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Chapter Three

Influence

No, it's alright. You can stay.

If I could go back in time and rip out my own tongue, cut it into a few pieces and then stomp it into the ground just to prevent myself from saying that, then I would without any hesitation. I had no idea who this boy was, or where he had come from. But since I had never seen him before, I guessed he was a transfer student and I wasn't about to turn away the company of somebody that attractive... I was such a bloody idiot.

He sat down beside me and began to speak. He spoke about everything we saw around us, and was able to explain the history of it all; from the giant squid, to the Whomping Willow, to the Forbidden Forest. How a transfer student already knew so much about the grounds of Hogwarts, I had no idea. But I did know that I was dealing with a very intelligent boy here, and I wasn't about to make myself look stupid. I counteracted his information with my own information about the castle and its history. Hogwarts was established in the year 1000 A.D. by the Four Great Wizards and blah, blah, blah. He probably knew all of this already, considering his knowledge of the outside, but he sat there politely listening to what I had to say.

"I'm probably boring you, aren't I?" The boy shook his head, "Not at all. I'm glad to see the school keeps its students so informed." I didn't know quite what to say to this, so I nodded and looked back into the murky depths.

"So, what do you think about Slytherin?" He asked in his silky smooth voice, gesturing to emblem on my robe.

"It's great," I lied, "Everyone is cool." Cool, I couldn't believe that I used the word 'cool' in front of a guy like this. I mentally slapped myself and cringed, and he laughed, seeing my discomfort.

"Liar, I bet you hate it." He said, smiling a dazzling smile and looking at me with those emerald eyes, "No, no!" I said, keeping my composure this time, "It's a great house to be in. I prefer it out of all the others."

"Why is that?" He had stopped laughing and was staring at me with one eyebrow raised. The sun had already climbed into the sky, and everybody was going to be waking up soon and going to classes. I stood up and looked towards the sun. The past twenty-four hours had been the worst in my life, and I was gazing over the peak to an absolute mental breakdown that had been holding itself in for years and years. It would have to wait a little longer, but the only reason I could think about for my likeness of Slytherin was, "No mudbloods."

The boy chuckled softly and I began to walk away. "Hold on," he said, I turned and looked at him, trying to hold back my quelling insanity, "What's your name?" He asked, not getting up, but looking at me directly. I caught a glimpse of his robes, a Slytherin badge on the chest. "Regulus," I said, smirking, "Regulus Black." He now stood and held out a hand, "Tom Riddle," he said, smiling. He was a bit taller than me, but not by much, an was probably in his seventh year. I shook his hand, and nodded, "Nice to meet you, Tom. See you later."

Tom nodded in return and I walked back to the castle doors, not looking back to see if Tom was still there smiling at me.

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The first class of the day for me was Potions. I did quite well in Potions, but not nearly as well as Severus, who excelled in every concoction he attempted. In any other class, I would have been extremely envious of him, but not in Potions. The reason for this is the fact that Severus was an honoured member of the Slug Club. The Slug Club was a branch of the ego of our obnoxious professor, Professor Slughorn. This man was one of the most grotesque creatures I ever encountered. He was squat, obese, and reminded me of an overweight walrus with his handlebar mustache. I'm sorry for the blatant criticism, I have no respect for people who don't respect themselves. As an afterthought, I guess I really don't have respect for myself in that case either, but at least I'm not fat and have silly-looking facial hair. Anyway, I purposely made it so my potions would not have perfect grades just so I wouldn't be invited to Slughorn's stupid get together.

Whenever Severus got back from one of those things, he always looked bewildered and exhausted, and I would light-heartedly poke fun at him for actually going to those ridiculous things. When I'd ask him why he went, he would say through the pillows that he had his face squashed in, "If I ever want to be a professor here, I have to have recommendations from the current professors." When he said this, I would say, "You? A professor? Well, maybe you can give failing grades to the kids of the people who are tough on you here. A little revenge never hurt anybody except the people who wronged you first."

The day went by smoothly; Potions, then Defense Against the Dark Arts. This was my favourite subject. I had always been interested in the Dark Arts, and wanted to learn everything I could about them. Then there was lunch, during which I avoided any contact with Sirius, afraid I might try to hex him if I did, and then Herbology leading into Transfiguration. Professor Dumbledore, the man who taught it, was a fascinating person and secretly one of my idols. His office, which I had seen only once, was filled with so many beautiful artifacts, nearly all of them cursed or charmed.

That night, my thoughts somehow strayed back to Tom. I hadn't seen him throughout the entire day, but I can't really say I was looking. I wanted to ask the seventh years about him, but I couldn't go into their dormitories without running into Lucius, whom I had successfully avoided for the extent of the day. Tomorrow, I wouldn't be so lucky.

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The next morning, I walked out early in hopes to see Tom again, but he was nowhere to be found. Not there, anyway.

If you've ever had the feeling that you keep seeing the same person in different places, and then it turns out that the person isn't really there, then you would understand the feeling I had that day. Every time I switched classes, I saw Tom's face among the students, staring at me. Whenever this happened, I turned to see that I was either staring at a blank space, a wall, or some different person altogether. When I didn't think that I had seen Tom, I still had a strange feeling as if I was still being watched by his ominous emerald eyes wherever I was. the strangest thing was, though, was Professor Dumbledore. For some reason, whenever I felt Tom around, Dumbledore would become extremely serious and look at me with the utmost severity as if I was doing something very wrong. This went on throughout the entire Transfiguration class, during which there were three incidents of me having to turn around to see if Tom was standing there, which, of course, he wasn't.

At the end of the class, Dumbledore called to me when he was done lecturing us about Mandrake Safety. I had expected this, and gathered my things and made my way to the head of class and climbed the stairs to his office.

"It seems, Regulus," Dumbledore said, "That you are barely alive when you are in my class." He gestured to a chair in front of his desk and I sat down.

"What do you mean, sir? I answer your questions just as much as any other student." I had put a pleasant smile on my face and spoke with a calm tone; this was the smile I used whenever I was trying to or was about to convince a person that nothing was wrong with me. The last thing I wanted was attention, especially at school.

"Yes, I know you do. But in the past few years, you have seemed more distracted, even when I know you are paying attention." I looked at him with feigned interest and he continued, "I had hoped that this distraction would have passed over the summer- I know how much time your mother gives yourself and your brother to think..." He said this last line with a tone as if he had tried to talk to my mother about closing us in during the summer holiday, but failed in trying to suggest that we should have time outside. This was just an assumption, but it seemed like the type of thing that Dumbledore would do, "And I was just wondering if there was something you... needed to tell me." He delivered this line as if he had said it many times before, and if i knew Dumbledore, I knew it would probably not be the last time. I looked at him in an inquisitive way and said, "I don't know what you're talking about, sir. Everything is fine with me."

Dumbledore sighed and stood out of his chair. He crossed the room and went to the window where the daylight was beginning to fade. "Regulus, if Lucius Malfoy ever... Bothers you, I want you to tell me straightaway, do you understand?" At this, I lowered my chin so I could stare at him. My eyes were just as intimidating as my brother's when I wanted them to be, but I wasn't going to even attempt to psyche out Professor Dumbledore, whom I ultimately respected, even if did go a little to deep into my personal affairs.

"Don't worry, Professor," I said, standing, "If a problem should arise between myself and Mr. Malfoy, then I will be able to sort it out myself." Dumbledore smiled and nodded, "I'm sure you will, Regulus." I gave a small bow and walked out of the office, closing the door behind me.

I skipped dinner that night, not hungry in the slightest bit, and in need of some time to be alone. I guess the near-solitary confinement of the summer rubbed off on me, as I soon craved the desolation. I walked into the Great Hall, saw all of the students, and instantly turned on my heel to leave. The noise of all the students drove me crazy, and I naturally didn't socialise well with others. That, and I would have to face a bunch of girls trying to ask me out. Oh, I didn't mention that, did I? Apparently, I was just as desirable to the female students of Hogwarts as my brother was. Somehow my off-putting, aloof attitude towards nearly everybody just attracted the girls more... I just didn't understand it. And there was another thing that kept me out of the Great Hall; Sirius. I didn't want to face him... I couldn't. I felt as if I saw him once, I would try to kill him. I may not have been showing it, but the scenario a night before had been chewing me up inside ever since I ran from him. I felt as if something unpleasant was moving around inside my intestines like a snake in my stomach. Disgusting, I know, but that is the only way to describe it. My alternatives were to go to my dormitory and wait for Lucius or, to go back to One-Eyed Witch passageway. I chose the latter. It must have been the position of the moon or something, but I felt like being out-of-character. Normally, I would have gone straight into the Great Hall, sat down next to Lucius, and allowed him to grope my leg until he got aroused beyond his metal limits and had no choice but to drag me into his dormitory and do with me what he would.

Nah, I wanted Lucius to come and find me. I knew he would because he was angry with me, and would go to any lengths to have a piece of me like he had wanted to last night.

Well, I didn't have to wait long to be disturbed.

I had been standing in the passageway for about fifteen minutes when I heard footsteps behind me. They were soft, but they were definitely there. I decided to play coy and wait for Lucius to grab me from behind and shove me against the wall like he normally did. I just waited for him to grasp my wrist and nearly break it in lust...

"Well, this is quite an odd place to have dinner, isn't it?"

I whipped around, recognising the voice, but not expecting it, "Tom?" A thin figure walked out of the shadows and revealed itself to be Tom, and this time I wasn't hallucinating.

"Yes, it's me. I noticed you run out of the Great Hall and wondered what was the matter, so I came to find out." I shook my head and smiled, "Nothing's wrong, I just don't like large noisy crowds."

Tom nodded and looked down, averting his eyes, "Parental influence?" He asked, his eyes darting upward at me. I was a bit taken aback; the eyes that had formerly looked so green now seemed to be a brown colour, intensifying the alluring and mesmerising effect that they had upon me. I didn't let this show in my face, of course, but I think it may have come out in my voice, "No," I stammered, "I just don't like that type of thing." I said after steadying my tone. Tom had really hit the nail on the head in a big way when he asked if it was parental influence that drove me into my own company, but I was an accomplished liar, and he seemed convinced.

"Oh, alright, then." Tom smiled and looked up at the moon, which was now a crescent shape, "I don't like large crowds either." he said, "I'd much rather be alone with one person or just by myself than in a group of people." I think Tom might have been having a moment of clarity because we just sat there for a moment in silence; him looking up at the moon, and me looking at him and noticing how he looked when the moonlight illuminated his face. Tom was pale to begin with, but with this light shining on him, he looked like a ghost, a past memory of somebody forgotten not so long ago.

This moment ended within a few seconds, but seemed to last an hour. Tom looked down at me, his face now shadowed. "I'll see around, Regulus." I jumped at the sound of his voice, and he turned and left, disappearing back into the dark.

"Hey," I said, before he was completely gone. Tom stopped and turned, looking at me with that same charming smile, and i suddenly forgot why I had called him back, "What year are you in?" I asked, saying the first thing that had come to mind.

"Seventh," he answered with a bit of a chuckle behind his voice. I nodded, giving the impression that I understood. Tom made a slight bow, and then vanished.

I sat there for moment, just thinking of what I had seen; when his face was illuminated, he looked positively heavenly, but when his faced had shadows all around it, he looked, for lack of a better word, evil. My thoughts were interrupted by a voice coming from the direction in which Tom had vanished, a voice which I was less than inclined to hear.

"Who were you talking to, Regulus?"

This was going to be a long night.

"No one," I said, casting Lucius a condescending look. I wasn't about to tell him about Tom, because they were probably both in the same class and Lucius would seek him out.

"No one?" Lucius asked, a coy smile on his face as he moved towards me, "I swear I just heard you ask somebody what year they were in, and then they answered you."

"You must have been hearing things." I said, looking away and not realising that I was backing into the wall as Lucius came nearer.

"No, I'm quite sure I wasn't." He was standing right in front of me now, and I could see him eye-to-eye. I must have been going through a growth spurt at that time, because he definitely look shorter than he was back in Knockturn Alley a week or so before. Nevertheless, his cold grey eyes were still just as frightening as they had been then, and I could already feel myself deteriorating under their stare.

"Are you sure you're not hiding anything from me, Regulus?" Lucius asked as he caressed my hair, which I can shamefully admit felt really good, "Yes, Lucius. I'm not hiding anyone." I said this in a slightly bored voice as if I was getting sick of the question, which I was. Well, this seemed to be enough of an answer for Lucius. He stopped playing with my hair and cupped my face, forcing his lips onto mine. I was prepared for this, and I could feel my lips starting to bruise already, so I gave him what he wanted; I opened my mouth in the tiniest bit and his tongue slid in. I learned not to struggle against Lucius on his first foray when I earned myself a shiner in third year for trying to push him off (yes, this had been going on for three years now). The spell I used to try to cover it wasn't strong enough, and I couldn't go to the infirmary without the Madam Pomfrey noticing all of the small red spot and bite marks on my neck. So, I had to go around for an entire week and explain to each and every Professor that I had fallen out of bed, hit my eye on the side table, and needed no medical attention.

The one lesson that experience taught me was to not defy Lucius when he's just starting up, which was what he was doing now. He moved his tongue around in my mouth and I struggled with my own tongue only a small bit, just to egg him on. It did the trick, he was soon grabbing at my ass and bringing our bodies together. This was when I realised that I was not in the mood for this; I didn't feel like getting it on tonight, and even if I did, it certainly wouldn't have been with Lucius, the bastard.

I broke out the euphoria that the kiss had put me in (Lucius was a good kisser), and put my hands on his chest, "Stop..." I said, breathing in. But Lucius didn't listen and tried to advance on me again, and I pushed him off completely, "Christ, Lucius! Don't you ever know when to stop?!" I said this loud enough just to get my point across, but not loud enough so passers-by would be able to hear it. I must have left Lucius in shock for a moment, considering I had the time to make it a few feet towards the door before I was pulled back my the robe on my hood and slammed against the wall.

"I'm getting sick of your attitude, Regulus," Lucius hissed, his grip tightening on my wrist. I may have gotten taller, but Lucius was still stronger than me, "First you blow me off and leave me to Rodolphus, and then you disappear for a week." I just looked away with an annoyed look on my face as he breathed hot air on me as he spoke, "What have you been doing, Regulus? Or, should I ask, who have you been doing?!"

That was enough. I whipped my head around and shouted loudly in Lucius' face, "FUCK YOU!"

I felt a sharp blow on the right side of my face, and I was hurled to the cold stone ground of the passageway. I barely had the time to see if anything was broken or out of place, for I was wrenched upward by my arm and forced to walk out of the passageway.

I knew no teeth were broken, but my mouth was definitely bleeding. My head was spinning, that punch really hurt! I could hear people asking Lucius if I was alright as we passed them in the hallways, and he answered, "Yeah, he just tripped and fell." Obviously, Lucius had never been crossed like that by anybody in his life, except for Sirius, of course. And that's probably why he hit me so hard; because he saw a piece of Sirius in me and it frightened him. I only had the time to contemplate this later because I was dragged into the Slytherin Common Room, up the stairs, and into Lucius' bedroom. Lucius had his own room because his family was wealthy enough to pay for it, and Lucius liked his privacy. Sirius and I could have gotten separate rooms from the other students, but since Sirius didn't, I didn't either because I always followed Sirius back then.

Lucius' room was the traditional Slytherin room: black and green velvet with silver lining, all the mouldings on the walls carved into snakes, et cetera, et cetera. I really hated these colours, and they were so overused. But I couldn't really see them at this point. My vision was still blurry and all I knew was that I was being pushed down on the bed and my pants were being taken off. I tried to fight back once more, but was punched again, this time on the other side of my face. I shouted in pain as I felt the bruise developing around my eye, and my mouth was then covered by Lucius' lips.

I really did not want to go through this again, so I pushed Lucius' face off and made a run for the door, not even noticing or caring that my pants were nearly half down and my robe was still cast aside. I touched the doorknob and was then pulled back, this time by the collar of my shirt.

"Regulus! Just calm down!" Lucius held me in a secure but tight grasp, and I was pressed against his chest, my arms folded against him in a way that I couldn't struggle. He cupped my face with both hands and stared at me with those scary grey eyes.

"You are mine, Regulus," I had regained my vision at this point, and I could see the intensity in his face, "There is nothing you can do about that." Lucius said this through clenched teeth and then kissed me with such ferocity that I felt like I was going to melt. I was the property of Lucius. This was the way it had been for three years, and this is the way it was probably going to be for the rest of the year as well. This is the way it was. I could no longer fight him, I was giving in, but then, I saw Sirius' face in the back of my mind, and fought back. This was in vain, because I was just forced against the bed again, my arms held high over my head and my legs spread far apart while I continued to be ravaged again and again. I just laid back and took it, imagining that I was somewhere else, somewhere with Sirius.

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