The goblin led us through one of the doors, where there was a narrow stone passageway containing a cart on a track, which we all climbed into. Then we were off, on a path that seemed to go right to the very centre of the earth - through twisting passages, around underground lakes, over deep caverns, and even once past a tunnel that I was sure had contained a dragon.

When we finally reached my father's vault, I unlocked and opened the door, revealing a second door, this one with metal snakes around the edge, and no keyhole in sight. Father had told me how to open this.

"I am Ivory Ferali Riddle, heir of Slytherin, daughter of the Dark Lord," I said in Parseltongue, "and I bring with me Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange."

At once, the snakes began to move into the middle of the door, forming a circle, before opening it up completely. I stood there and stared in wonder at the hundreds - if not thousands - of things within, my eyes not even landing on the mountains of Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts for a minute, as I was trying to take in every detail of the objects surrounding it. I could've stood there for hours, but the impatient look on Mother's face told me I needed to be quick. I hastily stuffed a few hundred Galleons into my purse, then left the vault again.

"We are done in here, please close."

The door closed, and the snakes went back to the edges, waiting for the next time they'd be required to open it. I closed and locked the second door, putting the key into my purse as well. Then, being driven by the terrified goblin, we took the cart back up to the main lobby area of Gringotts, and stepped out into the sunshine.

"Go and get your things," Mother snapped. "I'll be waiting for you in the Leaky Cauldron. Don't talk to anyone unless you have to, or there will be consequences." Her voice became dangerously quiet on the last few words, and I flinched slightly.

"Yes, Mother."

Despite what she'd just said, I couldn't quite believe it when she turned and walked away. I was alone. There were no Death Eaters 'guarding' me, ready to take me to Father for punishment when I did the slightest thing wrong. There was nobody to tell me where to go, how to talk, or how to act. For a couple of hours, I was free.

The first thing I did was allow my curiosity to get the better of me. I walked over to one of the posters that were pasted everywhere, my heartrate increasing a little as I realised it was a wanted poster - and not only that, but a wanted poster for Sirius Black, the convicted mass murderer who was supposed to be spending life in Azkaban for a crime he didn't commit.

Very few people knew that Black was innocent, and that it was actually his supposed friend, Peter Pettigrew, who'd been responsible for the betrayal of the Potters, and the murder of twelve Muggles. Technically speaking, I wasn't supposed to know either, but I'd overheard the few people who knew - my father and some of his most loyal Death Eaters - discussing it once, when I'd made a forbidden trip out of my 'room' to try and get some food. Father had caught me, of course, tortured me to within an inch of my life, and left me with the promise that if I told even one person about what I'd heard, he'd put me through so much pain that I'd be begging him for the release of death - and then he would oblige.

I shuddered slightly at the thought, trying to put it out of my mind as I hurried off to do my shopping. Such things were not what I wanted to think about in my short time of freedom. And besides, I had more important things to do.

***

"I just need-" I consulted the Hogwarts equipment list Father had given me - "a wand." Excitement rushed through me as I said this, though I didn't let it show - despite the fact there were no Death Eaters around, I knew better than to allow any positive emotions to appear on my face.

A few moments later, I walked into Ollivander's wand shop. It was old and dark, with wand boxes piled on shelves, tables, and stools, making it seem smaller than it actually was. Even the air seemed to tingle with magic.

"Good morning," said the man behind the desk, who I could only assume was Mr Ollivander. His face was wrinkled with age, and his silvery eyes seemed to glow like moons in the gloom of the shop. When he realised who I was, he began walking towards me in a most unnerving way.

I forced myself to stand up taller, putting on my emotionless mask, and staring almost blankly ahead.

"Ah, I wondered when I would be seeing you, Miss Riddle," he said, as he continued to study my face. "Although, I must confess, I expected you to get your wand far sooner. Thirteen is an unusually late age to start learning magic with your own wand."

I was so amazed at the lack of fear in his voice that it took me a moment to think of a response.

"I hardly see how that's any of your business," I said sharply.

"Hm." He pulled a long tape measure with silver markings out of his pocket. "Which is your wand arm?"

"My left."

He let go of the tape measure, and it started measuring me on its own, not only things like the length of my forearm, but also more odd things, like the distance between my eyes. As it did this, Mr Ollivander went around the room, taking down wand boxes.

"Try this," he said, once the tape measure had finished. "Yew and dragon heartstring, twelve and a half inches, fairly supple."

I took the wand from him and waved it at a lightbulb, which smashed immediately.

"No, it seems that is not the one for you," he said, putting it back in its box. "Then how about this? Willow and unicorn hair, nine and a quarter inches, surprisingly springy."

This one blasted the door right off its hinges when I waved it. Some people looked into the shop in surprise, saw me, and hurried away.

"No, no, definitely not."

The wand in my hand was replaced by wand after wand, and the pile of opened boxes became higher and higher, until finally-

"Alder and phoenix feather, ten and three-quarter inches, unyielding."

I waved it, and a bunch of flowers came out the end, which seemed to please Mr Ollivander greatly.

"Yes, a perfect match! That will be seven Galleons, please."

I paid and left, hurrying back to the Leaky Cauldron to meet Mother.

"What took you so long?" she demanded as I entered, her voice low and dangerous.

"It - it took me a while to find my wand," I said, only slightly haltingly.

Without another word, she grabbed my arm (the feeling of wanting to scourgify it returned), and apparated back to Malfoy Manor with me, shoving me into my 'room' as soon as we got there. She locked the door with a spell I had never come across before, presumably so I didn't try to escape to the freedom I'd just experienced at Diagon Alley, and I heard her walking upstairs, then silence.

Once again, I was alone. But this time, it felt more controlling than ever.