I am back!
It's been soooooooooooo looooooooooong, hasn't it? How is everyone?(assuming anybody is still reading my swooing over Tom Riddle lol)
The reason I have been so MIA was because of my masters' and the fun, fun stuff that comes with it. (Modern education is a void of souls, don't at me.) ANYWAY!
For this chapter, I was planning to encapsulate the whole of December in the 18th chapter BUT it got way way long because there will be some ACTION in Dec! So yep, we have a SPLIT chapter!
(I hope to actually be able to complete the second half in the next month) Maybe even do NANO, who knows...
Anyway, enough of my rambling!
The lashes of November rain dimmed in the wake of Winter. Fluffy, magical snow drifted from the skies, matting the grasslands and grounds of the castle in a glistening carpet. The soft crunch of crumbling snow accompanied students, soft murmurs in the corridors made puffs of fog hover over their mouths.
Ten days in, Hogwarts had begun preparing for Christmas. The stones of the castle was cleaned, the paintings scrubbed which left the inhabitants wincing, the suits of armor shone from polish, and the massive Christmas trees supplied from the inner circle of the Forest were tinseled and decked with ornaments - all under the watchful eye of the caretaker, Appollyon Pringle.
He was no Argus Filch, in that he wasn't perhaps as bitter as the old man had been - left with no magic in a world of magic - but then, it was easy to see why not; I had seen him dole out physical punishments without hesitation.
I wondered if all the Hogwarts caretakers were awful, in the past and the ones who'd come after Filch.
I shuddered at the thought.
The familiar festive atmosphere of the school was weighing me down again, and it was getting annoying. It seemed like the constant glumness and self-pity had become something of a permanent fixture in my life. Way back in my present, while staying at Hogwarts with friends had been fun, going home to Mum with Pamela was beyond comparison. The inability to do that choked at my throat, brought edges into my nerves that frayed with the slightest mention of family from the students around me.
And yet…through the haze of the sheer despair, there was a hint of pressing anticipation.
I had already promised Eric and Billy that I would return to Wool's for Christmas - if only to return Eric's suitcase, if not because of the small bloom of friendship that I had managed to cultivate with the two muggle boys.
But now, it seemed that going back to the orphanage to see them was akin to going home to see my mother. At least it was because I had somewhere to go, of course. I wondered how it would've been to be stranded in some other timeline, with no Dumbledore or Hogwarts - where I wouldn't have met the muggles, or Lila, Fawley and Alphard.
Perhaps, part of the reason I wished to go back to the orphanage was to keep at the cultivation of this new association. Muggles were rather interesting, taking steps at progression without magic in their veins, without wands doing anything and everything they wanted. They had these big machines that did it for them, and was not that magic?
And just perhaps…part of it was to escape the aftermath of my stupidity about the Slug Club.
The conversation with Slughorn could be considered illuminating, hinting at a Tom Riddle who hadn't arrived at Hogwarts a fully grown evil Overlord - but a child, who had wanted to make friends and failed.
So where did the Evil Overlord come in?
By the time the clock had struck midnight, Slughorn booming a goodnight to his attendees and a stern warning to not wander the corridors doing things students ought not to, (he had warned the students to not get caught if they did wander off), I had migrated to the large windows of his office, frankly thankful because the 'party' had been dead boring.
Riddle had allowed his minions to go on ahead, stopping at my side with an expectant raise of his brow. Ignoring the mutters from the students still in the office, I had quietly followed him back to the common room - straight there with no detours.
Parting ways within the emerald room had never felt so dissatisfying.
In the morning next, more than one consequence of that impulsive question at the staircase came to light.
While Lila had said that she 'wasn't surprised' by my asking Tom, it seemed the rest of the entire school was very, very much so.
The Slytherin girls who had not attended the Slug Club - Olive - were in sheer disbelief of the rumor mill that had already spread about the tale of Tom Riddle accompanying the poor and orphaned new girl to the party. Druella Rosier, who had been invited as a matter of fact, was the one who had confirmed the 'rumor', with Lila snickering when there was an audible thud from within the girls' bathroom.
"Do you think she's fainted?" I'd asked, not removing my eyes from the slender tie I was curling at my neck.
"Do you care?" Lila waved her wand at me, the tie knotting perfectly before exiting the dormitory with me.
If the obnoxious bewilderment of my peers was not bothersome enough, it came hand in hand with Riddle's complete indifference. It was difficult to tell if his own circle gossiped at him about his agreement to my proposal, but it was clear that anyone who crossed his path had that exact same question for him. Some were just bold enough to actually speak it out loud.
Olive again…
Looking at his impassive face when Olive cornered him in the common room after dinner two nights later, I'd have said that he was expecting it.
Olive's expression was vapid, as it was whenever she was around him and it curled annoyance in my stomach. She was well aware that Riddle found her breathy insipidness repulsive - and she was nowhere near as stupid as she behaved around him. How much would it have hurt to simply act like herself?
The confrontation was obvious enough that all the occupants of the common room turned to look at them; me, Lila and Fawley included. Alphard continued to read, sinking somehow lower in his seat when the general conversation of the room turned down to focus on theirs.
I expected Riddle to deflect, to become overly saccharine to ease her up, and yet he remained impassive, those midnight eyes growing darker, if possible. When he shrugged, muttering something low enough for only her to hear and then swept out of the room for his patrol; there was a pause as Olive looked shocked - before following after for her own patrol.
"Bizzare," Fawley muttered under his breath.
I couldn't help but agree.
Riddle's dispassionate shrugging off of Olive Hornby only added further fuel to the wildfire of rumors that already swirled within the castle, now reaching into the other houses as well. More than once, I'd caught Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs and even Ravenclaws - who usually stayed away from gossip mongering in favor of their towering stacks of books - look sideways at me in classes, in the hallways and during meal times.
They either thought I had to be extremely special to pique Riddle's interest, or a complete idiot for doing so. Even during the 40s, Riddle had an aura that most others found…intriguing, if not disturbing. I was glad to see there were people who saw through his charming façade even when he cultivated it so carefully.
Hogwarts, despite being very steadfast in holding onto its exciting fodder of the month, had different palettes of taste. Thankfully, the coming weeks of Yule festivities and planning was enough to distract the ones who had something better to do.
Soon enough, the scornful looks from Olive, disinterest from Walburga and Druella subsided into pondering what it would be like to go home.
Hornby was going to pester her parents for a new cat, Walburga's parents were likely going to indoctrinate her with more Black Family propaganda and Druella was going abroad.
All in all, extremely boring and uptight upper class Wizard family and their workings…
While the Alton family was pureblooded and they kept their names, most of the bloodline had since thoroughly diluted. We were as much blood traitors as the Weasleys or Sirius and Alphard…
Which perhaps made for much more interesting home adventures. Pam and I would pick a place to apparate to, spend a week or so trekking and our mother would more often than not know someone in the area due to the spread of her work. These places would usually be safe enough to practice the ancient rituals.
Lila must have noticed the slowly dwindling enthusiasm in my face when she spoke of her father taking her to see a hippogriff farm and placed a comforting hand on mine.
"You know, you should come home with me." She said.
"Hmm?"
"Come home with me this holiday. It would be a perfect time to introduce you to my family. Don't worry - they're not going to be intrusive about your life, although there might be a few odd questions here and there. You'll have fun at the hippogriff farm. My father is much better about blood purity than my mother, and she isn't coming."
I stared at her, taken aback at the extremely considerate offer; it brought back memories of the Weasleys hosting every single one that they could get their hands on.
Only -
"I can't, Lila. I am going back to the orphanage. I have to return the suitcase I borrowed from a friend." I gestured to the side of my four poster bed where the suitcase - now emptied - stood ready to take away.
Lila glanced where I indicated, eyebrows raised curiously. "How is it there? I mean, I'm sure it's a lot different from how it must have been with your parents - with the magic and its absence."
"It is different. But the people, even without magic are like us, there are friendships, rivalries, some going out, it's life - just without a wand waving around or potions or creatures."
When Lila nodded, it struck how quiet the Dorm had become. A look revealed that the three other girls were now focused on us. Olive snorted when she caught my eye while Walburga rolled her eyes.
"Just like us?" Druella finally deigned to ask when no one spoke. "What makes you think muggles are just like us, with or without magic?"
"She has to think that, how else will she feel at home when she goes back?" Walburga drawled.
"I'd imagine I'll feel exactly the same way your dear Tommy manages to."
The words were barely out of my mouth when four faces snapped to me, in varying degrees of amusement to outrage.
"How dare you? Tom has no desire to blend in with the muggles at that - at that place! He only has to go there because he's all alone!"
"How's that different from Rose?" Lila cut in.
"Unlike this muggle-loving idiot, Tom has real friends, friends who can help him achieve the things he's meant to!"
It was clear Olive meant herself.
The shiny caramel of her hair framed her steadily blotching face and at that moment she looked so hilariously pathetic, I could only snicker - getting to my feet.
"I sincerely hope he believes that, Hornby. I really do. If that's all for tonight, I'd like to turn in. I have to submit my name for Holiday leave early tomorrow."
If Slughorn was surprised that I had chosen to go back to the muggle orphanage rather than stay at Hogwarts like Riddle, he didn't show it. As promised, I signed up for leave early in the morning, a sleepy haze still in the Potions' master's eyes.
It wasn't until after the act was done and I was returning back to the Great Hall when I realized that for all intents and purposes, I hadn't sought the permission of Dumbledore.
While I personally didn't consider him responsible for my well-being (perhaps, only in some small measure), he still remained my guardian in the eyes of the Wizarding world, and even for Cole.
It would seem…suspicious, and for all I knew, the man himself might have some aversions to letting me go.
It would be best to speak to him directly.
Quickly scarfing down the rest of my toast and eggs, I lugged my school bag onto my shoulders and went off to Dumbledore's classroom.
Thankfully, not many students had arrived into the room when I entered, going straight for the auburn haired professor.
"Yes, Miss Revel?"
"Sir, I'm sorry for coming to you so late about this but I just wanted to ask; it's okay if I go back to the orphanage, right? I have to return Eric's suitcase and…well, I'd just like to visit with him and Billy. They're friends I made at the orphanage."
Dumbledore put down the notes he was handling, raising those twinkling eyes at me.
"I am rather impressed that you made friends in that orphanage, Miss Revel. The natural reactions to anyone and anything connected to Hogwarts bear no goodwill in that place, if I remember clearly."
I blinked.
What was that supposed to mean?
Was he hinting at Riddle?
"Um, yes sir, I…I may have scared them a bit, but otherwise it's all good there."
Dumbledore hummed mildly, picking up his notes again.
"I have no reservations with you going back to Wools', Rose. Although, I must remind you that the Secrecy statues still stand - regardless of your friendships. And that you must take care of yourself, keep yourself safe. At no point, are you to wander away from the orphanage by yourself. These are troublesome times and I am sure you understand what could happen lest you be found - by a muggle or wizard of the wrong sort."
He didn't have to continue.
I nodded assent, naturally, looking down so he wouldn't see the revulsion that flared from the idea of being kidnapped by Grindelwald or even the enemy muggle army. Being kidnapped and murdered one time was enough for a lifetime.
Ah…a voice that sounded suspiciously like the Sorting Hat came to me, you've not had just one lifetime, have you?
I shook off the foreboding.
"Understood professor, I'll be careful."
"Good; take your seat then, dear."
Armed with Dumbledore's permission to go to the orphanage - along with the weight of my personal safety looming over my shoulders - I joined Lila and Fawley to go gift hunting at Hogsmeade.
Alphard was invited of course, but he had cast a gloomy look at his brother and announced that he would have to join the Black brood for the task, as anything that would be gifted to the Blacks had to be of a certain standard.
Apparently, his family didn't consider Alphard's tastes up to it.
It brought a searing anger to the back of my throat, reminded of the dead look in Sirius's eyes when he sat alone in the hippogriff Buckbeak's room, surrounded by the artifacts and gifts his ancestors exchanged.
The similar dazed expression on Alphard's own face, didn't help.
Swallowing back the bitterness, I dutifully climbed onto the Thestral carriage for Hogsmeade. Once there, the three of us separated, to not spoil the gifts we'd undoubtedly buy one another.
My coin bag felt heavy in my pocket, reminding me that I was no longer an Alton with money to spare from fabulous gifts. I had to walk the frugal path now.
For Fawley, I visited Zonko's first. While the curator was a touch crazier than Bilton Blimes had ever been - he was helpful in putting together a small package of trick wands, frog spawn soap, belch powder and an ever-bashing boomerang. In a bookshop, I got a book on Charms for Alphard while for Lila I bought a sweeping, beautiful peacock feather quill. Repressing the memories of Lockhart's 'autographs', I finally visited Gladrags for the softest, wooliest socks I could find for Dumbledore.
Carrying the boxes wrapped in unassuming brown packaging, I quickly waved my wand with a muttered 'Reducio,' to fit them in my pocket for the time being.
And that only left…Eric and Billy.
Stopping in front of the Three Broomsticks, I peered inside…wondering…
Did I actually dare?
The Hogsmeade station bustled with bunches of students, clustered into their groups and waiting to board the scarlet school train back to Kings' Cross. Lila, Fawley and I huddled close against the cool breeze, fog pooling around our mouths with each word spoken.
"Can we just please exchange the gifts now?" Lila asked impatiently.
"Definitely not on the platform," I mumbled, "since I don't have an owl, I'll give them to you on the train."
"Maybe we should have gotten you an owl. How will you stay in touch with us over the break?" Fawley asked.
I opened my mouth before pausing. It was true. I had been foregoing buying an actual owl because I didn't think I would have anyone close enough to want to write letters to. But now…I peered intently at my new friends.
"We still have her birthday." Lila spoke, half her words swallowed by the sharp whistle of the Hogwarts Express announcing its arrival.
"Finally! I think my knees have frostbite." Fawley growled out, shaking out his legs for good measure, much to my and Lila's amusement.
Of course, the sentiment was returned - as we rushed to get into the heated carriages. Finding an empty compartment at the very middle of a carriage, the three of us crowded around the door - determined to score the space for ourselves.
Lila climbed on first, followed by Fawley and just as I placed my first foot on the landing, a swift flash of movement made my head whirl around.
My arms stopped hauling me up on the train, eyes narrowing to where I'd seen what I could've sworn was a mane of night black hair.
"Come on Ro!"
"Yeah, coming!" I called back, shaking my head to clear the remnants of any thoughts regarding Tom freaking Riddle.
It was a holiday free from the force of Riddle's presence hovering around me. I could relax, I could allow myself to slump. It wasn't like black hair was a trait allowed only to Riddle - ignoring that he was perhaps the only one who triggered that specific brand of awareness within me. Self preservation could take a breather for the next few days.
If Riddle was going to be a problem, Dumbledore would've surely mentioned it when I'd presented him with the socks while saying goodbye.
He had repeated his warnings, emphasizing the importance of staying with the other children at the orphanage and thanked me with a genial gleam for the fluffy socks.
He had made no mention of any specific danger at all.
I was safe.
The sliding door of the compartment signified that as I sat there; handing out Lila's and Fawley's gifts and watching them chuckle or squeal politely at the humble presents solidified that. Giving Alphard's gift to Fawley so he could owl it to the Black house over Christmas sealed a promise to be back.
So with a pack of Exploding Snap, a risk of scorching off our faces and multiple packs of Chocolate Frogs and Bertie Botts', I allowed thoughts of glittering black eyes, flooding bathrooms, sniffling ghosts and the panic of a monster in the air to dissipate from my mind.
The huge grin on my face didn't fade even long after we were at Kings' Cross with my one set of muggle clothing on, the platform 9 ¾ seeing Alphard joining us momentarily to hug us goodbye before he was apparated away with his siblings by a gaunt looking gentleman.
Lila's parents had come to fetch both their daughter and Fawley. I coughed internally at the idea of meeting the Macmillans, remembering their leanings about blood. While it was all good having Alton as a surname even with a muggleborn father - I doubted Revel would be similar treatment at that.
"Come meet them!" Lila pulled on my hand but I smiled ruefully, shaking my head as I grabbed the handle of my trunk.
"I really wish I could, but I don't want to make my matron wait. How about when we meet back up?"
Lila fixed me with those sensible eyes. "I'll hold you to that." She said, the both of them hugging me before bidding farewell.
Watching them disappear into thin air once their hands touched the elder Macmillans', I grabbed my trunk again, hefting it onto a stray trolley left behind and slipping past the barrier into the Muggle realm.
The colder, greyer atmosphere of the muggle realm was enough to make my smile dim just so, remembering these people were still struggling against a war on a much more elaborate scale than Grindelwald's subtler attacks.
Maneuvering the trolley to where I'd notified Cole I'd be via the post-office in Hogsmeade, I sighed, leaning my head against the cold bars of the trolley.
The din of the cars, motors and general chatter passed me by, rising the dwindling until I heard her -
"Ah, Miss Revel, so nice to see you again! And - Tom?"
My head lifted fast, my body turning to where Tom Merlin be Damned Riddle stepped up beside me. He was holding the handle of his trunk as well, his eyes blank and a thin smile curving his lips.
He didn't look at me.
I swallowed the horrified gasp that bubbled on my tongue, gaping up at the taller boy. What was he doing here? He never came back to the orphanage during Christmas, everyone said so! Why was he even -
"Um, I suppose we should head back then." Miss Cole said. She sounded shaken up, a little ruffled as she grabbed the end of my trunk to help me haul it to that giant black hunk of an automobile.
I let her go on a bit and just as Riddle made to follow, I grabbed at him.
"What do you think you're doing here?" I hissed.
For a split second of silence, I was sure that Riddle would draw his wand, but he only turned his head to look imperiously down at me - before looking down to where my hand was gripping the material of his white shirt.
I followed his gaze to my hand.
For all our borderline hostile conversations with breaches in each others' space, I remembered no instance in our encounters when I had actively touched him. I hadn't even shaken his hand ever. This was the first time I'd ever laid an actual hand on him, I realized with a strange jolt.
The shirt sleeve, pulled and buttoned around his wrist was a smooth cotton. Underneath, his arm wasn't as slight as one would suspect from his comparatively lanky frame - having spent eleven years in an orphanage with only gruel for meals. He didn't feel cold, like I'd always imagined Voldemort to feel. Instead there was a tell-tale warmth, permeating his clothes - proof that he was as of yet, just human.
I didn't think he would appreciate my observations too much. Already, his expression had deadpanned from my lingering and perhaps a touch too tight hold on him.
I slowly unwrapped my fingers from him, looking timidly up at his eyes.
Those dark eyes, compelling as ever in their intensity, didn't look as disapproving as I feared, but it was clear he wasn't very happy with the exchange either.
"I thought you would never leave Hogwarts if you could help it." I said quietly, persisting in the query.
Riddle parted his lips, a small puff of breath escaping the action.
"What I do with my time, Miss Revel," he said simply, as quietly as me, "is no business of yours."
He turned away from me, wrenching the appendage closest to me as he dragged his trunk to where Miss Cole stood, her stern gaze on us from beside her vehicle.
Even though I hated it, I had to agree. As far as Riddle was concerned - I was just some girl he didn't much get on with. He didn't know that I was aware of his…Voldemortness…and even if he was, either he didn't care or he could easily remove me from his path.
As disturbing as it was to find myself agreeing with his refusal, I also found myself wondering why he was here in the first place.
I could find no joy in the careful hugs of Eric, Billy or even Anne. If I was right and he was indeed looking for the Chamber of Secrets - wouldn't it make sense for him to stay on in the castle when I wasn't around? Or was he worried that with me gone, Dumbledore would focus more on him? Or was it the lack of his minions…? Most of his death eaters were pure-bloods, home bound for Yule. Did he think he lacked a look-out, or someone to frame if things went side-ways?
Was he planning on killing me here?
I stabbed at the humble meal that constituted supper that night. There were more people in the orphanage, people back for a short time to celebrate their Christmas - at least the ones who could make it.
Amidst the chatter, I stared unabashedly at Riddle, studying the slant of his sleek raven head. He spoke to no one, and no one spoke to him. Miss Cole, and Martha and Anne who asked me about my school year, didn't make the same attempt with him, and the one or two older boys who carefully tried to speak to him were met with the same façade that he had on at Hogwarts - polite but aloof.
I turned the fork over and over in my hand, chewing thoughtfully until he looked up straight at me. Our eyes suspended, seconds passing until I felt a mild - almost lazy - push at the very edges of my consciousness.
Legilimency.
I glared at him, pushing back at the press of his intrusion as best as I could. After a few moments of the exertion that brought a dull thrum to the center of my forehead, he let a hint of a smirk cross his face, dropping his gaze.
He inclined his head as he stood up from the table, depositing his plates within the kitchen and exiting.
I pulled a shuddering breath into my lungs, quietly returning to my dinner.
AND CUT!
It's not technically a full chapter but it's still something after a long break!
Hope to hear from you!
Cheers!