Hey - back with another chapter! Here are my replies to some of the reviews I have received so far:
guest: since Tom's canonical sexual orientation is ambiguous, I would like to explore it in this fanfic.
Guest: Your wish is my command :)
Back home.
Hogwarts was a far cry from the muted and orderly house of her parents. It was chaos and mischief in all their loud glory and between the two she preferred the former, for Hogwarts was the world her mother was raised in and flourished. It was a place Kate didn't have to deal with her father's grief of losing his wife, a place where she could remember her mother with happiness.
She dearly loved her father, but wished he could let go of the pain and the hurt that was suppressed under layers of restraint.
In the Great Hall, Professor Dippet was seated up at the Teacher's Table with the other faculty members, animatedly discussing some matter with Professor Dumbledore. His latest remark caused the latter to nod appreciatively as he chewed a piece of steak.
"Well, lookie here," an elbow nudged her as she took her seat at the table, the speaker being none other than Alden Greengrass.
"Well hello, Alden," she returned playfully through a mouthful of potato, effectively disgusting the blonde Slytherin and making him retreat back to his book. "I assume holidays were spent catching Puffskeins and trying to prepare home brewn Amortentia? Because that's what that Marlene tells me."
"What Marlene tells you is a pile of Porlock dung," he retorted in between spoonfuls of treacle tart. "Although I did try the Puffskein part, although those little blighters are quite tricky to catch when your sister is cooking up quite the racket behind you."
"Good Lord, Greengrass - at this rate, girls will either avoid you, or simply fawn over you."
"The latter seems unlikely, as Riddle has taken up all spots since fourth year. All right, let me tell you what Emmeline Vance did when she came over to meet Argus, who returned from Germany after a rather nasty assignment from the Auror office…" He went on until the light tinkle of metal upon glass brought everyone's attention to the Teacher's Table, where Professor Dippet had stood up, smiling benignly upon all the students.
"Another term, another feast, and for us, another year full of fear and apprehension. But with that fear and apprehension comes hope and optimism. But remember, students, the Statute of Secrecy must be obeyed at all times and you must not involve yourself with Muggle conflict, no matter how much your heart might tell you to."
"Believe me, it doesn't," Abraxas Malfoy muttered snidely, drawing chuckles from Lestrange. As for Riddle, he kept his face expressionless for the entirety of the address. Kate too tried to keep her expressions neutral, trying to let neither sympathy nor disgust show. Alden shot the Malfoy a disapproving look, then went back to his book before the platinum blonde could react. With dinner done, Kate oversaw the prefects carrying out their duties (this was part of her duties as Head Girl), waiting for the Headmaster to deliver any remaining instructions.
"Good evening, Miss Summers, Mister Riddle," Professor Dippet greeted the duo, Professor Dumbledore not far behind. Kate never understood the reason why Professor Dumbledore had such a suspicious eye on Riddle, who was then talking to Professor Dippet, all honeyed smiles.
"I expect the two of you to do your jobs admirably, and with Mister Riddle, I can expect nothing less, can I?"
"Certainly, sir - your confidence is me will be well-founded." Dippet laughed, clapping Tom on the shoulder.
"I believe that, boy, I do." He turned to her, and Kate nodded back, smiling brilliantly. "Expect nothing less from me too, Headmaster," she said, Dippet beaming back.
"I have full faith in you," Professor Dumbledore said with a reassuring smile towards her. At that, Riddle's smile fell, eyes gaining a strangely dangerous gleam.
"And me, Professor?" At that, the Deputy Headmaster only smiled at him with twinkling blue eyes.
"You know how much I trust you, Tom - I don't suppose I need to enunciate it."
"No sir, you don't." The exchange had a palpable tension about it, and something about Tom's words unsettled her. Kate tried to reassure herself that her suspicious nature was just acting up, but she didn't become Head Girl just because she was book-smart.
The two were then given directions to a room on the seventh floor behind the portraits of the four founders. They were encouraged to use it when the need came for private conversations, or matters that couldn't be discussed in front of their fellow classmates.
Kate quickly made way for this mystery room, Riddle not far behind. Once there, the portrait of Rowena Ravenclaw turned to look at the two with a curious gaze.
"Two Slytherins this year - interesting," she commented, Gryffindor showing his apparent disdain by refusing to cast his gaze in their direction. Helga Hufflepuff, however, was very welcoming and Salazar Slytherin was beaming with pride. "What is the fate of a snake biting it's own tail?" Tom began, but Kate beat him to it.
"Life and death - a beginning and an end altogether in itself."
"Very well," Rowena Ravenclaw replied. "You may enter." The entrance was narrow and could permit only one person to enter, and Tom followed her as she made her way, but was suddenly cut off.
"What…" she heard him exclaim.
"She passed her test - not you. Now tell me, where do Vanished objects go?"
"Everywhere and nowhere," she heard him say a while later, voice full of confidence.
"Very well - you may enter." The door opened again, revealing an annoyed and simultaneously smug Tom Riddle. Once done exploring the nooks and crannies, Kate exited the room.
Back in her dormitory room, she took off her robes, setting into a comfortable army-style 'T-shirt' that her father called those vest-like garments (which were more durable and comfortable than nightgowns) and a pair of pajamas, slipping into bed and immediately going off to sleep.
The following morning, schedules were handed out by Professor Dumbledore, and Kate heard groans echo across the halls as sixth and seventh years pored over their tightly packed classes, interjected by a free period or two.
"Double Transfiguration followed by Double Potions? Someone kindly Avada me," Alden let out a dramatic groan. "I stand with you, my good man," Orion Black smiled, Walburga scowling as a reply.
"I would say this was a rather ideal schedule," Riddle interjected, taking his seat at the breakfast table across Kate. Professor Dumbledore passed a schedule to Tom.
"Good to have you first thing in the morning, Professor," Tom grinned brightly at the auburn bearded professor, who merely nodded in return. Riddle's grin fell as soon as the man left, the expression replaced with a blank one as he chewed a piece of toast with beans.
"What is up with the old man?" Abraxas Malfoy commented, taking his seat beside Riddle, his expression one of contempt. Kate looked at Riddle, studying his features as he looked through his copy of The Practical Potioneer, brought by one of the many owls flying through the Hall.
The person in question suddenly looked up, dark eyes locking with Kate's grey ones. A moment later, she felt a rather piercing headache. "Kate, are you alright?" Alden looked over at her. "You find it funny, Riddle?" he snapped at the boy opposite her, who was then looking at her with an odd look of wonder on his face, quickly morphing to concern as she focused on him again.
"No, not at all - I'm worried, on the contrary. Summers, do you need any help?" She shook her head, quickly excusing herself from the Hall as she headed for the hospital wing.
She was halfway when she heard footsteps quickly catching up with hers. "Summers," Riddle called out, sounding out of breath as he took her arm, "are you alright?"
"Aside from that headache, I'm fine as a summer's day," she inwardly cringed at the pun as Riddle smiled a little. "Why are you following up, may I know?"
"I was worried, and my reaction to a joke in the magazine ill-timed. I did not wish to look like an insensitive wart to you," she noticed his hand trail down to one of hers, pulling her arm away as he did so.
"While that is deeply appreciated, why do you keep repeatedly touching me?"
"Just a nervous tic," he answered dismissively. "Anyhow, I hope to see you in Dumbledore's class." With that, he retreated back to the Great Hall while she made her way to Madam Pomfrey.
"You seem utterly fine, my dear," the kindly lady said with a smile. Her daughter Poppy, a third year Hufflepuff, bustled around the room, quickly setting beds before she left for class. "Such a hard working child," Madam Pomfrey added as the girl left with a bright smile. "Come back to me if this happens again," Madam Pomfrey warned her as she rose to leave, muttering a quiet thanks in return.
The rest of the day passed uneventfully, with the day dragging along normally till supper - Kate hadn't found a plausible explanation to the headache (which had fortunately not made an appearance through the rest of the day). She quickly dispatched a letter to her father, asking if he could identify the symptoms and if they matched up with any common Muggle ailments. With the owl gone, Kate headed to the library, rifling through the shelves until she found an old moth-eaten copy of Magical Maladies And Their Cures.
While headaches had the same Muggle reasons and the same Muggle remedies in the book, it had nothing on unexplained headaches. Occlumency and Legilimency practitioners and learners may face frequent headaches during the formative period, but these will go away as the student becomes proficient in the skill(s).
Since she was none of the above, that didn't apply either. She left the library, disappointed.
(Little did she know that a shelf away, Tom Riddle breathed a sigh of relief.)
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