I did not sleep that night.

  I sat in the corner, my back pressed against the cold wall, and stared at the fire in the hearth.

  Marvolo and Morfin were snoring on their beds, filling the hut with sounds that made me want to cover my ears. But I was afraid to move. Afraid that any noise would wake them, and everything would start again.

  Thoughts raced through my head like wild animals in a cage.

  Ogden would come back. He had to come back. In the book he returned with Aurors to arrest Morfin and Marvolo. But when would that happen? Tomorrow? In a week? And what would happen to me when they arrested them?

  I would be alone.

  Alone in this hut in the middle of the forest. Without food, without money, without magic — I didn't even know whether I had any magical ability at all. Probably not. Merope had been considered a Squib and barely possessed magic. And I even less so.

  What was I supposed to do? Where could I go?

  I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to remember the book. After the Gaunts were arrested, Merope was left alone. And that was when she used magic to bewitch Tom Riddle. But I didn't want to do that. I didn't want to force Tom Riddle to fall in love with me.

  I just wanted to go home, back to my own world.

  But there was no way back anymore. I simply had to accept that.

  Toward morning I dozed off. A short, restless sleep without dreams, full of tension. I woke to the sound of someone pounding on the door.

  "Open up! In the name of the Ministry of Magic!"

  I jumped to my feet. My heart started pounding somewhere in my throat.

  Marvolo woke too. He sat up in bed, his wild eyes widening. Morfin growled like an animal and reached for his wand.

  "Don't you dare," Marvolo barked. "Hide it."

  The door burst open.

  Four people stood on the threshold. In front — Ogden. His face was bruised, his lip split, his glasses taped across the bridge. But he looked at the Gaunts with such triumph that I felt uneasy.

  Behind him — three in uniform. Aurors. Tall, fit, wands at the ready. Their gazes swept over the hut, assessing the surroundings, and stopped on me — only for a second, but it was enough to make me feel even dirtier and more pitiful.

  "Marvolo Gaunt, Morfin Gaunt," Ogden said loudly, unrolling a piece of parchment. "You are under arrest on charges of assaulting a Ministry of Magic official, resisting the law, and using magic against Muggles. You will be taken to the Ministry for further proceedings."

  Marvolo jumped up.

  "You!" he shouted. "You dared bring Aurors into my house?!"

  "The law is the same for everyone, Mister Gaunt," Ogden replied calmly.

  "I'll kill you!"

  Marvolo lunged forward, but one of the Aurors flicked his wand, and the old man froze in place like a statue. His eyes spun wildly, but his body would not obey.

  "Morfin Gaunt," Ogden addressed the young man. "Will you resist?"

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  Morfin looked at his father. Then at me. Something strange flashed in his eyes — maybe fear, maybe resignation. He slowly raised his hands.

  "I won't."

  "Smart," Ogden nodded.

  The Aurors searched them both, took their wands — Morfin had a real one, and Marvolo that same crooked stick which, it turned out, was also a wand. Then they bound their hands with some kind of glowing ropes.

  "And who is this?" one of the Aurors asked, nodding toward me.

  I pressed myself into the wall.

  "Miss Merope Gaunt," Ogden replied. "Underage daughter. No charges."

  "She's a Gaunt too," the Auror snorted. "Maybe we should take her as well, just in case?"

  "No," Ogden said firmly. "She was not involved. I am a witness."

  The Auror shrugged and turned away.

  Marvolo, still paralyzed, stared at me. There was such hatred in his eyes that I wanted the ground to swallow me.

  "It's you," he whispered silently with his lips. "Because of you…"

  "Take them," Ogden ordered.

  The Aurors led Marvolo and Morfin out of the hut. On the threshold Morfin turned around. He looked at me for a long moment.

  "Goodbye, sister," he said quietly.

  And left.

  I was alone.

  Well, almost alone. Bob Ogden was still standing in the doorway.

  He looked at me, and there was something in his eyes I couldn't name. Pity? Regret?

  "Miss Gaunt," he said gently. "Are you all right?"

  I wanted to answer "yes." That would have been the easiest thing. But instead I shook my head.

  "No," I whispered. "I'm not."

  Ogden sighed. He stepped into the hut, looked around, grimaced at the smell, and sat on the edge of the bench.

  "I know," he said quietly. "I saw yesterday. The way he treated you."

  I stayed silent.

  "You don't have to stay here," Ogden continued. "There are shelters. There are assistance programs. The Ministry can…"

  "No," I interrupted. "Thank you, but no."

  "Why?"

  Because I don't know this world. Because no one is waiting for me in a shelter.

  I couldn't say that out loud.

  "…I'll manage," I said instead.

  Ogden looked at me for a long moment. Then he reached into the inner pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small purse.

  "There's some money here," he said, holding it out to me. "It should be enough for the beginning."

  I stared at the purse, not believing my eyes.

  "I can't…"

  "You can. Take it."

  He placed the purse on the table.

  "And one more thing." He pulled a folded piece of parchment from another pocket. "This is an address. If things get really bad — write to me. I work at the Ministry, Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Bob Ogden. I'll help you."

  I took the parchment with trembling hands.

  "But why?" I asked. "Why are you doing this?"

  Ogden smiled.

  "Because I saw how you looked at me yesterday. You looked as if no one had ever protected you. As if you had already accepted that you would be beaten your whole life. And then, when I stood between you… for the first time there was hope in your eyes."

  He stood up.

  "I can't change the whole world, Miss Gaunt. But I can help one person. At least try."

  I looked at him and felt tears running down my cheeks.

  "Thank you," I whispered. "Thank you."

  Ogden nodded.

  "Take care of yourself. And remember — you deserve better than this hut and these people. You deserve a normal life."

  Ogden gave one last smile and left.

  I heard his footsteps fade away.

  And then silence came.

  Absolute, deafening silence.

  I stood in the middle of the Gaunts' hut and looked at the door. Beyond it was the forest. Freedom. The unknown.

  In my hand I clutched the purse of money and the parchment with the address.

  I was finally free.

  I lifted my head and looked at the hearth. The fire had almost gone out, only embers smoldering, crumbling into ash.

  "I'll manage," I said out loud to myself. "I will definitely manage this."

  Even despite how bleak my situation was, I still had no intention of giving up.

  At least there was not yet someone in my belly who was destined to become the greatest evil of the wizarding world. Which meant I still had a chance to change everything.

  I stood up and hid the purse Ogden had given me inside my bodice.

  Then I looked around the hut.

  There was nothing here that was mine. Not a single thing I wanted to take. Only dirt, stench, and memories of years of beatings.

  Nevertheless, I decided to say goodbye to this miserable house where Merope Gaunt had lived all these years.

  "Goodbye," I said quietly.

  And I walked out.

  The sun blinded my eyes. After the dimness of the hut, the forest seemed incredibly bright, green, alive. The air smelled of grass and pine. Somewhere birds were singing.

  I took a deep breath — for the first time in three days, with a full chest.

  The path led into the forest, in the direction where, as I knew, the village lay. People. Normal life.

  And I went there.

  Without looking back.

  I did not know what awaited me ahead. I did not know how to survive in this world without money, connections, and magic I did not know how to use. But one thing I knew for certain: I would not repeat the mistakes of the real Merope.

  I would not die in a shelter after giving life to a monster.

  I would survive. And Tom Marvolo Riddle would never be born.

  No matter what it cost me.