The afternoon was falling in golden hues through the glass windows of the Riddle Manor, where soft shadows danced across the ancient carpets. Magnus Riddle, dressed in his usual dark green tuxedo, sat in his favorite armchair. Opposite him, standing with his newly polished wand in his hand and her eyes shining with expectation, was Delphi .
She wore her Hogwarts uniform impeccably. The neutral color did not yet reveal the house that awaited her, but her fidgeting hands and slightly accelerated breathing betrayed the anxiety of her eleven years.
Magnus watched her with a half smile—a rare gesture, reserved only for those who truly had a place in his heart.
" Are you nervous? " he asked, his voice low and firm.
Delphi looked up. Her eyes were intense, a peculiar violet-blue, but what was most striking was her determined expression.
— A little… but excited.
Magnus stood slowly, his footsteps silently heading toward the fireplace. He held out his hand and she took it immediately.
— Delphi… — he said slowly, as if weighing each word. — Tomorrow you will leave this house for the first time to live among other young wizards. Hogwarts will be your new home, and I know that can be intimidating. But I want you to take something with you… something more important than any spell.
She stared at him, absorbing every word.
— Never pretend to be something you are not. Not out of fear, not to please others. You are my daughter — and that means there is no shame in your origins, but also that you do not need to be defined by them.
Delphi bit her lower lip.
— But what if they find out who my father was?
Magnus approached, touching the girl's shoulder affectionately.
— Then you will show them who you truly are . You are not the legacy of a tyrant. You are Delphi Riddle , my heir. A soul forged not by blood, but by choices. And you will choose to be better.
She nodded, excited.
" What about the house? " he asked. "What if I don't get into Slytherin?"
Magnus smiled serenely.
" Ah, the House… " he murmured, looking out the window. "I was a Slytherin, yes. And I confess that I would love to see you wearing silver and green, walking through the dungeons with pride. But most of all…"
He knelt before her, so that their eyes were level.
— ...I want you to go wherever your heart tells you. Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor... it doesn't matter. As long as you're happy, I'm satisfied. A wizard's true House is the one where he can grow, love, and be himself.
Delphi threw her arms around Magnus's neck with a muffled sigh.
— Thank you for giving me all this… for giving me a chance.
" You don't owe me anything , Delphi," he whispered, hugging her tenderly. "The world may have failed your mother, but I will never fail you."
When she finally pulled away, Magnus raised his wand.
With a simple gesture, he conjured a small silver snake that wrapped itself around the lapel of his coat, a symbol of protection.
"She will accompany you to the Hogwarts Express," he said. "A reminder… that you will never be alone."
Delphi smiled, hugging the small, enchanted figure to her chest.
And as she left the hall to pack her bags, Magnus stood there, watching the door close.
The world would have to prepare itself. Because Magnus Riddle's heir was ready to begin her own journey.
And she would take with her not the burdens of the past… But the hopes of a new legacy.