selenophile || remus lupin

chapter eighty five

24 June 1977

6:53 pm

Ophelia hurried down the grand staircase of Grimmauld Place, wearing a formal gown. She had been informed that a very special visitor would be joining them for dinner and to look as nice as possible, but she didn't know who that special visitor would be. She had spent the last hour making herself look nice and having Kreacher apply concealment charms on her.

As she walked into the dining room, she looked over to where Regulus sat, his head down and his eyes full of fear. He looked up when he heard her footsteps and widened his eyes, trying to tell her something. She looked up to the head of the table, the place where her father sat, but her eyes didn't meet her father's but instead cool blue ones of a man she had seen a few times. He was a handsome man, but quickly growing grey with what Ophelia could only assume to be age, even though he couldn't be any older than forty.

She knew him, though. She had spent plenty of time looking at a photograph of him with Regulus, trying to find the mystery behind this man. Tom Riddle looked back at her with a smirk one could only describe as pure evil. He was somewhat young and somewhat handsome, but his teeth were becoming rotten and crooked, making his smile look more unsettling then than it had looked on Professor Slughorn's shelf.

"Ophelia dear, we were just talking with the dark lord. He has some exciting news he wants to share with us, isn't that right, Regulus?" Walburga asked, her tone falsely sweet. The kind of sweet that makes you want to throw up.

"Yes, mother," Regulus said, his eyes still on the table in front of him. Ophelia sat down next to him and looked at the dark lord.

"As I'm sure both of you know, my cause is very important and your age is when I like to start looking into new recruits. Regulus, here, hasn't said too much, so I assume he doesn't have any objections, but you, Ophelia have yet to hear my proposal. I'm sure you know of my supporters, my followers if you will, the death eaters. You might not be aware, but you know many death eaters that are in classes with you, who you eat lunch with, who you spend time with, assuming that you are hanging out with the proper people. There is no reason to wait until after you graduate, it only takes up more time, and I know your potential, Ophelia. You can do great things, I know it."

"I'm flattered, Tom, really. But I think I'm going to have to decline your offer," she said politely, Regulus almost choking on his food at her words.

Tom stared at her for several long, silent moments, his eyes slowly narrowing before he broke the silence.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"What did you just call me?"

"I said your name, is there anything wrong with that, sir?"

"What did you call me?"

"Tom. That is your name, Tom Riddle, right?"

"Ophelia, what is this nonsense?" Orion demanded.

"Let the girl speak," Tom challenged Ophelia, holding his hand up.

"Do they not know who you are, Tom?"

"That is the dark lord, Ophelia!" Walburga gasped.

"I know that, mother. Very well, thank you. It's less of what I know and more of what you don't."

"What are you talking about, girl?" Orion said.

"Silence!" Tom shouted, holding his hand up to quiet the room. "Leave us," he said to Walburga, Orion, and Regulus. The three hesitantly left the room, Regulus looking back at Ophelia with a terrified look on his face.