Lorella smiled gently at her opposite, nodding deeply.

"Why, thank you. And who might you be?" She asked when she withdrew her hand from the dark haired and handsome man.

"You will find me to be called Tom." He said, and for some strange reason, Lorella could not help but notice the weird way of how he worded it. It was as though he was speaking of his name like a trait he disliked.

"Nice meeting you, Tom." Said Lorella gently, turning her face away from his intense gaze to look around a little, but there was not enough time as another guy next to Tom has already decided to catch Lorella in a conversation.

"So, where are you from? I'm Roy by the way. Roy Lestrange." He said. Lorella raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Where I'm from? Is that so important?" She asked.

"Of course!" Grinned a blond male next to Roy. Lorella glanced at him. "I'm Warren Avery. Your case is unique. There's never been a student randomly skipping schools. How'd you manage that?"

"Ah well. Be a little more patient, dear. Read the newspaper tomorrow." Snickered Lorella and nodded a 'thank you' at a girl next to her handing over a glass of pumpkin juice, but something caught Lorella's attention when she looked at her. Her bottom lip was split and she seemed stressed, but she smiled at Lorella nonetheless, saying "my name is Amanda. I can show you around after breakfast if you want."

"I will do that. That's a prefect's job." Said Tom suddenly and Lorella glanced over to him. He and Amanda seemed to have a nonverbal conversation, and the girl just nodded, quickly looking away. Lorella did not comment, but instead sipped on her pumpkin juice.

"Are you not hungry?" Asked Warren Avery. Lorella shook her head. "No, I was way too excited, I can't eat yet."

Roy smirked as he nudged Avery's elbow and tilted his chin over to Slughorn, who walked up to them by now.

"AHH Miss Fawst." Said Slughorn with a cheer, squeezing Lorella's hand firmly. "I'm Professor Slughorn, the potion's teacher. I sure hope to see you in my classes?" He asked. Lorella nodded with a smile.

"I'm pleased to meet you, Professor - yes of course. Thank you for your warm welcome."

"May I make that welcoming even warmer by inviting you to one of our exclusive evenings with a couple of other students next Wednesday? Just sitting together, having a nice chit-chat and dinner. Would you allow me to fascinate you with that?" He asked with a soft chuckle.

"Oh. I" Lorella seemed taken aback. "That's, I, sure. Why not." She nodded and Slughorn almost squeaked in joy. "Excellent, excellent! Oh, Tom, I do hope to count you present this time, my boy!" He waggled a thick index finger at him and Tom paid him a faint smile. "I will be there, Professor." He said in his oily tone.

"Excellent!" Slughorn squeaked again. "Avery, Lestrange, anytime. And tell Black and Mulciber that they're invited, too." He added, then tossed his hand up in a wave. "See you soon." He grinned joyously and walked off, Lorella couldn't help but notice his motivated walking. While she watched him a little absentmindedly, she did not feel the staring from the men in front of her, until the oily voice of Tom called her back to reality.

"Shall we go, Lorella?" He asked. She nodded at him and got up, leaving with a soft smile that was slightly dismissed when she saw the troubled eyes of Amanda following them.

"That girl, Amanda, is she okay?" Asked Lorella as Tom closed the gate like door of the Great Hall. He glanced at her, nodding politely. "She is a bit strange." He said, but before Lorella could comment, he interrupted her.

"The castle of Hogwarts is enormously big. It will take some time until you've seen everything, we could not cover it within a few hours where even students need years and still have not seen everything. But do not worry. You have a whole year to orientate yourself a little. And in case you need help, I will be there."

"You're so kind. So very unlike what I have always heard of Slytherins." Said Lorella as they proceeded walking. Tom chuckled, though still staring ahead as the both of them went ahead towards the Herbology greenhouse.

"You may not want to listen to what people outside of Slytherin say. The Sorting Hat has chosen you because you have the potential to be nothing less but great, which leaves me concluding that you possess the ability to see through these ridiculous attempts of putting us Slytherins down. We are concerned of our own, and you are, as of now, one of us." He turned to her, looking into her catlike eyes. Lorella almost ran into him and noticed the goosebumps when Tom said that, but she also felt extremely odd by his stare. It felt like the air turner chillier, though on a second thought she was blaming it on the greenhouse's climate. Tom turned back around and Lorella followed him through the different parts of the castle, and after an hour of showing her around, she knew where she would be taught her lessons, where the lavatory was and how she could get through secret passageways. She panted a little when she climbed out of a portrait hole and was now facing a large spiraling staircase leading down.

"The Slytherin's common room and our dormitories are in the dungeon. Come." He said, walking ahead. Green light lit up from the torches with each step they took downstairs. When Tom stopped in front of a stone wall, he whispered the password into Lorella's ear, and she couldn't help the chills starting to rush through her body when his hot breath tickled her neck.

"Merlin's beard" said Lorella, and the stone wall showed them a way leading into a large room decorated in green and silver; a room that was mostly dark. The stone walls repeated their pattern on the floor and Lorella looked around towards the windows giving off the feeling of an aquarium. They needed to be under the sea.

"Do you like it?" Tom grinned slightly when he watched Lorella's twinkling eyes.

"It is amazing!" She said and didn't dare waking around too much. Tom offered her a seat on the couch and she chuckled, gladly sitting down. "Aren't you a gentleman." She mused.

"Please, just manners." He said softly, reaching out for a crystal bottle with translucent, light brown liquid that was poured into a glass for her.

"Oooh. Firewhiskey, is it? Aren't you scared the younger ones will take advantage of this, Mr. Prefect?" Asked Lorella with a grin. Tom leaned back.

"Let me just put it this way. Those that are not of age, and touch the bottle, will easily understand why it is called Fire. Whiskey." He tossed up his glass in the air, Lorella mimicked the gesture, and the both of them had a sip.

"Tell me, what is your favorite subject?" Asked Tom then. Lorella looked up to him, then away again.

"I'd rather not say that." She said promptly, causing Tom to raise an eyebrow.

"Sorry." Said Lorella suddenly. "I didn't mean to sound rude. I just get criticized a lot, whenever I mention that I do like and believe in divination."

"Most people." Tom started and put down his glass. "Are narrow minded. Stick to those who are not." He looked at her softly, and Lorella smiled, eyes almost glistening in joy. He really understood her and what it was all about.

"Tell me. How did you manage to be the first case that allows school-skipping?" He asked gently, adding more Firewhiskey into Lorella's glass.

"Ah well. My father has got a new job at the Ministry of Magic. So we moved from Germany to England, and because of that, well. You know, a politician's influence can cause wonders...or a daughter to be allowed to go to Hogwarts." Lorella shrugged. "I mean. My father is originally from England, he just moved to Germany in his youth, and met my mother there."

"Influence can cause wonders indeed..." Murmured Tom absentmindedly, rubbing his chin as he stared towards the fireplace. A couple of students soon walked into the common room, aside from some girls seeming in a hurry to get into their dormitories, Lestrange and Avery walked in, and among them a couple of other young men that Lorella did not pay attention to earlier this day. They all seemed to be a group, a clique of sorts, and sat down on the couches close to Tom.

"So." Smirked Lestrange, glancing at Lorella. "You've made it into the Slugclub." He added and had a sip of Firewhiskey as well.

"I still don't understand why." Said the girl.

"Sluggy likes extraordinary or special students. Or famous students. Famous for whatever reason." Commented a male next to Avery.

"Mulciber's right." Said Avery. "That's how Slughorn is. Yo, Black, leave some of that Firewhiskey for me too, will you!"

Lorella thought about these things, but her eyes wandered around the common room, trying to get rid of the chills she got when Tom looked her way and did not stop staring for a while. Maybe he would realize she was feeling uncomfortable, and turn his attention somewhere else, but this did not seem to be the case until some more students walked into the common room, this time it was another pack of girls quickly scurrying over into the girl's dormitories. Lestrange and Avery smirked at each other and carefully glanced to Tom when Lorella asked "why aren't any of the girls sitting with us?"

"Only Lord knows." Grinned Black, causing all of the men, aside from Tom, to break out in howling laughter, a joke that Lorella obviously did not understand, judging by her confused expression. Tom's lips twitched slightly before he closed his eyes, inhaled deeply and smiled at Lorella.

"Don't worry about them." He said. "There are other things to worry about." He uttered, but Lorella did not hear that part.

The rest of the day passed by quickly, Lorella had spent it chatting and eating with the guys and was on good terms with everyone so far. Though at night, when she first entered the girl's dormitory, she did not understand why none of the girls wanted to talk to her and especially frowned when Lorella closed the curtains of the bed for more privacy.

"Good morning." Said Tom Riddle early next Sunday suddenly, standing behind Lorella in the common room when the latter fixed her tie; she jumped in surprise and turned around to him.

"Oh...hey. Good morning." She cheered, though still panting a little.

"How tactless of me. I'm sorry for startling you." Tom smiled gently as his eyes went to her tie, then back into her eyes. "The Slytherin uniform suits you well. Let us get into the Great Hall. Did you rest well?" He asked, pressing the palm of his hand to the small of her back, slightly shoving her ahead.

"Yes, the bed is really comfortable. It was like sleeping on clouds." She said, walking all the way upstairs. When Tom and Lorella entered the Great Hall, the air was already filled with the scent of freshly baked rolls and curiosity when they've seen Lorella, some started chattering to each other.

"I suppose they've read the Daily Prophet." Said Tom matter-of-factly and Lorella nodded with a chuckle. She sat down next to the other Slytherins, having a nice breakfast and an amusing round of smalltalk with the guys as the rest of the girls were still hellbent on ignoring Lorella.

"Well then." Lorella sighed and got up when she was done with her tea.

"Where are you going." Asked Tom lowly. Lorella, thinking his tone was just a tad off, glanced at him.

"I was asked to meet...what was his name, I think Professor Dumbledore, at the library, because I forgot to buy a book - and that's where I'm going." She said, smiling. "I know where the library is, you showed me after all." And off she walked, out of the Great Hall.

"Hmm." Grinned Avery. "She...is quite a cutie, isn't she?" He carefully glanced to Tom, but the latter still stared ahead towards the spot he had last seen Lorella standing, his eyes were narrowing steadily, but they suddenly widened and he snapped his head towards Avery. "She's mine." He murmured dangerously. None of the guys commented anything when Tom had gotten up and walked out of the Great Hall, strolling around the corridors to check if everything that needed to be in place actually was, and his last destination, though his first by importance, was the library.

"Ah, Riddle." Said Professor Dumbledore as he saw him approaching, Lorella turned around to Tom and smiled faintly.

"I was just wondering if everything is alright, Sir. It's been two hours since Lorella left the Great Hall to meet you."

"How very thoughtful of you." Nodded Dumbledore with his vibratingly soft voice. "I was having a nice conversation with Miss Fawst, a very bright addition for the house of Slytherin, if I may be so free to compliment such."

Lorella smiled shyly, turning her face to the side.

"Thank you kindly." She said, but Tom nodded and rested his hand on Lorella's shoulder. "So bashful." He chuckled. "But I, too, have realized that Lorella must have a lot of talent, Sir."

"Observant as always, Tom. Well then, unfortunately time has us fooled again - and I need to tend to less amusing business now." Sighed Dumbledore, straightening his back.

"Thanks for your help, Sir." Said Lorella and pressed the transfiguration book against her chest firmly. "I will read some chapters, I don't want to have any problems with your lessons."

"Do so, yes. I will be seeing you two tomorrow. Good day to you." Said Dumbledore. Lorella smiled with a slight, respectful bow. "See you tomorrow, Professor." She said and watched the man walking off, then she turned around to Tom. "He is very kind, I like him already. Well...I..." She glanced into the library. "I will go ahead and read. Thanks for looking after me, but I'm fine." She smiled, about to get further into the library where she knew nobody was allowed to speak, but Tom called her back.

"Lorella, why did you not simply ask me to give you summaries of the earlier chapters?" He pointed to the Transfiguration book.

"That's very kind of you to offer. But summaries don't make me think. You will find that I cherish independence. And how independent am I when I simply copy things somebody else has thought?" She smiled, but frowned when Tom looked at her as if she insulted him; he stood there with his arms folded behind his back, his lips pressed together, staring at her. He nodded, then turned around and left the library wordlessly. Lorella, not quite knowing what to say or do, merely sat down at a free working space. It was only her second day, but something was terribly odd. Too odd.

"Psst." Said a voice around a shelf hours later. It took Lorella some time to realize she was addressed, but she looked up and saw the girl Amanda standing there. Lorella put down her quill, glanced to the left and right to make sure that nobody was watching or listening, but she leaned closer to the shelf, acting as though she was browsing through the books.

"Yes?"

"Be careful." Whispered Amanda. "And don't close the curtains at night."

"The curtains?"

"The curtains around our beds. Don't close them at night, that will infuriate-"

"HEY!" Hissed a woman. "You can talk outside! The library is a place of SILENCE!" She growled, and before Lorella could ask anything else, Amanda had already vanished. Lorella shook her head, running a hand through her hair in distress. What was wrong with that girl, what was she talking about?

Lorella found no peace during the next hours of studying. Still a while later, she sat there, thinking about Amanda's words for some time. Nothing enlightened her mind until it was time for dinner. Putting away her belongings, Lorella walked out of the library and over into the Great Hall that was not all too crowded yet, some students were still missing. Tom Riddle and his friends, however, were already attendant and Roy Lestrange waved the girl by over to the Slytherin's table.

"Hey." She said gently once she sat down.

"You were not here for lunch, where were you?" Asked Black.

"Just trying to catch up with the syllabus." Said Lorella. "For the classes tomorrow."

"Ambitious, aren't you." Commented Mulciber, raising an eyebrow. Lorella smiled gently, nodding.

"Trying my best, this is my final year as well." She sighed.

"So..." Avery then leaned closer. "Tell us the inescapable." He grinned, but Lorella shook her head in confusion. "Ehh...what?"

"Your blood status." Said Mulciber then. Tom's eyes glanced over to Lorella at that time, his interest was stirred again.

"I doubt that's of importance." Said Lorella sternly. "And that is all you will hear from me on that matter."

The men all looked at each other when Lorella said this, exchanging gazes, but Tom

Riddle was the only one who stared at Lorella intensively.

The whole dinner was spent quietly, none of them said a single word anymore, and when Lorella was done, she followed some of the girls back into the common room. She saw them heading into their dormitories already, closing the door even though they have seen Lorella close. Scratching her head, she simply sat down on one of the couches again and continued reading. What was wrong with them? Why didn't they want her around?