dark// tom riddle⚡️

vii

   The New Year's Ball was in a couple of days and Hermione was still in the hospital wing. She was being treated for the internal injuries she obtained after the dream incident. Hermione hadn't told anyone what happened, she kept it to herself and made up a small lie whenever someone asked her about the event. Harry, Ron, Ginny, and a couple of her other friends had visited her in the hospital wing and fortunately bought a book for her read every time the came. 

   Today was the first Hogsmeade trip of the new year. It was mostly for the third years and beyond to get their gowns or suits for the ball. Ginny was going today, along with Harry and Ron to get her dress. Both Hermione and Ginny were anticipating this day to pick out Ginny's dress. Unfortunately, Hermione was ill in the hospital wing, being treated for her internal injuries and couldn't make it. No matter how hard she begged the medi-witch, she wasn't allowed to leave the boring enclosure of the hospital room. She had already read the books her friends had dropped off, twice and she didn't know how much longer she could take. 

   Suddenly, the door swung open quietly showing a girl with falling scarlet hair. Her bright brown eyes had a glint of mischief yet concern. Ginny Weasley was now tip toeing toward Hermione's bed, careful not to disturb Madam Pomfrey who locked herself in her office. 

   "Hey 'Mione, how are you doing?" 

   "Hi Gin, I'm feeling a little better but my stomach is still sore and it hurts when I move it."

   "I'm sorry you have to go through this. I wish you could remember what happened so we know what to do." Ginny sighed. Hermione had told her friends that she hadn't remembered anything, but that was a lie. She remembered everything like the back of her hand. It was so hard to forget when you went through a traumatic event like that, even if it was in her dreams, "Anyway, I am going to Hogsmeade and I really wanted you to come because you pick out really cute dresses and... I really don't know what I am going to do without you Hermione."

   "Relax, Gin, I'm not going to die and plus, you would look good in any color. Mostly black or purple. Purple would be perfect on you." Hermione said, getting excited until she realized that she was stuck in the hospital wing. 

   Ginny seemed to observe her best friend's fallen expression and tried to cheer her up, "Look on the bright side, you'll be making it to the Ball. Think about how fun that's going to be!"

   After Ginny had said that, Hermione felt a little better but was still bummed that she was missing out but she stayed on the positive side. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office and spotted Ginny and after several protests from the redhead, Ginny reluctantly left Hermione, making her way to the carriages. 

   Hermione laid on the bed, alone for the entire day as all her friends had left to Hogsmeade. She was left there to re-read her books and practice some simple charms. Ignorant to the watchful silver eyes, that were turning emerald, peering through a small crack in the hospital door. 

~*~

   Sirius Black sat on one of his very stiff yet sturdy chairs in his mother's library. Memories came flooding back to him. Some good like of him and Regulus and some bad, when his mother used the Cruciatus Curse on him when he came back from Hogwarts at the end of his first year. He sometimes wished he could take a time turner and go back in time to change the past to save his brother, but the last time turner was stolen from the Ministry a few days ago. 

   Sirius stood up from the stiff, moth-eaten chair he was sitting in and went to observe the tapestry of all the pureblood lines adorned on the walls. He traced his long, pale fingers around the blasted portrait and then to Regulus'. Sirius looked up, away from his brother's picture to blink off the tears that had formed in his stormy eyes. Instead, when Sirius looked up, he saw a girl through his blurred vision. He wiped the tears from his eyes and conjured a ladder to get a closer look at the familiar girl. She had chestnut hair, wide chocolate eyes, and she looked kind. 'Why did she look so familiar? Do I know her from somewhere?' he thought. Then it hit him and his pearly eyes widened at the thought. Sirius hastily got down the ladder and conjured a piece of parchment and a quill to write a letter to Dumbledore to tell him what he found. Something that was right in front of his eyes but he still wouldn't believe it. 

~*~

   Ginny Weasley was very bored by herself at Hogsmeade, she told Dean, Harry, Ron, and her friends to go to whatever store they wanted to go because all of them had already bought their own dresses and suits. George and Fred had bought Ron some new robes with the money they had earned from the joke shop. They had also gave Ginny a few galleons for her to buy a new dress. That is exactly what she did. Ginny bought a beautiful, long, purple dress with a sweetheart neckline and a few jewels on the neckline and waist. It was a perfect fit and Ginny loved it the moment she set eyes on it. Now, Ginny was walking back to the castle since she didn't know what else to do. She thought of visiting Hermione was in the hospital wing, she know that Hermione must be bored so Ginny walked to the hospital wing. 

   When Ginny made it to the hospital wing, she shrunk her shopping bag with a shrinking spell and put it in her pocket. She saw a boy sitting in front of the doors to the hospital wing. He had neat ebony hair, bright green eyes, and a well built but lanky figure. At first, she thought it was Harry, so she called his name but he didn't answer. He was producing fire from his hand. Non-verbal and wandless magic. she thought. 

   The boy looked up at Ginny who was walking towards him. His bright green eyes widened in horror as he looked down at himself. She never saw this boy ever in her life and thought he was a new student but he wasn't. Ginny didn't know but she was facing Lord Voldemort in his school boy form. 

   The boy yelled, 'Obliviate.' and his hit Ginny in the head and the boy ran from the corridor, never looking back. 

   Ginny didn't remember anything from the encounter, or anything in her life in general. Instead she fell to the floor, black hugging her vision.