A/N : Hello again, everyone!!! ^_^ I'm back with another update…this was the second worst chapter for me to write…it's got some little add-ins here because of the fifth book…I'm sure that you'll be able to pick them out with little difficulty if you've gotten the book read…with all those little similarities between Tom and Harry I just added another one here…^_~…do enjoy…

Chapter #36 – Rubeus

The next weekend Tom again was able to let Lilith out of the Chamber. While she was out, Tom took a can of magical emerald green paint that he had concocted and wrote a short, simple message on the wall just down from the girls' toilet. It read: "The Chamber is opened. The heir has come. Mudbloods beware." He smiled at his work then slipped back into the lavatory and waited. He hoped Lilith was successful this time.

When the basilisk returned, Tom knew that she had again gotten someone, but again it had not been fully successful. This time the victim had been a second year Hufflepuff named Flint McKinnon. Both of the now petrified students were taken from Madam Valen's care and sent to St. Mungo's to await the preparation of a potion that would restore them to normal, though it would be nearly the end of the school year before the potion could be administered to them.

With Tom's message written on the wall, many students were now terrified and those students that were well-read on the school's legends knew what was meant by it. Even though the headmaster told the caretaker, Mr. Pringle, to clean it off, he could not, for the spells that Tom put on it would make it stick for a long time. Many of the Gryffindors, being the brave fools that they always seemed to be, began trying to figure out as much as they could, saying that they would find the person behind the attacks and turn them in to rid the school of the menace. When the Gryffindors and Slytherins were together in either Potions or Care of Magical Creatures, they were bothered to no end, especially the first years.

When the Quidditch matches started back, it was to much sadness, for it was supposed to have been a quick defeat of Ravenclaw by Gryffindor but with a replacement keeper for Gryffindor, Ravenclaw easily won by seventy points, even though they did not get the snitch. Tom, though, had been unable to see that match because of all the assignments he had, but he was more annoyed at the fact that he could not go down to the Chamber that weekend than in not being able to see the game.

In April, notices were posted with times of appointments for the fifth years to meet with their head of house to discuss what they were going to do after they graduated. Rex was going to go into working with the Daily Prophet, for the previous summer his uncle, one of the reporters, had taken him to the newspaper's offices and shown him around. Nathan had always wanted to work with magical beasts in some career such as exotic magical creatures breeding. Darcy was planning to work in his father's office at the Ministry of Magic. Crinis would not talk about what he wanted to do, but all his roommates were very certain that he knew what he was planning to do after he graduated.

Tom, though, did not see anything really interesting to him in the pamphlets he was given to look through. How his other friends knew what they wanted so readily amazed him, but he looked over the information for hours, thinking about all the possible careers. He had absolutely no idea what he wanted to do, but knew he wanted to keep up his classes in Defense against the Dark Arts. He talked to Lena about what she was going to do, and she told him she was going to work with potions, in some way, like was a tradition in her family. But Tom did not think he would like doing that, even though he did like potions quite a bit. He wanted to find out the best career path he could say that would give him the type of education would be best to his becoming a Dark wizard.

After a while of thinking of it, though, and talking to some of his roommates, he studied a plain black pamphlet that was about going into a career in Auroring. Though it was the exact opposite of what he wanted to do, it would still teach him things that Dark wizards were supposed to know. Though it was hard to become an Auror, the normal law enforcement offices also had similar requirements, though not as strict as those for Auroring, when it came to NEWT classes. It seemed like a good thing to say he was planning to do, at least.

Soon it was time for his appointment with Professor Sidus. He was enthusiastic about the timing too, for it would keep him from being in Transfiguration. He walked into the Astronomy professor's office with a smile on his face. The middle aged man behind the desk across the room motioned to a chair on the other side of the pile of pamphlets in front of him.

"Good afternoon, Professor," Tom said as he took a seat opposite his head of house.

"Good afternoon to you as well, Tom." He looked at his student. "Have you thought of what career path you would like to take?"

"Yes, actually, I was thinking I could be something like an Auror."

"'Something like,'" Sidus asked, looked at his student curiously.

"Yeah, well, I mean I might not actually become an Auror, you know…all the test and all they require you, to show your abilities."

"Yes, yes." Sidus pulled out a piece of paper. "Well, that'll entail your needing to take NEWT classes in Potion – so you know all about poisons and the antidotes, as well as various other things. You'll also need Charms, always helpful. Defense against the Dark Arts is, of course, an obvious course. And, then, you will also be good to take Transfiguration…"

"Tran…Transfiguration," Tom said, shocked, not liking that at all.

"It is a skill that Aurors need to use often. And you are excellent at transfiguring, at least according to Albus' report here." He looked at a piece of paper. "I don't see why you would dislike the class all that much. Professor Dumbledore always says you're a wonderful student and all."

"He…he does?"

"Yes, of course. I don't know of a single teachers who doesn't think you should take their NEWT level classes. But we can't all be that lucky, can we." Sidus looked at Tom's grade file. "And all your scores in your classes seem to point to your getting 'Exceeding Expectations' on your OWLs for all your subjects, if not all 'Outstandings.' I think you are well set to your path of becoming an Auror, Mr. Riddle. You are dismissed then."

And with that Tom left the office, heading to the library. If only his head of house knew that his intent was not to become an Auror at all. His goal was quite the opposite.

With this set up of his classes, he would at least be in at least two classes with Lena. The NEWT classes were to be a combination of all the houses. He would also be having at least two classes with all of his classmates. Despite not seeing his friends that much, though, he thought that this would end up being a very enjoyable way to end his years at Hogwarts.

It was two and a half more weeks before Tom could get back to let Lilith out again. This time as she wandered the empty corridors on a school night, she ran across a sixth year Ravenclaw couple, both prefects, who were out strolling the corridors, and a third year Gryffindor boy that was returning to his house from the library. But still she was unsuccessful at killing any of them. These three attacks on the same night raised a great panic in the school. Lena, though upset over the fact two Ravenclaws were attacked, let it slide since they were Mudbloods.

Those attacks prompted a heightened sense of security in the castle. The curfew time was pushed from ten to seven, except for the prefects who were taught a few extra spells and were asked to patrol the corridors nightly with the professors and ghosts. There was a call that no students should be walking the halls after dark alone, but most students had already been traveling together after the second attack. Tom did not like his having to be on patrol, it not only took time away from his getting his work done, but he also could not go back down to even see Lilith.

As Tom waited for the next chance to go down to the Chamber, Daniel Black, the main Gryffindor looking for answers in the attacks, started berating the Slytherins anytime he saw one, accusing them all of either being Slytherin's heir or withholding information about who was really behind the attacks. The Slytherins, though, ignored this. They were formulating their own theory, which few others knew about.

For some time, Hagrid, the third year students, whom many believed to be a half giant because of his size, as well as his rather short temper at times, had been spotted going into the dungeons. None of the Slytherins knew what Rubeus was up to and many of them tried to figure it out with no success. Even though there had been the message from the heir of Slytherin on the wall, they still suspected him in the attacks, though they knew he was not the heir of their house's founder. Most of the Slytherins that did not know about Tom thought that he might be the one that was petrifying the students, either because of some revenge that he wanted to exact on the students or because of some creature he had hidden in the dungeons. After Allen Shaffer, one of Hagrid's roommates, was attacked in the triple attack they felt that they were right in their assumptions.

With all sorts of rumors now flying around the school. There was a slightly heightened sense of panic. Muggle-born students were not to be found traveling alone even between classes, but were with friends that were purebloods. Any time a Slytherin student passed by, any Muggle-born would get as far away from them as possible. The Slytherins did not like their house being accused of doing such things and Professor Sidus asked the headmaster to make an announcement that it was just as likely that a student from any other house was the culprit. As the headmaster said that, though, Dumbledore was staring at Tom, just like usual. Tom had begun to suspect that the professor could read minds, but if that were the case, he would have certainly have turned Tom in before then.

The rest of April was rather hard on Tom with OWLs approaching fast. He was spending all his time studying with all the other students of his year in the common room or on patrol with the teachers and other prefects. He was often too busy to even think about going to see Lilith. But one night when he had had enough of studying, he traipsed up to the second floor then went down into the Chamber.

Though it was after the new curfew, Tom had a feeling that there would still be some stragglers out…there always were. Lilith, though, returned unsuccessful. Tom told her that he would return soon, as that he was growing weary of studying so much. He needed a little excitement, and a break. Yet, as he left the Chamber, he wondered if his plans would work if all the students, even the normal rule breakers, were too scared to be out.

Then, as he was about to head towards the entrance to the dungeons, he heard the large doors to the entrance hall open. He glanced back that way and saw none other than the one student most of the Slytherins believed to be the attacker. He smiled and slowly walked towards the huge student, who was creeping as quietly as he could, not paying attention to Tom.

"So," he saw the third year spin around, looking terrified, "it's Rubeus, isn't it?"

The suspected half-giant saw the prefect badge on the teenager's uniform and swallowed hard. He was going to be in a lot of trouble for this, he was sure. "I was jus'…"

"Out for a late night stroll? You know it's past curfew." He saw several dark bruises on the younger student, and his uniform was rather dirty and torn in a spot or two. He smirked. "You seem to have run into something out there."

"I…I was jus'…"

"Just what?"

"Uh…er…"

"What is it that you do out in the forest so much, Rubeus? There's talk that you have some other monster out there that you're keeping as a pet. Some people even suspect…"

"No!" He was not keeping any pets in the forest, and especially none that would have been doing all the attacks. He had heard of what some people were thinking, and it was not true. "It's jus'…well…I…"

"Do you not remember what you were doing out there? Have the bruises affected you that much? Maybe I can jog your memory." He approached Hagrid. "Perhaps you were wrestling with trolls, as some people think?"

"I…uh," he looked very uncomfortable, "yeah. I…I was."

The teenager was surprised he got a confession out of him. He raised an eyebrow.

"Please, please, don' turn meh in."

"I have every right to do so. It's past curfew. And you know that. And the fact that you've gone off into the Forest…"

"I know, but…"

"Why should I let you go?"

Hagrid said nothing, looking down. He was clearly shaking in fright.

Tom chuckled under his breath. He should turn him in, but Tom decided not to do it. There was just something about him, about the entire situation. He motioned up the stairs with a slight nod. "Go on to your house. But if I catch you after curfew again…"

"I understan'," he said quickly.

As the prefect began to turn to go to the dungeons, he stopped, hearing Rubeus not moving up the stairs with his heavy footsteps. He looked over his shoulder at the tall third year.

"It's Tom, righ'?"

Rather surprised that the boy knew his name, Tom nodded. When he saw the half-giant smile, he did not know what to think. Then he watched as the Gryffindor hurried up the stairs. He listened to the boy's fading footsteps for a moment then went back to his own house. There was just something about Rubeus that he felt would help him out. Whatever it was though, he guessed he would have to wait to find out.

*********

To my reviewers –

Demon horse 900 – correction…husband has been gone for half a month…*sigh*…but that's alright…I haven't broken down into lonely tears yet…and I knew this little separation was going to be coming…it was already planned that he'd leave and all, so I was pretty much prepared…yes…Dumbledore is smart – too smart for his own good…hope your schoolwork is going well…I remember those days…glad I'm outta school finally…hope you liked this chapter…

Liv – did the first paragraph of the story answer your question? ^_^ I thought that if Tom had Ginny do it in the second book and since the school did know it was the Heir of Slytherin doing the attacks, that it was the simplest explanation there was…right? Hope it wasn't too horrible of a way to have that become known…

*********

Hey…everyone that's reading this…please review me… but, hey, I love you even if you don't review…thanks for reading…