Unexpected Encounters | Tom Riddle

This could not be happening.

This had to be a cruel joke, a punishment from the skies for being who she was. Or for failing to live up to expectations of her.

She was supposed to steal a time turner from the Department of Magical Mysteries within the Ministry of Magic. She had managed to infiltrate the building disguised as a Minister official and the plan was for her to get her hands on the time turner. The Order of the Phoenix had agreed that this was their best course of action. This was supposed to be the mission that would be the turning point after an unfortunate turn of events. She had the time turner, she just needed to get it to the Order. She had to prove that her magical abilities were on par, if not better than her brother's.

She had to show the world that she was not just Harry Potter's sister.

And yet, here she was, lying on the floor with Voldemort cackling while watching her trembling body.

She screamed when he cast the cruciatus, her body bending at odd angles as pain assaulted every fibre of her being. Her thoughts were jumbled and she couldn't think straight. All she wanted was for the pain to stop. Blood trickled down her nose and she choked on the liquid as it also seeped out of her mouth.

She vaguely registered a blurry barrier of black and skulls behind him, death eaters who were watching as she was completely at the mercy of their lord.

"Ah, the forgotten Potter." Voldemort's voice was silky while he kicked her hard on the side.

She whimpered, breath cutting off as she had already sustained a nasty injury to that side. The sole of his shoe dug into her skin, robes sticking uncomfortably to her bloody skin.

The Dark Lord looked down at her with glee in his crimson eyes while he cooed mockingly at her. "It is such a shame that this is how we finally meet. I heard a lot about you." Tears streamed down her face from the amount of pain and agony she was in. She wanted to tell him to fuck off but he kicked her again, a sickening crack resounding in her ears as her face stung. She could barely scream and she could only think of one thing.

She was going to die.

Voldemort could hear her thoughts and he smirked in satisfaction.

He leaned in and made sure to stare in her eyes, sending chills down her spine. "You will die and no one will remember you. Sweet, pathetic, useless little Potter. Avada Kedavra!"

Her eyes squeezed shut when she caught sight of the green light. Her mind kept screaming one thing over and over when the curse hit her right in the heart.

She failed.

Everything went silent and all the major milestones of her life flashed at the front of her mind.

She thought about how she shared a closet with Harry when she lived at the Dursleys' house. Their uncle and aunt were abusive towards the two of them, and they only had each other to lean on. She remembered the excitement she felt when they both got their Hogwarts letter. The ache when they got sorted into different houses. Harry was sorted into Gryffindor while she was sorted in Ravenclaw. The surprise when she found out that people knew Harry as "the boy who lived." The embarrassment when people were confused when they saw her with him and their subtle judgement when she told them she was Harry's twin sister. She was quieter and more shy while Harry was loud and popular, so she went unnoticed often.

Sometimes, she heard people talking about her, hushed whispers when she walked down the halls.

Who is she without Harry? It hurt.

She remembered the incidents that started from her first year at Hogwarts.

She had to help her brother fight off a troll and the notion was so absurd. What 11 year old was fighting a troll in the safest school in Britain? The Triwizard tournament when Harry had to participate had been her worst moments. She was constantly worrying over his safety and well-being. Cedric Diggory had ended up passing away, and she believed her brother when he told her Voldemort was back.

It had been a gradual descent to hell.

Albus Dumbledore.

Severus Snape.

Fred Weasley.

Remus Lupin.

Sirius Black.

Lavender Brown.

Luna Lovegood.

Harry Potter.

The hours of torture at the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov in the Malfoy Manor.

The Battle had shattered her soul into pieces, her heart unable to withstand the agony of losing so many people she valued.

As a conclusion before her mind drifted away into nothingness, she remembered all her happy moments with the people she loved and cared about.

Spending so much time in the Gryffindor common room with Harry, Ron and Hermione.

Meeting Theodore Nott in first-year potions.

Girly talk with Padma and Luna in her dorm together.

Attending the Yule Ball with Theodore.

The small bouts of appreciation she felt for life while on the hunt for Voldemort's horcruxes.

The simple moments when she hugged her brother and Hermione.

When Luna braided her hair with soft hands.

The lingering kiss the last time she saw Theodore before they each had to go their own way.

Lilia Potter had lived an unfulfilling life and now she would die without the chance of changing anything.