Blessed are the snakes || Professor Riddle FF|

Twenty - Nine - Gods Will Bow

"So," the woman began with a deep sigh, her expression unreadable, "what can you tell us about Tom Marvolo Riddle." She was the same woman who had escorted you to the trial a few days prior. And then angered the Dark Lord.

You swallowed hard and placed your hands onto the glass table, seated opposite from her. "I- I really don't know where to begin, Mrs Connel," you said quietly, staring at the steaming tea they had given you.

"Please, call me Vivian," she said kindly yet her tone was far from warm and welcoming. "Just start from the beginning."

Your heart rate picked up as you scanned all the papers on the table. Notes and pictures of you clipped together. It was an entire summary of your history; before and during Hogwarts. There were some handwritten notes as well, some photos of Tom Riddle, too. You swallowed the bitterness burning in the back of your throat, anxiety curling in your stomach once more.

You darted your gaze to Vivian, to the badges on her suit then around the small interrogation room. "I think they- - he erased some of my memory," you lied and looked back down to the teacup.

Vivian took a deep, tired breath and leaned back in her seat. "We can't use truth serum on you because of that same reason," she said, studying you. "Also, the imperius curse could have done some damage on your mind hence we couldn't trust the serum to work."

You felt a wave of relief wash over you but didn't let it show on your expression. "Oh," you replied, an attempt to sound disappointed.

"Who do you remember seeing? Any names or places? Can you remember any specific words or plans?" she asked, tapping her wand against the glass. "Any information would be significant."

You furrowed your brows, your gaze moving to the side and lips pursing in thought. "There was a manor. It- it was huge and dark," you said almost a whisper. "There were lots of them, and they- they were ruthless. Evil. Mostly masked."

Perhaps I should major in theatre if nothing else ever works out,you thought to yourself and took a few more deep breaths.

"Do you remember where this manor was located?" she asked.

You shook your head a no. "We only transported there."

"What was in this manor?" She tilted her head, her dark brown eyes scanning your every movement and breath.

You ran your finger around the rim of the teacup as you spoke. "There were many floors and rooms. Then there was this...," you took a deep shuddering breath, trying to find the words. "This room with these pedestals."

Vivian moved her wand and next to her a pen started writing down what you'd said. "What pedestals?"

You cleared your throat and sat straighter. "Seven or eight pedestals with some objects on them."

Her dark eyes narrowed at that. "How many objects?"

You just shrugged as if it was nothing important to remember. "I don't know. Maybe four."

She huffed almost in disbelief. But that distrust and bafflement were not towards you and your little performance of a clueless victim of the Dark Lord, but more towards that said man.

"What about them?" you asked, trying to sound genuinely confused. You glanced at the pencil which was still working on the paper. "What were they?"

"Horcruxes," she simply said, frowning.

You opened your mouth to answer but closed it after a second. You didn't know what to say, or what you should do. Half of you wanted to get the interrogation over with, wanted to just go back to Hogwarts and continue your simple little school life. The other half of you just wanted to see where the rest of this first interrogation would go, wanted to get back to that manor.