Exams begin in less than a week, and everyone is spending all spare time studying and dreaming of the summer. The general mood in the castle is one of dread and anticipation.
Alphard has watched his roommate's mood darken as the final week draws closer, and he is not certain whether Tom is simply stressed, or whether it has something to do with that something behind his eyes. No one dares speak to the smartest boy in their year, not even the foolish Gryffindors. After a few incidents in the library that no one likes to talk about yet everyone knows about, all know to stay a good distance away from Tom Riddle at exam time.
Alphard cannot avoid Tom by simple virtue of sleeping in the same room as him, but he does his best to stay out of the other boy's way. He has no discernable difference about him except when one looks into his eyes – and that is where one will see the something that scares fellow eleven-year-olds transforming the Slytherin snake into a dragon that no one wishes to wake.
It could almost be amusing to watch seventh years tiptoe around the first year – full-fledged wizards with great prowess in the Dark Arts – if it were not for those incidents in the library and that unadulterated something in the boy's eyes.
His smiles are strained, and his glares are numerous, and all the Slytherins use their good sense to cut their losses and stay away from the strange quiet boy. He will be back to normal soon, they all know.
Alphard watches him closely, though, to try to tell where exactly this is coming from.
He thinks it might be like fear, but he cannot fathom why.