☤ Pseudonym ☤

~Chapter Seven~

I took a mental note of the password - 'Mimbulus Mimbletonia' - as I followed Fred and George into the warmth of the Gryffindor common room. I mumbled goodnight to the twins as they ascended the stone staircase and out of my field of vision.

I sighed and echoed their actions after a few seconds of quiet contemplation. This tower had always acted as a home but this year something felt different. A subtle shift in the sphere of safety caused a pinch of unease in my side. 

Entering my allotted dormitory, I could make out the delicate shapes of the furniture amidst the heavy, black shadows. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness I recognised an empty bed between Hermione and Parvati. Across the room was Fay Dunbar and Lavender Brown. Lavender was best friends with Parvati and though I did like Parvati, Lavender had always rather got on my nerves with her whiny voice and obsession with unicorns. Fay however, was a funny girl with very little filter on what she said. Despite her love of the game Gobstones I considered her a close friend after bonding over a shared love of Quidditch. Fay was a massive fan of the sport and liked to play as a beater. She had tried out for the team in third year but was unable to displace either Fred or George from their positions. 

I slumped onto the empty bed and slipped off my shoes. I hoped that one nightmare a night would be enough.

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I was startled awake the next morning by the slamming of the heavy wooden door. I looked around in shock and saw Hermione with an angry expression, glaring at the shut door. 

"What's going on?" I mumbled in a sleepy voice, rubbing my eyes slowly.

"I'll tell you what's going on!" Hermione shouted, "That- that twit Lavender doesn't believe Harry and you, that's what!"

I shifted myself out of the bed and started to get dressed. "Well then she's an idiot." I replied. Fay murmured in agreement. "But there's no use getting worked up about it. She's not worth our time."

I slipped my hand around Hermione's arm and escorted her downstairs.

As we entered the common room we bumped into Harry, Ron, Dean and Neville. I ran and gave Dean the biggest hug I could muster so early in the morning. 

"I've missed you so much." I said, the words muffled by his shoulder.

"I missed you too, Renn." he responded. I released him from the hug and grabbed his arm.

"Come on, I'm starving." Leaving the others behind us so we could talk about our summer undisturbed. I told Dean all about the Weasleys and staying with them during summer. Seeing as Dean already knew the truth about Sirius I also filled him in about 12 Grimmauld Place and the Order of the Phoenix, making him swear not to tell anyone about it. Dean had kept all of my secrets before so I trusted him with these as well.

Finally I turned to Dean and stopped. He looked at me confused for a second. "There's one more thing I haven't told you, Dean." I fiddled with the hem of my sleeves out of nervousness.

"Renn, I know you're a Death Eater and that you're Malfoy's sister. What could be any worse than that?" I know he was trying to reassure me but his words only tightened the knot in my stomach.

"It's worse. It's about my father." I said quietly. "I've decided to not keep his identity a secret anymore and to go by my real birth name." I paused for a moment and took a breath, "Florence Salazar Riddle." 

Dean scrunched his eyebrows together. It was not a widely known fact that Voldemort's real name was Riddle but Dumbledore had mentioned it during Cedric's memorial and I'm sure it wouldn't take long for people to connect the dots, just as the pink toad had last night.

"Wait...no." Dean whispered, his grip on my arm intensified. "Renn tell me you're not saying what I think you're saying."

I looked into his brown eyes, "Voldemort is my father."

Dean's mouth hung open in shock. "No...no. No!" a whirlwind of emotions flooded his eyes. One hand reached up to cover his lips. "Oh God, Renn." 

Then to my complete and utter surprise he pulled me into a tight embrace. Due to the suddenness of his action my arms were stuck to my sides, but after a few seconds a reached up and wrapped them around him.

"I can't believe it." he mumbled, "You're the nicest person I know. Well not quite, but you're not exactly the epitome of evil." 

I laughed a little at that. "Well that's always good to hear."

"I hope we're not interrupting." I heard Ron's voice call out and I released Dean. Parvati giggled a little at us. The rest of the Gryffindors had finally caught us up.

"Not at all." I said. My eyes examined them and noticed Harry's fists laying clenched at his sides, a look of hurt and anger in his eyes. I brushed this off as a result of the lies going round about him. "Actually I was just telling Dean something that I am going to be telling everyone."

"Oh yeah, what's that?" Ron asked. 

"That my real name is Florence Salazar Riddle and I am the daughter of Tom Marvolo Riddle, AKA Lord Voldemort." I said blankly.

Neville squeaked a little at this and Parvati shrieked and took a step back until Hermione gave her a sharp nudge. The others just looked shocked. "I've decided that it'd be better me tell then everyone than people find out from someone else."

Fay rolled her eyes and said, "I don't see what the big fuss is about, it's not like you tried to kill Harry. Just don't murder anyone and we'll be fine." I smiled at the brunette and her bluntness. At least one person wasn't going to act strange around me.