Chapter Ten
"Time for the Christmas break! Time for the Christmas break!"
This was the sound that the students heard from their 'Head Boy' and 'Head Girl' that early morning. Sounds of excitement filled the common rooms across the castle as the children got out of bed and got dressed. Putting their pets back in their cages for it was time to go home for two weeks. Tom Riddle watching with a look of resentment as his peers got ready to back to their families. He was sitting on the chair with his arms crossed. He wasn't going anywhere. The snow was falling heavily outside the window. Abraxas Malfoy came out wearing a thick green robe and hat, his usual attire. He was briefly grabbed by Tom, he leaned down to hear what he had to say...
"Abraxas. I wish you a happy Christmas however I also wish you don't forget the cause just because you aren't here. Please write to me and we can plan our next move for 1939" Tom spoke in a hushed tone.
"Of cause Tom. We have a lot of mess to clear up in the upcoming years" Abraxas replied.
"Indeed we do. Pass this message on to Nott and Avery...Not Prince though, the girl can't be trusted"
"Yes, Tom. I quite agree and I wish you a happy Christmas too. Professor Slughorn will keep you company" Abraxas said.
Tom nodded before releasing his grip from the boy's arm. Abraxas gave him one last look before departing the room. Tom wasn't completely alone as two Slytherin students remained behind as well. A seventh-year boy (who wanted to study as much as possible) and a second-year girl (whose family was away for the holidays). Tom looked at these two students, the second-year girl noticed and moved closer to the seventh-year boy in pure fear. Tom began to write in his diary (which had lots of writing in it already).
...
The students caught the train back to 'King's Cross' Station'. Lucy sitting in the compartment with Myrtle, Poppy, Victoria and Ruth. Her main four friends besides Argus Filch. The snow was beautiful as the students watched it falling from the window. The journey went smoothly. The train landed back at 'King's Cross Station' as prefects stood once again at the front to help the first-year and second-year students off the train. Lucy and her friends giggling as they walked into the barrier together and came out the other side to the muggle station. The time was currently 3 in the afternoon. The station as busy as ever, muggles reading newspapers and waiting for their train back home. Due to London's stations always being busy, the wizarding children went unnoticed and blended in with the muggle crowd. Most of the students just walked home by themselves or got the train back. Others had to wait for their parents due to them holding the portkey. Ruth Fisk one of these as she stood besides Lucy and Myrtle. A serious looking man with black hair and his young looking blonde wife were seen walking towards Eileen Prince.
"What have you done to your hair?" the blonde woman was heard asking in outrage as she tugged at Eileen's hair in disgust.
"You look ridiculous" the man told her with his arms crossed.
Lucy looked at this scene with strong interest. The man was Eileen's father, he had black hair too however his was well-groomed and short. He had a black moustache to go with it. He was called Severus Prince (his grandson would take his first name). Eileen didn't look nervous though, she came to expect this reaction from them though she wasn't going to tell-tale on Tom Riddle.
"Botched haircut" Eileen replied simply.
"Botched haircut? Why would you wish to cut your hair, you silly girl. Didn't you think to wear a hat?" Severus asked in disbelief.
"She's not the brightest, is she? Don't worry. I will fix it for her when she gets back, Severus" the blonde woman assured her husband.
She wasn't Eileen's mother. No, she was the second wife of Severus Prince. She was called 'Agnes Prince'. Agnes had married him not long ago, just before Eileen got her letter for Hogwarts. She was a young woman of twenty-three, meaning Eileen didn't see her as a mother figure; more like an older sister. Eileen's actual mother (and thus Severus Snape's grandmother) had died a few years ago from some sort of freak accident involving a broomstick.
"Oh...You managed to get to page two of 'Witch's Weekly'?" Eileen asked her step-mother sarcastically.
"Eileen!" Severus shouted; making some muggles briefly look over.
He grabbed her arm and began to drag her away, Lucy heard her yell "I can walk myself!" before the three of them walked out of sight and hearing. The girls all looked at each other, they didn't really know what they expected from Eileen's father but they suppose it added up. Ruth only knew the rumours that surrounded him.
"Some think he caused Eileen's mother to fall from her broomstick" Ruth informed them when the coast was clear.
"Why?" Lucy questioned.
"To marry his current wife...My father doesn't believe it though. He says Mr Prince was devastated by her death. It's just silly rumours made up by gossips" Ruth answered.
Lucy just raised her eyebrow in response. They waited a few more minutes and Ruth's father and mother came into view. Her father was a very proud looking man as he gave Ruth a warm hug. Her mother had a smile on her face as she too embraced her daughter. Her parents were both Slytherins however they were similar to Slughorn in that they only inherited the good traits of the house.
"This Lucy Norris, father...The only Hufflepuff first-year of 1938" Ruth spoke softly, pointing towards Lucy.
"Very good. I heard my house had gotten the Prince girl and the Malfoy boy...Expected but disappointing" Mr Finch replied.
"Yes father. I quite agree however Tom Riddle is the one we are all worried about. He's dreadful, he really is" Ruth told him.
Though he gave her a look and she stopped talking. That was a topic reserved for home. She said her goodbyes to her friends before finally leaving, linking arms with her father as the three of them left the station. That's how it went for a while as more parents came and went. Soon it was just Lucy and Myrtle as the girls sat down and awaited their parents arrival. No doubt they were last as they had no way of getting here besides the trains, being muggles and all. Other muggle-born children were sat waiting bored as the pure-blood and half-blood children's parents arrived quicker. A train pulled in and a nervous looked group of parents came over. Lucy jumped up with Myrtle as their parents had finally arrived with some others. Lucy running towards her father and mother, hugging them both tightly. Edwin and Florence Norris.
"Sorry we are late darling, the trains had a delay" Edwin explained, pulling apart.
"I did wonder that" Lucy admitted.
Myrtle had rushed over to her parents as well. They hugged her too, Myrtle led them towards Lucy. For she wanted them to meet her one and only friend, to prove she exists. Mr and Mrs Warren gave a nod to Lucy's parents and shook Lucy's hand politely.
"Isn't this odd stuff? You are non-magical as well?" Edwin began asking Myrtle's father.
"Yes. Sir...Let me tell you, I have been nervous about my Myrtle but I'm glad to see your daughter befriended her. She never had many friends in normal schooling either, let alone this magical school" Mr Warren answered.
Florence meanwhile had began conversation with Mrs Warren. They were discussing the wellbeing of the daughters. Myrtle keeping near her parents as she had comfort at last. Her parents were such kind and normal people. They had no idea that Hogwarts would become the place where their daughter would die.
...
Back at Hogwarts, only a few students remained, most of them were in the school library. Seventh-year students mostly as quite a few of them had remained behind, mostly Ravenclaws. Tom Riddle was among these much older students as he discreetly scanned the books these students were reading. Before making his way to the restricted section. He picked up a book called 'Secrets of the Darkest Art' by Owle Bullock. Hiding it inside his robes. That would be some 'light reading' later for him. He gave the unsuspecting librarian a polite smile as he began to scan the normal section again. Taking out a book called 'Snakes and their connection to Slytherin'. He made his way out the library and back to his common room. The second-year girl briefly looking up as he entered. He made his way straight to his dormitory however, taking out his book from his robe. The 'Snakes and their connection to Slytherin' book laying on the ground discarded as that was just a front. He opened the 'Secrets of the Darkest Art' book and began to pour over it. The spells, potions and charms in it was something no eleven year boy should even consider to attempt. They could be anything from jawlocking spells to potions that make bones break. Awful magic that could only be used to harm. They got more complex as the book went on and more damaging. Tom stopped at one that read 'Animals in corpses', he made a small note in his diary of this. He would go on to read this book for weeks, even years; it wasn't until Tom asked Slughorn about horcruxes that Dumbledore would insist on it being removed to Headmaster Dippet.
...
TBC