I Know Not Love

Chapter 2

You Can't Charm Everyone

lavya0393

(I know that the chamber of secrets was supposed to be opened in Tom's fifth year, but for the purposes of this story, let's just make it sixth, ok?)

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize from HP belongs to JK Rowling unfortunately for me. However, characters I make up, e.g. Amaryllis Covington are, in deed, mine.

Tom Riddle may have been distracted all through Transfiguration, but he was still the best student there. Today, they were doing minor appearance charms.

"Can anyone tell me the incantation for the Level 1 appearance charm?" Tiny Professor Pipewringer asked, and looked, as usual, in Tom Riddle's direction.

Tom barely registered that a question was being asked, -he had more important things to dwell on- but he raised his hand lazily in the air anyway, knowing that he would be the only one to do so. He also knew that half the points in the Slytherin hourglass were only racked up because of him; he was brains of his house, and he knew they would practically be crawling in dirt without him. Professor Pipewringer's voice sounded again, and this time, Tom was ready for it. He almost opened his mouth to answer when he realized what the teacher had said.

"Oh, what a wonderful change! Yes, Ms. Covington, if you would be so kind…"

Tom turned his head just 45 degrees. There, two rows in front of him and to his right, Amaryllis Covington was sitting upright, her back incredibly stiff, with her hand in the air.

"The incantation for the appearance change spell is apparecio."

"Oh! Well done, Ms. Covington! 10 points to Ravenclaw- I see somebody's been studying up! –You'd better watch your back now, Mr. Riddle!" Professor Pipewringer squealed in delight; he was head of Ravenclaw house.

Tom Riddle growled in fury; it was one thing for her to answer a question, but to get it right, too! -That was pushing it. He chanced a glance in Amaryllis's direction. He noted that she seemed unfazed by his pronounced anger, or the fact that she had just broken somewhat of a tradition; when a professor asks a question, let Tom Riddle answer and earn points for Slytherin; in the rare occasion that he was wrong – which had never happened yet – remain silent, therefore, he can retain some dignity as to actually attempting to answer said question.

He vaguely heard Professor Pipewringer speaking again, until he realized that this class was essential, did he want to pass next year's NEWT. He tuned back in just in time to hear the assignment.

"You will be partnered with two people each, in your group you will have at least ONE member of the opposite sex, and your groups will be assigned. There are to be NO complaints, as this arrangement is FINAL. You will each be handed a kitten, -feel free to name it if desired-" Here there were squeals of delight among many of the girls, undeterred, Professor Pipewringer valiantly tried to regain the attention of his audience. Trying and failing miserably, he decided to continue on for those few people that were actually paying attention, "You will attempt to change the breed of the kitten – and by this I mean, just appearance-wise, -making it look like a different breed, and if you do not know any cat breeds, I do have a book here, or you may visit the library, which, I dare say, does have at least a few texts entirely devoted to kittens and cat breeding. This project is long-term. As this is quite difficult, you will have a varied amount of time to complete the project, depending on which breed of cat you will attempt to change the kittens to. However, I will only give you, on minimum, 1 week, and only up to 5 weeks maximum to complete the assignment successfully. You will complete a form here, telling me exactly which type of breed you have now, and which you will try to change it to. You must have the consent of your ENTIRE group before handing in the form. –You will all willingly have to sign a separate consent form. You will have to take care of your kitten also. If, by some chance you manage to…damage… your cat, you will only be allowed to take one more. Here behind me, I have a list of group arrangements… you may sort yourselves into your respective groups now."

On the blackboard, a table consisting of names and assigned kittens appeared. There was a mad rush towards the teacher's desk, as though the class really couldn't see the board from where they were sitting. Tom idly glanced up at the board; his eyes raked the list and finally found his name:

Tom Riddle, Abraxas Malfoy, Amaryllis Covington: Kitten #3

He looked at the only other person still remaining in their seat: Amaryllis Covington. He saw that she had also directed her attention towards the board and he waited for her to find her group. He saw her eyes darken and her face adopt an expression of deepest distaste. He knew she had found her group, and to his utmost satisfaction, saw that her gaze wavered and her eyes flickered towards where he was sitting. He smirked. She looked away, but didn't move. Abraxas Malfoy, a fellow Slytherin and follower, had already collected their kitten. It was a smart little Persian cat, which was playfully licking Abraxas's fingers. To Tom's distaste, he saw that Abraxas actually was enjoying the kitten. This bothered him; it would not do him any good if one of his closest followers went soft.

Tom waited for Amaryllis to come over to him, but she didn't move. He wondered what she was playing at. Everyone knew that when it came to group projects, Tom Riddle did not move himself for anyone. They would have to come over to him. It was his way of showing everyone that they were inferior and he was their superior. Apparently, Amaryllis hadn't picked up on this observation. She was waiting patiently at her desk, and finally, she turned her head towards him, an expression of expectancy upon her face. He looked at her incredulously and even more so when Abraxas pulled up a chair opposite her and sat down. Acknowledging defeat, he picked up his stuff and sauntered over; sometimes you had to lose a battle to win the war, right? He was going to show her exactly who held all the cards around here.

"Isn't he just the cutest?" Abraxas cooed. Amaryllis blinked. She had not expected the Slytherins to be at all interested in this project or their kittens, much less, affectionate towards them.

"Yea…Definitely…" She trailed off as Tom Riddle finally decided to join them. He was looking quite revolted at the sight of Abraxas stroking the kitten.

"Abraxas?" He said in a commanding tone, as though reminding the other boy exactly how he was supposed to be acting. Abraxas seemed to come out of his little reverie.

"Wha - ? Oh! Right, sorry."

Amaryllis decided to break up the tension. "So, what should we name it?"

"Well, it would help to know if it's a girl or boy you know…" Abraxas stated.

"Well, why don't we just name it a neutral name so it really wouldn't matter?" She suggested. That seemed like a good idea to her.

Tom Riddle was looking at her with a glazed expression on his face, as though he really couldn't care less. This aggravated her. She was not used to being ignored or overlooked.

"Tom!" She snapped her fingers in front of his face. He snapped out of his little daydream and smirked at her, as if to say that she just put him to sleep with her nonsensical words. This infuriated her even more. She decided it was time to take charge. "Alright, we'll name it Alex, so no one will have to worry, Abraxas, go get the forms, -alright, fine! -Take the stupid kitten with you!" She almost yelled, losing her patience, as Abraxas whined and walked away, looking scandalized that she had insulted his precious ball of fur.

Tom looked amused, much to her chagrin. He was leaning back in his chair and smirking. Was smirking all he knew how to do! Unfortunately, everything about Tom Riddle annoyed her to no end. She didn't know how she could have possibly striked up conversation on their first Hogwarts train ride. –But then again, she had been only eleven, and quite stupid if she said so herself. –But then again, so had he. She knew he had unwittingly revealed much more information about himself than he would have done now, and so had she, as she realized later on. She decided then and there that she would give anything to wipe that evil smirk off of Tom Riddle's perfect little face. "What on earth are you smirking at?" She asked, exasperated.

"You." He said simply.

"Repeat that for me." She said.

"You." He replied.

She was quickly becoming irritated now, he was playing a semantics game with her and she knew, and she also knew that she didn't like it. "Well stop it!"

"Irritated quickly aren't we, now?" He smirked even more.

"Yes, we are." She shot back. "You could irritate the life out of a professional saint. In fact, you disgust me, Tom Riddle."

"Feeling's mutual, Ms. Covington." She said venomously.

As not to hurt her eyes, she averted him, and fixed the instead, upon Abraxas, who was now struggling to hold his clawing kitten in one hand to stop from reaching the forms which were in another, while making sure the kitten didn't maul him. It was proving to be quite a difficult, yet amusing feat to watch someone undertake.

"Bloody Hell." She said, standing up to relieve Abraxas of the kitten which was now attempting to crawl up his sleeve. "This is pathetic."

After they had at last managed to get the kitten under control and sign the forms, class was almost over. In the five minutes that they had left, Abraxas was sent off to the Hospital Wing to get some antidote and creams for the scratches and bruises that he had attained from Alex the Kitten. Amaryllis and Tom moved their desks back to their original places and gathered their belongings. The lesson had been quite tiring, what with all the screeching, meowing, energetic kittens running loose around the classroom. Tom hauled his heavy bag onto his shoulder, and walked up to Amaryllis.

"Tell me, Covington, why do you harbor such animosity towards me?" he asked in a mock-innocent voice.

She turned around, apparently annoyed now. "I see right through your whole I'm-a-good-guy-and-nothing-else act and whatever other façade you put up, so don't play innocent with me, Tom Riddle. And let me tell you one other thing: You can't charm everyone." With the final statement, she turned her back on him and stalked out of the classroom, leaving a quite overwhelmed Tom Riddle standing in the doorway, left to figure out the puzzling enigma that was Amaryllis Covington.