2 A Heart of Stone
Tom Marvolo Riddle had risen through positions of power in Slytherin society like a bubble. He frowned. Well, perhaps not exactly like a bubble, but the metaphor was close enough.
And now he was a prefect, respected by every single Slytherin and trusted by Headmaster Dippet. He was definitely destined to be Head Boy, if only the problem with the Heir of Slytherin could be solved.
Tonight would be the night. Tonight, the basilisk would kill a mudblood, and tomorrow Tom could 'catch' Hagrid as the Heir of Slytherin. Hah. Who would believe that a Hufflepuff could be the Heir of Slytherin? And a half-giant at that? Only Armando Dippet.
The black-haired boy prowled through the corridors, well aware that being caught out of bed would be dangerous – even for a prefect or future Head Boy. Tonight, after all, was not his night for prefect duty.
Tom crept up to the girls' bathroom that led to the Chamber of Secrets and called up the basilisk. It followed him through the pipes as he wandered through Hogwarts. He was searching for the mudblood Hufflepuff who was on perfect patrol.
And then, at the end of the corridor, he saw Niobe.
The basilisk smelt her, and he could feel it speeding up as it approached her, moving in for the kill, and Tom was paralysed with terror, unable to speak, and it was going to kill Niobe.
"NO!"
Whether the shout was in English or Parseltongue, Tom didn't know. He'd been too terrified to notice. Or care, as long as it stopped the basilisk.
Tom was relieved to find that it had, and, as he approached Niobe to check that she was okay, he told the basilisk to return to the Chamber of Secrets and stay there.
Niobe was fine, completely unaware of what had been happening in the pipes. A smile lit up her face at the sight of Tom.
"Hello Tom! Are you on prefect duty tonight too?"
Tom frowned. "Why are you on prefect duty? Shouldn't it be the Jones girl?"
"Marissa wasn't feeling well," Niobe explained, "so she asked if I could do it instead. She offered to take one of my shifts later on. Isn't she a dear?"
Tom smiled, but it didn't reach his eyes.
"I should go and check…" His voice faded, as he prowled back in the direction of the girls' bathroom.
Niobe called after him in what was almost a whisper, as though she wasn't sure whether she wanted Tom to hear what she had to say or not.
"I love you, Tom."
If Tom heard her, he didn't look round.