I Am The Basilisk Fang: Nyota Riddle's Story

Prologue

I never knew much about my mother. She died when I was only two years old, right after she had given birth to my twin brothers, Tim and Tom Riddle.

We lived in a Muggle orphanage for most of our young lives; I had to keep my brothers safe from the cruel remarks of the other children there. The matron of the place had little love for Tom; indeed, now that I think back on it, she had a vibrant and passionate hatred for him. I know not why she had such a grudge against him, out of all of us Riddle children. It might have just been her.

When I went away to Hogwarts, my brothers' lives became a living hell. There was no one around to protect them from the taunts and insults of the others, or from the matron's violent tendencies.

But when my story really starts is that September first in the year my brothers started Hogwarts.

CHAPTER ONE

The Riddle Family

'C'mon, Nyota! Hurry up!' my younger brother, Tim, called. It was a crisp autumn day in the year 1941. I was to be thirteen in October, and my brothers had turned eleven in August. 'I'm coming! Don't be too hasty, boys,' I replied. They had been waiting for only five minutes; thirty seconds wouldn't hurt them one bit.

Tom laughed at my remark, and his dark hair ruffled a bit in the wind.

'You're growing up too fast, Ny,' he told me, using my old nickname. I shot him a look.

'Don't call me Ny, Tom. That's a childish nickname.' He stopped laughing.

'It's what I've always called you,' he said, confused. 'Why should I stop now?'

'Because everyone at Hogwarts knows me by Nyota! Don't you think it would be just a tiny bit odd if you up and call me Ny all the sudden?' he thought about this for awhile.

'Well, I see your point, Ny. But can't I call you that? Please?' His look was so melancholy that I had to give in.

'Oh, fine. But not in front of anyone else!' Tom grinned.

'Okay. I can live with that.'

'You're in Slytherin, aren't you, Ny?' asked Tim. I nodded.

'Yeah, I am. Just like our whole family has been, and just like you two will be.'

'But how do you know we'll be in Slytherin?' Tim asked with a quavering in his voice. I looked at him.

'Well, Tim, if you THINK about it-' and here I lowered my voice so that no one would hear- 'We ARE related to Salazaar Slytherin, after all. Why wouldn't you be in his House?' That seemed to settle the matter, and Tim just looked at me.

'Well, when you put it that way, I guess you're right.' I smiled.

'That's what I thought. Now, c'mon, or we won't get a good seat on the train!'

We found a car that was empty, amazingly. After Tom hauled our trunks onto the rafters (or whatever they're called, those racks above your head on a train), we sat down and just had a merry old time, playing word games and such. That is, until a very annoying person stepped into our car.

'Have any of you all seen Myrtle Trelawney?' asked Minerva McGonagall.

A Gryffindor fourth year, Minerva was one year above me. Boy, she never let me forget it.

'Why would we have seen a Ravenclaw second year, Minerva?' I asked her, trying to keep the anger out of my voice. Minerva just stared at me with a haughty look in her eyes.

'Because, Nyota,' she replied, 'She's your friend. If you see her, I need to talk to her. She has a few detentions to make up from last year.' With that, Minerva left. I slammed the door so hard behind her, the glass shattered.

'Oooops,' I said sheepishly, then whipped out my wand and muttered, 'Reparo!' The pieces of glass jumped back into the empty space.

'Good one, Nyota. You broke the window,' Tom muttered. I shot him a look.

'Oh, sod off.' I tried to keep a straight face, but failed in the attempt. The three Riddles fell on the floor laughing. 'I don't know why we're laughing, but hey, it beats talking to McGonagall!' I tried to say between my laughs. Tim and Tom couldn't say anything, as they were laughing too hard.

The door to the compartment slid open once more. My best friend, Sekima Drodella, stood there. 'Sekima!' I cried happily, and ran to give my friend a hug.

'Glad to see you again, Nyota!!' she replied happily.

'How was your summer?' I asked her. Sekima shrugged.

'Okay, I guess. Hey, Nyota, Mum and Dad said that you and your brothers could stay with us next summer if you wanted!' My eyes widened in shock and surprise.

'Do you really mean it?' I croaked. Sekima nodded eagerly.

'Yes! They even told me before I asked them about it!' I turned to the twins.

'What do you guys think? Do you want to go and stay with the Drodella's?' They nodded.

'That would be great!' Tom said.

'Yes, yes it would!' Tim echoed his brother's excitement. Sekima clapped her hands together.

'I'll send an owl to Mum and Dad right now.'

When we pulled into Hogsmeade Station, my brothers and I were separated.

'I'll see you both at the Slytherin Table!!' I called. Then, Sekima and I scrambled into a horseless carriage (not the kind you're thinking of like those cars). We were soon joined by Myrtle and Devon Trelawney, two Ravenclaws.

I had met Myrtle the previous year, when Olive Hornby was teasing her about her glasses. She was in the girl's bathroom crying when I found her.

*FLASHBACK-YEAR PREVIOUS*

'Is anyone in here?' I called. Myrtle stepped out from inside on of the cubicles.

'I'm here,' she said miserably. She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 'Come to take me to one of the Professors so I can make up a detention?!' she cried. This sent her into a fresh wave of sobs. I spoke to her gently, like one would do if trying to coax a skittish animal into being calm.

'Of course not. Why would I do that?' I asked her. She looked at me.

'I don't know,' Myrtle said, sniffling, 'Minerva McGonagall seems to do it a lot.' I squatted down to eye level with her -I was at least a metre and a half then, and she was only a metre and seven centimetres- and took her by the shoulders.

'Myrtle, Minerva is nothing but a nosy busy-body,' I told her. 'Don't you listen to anything that girl tells you. You hear me? Nothing!' She smiled then, and gave me a hug.

'Thanks, Nyota,' she whispered. 'You're the first person who's ever been nice to me, besides my family.' It was my turn to smile. 'I just want to help.'

*PRESENT*

'Nyota? Are you okay?' Devon's voice shook me out of my walk down Memory Lane.

'Yes, I'm fine. What, do you think I was going a little off there?' I asked. The others laughed at my weak joke.

The carriage halted abruptly. 'Oof!' I fell down face-first onto the floor. Everyone else followed suit. I could hear the cries of shock come from around me.

'Yuck!' I heard Sekima grumble. 'My new robes!'

'You can always get them cleaned at the school,' I told her.

'Yeah, I know. But still!'

I shivered and wished for my cloak as soon as we stepped outside. Myrtle's cheeks turned blue immediately.

'How did it get so cold all the sudden?' I asked Sekima. She shrugged.

'Who knows? But it is a horrid nuisance, I'll tell you that.'

'I agree completely,' I replied through chattering teeth.

As we entered the Great Hall, Sekima and I started for the Slytherin Table, while Myrtle and Devon walked towards the Ravenclaw Table.

'I hope my brothers get in Slytherin,' I confided to Sekima as we sat down in our usual seats.

'I'm sure they will be. Don't get too uptight about it, Nyota.' I tried to relax my stiffened muscles. My heart was pumping out adrenaline, and I couldn't stop breathing fast.

'Calm down, Nyota!' Sekima told me. 'You're acting like you're about to take an exam!' I took several deep breaths.

'You're right, I need to calm down.'

Our attention was directed to the High Table by Professor Dumbledore.

'If you would kindly give us your attention,' he said, 'Professor Dippet, I believe, has a few things to say.'

Dippet stood up.

'All I would like to say are some notices for the first years. No one of any year is to go into the Dark Forest, and the village of Hogsmeade is forbidden to all those below the third year. Now if you will, the Sorting ceremony will begin.' He sat down, and everyone clapped. I don't know why, but I think it was a sort of tradition.

I let my mind wander for the first half of the ceremony; my brothers wouldn't be Sorted for a long time yet. But when the last names passed the N's, I started to perk up. Soon, I heard the sound of, 'Riddle, Tim!'

Tim started up the stairs to the stool, picked up the Hat, and sat down. The brim completely blocked the top half of his face from view. About two seconds later, the Hat shouted,

'SLYTHERIN!' I stood up and cheered with the rest of the House, and Tim ran over to me and sat down on my left-hand side.

Now it was Tom's turn. As soon as he picked up the Hat, without even starting to place it on his head, it shouted to the Hall,

'SLYTHERIN!' we stood up and applauded him; and now Tom ran over and sat down on my right-hand side.

'I told you two. I told you that you'd be in Slytherin!' I said, grinning broadly.

'Well done, you two!' Sekima said. There weren't many people left to be Sorted now. As the last little first year ran off to join the Hufflepuff table, Professor Dippet stood up.

'Tuck in,' he said, and we did.

CHAPTER TWO

NYOTA'S DISCOVERY

A few weeks after the start of term, I was wandering about in the library's Restricted Section. Suddenly, a title on one of the shelves caught my eye: BOOK OF RIDDLES. 'Seems like my family album,' I muttered to no one in particular. Glancing around to make sure no one was around, I reached up and pulled it off the shelf.

'Whoa,' I breathed. The book was filled with mysterious sayings, all on the mystery of life. Every single one was in question form, asking the reader and making them think about everything.

One of the questions stuck out in my mind:

Might the person you do trust the most

Turn out to be the most dangerous?

When you turn around to leave,

Might they stick a knife in your back?

Never underestimate the snake

For he is the cleverest person, and can

Destroy the ones he loves.

He must beware of them, for

They shall be his downfall.

That sent shivers up my spine whenever I remember it. At the time, it sent my mind whirling. Thousands of questions whizzed past in my brain: The snake? Could it be talking about Tom? Or maybe it's Tim. I'm confused. I'm scared. What if it means me? How can I find out? I don't know what to do. Maybe I should just forget about it. I'm frightened. How can I keep this a secret? Do I want to keep it a secret?

Only one thought remained clear in my head as I walked out of the library, the book still in my hands: go tell a teacher.

But which teacher? I was afraid to tell the wrong one. What if they informed the headmaster that we Riddles weren't fit to stay at Hogwarts, and they sent us back? Or worse, they made Tom, or Tim, or even me stay under the watch of a Professor at all times? Or- the thought made my heart go still- one of us three were sent back to the orphanage? We would all be split up!

No one knew that we had sworn never to split ourselves up. We had made that promise the day I'd gotten my acceptance letter to Hogwarts.

'I swear, on our ancestor Salazaar Slytherin, and our mother's grave, that I will never forget you two,' I'd told them. They'd just nodded mutely.

I won't forget that promise, I thought to myself. We're a family. Families don't fall apart. I've got to be the one who holds the pieces of this family together.

I heard noises from behind me that jarred my thoughts. I whirled around, my blond hair flying into my face. No one was there. Turning back around, I heard the noises again. This time when I looked behind me, I saw -who else but- my brothers.

'What are you two doing here?' I demanded. Tom looked at me, trying to act innocent.

'We just saw you coming from the library, Ny,' he explained.

'That's not what I asked you. I asked what you were doing here.' Tom didn't look remotely abashed.

'We needed some help on the homework Professor Mantale gave us,' Tim piped up.

Those two! Whenever they wanted something out of me, they'd gang up and do the old, 'Two against one who's stronger' routine. It worked almost every time. Almost being the key word there, of course.

Tom glanced at the book I was holding.

'What's that, Ny?' he asked casually.

'N-nothing, just a book from the library.' Busted! I had caught onto what they were doing. Back off boys, I thought silently.

But then again, we Riddles don't give up unless we see no other way out. I prayed that they would just give up.

Unfortunately, they -obviously- didn't.

Although helping the twins with their homework took the heavy thoughts off my mind, they still came back to haunt me. I lay awake that night, replaying the poem over and over in my mind until I was sick of it. While everyone else could sleep peacefully, I did not. The fear and dread those simple words produced gnawed at my mind.

The next day, I let it all snap loose, and all the emotions flew out and attacked everyone they could reach.

The final straw came when I back-talked Professor Malfoy in Charms. Her lips pursed up like they do when someone's gone too far.

'Miss Riddle, please get your things and come with me,' she told me.

I silently collected my bag and the Book-which I now carried everywhere- and followed her out of the room.

'Now, Nyota, I don't know what's gotten into you, but it's gone far enough. What she was about to do needed no explanation: I was going to see the Headmaster.

'Now, Miss Riddle, will you please tell me what's bothering you?' Professor Dippet asked. I sat there in silence, not daring to look up at him. Dippet sighed and spoke again.

'Miss Riddle, please answer my question.'

That's when it happened: everything burst from me; the Book of Riddles, the one passage that was grappling and itching at my mind. I even showed him the riddle in the Book.

'Hmmm,' he mused. 'When did you find this?'

'Yesterday, sir.'

'Where was it?'

'The library, sir.'

'Which section?' Uh-oh. Trouble...

'Restricted.' At this, Dippet seemed to start.

'Did you check it out with a teacher note?' I nodded.

'Professor Malfoy gave me one.'

'So...you think that you or one of your brothers might fit this passage?'

'Yes sir.'

'Let me tell you something, Miss Riddle. This book is a compilation of the first prophecies of Destiny Tiaret Sage Gryffindor. Yes, she was related to Godric Gryffindor,' he added, seeing the expression on my face. 'In fact, she was his daughter. Now, Destiny Gryffindor was a Seer, and made written prophecies as early as the age of four.' I gasped at this. Dippet chuckled to himself. 'Yes, amazing, isn't it? And at the time, no one believed her. And every single one of her prophecies has come true so far. You see, Miss Riddle, Destiny Gryffindor even went so far as to predict the year, day, hour, and minute that her prophecies would come true. And she's always been right...'

'So...what should I do about this, Professor?' I asked nervously.

'I'll need to decide that for myself. Let me see the book.' I very cautiously handed it to him. Dippet flipped to the back of the book. 'Hmm...' he muttered. 'Twentieth day, seventeenth hour...very odd indeed.'

'What is it, Professor?' I asked him. Dippet didn't look up.

'It's just that she had predicted for that particular prophecy to come true...in 1996.'

'1996?' I echoed. He nodded. 'Miss Riddle, no doubt your fears for your brothers were in the right place, but I highly doubt it is referring to any of you.' He smiled. 'Now, as it is almost lunchtime, I suggest you get started on your way to the Great Hall.'

'Yes, Professor. Thank you very much!' Having said this, I excused myself and ran out the door.