AN: Happy new year, everyone! Reviews will definitely make my start of 2009. :)
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and everything else you might notice. The plot is all mine.
Chapter 2: Happy Birthday, Tom Riddle.
Tom Riddle was pleased. Today was his sixteenth birthday. He never really liked his birthdays. He always remembered his worthless mother who died after giving birth to him and left him in an orphanage.
The orphanage was another reason he detested his birthdays, no one ever cared, greeted, or gave him presents.
Today, however, was an exception. Yes, he still detested it. However, he had gotten presents and greeted by the Slytherins who admired him, his friends who followed him like he was a god, and the teachers who adored him. This morning, he found the stack of presents at the foot of his bed. That never happened before.
He was walking in a seemingly unending tunnel. He had planned to go to a place he liked to go to ever since he discovered it at the start of the year. The place could only be opened by the Heir of Slytherin. It was also the home of the Basilisk that had been causing everyone in Hogwarts some trouble, particularly the muggle-borns. Tom smirked, remembering the petrified muggle-borns in the Hospital Wing. Shame none of the filthy mudbloods have directly seen the Basilisk's eye…yet.
He reached the main entrance to the Chamber of Secrets; a solid wall where two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes shining like emeralds. He wasn't planning on releasing the Basilisk today (even though that would certainly make his birthday). He had no need to. Almost everyone was away for the holidays, especially with all the 'mysterious attacks.'
Tom approached the wall, and said "Open" in Parseltongue. The serpents separated as the wall opened in half and he found himself at the end of a huge chamber.
He went inside and started walking to the home of the Basilisk and statue of his ancestor, Salazar Slytherin.
He stopped dead on his tracks.
There, in the middle of the chamber, was something that had never been there before. On the cold floor, clashing with the green glow that seemed to be emanating from the Chamber itself was a peculiar-looking red bottle.
Hermione stood and placed the sixth book she had finished reading back to the bookshelf. She was smiling. There were a lot of choices to pick from when she decided that she'll pass the time waiting by reading. She was ecstatic when she found out that there were a lot of reference books that weren't just on Desear Sprites.
She traced her fingers over the spines of the many selections, trying to decide which one she would read. She wondered vaguely how many more she would have to read before her 'master' opens the bottle. It must be any hour now, the candles have lighted up again after her second book, which means it was daytime. Fate had explained to her during their 'wind-conversations' that she arrived in 1942 at the thirtieth of December. He also indicated that the bottle would be opened on Tom Riddle's birthday which wasthe thirty-first. So, anytime soon she should be sucked in the hole in the ceiling and be transported out of her bottle.
Hermione screamed in delight as she took a book from the bookshelf, Hogwarts: A History. She couldn't believe it. She had already read it more than ten times, but she never seemed to get tired of reading the History of her second home for more than half her life. Hogwarts was the magical place where she met her friends, where she had the most terrifying and most wonderful experiences in her life.
Hermione sighed. She had only been in 1942 for a couple of hours, but already she missed her friends terribly, even though she did leave during a time of war and great crisis. That reminded her…
"Fate," She asked, the last time she talked to him seemed like a very long time already. "Now that I'm here in the past, is the future frozen? Because, I read about Mauplin's Law of Magical Time that time will freeze once it is left. So, is everything from my time frozen?"
Fate paused, wondering how he should explain. Technically, he separated time, not froze it. But, upon separating the past from the present, he stopped time. When he whisked Hermione to the past from the present, what once was frozen moved and what once moved froze. So, to sum it all up, yes, everything from Hermione Granger's time wasfrozen.
He blew his Wind, telling her just that, and Hermione was again relieved of another worry. She turned back to the book.
After a few pages, the wind blew, and Hermione looked up from her book, expecting to hear the whispers from the wind. But instead she heard nothing but a whooshing sort of sound. Hermione's brows knitted, her ears straining to hear anything from the wind. She looked up from where it was coming from and gasped.
The wind was coming from the hole in the ceiling.
She dropped her book and immediately ran to stand under the hole. Looking up, she could see a bit of light that was rapidly becoming bigger. The wind suddenly became stronger, and Hermione all of a sudden started floating, slowly at first, and she was almost immediately sucked into the hole.
It felt like the time Fate had taken her from her time and transported into the past. She felt like she was being pressed down in all directions, like apparition. Hermione closed her eyes.
Abruptly, the feeling stopped, and slowly, she opened her eyes.
She was surprised, for a couple of reasons; the colors that greeted her were a huge contrast to the colors her eyes grew used to over the hours. From red and gold, she saw green and black.
She finally knew what her bottle looked like. It had a cone-like shape, the bottom forming the shape of a sphere with a flat bottom and the top shaped like a thin triangle. She knew that it was her bottle because the opening was facing her.
The last reason why she was surprised was because of the person holding her bottle with his left hand and the cork with his right. He looked more surprised than she was, with his mouth slightly open and his eyes as wide as dinner plates. He had jet black hair, pale complexion and dark eyes. The fingers holding the bottle were unnaturally long. And Hermione was quite surprised to find that looking straight forward; she was staring only at his chin, even though she was seventeen and he only turned sixteen today. Slowly, she raised her head to stare at his eyes.
"Wow, you're tall."
Hermione gasped, her hands flying to cover her mouth. How could she blurt out something like that? Well of course, those three words would be the first thing she would say to her master.
"I'm sorry. Please forgive me." And then, an insane idea took over her mind. She bowed, and trying very hard not to laugh as she faced the floor, said, "Master."
She looked up, and smiled. The smile must have triggered something, for at that moment, Tom Riddle shook his head from his trance and stared at Hermione.
Her smile grew wider, and he dropped the bottle.
Upon impulse, Hermione dove and caught the bottle. "Watch it! You almost dropped my bottle!"
Hermione gasped, holding the bottle between her hands. "My apologies, master." And she gave him a curt bow with the head.
"Who- What did you call me?" Tom Riddle asked incredulously, his low voice stained with only the slightest hint of shock. His face, however, was practically decorated with disbelief.
"I called you master, Tom Riddle, because you are. And I, Hermione, am your Desear Nevie Sprite," she bowed again. She wondered dimly why she was being so formal.
Hermione looked again at his bewildered face with a smile she couldn't seem to drop. She was trying very hard not to laugh.
"You're my…what?" His voice was suddenly blank. His face, too, held a vacant expression. Riddle's eyes, however, were giving her a look that said, no freaking way.
"Oh," Hermione was surprised. She always knew that Tom Riddle was one of the brightest students Hogwarts ever had. She thought that he at least would have known something about Desear Sprites. "I see we have to take this slowly. A Desear Sprite is a magical being who grants wishes to his or her-"
"I know what a Desear Sprite is," Tom snapped. "What did you mean that you're mine? And that I'm your master? How did your bottle get inside the Chamber of Secrets? Who placed you here?" Riddle's voice was nearing raging point. His façade fell, and he looked angry.
Hermione was shocked. She had expected that he would be happy about having a Desear Sprite. Instead, he cared more about the fact that her bottle was inside the Chamber. How weird was that?
Hermione bit her lip from saying "Fate brought us together," and looked around the Chamber of Secrets, looking surprised. She was, actually. She had never actually been to the Chamber of Secrets. She was petrified during the time Harry and Ron went thereto save Ginny.
She looked back at the expectant face of her master. "I must again ask for your forgiveness, master, but I have no idea how I got inside your chamber. This is the first time I got out of my bottle, you see. And I thank you for setting me free."
Technically, she wasn't lying, sort of.
Tom's brows knitted, staring at her, but it was clear he believed her.
"What do you mean that you're my Desear Nevie Sprite?"
Hermione grinned. At last they were starting to go somewhere. "I am a Desear Nevie Sprite master. A Desear Sprite who only grants wishes of need."
Tom's façade came back up. His face again looked blank, but his eyes were full of wonder and curiosity. Who wouldn't? Desear Sprites were practically endangered.
There was a long pause. He looked at her up and down, and then brown eyes stared back at dark eyes. After what seemed like a few hours, Hermione cleared her throat.
"By the way, happy birthday master,"
What? Desear Etiquette says she hadto be polite to her master. Why not start on their first encounter?
He looked at her in amazement. "How do you know that today is my birthday?"
She grinned again. I might know more about you than you, yourself.
"Oh, we have our ways to know a bit about our master the moment we see him or her. As for your gift, would you like your wish of need to be granted?"
"Wish of need?" Tom asked. His eyes now had a spark of something more than curiosity in them. It looked like anticipation.
"Oh, I guess I'll have to explain. You see, wishes of need are a very complicated form of wish. You might wish say, to be the ruler of the universe," there was only the slightest hint of sarcasm in her voice. "But, if you don't need to, your wish will not be granted."
"How would you know what I need more than I do?" Tom's eyes lost a bit of their eagerness.
Hermione took her wand from her pocket. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tom's expectant look turn to one of astonishment when he saw the wand made of gold.
"Using this," she held up her wand to his face, enjoying the look in his eyes. "This is my Desiree wand. A Desiree wand helps a Desear Nevie Sprite know the wishes of need of her master.
"I see," he paused, thinking, "then I guess there's no possibility…" He looked back again at her.
"Yes, master? What is it do you wish for?"
"Say, I wish to be immortal. Will that be granted?"
Of course that's the first thing he'll try to wish for. Well, I don't need my wand to know that granting him immortality won't be healthy for him or to anyone. Hermione thought.
She raised her wand, and was not surprise to see there were no sparks. She shook her head, pretending to look disappointed.
"I'm sorry master. But the good news is, all in due time, your wish might turn into one of need soon." Doubtful, Hermione prevented herself from saying.
"I see," he said again. He didn't look angry or disappointed. He looked absolutely fascinated.
Of course, he would be. You don't normally see a Desear Sprite every year on your birthday. But Hermione felt slightly uncomfortable; she was feeling a little flattered by the admiration and fascination burning in his dark eyes as he curiously stared at her, the blank look still firmly placed on the rest of his face.
"How did I become your master?"
Hermione raised the bottle in her hands. "You opened my bottle and set me free, for which, I thank you." She made it sound like she was eternally grateful. She sort of was, if truth be told.
Tom nodded, staring at the bottle, which he took in his hands and was now examining in every angle. "How long have you been inside your…bottle?"
Oh, snap. Hermione thought, why is he asking so many questions?
Oh, yeah, curiosity.
"Um, I'm not particularly sure," well, she wasn't really. "I've been inside for as long as I can remember." It must have been a couple of hours or around a day or two. Sound good?
Tom looked up from the bottle and stared at her face.
Again, silence ensued, lasting longer than the last.
Hermione stared back again to her master who looked like he was in a very deep thought.
After a very long (and awkward for Hermione) pause, Tom shook his head. "Let's go." He turned around to leave.
Hermione blinked. "What? Go where? Why?"
"The Chamber of Secrets is not an appropriate place to talk." He was already at the end of the chamber.
"Place to talk?" Hermione ran to him. "You want to talk about what, master?" She finally reached him, wondering why on earth he would want to talk.
Her question was answered when she reached him, however, and there it was again in his eyes. The burning fire of fascination and curiosity was unmistakable as he looked at her.
"Everything," they walked out of the chamber, and Hermione saw the wall with two entwined serpents conjoin behind them as they left and found themselves in a dark tunnel.
"How did you become a Desear Nevie Sprite?" He asked as he led her in the maze-like tunnel.
Hermione was down-right shocked. When she thought about what his expression might be if she denied him his first wish, sudden interest about her being what she was definitely was not what she was expecting.
But, now that she came to think about it. Why wouldn't he be interested? Why shouldn't he be fascinated? Why couldn't he be curious? Why couldn't he ask questions? After all, he might as well have been one of the very few who have encountered a Desear Nevie Sprite in how many centuries. And, he was raised by muggles. Every bit of shocking revelation on magic must be something like a gift to him. Hermione remembered her first encounter on anything magical.
Hermione couldn't believe that this was happening in her very first encounter with Tom Marvolo Riddle.
He was interested and was asking her questions.
She was bewildered, and she had to make up something, fast.
"Well, I have no idea how I became a Desear Nevie Sprite. I remember opening my eyes and I was inside the room in my bottle. I knew who I am and what I am. That was it, actually." The lie rolled off her tongue surprisingly easily.
"Fascinating," Tom whispered; staring straight ahead as they continued walking in the unending tunnel. Hermione looked at him, bemused. That was not the reaction she was expecting to get.
"What about your wand? How did you get it? And how do you use it to grant wishes?"
This must have been what Fate was feeling when I kept on asking him a couple of hours ago, Hermione thought, amused.
"Well, it's been with me ever since I opened my eyes. It was right in front of me." This time, she wasn't completely lying. "The moment I saw it, I knew what I had to do with it. I guess it was in me." She shrugged.
He nodded; still looking like having a Desear Nevie Sprite who denied granting him his first wish was the most amazing thing that had ever happened in his life since Hogwarts and he wanted to know all about it. Which, it probably was.
"And to be able to grant a wish, there must first be three sparks emanating from the tip. This means that the wish is one of need and I'll have to grant it by casting the Spell of Desire."
He turned to look at her, the same curious glance that he'd been giving her during their stare match.
They stopped walking, and Hermione found herself in front of a man-hole (like the one in her bottle) on the wall. It was the pipe that leads to the second floor girls' bathroom.
"Do you have a magic carpet or a broom?" Tom asked. "We'll have to go up that pipe to get out."
Hermione remembered her supposed ability to fly. This might be a good time to test that ability, as much as she didn't want to.
"Um, no, master, but, I can fly," and she floated just like that. The moment the word 'fly' came to her mind; she just floated, though not at all graceful.
Tom's eyebrows rose as he watched Hermione steady herself mid-air. Hermione dropped to the ground, wondering how her 'master' would fly.
"Would you like me to make you fly, master?" The book did say she should always help a master when in need.
"How would you do that?" Tom did not sound disbelieving, just curious. It was damn irritating that he could still look like nothing out of the extraordinary was happening when his eyes practically burned.
"Er…" She looked around, wondering what she could use to fly. She looked down and saw her belt. Perfect.
She took it off, grabbed one end and gave the other end to an amused watching Tom. Reluctantly, he grabbed it and Hermione flew. Apparently, so did the belt, and so did Tom.
"Are you ready, master?" Hermione grinned.
He nodded, and Hermione flew through the pipe hole. She flew and flew and flew…
When is this ever going to end? She flew faster, going higher and nearer to the end, no doubt. It helped that she didn't look down.
Finally, Hermione saw the end of the pipe. It was a relief to see the light and soon, she reached it and she found herself in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, without Myrtle. She remembered the place where she brewed the polyjuice potion from her second year. But, she had to pretend that everything was all new to her so she asked,
"Um, master?" She turned to look at him as he gave her back the end of the belt. "Where exactly are we?" Keep it light.
"We're in the second floor girls' bathroom in Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It's a place for wizards and witches to learn magic,"
Well Hermione did say exactly, plus Tom's supposed to know that she has never stepped in Hogwarts before.
"So," he said in the same monotonous voice, continuing with the conversation that to Hermione felt like an interrogation. "What are your other abilities, as a Desear Nevie Sprite besides flying? Are there more?"
Hermione was starting to feel very uncomfortable. The sudden feeling that came to her when she remembered that she was in Hogwarts also gave the sudden awareness that the one asking her so many questions was the future Lord Voldemort. For all she knew, he might be planning on taking over the Desear Sprites for his magical world takeover. But, she really had no choice. Desear Etiquette stated that she should give her bloody master well-deserved respect.
"Yes, master," Hermione finally answered as she continued following Tom out of the bathroom and into the familiar second floor corridor. "I could also levitate objects to use as objects of flying –like my belt. I also have no human needs like eating or drinking, though I do need to rest and sleep. Oh and I can also turn invisible to everyone other than my master, and teleport with my master." She paused, looking sideways to the said master. He still looked interested on what she was saying.
"Fascinating," Tom whispered again, still staring straight ahead and leading her down a flight of staircase.
"Master, where are we going?" But, according to the directions they were taking, it was quite easy to determine.
"The Slytherin Dormitories, did you say you can turn invisible? Turn invisible now, before someone sees you." He ordered her.
Wow, the first thing he orders me is to be invisible.
Hermione immediately thought on how to do just that. She concentrated, it wasn't long before she felt a sudden chill ripple through her body and almost immediately found her transparent. Whoa, she thought.
Tom looked at her and opened his mouth to say something when he stopped, looking through her, his eyebrows knitting. "Peeves," he practically growled.
Behind her Hermione heard a lot of noise. Hermione turned to see Peeves the Poltergeist, looking like he did before, or more like in the future.
"TOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY!" he screeched as he zoomed towards them, staring straight at Tom, with a huge chocolate cake in his hands. "HAAAPPPYYY BIIIIIIIIIIIRRRTTTHHHDDAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!" And, laughing his head off, threw the cake right towards Tom. Unfortunately, Hermione was right in front of him and was currently invisible.
There was a loud plunk and Hermione felt the cake-both chocolate and icing- covering her face.
Peeves was dumbstruck. "What?"
The situation was quite hard to understand. He just threw a birthday cake to the birthday boy and he didn't get hit. Something else must have been, though. The destroyed cake was hanging midair right in front of the target.
"Peeves," Tom said, behind Hermione, in a deadly tone, "I suggest you leave now or so help me I will call the Bloody Baron and I'll make sure you'll be thrown out."
Peeves, seemingly unfazed by the threat but still shocked about his failed prank stuck his tongue out and disappeared.
There was a long pause.
Finally, Hermione opened her eyes and turned around to Tom Riddle, looking like he did ten minutes ago; calm and fascinated. The stupid arse.
"Is it alright if I clean myself up, master, before we proceed to our destination?" she asked in a composed voice. Desear Etiquette states that she should never raise her voice at her master.
"Go ahead," he said in an equally-collected tone.
She couldn't really see his reaction as she closed her eyes, took her wand and simply waved it around herself. And finally, she opened her eyes to see her master staring at her with the same burning fascination that irked her.
The Wind blew, and Hermione could practically hear Fate laughing at her.
Great, Hermione frowned; the git pulls me to this era and laughs at me.
She waved her hand, signaling for her master to lead the way. Hermione idly wondered why they were going to the Slytherin dorms.
"Now tell me, as my Desear Nevie Sprite; what are your duties?" he again continued with the question and answer.
Wow, bi-polar, much? Or maybe he just doesn't care if I get covered in cake. Hermione inwardly rolled her eyes and remembered his question. Ah, of course. His being the master of a magical and rare human being finally got to his head. I thought it might. Well, I'm ready for that.
"Well, as your Desear Nevie Sprite, I am first and foremost entirely at your debt for releasing me from my bottle. I am entitled to grant all your wishes of need until you have finally achieved your Needs of Life. Aside from that, because of opening my bottle, I am also your servant." She paused to look at Tom's reaction to her choice of words, and was not surprised to see that the blank look was still in place.
The burning fascination and curiosity in his eyes, however, were joined by an unmistakable new flame of delight.
Oh, perfect. He's probably thinking of all the evil things he can make me do so that he'll still look like an innocent angel to his professors.
"So, if, for example, I ask you to get me a sandwich from the kitchens, will you?" Tom asked, a little while later.
"Er, yeah," Hermione was confused by his question, "Without crust, star-shaped, peanut butter or cheese. Whatever you say, master."
And he simply nodded. Hermione was getting tired of his stoic demeanor. A while ago he actually seemed like he was trying to be funny.
They were now walking in the dungeon corridors, nearing the Slytherin Common Rooms. Hermione still remembered the place from her rounds as a prefect during her fifth year.
They reached the familiar stretch of bare wall.
"Basilisk," Tom muttered, and the door concealing itself within the wall slid open and he stepped inside. Wow, the Slytherins must be really taking pride of the Chamber of Secrets. Hermione followed him and saw, for the first time, the Slytherin Common Room.
The room reflected the house pretty well; snake-like, cold, and dark. It was also pretty empty, save for the furniture.
Tom continued walking towards an archway near the corner that Hermione did not notice. She followed him and Tom walked inside the dormitories, and into a room.
The Slytherin Dormitory looked normal. Sort of like the ones in Gryffindor but this one did not have windows (being under the lake). There was, however, a fireplace. There were also five canopy beds, only in green.
Tom walked towards the one in the middle and set down Hermione's bottle on the dress table. Hermione remembered only now that it was with him. She also noticed a huge stack of presents at the foot of Tom's bed.
Must be from his Death Eaters, Hermione thought.
"Would you like me to open those for you, master?" Hermione grinned. She didn't know why, but she found it amusing volunteering works for her master, although it was the opposite when he ordered her.
"Yes, I'll just have to look for Dolohov," and he immediately left.
Hermione froze. Dolohov. That was the name of the Death Eater who nearly killed her during the battle in the Department of Mysteries. A wave of anger pulsed through her veins as she remembered that he was supposed to be one of the first Death Eaters.
Hermione let out a small growl. Cool it, Hermione. Technically he hasn't done it, yet.
"Tom!" Just then a guy with dark brown hair appeared at the door. Speak of the devil. Hermione looked at the fifteen year old Antonin Dolohov. Still looks like a complete arse. Then again, most Death Eaters are.
"Bloody hell, where is that guy?" Dolohov left after looking around, leaving Hermione to the presents.
Hermione sighed, and waved her wand at one of the gifts. She found that it really was easier for her to perform with the gold wand. The movement ripped it open and the wrapper disappeared after another wave her wand. She set the gift- which was a thick book- on the bed and placed the birthday card of the sender on top.
Hermione's eyebrows rose when she saw the name signed on it. Oh, yeah, I forgot Professor Slughorn teaches during this time.
Hermione continued doing this; opening the presents, placing the card on top and occasionally looking at the names. Her suspicions were proven correct; most of the gifts were from his lackeys, although there were some from professors and even (to Hermione's disgust) from admirers.
She noticed some of the familiar names like Abraxas Malfoy, Thor Nott (father of Theodore Nott during her time), Carius Mulciber (who also fought in the Department of Mysteries), and Ethan Rosier (whose son was killed by Mad-Eye Moody). Hermione thought what she was doing was actually quite amusing, like meeting characters from a book.
Most of the presents were expensive sets of books or luxurious robes. Hermione thought Tom made allies with the correct munificent people. He must have thought it was a certain advantage to impress the rich, well-known, and powerful community with his knowledge and power of the Dark Arts.
Well, you gotta climb the highest mountains to get to the top.
The remaining presents were sweets and poems from the admirers. Hermione laughed at this.
After opening everything, she proceeded to arranging the presents by kind; clothes, books, and sweets. Well, she liked things to be neat and orderly. She even took the time to use a revealing charm on everything, in case there might be harm.
There were footsteps outside and Hermione turned around to see a frowning Tom.
"Oh, hello master. I just finished arranging your presents and oh yeah, there was a guy who came here looking for you,"
She remembered something that she saw while using the revealing charm on one of the chocolate boxes. "Oh, and master, I suggest you don't eat the box of chocolates from one of your secret admirers- there, the one with heart shaped chocolates-, it seems your admirer is smitten enough to give you love potion,"
Tom looked at the box of chocolates coldly, not really looking surprised.
"Did you say someone came here looking for me?" he asked, looking at Hermione, who nodded.
"Tom!" Dolohov was back. "There you are. I've been looking all over for you. You weren't here a couple of minutes ago. I- wait, were you talking to someone?" He looked around, as though he might have missed another person in the room. Hermione was currently invisible, and was amusedly watching the scene unfold before her.
"No, I wasn't," Tom answered in a calm voice disguised by a cold tone. "Why were you looking for me, Antonin?"
"Why am I looking for you? Are you nuts?!" He stopped talking, realizing what he just said as Tom looked at him callously, and Hermione knew this must be his trademark look to command his followers. At this, she rolled her eyes.
"Sorry," Dolohov said in a quieter tone. "I came here to look for you because Slughorn asked me to. He noticed that you weren't at the New Year's Eve feast in The Great Hall so he told me to get you."
Tom nodded. "Alright, you go on ahead and tell them I'll be there in a few minutes. I'll just need to take care of something." Dolohov nodded and left the dormitory without another word.
Tom turned around to look at a transparent Hermione, a faint hint of a smile tugging at her lips.
"I'll have to go away. Go back to your bottle."
One of Hermione eyebrows flew and she said, "As you wish, master." For the second time that day, she bowed, trying very hard not to laugh.
She turned around and opened her bottle, and plunged herself headfirst to the opening.
After only a few seconds of her feet touching the familiar gold floor and her eyes again adjusting to the colors, she was sucked right back to the hole and out of the bottle.
Hermione blinked. She was again in front of Tom.
"What the hell happened?" Hermione asked, staring at the bottle.
"I summoned you," Tom simply said. "I called your name."
"Oh, um, is there anything else you needed, master?"
"Yes," he answered. "I want you to come with me to the Great Hall, invisible, of course. I need you to come with me just in case. And to also be familiar with the place; from now on you'll follow me around."
Just in case you might need someone to clean your dirty work for you. And believe me; I probably know this place better than you do.
"Yes, master." Hermione said, hiding her irritation with a smile.
Tom nodded, turned around and left the dormitory. Hermione had to keep herself from sticking out her tongue at him. She followed suit; out of the dormitories, out of the still empty common room and out of the dungeons and into the entrance hall.
Tom continued walking towards the Great Hall where Hermione could hear chatter. He opened the door and let her enter first, at which, Hermione was surprised.
"This is the Great Hall."
Hermione nodded, recognizing the magnificent hall. It looked the same, except that the four tables were pushed aside to one side and there was a huge circular table in the middle. Hermione remembered the holidays in third year that the same thing happened when there were only thirteen of them dining. This time, there were fifteen who stayed for the holidays; seven professors and eight students (four girls and four boys) including Tom.
"Tom, m' boy, I thought something might have happened to you!" The unmistakable booming voice of a younger Horace Slughorn carried over all the way to the door way. Hermione thought he looked very weird with hair.
Tom placed a winning smile on his face (Hermione grimaced at his flawless teacher's pet look). "I'm sorry I'm late professor. I had to take care of something."
The professors and Headmaster Armando Dippet (Hermione noticed him from a chocolate frog) beamed when they saw Tom, all except one. A man with auburn hair and a crooked nose…
Hermione's eyes widened as he saw the merry face of the much younger Albus Dumbledore. He looked very young, at least compared to the Dumbledore Hermione knew; upon remembering him from the time she came from, Hermione's eyes brimmed with tears, but she refused to let them fall.
"It's alright, Tom. Come sit and dine with us." Dippet said, gesturing towards the chair between Slughorn and Dolohov.
Tom smiled again. "Thank you, Professor."
Yeah, almost everyone was fooled. Two of the girls who looked like they were fourth-year Ravenclaws giggled as Tom walked towards the table and the other three boys (who were all Slytherin) grinned at Tom, like they were suddenly graced by the arrival of the king. Hermione immediately saw Dolohov as one of them. The two other girls were an extremely nervous looking second-year Gryffindor and another Gryffindor wearing a prefect's badge. The latter looked strangely familiar.
This time, Hermione gasped. The girl was Professor McGonagall. Only she looked decades younger, but still had the same black hair and the same look. But, in her younger years, she was smiling and her eyes were twinkling. She looks pretty, Hermione thought, smiling slightly as she looked at one of her favorite professors in her sixth-year form.
Tom sat, and Hermione stood at the back of his chair. If she wasn't invisible, she might have looked like his personal bodyguard. Hermione inwardly snorted.
"What kept you?" Dolohov whispered beside Tom as Slughorn offered him some lamb chops.
"Whatever time I arrive and why is none of your damn business, Antonin." And Dolohov recoiled, getting back at his dinner.
Hermione glared behind her master's back. There goes the 'well-deserved respect' that I thought I might be feeling for you.
"By the way Tom, did you get my birthday gift for you?" Slughorn asked enthusiastically and a bit exaggeratedly. Everyone in the table looked up.
Hermione rolled her eyes at the panicked look that quickly passed her master's face and bowed her head to Tom's ear. "He gave you a book on Advanced Potions called The Cauldron's Magic by Ariel Borger." She was sure that no one heard her, one of the advantages of her invisibility, no doubt.
"Yes, I did professor. I really appreciate it. The book will definitely help me for my Potions O.W.L. this year," he answered perfectly; his voice smooth and his tones faultless.
Slughorn beamed. "Nothing less for my top fifth-year student, then again, I also expect nothing less but an 'O' on Potions." He laughed.
No pressure, Hermione smirked.
Tom smiled, "I guarantee you, sir."
The two Ravenclaws giggled again, obviously making a mental note that Tom Riddle's birthday was on New Year's Eve.
"Why, it's your birthday Tom?" Dippet beamed, as if the news was the cherry on top of the ending of the year.
Tom nodded; the smile still intact. But Hermione noticed he did not enjoy the attention given to his birthday.
"Well then, we must sing a birthday song!" Hermione was surprised that the enthusiastic proposal came from a grinning Dumbledore. He always had a knack for music.
"Yes! I agree. Even in these times of peril we mustn't forget the blessings we still receive." Dippet grinned and Hermione swore she saw Tom cringe as the words escaped his mouth.
Everyone joined in when Dumbledore, Dippet, and Slughorn started singing the birthday song.
All the while, Hermione –along with the three Slytherins- were trying very hard not to laugh.
After the song, Slughorn waved his wand and a huge chocolate birthday cake with green icing appeared in front of Tom, complete with candles. Hermione's grin widened when she caught the glare that only fleetingly passed Tom's smiling face as he blew the candles quickly.
Everyone helped themselves with the cake while Hermione looked up at the ceiling and saw that it was snowing. She smiled as she looked at the brilliant ceiling that she first read about in Hogwarts: A History. She stared around the Great Hall. It felt like years since she had last been there, not months. She felt the familiar warm feeling that she was at home.
Hermione looked at the small festivities before her. She was now standing behind the space between Slughorn and Tom to get a better look at everyone.
Slughorn, Dippet, and the other professors were all laughing, recalling some New Year's Eve party they held in Hogwarts years ago.
Dumbledore and the second-year Gryffindor were enthusiastically listening to a tale from the young Minerva McGonagall who was between them.
The three Slytherin boys were talking and laughing boisterously.
The two Ravenclaws were giggling and whispering to each other as they indiscreetly stared at Tom Riddle, who was quietly eating his dinner.
Hermione was surprised. It seemed that even with his popularity and his certain advantages with the people around him; he liked to keep to himself. Hermione watched as her master slowly ate, ignoring the happiness all around him. He looked absolutely bored. Now that he couldn't really talk to Hermione, it appeared that the burning fascination was dimming slightly.
Another hour passed with Hermione observing her master from behind. After dinner, everybody rose from their seats.
"Hey Tom," a burly looking boy who was a little shorter than Dolohov and the other Slytherin said as they waited for Tom as he gracefully rose from his seat.
Hermione prepared to follow him. He stood up and only fleetingly looked at her and walked towards them but not before hearing him whisper. "Go back to your bottle and hide it under the bed before we get there. I don't want anyone knowing anything about you." His lips barely moved.
Hermione was a bit offended. She said, "Yes, master. Good night, and a happy new year."
She quickly walked passed him and his unsuspecting Death Eaters and started flying towards the dungeons. Flying isn't so bad; she thought as she went to the bare wall and said the password. As long as I set my limits to five feet and don't look down.
Hermione went straight towards the dormitories and towards Tom's bed. She got her bottle, uncorked it, placed it under his bed and plunged headfirst inside the opening.
Hermione smiled as she found herself in her red and gold room. Seriously, after only a few hours of being out and bonding with her master, she found that the place was more than bearable.
"Well, hello dear! You've been gone for a few hours," Amy over the armoire said. "How did you find your master?"
"Awful," Hermione groaned, suddenly tired, and fell on the bed, her face muffled by the pillows. "He's s annoying, mean, insufferable, and bossy as I expected him to be."
"Oh, come on, dear," Aly comforted. "Chin up. This is the reason why Fate had decided this for you; to change him. Don't lose heart now; it's only the first day."
Hermione smiled gratefully at the two mirrors, their soothing words comforting her a little. She was glad that at least the mirrors weren't just objects of vanity. She started to close her eyes, feeling like she could sleep for a whole day.
"Hermione, no, don't sleep yet!" Aly screeched, which wasn't necessary for her since the dress table was just beside the bed.
Hermione's eyes flew open and she looked over at Aly. "Why, what's wrong?"
"Dear, it's important to remember not to fall asleep with make-up still on your face."
Hermione stared blankly at her reflection as Aly magically removed the make-up. "There, sleep tight, dear."
Hermione yawned. She couldn't understand why she was so tired already. "Aly? Amy? Do either of you know what time is it? I'm so exhausted I don't feel like using magic."
"It's 10:11 at night, sweetheart. You left a while ago at around 6. And you must have used magic with your wand outside the bottle to be able to feel so worn out." Amy said in a soothing voice.
Hermione glared. Peeves. And her stupid master didn't do anything to help her remove the cake.
She yawned. Aly's speaking seemed so far away as she closed her eyes. "Sweet dreams, Hermione. Beauty sleep is important."
Hermione felt like she was already dreaming as both of them whispered, "Happy New Year, dear. May this year bring you luck."
Author's Response:
taxibby: Thanks a lot! I hope you liked this update.
HP. potter. freak : Yes! Those are my thoughts exactly when I created Aly and Amy. I'm glad you think so. Hope you like this chapter.
Charlotte232: Yes, I know, it's quite pitiful. I hope you liked this chapter!
Madame Dee: Thank you! Yes, you're feelings are quite right, actually. I hoped you liked this update. :)
flamelm: Thanks! :)
Vera-Sabe: Thank you very much for that very long, critical, helpful, and warming review! I read it thrice. I hope you liked this chapter.
Also, thanks to the other wonderful people who subscribed/added this story to their favorites!
Happy New Year to all!
Next update: last week of either January or February.
Review. :)
