Chapter 15: Riddle’s Identity

Hogwarts Castle, Somewhere in the Scottish Highlands

November 22nd, 1992, 11:52 PM

As Erik and his entourage exit Slytheryn's Common Room, they walk through the castle's dungeons making their way back to the Great Lounge. The walk was a silent one as the Professors, Aurors and Unspeakables were within their minds thinking about what happened today and their discoveries. In less than three minutes they were back to Great Staircase and were entering the Great Lounge. In it they saw that most of the students were playing games or having conversations between them. Some of the young ones were claimed by the comfort that the beanbags offered and were now in a world of dreams.

"If you will please follow me to where the staff is. I will address the students and free them back to their dormitories. Then we will question the staff about Riddle."

Erik said to the group, and walked through the student to the elevated platform. Waiting for all of them to approach the staff place, Erik kneeled on one knee and softly called for a house-elf.

"Dimpy."

*pop*

"What can Dimpy help you with, Lordy Ravenclaw?"

With a soft pop, Dimpy, the house-elf, appeared near Erik and with a wave of hand he made shimmering bubbles appear around every sleeping student. Erik then said to Dimpy.

"You guys did an amazing job with the Great Lounge. Please pass my message to all elves after. Now Dimpy, I need you to take a group of elves and bring the sleeping young ones to their beds. I put a silencing buble around them so that they don't wake up. Could you guys do this for me, Dimpy?"

The old house-elf was brimming with happiness at hersLord praise, and will make sure to pass the thanks to the others elves. At the request, she nodded her head quickly, making her long ears flap.

"Dimpy can do!"

*pop*

With another soft pop, the old house-elf disappeared to attend the request. As Erik was standing up, various 'pops' were heard around the Great Lounge and a little army of house elves took the young sleeping students with them with another 'pop' to bring them directly back to their beds.

With the last elf gone, Erik pressed a little of magic in his voice and said addressing the students.

"A moment of your attention, please."

The students that had already noticed the house elves early taking the sleeping ones quickly paid attention to Erik, and called to the ones nearby that hadn't noticed it. Erik quickly had all of the students' attention, and talked to them.

"As some of you can see, the sleeping young ones were already taken back to their beds. THat means that you all can return to your dormitories too. But before that happens, a few words are necessary. The dormitories were cleaned of all malicious artifacts, including the ones in students' possessions."

At that a lot of students from Slytherin house faces blanched. Erik continued.

"The only ones that remained in their places were the ones that the students had authorization from his head of house to bring to school for academic purposes. The rest was apprehended and catalogued by the team of Aurors and Unspeakables present."

Erik made a gesture presenting the four red robed Aurors and the three gray cloaked Unspeakables. Erik continued then.

"Remember, tomorrow…"

Erik looked at his wrist watch and saw that it was already the next day.

"... Well, technically today. Monday classes are cancelled and all students are to remain inside their dormitories until 8AM. That means that prefects rounds are cancelled for today too. Now I will ask one house a time to exit the Great Lounge and go directly there. The castle will ensure that you all don't make detours. Your head of house will accompany you there and he is allowed to answer your questions as he sees fit. Now, please, Slytherin house."

The students from Slytherin for a moment didn't move. But as soon as they saw Professor Snape looking at them, they started to move and exit the Great Lounge. Professor Snape was soon after them.

"Ravenclaw House now, please."

Erik said as the last Slytherin exited the Great Lounge. Different from them, the Ravenclaws quickly and orderly exited the Great Lounge, with a little blonde, Luna, waving to Selena, who waved back to her. Professor Flitwick was behind the group, and as soon as the last one exited, Erik called the next group.

"Hufflepuff House, now."

The puffs were quickly on their feet and walking back to their Cete with Professor Sprout right behind them.

"Gryffindor House now, please."

The students loudly exited the Great Lounge. Professor McGonagall was right behind them, keeping her eyes locked on two identical red-heads. With the Great Lounge devoid of students, Erik turned to the group of staff members, Aurors and Unspeakables.

"Now that the students are secured. Can clean the rest of the castle. But before that, we have questions."

At that, Erik turned to the big man seated on an equally big armchair and with an equally big mug of tea in hands, Rubeus Hagrid.

"Hagrid, we want to know if you can shine some light on a doubt that we encountered today."

Hagrid turned serious and sat more straight on his armchair.

"I will help with all I can, Lord Ravenclaw."

"Good man, don't worry, you are not in any trouble. What can you tell us about a person named 'T. M. Riddle'?"

Hagrid blanched at the name. And it was not only him, Dumbledore that was before sulking on an armchair now had his full attention on Erik.

"T-Tom Riddle was the student that pointed at me as the person behind the attacks."

"So his name is Tom Riddle. What more can you tell us about Mr. Riddle? Please, Hagrid, anything that you can remember can help."

While Hagrid was fidgeting, Auror Robards and an Unspeakable were taking notes. Hagrid then talked about what he had known about the man.

"I-I don't know too much about him. He was a Slytheryn, two years ahead of me. He was prefect, and a Head-boy when I was in my 5th year. Top marks student, seemed to have the other Slytheryns in the palm of his hand."

"Anything more, Hagrid? Anything can help."

Hagrid fidget a little more.

"Nothing more. Slytherins and Gryffindors didn't mix much that time. But Professor Dumbledore can help you, he was the transfiguration's teacher that time."

All heads turned to the said man. And he blanched. He seemed to squirm under everyone's gazes, mainly Erik's.

"Talk. What do you know about Tom Riddle?"

Erik imperiously said to Dumbledore. He started fidgeting but didn't talk. Erik noticed it and started to release his magic pressure with the 'old boy' as the target and center of it. Erik then slowly and dangerously talked.

"Dumbledore, you better talk about everything you know about who Tom Riddle is. His name was on the cover of a class 5 dark artifact found in the middle of a first year student stuff, so you better start talking or the gods may help you, because you will need it after I'm done with you."

Albus Dumbledore was sweating cold. When Erik started talking to him, he felt like his body was dumped in arctic ice cold water with the weight of the world on his backs. And the weight seemed to continue to increase. He feared that he would have a heart attack and drop dead if he didn't say anything. And with some effort, he said one world, and the weight and the arctic ice cold water disappeared like it was an illusion to begin with.

"V-Voldemort."

Some staff members flinched at the name. The cold sweat was still pouring off Albus' face, and he talked again.

"Tom Marvolo Riddle was the birth name of Lord Voldemort. He was one of my students here in Hogwarts. I was the one that delivered his acceptance letter at the orphanage when he was eleven years old."

Albus Dumbledore said with labored breathing. He looked up to Erik, and found him smiling at him.

"See? Was it that difficult?"

Erik then turned to the Aurors and Unspeakables.

"Now we know why the brand was still present, and how he has done it. I think we will have a busy week, ladies and gentlemen."

The group he talked to seemed to wake up from the revelation. Director Bones' face went from one of shock to one of pure anger.

"Dumbledore, you mean that you knew the true identity of the Dark Lord and didn't talk about it to anyone?"

"I didn't see how that would have helped, Amelia."

"You… You didn't see how knowing that the true name of someone preaching pureblood bigotry was not a pureblood name would have helped? For Merlin's sake, I can name just about half dozen of old pureblood families that would have not given him their support if they knew his true name. Just the losses of life alone could have been greatly reduced, you old fool!"

Director Bones yelled with righteous fury at the 'old boy'. Dumbledore's face was very pale after hearing that. It all seemed to click for him, and he sagged in the armchair like a puppet that had his strings cut.

"Lord Ravenclaw, let's finish this before I end up commiting murder."

Said Director Bones.

"Sure, Director Bones."

Erik said to the angry woman. He then was starting to talk to the staff members when the four Head of House entered back in the Great Lounge.

"Ah, good to see you all back, and just in time."

Erik waited for the four just arrived professors to join their peers.

"Professors and staff members, you are all free to go back to your rest places. Remember that breakfast starts at 8AM, and you don't have classes to teach, so take a good rest. We will have a more proper meeting tomorrow at 1PM to discuss the school. Take your time to take notes on what you think that can be done to better the school not just for the students, but for the professors too. I noticed that the staff is seriously outnumbered. Last time that I was here we had at least double the number of staff members."

The professors were shocked at that. They didn't know that the staff was bigger in the past, and they could really use the extra help. They quickly nodded, already thinking about what they could change to better the school. Not that they never tried to change anything, but it was a difficult thing with a stuck up Board of Governors and a Headmaster that had the power that always said that couldn't do anything. Slowly the staff members started to get up and go back to their chambers to take what rest they could, with Hagrid exiting the castle to his hut. Even Dumbledore managed to get up and slowly walk back to what he imagined was still his room. Watching him exit, Director Bones talked.

"Lord Ravenclaw, are you not worried that some of the staff will take what you have done today against you? Or Dumbledore making a move to change records?"

"Worried? Not even a little, Director Bones. The dormitories are sealed, so students can't exit to send letters. The owlery is sealed too. The floo is blocked in all the castle, so no calls or travel can be made, including professors' offices. And finally, Dumbledore's magic is sealed. So while he will sleep today in the headmaster's chambers, he can't change anything there. But come, we have to go get the other class 5 dark artifact. It's on the seventh floor, inside a very special room."

Selena's eyes brightened at that. She had a very good idea of what 'special room' Erik was talking about. Before moving there, Erik ordered no one in particular.

"Hogwarts' Great Lounge, change configuration to Great Hall!"

And like before, the content inside the Great Lounge shimmered away and disappeared to give place to the familiar great tables and benches that were used early for the dinner.

Erik then walked out of the now Great Hall again with the group walking behind him. Leona was hugging his left arm, while Selena was holding his right hand. Climbing the Great Staircase, the group soon arrived at the seventh floor and walked through the corridor that opposed the one with the entrance to the Gryffindor's Tower. Erik soon stopped in front of a tapestry that depicted a man trying to teach trolls how to dance.

The girls let Erik go, and he walked in front of the wall opposing the tapestry three times while thinking of what he wanted. After his third pass, big wooden double doors materialized in the empty wall. Erik immediately got to the doors and pushed them open while saying.

"Welcome to the Room of Requirement!"

-------------