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"PROFESSOR, YOU ASKED FOR ME?", VICTORIA QUESTIONED AS SHE ENTERED DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE.

"indeed. come, take a look", dumbledore motioned as he stood in front of a pensieve: a shallow plate-like bowl that was a rustic gold and had swirling fog sprouting out of it.

     "what is this—"

victoria was quickly silenced as she had entered the realm of one of dumbledore's many memories. though this one was quite special, as it had shown the old wizard entering a muggle orphanage.

"I must admit to some confusion upon receiving your letter mr. dumbledore. in all the years tom's been here, he's never once had a family visitor. there have been incidents with the other children. nasty things", the woman at the orphanage warned.

     "tom, you have a visitor", the woman shakily called out as she pushed the creaky door open for dumbledore to see.

     "how'd you do, tom?"

     "go", the boy simply demanded as dumbledore observed the book with a few pictures and notes shoved in on the desk.

     seashells and different sized rocks were placed on the windowsill from small to big. a thick parchment was stuck between the door handle of a closet.

     "you're the doctor aren't you?", the boy asked as he sat on his worn out chair.

     victoria knew this was young voldemort, as dumbledore had once told her that tom marvolo riddle was his original name.

the young boy seemed quite devious, as his face showed emotion with the exception of bitterness and animosity. it was as if the whole world had owed him.

"I'm a professor", dumbledore said.

"I don't believe you. she wants me looked. I think I'm...different", tom mumbled.

"well perhaps you're right—"

"I'm not mad", the boy quickly followed up.

"hogwarts is not a place for mad people. hogwarts is a school, school of magic. you can do things can't you tom? things other children can't".

"I can make things move without touching them. I can make animals do what I want without training them. I can make bad things happen to people who are mean to me", tom explained.

     "I can make them hurt...if I want. who are you?", the boy suddenly questioned.

     "well I'm like you tom. I'm different".

     "prove it".

     without even taking out his wand, dumbledore had set the closet aflame, though it did not burn. instead, there was a loud rattling that had cause the young fair-skinned boy to perk up.

     "I think there's something in your wardrobe trying to get out, tom".

     little tom riddle opened his closet without being burned as he took out a rusty box of stolen toys from the other children.

     "thievery is not tolerated at hogwarts tom. in hogwarts, you'll be taught not only how to use magic, but how to control it. you understand me?", dumbledore asked.

     tom just looked at the old wizard as he was nearly out the door before tom had said something peculiar.

     "I can speak to snakes too. they find me; whisper things too. is that normal for someone like me?"

victoria did not hear nor see the response, as the pensieve had suddenly stopped showcasing dumbledore's memories.

"why'd you show me that?", the girl hastily asked, not even beating around the bush.

"you're tasked to murder me", dumbledore suddenly claimed, making victoria stiffen.

     the girl knew she was no match for the wizard, as she didn't think anyone but perhaps grindlewald was. yet even then, the man was defeated although he was in the possession of the elder wand.

     "someone told you", victoria mumbled in disbelief.

     the girl thought about all the possibilities of who would betray the dark lord. certainly not the bellatrix and the rest that have recently escaped azkaban.

     unless someone was under dumbledore's imperius curse, or someone had drank polyjuice like barty crouch jr. had, the most suspicious person would be snape.

     "I need you to get a memory from slughorn. it's something that tom had asked of him years ago, though only he knows", dumbledore said.

"why would I get his memory for you? it doesn't benefit me in any way", victoria straightforwardly said.

dumbledore simply chuckled.

"I heard you and mr. malfoy had just gone through a breakup", dumbledore started, making victoria internally scowl at how everyone knew about it.

     "and?"

     "it should be safe to assume that you did that out of your own will to protect him am I wrong?"

     victoria simply didn't bother answering, as she was sure the man already knew her answer.

     "it seems you have discarded the fact that mr. malfoy isn't just some boy that's driven by his emotions. he is far more determined and competent than the average boy", dumbledore reminded.

     "now you wouldn't want him to find out what you're keeping from him do you?", the old wizard threatened.

     victoria immediately frowned as she bit the inside of her cheek.

     "fine. but this is it", victoria said as she stomped out of dumbledore's office, not even realizing that draco was right behind her.

"victoria!"

the girl kept walking as she tried to drone out the boy's voice. she didn't want to face him, she couldn't.

"victoria, stop right there", draco lowly growled as the girl swiftly halted before turning around and giving the boy a cold glare.

     "it's noir to you".

     victoria could visibly see draco's eyes waver with a tinsel of pain, yet chose to ignore it, as she needed to stay strong.

     "why?", draco asked, staring victoria down as she clenched her fists tightly.

     "didn't I already tell you? you're of no use to me anymore. you were simply just a tool to me", victoria harshly spat.

     draco confusingly gazed at the girl, not being able to read whether she was lying or not. his eyes unconsciously glazed up, while his voice nearly cracked as he spoke once again.

     "was I....was I just a game to you?", the boy croaked out.

     "isn't it obvious? I warned you, but you didn't listen", the girl sternly replied.

draco shakily breathed out, letting a single tear fall onto the cold ground that seemed to be the only thing that was stable.

"you're going to regret this", he said, barely above a whisper, as he strutted off the opposite direction.

"I already do", victoria mumbled as she suddenly covered her mouth, running towards the nearest bathroom.

victoria hastily loosened her tie as she ran into a bathroom stall, slamming it open as she didn't even care how loud it was.

hovering over the toilet, the girl started regurgitating what she had for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

wiping her mouth, victoria gasped as she felt her intestines nearly on the verge of bursting out, especially her heart.

the girl bit her lip as tears began streaming down her face uncontrollably. victoria's back was pressed against the tiled walls, as she forced herself to silently weep rather than loudly sob.

running her hands through her silvery locks, she curled up into a ball as she let out a string of curses, gritting her teeth while doing so.

to make matters worse, a sorrow-filled face of draco flashed through her mind. victoria shut her eyes as she tried to forget about him, forget everything.

"stop...please..", she desperately begged herself.

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