Chapter Six

Hogwarts, 1943

Tom's POV

Tom was sitting on a sofa in the Slytherin common room. Unusually for an evening, the room was deserted save for him. This suited Tom down to the ground, and he carefully read a complex book on Potions theory without any distractions. A fire flickered in the grate and, just as Tom was feeling more relaxed than he had in a long time, sudden footsteps made him jump.

Victoria Potter was walking across the room towards him. Her pale skin glowed in the firelight and her thick black hair tumbled down to her waist. She looked at Tom with parted lips- it was the most seductive sight he had ever seen.

Before Tom could do anything, Victoria strode confidently towards him. She swung her long legs onto the sofa and straddled Tom, sitting down on his lap. Her hands ran up his arms and came to rest on his chest. She flicked her long hair over one shoulder and grinned down at him.

Tom couldn't hold himself back any more. He wrapped his arms around her waist and closed the space between them. Their lips crashed against one another and it was bliss. Better than anything he had experienced before. His skin burnt at her touch.

'Tom,' she moaned softly against his lips.

Tom Riddle awoke with a start, his heart pounding rapidly. It took a moment before he realised where he was: in his usual four-poster bed, alone. A loud noise from across the room told him that Avery's snoring had awoken him suddenly.

Tom swore under his breath and collapsed back against the pillows, breathing heavily. What the hell had just happened? Had he honestly been dreaming about Victoria Potter straddling him? She wasn't even that attractive, he tried to tell himself furiously. Although that was a lie and he knew it.

Things were getting out of hand. Victoria was a means for him to acquire more followers, nothing more. Tom rolled onto his side and punched the pillow into a more comfortable position. It was one thing for him to find her alluring- he was a sixteen year old boy, after all. But he absolutely could not let that get in the way of his plans.

Maybe he should just give up with her altogether. But even as he considered that prospect, Tom felt an odd sense of opposition. Yes, there were other purebloods he could charm and influence and win over. But there was something special about Victoria Potter. Her mind reading skills were beyond anything he'd ever heard of. To be able to read someone's thoughts like a book was invaluable, and the prospect of being able to utilise her skills against his enemies made Tom smile in the darkness. No, it would have to be Victoria Potter. He would continue with his plan to win her over, put her to use as a weapon, and persuade others outside of Slytherin to join the cause.

Tom leant over to the bedside table and checked his watch. It was not yet five in the morning. He was half tempted to go back to sleep in the hope of continuing his dream. But the sane part of him made the decision to get up instead.

Perhaps he should try hooking up with another girl, he mused as he pulled his robes on. But, almost as quickly as that thought had appeared, he rejected it. He found practically every student in the castle either dull or annoying. Besides, the amount of increased attention he'd get from girls if they knew he was available for once was too frightful even to contemplate.

Feeling irritable and slightly on-edge, Tom finished getting ready and hurried out of the dormitory. The common room was deserted but, before he made for the door to the dungeons corridor, he took the precaution of casting a Disillusionment Charm on himself.

Completely invisible, Tom strode along the dungeon corridor and made his way upstairs to the library. He was certain he'd be able to talk his way out of trouble if anyone caught him, but he wanted privacy at that particular moment. The books he was about to read were not for everyone's eyes.

The library was empty and Tom knew from experience that the elderly librarian, Mr Pointer, would not emerge until after breakfast. The sight of so many books calmed Tom. He was reminded of rationality and was able to push lingering thoughts of Victoria Potter from his mind.

Tom strode down a specific aisle and picked a book up that he'd been meaning to read for some time. The problem was he didn't want Pointer to see him check it out. But this morning, in the solitude, it was safe, so Tom lit an oil lamp and took a seat at one of the tables.

A Recent History of Wizards Menacing Muggles didn't look as though it had been read by any of the other students. Tom couldn't blame them. It was a long, dry tome written by some Muggle-lover and consisted entirely of anecdotes about minor interactions between wizards and muggles. Usually Tom would have given such filth a wide berth.

This morning, however, he opened the book to the index and scanned a long finger down the page until he saw a single name: Gaunt.

Tom hurriedly opened the relevant page and began to read about his illustrious ancestors.

'...in 1926, Morfin Gaunt was convicted of deliberately causing distress and harm to an innocent muggle. Said muggle, a Mr. Tom Riddle of Little Hangleton, was riding past the Gaunt hovel when Morfin Gaunt hit him with an unknown jinx that caused severe facial boils. Gaunt and his father, Marvolo, were later both sentenced to Azkaban after a further assault on a Ministry wizard sent to investigate the charge...'

Tom slammed the book shut, his heart thumping in his chest. He pulled out his wand and muttered Incendio. The flames flickered in his black eyes. He took no pleasure in burning books, but this particular one needed to be gone from the castle. If any other student found the name Tom Riddle... well, Tom shuddered at the thought.

So there it was. Final proof of what he had feared for years: his father was nothing but a filthy muggle. Tom had discovered his mother's identity last year through his middle name, Marvolo. He knew his maternal uncle had been prosecuted for attacking a muggle and had deduced that, while he was in Azkaban, his mother had fled and become pregnant. Tom had been researching ever since for a mention of his father and here it was- a filthy muggle who had likely abandoned his mother.

Anger like Tom had never known burned his chest. It spread through his whole body, radiating down to his toes and fingertips. Yet, at the same time, an odd sense of anticipation swept over him. He imagined tracking his father down. He would find out everything then. Not least why a dirty muggle saw fit to abandon a pregnant woman of Slytherin's own line.

And Tom would make him pay, that was certain. He imagined facing his father after all these years. How good it would feel, not only to seek vengeance on the man who had deserted him, but to terrify him to his core. Tom would meet his father as the greatest sorcerer in the world.

He leant back in his chair and grinned horribly as the final embers from the book fell to the table. He stayed like that, practically motionless for some time, lost in fantasises about how he would punish his father. It was only when he heard movement throughout the castle that he realised his fellow students were up for the day.

Not wanting to see his fellow Slytherins- Tom didn't feel his patience should be tested this morning by their stupidity- he skipped breakfast and headed straight to the dungeons for Double Potions. By the time his classmates arrived half an hour later, Tom was feeling better than he had in some time. Perversely, the horrendous news about the scum that was his father seemed to have focused him and, when Victoria Potter breezed into the room, Tom found he was able to cast his dream about her from his mind.

'Good morning,' he said amiably as Victoria slid into the seat next to him. She smelt of vanilla and summer meadows as usual but Tom made himself concentrate on the task in hand.

'Hello, Tom.'

He watched out of the corner of his eye as Victoria busied herself with setting up her cauldron. They had been Potions partners since the beginning of term- another of Slughorn's ideas- but had barely said anything beyond polite conversation until recently. Across the room, Alphard Black was sitting next to his partner, Olive Hornby, and shooting Victoria jealous looks. Tom suppressed a grin. Black was so unsubtle that his plans didn't even feel like scheming.

Slughorn's voice boomed around the classroom. 'Okay, everybody, please gather around the cauldron I have set up at the front.'

Tom and Victoria dutifully joined the rest of the class as they crowded around a large cauldron that was simmering away. Black was stuck several feet away, surrounded by Olive Hornby and the other Slytherin girls, but he continued to shoot Tom and Victoria covert glances.

Content that he had everyone's attention, Slughorn stood in front of his cauldron and bounced on the balls of his feet. 'So, who can tell me the name of this special little concoction?'

Tom was about to automatically put his hand up. It was clearly Amortentia, as characterised by the mother-of-pearl sheen rising into the air. But, just as he was about to answer, something stopped him. Tom caught a whiff of the potion and immediately forgot everything. It was the most alluring scent he had ever inhaled. Somehow it combined the smell of old books, a freshly opened bottle of black ink, and a seductive mixture of vanilla and summer flowers. Tom staggered as he remembered where he had smelt that before- it was the precise scent of Victoria Potter.

Utterly thrown, it took Tom a moment to realise that Ruth Vance had answered the question instead. This was highly unusual, as it was always himself or Victoria who answered. As Tom turned to look at Victoria, however, his own shock seemed to be mirrored on her face. Indeed, Victoria was leaning away from the love potion as though she did not want to inhale it.

The rest of Slughorn's explanation went by in a blur and, by the time they had been sent back to their tables and instructed to brew Amortentia themselves, Tom was feeling agitated. It seemed as though every time Victoria moved he caught another scent of her. If he hadn't understood the rationality behind love potions, he might have thought her to be doing it on purpose.

Victoria was also quiet for the remainder of the lesson, although Tom couldn't understand why this would be. Perhaps Black's odour of Quidditch sweat wasn't too appealing for her.

'Sorry,' muttered Tom. He had reached for the scales at the same time as Victoria and their hands had brushed. It was like an electric shot rushing through his body.

After what felt like hours, they both finished their potions. Most of the class were still going so Tom sat down at his desk and tried to act normal. It was hard when his potion- brewed perfectly, of course- was attacking him with the scent of Victoria.

'So are you going to Slughorn's Christmas party on Friday?' asked Victoria in a clear attempt to make conversation.

Tom felt himself drawn to her hazel eyes then, remembering her mind-reading powers, he quickly averted his gaze. He certainly did not want her to do that at the moment as he was currently replaying the choicest moments from his dream in his head.

'Oh, yes, I suppose I'll make an appearance,' he said, trying to keep his voice casual.

Victoria laughed. 'Don't sound too excited.'

Truth be told, Tom was not remotely excited for the party. It would be another night of forcing small talk with Slughorn and his numerous guests. Tom was more excited for the weeks that followed, when the castle would be practically empty as the other students left for the Christmas holidays. The thought of Christmas reminded Tom of his father and he quickly pulled himself together. He must win her over for her powers, that was all.

'Are you looking forward to being shut in a dungeon with me for hours?' he asked innocently, with a raised eyebrow.

Victoria raised both of hers in response. 'Interesting turn of phrase, Riddle.'

Tom grinned and pretended not to know what she was talking about. 'I only meant that, as Slughorn's favourites, you and I will inevitably be corralled together to talk to his guests.'

'How disappointing,' murmured Victoria lightly. As she spoke, her fingertips brushed Tom's forearm. It was the lightest touch but it made his head spin. He risked a glance across the room and noticed with immense satisfaction that Black was watching them intently.

'Who are you taking anyway?' asked Victoria, her voice deliberately casual.

'No one,' said Tom instantly. He had toyed with the idea of asking a date just for appearance's sake, but he couldn't be bothered with the hassle of shaking her off afterwards. Besides, if he was alone then it'd be easier to separate Victoria and Black.

Victoria looked surprised. 'That must be by choice surely?'

Tom felt smug at her shock that he was going to the party alone. 'Don't worry, I'm just not interested.'

'Hmmm.' Victoria's eyes bored into his and he hastily looked away.

'You promised me you wouldn't read my mind!'

'I wasn't going to!' protested Victoria innocently, but Tom didn't believe her.

'Hey, Vic.' Black had appeared from nowhere and wrapped his arms around Victoria's waist from behind. He rested his chin on her head and shot Tom a warning look. Tom kept it face deliberately impassive. The idiot was playing right into his hands; the more jealous he seemed, the more he was going to drive Victoria away.

'Oh, hi Alf.' Tom resented her use of his abbreviated name. It seemed far too personal.

Black gestured towards Victoria's potion which was simmering away in front of them. 'Enjoying the smell of me?'

Tom laughed internally. Black might consider himself a lothario but he simply came across as arrogant. Victoria seemed to be thinking along similar lines because she smiled back very weakly.

Thankfully, the bell soon rang and Black disappeared to his desk to tidy up.

'He likes to keep you on a short lead,' commented Tom as they did the same.

Victoria pulled a face. 'Tell me about it.'

Sure enough, the moment everyone had cleared up, Black bounded back over like an over-excited puppy. He took Victoria's hand and lead her out of the room before she had a chance to say much more than goodbye to Tom.

Tom rolled his eyes and deliberately fell into step with Olive Hornby, who was staring after Victoria and Black looking resentful.

'Good morning, Olive,' he smiled.

'Oh, hello Tom,' she said, sounding distracted.

'Everything okay?' he asked in a deliberately concerned sounding voice. It took less than a second for her to start unburdening on him.

'I just think Black can do so much better than Potter, don't you?' she moaned. 'Her whole family are blood traitors, you know. And she just doesn't appreciate him. Sometimes I don't think she's even interested in him. She must be mad. He's one of the best looking boys here...'

Tom remained silent and let her rant on as they left the classroom and headed upstairs for morning break. Just like Black, Olive was painfully easy to manipulate. Not for the first time he marvelled at how idiotic his schoolmates were.

'...and she's just generally quite stuck-up,' finished Olive when she eventually ran out of steam.

Tom gave Olive a conspiratorial wink. 'You know, I'm surprised you're complaining about this, Olive.'

She gave him a confused look. 'What do you mean?'

'Well, you are on prefect duty together. I'm surprised he can even remember Victoria's name after several hours with you.'

The flattery hit Olive perfectly and she flushed with satisfaction. 'Do you really think he could be interested in me?'

Tom held his hands up. 'Look, I don't want to get involved in other people's business. I just hate to see you so distressed. All I will say is that prefect duty is a good time to get to know someone better.'

Olive considered his words and grinned broadly. 'Thanks Tom. Ooh, there's Sarah and Lucinda. I better go and catch them up.'

Tom watched as she practically skipped along the corridor, flicking her long, auburn hair over her shoulder. Tom walked happily out to the courtyard, musing on how much harder his job would be if his classmates had more than one brain cell between them.

/

Victoria's POV

'Or I could wear this one?'

Victoria was reclining on her bed watching Lana try on an assortment of dresses ahead of Slughorn's party. Whereas normal students brought one or two formal outfits for the term, Lana had brought at least a dozen and now she was making Victoria and Ruth give their opinions on each one.

'Oh for goodness sake, Lana. I think Lestrange is going to want to snog you whichever one you wear!' On the other side of the room, Ruth was lounging on her own bed and her patience was wearing thin.

Lana pulled a face. 'I'm not just dressing up for William, you know.'

Ruth shot back a retort and Victoria let them carry on, grateful to be excused from the conversation for a bit. Her mind had been all over the place today, ever since Potions and that bloody Amortentia. As much as she had tried to tell herself otherwise, Victoria knew she had smelt Tom Riddle in the love potion. Then she had made matters worse by flirting with him- she had even touched his arm for goodness' sake.

Victoria threw herself back against her pillows and ran both hands through her hair. What the hell was the matter with her? The Tom situation was getting out of hand. He was supposed to be a friend and study partner, nothing more.

'What on earth is the matter with you, Vic?' demanded Lana. Evidently Victoria's despair had not gone unnoticed.

'Oh nothing,' she said, in a half-convincing voice. 'I was just thinking about how much holiday homework I've been given.'

Lana seemed satisfied and turned her attention back to her latest dress. Victoria was relieved. She trusted Lana and Ruth with a lot but she didn't want to share her feelings for Tom with them. Lana had fancied him for years- and likely still did despite the arrival of Lestrange- plus she couldn't be sure that they wouldn't slip up and tell Alfie.

'So, who are you going to the party with, Ruth?' asked Lana, as she inspected herself in the floor-length mirror.

'Mike,' said Ruth casually.

Lana dropped a necklace she had been trying to do up and spun around to face her friend. 'Mike Wood?' she demanded.

'How many other Mikes do we know?'

Lana rounded on Victoria. 'Did you know about this?'

'They're just going as friends,' laughed Victoria, glad for a distraction that took her thoughts away from Tom.

'I didn't particularly want to bring a date so I thought it would be a good idea,' said Ruth calmly.

Lana continued to look shocked. 'And why was I the last to know about this?'

'Because you've been surgically attacked to Lestrange for the past month!'

Lana was about to retaliate when there was a knock at the door. It swung open to reveal Rebecca Corner, a pretty fifth year girl who had a notorious on-off relationship with Victoria's brother, James.

'Hi girls,' said Rebecca, walking into the room. 'Hey, you look great Lana. Victoria, James and Monty need to talk to you. They've sent me up to get you.'

'Are they too lazy to walk up the stairs themselves?' laughed Lana, adjusting her neckline in the mirror.

'Boys can't enter the girls' dormitories,' explained Ruth casually. 'If they try then the staircase turns into a slide and then end up in a heap on the common room floor.'

'How do you know so much about it?' asked Lana suspiciously.

'What's the matter, Rebecca?' asked Victoria, interrupting Ruth's retort to Lana.

'I don't know,' shrugged Rebecca apologetically. 'All I know is that James has just had a letter from your parents.'

Victoria immediately jumped up off her bed. Her father was Head of the Auror Office and if he was writing a letter to his children at night then that meant something significant had happened. She followed Rebecca out of the door, with Ruth and Lana hurrying along behind her.

James and Monty were standing at the foot of the stairs waiting for her, James holding a short piece of parchment.

'Give me that.' Victoria snatched up the letter and read it quickly.

Dear James,

Forgive me this unusual letter but I wanted to ensure that you, Victoria and Fleamont heard this news from me rather than in the newspaper tomorrow. As I am sure you have heard, the situation with Grindelwald is looking very serious and the Ministry has confirmed he is now operating on British soil. In response to this, the Minister has asked me to establish an Anti-Dark Arts Taskforce. This will begin effective immediately and will involve me working with the Aurors and others to track down those who support Grindelwald within our borders.

Although I am highly honoured to have been granted such a responsibility, this new role will mean that I am called away from home for significant periods at a time. As such, I may not be able to spend as much time with you over the Christmas holidays as I would have wished. I am sure you understand that I must adhere to my duty to the Ministry and our community.

I do hope to see all three of you over Christmas but I'm afraid I cannot promise as to when this will be yet. I know you will all understand. Again, please forgive me for this letter, but I felt it vital that you heard this news from me rather than others.

Please let your brother and sister know.

Your father,

Charles Potter.

Victoria read the letter a second time and then handed it to Lana and Ruth, who had been crowding round her shoulder trying to read the writing from a distance.

'Well?' demanded James.

Victoria looked at her brothers, both of whom seemed anxious at the news. Victoria was less surprised. Their father was Head of the Auror Office after all. He was usually the one tasked with the most high-profile, risky assignments and, now that Grindelwald seemed to be turning his attention to Britain, it only followed that he would have to deal with it soon enough.

'Well at least the Ministry is finally acting,' said Victoria. 'I thought they were burying their heads in the sand.'

James and Monty exchanged incredulous glances as though Victoria was missing something important.

'Is that all you've got to say?' demanded James. 'Father has just had a target painted on his back.'

'I mean he already had one as Head of the Auror Office, didn't he?'

'I don't think you're taking this seriously enough,' said James, while Monty nodded away in agreement.

Victoria looked at their strained faces. Her brothers seemed to think the Minister had just signed their father's death warrant. She, on the other hand, thought that everyone was likely to be safer now that they were operating in the open rather than with cloaks and daggers.

Behind her, Ruth and Lana had finished reading as well.

Lana whistled under her breath. 'Whoa, that's so cool. Your father could be the one to catch Grindelwald.'

Victoria thought about Charles Potter. He was a formal, austere man in his mid-fifties but, while he was an excellent wizard and a skilled player in the Ministry, Victoria could not for one moment see him matching the talent and dynamism of Grindelwald. Indeed, when the Auror Office had corned a couple of Dark wizards eighteen months ago, Charles Potter had deliberately let some of his juniors take the lead. Plus she knew for a fact he had been relieved when the Waltons volunteered to lead the taskforce to assist the French Ministry, meaning he didn't have to. No, from her extensive knowledge of her father, she could see him being the face of this new taskforce, but she couldn't see him running all over Britain chasing Grindelwald.

'The Minister obviously thinks highly of him,' said Ruth.

Victoria thought of the Minister for Magic whom she had met on several occasions. He was a portly, often irritable man who enjoyed vintage Firewhiskey and elf-made wine. She could just imagine the two men founding this taskforce over drinks in their club.

No, overall, she was not too worried about her father. In fact, the thing that bothered her most about the letter was that it had been addressed to James, not her. She was the oldest of the Potter siblings and yet their father constantly overlooked this in favour of James, his first son. Victoria had realised long ago that James would inherit the mansion and the bulk of their fortune and, although she was not happy about this, she had accepted it as the way of the world. But for their father to completely bypass her in his letters as well really rankled her, especially since James had half her talent.

Victoria became aware that James, Monty, Ruth and Lana were all looking at her. Clearly her reaction had not been what they were expecting. She sighed internally and forced a concerned look upon her face. 'Goodness, I hope he's okay. Still, what an honour from the Minister.'

James looked placated. 'Agreed. It's such an honour for the family. I only hope I get an opportunity like this in the future.'

Victoria looked away and, not for the first time, wondered what her own future would look like. Her father would probably expect some semblance of career that was quickly dropped when she got married. He was a big fan of Alfie.

For some reason, Victoria's thoughts flickered away to Tom Riddle. She had a feeling that his future was less clear cut.

A/N:

Okay, I know I promised a big Vic/Tom moment but I ended up editing this chapter because it got way too long. Instead, next chapter, we will join Slughorn's Christmas party and I'll let your imaginations run wild as to what might happen there...

This chapter is more of an effort to set up Victoria and Tom's background. Victoria's family in particular will play a big role throughout the story, especially her brothers and father. But keep reading to get to that.

Thanks again for those who have been clicking follow and favourite. And, last but not least, please leave me a review! Xx

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