Riddle's Plea

Vienna's Tale*

(Vienna)

    "I was born January 1st, 1978 to Johnathan and Elizabeth Marcus. Being an only child, I was loved unconditionally. My parents were told that they would never be able to have children, I was a miracle baby." I begin, recounting my parents warm and happy faces in my mind. "When I was 3 years old, a group of dark wizards came to our home and killed them both. Accompanied by their master, I had asked him to kill me too, but he didn't. For some reason, he had spared me that night. I was taken in by a distant relative in the States, and a few months later, the Dark Lord was presumably defeated by a baby." At my words, Dumbledore's face grew confused. "A baby?" He asks of me. "Yes. A baby boy by the name of Harry Potter. The only person to have ever survived the killing curse. You see, a prophecy was delivered, about the demise of the Dark Lord, stating Harry was his downfall and trying to avoid his death, The Dark Lord tried to kill Harry but failed." Dumbledore's face grew more confused. "If he is dead, then how did he send you back here?" He asks me. "Well. The Dark Lord had created very horrible objects, seven of them to be exact. They're known as Horcruxes." At the word, 'Horcrux' Dumbledore's face became extremely alarmed. "When Harry was 14, he competed in the Triwizard Tournament and was trapped by a traitor. Receiving a drop of Harry's blood, The Dark Lord was able to come back. Luckily, Harry escaped that night, and the years that followed were dark." My face had fallen at my own words. "You knew Harry?" Dumbledore asks me. 

    "Yes. When I turned 11, we moved back to England so that I could receive my education at Hogwarts. Harry was two years below me, and we were close friends. We were both proud Gryffindors, and I had been dating Harry's best friends older brother." Dumbledore nodded in understanding at my words and gestured for me to continue. "In my time, you were actually the Headmaster and the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. A group that was created through the first wizarding war and my parents were a part of. In Harry's 6th year at Hogwarts, you began to explain to him about the Dark Lord's past, and his Horcruxes. Unfortunately, you were killed that year by a close colleague. After you're death, The Dark Lord took hold of the ministry, and the Order of the Phoenix went into hiding while Harry found and destroyed his Horcruxes. On the night of May 2nd, 1998, Harry returned to Hogwarts where the Dark Lord had hidden one of his Horcruxes, but the Dark Lord knew where Harry would be. He brought an army, and a battle began for the school." At my words, Dumbledore's face grew somber. "I was part of the battle, fighting against the Dark Lord, now a member of the Order of the Phoenix just like my parents had been before me. Halfway through the battle, I was hit by a powerful curse and lost unconsciousness. The Dark Lords followers found me and took me to him. The Dark Lord had one of his followers heal me and set up a task for me. I was to go back in time, when he was just a boy before he had become truly evil, and try to save him. He told me he knew he was going to die, and that he wanted to be better. He proceeded to give me a potion, that sent me back here." 

    It was quiet for a few minutes after I have finished my story. Dumbledore sat very still, and I could practically see the gears turning in his head as he processed the things I had said. "You said he sent you back to when he was younger?" He asks me, trying to figure out who it could possibly be in this time. "Yes. He said when I would arrive, he'd be ending his 5th year here." Dumbledore nodded and continued to think. "Who is it?" He finally asks me. "Who is the future Dark Lord." Now's the moment of truth. "His name is Tom Riddle." At the sound of the name, Dumbledore looks at me in understanding. "Tom. I am...disappointed." He says. "I'm confused as to why though." He looks at me for an explanation, and I begin wracking my brain for the information Harry had told us. 

    "Tom was conceived under the effects of a love potion, thus rendering him unable to love. He grew up in an orphanage, where he was considered to be a freak by his fellow children. After coming to Hogwarts, he began his quest to find out more about his family. Here, he found that he was a direct decedent of Salazar Slytherin, and his mother was from the noble house of Gaunt. Through more information, he found that his mother had fallen in love with a muggle man in her village named Tom Riddle, and proceeded to use a love potion to gain his heart. After marrying and then later conceiving a child, Merope Gaunt believed that Tom Riddle Snr. would actually stay and love her without the use of the love potion, but this was not the case. After being released Tom Riddle Snr. left Merope, and alone with nothing and pregnant Merope lost hope. She gave birth to Tom Riddle Jr. at the orphanage, and only moments later she died. Angry at his mother and father and the life he had grown up with, he began a quest for power, and a quest to live forever. Despite not being able to presumably feel, Tom is quite the deceiver, he's charismatic and very smart. A perfect student." Also, he's apparently very good looking. 

    "What most of what you say is true Vienna. But how do you plan on helping him?" Dumbledore asks me. "I have no idea. The Dark Lord told me to show him friendship, but I don't know how to begin to do that." I say to him. "I think you've already made an impact on him." He says to me. Confused I look towards the Professor. "What do you mean?" I ask him. "The night you fell from the sky, Tom Riddle was down by the lake with his classmates for an astronomy class. Ever since you fell, he seems to be distracted a lot more." He tells me with a curious look on his face. "In fact, he convinced Madame Ducane to let him visit you." An image of a handsome man sitting by my bedside pops into my head at his words. Who are you? The conversation with the man was full of sarcasm on my end and frustration on his. Merlin's beard. I had already met Tom Riddle.