Tom walked back towards the compartment that Abraxas and the other sixth year Slytherins were occupying. He had been waiting all summer to get his hands on the book that would be waiting for him there. He just needed to make sure he played down his excitement. Slytherins were cunning, and quick to question interest shown in anything they thought insignificant.
He reached the compartment and gracefully ducked inside, and in one fell swoop was seated nonchalantly in the only available seat.
"Tom, there you are," Abraxas smiled lazily from his seat next to the window, "We were starting to think you had forsaken us for more enjoyable company." He smirked at this last part.
"Nonsense, Abraxas! Who could possibly be better company than us?" giggled a shrill voice sitting across from him.
"Ah, Druella, lovely to see you again," Tom grinned at the blonde, who proceeded to giggle in response.
"Brushing off the question, I see," a sullen voice spoke from next to Druella.
"I don't know what you mean Cygnus. I don't recall being asked a question," was Tom's subtly curt reply.
"Who could possibly be better company than us?" the dark haired boy repeated Druella's question.
"I believe that question was directed at Abraxas, and that it was meant in a rhetorical nature. However, if you would care to inquire into my whereabouts, I don't see why they would be of interest to you, considering the menial nature of prefects duties. Nor do I see how they would be any of your business, to be perfectly frank," Tom's response left an icy chill in the air.
"I was merely curious as to what use you would have for a bumbling Gryffindor slag," came Cygnus' equally cold reply.
Tom was briefly left speechless at this statement and the confusion showed on his face. "Bumbling Gryffindor slag? I don't recall interacting with a bumbling Gryffindor slag." He stated, wondering who on earth Cygnus was referring to.
"That Blair girl. Delaney Blair," Cygnus replied, attempting to sound nonchalant.
"Gryffindor, yes. Bumbling, after this afternoon I wouldn't doubt it. But slag I did not know,"
At this Druella decided to chime in, apparently having found her niche in the conversation. "Ohh, but how could you not? Everyone knows she goes around with that Richards boy, but no one has ever seen them together at Hogsmeade or any of the balls," At this news Tom frowned.
"I did not know that, but I must admit I am disappointed that you think I would care. I should hope her reputation has not lead you to believe that our 'interaction' from earlier was anything of that nature."
"Well then you won't mind if I take a crack at her once Richards is out of the picture," Alphard joked, "Or maybe even while he's in the picture. I have yet to steal someone's bird, and I wouldn't mind starting out with one of that quality." He finished with a wolfish grin on his face.
Tom ignored Alphard's comment, but Cygnus threw him a glare before continuing on with the conversation. "I cannot pretend that I am not curious as to what the nature of it was, then," he caught Tom's quirked eyebrow at his continued questioning and quickly added "My Lord" onto the end of his statement.
"The nature of our interaction was merely her quite spot on imitation of a bludger," the mood of the compartment lifted significantly at Tom's joke. "You see, I had just finished my prefect rounds and was headed to this very compartment when she came barreling out of her own and literally knocked me on my arse. I had no idea someone so small could carry that much force in their movements," Tom grinned at this as his companions laughed, more so from the relieved tension than from the humor of the story.
"Oh Tom, do go on! What did she do? What did you do? I would have hexed her all the way back to Kings Cross!" Druella trilled.
Tom winced inwardly at her voice, but carried on with his story. "Well, at first she stood there gawking at me, so I made a joke about her playing the position of bludger for the Gryffindor team. And do you know what she did?" he asked his housemates, all who shook their head 'no' "She scowled at me! Said she didn't do it on purpose. I tried to lighten her mood by making some other jokes but she refused to even smile at me." Druella seemed particularly appalled at the thought of someone not finding Tom charming and humorous, but he let the look of horror on her face go unnoticed. "So I finally asked her whether or not she was going to help me up, and she rolled her eyes at me!"
"The impudent slag!" Druella exclaimed.
"I thought it was rather amusing," Tom responded coolly. "It's not often that I can't charm someone as simpleminded as a Gryffindor. To be honest, I'm rather intrigued by it."
"Intrigued? By that slag?" Druella continued, her pitch increasing all the while.
"She can't be that much of a slag if she only goes around with Richards. Although it does point to some poor taste on her part. Besides, she's technically half Slytherin, so she can't be that simpleminded," Alphard cut in.
"Any girl who goes around with even one boy"
"Druella, do give it a rest," Alphard cut her off, yet again.
"Half Slytherin, you say?" Tom addressed Alphard for the first time that day.
"Mmm, yup. Her mum was in Slytherin. Our mums are actually good friends. I'm surprised Cygnus didn't remember this, but then she doesn't go by her mum's name, does she? No, she's a Blair, but her mum is a Burke," Alphard continued, leaning back against his seat.
"Burke. As in Borgin & Burke?" Tom asked, piecing information together in his head.
"The very same. The Burke who works their now is Eleanor's, that's her mum's name, younger brother. But he's not married, and obviously no kids, so the Burke inheritance will go to Blair. Not that she needs it. Her father comes from a very old, very wealthy line." Alphard continued
"So she's a pureblood, I take it?" Tom tapped his long fingers against his lips as he took in the information.
"Very pure blood. The Burkes date back almost as far as the Blacks and the Blair line is the conglomeration of several other very important bloodlines, all of which have been without a directly named heir for a very long time. Extinct, I guess you would say." Alphard answered.
"But the blood is not extinct. The blood of all those families runs in her veins," Tom was leaning forward in his seat now, unable to hide the interest in his face.
"The veins of a slag," Druella muttered, disheartened that the attention was stolen away from her by a girl who wasn't even present.
"Which families? Do you know?" he asked Alphard
"A few of them, yeah. Her grandmother was the last of the Bonhams. There's also the Wenlocks, and the Barkwiths, and of course, the Gryffindors." Alphard responded, ticking the names off on his fingers.
"The Gryffindors? As in Godric?" Tom's face became a blank mask at this. He was determined not to let his interest give too much away about his train of thought.
"The very same. Like I said, very old. Very wealthy." Alphard nodded slowly.
"How do you know all of this?" Riddle inquired, causing Alphard to blush.
"Er, well, my mum tried to have her betrothed to me. Her mum was all for it, but her father was less than pleased. Wants her to make her own decisions in regards to marriage." Alpard shrugged.
"I was not aware of that," Cygnus commented.
"Er, yeah, well, it was all kept very quiet. I don't think she ever knew. If she did she never let on." He shrugged again, signifying the end of the topic.
"So she's a descendent of Gryffindor?" Tom continued, picking up the part of the conversation that had peaked his interest.
"The last." Was Alphard's reply.
"That's interesting. With a bloodline like that, she could be very useful to our cause," Tom refrained from elaborating on the exact use he had in mind for her, and chose this time to swing the focus of the conversation away from the topic that left his mind racing. "Speaking of our cause, Abraxas, I trust you have the book I requested?"
"Yes, My Lord, it's in my trunk. Would you like it now?" Abraxas answered, glad to finally be of some importance in the compartment.
"Now? Let's not be so hasty, Abraxas. We are nearing Hogwarts, and how do you think it would look for the Slytherin prefect to step out onto the platform carrying a book of magic so dark it can't even be found in the restricted section of the library?" Tom scoffed at the pale boy. "Ah, I believe the train is slowing. If you don't mind, I'll be off to finish my patrol before we stop. I will see you all up at the castle." Tom stood and inclined his head towards his fellow Slytherins before sliding out of the door, a smirk on his lips and his mind full of ideas.
