Hello all! Thanks so much for the great reviews for the last chapter. Special shout-out to AvalonTheLadyKiller, the aspiring cynic and Kiki's Stories of Awesomness for comments!
I hope eveyone enjoys this new chapter and as a content warning this chapter focuses more on child abuse (physical and sexual). If anyone is uncomfortable, consider yourself warned. However, I made sure not to make it graphic and it only appears as a triggered memory.
Otherwise, please read and enjoy. I don't own Harry Potter or Tom Riddle though I must say he is one of my favorite literary characters.
Thanks again!
Chapter 7: Mind Reader
Hogwarts, Scotland, September 1940
Tom took a sip out of his cup of pumpkin juice and surveyed the rest of the members of the Slugclub. Though he kept his face in a neutral but polite expression, the truth was that Tom had been bored the past week. He and Ivy had just finished their second summer jumping around between the various houses of the male Slytherin third-years and had returned back to the castle that they had both come to call home.
However, as the two of them began to lull themselves back into the steady routine of classes and homework, Tom had felt oddly restless. He began to grow impatient with the usual routine, though even his third year had brought some differences such as new classes along with permission to visit the village of Hogsmead.
Even so, he felt that things were moving too slowly. At that thought his brow creased ever so slightly even without his being aware of it.
"Hey Riddle, why the long face?" Said a voice that made Tom's blood boil.
"…No particular reason…Hensley." He did all he could to stop his upper lip from curling with downright hatred at the older boy's presence at the Club.
Theodore Hensley, now a seventh-year and Head Boy to boot, was someone whom Tom wished dead on the spot. He had thought he was rid of the pest the year before when he had told Ivy to cease all interaction with him (of course she had done so and Tom didn't doubt her words). But to his immense dissatisfaction, he had found that the older boy was actually a member of the Slugclub though for the life of him Tom couldn't fathom as to why. But in any case, that meant that he and Ivy had no choice but to suffer through his company once a month at these meetings.
"Are you sure? I'd hate for anything to be the matter." Hensley made his comment and then to Tom's utter contempt decided to stand next to him. The two of them watching the rest of the 'Welcome Back' party that the potions professor had organized with the idea brotherly comradery in mind, though Tom's thoughts were anything but.
"Did you need something?" Tom tried for a strictly neutral tone. It wouldn't do for the Head Boy to become aware of Tom's hate; he couldn't trust that any action he took against him would stay far below the radar of the other teachers…especially Albus Dumbledore.
"Actually, yes. I was wondering if I could ask your advice." Hensley said as he leaned his frame (only a little taller that Tom's own he saw and had to suppress a smirk at the thought).
"Of course, I would be honored to help the Head Boy. What did you have in mind?" I knew it, he's too stupid to even read no doubt, came Tom's vicious thought. But any humor and delight he had received thanks to his inner dialogue was burnt up by the rage that he felt at the next words he heard.
"Well, you seem to be pretty close to Petros over there."
Tom was angered so much by those words he couldn't even speak lest he attempt to kill the boy standing next to him with his bare hands, and to hell with any attempts at spell-casting.
Hensley must have taken his silence as agreement because he continued, "I only ask because though she's in my own House, she seems very shy and seems to always suddenly have something else to do when I approach her. I was thinking, you two are always together, what's your take on it?"
Though still angry, those words placated him enough to be able to respond. It seemed that Ivy had not only done as he asked, she had also done it in such a way as to keep Hensley from being suspicious of Tom's interventions and orders that she stay away from the older Ravenclaw.
"I see…I'm sorry to hear that. You see, she's quite open and talkative with me."
"Is that so? Well, do you know if I have upset her in some way?" The older boy turned to look Tom in the eye with a look that said far too much about his interest in Ivy.
Tom took a moment to study the older student and found that with every passing second his anger and jealousy grew. The boy was older than him, had more magical teachings than him and seemed to have lived a privileged life. However, those judgements were superficial and Tom found he couldn't decipher the thoughts behind Hensley's actions when it came to Ivy. Sure he had some kind of interest in her, but Tom couldn't determine what that could be. And that fact of not knowing was enough to make his stomach clench in anger.
Tom pushed himself off the wall casually, but said in a tone that was almost as insidious as poison. "You know, honestly Hensley, Ivy has never mentioned you so I really wouldn't worry about it. After all, she has so many other people in her life." He flashed a pitying look towards Hensley and went to join Abaxus and Alphard whom he knew to be discussing some superfluous topic of which he had no interest.
After he had joined the conversation (to his chagrin the topic was the upcoming Quidditch World Cup), his dark eyes wandered back over to the Head Boy who was still leaning against the opposing wall. His brows were knit together in thought and Tom saw that his glance kept wandering over to where Ivy was standing as she spoke to a Slytherin girl that she had met over the summer.
He continued to watch the scene, taking in all the hints throughout his conversation. It was obvious that Hensley would not back down, despite the obvious remark from Tom that he was completely unimportant in Ivy's world. Well, it seemed that Tom had something to occupy his time and alleviate his boredom, since, after all, Ivy was most definitely his.
He smirked slightly at the thought, and decided to cement his words with action. He left his little group of Quidditch talk and wandered over to Ivy and the other Slytherin (he thought her name was Patsy Parkinson) and flashed both girls a charismatic smile.
He took a moment to observe Hensley's reaction and was delighted to discover the older boy flush with embarrassment at Tom's forward action and push off from the wall, putting plenty of space between himself and Tom's group of girls.
"Oh Tom, there you are. Patsy was just telling me about a fascinating subject." Ivy's eyes lit up with excitement over having learned something new and Tom felt his stomach clench with another feeling, this time one not nearly as unpleasant as before.
"Really? And what would that be?" He asked, his smile causing the younger Parkinson to blush.
"…Legilimency." The second-year replied softly.
It only took a month, but by the middle of October, Tom was completely hooked. He and Ivy had collected and checked-out at least ten books regarding the art of Legilimency and Occlumency. Though the first art intrigued Tom to no end, he found he didn't much care for the second. The books themselves advised wizards who studied the subjects to become proficient in both, but Tom had decided only to study the most basic techniques for Occlumency in favor of spending almost all of his time on Legilimency. He found his new skills intoxicating and he did his best to practice them wherever he went and on whomever he could without their noticing.
He found out a great deal of information that way. He found out that most people had no control over who 'heard' their thoughts and it allowed Tom to gain more funds using the currency of information. But even with his new chess piece, Tom hadn't yet had an opportunity to do any real damage, to test how far his new skills could get to. And he wanted to, badly. He wanted to hear the internal screams as he pushed into an unwilling victim's mind. He wanted to watch them squirm.
And oddly enough, an opportunity for him to do truly get some valuable information came along right as he wished.
It happened on Tom and Ivy's first visit to the Village of Hogsmead. Ivy had been excited at the prospect for the last week and though Tom found her enthusiasm a little tiring, he found that he was looking forward to the excursion himself. He was looking forward to being away from prying eyes and nosy teachers.
As he and Ivy walked down the slopping lawn of Hogwarts towards the main gaits whose guardians were winged boars, he spied the perfect opportunity waiting for them. Theodore Hensley stood next to the Head Girl from Hufflepuff. Both were fulfilling their duties and checking students who were continuing along their way to the Village.
"Ah, Hensley, just the person I wanted to see." Tom walked up to him smoothly and felt Ivy stiffen behind him but follow along anyway.
"Mr. Riddle? Ms. Petros! What can I do for you?" He nodded to Tom but flashed a toothy grin just for Ivy.
Tom clenched his jaw in annoyance but then smoothed his face back to a pleasant expression. "Well, seeing as it's our first time in the Village, we were wondering if you had some time today to show us around. After all, who would know the sight better than the Head Boy?" Tom settled for charm over threats.
"Oh? Oh!" Said Hensley like he was picking up on some hint though Tom couldn't imagine what his tiny brain could have thought at that point. "Of course, just give me a moment." He flashed Tom what looked like a grateful grin and hurried over to the Hufflepuff girl. He exchanged a few words with her and nodded his head several times, seemingly thanking her for something and then headed back over to Tom and Ivy.
"Thanks to Sarah over there I'm all free. Well then, shall we go?" He flashed another grin at Ivy who stepped sideways to be closer to Tom.
"Yes, lets." Tom agreed.
"S-sure." Ivy said, shooting a nervous and confused look in his direction.
The threesome continued down to the Village and for the first time in his life Tom spent almost the entire day as the third wheel. Tom allowed Hensley to take the lead, encouraging Ivy to go ahead of him so that they might walk together. Ivy by this point knew better to question Tom in front of their unwelcome guest. Instead she chose to do as he silently directed and did her best to walk and talk to the Head Boy.
Ignoring Hensley's comments about the shops and history of Hogsmead, Tom instead focused the majority of his attention with picking at the older boy's mind. To his delight he found the process rather easy but to his disgust he also found out Hensley's true intentions with Ivy.
It seemed like the fool was infatuated with her. Tom 'heard' his thoughts loud and clear during their conversation. Each time Ivy would look at Hensley, his mind would correspondingly be filled with grotesque images of him kissing her, of him holding her hand…and them doing…other things. At one point Ivy bent down to retrieve her cloak that had slipped out of her hands and Tom saw, through Hensley's mind, a rather inappropriate thought of what Hensley would like to do to her backside.
It was almost enough for Tom to drag out his wand and curse a certain body part of Hensley's completely off his body. Tom continued his examination though and found that the boy was completely capable of his thoughts. He found other…conquests…deep in his memories, of girls strewn throughout his various years at Hogwarts. Tom sneered at those thoughts. For all the Head Boy's pomp and circumstance, he was hardly a gentlemanly wizard.
But perhaps the most surprising thing to Tom was that he found he didn't disagree with Hensley's thoughts. Over the last few years as Tom and Ivy had gotten older, they had both grown in different ways. Tom had grown taller, being almost fourteen, and he had lost what remaining baby fat he had in the last year. He knew from picking at others' minds and from merely learning to read their body language that other people found him to be attractive, in fact actually quite handsome. Tom was fairly certain that if he wished he could have any girl he wanted within the walls of Hogwarts. If he wished to.
Ivy, on the other hand, had grown as well. Still short for her age, she had made up for it in certain other areas. She was beginning to show what she would look like as a woman. Tom had been forced to recognize that past summer that Ivy could no longer stay in his room when they went back to the orphanage for those short few weeks in the beginning of June. It didn't matter that it was what both of them wanted. It simply wasn't appropriate neither in the Muggle or Magical worlds.
It was a reality that had vexed Tom to no end.
He wanted Ivy to be close to him, especially when they were back in that cursed place, the orphanage, the place that had caused them so much anger and frustration. But it would not happen, at least, not until he and Ivy fulfilled their goal and had their own place in the wizarding world.
Suddenly Tom stopped short.
He extracted himself from Hensley's thoughts like someone shaking off a particularly disgusting insect. He thought furiously to himself for several minutes, oblivious to the fact that Hensley and Ivy were stepping further and further away from him. But it was one thought in particular that caused Tom to halt his mental exercises.
He kept running one sentence over and over again in his head.
He wanted Ivy close to him. He wanted Ivy.
Tom inhaled sharply, finally connecting the dots. He wanted Ivy, he wanted her beyond simply possessing her like an object. Like the way that he viewed so many others. But he had Ivy, didn't he? He had considered her to be his for years; ever since he had acquired her after he had broken that bully's arm. Tom considered that.
Ivy had never indicated that she wanted anything else but to be his…right?
Tom shuddered at the thought of Ivy allowing anyone else to even touch her. But then he placated himself. He trusted Ivy. He trusted her like no-one else in his entire life. After all, she was the Queen on his chess board. She was meant to be by his side whatever path he chose.
Satisfied with his logical progression, Tom looked up and realized that he was standing in the middle of a Hogsmead street completely alone. Hensley and Ivy were long gone. He looked around, slightly panicked. His plan had never meant for Ivy to be alone with that pig. No, Tom wouldn't ever leave her alone like that.
He started forward, looking vigorously from left to right, trying to fight back the feeling of panic he felt rising from the pit of his stomach. He stopped himself, forcing control over his emotions.
Remember you are a wizard. He chided himself. It was a simple matter of a locator spell which he conducted in less than thirty seconds. He immediately became aware of which direction the two other students had gone. Tom followed their trail.
Ivy had never really been angry with Tom before but she could safely say she was now. The nerve of him! First he demanded in his rather possessive way that she stay far away from Theodore Hensley and now he had orchestrated it that she had somehow ended up alone with him! And she suspected Tom's true motive for doing so. He just wanted someone to practice his Legilimency on, unnoticed and unseen by the staff members of Hogwarts.
As angry as Ivy was, she had decided to play along with Tom's game. After all, he would always be there to protect her, right? That was how it was supposed to go until Hensley had taken her by the arm and somehow succeeded in separating the two of them from Tom. It had already been about fifteen minutes and Ivy still hadn't managed to extract herself from his grip barring being downright rude to the Head Boy.
"Um, Hensley…where are we going?" She asked, interrupting his spouting of various historical facts regarding the Village.
"Oh? Well, I thought, seeing as how your friend has gone his own way we might explore some of the more…secluded spots of the Village."
Warning bells went off when she heard not just his words but also his tone. Immediately the familiar clenching of Ivy's guts began to occur. It was a feeling that seemed to accompany her whenever she was alone with a boy that wasn't Tom. It was a warning, a clue of what it was that Hensley actually wanted.
Suddenly Tom's voice echoed back to her. It was something he had said the year before when he had asked her to stay away from the now-Head Boy.
"Ivy…they always want something. There is no way that he simply wanted to get your opinion about Quidditch."
She stiffened as Tom's words clicked into place. He had known, he had known all-along of Hensley's intentions. Ivy's mind was drawn to the boy's persistent attempts to talk to her, the way that she would suddenly find his gaze zeroed onto her in the middle of the busy Common room. She was interrupted from her realization by Hensley himself. The boy had stopped talking and she looked around to find that they were near the edge of the forest; far enough away from the Village and the school that no-one would be able to find them unless they had seen where they were going.
"Ivy…I had something I wanted to talk to you about." Hensley said softly. He stepped closer to her and reached out to place his hand on her arm.
Ivy swallowed painfully; a feeling akin to panic welled up inside of her. She didn't respond, praying instead that he would just leave her alone if she didn't say anything.
Hensley tried again. "I...I wanted to tell you that I like you. I have for some time actually." He licked his lips and in one swift motion he pulled Ivy's smaller form against his and pressed her lips against his.
And like the stiches ripping open on a partially healed wound, the memories that Ivy had tried to suppress for years came to her all at once like some raging bull that couldn't be controlled or contained.
Suddenly Ivy was three years old and stuck in the house of her uncle. Her parents had died only a month before, and though she was too young to truly understand the concept of 'death' she was old enough to know that they wouldn't be coming back to get her.
She was pretending to be asleep; she never really slept for more than an hour or two since she came to his house. Any doctor that she was taken too said that it was due to the trauma of losing her parents. It only angered her uncle. He hated when she would pretend, when she would lie.
She stiffened involuntarily as she heard the door to her bedroom open. She heard the unmistakable sound of rustling clothes and felt the edge of the bed dip down to accommodate her uncle's weight. She couldn't stop the shiver that coursed through her body when she felt his big, meaty hands grab her roughly and force her to look at him.
"Don't play games with me girl. I know you are awake. You can't fool me with any sorcery like your damned mother."
After that Ivy would generally force her mind to disassociate from what came next. Her uncle, as it turned out, was a sick man. He had been in love with her mother and apparently devastated that she married his brother, Ivy's father. As a result, he tended to take out his broken heart on Ivy, often even calling her by her mother's name. She had been born a half-blood, her mother being a witch. Her mother's maiden name had been Longbottom.
These were all facts that Ivy knew to be true. She knew them because her uncle had drilled them into her head. He had done a lot of things to her, and after so many of them Ivy had simply refused to respond. She didn't cry when he beat her, she didn't scream when he forced himself on her. She simply suppressed everything.
Then one day, when she was five, her uncle had tried to force himself inside of her, seemingly frustrated by her lack of response despite all his other efforts. That new violation had caused Ivy to snap.
Ivy didn't remember quite what happened after that, all she knew was that her uncle was dead and that she was going to Wool's Orphanage. And that was where she met Tom.
Tom heard the screaming first. It was so shocking that he felt his heart actually skip a beat. His quick gait turned into a flat-out run. He rose over the top of the hill and was dumb-founded by the scene before him.
Theodore Hensley lay writhing and screaming on the ground before him, overshadowed by Ivy's slight form. Her wand was raised and she had the same look in her eye that she did when she had blasted back Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop in the cave all those years ago in the English countryside. Fierce and murderous.
"Crucio!" Ivy said with true intent behind her words and Hensley screamed again.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Tom laughed. It was one of his rare laughs, high and cold. They came out of only true delight of a situation, in this case being utterly surprised.
Ivy, his violet Queen, one whom he had known longer than anyone else in his life had surprised him. And how he loved her for it. He grinned at her, not even noticing as he did so the tension that drew her body tighter than a longbow's string.
"Giving the git what he deserves?" He asked casually as he walked over to Ivy's side.
"Yes, both of you in fact."
His grin faltered as he saw that her wand was now aimed at him.
For the first time Tom took in Ivy's state.
He ignored the moans of the upperclassman and eyed his most prized possession. Ivy's form was shaking; he could see it in the tremors of her fingers even as she pointed her wand at him. He could see that even though she hadn't shed a tear that she was very close to doing so. He could see that she was terrified. How unlike her. That thought caused Tom to feel his own fear. Not that Ivy would hurt him; she would never do that, but that he had allowed someone to hurt her enough to get her to this state.
"Ivy…what did this bastard do to you?" His tone was dangerously calm.
Ivy stiffened at his words; she hesitated and then lowered her wand. She seemed to collapse within herself as soon as she did so. Tom was instantly beside her. He gently took her in his arms and held her against his chest. Her tremors continued and were so intense that she couldn't speak due to her teeth clacking together.
Tom was impatient though and only waited a few seconds before he lowered them both down to the ground and, still holding her to himself, he raised both hands and placed them gently on either side of her head. Ivy didn't resist him and he could sense that that she felt relieved that he had chosen to forgo words and get his information in this way.
What he saw was perhaps a combination of the most disgusting and loathsome things he had ever witnessed. It only took a few moments but when Tom was done he had absorbed it all. From the horrific abuse that Ivy had suffered upon first coming to her uncle's house after the death of her parents all the way up to when she first met Tom. And now, he saw how Hensley's actions, though mild in comparison, had triggered her into an inescapable rage.
Tom saw and he understood. He understood Ivy without having to say anything. And he understood what he had done to her. He had inadvertently left her alone with another predator. The Head Boy who still lay moaning in the grass before them. Silently Tom vowed in that moment to never allow it to happen again.
Tom removed his hands from Ivy's head. In his right hand he took his wand, and in his left he held his precious possession close to his beating heart. He dispassionately observed the boy before him and uttered one word with all the anger he felt in his heart for Ivy. "Crucio!".
Thanks everyone again for reading! Sorry there's no Harry in this one, it mostly serves to give you a better idea of Tom and Ivy's relationship. But Harry will be back next chapter. See you all soon!
