It's been a while... sorry. You should like this chapter, for reasons I don't want to give away. However in this chapter we can finally understand why Tori is a true Slytherin. She's a tad selfish when faced with difficult conversations, and we finally see she can be a bit cunning and manipulative when she's pushed too far.

In response to the reviews:

badholt: Thank you so much! Your review reinforces what message I've been trying to spread so you seriously have no idea how much your review means to me. Thank you.

Guest: Tori is a Slytherin. Her grand daughter Vicki (who has the same name as her, so it's a bit confusing) is a Ravenclaw. Sorry if it's a bit unclear/confusing!

AnadoraBlack: Thanks for the continued support! It may not become obvious for a while but like everything Tom does, there was a purpose :P

The Original Guest (OG - haha)/Guest B: Firstly apologies for referring to you as 'Guest B' - I just wanted to be clear in the other story I was referring to YOU because quite frankly you're amazing! I hope you liked this chapter, there's lots of Newt goodness - and Tom the bastard getting put into his place hehe.

Kavernista - I wish we could all have tea with Newt in his office, alone. I guess we'd have to share but it'd be totes worth it!

Aselye - Thank you so much for really kind words, it means so much to me. I appreciate your support and that you enjoy my story. Your English is great by the way, better than most native speakers.

Guest: Thank you for the honest feedback, I really do appreciate that you'd take the time to leave a review to help me improve rather than just click out of a story you didn't enjoy. I've re-read my story to see what you were referring to and I understand completely. I've written this chapter with your feedback in mind.

I had never really thought about what Newt's office would look like, but for some reason it was exactly how I would have imagined it. There were papers and books scattered around everywhere untidily, and many different trinkets cluttering his office. He had a creature in a cage in the corner next to a briefcase, and many different types of animal food stacked on things, many of which were threatening to topple over menacingly.

I stood at the entrance awkwardly, unsure of what to do with myself. There was a chair next to his own on his desk but it was piled with parchment a metre high.

"I don't usually have students in here, so excuse the mess. I usually only come in here to sleep, really." Newt stated with a small smile on his face as he scrambled to move stuff off the chair, first using his hands but then he must have realised he could do it with magic as seconds later he grabbed his wand and made the flyaway parchments disappear off his desk and chair.

I smiled back and sat down at the empty chair once everything had been moved off of it. Newt then went and began to make tea at a small kitchenette to the side of his office. There was silence between us as the kettle boiled on top of the fire he had made, but it was a pleasant silence. I couldn't be sure what was going through Newt's head especially as he wasn't even facing me at this point. I wasn't even completely sure what was going through mine. All I could think about was that this was the most lively I felt over these past two weeks, even though Tom called things off last night. That didn't seem to matter anymore.

"Hagrid seems like a nice boy. It's a shame what happened." I blurted out, wanting to make conversation and this was the first thing that entered my head as we had just seen Hagrid.

Newt turned around to give me a quick glance and I guessed it was to read my body language. After his quick look he went back to pouring the tea and milk into the cups and bought them over.

"Do you think Hagrid was innocent?" Newt asked me, his voice sounding polite even though it was a dark topic we were chatting about.

"Um, I don't know all the facts so I can't say. He seems like a gentle soul though, so I'm guessing no matter what happened it was all unintentional, or a big misunderstanding…" I mumbled, feeling uncomfortable with the topic and immediately regretted bringing it up.

"You too have a very gentle soul, Tori. I've noticed that the creatures I bring in class always take a shining to you. They always know, you see. They can sense it." Newt gushed.

I had no idea on whether he was using the turn of conversation as an excuse to compliment me as I was feeling down about what had happened with Tom or whether it was something that popped into his brain after the comment I made. It didn't matter, Newt had high praise for me and that's all I cared about right now. I was about to pay a compliment back but he spoke up again and I was unable to do so.

"It was Riddle who uncovered it all with Hagrid, yes? He's supposed to be highly intelligent and motivated, yet he let you go." Newt added on.

He was laying the compliments on thick. It was nice. He had always been friendly towards me and had as time had gone on become more confident in saying things to me he probably shouldn't have as a teacher. But this was a whole new level. I could have spent time worrying about the intention and the inappropriate nature of Newt's words. Was he attempting to be charming or was it an attempt to cheer me up? Could he be sacked for this – or get in trouble from his wife?

"He um, said some things to me as he called things off. He gave a proper explanation on why." I quickly mentioned.

"I'll admit, I'm very curious to hear the full story." Newt responded, sounding very interested.

I took a deep breath and smiled. It was a long story so I prepared myself, and also tried to remember the parts where I could shorten it a little. I couldn't believe I was about to tell a teacher about my love life and how the boy I liked dumped me. But then I realised I was talking to Newt as a friend and not as my teacher, and then I eased and I was able to begin the story.

I briefly told Newt about my interactions with Tom prior to this year – how we would sometimes stop and say hello in the common room or in the corridors but aside from that we barely interacted. But then I mentioned about how on the train ride to school this year he shooed Andrew Hartwell away from me (before Andrew and I became friends), and how he had been protecting me from Rangvald Lestrange this year, as well as any other Slytherin that tried to challenge me due to my mother's Veela genes. I spoke about the nice things Tom did for me, the chivalrous things such as opening doors and giving me his blazer when I was cold but also the things such as helping me with my homework and sometimes even just lending me a sympathetic ear.

"Sorry, I'm gushing too much, you don't care." I eventually stated, after realising how much of the story I had given away and how Newt had been quiet for a while.

"I was the one who asked." Newt stated, smiling weakly as he did.

Newt's demeanour had changed as I went through my story. He was usually gentle and polite and could sometimes be quite chatty when discussing something of interest to him. But at some points of my story where I slipped out where Tom could be quite manipulative Newt seemed mad, at some points even speaking up in protest of what Tom had done. At the end though where I said Tom had romantically sacrificed our growing relationship for a better future for our potential family – Newt grew sympathetic.

"So you've told me the story. But you haven't told me how you're feeling." Newt stated.

I stopped for a moment. How was I feeling? I had let the events of the previous two weeks swim around my head non-stop for so long I hadn't really stopped to explore my emotions. I had been feeling flat – but that wasn't an emotion. Was I sad that Tom and I would no longer let a relationship develop? Was I angry at how things had ended? Would I be happy that I could now try with someone more genuine? I previously thought I was relieved that I no longer had to stress about keeping perfect Tom Riddle interested in me but hadn't even pondered I could feel more than one emotion.

"I'm…I'm feeling a few things. But honestly, I'm not too choked up about it. It's a silly little school girl fling that didn't develop into anything. Nothing was really invested, I didn't love the boy. I more feel like I should be sad about it because that's how I'm supposed to feel." I admitted, a wide smile appearing upon my face.

For the first time in a while I felt free at the release of these words. I felt like myself – fun, free spirited and I could go back to being carefree and invested in studying creatures. Saying what I had said out loud to Newt seemed to make it official and let it finally sink in.

"Your attitude has changed in the past hour you've been here. You seemed a little down when I first stumbled across you today, but look at you now." Newt acknowledged as he gestured towards me.

For the first time I was in Newt's company, I didn't know what to say. The gravity of the situation had hit me. I felt better, but it was because my teacher had cheered me up on a very intimate level. It now seemed so wrong.

"We're friends, right? Not just a student and teacher. This is something that friends would discuss. I'm not so pathetic I'm talking to a teacher who really doesn't care in this case, am I?" I weakly smiled.

Newt frowned when I said this, and said nothing but got out of his chair. He came to kneel down in front of me and grabbed my hands quickly.

"I can assure you that you are already a very dear friend to me. I hate to see my friends in pain which is why I've had you come to my office today. In fact there is one last thing I'd like to show you. Perhaps it may make you feel better about your situation." Newt said to me and as we were so close I could see the sincerity in his eyes.

"Okay. Show me." I responded.

Newt sprang up and went back to his side of the desk. He opened one of the drawers and some bats popped out and flew out. I jumped in shock as I wasn't expecting bats to fly at me but when my vision became clear again I noticed a piece of parchment that had been placed in front of me.

"Read it. Tell me what you think." Newt smiled, and I could see a tinge of sadness in his smile.

I shot him an inquisitive look but decided it was faster to read what was on the parchment than it would have been to interrogate him on what I was looking for.

I looked down and gasped at what I saw.

Application to dissolve the marriage between Newton Scamander and Porpentina Scamander (nee Goldstein)

"Application to dissolve marriage? What does that mean?" I asked Newt, even though I knew what the answer was. I wanted to hear it from him.

"Tina and I are getting a divorce, it seems. We've been separated for a while, but it looks like it's going to become formal. We have been discussing it for a while but this week she sent me the parchment to make it official." Newt informed me.

I knew I perhaps should have felt uneasy that our conversation had turned this serious. Moments ago I felt uncomfortable of the fact I was discussing my silly school sweetheart breakup with Newt. Now he was talking about his divorce of his wife he had been with for many years. Perhaps they had been together longer than I had been alive, but I didn't want to think about that.

I didn't know what I was supposed to say. Divorce was absolutely unheard of, I couldn't think of a single couple I knew of who had actually gone through with it. Therefore I had no idea what to say to Newt. I wasn't intelligent, I couldn't say something smart to take the pain away. All I could do was lead by example and ask Newt the exact same questions he asked me not too long ago.

"Sounds like a very brief way of telling the story. Now Mr Scamander I must ask you what you asked me. How are you feeling?" I asked him, feeling a little nervous at how serious the conversation had turned.

"I've never been very good at expressing my emotions to anyone but my creatures." Newt admitted, and I could see a slight red tinge appear across his cheeks.

I wanted to point out that this could perhaps be a reason why his marriage had broken down but I stayed silent, not wanting to be rude. Due to my silence Newt continued on.

"I don't know how I feel. It doesn't feel like anything has changed. Tina and I never spent a lot of time together during our marriage. I spend a lot of my time travelling and studying creatures further, and she spends a good chunk of her time chasing after dark wizards. I'm used to being away from her. Therefore I'm still waiting for it to feel different." Newt admitted to me.

I nodded as he spoke to me. I didn't know what else to say. I was hoping the more Newt would open up about it the more would enter my own head and the words of comfort would come to me. They didn't. So I was stuck nodding like an idiot.

"But it will happen," Newt quickly stated in my silence, clearing his throat awkwardly before he quickly changed the topic "Anyway, enough being sad and pathetic about things outside of our control. How are you finding my subject?"

I felt relieved as he did so. I should have felt glad my silly teen romance was now not being spoken about, but instead I was happy I didn't have to offer comfort to Newt. What he was saying was too intense for me, I could not handle the seriousness of his predicament.

We spent the rest of the hour talking about his subject. Every time he brought the topic back onto himself (usually on topic of a creature he would mention his travels) I quickly changed it back to school related topics. Whether he got the hint or whether he grew bored I'm not sure, but we began to struggle to find something to talk about.

"Well, thanks for letting me visit. It was nice not to have to sit lonely in the common room with only first and second years to keep me company." I said to Newt as I gulped the last of my tea in a less than classy manner and quickly jumped up from my seat.

"Oh…you're leaving." Newt observed, not a hint of curiousity in his voice.

"Yeah. Dinner will be served fairly soon and I want to wash up a little before I head to the Entrance Hall." I responded, and began to slowly inch my way towards the front of his office.

"That makes sense then. Have I accomplished my goal in cheering you up?" Newt asked me with a smile on his face as he looked up at me through his hair.

I only took a moment to think about his question.

"Yeah," I smiled brightly as I paused for a second with my hand on the door as I turned to face him "Yeah, you did. I feel lots better. Thank you, sir."

The word 'sir' slipped out. Although he had given me permission to use his first name it didn't feel appropriate to use it right now. He did lift my spirits but I wanted to re-establish a proper student and teacher relationship between us right now so I wouldn't hold the burden of cheering him up the same way. It was selfish, but it was how I felt.

I still had my hand on the door to his office and I was about to slip through when he spoke up again.

"Don't be upset for me. I know you'd offer the correct words if you could." Newt stated with a sad smile.

I turned back towards him and gave him a small grimace. He had seen directly through me and my less than helpful actions towards his own problems. I felt terrible but he was right – I wanted so badly to be able to do what he had done for me. But I wasn't able to.

"I…uh…" I stammered out, unsure of how to respond.

"Really, it's okay Tori. That's who you are. A sweet girl, but you have a few things holding you back. That's fine. The fact you would clear away my problems and ill feelings if you could means more to me than you realise." Newt smiled brightly.

I didn't respond but mirrored his smile as I finally headed out and began my way back to the Slytherin common rooms so I could prepare myself for dinner.

The first thing I thought of was Newt's caring nature and how awkward he sounded when he said I had a few things holding me back. It could be considered a rude thing to say, but Newt said a lot of things that could have been interpreted as rude without realising.

But then I really thought about what he had said.

For years I had always wondered why I was sorted into Slytherin and not Hufflepuff. I always assumed it was my heritage, that no matter who I was as a person I would always belong to the Slytherin house due to the fact that I was a member of the Black family. But a simple statement from Newt was giving me a sense of belonging.

I had good qualities alongside my Slytherin qualities – it was possible to be a good person and a Slytherin, the two weren't mutually exclusive.

Not only had Newt made me feel better about the breakup with Tom this afternoon, he had also made me feel like a better person. It was unfortunate I could not feel Newt feel the same empowerment he had given me this afternoon but I would not let Newt's good deed towards me go to waste.

After giving the password to the Slytherin common room and heading in I saw Tom surrounded by his gang sitting on the couches that everyone always wanted to sit on. My three dorm mates were sitting nearby, two of them jumping up as soon as I had entered.

"Riddle has just broken the news to all that you two are more. Your protection now has a finite life. Enjoy it while it lasts." Drucilla cruelly cackled towards me, before she skipped out of the common room to head up to dinner.

Beatrice stopped in front of me. I expected her to follow Drucilla's lead, or to ignore me. After all, before my relationship with Riddle my friendship with her did not exist. I was expecting the demise of our relationship to wind back the clock and kill our friendship.

But this did not happen.

"It must be very hard, Riddle was quite the catch. We will get together later and work out how you can lure him back in." Beatrice weakly smiled putting her hand on my shoulder sympathetically.

I only sent her a weak smile back to convince her to remove it and move along. The last thing I wanted was to be told I had let Tom 'get away' and I had no intention of working hard to get him back.

As Beatrice made her way out of the common room and out of my line of sight I caught Tom looking at us. He had his usual smirk across his face – a smirk I used to find attractive but now only found dreadful.

I was planning on avoiding Tom as much as possible until it stopped hurting me to see him. The strange thing was that I was no longer feeling upset about the situation. Newt may have just made me feel numb and I may end up still hurting in the near future, but for now I felt absolutely fine.

Finding my new confidence and sense of belonging I felt I had to tell Tom something. The previous night he spoke at me. It wasn't a discussion between two people. I was now going to have my say.

"Hello, Riddle." I greeted Tom using a neutral tone.

"Now Tori, no need to revert back to last name basis. You know I still care for you deeply." Tom responded.

"I still care about you too, Tom. However I have come to tell you that unfortunately I cannot agree to your terms and I will not be able to passively wait for you." I stated to Tom, finishing my sentence with a firm nod of my head.

I noticed that sitting next to Tom was Lestrange, and his face had twisted into rage. He opened his mouth to shout obscenities towards me but Tom firmly put his hand on his shoulder as a warning for him to be quiet.

"What do you mean by that?" Tom asked and I could tell he was trying very hard to remain cool and not get heated at my revelation. Tom Riddle hated losing control and although he was the one who called things off between us, I was still able to have the upper-hand after all and I knew this would annoy him greatly.

"I just mean that I cannot predict the future and how this year will conclude. How can I promise myself to you in good faith when I don't know where this year will lead me?" I responded using a matter-of-fact tone.

Tom was silent for a moment as he studied my face carefully. I thought he was potentially thinking of what to say next and that I had left him speechless however I was giving myself far too much credit – instead he was analysing me.

He dropped his smirk for a flash second but moments later it re-appeared as he spoke up.

"Well quite frankly Tori if you do not wish to commit to me that's completely your prerogative. But lend me one courtesy and answer this question – do you now have your eyes set on somebody else?" Tom enquired and I could see he was trying his hardest to not turn his smirk into a snarl.

It was a loaded question – one that I could have spent a lot of time thinking about. However I felt I did not need to dawdle in my response as I knew what to say.

"As I just told you Tom, I can't know for certain. We're barely a quarter through the seventh and final year of school. There's still so many things that can happen," I winked to Tom before turning my back to him, not even bothering to see how enraged this would make him "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to freshen up before dinner."