In Servitude to the Dark || Tom Riddle

𝘿𝙪𝙙𝙡𝙚𝙮'𝙨 𝙅𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝘿𝙚𝙨𝙚𝙧𝙩𝙨

December 12, 1994

For most of Hogwarts, December 12th was just like any other Saturday. Third years and up were allowed to go to Hogsmeade, people were still talking wildly about the First Task, and Aster attended Andromeda's class and asked her to start the paperwork on accessing Godric's Hollow. There should be no legal reason why Dumbledore was allowed to ward her property and keep her from accessing it.

But today was not such a typical day for Aster Potter. After her 4 hour lesson with Andromeda, instead of returning to Hogwarts, she met up with Severus in Hogs Head. Pulling up the hood of a very heavy cloak so no one would recognize her, Aster found her teacher huddled in a dark corner with another wizard. "Sorry, I'm late," Aster said as she joined them, feeling several different privacy wards activate around her. "Andromeda had me sign some papers to access Godric's Hollow."

"You can lower your hood now," Severus told her and then began the introductions. "Aster, this is Bartholomew Crouch Jr. He was the Death Eater who was helping Our Lord and the one who was stalking Black a couple of weeks ago. Barty, this is Aster Potter."

Aster and Barty stared at each other.

Barty was the first to speak. "Merlin," he breathed, almost in awe, eyes wide and completely focusing on Aster's scar. "So it really is true. You have joined the Dark Lord."

Aster smirked. The man was shaggy, sallow with sandy blond hair, and reminded Aster of how Sirius first looked when he escaped from Azkaban. "And aren't you the son of Mr. Crouch, Ministry employee and judge of the Triwizard Tournament?" she returned.

At this, Barty's face twisted into a snarl. "That man's no father of mine!" he growled.

Aster raised an eyebrow, sensing a story behind that.

"Calm yourself, Barty!" Severus barked. "If you carry on like this, you'll break the wards. Now, the reason why we are here." Severus passed over a bag filled with potions. "There should be enough polyjuice in there to last till tonight. Aster, if you will provide the last ingredient."

Aster nodded and haphazardly ripped out a dozen strands of her own hair. "Lately, I have been acting rather anti-social, so it won't be too unusual if you just disappeared for hours at a time. Just remember to show up during meals and be in bed by curfew."

Barty accepted the strands of hair and stuffed them into the bag. "And what of you, Snape? How will you explain your absence?"

"The reason we have chosen this weekend instead of the last is because it is my turn to have a respite from those little blighters," Severus answered. "Therefore, I do not require a doppelganger."

They spent a couple minutes transfiguring Barty's clothes to Gryffindor robes, put an illusion on his wand to resemble Aster's, and transfigured the potion's bag into the backpack that Aster was known for carrying. "Have fun," Barty told them with a smirk.

"Oh I will," Aster replied. "Been looking forward to this for weeks."

With that, Severus took Aster by the arm and apparated them right in front of #4 Privet Drive. "Do what you have to do, quickly," Severus said.

Aster nodded and slipped on her invisibility cloak. A whispered alohomora unlocked the front door. At this time of day, Aster knew her aunt would be gossiping with neighbors and her uncle was at work, so no one was home. She slipped up to her bedroom, took a glance around with a pang of sadness. She had put her heart and soul into constructing this room, but it has served its purpose. To keep it any longer was just taking an unnecessary risk.

After this year, she wouldn't be living in this house anymore, so she couldn't risk Dumbledore or the Ministry discovering the magic in this room. Thankfully, she'd already ensured that her relative's memories of the last two summers were inaccessible, even by legilimency before getting onto the Hogwarts Express.