Young Writers Society

As soon as Christina apparated back into her room she was pounced on.

“ Did the Potter boy accept your offer?”

“ I did not get an answer but they know I am not a Death Eater so it is a start Mariana. It is a start.” Mariana stepped out from the shadows where she had been skulking. She sat down on a comfortable cushioned black chair. Christina removed her cloak and opened her massive mahogany wardrobe and hung the cloak on one of its stands. She removed her white gloves and folded them neatly into an oak chest of drawers. She walked over to a chair opposite Mariana and sat down in it.

“ Will you be returning soon to get an answer?”

“ Of course I will Mariana. I will be returning as soon as I feel they have had enough time to consider my offer. I have been waiting for so long. I can wait just a little longer. But only a little.” Christina leaned back in her chair and gazed across at Mariana. Mariana flicked a strand of her long midnight blue hair out of her shining amber eyes. Her face was perfectly sculpted and her skin was pale. Not as pale as Christina’s though. Mariana was wearing blood red robes and small red shoes that sparkled and glittered.

“ You look rather hungry Mariana. Would you like something to drink?”

“ If you have any then yes.” Christina grasped the air and handed Mariana a clear goblet with silver handle. There was a red liquid in the goblet that matched the colour of Mariana’s robes. The red liquid was blood. Blood from a muggle. Mariana took the goblet from Christina and took a sip.

“ Muggle blood. It tastes better if it’s pure blood but as I have always said, blood is blood just as long as it’s human.” Mariana smiled at Christina and happened to expose her sharp pointed teeth as she took another sip from the goblet.

“ Once you have finished drinking Mariana I would like for you to accompany me as I shall be leaving to speak with Mr Potter again and I feel that you would like to be there.”

“ It is so.” Mariana drained the rest of the goblet and stood up. Christina stood up too and she grabbed hold of Mariana’s hand and apparated out of the dark room to the Leaky Cauldron where she flooed with Mariana to number twelve Grimmauld Place.




The door opened and Mrs Weasley stepped aside to let Harry in after asking him a few questions only he would know the answer to.

“ What was the meeting all about Harry?” Asked Lupin. Hermione and Ron had wanted to talk to Harry as son as he entered the drawing Room where everyone was but Harry had immediately made a beeline for Lupin who he was currently conversing with.

“ To tell me some more about Christina Riddle.” Harry recounted what Minerva had said to him to Lupin who listened carefully.

“ Well we must ally ourselves with her then.” Harry heard the sound of heels on the floorboards and the door of the drawing room swung open.

“ Speaking of which.” Harry muttered as Christina Riddle walked in. Harry was amazed at what she was wearing. Harry had only ever seen her in the emerald cloak and gloves but she was wearing neither of them. She was wearing a long flowing black dress which glinted and him as she walked. He noticed then that her hair was so very long and she looked beautiful to him.

“ I hate to admit this but isn’t she beautiful?” Lupin nodded his head. Christina was talking to someone who Harry couldn’t see but after a while someone else entered the room. It was a woman with long midnight blue hair wearing blood red robes. Her eyes were amber and she was pale. Not all that pale compared to Christina but comparing her to anyone else and she was extremely pale. Christina pointed to Harry as she whispered to her companion whose eyes snapped over to where Harry was and then her eyes travelled to Lupin. She suddenly stiffened, as did Lupin.

“ What’s wrong Professor Lupin?”

“ Harry. Its Remus remember.”

“ Sorry. What’s wrong Remus?”

“ She’s a vampire.”

“ SHE’S A WHAT!” Shouted Harry. Everyone in the room looked at Harry.

“ Mr Potter. I would appreciate if you could not shout out to the world that Mariana here is a what. She is not a what. She is an acquaintance of mine. In actuality she is my best friend.”

“ Who is a vampire.” A shiver passed through the room and everyone looked at Mariana with hostility.

“ Christina. I am leaving.” Mariana turned to leave but Christina grabbed her wrist and twisted it round so hard that everyone heard it snapping. Mariana felt like howling with pain but instead she snarled, tears falling down her cheeks from the pain.

“ No you are not. I am not going to let you walk away again just because some people are prejudiced! These people are even worse Mariana because as I am sure you have noticed they are not obviously prejudiced towards werewolves but they are to vampires.” Everyone in the room was casting fearful glances at Christina who had just snapped her best friends wrist and they were both amazed and horrified at how easily and how quickly she had done it. Her reflexes were very fast. Mariana was clutching her wrist that Christina had let go of and was looking suspiciously at everyone in turn.

“ I’m sorry.” Harry said apologetically looking at and speaking to Mariana.

“ You are kind.” Mariana stood rooted to the spot and then Hermione walked up to her and asked her to hold out her wrist.

“ Do it.” Hissed Christina. Everyone looked at Christina again for she had sounded so much like Voldemort that they all thought for a moment he was in the room. Mariana held her wrist out and Hermione waved her wand over it.

“ There you go. It’s healed now.” She said, smiling kindly. Mariana smiled back at her.

“ Thank you.” She said quietly as Hermione walked away. Everyone started talking again and no one took much notice of Christina and Mariana except for Harry and Lupin.

I wish to speak with you in private Mr Potter. Harry jumped as he heard Christina’s voice in his head. He excused himself and walked away from Lupin to stand next to Christina. They both walked out of the Drawing Room.

“ What is it you wanted to speak about Christina? If you do not mind me calling you so.”

“ Not at all Mr Potter.”

“ The name is Harry.”

“ Very well then Harry. I would like to speak to you about the offer I made earlier today.”




Remus and Mariana were the only one’s who were not in conversation or moving at all. They were both staring at each other and then Hermione started speaking to Mariana and Remus looked away. Seconds later he looked up, straight into the amber eyes of Mariana. Hermione was watching them from the other side of the drawing room with a satisfactory smile on her face.

“ Hello.” Mariana said nervously.

“ It’s Mariana isn’t it?” Asked Remus in the same nervous tone as Mariana.

“ Yes it is.”

“ May I ask how you came to meet Miss Riddle, Mariana? And I would find it very interesting to hear a bit about yourself.” Mariana smiled at Remus and Remus smiled back.

“ I met Christina about twenty years ago. She was a different person then and when I first met her she was slightly withdrawn and seemed focused constantly on one thing. Whenever you spoke to her you were unsure whether she was actually listening and whether she actually there. In time we grew from acquaintance to friend and now she is my best friend. The only person I have.”

“ How did you become..”

“ This?” Finished Mariana waving her hand in front of her face. Remus nodded.

“ I was ten years old and I had just watched my parents being murdered. I fled and shortly afterward a vampire bit me. I don’t know how but instead of dying I ended up like this,. Like one of them.”

“ Do you have any idea who murdered your parents?”

“ Oh I know who it was. It was Christina’s brother. Well, not Christina’s brother himself but one of the many people who were around him.”

“ Death Eaters.”

“ Yes.”

“ So you must be younger than Christina?”

“ Yes. I am only 37 whereas Christina is in her fifties.”

“ You would not think that she were in her fifties.”

“ Of course you wouldn’t. I just want you to know that Christina is nothing like her brother. She only shares certain traits and looks with him but apart from that she is nothing like him at all. A good example, her brother gets people to do everything for him near enough. He just does the important stuff. Christina on the other hand doesn’t everything by herself unless I force her to let me do some of the work. She always works alone except for when I insist upon working with her. Her brother would and has killed without remorse. Christina would only do that if the person in question had harmed someone close to her. She will kill me for this but I would like you to know that Christina is capable of doing so and in what circumstances she would do it. She has killed someone before but only because they killed her child. Do not ask me how and who but Christina fell pregnant and gave birth to a daughter. Then he came and killed the baby. Christina was beyond everything, she was past the point of no return and she mercilessly slain him. I know that you will think ill of her now but I feel it important that you know if Christina becomes close to you all that she will destroy everything and everyone to make sure you all stay safe.” Mariana stopped speaking and looked everywhere but at Remus.

“ I pity Christina. Do you know, Mariana, what her brother tried to do in Hogwarts?” Mariana shook hr head.

“ Her brother tried to kill her. Might explain why she seemed so withdrawn when I met her.”

“ How old were you when you met her.”

“ I was seventeen.”

“ I see.” There was silence between Remus and Mariana. After a few minutes the silence was broken.

“ So what’s your story?” She asked Remus.

“ My story?”

“ Yes. How you became a werewolf.”

“ Well. I was six years old and my father had offended the werewolf who bit me, Fenrir Greyback.” Mariana growled and Remus looked at her in surprise.

“ Sorry. It’s a natural reaction. I’m a little bit different from other vampires. I was different from other humans when I was one so it’s to be expected for me to be different from other vampires.”

“ There’s no need to apologize.” He said kindly and softly. He smiled at Mariana and she smiled back.

“ Was there any reason Fenrir bit you?”

“ My father had offended him. I don’t know how but if you know Fenrir then you know that he was naturally inclined to go after myself. Being only six years old. A child.”

“ Oh. I know Fenrir. Better than most people.” There was a bitter edge to Mariana’s voice.

“ How so?” Asked Remus with interest.

“ I’d rather not talk about it!” She snapped. At the slightly upset look on Remus’s face she added softly;

“ Not just now. I’ll maybe tell you some other time. But not just now. Not just now.” Her facial expression was one of pain and her eyes were filled with sorrow.

“ You’ve lost someone haven’t you?” She said suddenly. When Remus didn’t answer she pressed the point.

“ Someone you loved.” Remus nodded his head and shut his eyes, holding back the tears.

“ Pains of the heart are the most difficult to bear. I would rather end my life than live with the pain I have had to carry around with me for twelve years.” Mariana slowly reached her hand out and stroked Remus’s hair.

“ How did she die?” Marian’s voice was soft and gently coaxing.

“ Avada Kedavra. We were fighting side by side against Death Eaters. We were outnumbered and just before the spell hit her the rest of the Order of the Phoenix arrived.” Remus’s voice was shaking and he was trying so desperately to hold back the tears that were threatening to spill. Mariana lifted Remus’s head up so that he was looking into her eyes and she into his.

“ Let it go. Let the tears fall. No one will think any less of you.”




Christina opened the door into the drawing room and she and Harry walked in to find everyone looking at Remus. There faces sympathetic. Harry and Christina looked over at Remus they saw a most unusual sight. Remus had his head on Mariana’s shoulder and was sobbing softly. Mariana had her arms wrapped round Remus and her head was resting on top of his. There were silent tears crawling down her face.

“ Why is she crying?” Harry asked Christina.

“ Harry. Mariana has loved and lost too. She has experienced many deaths in her life. All because of my brother. If you knew of what she has had to deal with you yourself may very well be crying. You have experienced many losses in your life but none of them can compare to what Mariana has struggled and fought through.” Harry had moved to walk over to Remus and Mariana but Christina grabbed hold of his arm and pulled him back.

“ Harry. Leave them. They need to let out there pain. I do not know for how long your friend has held his pain in but Mariana has held hers within her for over twelve years. They must both let it go.” Harry nodded his head in understanding and just stood there next to Christina watching Remus and Mariana like everyone else. Moment’s later Harry’s thoughts wandered to all of the people who had left him in his life. All of the people who had died. All of the people he had knew and had died. Had watched dying. On normal occasions Harry would have tried to hold back the tears but for a reason unknown to him he did not. He began to cry softly. Christina looked down at him and then all about the room. Everyone was crying. Tears were falling down everyone’s faces. The loss in the room was overwhelming and Christina was finding it very difficult not to show her emotions. All of this pain and sorrow and upset had been caused by, ultimately, her brother. The young boy standing beside her was destined to destroy her brother but Christina knew in her heart that he would not have the chance to do so if she did not help him. She had secretly fought against her brother for all these years. No one knew what she had been doing. There was the Order of the Phoenix who had been working secretly against Voldemort and Christina had found it easy to use the Order as a shield to hide behind. If anyone found out. She could not bear to think of what would happen. Not to herself but to Mariana. Christina had protected her as best as she could for years. She had cared for her for years and years and years. Cautiously Christina gave Harry a quick small hug. He looked up at her, his eyes glistening with tears, with a confused expression on his face.

“ I am not my brother Harry. I am ashamed to be his sister and I so desperately want for you to trust me. I cannot do anymore work unless you trust me.” Harry studied Christina carefully for a few minutes then he hugged her back just as quickly and carefully.

“ I trust you.” Christina nodded her head.

“ Harry. That young woman over there with the red hair. I know that you love her. No harm will come to her so how can you deny what both your hearts yearn for?” Harry thought about it and then gave Christina a small smile before walking across the room to stand beside Ginny. He wrapped his arms round her and held her against him tightly. Christina smiled and then it happened. One tear raced down her cheek and was quickly followed by more. As Christina began to cry snowflakes fell from the ceiling. Everyone looked up at the snowflakes except for Remus and Mariana. Then everyone looked over at Christina. There mouths fell open as they saw her changing before their very eyes. Her hair remained the same but her skin became less pale and her eyes changed from scarlet and green to a most beautiful shining green. In a matter of moments she had changed completely. Harry instantly recognised some of the features and so did Ginny. Christina reminded both Harry and Ginny very strongly of Tom Marvelo Riddle when he was at Hogwarts. She was beautiful and all eyes were on her. Mariana and Remus had stopped crying and were holding tightly onto each other and were looking at Christina who was oblivious to everything but her pain. So much so that she did not hear Mariana speaking or eyes upon her and snowflakes in her hair.

“ Do you all seen now? This is who she is. Who she really is. This is what is inside of the woman you saw minutes ago. This is the real Christina Merope Riddle. The woman who cared and looked after me when no one else would. The woman who saved my life on many occasions. The woman who gave everything up to try and save every single one of you. The woman who followed after her brother on Halloween night when he went to Godric’s Hollow.”

“ She went after Voldemort?” Harry said shakily. Mariana nodded her head.

“ She was willing to destroy her brother, her one and only family, her flesh and blood to try and save you Mr Potter. Christina has given up her entire life and she has saved every single person in this country, in this world at least once and none of you have known. Even those who are dead she saved once. Do you finally understand? If you do you should be feeling ashamed of yourself for treating her the way you did when she first approached you.” Mariana had started crying again and this time Remus comforted her instead of her comforting him. He held her close to him and sang softly to her. Christina was still crying and just as a man who no one ever thought they would see again walked in she fell to the floor and knew no more.