"Oh you can't help that." Said the cat: "We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad."
Chapter 1
"Well done Alicia! I couldn't have expected less from you. 10 points to Slytherin." Professor Slughorn praised the petite brunette. No more than five feet tall, her hands and feet also were very fragile looking, long dark chocolate locks that went over her small but fitting breasts, in loose natural curls, pale skin with a few freckles on her face, and stunning all blue eyes behind long eyelashes. Ah yes her name, Alicia Evelyn Rhineheart, a model student, prefect, everyone loved her. She was smart, beautiful, kind, understanding, charming...
'Of course I did outstandingly you stupid git. And only 10 fucking points, he should be rewarding me points since I decided to roll out of bed this morning to come to his god awful class.' She thought with a smile plastered on her face.
"Thank you Professor, it's all thanks to your teaching that I excel well. I must admit Professor I was nervous about brewing this potion." She said in a sickeningly sweet voice. She could hear the whispers around her. 'Isn't she cute, and she's so nice, I don't understand how she was placed in slytherin.' Those words floating around the room being passed to one another.
She sat back down in her chair relieved of standing. In all honestly she hated putting effort into anything, but it kept her reputation up, if she does the work, and truthfully the work was never that hard, she was a pureblood afterall. And if you're a good student people don't suspect many things that go on in your head. She watched as Slughorn went over to the other students cauldrons' observing their progress, she noticed a few unpleasant expressions on his face every once in awhile.
She also dissected when the professor's eyes lit up, as if it were Christmas, as he looked into one other person's cauldron.
"Why Tom! This is an absolutely perfect brew of Draught of living death! 20 more points to slytherin!" Slughorn exclaimed with his 'fat pudgy', as Alicia called it, finger in the air. Alicia had to hide her disgust 'fucking bastard, all because he's Slughorn's favorite student he gets more points. Maybe Professor is queer for Tom.' She almost started laughing out in the open.
Alicia grasped her bag in her hand as the class ended and started filing out of the classroom. A blank expression evident on her face, as she felt Tom look at her with a smirk in which she could swear was a cocky one. She just very pleasantly smiled back keeping her thoughts to herself as always. 'Go die you fucker' she started to trudge out of the room as well, following the other students.
"Alicia!" She turned her head at the sound of her name. 'Aw fuck not this bitch.'
"Penelope!" she called back waving at her 'friend' with her charming smile. The other girl caught up to Alicia, grabbing her tiny hands in her own large ones. Alicia almost, showed her annoyance in this gesture, but alas she did not. She could feel Riddle watching her once more.
"Oh how I missed you over the summer. And I didn't see you at the feast last night. We have so much to talk about! Oh what class do you have next? Ah- divinations, I have transfiguration next. I guess I'll have to talk to you when we head to lunch, sit with me and the rest of the Ravenclaws could you Alicia?" Penelope finished with a sigh. 'Your hands are hot and sweaty, your hair looks ratty and you have chicken legs, and I pray you die before lunch in a most horrendous way, so that I won't have to listen to your silly little stories.'
"I missed you to Penelope. It's such a shame we don't have many classes together, I can't wait for this afternoon. I must head to class now though, I really do not like to be late" She tightened her hands around Penelope's in a friendly way.
"Oh of course, I've kept you awhile, I'll talk to you later Alicia." Penelope gave her a hug much to Alicia's displeasure. She waved goodbye to Penelope and started for divination. Riddle not far behind her.
She could hear his footsteps behind her own, as they walked along the route to divinations. 'What a fucking creeper, he's just staring at my back as we walk without saying a word. Oh there's a shudder.' As she felt the goosebumps rise, Alicia decided to look back at Riddle and gesture for him to walk beside her with the, "most welcoming", smile she could muster.
"Mr. Riddle, I would very much appreciate your company beside me if you could so kindly give it to me." Alicia ground out with extreme difficulty, though it seemed perfect as she said it. Tom quickened his pace to be beside her, a charming smile gracing his lips.
"Miss Rhineheart, I was not sure you would enjoy my company, you must forgive me, for I thought you disliked me so I did not wish to disturb you."
"Have I given off that impression towards you? I am terribly sorry." Alicia forced upon her face one of sorrow as she made it seem as though she was truly apologizing. 'You thought right you filthy half-blood. But how could he tell? Maybe I've been letting some glares slip…. fuck.'
"Well, Mr. Riddle I would like to invite you to walk with me to divinations every time we head there if you would like to. I do not wish for you to think that I dislike you again." She put on another false bedazzling smile in an attempt for him to believe her.
"Miss Rhineheart, thank you for such a nice invitation, but your false smiles are not needed." Alicia stopped dead in her tracks, adrenaline pumping through her veins, her heart pounding in her head in panic.
"Whatever do you mean Mr. Riddle? I assure you that the emotions that I show are genuine." She started walking once more her head hanging down to hide just how horrendous her expression was at the moment. Quickly changing it to one of confusion she looked up at Tom.
"Well then, you must forgive me of such an accusation towards you Miss Rhineheart, I just don't wish for you to force yourself is all." Tom said as they began their trek again nearing the classroom, Alicia did not respond as he opened the door for her, she hurried inside and sat at a table with a studious ravenclaw, so she would not be beside Tom.
As class started, Alicia couldn't help but let her mind wonder back to what had just happened. 'How long has he known? No, no, no, I should just play it cool. I'll just keep doing like I have been, no big deal, no big deal at all.' She stared glaring daggers at the back of Tom's perfectly parted hair. She snapped out of it when the ravenclaw beside her gently poked her, she finally got a good look at the boy on the other side of the table.
Blonde short hair, sea green eyes, a slight tan, looked well built, basically in Alicia's book he had acceptable looks. He pointed at the crystal ball to indicate what the assignment was. She nodded graciously towards him.
"I'm Alicia R-
"I know who you are. Mostly everybody does. Little miss perfect you are." Alicia's eye twitched in irritation as she tried not to show her dissatisfaction at him cutting her off. 'What a rude boy, at least I have the decency to only be rude in my head. Little dipshit.' She turned towards the ball pretending that she was doing the assignment. Half of class must have gone by when the boy attempted to speak to her again.
"I'm sorry for being rude just a moment ago, I'm having quite the rough day, could you forgive me? By the way I'm Oliver Ashmore." He stuck out his hand, waiting for her to accept his apology. She paused for a moment thinking in her head 'he must be kidding…' but regardless of her thoughts she slowly lifted her hand to his and responded.
"Apology accepted, would you like to talk about what's wrong?" 'Like, I actually care what's wrong….please say no please say no!'
"Oh no, thanks for the offer, but I wouldn't want to burden you with my problems." He said with a slight grin.
"Well I'm here if you ever want to talk about anything." She told him happily. 'OH THANK MERLIN' Alicia shrilled in her head. She saw his face turn serious as he looked at her with a slight blush. 'oh goodness what's the dipshit thinking.'
"Also if you would so kindly accept, maybe... a date to hogsmeade with me next month as another form of an apology, of course if you have other plans on that day then don't worry about it." He said the last part in a heated way for his face turned a bit redder. 'So that was his plan the whole time, clever little boy, I should just say I have plans, although... he is a pure blood that far I can tell, He also seems to be a lot more submissive than that Zabini boy my parents keep putting me up with. His looks are also fairly acceptable, maybe I can switch up my parents match making with my own. Also first day back and he's already on the move' She put on one of her most stunning smiles as she answered him.
"Of course i would love... to accompany you." She noticed when Mr. Riddle's head turned slightly in her direction at her answer. 'What an interesting reaction Riddle dear.' she thought smugly
X
It all came too soon... lunch with Penelope Adams. Mud-blood Ravenclaw she was, and after Alicia had so kindly accepted Ashmore's date suggestion he suddenly thought he could escort her like a gentleman. Apparently he knew Penelope, which was how he knew about Alicia in the first place.
"Here we are Ms. Rhineheart, one nice seat next to the wonderful Penelope Adams!" He gave a nice bow to make it somewhat of a joke, which Alicia did not find funny at all. But she let a girly giggle out nonetheless. 'That's right, bow before me!' she was far more sadistic than they needed to know.
"Oh goodness Alicia, we have so much to catch up on!" Penelope hugged her and with great frustration and strength, and maybe a dash of courage, Alicia managed to hug the filth back in the most sociable of ways. Never once letting her facade down.
"Oh my we do, my friend, you know how your stories of your Muggle ways interest me. The things you guys use are so very strange to me." 'Yes strange, of course I'd rather you all died. But some things are too much to wish for. Hopefully Grindelwald will grant my desire.' A beautiful smile in which her perfectly white teeth showed, Penelope misunderstood Alicia to be entertained by the story she had been telling.
Silly mudblood.
Alicia started filling her plate with various fruits occasionally catching things in both Oliver and Penelope's stories of their summer, every once in awhile putting her own experiences in as well, when it was appropriate, of course. As lunch neared to an end she said her sweet nothing goodbyes to her 'friends.' Oliver keeping his attentions on her longer than necessary, which pleased her greatly. She left the great hall gracefully and started heading to transfiguration with the crazy odd ball Professor Dumbledore. 'Today' she thought 'is going to be a fucking long one.' As she recalled that she basically shared all her classes with the half- blood slytherin. And also the fact that Dumbledore had a disliking towards her that she couldn't even fathom. Of course the professor was much smarter than he looked and acted so she shouldn't be surprised that he can see past her ruse.
She signed and continued on her way.
X
Dinner, later than sooner, past and it was time for everyone to finally head to their dorms. Alicia sighed with great relief she couldn't wait to snuggle up in her pillow and dream of a world when there were no more dirty muggle borns but alas Alicia Evelyn Rhineheart was not having the luckiest of days as we know. She had prefect duties in patrolling the dungeons with 'that god awful halfblood' as she put it, Tom Riddle. She rounded the next corner nearly running into the thing himself.
"Ah, Mr. Riddle, you nearly gave me a heart attack." She made an attractive pouting face and put her hand over her, actually very calm, heart. He gave her a warm apologetic smile.
"Forgive me, Ms. Rhineheart, it was not my intention to do so." He gestured with his already lit wand for the pair to start their rounds. Alicia reached in her robe to retrieve her own wand, which was 14 inches made of holly with a unicorn hair as its core. The handle at the end had a brownish red ball, that was then continued as smaller knots on the wood for her hand to mesh in, after the handle it had a leaf carved in that weaved all the way around till the tip of her glorious wand. How she adored her ... piece of wood. She nearly giggled at the innuendo.
"Lumos." She chanted with a flick of her wrist, her wand lit on command, as it should. The round had been fairly quiet and that much Alicia appreciated. She quite enjoyed her peace and quiet, her thoughts only to herself.
'Ahhh, how enjoyable the night air is, if only it weren't contaminated with half blood breath.' Her thoughts began as an almost sneer appeared on her face, which she hid quickly when Riddle angled his head towards her with a smirk and for she returned. 'It's quite sad actually Riddle indeed holds a nice appearance, one that could be enviable to others in fact.'
Of course all good things always come to an end, when Riddle decided to voice his thoughts on a certain matter.
"So in Divinations today I heard Ashmore asking you to Hogsmeade, interesting fellow requesting a date only the first day back. Don't you think?" Riddle inclined his head towards her, and she swore there was a slight disgust in the mention of the boy's name. Alicia sighed inwardly 'And here I was enjoying myself.' She turned her head towards him to speak.
" I hadn't thought you would have been listening Mr. Riddle. But it was quite interesting, I must agree. He asked though more as an apology for he was fairly unbecoming towards me when I had tried to introduce myself to him. So he asked to escort me to be forgiven, and I accepted." Alicia answered in a soft toned voice like velvet. She wasn't looking at him anymore but she could feel his 'Muggle filth' eyes observing her, making the hair on her neck rise.
"And you accepted such a form of an apology?" Tom asked innocently 'mockingly', as Alicia thought it to be, giving an expression that matched the tone.
"Oh no, I didn't just accept as an act of forgiveness, I found him quite interesting really." She let out a slight giggle putting a hand appropriately to her mouth. "He is a very handsome boy to." And there she gave a blush. She really should be an actress. She was hoping fro silence but what her ears were met with was a, a, a, fucking throaty snicker, that made her hair rise in anger.
"Is there something you find humorous?" Alicia asked with a bit of irritation. Riddle gave a guilt, shocked mask on his facial features, as if he had been caught stealing a cookie.
"No, of course not, Miss Rhine heart." They had already stopped midway through the dungeon hall, while Alicia gave the look of a playful glare, although it was actually real. While Riddle gave her a playful glance, which Alicia found very suspicious, Riddle doesn't do playful. So She simply stuck her nose in the air and continued down the hallway with Riddle trailing behind her with a malicious gleam in his eye that she had missed.
She just ignored him until the end of the round in which they parted ways in the common room and she went up to sleep. And you can already guess what she dreamed of.
X
Alicia was rudely interrupted while she was sleeping sometime in the next month, the first Hogsmeade trip was today, all of her roommates hustling around the small room trying to get ready for the 'fun filled' day. Alicia wandlessly closed her bed curtains to silence all the horrendous noise occurring. She rubbed her eyes with her hands making an attempt to wake up so as to not be late. 'See Professor Slughorn, I try so hard to roll out of my wonderful bed throne.' She thought to herself sarcastically. Next was a bit of stretching, now she was getting a bit more motivated, mostly because she really needed to use the girl's lavatory. So she finally gave into her bodily function hating every moment of feeling human and headed into the restroom to do her needs.
After relieving herself she headed into the baths, where she lazily washed herself. She finally dried off and magically did her hair. Doing the in style of the 1940's she put on a black slanted straw hat that went perfectly with her brown curls. Alicia shimmied into a baby blue dress that showed no cleavage whatsoever so around the neck there was a white, laced collar. Because, as her mother put 'you don't want to look like a 10 cent whore now do we dear.' the dress came a little bit past her knees, and she wore a fairly wide, white, waist belt with three buttons to close it with. She wore white gloves and black 3inch heels on her feet.
After finally finishing she checked herself in the mirror. 'Yup, all the bitches will be jealous.' she thought inwardly and smirked smugly on the outside for once. She grabbed a charcoal colored peacock coat and headed for the courtyard so that she could get into a carriage with 'dipshit', Oliver Ashmore.
But not everything goes as planned for Alicia Evelyn Rhineheart, Oliver was not present at the moment. Oh no 'the filthy half blood.' Tom Riddle was standing there looking suave with his hands in his coat pocket waiting for a carriage to Hogsmeade with all his followers.
"Good morning Miss Rhineheart, how are you this fine day?" Tom questioned with a face that seemed genuine while his little minions eyed her up and down. Alicia suppressed the urge to grimace at the fact that the present company was not one of intelligent conversation. Black with his pale skin and very dark and unruly hair with his tall stature and Malfoy with his platinum blonde hair shining brilliantly as he stood slightly shorter than Cygnus, were the followers present this day. 'I don't understand why they follow such trash.' She thought to herself before she answered him.
"I'm doing quite fine today thank you, and yourselves?" She spoke back, letting her eyes lower shyly during her act. She caught the red on the other two faces but not on Tom. She felt extremely annoyed by his lack of reaction.
"I'm doing quite well actually, thank you for asking. It must be so difficult for you to be worrying about others well being all the time." He said with a slight mocking smile as the other two mumbled their 'good' under their breath. So she concluded quickly that what he oozed out of his mouth had an under meaning. She used a gloved hand to pull a strand of hair behind her ear to buy some time for thought process.
"It's not difficult at all, unlike for some people I guess." She moved towards the trio. "Oh dear, Abraxas your hair, let me get this for you." she brushed his hair in a more attractive way, as he gave a cocky smirk. 'Hmph there's the Malfoy I know, not the little mouse he's been so far.' Riddle looked disapproving by her contact with the blonde boy as Malfoy grabbed her hand gently when she finished and kissed her hand.
"My lady Alicia, I would escort you to Hogsmeade myself, but I've been hearing terrible rumors around that you have already been claimed by that Ashmore boy," he raised his head and looked this way and that in an exaggerated move. "Which by the way I don't see anywhere. I might just have to snatch you away for myself." Alicia let out a giggle and answered.
"I might have to take you up on your offer if he ends up not showing up, I do hope I haven't been stood up that would just be awful." She felt an arm go around her shoulders, and saw the dark haired boy next to her, she moved into the embrace more. 'I wonder where the fuck my date is? I bet he's jerking off in the bathroom. I wouldn't put it pass him, ugh I should just go with them when the next carriage comes around, but that THING will be in there with me.'
"If he does end up not showing up, I'll see to it personally that some...polite goodbyes are made for you." Cygnus said haughtily, Riddle moved in next.
"Oh you would do that for me, thank you I know I wouldn't be able to face him, but I do hope it doesn't come towards that situation though." She said softly putting a closed fist over her chest. Alicia felt a slight chill on the back of her neck as she felt a piece of her hair being gently grasped. She turned her head slightly back and saw Riddle's 'dirty hands' tainting her hair with a nonchalant look on his face. Her body visibly tensed with her rage.
"You wouldn't have to worry about a thing if such a situation comes, we'll take care of everything." Riddle smirked coldly and went to kiss her hair that was still in between his fingers. She felt her face scrunch up in disgust her eyes narrowed, she knew the other boys could not see her expression, only Tom, she made it known how much his little act made her cringe. His eyes lit up in triumph at her, as he finished putting the curl to his lips. Her mind screamed at her to burn him, torture him to do the cruiciatus curse for hours at such a gesture.
"Alicia?" She heard a meek voice call. She instantly turned her head at the person calling. She put on her game face and called back to him enthusiastically.
"Oliver, there you are. I've been waiting forever!" She removed herself from the circle of Slytherins over to the Ravenclaw. She did the same gesture to him as she had done to Malfoy in an attempt to relax him.
"Yes please excuse my tardiness, I overslept you see, courtesy to my roommates." He explained to her while he glared at the boys behind her.
"Oh don't worry Ashmore we were able to keep her company, you can just frolic away now, you are unneeded here." Malfoy said with a sneer evident on his face. Riddle was still showing an, 'unsightly smile' towards her. She took Oliver's arm and hugged it to her chest tightly.
"Abraxas! Don't say such things!" She scolded warmly. Rhineheart was starting to feel the burns from Riddle's eyes. 'I can't believe I gave him the satisfaction of my reaction! I just fell right into his scheme he's purposely annoying me! I won't let it happen again, I'll have to be prepared next time.' A carriage pulled up at the end of her thought. She weaved her hand in Oliver's and tugged him towards their transportation as if she was excited.
"Come on in with us dears!" Alicia giddily spoke. Oliver helped her inside and the rest piled in after her. As if some sort of muted conversation took place Malfoy and Black quickly sat on the other side leaving room for one more person on both sides. Riddle smiled, revealing to her his obvious plan.
"Mind if I sit beside you Miss Rhineheart?" Oh he knew she couldn't refuse him in front of everyone it would seem rude to. He just seems like a boy who is interested in her, even if judging by the looks of his followers they knew he had other intentions even if they didn't know what exactly. Luckily she didn't have to answer.
"Why don't you just bugger off and sit next to your little friends." Ashmore said with more backbone than she thought he could. She snapped her head towards him with an appreciative smile.
"Of course she is your date, excuse my behavior. Make sure you don't let her out of your sight though someone might snatch her up." He spoke darkly towards the Ravenclaw as he sat next to Malfoy.
There was a disagreeable silence in the air, Alicia sort of felt suffocated in it. She could feel Riddle's scrutinizing gave upon her, she sat up straighter, then slouched slightly as she realized what she had just done. She had attempted to impress Riddle, because of how he was looking onto her. A frown slowly graced her face, as she felt absolutely horrified with herself. She, Alicia Evelyn Rhineheart, had straightened her back as if she were with important company, when all that had been was a disgusting halfblood. Alicia averted her eyes back to Riddle, and their eyes made contact with one another.
She sucked in a breath, as she gazed upon his smoldering dark eyes. She suddenly felt extremely exposed to Tom Riddle. As if he knew everything about her, as if he could see through everything. She suddenly felt flustered and she forced herself to look away, she could almost hear his smile as it graced his lips. She let out the air she had been holding as Oliver squeezed her hand, a signal that they were almost there.
She finally breathed well again when the carriage stopped at their destination. Oliver awkwardly helped her out, and before they could begin their adventure into Hogsmeade she felt a tug on her hand as she was jerked backwards a bit she turned her body and saw Tom holding her hand, Cygnus and Abraxas behind him with a surprised look upon their faces.
"I hope you have a good day miss Rhineheart." He spoke tenderly making it seem like he meant it. Slowly but surly he bent down and kissed her hand, trying to get a rise out of her his eyes locked on her own blue orbs. 'Trying to get me to drop my facade in front of everyone, you insufferable halfblood.' She put on an unparalleled smile towards him.
"I hope you do to Mr. Riddle." All the same he still looked amused at her as if he expected that reaction, as if he could see through everything, like in the carriage.
Oliver pulled her along not hiding well that he was perturbed.