. He hadn’t destroyed all the Horcruxes. Voldemort wouldn’t be able to die. He needed more time.

“ Do you see how complicated it is now?” Hermione asked. She was directing the question towards Harry. Harry nodded his head.

“ Good.” Hermione walked away from Harry and Ron and out of the room. Harry and Ron followed after her until all three of them were back in the dining area of Grimmauld Place. All talking ceased as they entered and then slowly resumed. Harry walked over to Lupin who was waiting for him.

“ I need to go to the three broomsticks to speak to Professor Mcgonagal. She sent a message with Phineas Nigellus” Harry spat out the last two words with distaste. Lupin chuckled.

“ I see you also don’t like Phineas. Sirius never did and I must confess nor do I.”

“ I wonder if my dad liked him?”

“ He found him rather funny actually.” Harry was shocked. His father had thought Phineas funny. “ Only because, as James said, he made an ass of himself.”

“ I’ve never heard you speak like that before!” Harry said in a shocked voice but with a smile on his face.

“ Times are changing Harry and people change with times. Surely you’ve noticed this?” Lupin had averted to being his grave self again.

“ Yes. I have. Just look over at Hermione. Need any more be said.” Both Lupin and Harry looked over at Hermione with pained looks in there eyes. Hermione Granger was skeletally thin and looked as if she were about to drop dead any second. Her face was stretched and gaunt but she still had her sunny smile and bright eyes sparkling like diamonds with knowledge, trust, friendship, love and hope.

“ I need to go. I’ll speak to you some other time.” Harry walked over to the fireplace on the other side of the room and took some floo powder and stepped into the empty fireplace. He dropped the powder as he shouted out “Three Broomsticks.” The roaring that accompanied travelling by Floo Powder and whirl of green flames lasted for only a few seconds as the Harry stepped out of the fireplace in the Three Broomsticks. He dusted himself clean of the soot that might have been on his robes. He spotted Professor Mcgonagal and walked over to where she was sitting.

“Professor Mcgonagal.” She turned to look at Harry and then stood up and asked him to sit down opposite her. Harry took the seat.

“ First thing’s first Harry there is no need for you to call me Professor Mcgonagal anymore. I am not your Professor anymore. You shall address me as Minerva from here on in.”

“ Very well then Minerva. May I ask why I was called here?” Harry had changed a lot from when he his sixth year at Hogwarts. He was a young man and was no longer a boy. No longer a child. He was now more confident and sure of himself than he had ever been before. Minerva Mcgonagal could see this very clearly and smiled as she remembered the first time Harry had met her. He had looked so much different than what he did now. He looked so much older and one could very easily tell that things had happened to Harry Potter. Things that most wizards could never have experienced in over eighty years of life. He was only seventeen.

“ It is concerning the visit you had earlier today from Miss Riddle.”

“ That much I gathered from what Phineas told me.”

“ Indeed. What you must know Harry is that Christina Riddle is to be trusted but that you must be careful with your dealing when others are around you and she is present. There was a prophecy that Albus did not know of until a very short time before his death. He could not tell you for his own reasons that I do not know of nor wish to know of. The prophecy says that you will not be able to defeat Voldemort without Miss Riddle’s assistance.”

“ There’s a but.”

“ Yes. There is. There is a risk involved. The danger is that you may very well destroy Voldemort but in turn you will create an enemy no one can defeat. An enemy so powerful that even Albus was frightened of even speaking about the prospect of this enemy coming into existence.”

“ Hermione was right as usual.” Harry muttered.

“ What was that Harry?” Asked Minerva sharply.

“ Hermione said that she thought Professor Dumbledore was frightened when he spoke to her.”

“ I have been told by Albus himself he wishes for you to call him by his first name.” Minerva gave Harry a slight smile and he returned the smile.

“So. Should I ally myself with Christina Riddle?” Asked Harry. Minerva nodded.

“ We all must.” Harry stood up and shook Minerva by the hand before walking out of the pub. He apparated to the outside of number twelve Grimmauld Place that materialised in front of him. He walked up to the front door and knocked.