You don't need to be defined by your past, you can choose a different future -- Fall 2016

I found my best mate after a trip to Hogsmeade.  We separated once in the village and I realy wish we had not.  My father's identity was finally shown to me.  He was Sebastian Riddle and new evil wizard.  He threatened me and now I had no idea whta to do.  I found Ryan and grabbed his arm.  "RJ... we need to talk," I said quietly.  There needed to be some discussion about what just happened.

I nodded and followed Tommy away from the crowd.  "What's going on, mate?" I asked, a tad curious as to what he needed to talk about.  He seemed rather stressed out after a trip to Hogsmeade.  It seemed counter productive.

"I just met my father," I sad blatantly.  There was no reason to beat around the bush.  This was too much of a jaw dropper to mess around with.

I stared at him and for once I could nto think of something to say right away.  I took a deep breath before I spoke.  "And...?" I asked, knowing that it must not have gone well due to the fact that Tommy was freaking out.

I shook my head.  "It was worse than I could've ever imagined.  I know my family history just from a name," I said.  This was unreal.  I was a Riddle.  My family was full of monsters.

His dad's side must be a well known family.  Fudge?  Scrimegour?  Snape?  There were so many possibilites.  "Who was he?  C'mon... it can't be that bad," I said.  It just probably did nto go the way he always hoped.  "He hunted you down, though.  So that's good, right?" To me it seemed like he would be happy that his dad anted to find his son.

Could I really tell RJ who my father was?  I had to tell someone and who else did I trust beside Ryan enought o spill news like this?  I made sure no one was listening to us -- which they were all lost in their own worlds as per usual.  "RJ... my father is..." I shook my head, not sure if I could say his name out loud . I had to, though.  I lowered my voice and moved closer, making sure RJ was the only one who could hear me.  "HE's Sebastian Riddle."

I have never heard of Sebastian, but I definitely knew the name Riddle.  I stared at Tommy.  tommy Riddle... not Winters.  "Are you serious?" I asked, not netirely sure I could wrap my head around this.  How could Tommy be handling this?

I rolled my eyes at Ryan.  "No, I"m kidding about being related to the most infamous Wizarding family out there," I replied sardonically.  There was no way I could even fathom joking about this.  It was not even funny.  "No one can know, RJ.  You know what people will say and do.  I'm not like them... I can't be like them."  Things mamde sense from my childhood, though.  Which is why Mum kept moving me around and everything else.

I put a hand on my mate's shoulder.  "Tommy, you're not like the rest of the Riddles.  You're not evil, nor are you in Slytherin.  Already loads different," I pointed out, hoping he would calm down a little.  He did not deserve this.  He was one of hte nicest people I knew.

"RJ, I can speak parsletongue.  The biggest similarity.  And it's creepy how much I look like him," I added.  I appreciated that Ryan was trying to help me feel better, but still.  There was no way that I could feel better about thsi right now.

Tommy was really starting to freak out.  I pulled him farther away from the other students.  I did nto want them to overhear anything.  "Tommy... you are nothing like them," I assured him.  "You are a good person.  Their blood may be running through your veins, but that doesn't define who you are."  He had to know that.

I sighed.  I guess Ryan was right.  I mean u puntil today, I never thought I was a bad person.  I had always wondered about my ability to speak to snakes, but I never used it to cause harm.  "Okay... I'm just a little shell-shocked is all, I guess," I confided quietly.

I nodded at him.  "Exactly, mate," I assured him.  "How'd he even approach you?" Now that I got Tommy to calm down a tad, I wanted to know details of what happened.

It was ridiculous and creepy.  "He approached me at the Shrieking Shack," I explained, running a hand through my hair.  "I can't even keep everything staright o how it all went down.  But it ended up with him threatening me.  I wanted to stand up to him and I did.  I was strong... but it cost me a little."  I showed him my arm by lifting up my sleeve.  It was not the dark mark or anything, but there was the Riddle family crest.  "To make sure I would not forget my heritage and what I'm sure to become in his eyes."