The Twin Lockets

The Twin Lockets

Chapter Six: The Orphanage

Ron's eyes wandered around the room. It had been a couple weeks since Bill's wedding. Not much had happened since then. Except, of course, that now he, Hermione, and Harry were in the old orphanage where Tom Riddle had grown up. Harry had said that he needed to investigate. To see if there was anything there that could tell him about how to stop Lord Voldemort.

The front room was small, with only a small desk in it with shelves and shelves of paperwork behind it. There were four doorways leading to other rooms, but all Ron could see from where he was standing were the long hallways.

"Excuse me, but we were wondering if you had any information on Tom M. Riddle," Harry said to the woman at the desk.

"What year was he here?" The woman said, her bushy hair falling over her shoulders.

As Harry answered the woman, Ron looked at the walls. There were several framed pictures of people. Non-moving ones, of course. A large painting of the sea was centered on a side wall. The sun was painted as a multi-shade orb, almost to the point where you could almost feel it on you.

"...Ah, here we are. Tom Riddle."

Ron glanced back up, coming out of his trance. He saw Harry and Hermione looking through a few files, occasionally nodding or telling each other something.

"Ack."

Ron turned around to see a sick looking boy sitting in a chair, coughing. He didn't know how he hadn't noticed the boy before. He was of average height, but overly thin. He had dark brown hair and large brown eyes. The boy was about Ron's age, but perhaps a little bit younger looking at his size.

Ron wouldn't have looked at the boy twice, if it hadn't of been for the fact that he was holding a letter with the Hogwarts seal on it.

Ron inched towards the boy. "You going this year?"

The boy looked up, startled. "Yeah. I... went somewhere else before this year. I'm a sixth year, now. I... I just came here to look up something about somebody. It... It doesn't really matter what, I suppose. Just some Muggle."

The boy coughed again. Ron noticed a silver chain around his neck. But, whatever was on the end of the necklace was hidden.

"What's your name?" Ron asked.

"It's..." The boy paused. "It's William. William Paris."

"My brother's name is William, too. But, we all call him Bill."

William nodded, coughing again. "Well, I've found what I was looking for. I'll see you at... you know." The boy glanced up at the Muggle woman at the front desk and then back at Ron. "Er, bye."

The boy headed out the door, but stopped him by grabbing his arm. The boy spun around in surprise.

"Er, sorry. It's just... are you okay?" Ron felt stupid asking, but the boy really did seem sick.

"Er, yeah," William said. "I'm fine. Just... nothing."

"Well, I'll see you at... you know, then," Ron said, letting go of the boy's arm. The boy nodded and walked away. "My sister's in your year," Ron added.

William turned his head and nodded. "I'll remember that. Maybe we'll be in the same house."

"We're Griffindores," Ron said, proudly.

"Um, yes. Maybe Griffindore. Or maybe Ravenclaw. Or maybe Hufflepuff. Who knows?" With that, the boy walked away. Ron wanted to stop him, again, but he had no reason to. He didn't know why, but he had a feeling something was wrong. Something about William put him at an unease.

And yet, he rather liked the boy. William seemed quiet and a little sickly, but a nice person. Maybe he'd be in Griffindore, too. Or maybe Ravenclaw. Or maybe Hufflepuff. Or maybe...

Wait. Why hadn't the boy mentioned Slytherin? Must hate them as much as I do, Ron thought. He smiled. Yes, that must be it.

"Well, we've got everything we can."

Ron looked up to see Harry and Hermione. "Er, okay. Um, what did you find?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Ron. Haven't you been paying any attention?"

"Er, yes?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Really, Ron..."

"Come on, let's go," Harry said, wanting to stop Ron and Hermione's conversation before it became one of their many arguments. "We didn't really find anything. Just some dates. That's all."

"Well, better than nothing," Ron said. The trio walked out the door. Ron thought about mentioning William, but didn't. They'd meet him soon enough.

"I can't believe school is starting up again in just a few days. It... won't be the same," Hermione said.

"No. It won't," Harry said, getting a distant look in his eyes. He'd been doing that a lot, lately. "Not since Dumbledore..." He stopped.

"It's alright Harry. We know." Hermione looked down at her feet.

"First Sirius, then him," Harry said, more to himself than anyone else.

They were quiet as they walked. Ron thought about the recent loss of Dumbledore and the one of Sirius Black on year prior. At least with Dumbledore, he'd died loved. Sirius had been killed an outlaw with no remaining family and few remaining friends. Lily and James were both dead. His whole family had pushed him away, if they weren't already dead, like him brother...

"What was Sirius' brother's name?" Ron asked aloud, not really knowing why.

"Regulus," Harry said. "Why? It doesn't matter."

Ron didn't reply. Regulus Black. What was his middle name?

"Did Sirius ever mention what his brother's middle name was?" Ron asked.

"For pity's sake, Ron! It doesn't matter!" Hermione said, rolling her eyes for about the zillionth time that day.

"You're right. It doesn't," Ron said. "Unless his middle name starts with an A."

"Ron, what are you talking ab..." Harry gasped. "Regulus A. Black."

"What on earth are you talking about?" Hermione asked.

"Regulus A. Black. RAB" Harry said. "The locket in Sirius' house that wouldn't open. It all makes sense..." Hermione's eyes opened. "I... I..."

"Quick! We have to go get it!" Harry said. In a flash, he had disapparated.

"Harry, wait!" Hermione said.

Ron scowled and disapparated after him.

Hermione sighed. "I should've thought of it... I should've..."

Crack!

Now, all three of them were in Sirius' old house. Ron crept around the corner, trying not to wake Sirius' mother. Harry and Hermione searched frantically for the locket they had seen before in the house that hadn't opened. Ron looked, as well, but not quite as much.

"It's not here!" Harry said, finally giving up. "First the memory, now this!"

Hermione, looking a little guilty, said, "Maybe somebody took it."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Harry muttered.

Ron shook his head. They were so close and yet so far. "If only Dumbledore were here..."

He stopped. Harry looked, if possible, more depressed than ever. Hermione scowled.

Ron looked down. Sometimes, he really could be an idiot.