Fae woke up before anyone else in her dorm. She was disoriented for a moment, forgetting that she was back at Hogwarts. She rubbed her eyes, trying to clear her vision. Looking down along the row of beds. Evelyn's bright red hair stuck out, even in the dark. Fae knew that Belle had taken the bed right next to Evelyn's, just like she had every year. Fae's bed was against the wall, right underneath a window. She stared out the window to the Great Lake, the ripples following each other in perfect harmony. With the adventures of the new school year approaching, everyone should be excited. Right?
It was moments like this where Fae felt so alone, but at the same time, at peace. She was thinking of her mother again. The anniversary of her mother's death would be coming up soon, during these times she spent most of her time alone or talking to Andreas, the only one who knew of her mother's death. Fae was pulled from her thoughts by a soft whisper.
"F-Fae? Is everything alright?" Evelyn was sitting up, rubbing her eyes when Fae turned around to look at her. Evelyn knew there was something Fae had never wanted to tell her; she noticed it was always the same at the start of every school year. She wasn't trying to pry, but it worried her.
"I'm fine... Go back to sleep, Evelyn," Fae muttered.
Evelyn looked over to the clock. "You know we don't have to get up this early, right? I know you're eager, but Quidditch practice hasn't started yet," she said, hoping to get Fae to smile.
Fae put on a fake smile just so Evelyn wouldn't worry, "Thanks, Evelyn... I'll try to remember." Evelyn gave a sleepy smile and fell back onto her pillow. Fae held still for a few moments, to make sure Evelyn was asleep again. After she was fairly certain she was safe, she stepped out of bed and quietly slipped on her shoes. She silently opened the door and slipped out of the dorm. She padded down the stairs into the empty common room. It was too early in the morning for anyone to be awake. Fae folded herself up on a couch in front of the lit fire place.
"I can't stay like this... I need to talk to someone. It can't be healthy to bottle up my emotions like this... I have to do something about this," Fae was using strong words, but her voice held more sadness than determination.
She stared into the fire, Andreas' words echoing through her head.
"These things take time, Fae. You'll open up when you're ready."
Syrin made her way down from her dorm. The common room was full of Slytherins. She eyed a group of girls who were huddled together.
"Hmph! They never stop gossiping. What is there to talk about this early in the morning? This early in the school year for that matter!" Syrin asked herself.
The annoying squeal the girls were producing got even higher when Tom Riddle walked down the staircase. Syrin looked over to him, suddenly reminded of yesterday's feast. Tom scanned the room until his eyes fell upon Syrin. She froze, meeting his gaze from across the room. He offered one of his mysterious smiles to her, along with a slight nod of his head before leaving the common room. After he left, Syrin was left motionless, staring with wide eyes on the point where he had been standing. When she finally snapped out of her daze she noticed an unfamiliar silence in the room. She turned her head to the couch and found the group of gossipers staring up at her. Their expressions were a mix of shock, horror, and fury. Syrin quickly hurried out of the common room, so they wouldn't see her laugh at their faces.
"Syrin! Syrin!," a voice cried out from behind her.
Syrin turned around and saw an overly excited Belle waving at her, followed by an annoyed looking Evelyn.
"Hey! Have you seen Fae?" Belle asked.
"N-no... I just got up. How's her leg? I hope she isn't mad about Ace," Syrin said earnestly.
Evelyn let out a groan, "She was gone from the dorms when we woke up this morning. We thought she might have gone to see you."
"Oh, relax. What's the worst that could've happened?" Belle said.
"She could be hurt! Or lost! Or-"
Belle interrupted Evelyn with an unconcerned voice, "This happens at the beginning of every year... You worry too much. She'll show up for breakfast. Let's just get to the Great Hall. I'm starving!"
"I was just on my way there, but if we should go look for Fae-" Syrin began.
"She's fine. Believe me," Belle said as she grabbed Evelyn's arm and started dragging her down the hall. Syrin followed them into the Great Hall before leaving to sit at the Slytherin table. She looked at the door in concern. What happened at the beginning of every year? Fae mysteriously disappearing? If that was true, then maybe Evelyn was right to be worried. She would talk to Fae about it after breakfast, Slytherin and Ravenclaw had a shared Potions class. Syrin was pulled from her thoughts when she noticed she was receiving glances from Tom Riddle. She was both surprised and confused to find Tom studying her. She looked down at her plate and began eating to avoid his gaze and to hide her blush.
"Why do you keep looking back at the door?" Andreas asked Evelyn as he began eating his eggs.
"Um... HELLO! Am I the only one who seems concerned about Fae's disappearance? We haven't seen her all morning, Andreas."
"Don't worry... I saw her this morning," Andreas said calmly.
Evelyn let out a sigh of relief as Belle let out a shrill, "I told you so!"
"Where did you see her?" Evelyn asked, finally taking her eyes off the door.
Andreas spoke through a mouthful of food, "She was perched on a windowsill."
Evelyn wrinkled her nose at Andreas, "I wonder why she was sitting there, it doesn't seem very comfortable." Just as Evelyn finished sp8eaking, Fae walked into the Great Hall. She waved over at Syrin before going to sit down at the Ravenclaw table.
"Where have you been?" Luis asked Fae before she could sit down.
Fae looked at him blankly for a moment, "I-I just wanted to get some fresh air." Everyone exchanged glances before Evelyn pulled out a piece of paper.
"I've looked through our schedules and we have a few paired classes with Slytherins. Normally, I'd be complaining, but with Syrin it might not be so bad."
"What do we have first?" Fae asked.
"Potion," Belle responded with a bored tone.
Andreas looked down at his watch, "And we better go now." The group stood and made their way through the corridors. Fae looked back to find Syrin following them down the hall and waited for her to catch up.
Syrin sped up to Fae and spoke shyly, "Hey, Fae... Can I sit with you during potions? I-I don't have anyone in my house I'd like to sit with, and... and I wanna talk to you."
Fae blinked, surprised at the question, "O-Oh! Yes! Of course you can. Andreas, you don't mind, right?"
Andreas and Fae sat together in almost all their classes, "No," he responded, "I don't mind at all. I can partner up with Evelyn since it looks like Belle will be sitting with Luis."
Fae jumped up, "Great!" She looked down at her watch and turned, starting to walk swiftly down the hall. "Come on! I'm not going to be late for my first class with Slughorn this year," she called behind her at the others. The halls were already starting to clear out.
Belle rolled her eyes and leaned over to Syrin as they tried to catch up to Fae, "Fae's always working to get to each and every class on time. It's really annoying. She can be a bit of a teacher's pet. She loves to know that the teachers like her. I don't think that really matters. She's the top of our grade."
"I honestly wish I knew how she can still be top of the year and play Quidditch. She's some sort of miracle child," Evelyn said dramatically. The group entered the classroom and took their seats without a moment to spare.
"Good day, class," Professor Slughorn began. "It's nice to see you all again for another year of learning, here at school. We are going to get started right away, so we don't waste any time!" He then turned and began writing on the board behind him. Syrin looked to her left to look at Fae, interested to see if what Evelyn and Belle had said was true.
"Now, class, can anyone tell me what this is?" Slughorn asked after writing on the board. Sure enough, Fae's hand shot up into the air before most of the class had bothered to look at the board. "Yes, Miss Youngblood?"
"Well, Professor, the potion you've described on the board, Felix Felicis is a famous potion... Popularly called 'liquid luck.' It is believed that whoever drinks this potion will succeed in any tasks they are to perform after taking it," Fae said, nearly out of breath. Syrin's jaw dropped and she looked back at Evelyn who smiled and nodded.
"Can anyone tell me more about this potion?" Professor Slughorn asked, not seeing the way Fae's jaw clenched, as if she was insulted that he was suggesting that she left something out.
Professor Slughorn nodded to the back of the classroom, "Yes, Tom?"
"Professor, if I'm not mistaken, the name 'Felix Felicis' is derived from a Latin root meaning 'luck' or 'of luck.' It has a gold color. This potion, like most, has side effects and risks, mainly reckless behavior. In addition, if it is consumed in a large amount, it can be very toxic," Tom answered in a smooth and calm voice.
"Even deadly! Very good, Tom. Ten points to Slytherin," Professor Slughorn exclaimed. Syrin choked back a laugh as she watched Fae's face change from surprised to annoyed. "Please open your books and turn to page twenty-five. You will have the rest of class to complete the assignment on the board. You may begin now."
Fae was halfway done her assignment when Syrin slid a piece of folded parchment over to her. Fae opened it and read the note.
Where were you this morning? Heard you woke up and you were nowhere to be found...
Fae stared at the note, surprised that Syrin was worried enough to ask about it. She picked up her quill and responded.
I was just around the castle. I couldn't sleep, guess I've got a lot on my mind... I sneak out a lot. Don't let Belle or Evelyn worry you.
Fae had gone back to her assignment, but she was surprised to get a response from Syrin.
Well, okay. But if you have a lot on your mind and you need someone to talk to, I'm always here.
Fae was shocked and touched that Syrin had said that to her. Maybe sometimes it's easier to say what you're feeling if you write it down. She'd have to remember that, it might come in handy.
Tom Riddle had spent his day plotting, which was nothing unusual, but this was something bigger than normal. He was going after the Chamber of Secrets. He knew the Chamber was built by his grand ancestor Salazar Slytherin, and he was determined to find it. He yearned for the power that was hidden inside its walls. This girl, Syrin Goldry, might be his ticket to finding the Chamber of Secrets but she couldn't know that. She obviously didn't know where her blood traced, but Tom could tell his own kind apart from others.
He turned a corner, when a certain pair of green eyes caught his, "Ah, Miss Goldry."
Syrin turned around, her cheeks suddenly turning a light shade of red, "Oh. Hi, Tom."
Tom smiled, he felt an sense of power washing over him, "I've been wanting to talk to you."
"Y-You have?" Syrin was surprised to suddenly get so much attention from someone, especially Tom Riddle. She drew in a quick breath as he stepped towards her.
"Yes, and those friends of yours... Very interesting. They're all Ravenclaw, are they not?"
"They are... I met them on the train yesterday. They're all very nice, and we have some classes together, so..." she noticed that she was rambling again. She tended to do that a lot when she got nervous. Syrin leaned against the wall, holding her books across her chest.
Tom took another step forward, "It doesn't seem like you fit in their group. Do you feel like you belong with them?"
Syrin was surprised and a bit upset at his words, "Yes, I feel like I belong with them! I've never felt more comfortable around people than I do with them. Who else would I belong with?"
"Someone who sees you for what you really are. Someone who appreciates you... Someone who sees how special you really are," Tom placed his arms on the wall on either side of her, and leaned over her, "Someone like me..."
Syrin looked up, gazing into his eyes, "Y-You think I belong with you?"
Tom nodded. "And I'll prove it," he said as he leaned down and captured her lips with his in a breath taking kiss.
