"So, how is sixth year? Too overwhelming?"
"It is amusing, in fact. My O.W.L.s results were great and now tests are easier. I have to improve some skills, but is not that hard of a task."
"Even so you look very tired, Tom. Have you been eating and sleeping well?"
"I am fine. I am only spending extra hours preparing for my N.E.W.T.s ", the boy answered as he observed Acrux stop in the middle of a wide meadow.
"Remember, if you need my special potion you can just ask. It might help you to gain more energy, or boost the effects of a three-hour sleep." Tom nodded, thanking her courtesy as he typically did. The girl turned her attention from him, staring in awe at the green area around them. Riddle soon noticed a nearby path that would quickly take them to a little village with a fair amount of houses. A thin smoke could be seen pouring out of chimneys and spiralling above the trees.
"This is where you want to live?" He asked positively skeptical.
"Yes. Away from manors, luxuriant chandeliers, dark walls and family tapestry. Just a lot of wood, dark for certain tables and bookshelves, but light as olive wood for the rest. A big kitchen, besides a few comfortable rooms for the children. Of course, the house will look smaller on the outside, but it will be large on the inside. Nothing a good undetected expansion spell can't do."
"You could ask the authorization from the Ministry of Magic very easily, Black."
"Sure! But where is the fun in it?" The girl saw a crooked smile charmingly taking Tom's features. "It will be nice to be close to the forest, the river and the magical creatures. I could use a house-elf or two, but they will only be helpful hands, using good, new clothes. I hope to steal Kreacher from my cousins, really."
"These ideas of yours..." The comment lingered in the air around them for a while, coming out as a pronounced sigh. Riddle wasn't quite taken by the same pro-equality insights his friend had.
"Oh, yes! My groundbreaking opinions... God, how remarkably scandalous they are", Acrux said sarcastically, letting a melodic laugh slip her lips.
"How can you trust they will keep working for you?"
"Loyalty, clearly. Trusting is not simple, but in some particular occasions we can afford the risk."
"How didn't I notice such an obvious fact? Thank you for the enlightenment, miss revolutionary." He said with humour.
"I am not even asking anyone to think the same way I do, so I am not causing any revolution", she stated. "You are my confidant, Mr. Riddle. I expect you not to tell a soul about my silly ideas."
"Never." Tom quickly shot, rolling his eyes as he heard her speak with excessive politeness. "Your house sounds like a big manor in a Hufflepuff style though. But do continue with your daydreams, please." She twisted her nose at that, contemplating the distasteful possibility of sounding as silly as a little girl dreaming to be a princess. The Slytherin's tone when he said 'daydream' made her feel ridiculous. Acrux scowled, proceeding to ignore Tom's last remark.
"Well, I could make my own garden. Grow some fruits and vegetables besides the flowers, you know? I can imagine kids running everywhere. Maybe three boys and a girl", she said abnormally excited. "Not forgetting to mention I will have a marvelous job."
It was a windy Spring day. Both of the students took their free time to have a conversation, get out of the school grounds and catch up on the latest news. Unfortunately, there weren't any new events, so they engaged in light conversation, contemplating the inevitable future laying ahead of Hogwarts. Exchanging information on which were the best career options was helpful, but not as funny or enjoyable as talking about personal matters. The two friends, a strange pair to walk together in everybody's opinions, barely met at the castle. The apparently heavy months of work combined with their different schedules and distant Houses kept them apart. Their walk was, however, refreshing in many ways.
"And a dreamy husband, huh?" Tom said with a smirk. "Your expectations are very different from the ones of other girls, thinking about a career I mean. The simple house in a forest is also very exotic, but I have the impression you would be crazy about the husband matter just like most of girls."
"I don't know. You're aware I hardly ever talk about having a family, although it sounds as a good idea. And if I were to find the perfect man I believe I would have to rescue him from his tower, because I don't see anyone interested around here." She joked about in a cheerful tone. "But who knows? Perhaps there is a Scottish lad waiting for me out there, or a fine Bulgarian."
"What do you have with those guys? You want a carrot-head or a rude sod?" He asked rhetorically. "Then again, interesting wants are those of yours."
"Oh, stop it! The 'carrot-heads' as you say are very sweet and loyal, and the 'rude ones' are quite respectful and intelligent."
"I said rude sods, actually", he said in an innocent tone. "Not every man is like that, Acrux."
"Well, the ones I know are." The girl lastly said with a little smile and mischievous eyes.
"Have you met a lot of Scottish or Bulgarians, may I ask?"
"A few, indeed."
"How much is a few?"
"Six of each, I believe, all around our age or some years older. No, seven! I certainly know seven of each."
"Fourteen that you consider to marry with? That is an entire Quidditch match, miss!"
"Wow! Who would dare say you know anything of Quidditch, right? Don't be ridiculous. Most are my friends and I wouldn't see them in any other way. I was just proving my point. They fit as sweet and respectful, which I am very proud of. They have many qualities."
"Most, as you said, are your friends. Most is not everyone, so there is a fair amount of possible suitors. This leaves us with how many?"
"Two." Tom's eyes widened a bit and he glared at the girl in search for any sign of mockery in her features. Acrux absent-mindedly played with a leaf between her fingers, thinking seriously about the subject of their conversation. "No, probably just one. I mean... my father and mother truly enjoy the idea of uniting me with Aleksandar Krum."
"What? Krasimir!? What a cheap choice for your parents to do. I thought they had a better taste. And the man is what, seven years older than you?"
"Uh, seven! Lucky number." Acrux said, making a poor joke out of the situation. Tom's mouth was a thin line, and she realized she wouldn't take the smallest of smiles from him. "My parents do have a fine taste, thank you very much."
"Krasimir is just an idiotic Quidditch player with loads of muscles, but no brains. And, matter-of-factly, his name is ridiculous."
"That is an unfair stereotype. He is not automatically dumb or uncultured because he is an athlete. He can actually put up conversations as interesting and clever as yours in parties full of old goats. Alek is only quiet, and his name is very pretty and strong."
"Your opinion on that latter is insignificant. You like every rubbish you hear or lay eyes on."
"Oh, excuse me, but you too are the only one that likes the name Acrux else than my parents and brother, Mr. Tom Riddle." She gave back, letting the one middle name that he liked out. Acrux also knew how to bother Marvolo, especially since their opinions about his name diverged.
Names. That seemed for most people a simple matter; however, when you live between pure blood "nobility" and the muggle world's greedy fragility, there is no greater value than a family with connections.
Acrux Selene Black. A good name in Tom's concept.
"Krasimir is, for Merlin's socks, a legendary name to carry through a world cup and to make history while on a broom. Sounds like a classic name for a player."
Riddle looked at his friend with criticism, pointedly disagreeing with every word she said.
"Aaaannnd, Krasimir gets on his broom at full speed! The Bulgarian dodges a bulger, flies right between the Irish beaters and fools the keeper! 100 points to the Bulgarians!" Acrux imitated an announcer, irritating her friend even more. Tom simply huffed with boredom. "Oh, come on! You are no fun."
"Uuuh! Krasimir. Krasimir. Krasimir." She whispered at the end, moving her arms up in a victorious manner. "You can't even say you are not drought to scream along with the crowd."
"Fine. I am done with those crazy, red people. Bulgarians look like a bunch of hideous Gryffindor flags flying around the Quidditch pitch. At least I know you have the brains to refuse Krum. Your parents really don't see any trouble in offering their fourteen-year-old daughter to a guy that is on the verge of twenty-one?"
"I don't see problems with a short age gap... and things carry on here in a different way, Tom, you know that."
Short? Just for you and these wizards, Tom thought, picturing Krum with animosity.
"And, well, it is not exactly my brain that does the job. Things between us just wouldn't happen anyway. We are good acquaintances, flying around sometimes and exchanging knowledge. Alek teaches me his native language and some German, while I teach him English and Arabic." She uttered, being silent for a few seconds, emerging in her own memories. Their classes were instructive, but unfortunately their parents misinterpreted their friendly meetings, calling them 'signs'.
"It is a fine trade, but nothing more. Being good and nice looking won't necessarily attract love or any romantic feelings upon you." She seemed to be talking more to herself at that moment. Tom could almost hear the wheels spinning in her head as she probably thought a problem through.
Her parents must be really digging that idea about marriage with Krum, Riddle concluded.
"That's at least valid for me and other healthy people, unlike your girlfriends at Hoggy", Acrux teased. The Slytherin's expression twisted at that reminder. The picture of those sticky colleagues whispering his name to each other during lunch and giggling would never stop bothering him. Acrux chuckled at his unpleased expression.
"Basically you can't control who you're falling for, either if you are willing to or not." The Hufflepuff's voice took him back to the surface, thankfully.
"I see. How fortunate for Krum, then. If he relies on his face and that bludger-broken nose any chance upon marrying will be ruined." Tom said in acknowledgement, throwing a joke in an attempt to sound less curious about the new subject than he really was. The girl had some idealistic thoughts on love, indeed, but her views were interesting, at least. For Riddle's misfortune, she was convincing him of the truthfulness of those ideas. The reason for that was yet silent, dormant, but it scared the boy. "And what about the carrot-head, then?"
"What about him?" This time Acrux had to contain a smile that had just been formed in the corner of her mouth, but she failed miserably. That earned Tom a frown, though the girl seemed to hardly notice.
"You stepped out very rapidly to defend Krasimir. Won't you even say this other guy's name?"
"Reid", she slipped in a laugh, anticipating Tom's reaction.
"For Salazar's sake. How imaginative those lads and lasses, aren't they? Literally red."
"In fact, I never saw a hair as his. It looks like a Confringo charm, like fire. Well, anyway, his name is Allister Reid..."
"Let me guess", interrupted Tom, "Fraser, perhaps?"
"Macchruim."
"Now that is disappointing. After getting a Scottish variation of Alexander and explicitly referring to his hair I expected less, much less."
"Stop joking in such a toxic way."
"Just admit you enjoy it", Tom provoked her, fully aware of how she was resisting his humour.
"Never." Acrux said with a laugh.
Acrux Selene "Krasimir" Krum. Acrux Selene Macchruim. It was annoying how she could fit well with strong names, and perhaps that was why she naturally fancied those guys. Or at least one of them. The latter name, Macchruim, seemed actually perfect, which felt so wrong at the same time. It was just bad, a bad idea in Tom's conception.
'Sure. She would certainly be attracted by somebody because of his name.' The poisonous phrase which followed that first statement echoed through Riddle's mind, finally making him frown once more.
Acrux Selene Riddle.
Damit! Not the same as the other ones… But what was he even wondering about?
"Merlin, Tom! You are the one full of rubbish", the girl said then as she thinked about the boy beside her. Tom smiled a bit, but not for too long. Acrux maintained a knowing sparkle to her eyes, which caught the boy off-guard and made him contemplate what hidden meanings her words had as they walked through the forest.
Hey, guys! I corrected some mistakes in this old chapter, and then really resented writing most of it. I made it just for fun, really. This Tom Riddle isn't quite Tom, but in the next chapter I pratically erased his personality and pressed start all over again. Hope you enjoy it. :)