Until Death- A Riddle Era Fanfiction

Chapter One

The first years were lined up, nervously buzzing in conversation as the four house tables watched on. Deputy Headmaster Professor Dumbledore stood by the stool, a list in one hand and the old brown hat in the other. He smiled encouragingly at the students before he began calling out names.

Professor Dumbledore recognized surnames of the new students as he called them up.

Abbot, Gryffindor. Alton, Hufflepuff. Bagman, Slytherin. Belby, Ravenclaw. Binns, Bletchlu, Bobbins, Bones, Cattermole, Calway. All sorted into various houses, the corresponding tables clapping and cheering. Most house choices weren't much of a surprise any longer. Usually family members of previous students from Hogwarts ended up in the same place as their brothers, sisters, parents, et cetera.

"Alora Carrow," Dumbledore called. He knew that name as well. The whole wizarding community was familiar with the name Carrow after the past summer, when Mr. Carrow and his the eldest son had been toted to Azkaban for murder against muggles and wizards alike. Mr. Carrow was destined to rot in those cells... The eldest son, Elmer, had received the dementors kiss. Another Carrow was attending Hogwarts currently, a Mallark Carrow. A third year, Mallark was a bully and a troublemaker, part of the popular Tom Riddle's posse. Even now, Professor Dumbledore could see Mallark next to Tom and the rest of the group, watching. Tom was watching, too, curiously. He actually seemed interested... And when the girl, Alora Carrow, came up onto the platform, Dumbledore could see why.

Anyone would be curious about this Carrow. She looked nothing like her brothers or her father, so one had to guess she got her looks from her mother. Unlike the dark haired, stringy bodied men of the family, Alora was blonde. She had a petite build, and didn't look like she would ever reach the height of her brother. In addition, she did not wear the sly look of Mallark, or the sneer which Elmer had. This young girl looked perfectly sweet and innocent. She gave Professor Dumbledore a shy smile as she turned to sit on the stool. Dumbledore smiled back kindly, then dropped the leathery hat onto Alora's head.

"RAVENCLAW!" the Sorting Hat called out, much to Professor Dumbledore's surprise- the Carrow family had been a Slytherin House since before Dumbledore began Hogwarts; he had even gone to school with Alora's father, Reynold, as well as several of her uncles. It was a pleasant surprise, though, and Alora seemed pleased. She got up, beaming, and hurried towards the applauding Ravenclaws, she didn't notice the extra pairs of Slytherin eyes following her, notably the brunet boy with unfeeling eyes and a cruel smirk of lips- Tom Riddle.

"She's pretty," Tom commented as he watched the thin girl push her shiny hair over her shoulder as she sat next to another first year Ravenclaw, "Are you sure you are related, Mallark?"

"Half the time I can't tell, honestly," Mallark sighed, "Doesn't look like anyone in the family, does she? Mum I guess might have looked like her when she was young, but I doubt it. She's too smart, too- not saying we are a bunch of know nothing's, but she's some sort of genius! You shoulda seen her at home, always alone and reading those books that Elmer brought her back when he... Well, you know. Taught herself French, and some other language, and all sorts of spells."

"Huh," Tom hummed, " I suppose she does belong in Ravenclaw, then."

"Certainly doesn't belong with us," Mallark snorted, "Always harping at me to be nice to the neighbors, and the muggle kids down in the village. She yelled at me for nearly an hour for hitting some cat with rocks over the summer, saying it was cruel or something."

"Was it hers?"

"Nah, some stray.. She kept it, though," Mallark frowned, "Don't get me wrong, that animal was an idiot, but it meant something to her, you know? She kept it well hidden for a few days in her room, then mother had to go open the window, so the cat ran out and Elmer saw it..."