Chapter 6: Hiding Something

[Houa POV]

She ran out of the infirmary, past the Library, and in the corridors. All around and in every corner students were gasping at her like a mental patient on the loose and when she entered the Great Hall students began whispering and pointing at her.

But it matters not to Houa as she spots her Aunt missing at the staff table. She headed up the staircases to the Muggle Professor's classroom, students began parting ways for her as they did for Tom, but for different reasons all together.

She didn't knock, but banged on her Aunt's office door when she arrived.

Professor Songly opened the door shock on her face as Houa slipped in breathlessly and hastily slammed the door shut.

"Whatever is the matter, child! Why are you trying to break down my door? Aren't you supposed to be in the hospital wing—"

"SOMETHING TERRIBLE HAS HAPPENED AUNT SONGLY!" Houa's belouding words enter her Aunt's mind mentally.

Seeing the fear written on her supposed niece's face, the older woman sat the Girl down in the empty armchair across from her. Luckily she already had tea out for lunch and gave her ready teacup to her niece, "Speak."

Houa placed it back on the coffee table, "There's a boy here at school, Tom Riddle. He's a MURDERER Aunt Songly! It isn't safe here, WE MUST WARN EVERYONE!"

"What? I'm confused. Slow down! How is this Tom a murderer? And how do you even know?"

"I saw a vision of him killing people when he cornered me in a room and demanded me to reveal things to him about Dumbledore. We must TELL the Headmaster NOW!"

"God Child, I say slow down! We are not taking anything to the Headmaster until you calm down and sort things thoroughly first!"

"WE DON'T HAVE TIME! Tom is CRAZY! He will stop at nothing! LOTS of people are going to DIE! I saw it in his future! We have to do something or else he will KILL EVERY—"

"ENOUGH! SILENCE YOURSELF!"

Aunt Songly's booming command made Houa's body quaver in fear within. She cower, hands protective over her head and knees up to her face on the armchair. Memories of her Xellarius' childhood when other gifted children were bullying her for not having awakened her abilities yet returned and she suddenly felt so alone and misunderstood. Tears stung at her eyes, afraid of what her Aunt would say next.

At her quietness, the older woman's words came into Houa's mind harshly, "Do you hear yourself Houasaying? You are trying to interfere yet again in this world! Was that not the issue in the first place that landed you here?! Now listen very closely to what I am going to say!"

Tears began slipping down Houa's cheeks. But there were so many dead bodies. So much pain and deaths. You didn't see them all. You didn't feel them all Aunt Songly, Houa's heart cried out to herself.

"Whatever you have discovered about that boy Tom must never be revealed to anyone, myself included if you hope to mend what is already done. I don't know what situation has caused you to look into that boy's future, but I suggest you avoid using your abilities in such manners that tempts you to change these people's fate. Your only mission is to identify what you have changed in this world, not add more to it!"

Houa's heart broke as she listened to the only person from her Home realm speak the Truth: "Learn to become a bystander if you wish to ever return to Home to Xellarius or your mother!"

She began sobbing, not wanting these words to set in: I should do nothing and must do nothing, but accept the predestined tragedies that are to come...

"If Tom is bullying you then that's a different situation. Yet without solid evidence you cannot just go dallying off to the Professors or Headmasters! What will I appear as in front of them when you accuse another student yet there's no proof? I refuse to be seen as an Aunt who raised an ill minded niece. My reputation here is important for my individual mission and yours. Please do not jeopardize it for us both. Do you understand?"

Something the older Xellarius said registered in Houa's mind and her eyes widened.

Wait! Of course, Of course!

Mind made up, she took a deep breath wiping away her tears and stood up.

"Did you hear everything I said Houa?" Aunt Songly spoke this time verbally.

The young Xellarius bow slightly, "Thank you Aunt Songly, I will keep in mind everything you said. I must be off now. Madame Cara must be worried about me."

The Muggle Professor couldn't question further as her niece had hurried out the door already.

Making her way back to the infirmary with hands fisted at her side, Houa cared not for those who looked upon her in shock or disturbance because shock and disturbance is exactly what she's about to do for all of Hogwarts.

I will find proof. Just you wait Tom!

A week. That was how long it took for Houa to make a name for herself at Hogwarts. After puking on the Head Boy and running around in a hospital gown, she is officially known as 'Vomit Girl' or 'Mental Girl.'

In every class, students had avoided her like the plague (with the exception of April, her roommates, and few others) which bothered her very little as she liked having her own space.

The Xellarius being is now focused. Exceptionally focused! On top of needing to ace her classes, she has to uncover her mistake in this world, and now find Evidence of the so-called model student, Tom Marvolo Riddle, to prove he is not at all what others famously claim he is.

It will be tough, but she can do it. Because Houa believes in herself and more than anything she believes in justice.

With these resounding thoughts in her heart, she set off to the second week of class determined to uncover any lingering clues of the young Dark Lord.

Noticing the subtle dark aura at the front seats near Professor Slughorn, Houa added Potion to the growing list of classes she shares with Tom, which already include Divination and Care of Magical Creatures.

Opting to sit in the back of the room like the first week, she drank the stomach calming draught and began writing on her lab notes as her lab partner, a Gryffindor by the name of Terrence, sat down five minutes after her.

Terrence had a face of a kind child with black hair and blue eyes, his aura was warm and easy going, something Houa was grateful for considering You-Know-Who was in the class with her. They had become friends somewhat after the first week when Houa let him copy her notes because he kept arriving five minutes late to Potion class. Terrence had mentioned his last name while out of breath so Houa didn't catch on to it, forgetting it altogether.

It didn't matter anyway because she preferred calling people by their first name considering that there are no last names in Xellarius. Everyone's name in Xellarius is unique as their soul, therefore last names were unnecessary. If she were in Xellarius Academy right now, she would be called by her full name, Houasaying, instead of just Houa. Something she missed greatly since Aunt Songly is the only one presently that knows to call her by it.

Out of breath once more, Terrence began whispering, "I'm telling you they put my classes too far apart. I can't make it on time to Potion even if I sprint. Oh how am I going to make it through the year Houa?"

"You got me and my notes. You'll be fine," Houa whispered back to the exhausted Gryffindor who began taking out his materials as well.

"Thank Merlin or else I would have to drop out of Potion even if I'm great at it," drawl the boy.

The chestnut hair girl will have to agree since Horace Slughorn had already covered the basics steps already and is now touching upon the more detailed matter of the wit-sharpening potion they are going to be brewing today.

"Now who can tell me the importance of adding armadillo bile into the solution before adding the ground scarab beetles?" the Professor Slughorn peered happily around his class.

Houa undoubtedly knew the answer because she had been looking forward to brewing this potion, but refused to raise her hand. If successful, Professor Slughorn had promised the students could keep the finished potion. Hence why she had studied it inside out because she plans on taking it to sharpen her mind and track down any misdeeds of Tom.

The Potion Professor called upon his favorite, if not obvious, student to answer, "Go on Mr. Riddle."

"It is extremely important to add armadillo bile first to completely activate the enzymes on the ginger root, ensuring a gradual change of color from green to blue. To add grounded scarab beetles before the armadillo bile would cause an immediate destruction of the ginger root and thus a failed mixture without the necessary enzymes extracted."

The chubby professor clapped his hands together, "Excellent as always Mr. Riddle. Ten points to Slytherin! Now then students, make sure you take the necessary precaution and follow the directions thoroughly. If you have questions make sure to ask me or my top student. Go on and get brewing!"

Everyone began shuffling around the room so to make sure they weren't running back and forth, Houa and Terrence had split the duties. She is gathering the ingredients and he will get the cutting boards, knives, paddles and cauldron.

And to avoid bumping into students and accidentally seeing visions, Houa had decided to wait until most students had gathered their ingredients before heading over with her tray.

Getting in line with just two students ahead of her, Houa strengthened herself feeling needles poking along her skin just as the individual responsible for it stepped behind her.

No wonder Tom had not approached her since the incident in that horrid room. He had been waiting for Potion class to make a move! He must have known she was in the same class.

"Good to see you are better today Miss Songly," his voice was a whisper so only she could hear him.

Of course you'll act like nothing happened at all.

Biting her tongue, Houa nodded with hands clench at her sides. He was such a perfect student, she thought for sure he had retrieved his ingredients already. She took a deep breath moving toward shelves with ingredients in jars piled up high against the wall.

He was beside her now getting a jar that she was obviously too short to reach, "I can't help, but wonder why you are so quiet as if—" his dark eyes looked down at her, "as if you are trying to hide something."

Houa turned to face him head on, "I am not hiding anything. If anything, you are the one who is hiding." Take that Tom!

Her brown eyes burned into his, challenging him now that she knows who he is.

Tom smiled though it never reach his eyes, his face was more handsome than ever, "And what exactly do you think I am hiding Miss Songly?"

Her eyes widened. He tricked me! I shouldn't have answered him at all!

She backed away as he leaned in closer, so close her breath hitch at the pain increasing on her skin due to his menacing aura.

"MR. LONGBOTTOM! We are using the silver cauldron not copper cauldron. Aren't you supposed to be one of my better students?" Professor Slughorn's voice broke out in a laugh across the room tearing both their attention to the addressed student.

"Ah, right. I forgot Professor! Thanks for the reminder," came the familiar male voice.

Houa would have fallen back if not for the shelves behind her. Her eyes wide and mouth slightly ajar in shock as she gazes upon her lab partner scratching his head then walking back to get the accurate cauldron.

Terrence is...he is…

Her heart quickened in instant realization.

At her distraction, she did not see Riddle secretly slipped a white chrysanthemum from one of the jars into his pocket which she would have known had nothing to do with the potion they are brewing today.

"Is something the matter?" Tom eyed her suspiciously after having done so, causing the Girl to stand up straight and turn back to the shelves.

"No, I'm just tired," the ponytailed student reached to get the ingredients she came here for, but paused seeing everything already gathered and neatly placed into separate compartments on her tray.

"Um—" was all she could mutter in confusion as the young Dark Lord took his leave, walking away with his own tray of ingredients.

Did he get them for me?

Taking a deep breath, Houa dumped all the ingredients in the trash then went about getting her own.

Regardless of whether or not he did, I don't trust him! Especially if I plan on taking this potion myself.

Quickly she regather everything then settled down next to her lab partner.

"Great! Let's get started," Terrence grinned at Houa who returned the gesture, heart uplifted working next to the potential grandfather of Neville Longbottom.

TBC

What is Tom up to? Hahaha

A huge thank you to JUNO . ALMOST . DEAD for being my first commenter! I got so excited I decided to post this chapter!