Mulciber waved his parents off as he saw the dark hair of the boy who had grown to be the top of the Slytherin hierarchy. The fact that he was a half-blood was ignored in favour of the fact that he spoke parseltongue, a skill that was far rarer and proved more than the pureness of his blood, but the boy's magical prowess did nothing but increase their respect for him.
"Riddle."
"Mulciber," the boy greeted in return after only a brief glance, before returning his gaze to the train.
"Difficult to believe it's been seven years since the first time we've been here, isn't it?" Mulciber said, his own eyes taking in the large, red train knowing that he would be boarding it to Hogwarts for the last time.
Tom made a noncommittal sound that Mulciber took to mean a vague agreement. It was strange to think that the boy standing next to him had only been known to the Wizarding world for that long. It felt like the other teenager had known the Wizarding world his entire life. Tom knew more about their world than most did when they finished Hogwarts.
And, yet, they had believed him to be beneath them during their first year. His intelligence hadn't been enough to prove anything to them then, but now it proved their superiority to the other houses.
The irony wasn't quite lost, even if none of them mentioned their mistake. Few of them even thought of it anymore, but this was the time to reminiscence, Mulciber supposed.
Tom was far above any of them now. He was their Lord, and their leader. His words were what mattered over everything else, and were taken extremely seriously, even if the other houses didn't realise just how seriously the Slytherins took Tom's words.
They would follow him anywhere, now.
Written for the September Back to School Challenge: (plot) Meeting a friend at King's Cross Station
Written for Ultimate Chocolate Frog Card Trading and Duelling Club – [bronze] Mulciber I (Write about Mulciber I's friendship with Tom Riddle)
Written for Open Category 4: Riddle Era