Draco hated his roommate. He was going to make up a list of atrocities committed by Eimstufid Animdum and have Riddle get him switched. Even better, throw him out of this expedition altogether. He fumed.
Trash like Animdum should stay outside. And what type of name was Eimstufid anyways? Animdum seemed like the name of a pureblood house, but he couldn't remember if it actually was.
He was consoled to know that if it actually was a pureblood house, it was definitely one of those obscure and weak ones. Maybe he could force Eimstufid's father into a contract of servitude and torture Eimstufid! That would be the best present, almost as good as when he got Crabbe and Goyle. That was definitely the best moment of his life, so good that it would probably work for an expecto patronum. On that day, he'd finally become like his father, the deputy Minister, and his glorious father had swelled with pride.
They stopped in front of the auditorium's grand doors. The wood was meticulously carved and finely inlaid with gold leaf. Graceful curtain curves of satin framed the top and sides of the entrance. It was quite spectacular, Draco noticed, but second to the Malfoy manor's private auditorium.
Eimstufid nudged him, and Draco shot him a disgusted look, one of his best ones. He was disappointed to see that it had little effect on Animdum, but it was probably due to his mental retardation. Sometimes, he had to remember that not everyone had been blessed with the Malfoy intellect.
Eimstufid said, "Hey Wowboy, can you introduce me to Riddle, since I'm guessing your family are his sycophants? It'll win you some popularity points, Fako, since you need them!"
Salazar, he really wanted Animdum to eat his wand. Draco almost snarled; instead, he thought about the deal. If he were to introduce Eimstufid, the pros were that Riddle would appreciate how Draco could easily become close with the boy and obtain information. In addition...uh...nevermind, that was it. The cons were that the boy's behavior would affect negatively onto Draco and he wouldn't be able to get rid of Eimstufid as easily, but getting rid of Eimstufid might reflect badly on Draco, too...but the boy was taunting him into not introducing him! Did this mean something? Did he not want Draco to introduce him? Then the logical choice would be to introduce him, but Draco didn't want Eimstufid's idiocy to be on his record...the safest bet would be to not introduce him and keep Eimstufid in his room until further notice. Yes, it would be.
"I'm sorry, boy, but the Malfoy family doesn't like to associate our name with scum like you." He practiced his dirty look again. Salazar, he was getting good! "Don't expect the Malfoy family, your enemy, to endorse you and your kind, Eimstufid Animdum." He turned up his nose and opened the door, eyes widening a little at the sight.
The carpet was blood red, the lights threw warm shadows over the walls, and there were the faint murmurs of secret-sharing and anticipation. Only thirteen seats were occupied. This was going to be a small expedition, huh. Everybody important was there though: Zevi, Cygnus, Alphard, even Abraxas, his brother. Bellatrix. He shivered. Blaise, two redheads, the mudblood girl, a hufflepuff named Cedric something-or-other, a blond girl, and his two minions. Instinctively, his eyes searched for Tom Riddle, and landed on the half-hidden balcony on the right side of the stage. Tom Riddle, his lord, looking as enigmatic and dark as ever, was the center of attention even without being in the center. At Malfoy and Animdum's arrival, all pairs of eyes turned towards them, including his lord's. He was nervous inside at all the attention, but he kept his face impassive and whispered for the other to do the same.
Eimstufid laughed.
Draco's eyes whipped to his lord's, whose red eyes revealed no emotion. He was really nervous now, especially since Animdum was his roommate. Was the boy suicidal or something? Salazar. Animdum was saying something now, he should probably focus.
Eimstufid was saying something about apologizing for being late and breaking the festive mood (there was no festive mood! Stop taunting the Dark Lord!) and then something about letting Malfoy (finally, the little nuisance said it correctly!) introduce him?
Oh...no.
He really was put on the spot now, and he had to make a decision quickly. For some reason, he really didn't want to introduce Eimstufid because if Eimstufid wanted him to do it, he had a feeling that it would be really, really bad and something that he might regret forever, so he needed to come up with something else. Should he resort to refuse with bashing? Not yet. Divert with flattery? He really didn't want to flatter Eimstufid. Maybe he should-
"Draco, we're waiting." The Dark Lord stepped out of the shadows of the alcove. That one voice held all the power of the imperio and he swore that there was veela magic in there too, but whatever. He'll introduce Eimstufid.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would like you all to meet Eimstufid Animdum, one of the aurors we have with us today." He waited for Animdum to say "pleased to meet you all" or something appropriate so they could redirect the piercing stares. He was really uncomfortable now. He looked at Eimstufid expectantly.
Eimstufid started to guffaw, and Draco's eyes widened. Animdum was shaking with laughter, bent over a little with the exertion. What the hell was wrong with the boy? Was he like Bellatrix? Did he have a screw loose? A footstep was heard, and he was suddenly, really, really, really scared, especially when the lord started to come their way, smiling. This was really bad. He hadn't even finished his will yet.
He said softly, so softly that Draco could feel goosebumps start to spread across his arms, "please tell us the name of your companion, Draco."
"Eimstufid Animdum, my lord."
/\\\\\\\
"Eimstufid Animdum, my lord."
Hermione looked on in horror. What had Harry gotten himself into this time? She knew that Harry had always held contempt for aristocrats, especially those who didn't work hard or bullied others with their fortune and family name. Draco looked like a perfect example of those Harry disliked, but she'd never though that he would go as far to humiliate him, in front of Mr. Riddle, no doubt!
She had read that Draco was the brother of Abraxas, one of the few in the highest administrative levels of Magitech. Harry would definitely get punished, maybe even cut out from the expedition...this was terrible! Unless...unless, he had purposefully targeted Malfoy! But why would you do something like go against Mr. Riddle; it was plain ridiculous! But...he had said that he didn't want to waste time working for some suspicious company that had ties in the black market and weird cover-up stories (she really wished she hadn't told him that) and his hero ego is so big that it could probably envelope the Earth, so maybe!
She wanted to go to bed, or talk to Mr. Riddle (sometimes she called him Tom in her head), or go to bed to talk with Mr. Riddle. She blushed a little at that. But she needed to focus and stop this disaster from blowing over. Oh Harry, she loved her friend so much, he was probably also doing this to spite Malfoy because he'd called her a fat ugly mudblood pig who wasn't worth the dirt on his shoes...wait.
Actually, maybe she'd just sit back and watch. She had to first appreciate Harry's effort, after all.
/\\\\\\\
Ron laughed with Harry. Ah, this was hilarious! The stupid freaky white-haired git was getting just what he deserved for calling Hermione all those names. "I'm stupid and I'm dumb." Priceless. Maybe they would all get sent away and Hermione would stop thinking about Riddle so much. He hadn't even seen Riddle. Who didn't show up to their own meeting? The arrogant git!
/\\\\\\\
Luna was busy watching reruns of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban in her mind's eye. Oh, these fools didn't know what they were missing.
/\\\\\\\
Ginny didn't really get why Harry was calling himself Eimstufid Animdum, but Tom was soo handsome. She needed to take some pictures of herself and Tom and post them on facetome. It was the perfect way to get a whole bunch of likes, and the stories about how she went on TOM RIDDLE'S expedition was going to be THE topic for months! She was so glad that she found that little book that was apparently like the biggest discovery of the century! Here's to a best summer ever!
/\\\\\\\
Cedric Diggory chuckled. Harry was such a little prankster. He hoped that Tom's group wasn't so uptight about little jokes like this. Maybe he should step in?
/\\\\\\\
The inner circle aka heads of departments looked hard at Draco and the boy, some in disdain, some with humor, some with shock, with anger, with madness.
None of them dared to say anything, until their lord's signal. Bellatrix gave a mad laugh-shriek, and she was entitled, being the lord's consort and all.
Zevi Prince mentally rapped himself. No, they had all been their lord's lovers at one point. Bellatrix was entitled because she was their lord's only female consort because she was the only female who could put up with the abuse.
He kind of felt bad for the poor kid with the green eyes. They were a nice color; he could use them for three very complex potions. Ah, maybe he could use the boy as an eyeball farm after their lord was done torturing him. He had a full flesh-regenerative potion stock, and those eyes really would be useful.
/\\\\\\\
Tom looked at the young boy, fifteen or sixteen by physical signs, with indifference. He didn't know that the aurors accepted fifteen or sixteen-year-olds, in fact, he was sure that the minimum age was twenty-one. So either this boy had gone through time-travel, he was naturally youthful, he had vampire or another ageless magical creature's blood, or he was lying about his age to the aurors.
Last year, he had first realized the power of creature magic naturally present in the blood could be amplified through dark rituals. He had been presently surprised to find dementor blood in him, and it had proved immensely useful in obtaining information with enhanced interrogation techniques, among other things.
He toyed with the idea of ending the boy's life here and now. The viridian eyes were very nice, and they could be used in potions, but...not important.
There was a nice bit of power in the boy, no doubt, but it was hardly enough to warrant keeping him. Developing more natural magic this late into life was almost impossible and not worth the risk.
He probed out with a tendril of magic, deciding on inflicting a quick imperio to "go to his dungeons" and then strangling the brat to comatose. He didn't need the aurors awake for protection, simply because they were needed for a...special type for protection. He would have much rather taken muggles, as they were easy to miss, but this trip required guards with bigger than average cores. Ah strangling, what fun. It had been a while.
Smiling, he let his gaze wander over the stock still Draco, mulling at his punishment. He could accio the idiot's hair. Oh yes, that would pain Draco greatly, and to see the blood red bloom amongst the white hairs as each strand was ripped from the scalp...beautiful.
As quick as a flash, Tom retracted his magic.
He had sensed something strange when he had touched the green-eyed boy's magic. He studied the giggling boy, holding his gaze, who seemed a little tense, but seemingly unaware of anything that had occurred. Tentatively, Tom touched the boy's magic again, to the same result.
It was altogether strange, he decided. At first glance, the boy's magic core was completely incompatible with his own; it felt like citrus and cinnamon in the most potent headache-inducing combination. However, when his own magic called out, the other source surfaced; this one tasted like his own, an perfect amalgam of dark, sensual chamomile and lavender.
Now, this was a puzzle worth contemplating. The boy's natural core was white, so that obvious blemish didn't make any sense. It was strange that they didn't mix; perhaps the boy was keeping it bound? That means the boy would have control over it. Hmm...plausible. Did it keep itself bound? No, because dark magic never did that. Maybe he could coax it away, to his own core? Interesting, he'd have to keep the boy under watch. His disrespect wasn't tolerable, but lessons would have to be drilled in soon. He'd personally see to that.
/\\\\\\\
Harry kept giggling. Now they just had to send him away, with a little reprimand and make his life worse for a couple months, but that was okay. He had never wanted to work anywhere near Magitech, and he wasn't afraid to sacrifice a little happiness, safety, or sleep for that. There were better things to do than join that demented company, and the evidence he found against Tom Riddle and his upper executives this morning were horrendous.
Riddle, the vile rat, had multiple strange events surrounding him as a child, and they got worse after he graduated early. He was twenty-four, but Harry bet the disgusting thing had killed over forty people directly or via his upper executives in his lifetime.
They were all just a bunch of murdering psychos. he had been shocked when the papers simply ghosted over such details, but now, looking at Riddle up close, he could tell that the sicko had probably bribed, imperio'd, or killed the reporters who were against him. His head hurt faintly and he kinda felt nauseous with Riddle so close. Thoughts whooshed in and out of his brain, and he felt the need to leave, now. Was this also a type of magical coercion? Like a faint imperio, maybe? Dang, he'd have to research that sometime, too, but he never really got around to these things.
Poor Fako was trembling like a leaf. He looked around for the others: Hermione, Ron, Diggory-the quidditch star? And...Merlin. Ginny? Why in Merlin's name was Ginny here? He groaned mentally. Ginny was working as a news reporter and probably thought that this was the biggest scoop that she could get. Had Ron told her? He needed to meet up with Ginny and tell her that this place was dangerous-taking part in something possibly illegal this early on would ruin her reputation.
First an evil politician trying to cover up some extreme corruption and then Mr. Stuck-up Malfoy and now this?! He really regretted not pushing the issue with Scrimgeour to send out more experienced aurors when he could've. He hated dealing with dilemmas.
Harry turned his attention back to Riddle. Hermione was right, the guy was handsome, infuriatingly so, like the type of guy that others guys would pay to get rid of in order to further their own chances of sexual success. How many illegitimate children did Riddle have? He narrowed his eyes as he surveyed the other's impeccably neat suit and hair and tie and shoes and face and aughh.
He probably only did it with guys so that he wouldn't make a mistake and have a baby and become the carcass that the newspaper-vultures tore bits off of...but he had to have made a mistake earlier on right? People weren't born being perfect. Inner Harry smiled. He could take Mr. Perfect down now with some bad rap and then wave a little magic, blame it all on suicide, and save the Earth and the future from the horror that will be Riddle's descendants.
Harry shifted a little under the continuous scrutiny of Riddle's laser eyes. He really hoped that Riddle wasn't a master Legilimens because he was a crap Occlumens and he didn't want Riddle to know that Harry was planning to murder him, even if it was for the greater good of the universe.
Merlin, the guy must have no morals to do all this and not want to commit suicide, so Harry obviously was just gonna help him a little and make him want to commit suicide. No big deal...wait. Why was he even contemplating murder. It must be the headache screwing with his reasoning or something and urgh, Riddle really needed to learn the definition of "personal space." Were people giving him weird looks? Maybe if he didn't display his discomfort, then people would just pass the closeness of Riddle as them needing a new prescription? This was really awkward and he was just TOO GODDAM CLOSE.
"Your name?"
Harry blinked. Were they going to put this in the newspapers? People were never going to shut up if they new his name...Merlin, he knew he was going to regret this. And shouldn't Riddle know his name already? He signed those stupid papers, but maybe he forgot? Arrogant. There were only fifteen people here, and to forget the name of one of your aurors...he set his jaw, involuntarily. Having people like Riddle and Malfoy skim over his ability just because of blood purism really pissed him off. He wouldn't protect people who dissed him and his friends before they knew them as people. Names didn't say anything.
"Are you deaf, auror? I asked for your name."
"Harry Potter, although I believe one usually introduces oneself before inquiring of another." He answered tersely.
Riddle blinked, as though surprised by Harry's retort. Then, with an unnerving intensity in his eyes, Riddle smiled all shark-like.
"Ah, Harry, I believe that you already know my name, like the other aurors. A subordinate should know the name of his master, right, auror?"
Harry restrained himself from kneeing Riddle down there. Narcissist! And master? The nerve! He really wanted to do a lot of unspeakable things to Riddle, and the throbbing pain in his head was not helping.
Pushing his troublesome rage aside, he merely stated, coldly, "I apologize, but I was under the impression that I was here to protect everyone to the best of my ability, including you. I wasn't aware that Commander Scrimgeour had conferred his authority over to you. Please correct me if I'm wrong."
He braced himself for a physical confrontation.
He was surprised when Riddle leaned back, slowly, like a stretch. He didn't dare hope that Riddle was afraid of him, but at least he had shown the devil that he was capable of thinking and taking care of himself. Riddle eyed him appraisingly, and his insides twisted a bit while his vision swam a little with the incessant beating of the pain in his pulse.
After Riddle "apologized," introduced himself, and finally, gave him his space, he let out a breathe that he didn't know he was holding. Dismissed, he quickly went over to the other aurors and Ginny. The fifteen were seated in a fashion that almost suggested two factions. Harry briefly entertained the idea of the Light and Dark factions, like the ones in the old of lore.