Chapter #37 – A Little Bit of Hope

One morning in the middle of May, the students suddenly became very cheerful. There was a large article in the Daily Prophet that talked about the pressures the Ministry was under from parents to allow their children to come home since the portkeys had been such a great success with taking the new students to the school. The Ministry was making plans to allow all students to return home for the first time in four years. Though it was not finalized yet, this bothered Tom greatly.

As the word about this spread around the Great Hall, there were several people that said the real reason the parents wanted their children away from the school was because of the attacks. There was much hope that they could go home so they would be safe. Though there had been no more attacks in nearly a month, there was still much fear running amongst the students and the thought of going home was very welcome.

Tom, though, did not like this and was hoping that the plans would not be completed and approved in time because he did not want to go back to Great Hangleton Orphanage. The thought made his blood boil. Having to go back there after all this time would be more strenuous on him than his studying for his OWLs.

As the days wore on, the lingering fear Tom had of having to go back made him start thinking of finally letting Lilith back out. His increasing hatred of the Muggles and Mudbloods was about to drive him over the edge. But, as he planned his trip down to the Chamber, he did not realize that what all the other students had been saying about the attacks was right. His hatred was blinding him of the truth. By letting out Lilith, he was assuring his return to the orphanage.

On the night he had decided to go down to the Chamber, he had been in the library with only Lena since the guys were all studying with their own girlfriends. He stood up suddenly, not able to stand waiting any longer. Lena looked up at him with slight curiosity. He pulled her up then started gathering his things together. Lena followed his example, wondering what he could possibly be thinking.

When they were finished getting their things together, Tom leaned close to the young woman next to him, his voice a whisper. "Stay in your bed tonight."

Her eyes widened. "You're not going to…"

The Slytherin prefect shut her up with a kiss, not caring if they were seen. "I don't want you to possibly be in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"I'm a pureblood for as far back as I can trace my family." Though her voice was still very quiet, she put a lot of force behind her words. "And Lilith…"

"I just want to be sure." He put his forehead to hers, staring into her eyes. "Now go on to bed."

Lena nodded then kissed his nose softly. She pulled away from him and they headed out of the library, Tom heading to the second floor, she to the Ravenclaw tower.

As she made her way back to the Ravenclaw common room, she saw Rubeus hurrying off down towards the entrance hall. She paused for a moment, thinking about it. She remembered what Tom had told her about their little encounter about a week before. She had a strange feeling about him, just as Tom said he had had. She shook her head, though, and went on towards her house.

Tom was hurrying to the girls' toilet, even if he would not get in trouble for being in the corridors since he was a prefect and it was not yet curfew. His desire to get her out into the school was maddening him. He got there and opened the secret entrance then slid down the pipe, used to the routine by now. When he reached the Chamber, he found Lilith more than happy to see him. She quickly left the Chamber, ready to go back out into the halls to hunt, hungry…

This time, as Tom waited, he thought that it might have actually have been better to have brought the students down to her. They would have just vanished, then no one would have known the Mudbloods were dead…for he would have assured himself that each one of them had died. But then he remembered why Lilith and he had decided to do it this way: he could not tell as well as she who was Mudbloods and who were not.

With a sigh, his thoughts then turned to his hatred of the orphanage. If only he could take the basilisk with him now. If only he could set it loose on all of Great Hangleton. He smiled. If only he could, for a moment, show her to his father. That would be the most wonderful moment of his life. His mind rested on the image of his father's terrified face for some time.

When Lilith returned finally, she was muttering to herself about windows and reflections. Tom knew that, again, she had only succeeded at petrifying a Mudblood. He too was getting tired of all the petrifications. He feared that when those Mudbloods were revived, they would tell what they had seen, that it had been a giant snake, and that could be bad.

Once he told Lilith good night and that he would return soon, he slipped back to the dungeons under the Invisibility Cloak, in case there were teachers about looking for the culprit of the latest attack. He did hear their voices, but they were far enough away to not be a threat. He got to his bed and went to sleep, not expecting what would happen in the morning.

***

It was announced in the morning that Philip Reed, a fourth year Hufflepuff had been attacked. He had already been sent to St. Mungo's to receive care. Then, much to Tom's horror, the headmaster announced that the draught that would revive the students was going to be ready in only a week. He continued, saying that those students, though, would not be returning to classes that year as that their parents wanted them home after what had happened to them.

Tom was overcome with fear, more than he had been the night before when it had just slightly come to mind. This could have the worst outcome possible. He sighed, hoping against hope it seemed that they would not remember anything about what had happened to them. He guessed he would have to wait and see what was said about it. Surely Headmaster Dippet would let the school know what the Mudbloods had said, if anything.

And then, as he thought of all that was going on, he got that feeling again. He was being watched by that pair of icy blue eyes he hated so much. He looked up at the teachers' table and looked straight at Dumbledore, who stared right back at him. Yes, that old man knew something, but he could not prove it. Whether he could read minds or whatever, Tom was sure that he knew. He swallowed hard, though, uneasy under the Transfiguration professor's gaze. He quickly went back to breakfast, glowering over the Daily Prophet article about the Ministry's plan to return all children home for the holiday.

***

To my reviewers –

Liv – well, actually, it was red paint that Ginny painted on the wall with…I think they just said "blood" in the movie to make it sound scarier…*shrugs*…though I did just realize that Ginny used red and I have Tom using green and they're the colors of their houses…

demon horse 900 – yes…it was a bit like friendship…I tried to make it out that Rubeus looked up to Tom…no parents, a bit looked down upon (though in different way), he's a "model" student, etc. …and I'm glad you think the whole story seems believable, that's what I try for in my stories…hmm, letters…it's an idea…but it'd be kinda hard for him to get them…