Starry skies and Gardenias

Chapter 117

Isabella was searching for a certain book. 

"Why don't you take a seat, Black?" she said. "This is something you need to hear. Of course, you can wait for a few years to find it all out by yourself. But I want to tell you this because I need you on my team,"

"Your values are different, it as simple as that," she said as she continued looking for it. "When you find out that all you have been doing was for something so disgusting, your first thought would be to stop it at all costs. You are noble and brave, Regulus. And that's why I chose you,"

"Nice job trying to flatter me," Black deadpanned. "But it isn't enough. It hasn't worked remotely,"

"I meant every word I said," Isabella said, finally finding the book she was looking for. She pulled it out and brought it back to the circular table. 

She placed it on the table and took her seat. Then she pushed the book to the centre of the table, where all of them could read the title. 

'The Secrets of the Darkest Arts'

Not a book that would give its owner a good look. But she had to tell them. They needed to know.

"The story I am going to say starts on a cold winter night when a boy was born," Isabella started. 

"I can only give you a brief account for now. Slowly, I shall provide you with more information, when I think you can hold it all in your head,"

"This boy's father had left him and his mother. And his mother died giving birth to him in a muggle orphanage, only staying in this world to let them know that she wanted her baby to be named Tom Marvolo Riddle,"

Now, this was a silence Isabella was enjoying. 

"Tom always knew he was different since the people at the orphanage didn't like him too much," she continued. "One day, many years later, someone from Hogwarts went to inform him about the powers he possessed. And Tom was elated. He had always known he was different. He was special,"

"He was a wizard. . .Now, Tom wasn't just any normal wizard. He had mastered his powers from a very young age. And he had a special gift, even among wizards. He was a parseltongue. . .Oh, yes, Tom sounds a pretty muggle name. But Marvolo was his grandfather's name. Marvolo Gaunt happened to be his grandfather. He was a direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin,"

"Tom reached Hogwarts, and for the first time, he found a place that he could truly call home. He was loved by all the teachers. The perfect student, extremely nice and humble. What was there not to like about brilliant Tom?"

"But Tom had gone a search. He knew he was special, and he wanted to satisfy his curiosity. He went looking for his father since his mother succumbed to something like death. Obviously, she couldn't be a witch. She would have lived then, she wouldn't have had to leave him in an orphanage then. . .But what he didn't know was that it was his father who was a muggle,"

"When he found out, he snapped. And he sought to make his own path. His own bloody path. Tom fashioned himself a new name, he no longer wanted to keep his old muggle father's name,"

Isabella flicked her wand, and words formed in silver in the air. 

Tom Marvolo Riddle 

It was rather fun doing this, and Isabella could see why Voldemort would want to do this. It gave a certain dramatic flair she enjoyed slightly.

She flicked her wand again and the letters rearranged themselves.

I am Lord Voldemort

"This is stupid," Black mumbled. "Who would even think of this?"