Disclaimer: I own the plot and that's about all… unfortunately…
Chapter 2
Darkness in My Veins
Tom barged back into the Slytherin common room, an infuriated look on his face.
"What's wrong Voldemort?" Paul asked as soon as he caught sight of Tom. Tom sneered at his friend before walking over to him.
"Never call me by that in public." Tom warned, his eyes narrowing with a furious glitter in them.
"Sorry." Paul apologized as he studied the floor. Although he would never admit it, he was afraid of his friend. He knew Tom was the heir of Slytherin and a much more powerful wizard then he was, the combination could be Paul's downfall if he got on Tom's bad side. But Paul knew he wasn't the only one apprehensive about Tom, many of the Slytherins, if not all, were alarmed by how dark Tom really was. Most of the younger years kept a safe distance away from him, and even some of the older Slytherins were daunted when Tom walked in the room. Students in other houses seemed frightened by Tom, but not to the extent that the Slytherins were. It perplexed some of the smarter students that a Slytherin would be afraid of some one from his or her own house, but they never seemed too worried about the details, infact none of them wanted anything to do with these ideas that had formed in their heads, none of them except Kathleen Anderson.
But as Paul was contemplating about these things, Tom had left him and headed to the boys dormitory. He knew he needed time alone to think, but what he needed to think about he wasn't sure. But the boy's dormitory was not the ideal place to ponder things; it was dark and cold with no windows and a small amount of light from candles. But nevertheless, this was the place were Tom had gone, although most students would have willingly gone out by the lake, or to the north tower to think. But Tom was not like most students, he preferred the gloomy dormitory that he had spent his last six years sleeping in.
Tom laid back on his bed, starring up at the cold stone ceiling he had spent many sleepless nights just gazing at. He remembered having restless nights worrying about his friends, his grades, girls, whether Slytherin would win the house cup, and what would become of him when he was older. Tom knew he had many options to choice from after he graduated; everybody seemed to want Tom Riddle, the boy who caught the heir of Slytherin, to work for them. But Tom had other ideas; he wanted to become the most powerful wizard ever, he wanted to punish all who stood in his path to greatness, and most importantly; he wanted to kill his father. Tom knew his ambitions were something that most people would think outlandish, but he had already started to work toward his dreams and now nothing stood in his path of achieving them.
Kathleen stormed into the Gryffindor common room, her eyes blazing with fury. Who did Tom Riddle think he was not obeying the Head Master? He had to be insane if he thought he could get away with it! Kathleen let out a loud "humph!" before flopping down on one of the Gryffindor couches. Unfortunately Tom was Head Boy and she was Head Girl, this meant they would have to spend a lot of time together, much to Kathleen's displeasure.
"So how did your meeting with Dippet and he-who-likes-all-things-dark-and-evil go?" Claire, Kathleen's best friend, asked as she sat down on the chair opposing Kathleen's couch.
"Like hell," Kathleen answered simply.
"Really? That's better then I thought it would have been with Riddle." Claire mused.
"He's so… so…"
"Revolting?" Claire offered.
"Something like that." Kathleen said, a hint of a smile crossing her face.
"I don't know why Dippet made him Head Boy, I mean just look at his middle name; Marvolo… what kind of name is that? I mean it sounds like some generic washing detergent!" Claire exclaimed. "If you ask me Bradley Duncan would have been a better choice."
"Yeah." Kathleen agreed as she cast a glance across the dormitory at Bradley who was playing wizards chess with Harrison Thomas. Bradley was easily the most handsome guy in Gryffindor, although Tom had outdone him for the handsomest guy at Hogwarts.
"I think he likes you," Claire observed as Bradley gave them a broad smile. Kathleen instantly turned a dark shade of pink.
"Really?" Kathleen asked curtly.
"Yep, he's perfect for you! I mean, ok, he's a little dense… but still, he's got good looks to get him through life!" Claire said excitedly.
"A little dense?" Kathleen asked skeptically. "I've met blocks of cheese that are smarter then him."
"Yeah, but he's cute! I mean, does it really matter if he can't perform a simple hovering spell? Or that he hasn't transfigured anything since we've come to Hogwarts? No! It's doesn't! Plus he's a Gryffindor; so therefore, he's not really that thick!" Claire said with triumph. "I wish he liked me." Kathleen just rolled her eyes; she wasn't exactly interested in Bradley, unlike most of the Gryffindor girl population, although who she did like, well she wasn't sure…
Tom was in another one of his dark moods as he trudged out of Greenhouse three the next afternoon. Herbology was one of his least favorite subjects, for obvious reasons such as having to spend the whole class with Gryffindors. If there was anything Tom hated more then his dad, it was the worthless, pathetic, and dishonorable lot of Gryffindors that where seventh years. All of them, except Kathleen Anderson, were mudbloods; therefore Tom had every right to hate them. Unfortunately the basilisk hadn't had the chance to kill them before Tom had turned Hagrid in, forcing himself to stop opening the chamber which held the basilisk. And as if Tom's day couldn't get any worse Kathleen Anderson was treading up behind him.
"Riddle!" She cried as she finally caught up with him. "Professor Dippet has-"
"Do you always obey Dippet?" Tom asked turning to her with fury and rage in his eyes.
"I'm Head Girl, I have to." Kathleen said shortly. Tom rolled his eyes; Kathleen was his exact opposite, always obeying the rules and had never had to work for anything in her life. "Professor Dippet informed me this morning-"
"What were you doing with Professor Dippet this morning?" Tom asked raising an eyebrow in curiosity, maybe the reason she was Head Girl was because she was sleeping with him, it seemed logical.
"He came to talk to me at breakfast but didn't have the time to talk to you." Kathleen explained rather impatiently. "You left in such a hurry-"
"One has better things to do then to frolic around the Great Hall." Tom said coldly.
"That's not the point." She voiced brusquely. "Dippet says we have to start planning the Yule ball."
"Why? It's still September." Tom drawled a tone of irritation in his voice.
"I don't know, he just told me to tell you." Kathleen informed him in a voice of biggity before strutting away toward her friends. Tom watched her walk away, flipping her long blond hair over her shoulder as she reached her friend Claire (the one whom the basilisk had unfortunately failed to kill the previous year.) "He's awful really." Kathleen exclaimed as she reached Claire. "Intolerable!"
"I pity you, I really do… I can't imagine having to spend time working on the Yule ball with the likes of him." Claire announced before glancing over her shoulder at him and narrowing her eyes. Tom turned and walked toward the castle, he had no intention of watching two silly girls gossip about him. Plus he had Transfiguration to get to; another tiresome class with another pathetic teacher, the one teacher Tom hated above the rest: Albus Dumbledore.
"What a bunch of bullshit." Tom murmured as he exited the transfiguration class room.
"Dumbledore was watching you again Tom, I really do think he has a crush on you, maybe you should buy him flowers or chocolates!" Paul joked as he hurried alongside Tom. He shot Paul a wrathful glare that immediately made him shut his mouth.
"He's watching you because he still suspects you." Carson Black, another friend of Tom's, muttered as he joined the other two boys. "You better be careful not to slip and say anything-"
"I know!" Tom hissed. "Don't you think I know I have to be extra careful around that bastard? He's the only teacher who still believes Hagrid's innocent!"
"Yes, I know." Carson agreed softly, he like Paul, was afraid of his friend.
"Riddle." Tom groaned as he heard Kathleen's voice again. How many times a day did she need to talk with him? Didn't she have more important things to do… but then again she was a Gryffindor.
"What?" Tom snapped gruffly. Paul and Carson looked at his angry face and decided it was best to keep on walking.
"I think we need to decide when we are going to meet to plan the Yule ball." Kathleen said bluntly.
"How about you do it all yourself?" Tom said with distinct loathing.
"Believe me, if I could I would." Kathleen muttered. "But no, the Head Boy needs to help, even if he is an arrogant, indifferent jack ass."
"I assume you're being plural." Tom said and edge of coldness in his voice.
"And maybe I'm not." Kathleen said emphatically. Tom narrowed his eyes, he'd never met such a dauntless individual, one that was ineptly so. Tom took a step forward and seized her chin roughly, turning it so that her livid blue eyes were staring into his dark ones.
"I wouldn't be so audacious if I were you, you never know what could come of it." Tom said vaguely. "Now take your alluring little arse back to your common room." And with that Tom removed his hand and walked away not bothering to look back. Kathleen's hand immediately went to her chin as she massaged where Tom had just been gripping, his touch having left a burning sting. She watched with indignation as he strutted away until he was out of view, then, finally, she turned and began toward the North Tower for her next class.
"Tom." Professor Dippet's voice broke the on-going discussion between Tom and his friends at the Slytherin table.
"Yes?" Tom asked politely.
"I don't believe Miss Anderson had been able to get to you about when and where you are to meet to plan the Yule ball." Dippet assumed.
"No sir." Tom lied looking falsely interested.
"I didn't think so." Dippet nodded. "Well you will be meeting every Tuesday and Thursday in the Prefect's planning room around seven o'clock, I hope that will be a good time."
"Yes, that should work." Tom agreed.
"Good then, I have told all the prefect's not to go in there from seven to eight, I really do want the Yule ball to turn out better then it was last year." Dippet smiled before walking away.
"You have to work with Anderson on the Yule ball?" Carson asked sympathetically.
"No, Dippet was just telling me that I had to because I never have to see her again." Tom said sarcastically.
"Anderson's that nosey bitch, the one with the nice ass… right?" Paul asked.
"I suppose." Tom huffed; he wasn't in the mood to talk about Kathleen at this moment.
"She really is something, she has that tempting sense about her, yet she's a Gryffindor and you know us Slytherins never get any from them." Carson said thoughtfully. Tom glared at him before getting to his feet.
"She's a Gryffindor, Carson, it's sick to even think of that!" Tom growled before storming out of the Great Hall and in the direction of the Slytherin Common room.