[victoria's pov]

Havoc has been the common theme of the wizarding world now that Tom was becoming the new Grindelwald.

In my naivety, I look for him in the corridors of Hogwarts, still hanging onto the old him. Holding onto what we once were.

When I step in my single dormitory, I can smell him in the sheets and feel his cold touch in the middle of the night when I'm kept awake by the longing.

Sometimes I found myself in his chamber, in hopes he would be there. Even though it was impossible. He may have been alive, but he was almost dead to me.

Though things were very quiet at Hogwarts. It was as if Dumbledore's presence was what kept things that way. Speaking of Dumbledore, I was summoned to his office so I sat before his desk for the first time since he became headmaster in 1965.

He cleared his throat and I could tell he was trying to avoid any conversation about my family history. Not only that, but I was also hoping it's not what summoned me to his office.

"It is about time, we discuss the upbringing of Tom Riddle," Dumbledore says, catching me by surprise. He senses my surprise and adds, "It's come to my attention that you were both acquainted with each other before he declared himself as Voldemort."

"Barely," I comment. "Whatever Tom and I had is not something I want in the history books. To be made a story or love interest in the tales of this war."

Dumbledore seems to think I'm getting ahead of myself and says, "What is said in this room stays in this room, I can assure you. That's why I'm going to give you an offer."

"What kind of offer?" I ask.

"We shall see to it," Dumbledore says. "But firstly, I must tell you of what happened ten years after Hepzibah Smith's death."

I almost don't question it, but I ask, "Who?"

"I believe her to be a victim of Tom Riddle," Dumbledore says. "The elf's memories are heavily warped, but I believe he killed her to take Salazar's Locket and Hufflepuff's cup, treasures of hers that had gone missing."

"And so what happened ten years later?" I asked.

"He came onto school grounds, in hope to take over your job. He just didn't know it was you of all the professors, who was teaching defence against the dark arts. I then confronted him, knowing well that he wanted the power to influence the young minds of the future. I couldn't let that happen so naturally, I dismissed him"

"What does this have to do with me being here?" I asked.

"It has everything to do with you being here," Dumbledore says. "I have started an organisation. The Order of the Phoenix in hopes to fight against this war. I cannot tell you anything much further unless you agree to the terms of our order."

"And this organisation's purpose is to-?"

"To put an end to Tom Riddle's evildoings," Dumbledore says graveley. "And I have a feeling you can help us put an end to it."

There's a heavy pause even though I already knew my answer.

"I've said it several times already," I said. "I will not put myself between Tom and this war."

"Dear, child, you already are," Dumbledore says.

"You forget my age, Dumbledore," I say. "I'm no longer a child."

"But before me is the same young woman who came into my office for answers of her family," he said. "Only to be led down the wrong path into the clutches of Tom Riddle. Tell me, do you really expect him to choose you over power?"

I couldn't find myself to answer.

"Tom Riddle was born out of a love potion, what more could he feel than desire and obsession?" Dumbledore asks. "He cannot love. Join us for the sake of both worlds."

"I can't," I say, standing up from the chair. "My sincerest apologies, but what you're asking of me is wrong. Someone else must do it if so, even if it means raising a pig up for slaughter."

Dumbledore's face only grows weary and he dismisses me without another word, disappointed.

As I made my way through the corridor, I heard voices raise from behind me.

"Coming through!" Sirius shouts, zooming past me so fast, my hair flies over my face and I'm shoved into a student named Severus Snape. His potions papers scatter on the floor.

"Sirius Black, you stop it with your games!" I want to shout. But seeing as he had just been disowned for running away from his family not even two years ago, it was not the best idea. The only person who did not seem to care was Sirius, unlike his brother, Regulus.

Regulus had been awfully quiet lately, not having much to say. I only thought it was due to his brother and uncle, Alphard, who had also been removed from the family tree for giving Sirius money to run away.

"I'm so sorry, dear," I say to Snape, collecting the papers with the flick of my wrist. All land in my hands and I hand the papers back to him.

The seventeen year old reaches for them and his sleeve falls slightly, revealing a very familiar tattoo. He pulls away and I snatch Snape's arm, lifting his sleeve. Now at my age, I realised how young Theo and Cygnus were when they were recruited. And before me was history repeating itself.

He pulled away harshly, his black hair wisping over his face.

"You musn't-"

"I won't," I interrupted him, catching him by surprise. "I need answers, Snape."

He holds his ground without a word until I demand him for names.

"The last time I checked, Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, and now his wife, Narcissa."

"All descended from the originals," I say with realisation. Bellatrix and Narcissa were the children of Blacks and Lucius had originated from Abraxas Malfoy.

"You know of them?" Snape asks. "How? You're not marked."

"I was one of them."

"Lies, you're too young," he hisses. "No way in Salazar's name would a woman like you, especially under the watch of Dumbledore, would serve the dark lord."

I have to hold back my tongue.

"I'm no enemy," I say. "I could not care less about the dark lord's intentions," I say. "Now who else do you know of?"

"Orion and Walburga Black," he says hesitantly. "The parents of-"

"Sirius Black," I say with realisation. "Sirius is a death eater?

"No," Snape corrects me, "Regulus Black."

I feel my heart almost drop. He was only sixteen, perhaps the youngest death eater I've known of since Druella.

"Where is he, Regulus?" I ask Snape.

"In the Owlery,"

Without another second wasted, I make way toward the west tower with haste. All this time, I had thought he was just suffering the loss of his brother. But really, the loss of his childhood.

"Regulus Black!" I exclaim when I catch him alone in the owlery.

He turns his front toward me, holding a letter in one hand. He's shocked and backing away as I near him, despite his height compared to mine. I pull his forearm and lift his sleeve as he tries to protest, pushing me away. I reveal the tattoo on his arm and exhale deeply. Snape was telling the truth.

"What's it to you?" he asks angrily.

"You should be one to speak!" I exclaim. "The dark lord? How could you? After all the stories your aunt Druella warned you about growing up-"

"You don't understand!" he exclaims. "You're barely older than me by five years!"

"Child, I'm decades older than you," I say on my last nerve. "You watch who you are speaking to. I was Tom's first and last woman. I've known him longer than any of you adolescents who think highly of yourselves. There is more than just death and pain in dark magic. You have yet to discover what the dark arts really are."

"It's impossible though," Regulus says. "You're- that would make you fifty years old!"

"A secret that will stay between us," I say. "Though some like to say I have my own fountain of youth, let us not feed into those rumours."

"Where is your proof?"

"What proof?"

"Of being an original death eater?" Regulus demands.

Raising my arm, I showed him the gold ring that had been hugging my fingers for the past long decades. He seems to recognise vaguely.

"Do you really think that the dark lord would ever let me get away with such an heirloom?" I say. "I know of his horcruxes and more than you could imagine."

"But it's been years, things have changed," Regulus says. "They are not quite the same as the last time you saw him- how long ago?"

"Twelve years," I say. "And more than three decades of running back and forth."

Regulus only clenches his jaw stubbornly at the news. He thought perhaps I was telling the truth.

"Why didn't anyone say anything?" he asks. "Why aren't you marked-?"

"There was a time when I thought I had everything perfectly planned," I said quietly. "Just like you, I didn't understand what I was getting myself into. It's not what you would want."

He hesitates to say anything and stubbornly huffs.

"I'm tired of letting you adults decide everything for me," he says, shoving a letter in my hands. "This was left for you too."

As he storms off, down the tower steps, I decide to leave him alone. He reminded me very much of Cygnus, his uncle.

I opened the envelope and read the big cursive letters above. I immediately recognised it as a wedding invitation.

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January 25th, 2024.