The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 15

There was a walkway lined with seven snakes on each side. It opened into a wider chamber with the giant stone head of Salazar Slytherin himself. Ginny was sitting up, looking pale, clutching Tom Riddle's diary.

"Ginny!" Delilah rushed to her side. "What happened?"

"I-I saw H-Harry with the d-diary! I-I had to s-stop him from f-figuring it out! I-I didn't w-want to hurt anyone, b-but the d-diary m-made me!" Ginny stuttered.

"How?"

"I've b-been wri-" Ginny collapsed. She had fainted.

The diary started glowing and Delilah stepped away from it.

A guy who looked like he'd be in the fifth or sixth year appeared. Even though he was translucent, like a faded photo, she could make out his black hair and nearly black eyes. He was wearing a prefect badge on Slytherin robes.

He must be Tom Riddle, right? No one else would come out of his diary, that'd just be weird.

Riddle turned around and saw Delilah. He looked confused and surprised.

"You aren't Harry Potter," he abruptly stated.

"Neither are you," Delilah retorted.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Delilah Potter, you?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Tom Riddle. You're related to Harry Potter?"

"No, we just happen to have the same last name and eyes," she replied snarkily.

"But you're a Slytherin, he's a Gryffindor." Riddle's eyes narrowed, as if he was trying to solve the world's hardest math problem.

"So? That's a difference in our personalities, not blood. Anyway, I think I hear him now."

There was the sound of footsteps coming from the entrance. They both turned to look at the entrance.

Harry appeared. He saw Ginny and rushed over to her, dropping his wand.

Before Delilah could move to grab it Riddle did. She glared at him.

"Ginny! Ginny — don't be dead — please don't be dead —" Harry muttered, still oblivious to both Delilah and Riddle. "Ginny, please wake up."

"She won't wake," Riddle quietly said. Delilah rolled her eyes. So now he was acting cool and collected. So Slytherin of him. Confused one moment, the next cocky.

It took Harry a minute to recognize Riddle.

"Tom — Tom Riddle? And what are you doing here Delilah? Are you the Heir of Slytherin?"

"No, idiot. I was just waiting for you to show up. Riddle wouldn't tell me his master plan until then."

Harry looked confused.

"But Riddle-"

"Is the Heir of Slytherin. Like I told you earlier, there is no way Hagrid was the Heir of Slytherin, he wasn't even in Slytherin."

"So... what is Riddle? A ghost?" Harry asked.

"I'm a memory," Riddle said, still talking in a deadly quiet voice. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He pointed to the diary near the statue's giant toes.

Harry looked confused. He looked for his wand.

"Where's my wand?"

"Riddle's got it," Delilah answered.

Harry turned to Riddle and held out his hand.

"Thanks."