Next day morning, at Hufflepuff table during breakfast.
"And one second he was there and next second poofff..not a sign of him. I am telling you Linda that Charles has some family secret. Nobody can cast disillusionment charm this good."
"Hmm..But Jenny there might be some other reason, maybe he apparated out of that corridor."
Harry glanced towards her housemates sitting across her - Linda Smith and Jenny Earl. "You can't apparate inside or out of Hogwarts. It's mentioned there in Hogwarts: a History." She said, remembering Hermione while telling them this. She looked towards her grandfather Charles Potter, who was sitting at Griffindor table. She knew he must be using invisibility cloak, for whatever these girls were talking about. Looking across that table, she found somebody very familiar seated there. She could not help but smile, looking at a very young Hagrid seated at the end of Griffindor table.
"What are you? A Revenclaw? Nobody reads Hogwarts - a History. It's too boring." Linda said. Making Harry to move her gaze away from Hagrid, and look back at two of them again.
Harry tried not to roll her eyes. These two girls reminded her too much of Parvati and Lavender. In their shared dormitory, she only heard them talk about either boys or makeup.
"Oh look Lin! he is looking towards us." Jenny elbowed Linda, gesturing towards the Slytherin table.
Harry also looked over her shoulder towards Slytherin table, to check about whom these girls were talking about. She found that it was none other than Riddle, who was staring at her with his usual frown. She shook her head and went back to her breakfast.
"Oh Lin..this is so exciting. I can't believe that Gorgeous Tom has finally noticed us."
"I can't wait to tell Christie about this." Linda replied.
Then both started giggling.
Harry just stared at them in surprise, she could not believe that her dorm mates were Tom's fangirls.
"Hiya Harry"
She looked up and smiled at Marcus, who just joined them on Hufflepuff table. "Hey Marcus "
He took the seat next to her, and went on to tell her about points he added for his charms essay.
After breakfast, they entered potions class for their first lesson of the year with Slytherin house.
Harry noticed, that the seating arrangement was very different compared to the seating arrangement in her era.
Slytherin were seated on the front side of the class, while Hufflepuffs took back benches.
She took seat right at the back, with Marcus sitting next to her. She opened her bag and took out her potions book along with her notes book. Then putting her bag on the side, she glanced towards Marcus to ask him about potions professor, but found Tom sitting there on his seat.
"Huh..where is Marc?" She looked around, and found him sitting next to Abraxas on the front table, looking very anxious.
She looked towards Tom, then towards her potions book, then hide it immediately under her notebook.
At this Tom smirked and said, "You think, I won't notice it under that notebook ?"
She opened her mouth to reply, but stopped because of the entry of their potions master - Professor Slughorn.
The professor went on to give speech about owls, and the expectations from them. Then asked them to follow instructions written on board, for the potion they were supposed to make.
Harry kept on holding her potions book the entire time, even when she went to collect ingredients from the cupboard.
Later, when professor came to their seat to check their potion, he asked Tom why he was not on his usual seat. Tom's only reply was, "It was already taken."
Once, professor moved to other students, Harry looked at Tom and snorted, "Yeah right. As if your minions would let anyone else take your seat."
"My what?"
"Minions..you know that Malfoy, Black and other Slytherin fifth years. "
"You know your brother is also there."
This shut Harry's mouth, and she started stirring her potions. She then glanced towards Sirius, who was preparing his potions next to some sandy haired wizard.
Then looked towards Tom's potion, which she noticed was of perfect lavender shade.
"How did you do that? I followed the same instructions but mine is still grey. " Harry asked scowling at her thick greyish potion, then looking back at Riddle's perfect potions.
"I think you're missing one thing." Tom said, while staring at Harry's potion.
"What...I've added all ingredients mentioned in perfect quantity. Let me check again."
Harry started referring to her book, finding that there was no ingredient she could have missed. She glanced back at Tom and asked, "I've added everything mentioned . What's missing?"
Tom just looked at Harry, and replied, "Talent."
Harry narrowed her eyes at Tom, "I have more talent than you Riddle. You just wait. I'll show you."
Tom just raised one eyebrow, and said, "Waiting."
"Then wait." She hissed, and banged her book in irritation.
At this Tom started chuckling.
Once bell rang, he submitted his neatly labelled potions sample to professor, and left.
Harry scowled after him. He was upto something, she was sure. Why take seat next to her? Then looking at her greyish potion she sighed. She tried following all instructions but for no use. Then with a thought that she would try harder next time, she submitted her potion sample and gathered her bag.
"Hiya Harry.." Marcus said nervously, while following her out of the class.
Harry glared at him, "Why did you change your seat?"
He started scratching his head and said, "I did take the seat next to you. But Tom grabbed my collar and pushed me towards his seat. I am sorry Harry. But he's so scary. I get all nervous around him." He finished with a pleading look.
Harry closed her eyes, then took a deep breath. She looked back at him and said, "Next time, let me know if he does something like this. I'll take care of him."
She then moved towards their common room which was situated near kitchens. She really liked Hufflepuff dormitory as it was quite cozy and sunny, with large round common room having low ceilings. It's decor had earthy feel with plants hanging and resting all around the room.
She took seat next to one flowered plant, and brought out her potions book to start her essay.
Once she opened her book, she noticed its pages were slightly torn with ink blots on certain pages. "Whaaa?" She looked at its cover which was still the same. Then realised that that bloody tosser stole her book again, leaving his ruined copy for her. He switched their covers and stole her nice copy.
Scowling, she started thinking about potions lesson, trying to determine the time when she could have left her potions book unattended.
Somebody came and stood in front of her. She looked up and found, frowning Linda and Jenny standing there.
"Anything you want?" Harry asked while looking at both of them.
"Oh, we just want to know why were you sitting next to Tom." Linda asked, while taking seat opposite to Harry, along with Jenny.
Harry raised her eyebrows, "I was sitting next to him? He took a seat next to me. "
"Yeah sure. As if somebody like Tom would talk to somebody like you." Jenny said.
"Somebody like me? What do you mean?" Harry asked frowning at Jenny.
"Oh..he is the most popular wizard here, and you're an unknown newbie." Linda replied.
Harry just looked at both of them in shock. They were behaving like Cinderella's step sisters, only step mom was missing, oh and Tom was definitely not that prince charming.
Then, remembering their conversation that morning, she made a sad face and said, "You're right. He never wanted to talk to me."
Then looking back at both of them, she said , "He was asking about you two."
"What?" Jenny shouted.
"Really?" Linda said at the same time.
Harry nodded and continued, "Yeah, he wanted to know more about you. He said he wants to approach you, but feel really nervous. He also wanted to know, if you two have boyfriends."
Jenny eyes were round with excitement, she looked at Harry and asked, "What did you say?"
Harry smiled and said, "I told him that both of you are single. Then he said that he is so confused about whom to chose between the two of you, as both of you are so gorgeous."
Both Linda and Jenny squealed, then started giggling holding each others hands.
Harry on the other side could not believe these girls. They bought her story. How could they believe that Tom would ever be nervous, or he would talk to third unknown person about something so personal. She shook her head and passed them her fake smile.