TOM RIDDLE HOUSEFIRE GAME

Back at the Red Team spot, the forest was quiet. The flag hovered just above the ground, red and faint in the mist, and Lucius stayed close, eyes scanning the trees. It was time to send two defenders out. James lifted his hand, ready to make the call. “Wait,” someone said, their voice tense. “Samera… she’s not here.” James froze. He scanned the clearing. He looked around. “She’s gone?” James asked, disbelief in his voice. No one answered at first. “How… Where did she go? Alone?” Lucius muttered, jaw tightening. The forest around them seemed to stretch farther, shadows twisting between the trees. Deep in the forest, Lily and Sameyr had been walking for hours. The mist wrapped around the trees like it was alive, swallowing every sound, every shadow. Lily slowed her steps, unease gnawing at her. “Sameyr… are you sure we’re on the right path?” she asked, trying to keep her voice calm. Sameyr didn’t hesitate. “I know where I’m going,” she said, too steady, too sure. Something in the way she said it made Lily stop. Her stomach twisted. No student would sound that confident about the forest. “Wait,” Lily said, planting her feet. “Where… where are you taking me?” Sameyr turned slowly. First, there was a laugh—soft, amused, chilling. Then she smiled, sharply. “I knew it would be hard getting you to the Master without any… complications,” she said. “From the moment they paired us up, I knew I’d have problems.” Lily’s heart thudded in her chest. “Which… master?” she whispered, her voice barely audible. Sameyr’s wand flicked before Lily could react. “Sorry, Lily,” she said as the tip glowed. “The Master must be risen.” Lily’s vision blurred as the spell hit, her knees giving way. The forest spun around her, shadows twisting, and then everything went black. Lily hit the ground, limp and unmoving. Sameyr stepped over her carefully, crouching to check that she was truly out. She let out a quiet laugh, shaking her head. “Wow… just when I thought I wouldn’t have to carry a body, she had to get suspicious,” Sameyr muttered, a smirk tugging at her lips. She crouched for a moment, then lifted Lily carefully, slinging her over her shoulder. The mist twisted around them, hiding their movements as Sameyr adjusted her grip. “Good thing I planned for this,” Sameyr whispered to herself, moving deeper into the forest, the shadows swallowing them both. Sameyr moved through the forest, Lily slung over her shoulder, branches snapping quietly underfoot. The mist made it hard to see far, but Sameyr made it look easy. Up ahead, she spotted Samera and Tom. The moment Tom saw them, relief and panic flashed across his face. He broke into a run. “What happened to her?” he demanded, stopping just a few feet away, eyes wide. “She got hit by the Blue Team,” Sameyr said smoothly. “We need to get her somewhere she can rest before it gets worse.” Tom’s jaw clenched as he looked at Lily, her body limp and pale. “I’ll carry her,” he said immediately. “I’m not leaving her like that.” Sameyr raised an eyebrow but didn’t protest. “Suit yourself,” she said. “But we need to move fast. The forest isn’t safe, and we can’t stay here.” Samera stepped closer, her eyes scanning the misty trees around them. “There’s a cave not far from here,” she said. “It’s hidden behind that ridge. We can take her there to rest and figure out our next move.” Tom nodded, gently lifting Lily into his arms. But how did you escape them with her on your hands? Sameyr smirked faintly, adjusting her pace to walk alongside him. “Just keep moving,” she said. “We don’t have time for questions.” Samera flanked them, guiding the way. Tom stayed close to Lily, scanning the shadows, the trees, every flicker of movement, his worry for her growing with every step. The mist curled around their legs, hiding their movements as they went deeper into the forest. They arrived at the cave exactly where Samera said it would be. They reached the cave, hidden behind thick roots and low-hanging branches, mist curling around its entrance. Tom stopped dead in his tracks. “A… a cave?” he whispered, eyes wide. “How… how did you even know about this?” Sameyr’s face stayed calm, almost casual. “When I left the team to scout,” she said, shrugging. “I saw it. Thought it would be safe to bring her here.” Tom didn’t look convinced. “Scout? Alone? Why did you leave the team? And… the Red Team’s flag is on the opposite side of the forest. How did you even get here? How did you find this place? What’s going on?” Sameyr and Samera exchanged a glance, then let out quiet, terrible laughs. It wasn’t just laughter—it was sharp, echoing off the cave walls, as it carried through centuries of secrets. Tom’s mind raced. His pulse quickened. “You see, Tom Riddle,” Sameyr said, her voice low and deliberate, “everything they say about you… It’s true. Smart, composed, calculative… the heir to the Gaunts. The one who will fulfill the prophecy.” Tom’s eyes narrowed. “Wait… what? How… how do you know the Gaunts?” Sameyr and Samera didn’t answer immediately. Then, in a blink, they turned—and suddenly their robes were black, the same dark clothing Tom remembered from the Gaunts he’d faced in his first year at Hogwarts. Tom staggered back, his mind spinning. They’re… part of them? All this time? He opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Questions crowded in—too many, too fast. Sameyr stepped closer, voice smooth and unnerving. “What, Tom… aren’t you happy? That we’re related? Our bloodline has run for centuries. Do you really think your grandfather would only send your uncle to spy on you in school?” Her eyes glinted, almost cruel. “He planted us the moment he knew you were starting your year at Hogwarts. Planted us for this… this very moment.” Tom’s heart thudded. Every instinct screamed that something was wrong, yet every thought pulled him toward understanding, toward reckoning. The cave felt smaller now, the shadows pressing closer. The mist seemed to twist with the sisters’ laughter, curling at the edges of his vision. Questions came faster than answers. Who were they really? How deep did this go? And… what did they want from him? He swallowed hard, trying to steady himself. Tom took a slow step backward, his eyes darting between Sameyr and Samera. “What… what do you want with me?” he asked, his voice shaking slightly despite his effort to stay calm. Sameyr smiled, calm and cold. “Everything we’ve done… and everything we will do… it’s all for you,” she said. “We brought you here so you can… fully fulfill the prophecy. As the heir to the Gaunts… and so you can raise our Master from his grave.” Tom froze. His stomach twisted, his mind spinning. Raise… Master? His legs wanted to move—wanted to run—but his body felt like it was glued to the ground. Before he could take a step, dark shapes emerged from the shadows—figures he hadn’t seen before, moving fast, surrounding him. Every path he thought he could take was blocked. “Where do you think you’re going, Heir?” Sameyr’s voice cut through the mist, sharp and certain. “There’s nowhere to run.” Tom’s eyes widened as the figures closed in. Panic surged, but there was no escape. The shadows pushed him forward, herding him toward the cave. His heart pounded in his chest. Every step felt heavier, like the forest itself was pressing him into their plan. The mist thickened around him, curling at his legs, hiding the figures’ movements. The sisters flanked him, their laughter echoing faintly, almost like it came from far away, but close enough to make his head spin. Step by step, Tom was forced deeper into the cave, every instinct screaming that he was walking straight into something far bigger than a game—or anything he’d faced before. TO BE CONTINUED NESSGEEORIGINAL