To say that I was ecstatic upon seeing those many reviews is a fair guess. So here we go with the replies:
cinnamon roll scorp: I'll keep up the thrills in the coming chapters :)
cinnamon roll scorp: Well, you're not wrong there - and Tom will be fully exploiting that to put the ball in his court.
Ellinez: Thank you for the compliment! Kate does recognize in a pretty general form that yeah, Riddle's going to be causing problems - she doesn't suspect the magnitude; like you said, we don't expect the worst from people even after acknowledging that they're sketchy.
cinnamon roll scorp: Thank you, my dear friend - each review means the world to me, so keep sending these in. And I'm glad I succeeded (to a limit) in my original goal - to get the reader to root for Tom.
Chester-Hattie: I'm glad you do :D
They barely spoke after.
After that midnight encounter, Tom barely spoke beyond the usual civilities, whatever friendship that was there between them gone - or at least temporarily suspended.
After three months of solid silence and stoicism, he couldn't help but grin at her whenever Abraxas said something stupid in Binns' class or when Druella slipped on the quidditch pitch in an effort to get Amortentia-laced chocolates to Alden.
They had another round of career-counseling today, and Professor Slughorn was to take theirs. Kate and Tom stood outside said man's office door, Rookwood joking around with Selwyn in a corner.
"Riddle, my boy," Slughorn emerged as Abraxas exited the room, giving the four a smug smile as he walked off into the corridor behind them. Tom smiled brilliantly at the old man, following him into the room while she waited with the other two boys.
Kate could hear guffaws and merry laughter, followed by "but why, child?" frequently. Seems like the frontrunner for Minister is having second thoughts about his career track , she thought dryly. After a few minutes of quiet discussion, Riddle emerged, Slughorn shaking his head, a paternal smile on his face. "Oh, Tom, how do I change your mind?"
"I really think this profession suits me, Professor."
"We'll see what the Deputy Headmaster thinks, my dear boy." To that, Riddle simply gave another one of his enigmatic smiles, walking off.
"Now, Rookwood, get in," the smile faded, replaced with a stern look as Rookwood walked in, looking fairly sullen now. Rookwood's counseling ended with a shrug and a defeated sigh from both sides, and Selwyn's went rather smoothly, leaving her with Jack Travers, Drystan Yaxley and Niccolo Zabini. "Kate, my dear girl, step in," Slughorn waved her in, and she shut the door behind her, taking a seat across the man.
"So…" he straightened the piles of pamphlets, "what are your plans, my dear?"
"I was looking at Magical Law Enforcement."
"An excellent choice!" He beamed. "Your subjects were picked out for Auror training, however. Not that they don't work for Magical Law Enforcement. Whatever changed your mind?"
"My father thinks it's a tad too risky nowadays - doesn't want his only child facing death on a daily basis." That was partially true - her father did think being an Auror was dangerous for her, but never had he discouraged it. "I might still consider pursuing life as an Auror."
"Well," he looked over his file, "you do possess the necessary skills and temperament to be one. But the discrimination Slytherins face in the force," he tutted, shaking his head, "a travesty. Also, I do think you should head for a more administrative job in the Ministry - a child with leadership skills like yours," he grinned.
"I'm certain previous head boys and girls have been more able than me, Professor," Kate replied modestly.
"Well, anyone who can influence Tom Riddle's decisions is certainly Ministry material to me."
"Other things, yes, but that doesn't make me Ministry material," she scoffed, playing with the hem of her sleeves. "Besides, he's just a boy - how difficult could that be?" At that, he laughed.
"Make the boy change his mind by Christmas, and you will realise how hard it is." She looked at the man, who was wearing a smug look like someone who had already won the fight.
"That I will attain, Professor. What is my reward?"
"Well, in addition to the rush of a challenge conquered, I would be willing to offer you unfettered access to the school apothecary," he shot her a knowing look, "I know what you've been trying to brew there." Shame and the feeling of being discovered washed over her - she was being careful, wasn't she?
"With all due respect, sir, you know Veritaserum is one hard potion to create an antidote for, especially without the proper resources to conduct longer trials."
"That I do, young lady." An understanding having passed between the two of them, Kate set out to accomplish this mission of hers, eager to prove that Riddle's resolve wasn't as infallible as it seemed.
Outside the room, Yaxley and Zabini were involved in a rather educated discussion over Cursed objects and counter-curses with Riddle, whose eyes followed her retreating figure into the corridor, him taking leave of the aforementioned gentlemen.
"Professor Dumbledore wishes to see us in the Headmaster's office."
"I know." No other communication passed between the two of them as they headed to said room, the griffin on the staircase visible.
"Ashwinder," he spoke when they were within earshot of the statue, striding gracefully onto the steps. She stopped for a moment, admiring the almost fluid ease with which he conducted himself before following suit.
"Good afternoon, children."
"Afternoon, sir," she replied. "We came as soon as you sent for," Tom chiming in. The auburn haired man smiled.
"And your promptness is exactly the model behaviour expected from young leaders." He looked over them with that trademark glance, electric blue eyes staring straight into the listeners'. "Now, the school intends to hold a Yule Ball. Our sister schools in France and Bulgaria feel that in tenuous times like these, the Wizarding community must show that they stand strong in the face of evil." The look of understanding took a more mischievous turn, and Dumbledore smiled in what would best be called mischief on a teacher's face. "Besides, the war has been draining all the raucous fun and adventure out of us all, especially our students." He continued.
"You and the prefects embody the best of Hogwarts in the eyes of teachers and students alike, so it would only be fitting that you all undertake the task of ensuring that this event proceeds without a hitch. If you think this is too big a responsibility for the two of you," the sentence was left hanging.
"Sir," it was now her turn to speak, "you picked the two of us as Head Boy and Girl with the expectation that we will rise to every occasion the school demands us to."
Riddle smiled at her, picking up on her incomplete sentence. "You can be rest assured that we will prove exactly why you made the right decision."
"Spoken like true leaders." The professor passed two thin diaries to the two of them. "The program of the Yuletide week has been set down by the Headmaster and I. We give you complete flexibility to prepare in whatever fashion the teachers and you see fit, but it is expected that everything will be in place before the arrival of our guests." They nodded, and Professor Dumbledore turned to look at the grandfather clock in the room, eyebrows raised. "Barely minutes left to lunch. You should hurry."
They bid their goodbyes, then exited through the door, and halfway through the walk, Tom crossed her path, positioning himself in front of her.
"I would like to take this moment to apologise." She looked at the boy with a raised eyebrow, studying that solemn and (fairly) sincere expression.
"What for?"
"For criticising you for doubting me - it was perfectly just on your part to suspect my intentions towards you, since I've done nothing to discourage your notion of me fancying you. It is rather admirable, your clear-headedness on such matters." A smirk covered your face.
"Well, I'm glad you didn't apologize for how you proved yourself." He took in the statement, an expression matching hers gracing his face. "It was awfully unorthodox, at the very least. I liked that." They resumed walking, an air of ease restored between the two, but amplified. She felt like she was dealing with a slightly different version of herself, one that took pride in both its vices and virtues.
The chatter of the Great Hall was now audible, and most students had already seated themselves, leaving Kate and Tom amongst the stragglers and a sodden Ravenclaw quidditch team. "And I never thought you fancied me, Riddle. Even I'm not that naíve." At that he turned to look at her, that same crooked smile back on his face.
"But I never said I didn't," he left her at the gates, confused while joining his friends (or followers, whatever was more accurate) at the table.
"So… what did Slughorn have to say?" Alden asked, Kate's mind pursuing a different train of thought as she spooned baked beans into her mouth.
That tricky bastard.
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