Chapter 6

Tom stalked through the halls of his Manse, a thunder cloud building above his head. The week had been an absolute nightmare. The aurors had stepped up their patrols, the Order of the Phoenix had become more powerful, and Dumbledore's influence in the ministry was growing by the day. And why? Because of that infuriating Esmeralda Potter. She had been reported missing a week ago by his informants inside the castle. According to Severus, the staff and students alike were completely baffled, although Severus confided that Dumbledore seemed to know more than he let on.

Of course he did.

She was probably in some remote location, receiving extensive training in whatever random techniques Dumbledore thought would be useful when fighting the evil Dark Lord. Her sudden disappearance was disturbing, as was the fact that only Dumbledore seemed to know where she was. Tom hid it, but he was incredibly nervous about what this might mean. Dumbledore always seemed to have a new trick up his sleeve, like the way the entire order had managed to be notified in the ministry, or that worrying way he was getting closer to Tom's biggest secret.

Tom sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He would have to do something about the old man. He was really getting frustrated. Especially seeing as Tom had been trying to do something about him since the middle of the First war.

Pushing open his door, he was reminded by what else he had to take care of. That Bloody Cat. The damn thing was annoying enough to warrant capital letters, even if it was only in his mind. She has been around for a week, and he was constantly checking everything to make sure she wasn't causing any trouble. Of course she hadn't actually caused any mayhem, but tom was certain it was only a matter of time before she unleashed. Most of the disasters had been avoided because of his constant scrutiny, but otherwise, she had been well behaved. Which was, in tom's opinion, very worrying. She had the air of one just waiting for the opportunity to strike, and he was her prey.

Currently, said Bloody Cat was sprawled over his desk, apparently asleep. Tom moved over to check. He had been caught out more times than one when he had thought she was asleep. Like the time she had managed to eat his share of grilled salmon. Lucius had spent the entire conversation trying to hide a smirk, and when tom had finally asked, Lucius had only pointed to where that cat was swallowing the last of the salmon.

Tom nudged the cat, and didn't get a response. He gave her a poke in the stomach, which always got a reaction, but unfortunately, she didn't move. Worriedly, Tom cast a diagnostic charm and found her to be in a mini coma of sorts. It was a magically induced sleep. Growling, tom cast his sights over his room again, checking to see if there were any signs of someone coming in. The room was perfect, looking the same as it had been that morning. He cast several scans over the room, each coming up clean.

He turned back to the cat on his desk, and gently picked her up.

"What's happened to you kitten?" he questioned quietly, as he sat on the bed. He cast another scan on her. It seemed like nothing more was wrong with her than the sleep.

Gently, he sent a tendril of magic into her, slowly pushing away the web of sleep that covered her. Slowly, she stirred, her tail twitching, as her eyes gently opened. Blinking, she sat up, before quickly checking herself over.

'okay, so nothing broken or gone,' the voice was soft, and decidedly feminine, and hauntingly familiar.

"What?" he muttered, looking around.

' what's he going on about now? The voice spoke again.

"Who's there?" he asked.

'what?' the voice asked.

"Who is talking?" he asked.

'You can hear me?' the voice asked.

"I can," said Tom, as calmly as he could, "Who are you?"

'I'm right here,' said the voice.

"Where?" he asked.

'Look to your lap,'

Tom looked down to see the cat looking quizzically up at him.

"You're a cat?" he asked, unable to keep the shock from his voice.

'no, I'm a dog,' said the cat, and Tom saw her roll her eyes, 'of course I'm a cat,'

"And you can talk," said Tom, raising an eyebrow, "Or perhaps I'm going insane,"

'I thought that had happened years ago,' sniffed the cat.

"Don't get snarky," said Tom. he sat back, and a ran a hand through his hair agitatedly, "I can't believe this is happening," he muttered, "A cat is talking to me and I'm holding a conversation with it,"

'you're not going mad, though I would like to say differently, said the cat, hopping off his lap.

"Does this happen to you often?" he asked, trying to be casual.

'not really no,' she said, starting to wash her fur, 'usually, no-one can hear me. I've been speaking to humans for ages, but no-one has ever heard me,'

"Great," he muttered, "So, where are you from?"

'why do you ask?' she asked, looking up at him.

"I'm trying to be nice," he said, huffing slightly.

'that'll be a first,' she muttered, and he turned to stare at her.

"What?" he asked.

'never mind,' she said, 'I'm from a place called Hogwarts,'

"Hogwarts?" he said, staring at her.

'yes, big castle, usually filled with kids, at intervals of course,' she said, 'it was fun, watching them muck up when they were playing with their wands,'

"Wands?" asked Tom.

'don't you call them that?' she asked curiously.

"I do, but I've never met an animal who referred to things by their human names," he said.

'that's because you only speak to those snakes,' she said, before padding back to him, and placing herself on his lap 'pat me!' she demanded, purring when he complied.

Esmeralda felt as though she was in shock. When she had woken up, her first instinct had been to run at the sight of the Dark Lord so close. That had been hampered by the fact that her body had been on autopilot, immediately checking over herself to see if anything was wrong. She wanted to see what else the castle had done to her.

She hadn't expected to be able to talk to the Dark Lord. She felt as though she was in a dream; everything felt so surreal. She found herself jumping around on the spot, inventing a story that sounded somewhat plausible.

Now, she sat on his lap, purring madly, while he scratched behind her ear, and thought about what she had said. Vaguely, she wondered how he managed to find all the god spots to scratch.

"So what is your name?" he asked suddenly, pulling her out of her reverie.

'I don't know,'she said, thinking quickly, 'I've never really had a name. I don't remember my other name any more,'

"Your other name?" he asked.

'from when I was human, she said.

"You were human?" he asked.

'I was once,' she said, 'are you going to repeat everything I say?'

"No," he said, "I'm just trying to find out more,"

'why?' she asked.

"Because I have a talking cat on my lap," said Tom, "So, if you were human once, how did you end up as a cat?"

'I can't really remember. There was a loud noise, then a lot of smoke, and then I was a cat' shrugged Esmeralda, hoping he would buy her story.

"Uh huh," he said, eyeing her warily.

'what?' she asked.

"So why were you at Hogwarts?" he asked

'I don't know,' she said, 'I found myself there, and it looked alright,'

"Uh huh," he said.

'you're not going to kick me out, are you?' she asked, 'I would totally understand if you did'

"No, I'm not going to get rid of you," he said, "What do you mean you would understand?"

'word gets around in that castle,' she said calmly.

"What word?" he asked suspiciously.

'the fact that you were Tom Marvolo Riddle, you attended Hogwarts fifty years ago, you attempted to steal the Philosopher's Stone five years ago and you were raised two years ago in the graveyard outside your dead father's mansion,' said Esmeralda, a brainwave hitting her.

"How did you find that out?" he growled, holding her up, so he could look her in the eye.

'people talk,' Esmeralda shrugged, 'like you wouldn't believe'

"Hmm," he said, putting her down, and absently patting her.

Esmeralda sat in silence, hoping he would pick up on the rather obvious hint she had dropped.

"I have an idea," he said finally, and Esmeralda almost breathed a sigh of relief.

'what?' she asked.

"I'll let you stay," he said, "If you report back to me any suspicious conversations you hear,"

'that doesn't sound to bad' she reflected, 'but I expect to be treated nicely,'

"Alright," shrugged Tom.

'and I want to sleep on the bed,' she said.

"Why?" he asked, looking perplexed. Esmeralda smirked internally at the sight.

'because it's comfy,' she said, 'and I don't like sleeping on the table,'

"Fine," he said, "But no more eating my food,"

'I'll ask first,' she promised.

"Deal then?" asked Tom, feeling incredibly stupid for talking to a cat.

'deal,' said Esmeralda, 'now could you please pat me some more?'