Chapter 8
I looked around the Slytherin table and saw Tom sitting next to Abraxas and I was guessing his twin Aleissa a dozen seats away from me. She was much too close next to him, almost draped over him. I looked away in disgust.
Tonight's main fare was roast with gravy and some rotisserie chickens that's were rotating on a stick in the middle of the table. The food was delicious as always and I was able to sample a few dishes. Although Lou was neatly slicing her roast with a knife and fork before eating it, Ben was engulfing the mountain of food on his plate. Barely chewing his food before swallowing and grabbing whatever was next. He must have felt my stare because after he swallowed he explained, "There was a quidditch drill during lunch. I didn't get to eat anything the whole day!"
"But what about breakfast?"
He waved his hand towards me, "That was hours ago, barely anything."
He then quickly grabbed a leg off the skewered chick that was floating nearby before asking me if I wanted a piece. I politely declined. When I saw him like this, he really did remind me of Ron. Exuberant and lively.
It distracted me from the confrontation I would soon have. I glanced up towards the table again to see what he was doing. He seemed to be in a discussion with one of his cronies.
I felt the necklace resting against underneath my shirt. It comforted me to know that even without my wand I wasn't defenseless. I feigned tiredness and make my excuses to Ben and Lou. Lou just gave me a knowing glance towards my bag which held the ingredients she gave me earlier while Ben gave me thumbs up and a smile.
I quickly left the mess hall before going into an abandoned classroom I knew had some potions materials in it. There was dust on the tables and it smelled like stagnant air. I quickly sorted the ingredients, before mixing it in the cauldron and heating it. I murmured the incantations before letting it stew and tapering off the heat. I would have to let it chill for another 30 minutes or so which gave me another hour until I would go to the Whomping Willow. The smoke bombs would be useful, it would shield any escape while also disorientating those around it. Throwing them directly at someone would also produce some severe burns I imagine. Lou was something else. At least I made a useful comrade in this time period, I think.
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Making my way towards to the abnormally aggressive tree I saw a person sitting on the rocks. As I stepped closer, I saw the person stand up and come towards me. Tom Riddle. And he was frowning.
"You are late Gardener."
I raised my shoulders before dropping them. "That isn't my fault, I had to go around all the prefects on patrol, you took my wand. I couldn't cast any disillusionments on myself."
He did not seem impressed with my excuse.
"Enough of this, I am here for answers." He beckoned me over.
I shook my head. "I do not see why we can't talk from here."
"Not out in the open, we will be going someplace more private." The dark forest. He is out of his mind if he thinks that I would go in there. For what, so he could easily dispose of my body after he tries to kill me?
He must have read my thoughts or just my face for he immediately smirked, "Worried Gardener? If you listen to me you don't have to be."
He quickly walked over to me, and I had one hand in my pocket where the bombs were. If he went for his wand I would throw them.
He then gestured towards the tree before grabbing my hand and tugging me along. My hand still gripping the hastily wrapped orbs. We made closer to the very active tree, until we were in danger of its branches. Feeling the air that rushed over me every time the tree took a swung. I looked back at him confused. He then smiled, "Ladies first. Watch your step".
I opened my mouth, but all that came out was a scream when he shoved me forward. I heard a Tom muttering something in the behind me before I was again forcefully shoved and I found myself sliding down a hole into the ground. It was a rough slide down with hardened dirt scraping against me. But when I got my bearings I looked around to see a cave like environment. We were beneath the tree under the dirt but there was a pathway stretching ahead of me with the ceiling still being a foot higher.
"Get out of the way" a deep voice barked behind me, sounding closer with every word.
I was still sitting in the middle of the path of where I landed when Tom barreled onto me. It knocked the wind out of me, and when I could breathe again I glanced up to find those stormy grey eyes. Black hair mussed from the fall were framing his face. Out of their comb swept look that was his usual style, he looked more wild. Still handsome with his fine cut cheekbones but more normal, close to as a regular boy as he could get. He seemed to be scrutinizing me just as closely, for he had not moved a muscle. His eyes were wide, like he was puzzled about something. I breathed in and my olfactory senses got assaulted by the scent of sandalwood mixed in with dirt we landed on. I tried to hold my breath, not liking how it affected me.
I used my right hand to find purchase and get up, but found myself just pressing into him more. He was laying on me, and his heavy solid frame resting on my chest was getting uncomfortable. My squirming seemed to have gotten his attention for he then he was all quick movement. On his feet in the next moment and then holding out a hand. I warily took it before unleashing on him.
"What was all this"- I gestured towards our surroundings- "You pushed me towards the tree, I could have been killed, for what? Privacy?"
He rolled his eyes and folded his arms.
"You were in no danger. That's why I had you go first, so I could deflect any branches that were to go near you."
I just looked at him. Even if he thought I had the biggest secret in the world, taking me down here…
I sighed. I didn't know what to think about him trying to protect me in any sense, even from a threat of his own making. So I ignored it.
"Well fine, we are here. This is private enough isn't it. Didn't you want to talk." I crossed my own arms. He was lucky I didn't fire my bombs at him.
He motioned toward the path, "Not here, there is an actual place we can go. It is down the path. Follow me."
He strode forward. Since the supposed dangerous part was over, he wasn't going to be at my back I thought idly.
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Dilapidated was the word that came to mind followed by dusty and grimy. The passageway led to the Shrieking Shack. I saw the overturned chairs and splintered tables and raised a brow at Riddle. He ignored it and took the staircase upstairs. I guess that meant I was to follow him. I would, but I still wanted to peeve him so I took my time up the steps. Perhaps it was because my anger always made me throw caution to the wind or due to my plan B and C safes I had on my body, but I did not have the paralyzing fear of Riddle.
I soon found him sitting down in one of the chairs of what I suppose used to be the master bedroom. It seemed to be the only room that had been cleaned up. Although it still permeated the feeling that the room had not been used for a good length of time, it did have two plush green chairs and a round table. Transfigured most likely. I met Riddle's irritated gaze as he nodded towards the seat across from him.
I sat down slowly, before lifting my chin at him. I would not bow to him.
His face then hardened ever so slightly. "Now… What are you hiding?" he quietly demanded.
"If you think I would tell you any of my so called secrets just because you asked, you clearly don't know me. Give me back my wand Riddle and I won't tell Dumbledore about this." I replied back, trying to infuse as much strength to my voice.
Riddle cocked his head, "Always Dumbledore with you… why is that? What Slytherin wouldn't go to Slughorn I wonder?"
"Why would I go to Slughorn when he dotes on you like a son he never had?" I scoffed.
One side of his lip tilted up at that but his eyes were still hard. "Hermione, do not test me. We at the Slytherin House take care of our own. We could have an amiable cooperative time here together or the very opposite. It would do your future well good if you would confide to me. I would be able to help you in a way none can." He spread his hands as if to physically signify his welcoming spirit.
Observe him. Gain information about him. That had been my mission. But it was risky, to be so close to him. If I was to go into his fold, what would he ask of me? He hadn't been hiding his true self from me, what did that signify?
However, would I be able to get out of this without telling him? He would keep hounding me and I do not know if he has murdered anyone as of yet.
Is he a cold heated murdered? He would be, but what if I could change him?
If I left he wouldn't only break my wand I am guessing but he wouldn't kill me. He hasn't hurt me yet. Gripping my hair in such a way at the library that a strand wouldn't get caught and yanked out. I inwardly scoffed at the irony.
I analyzed him, "How would you be able to help me?"
He smiled at this, probably thinking he was winning. His voice had grown passionate, "In many. I run in certain social circles that contain the highest caliber of wizards. I would give you influence and connections that would help even after Hogwarts. If you joined me, I would be able to teach you magic that even Dumbledore doesn't even dare try. Magic, ancient and dark that would make your head spin. Powerful enough that Hogwarts refuses to teach it. This and so much more." He ended in a low timber with bright eyes.
"You are a talented witch Hermione, I have already witnessed this. But you could be so much more, do so much more. I am offering you a chance to be my side, I do not offer this lightly."
I stared at him and then at his proffered hand.
Looking down at my hands, I frantically tried to run scenarios through my mind. I knew myself well enough, I wouldn't bankrupt my morals and throw them away to serve a dark lord. Although the fear of the ever changing future haunted me. What if I changed? What if I became something like Bellatrix. Losing herself and her sense, drowning in people's miseries.
And even more pressing, if I joined him to get more information on him, what would guarantee my safety? Voldemort would kill his most loyal companion on a whim if he wanted to. He didn't truly appreciate loyalty. He valued fear and its paralyzing symptoms that are expressed in people he wanted control over. He was too pragmatic to have any noble notions such as faithfulness and devotion.
But that was Voldemort. Tom Riddle wasn't born Voldemort. I mused at the classic nature vs nurture argument. How much of a person is due to genetic coding and how much can account for the environment they were raised in. Was there a genetic code for evil?
Did I come here early enough to do some good, could I change him, I wondered.
I asked him, "How can I trust you?"
Riddle looked stern, not that fake smile he usually plasters around. Good I wouldn't be able to handle that saccharine smile.
"You can trust me Hermione. I am the only person that can help you."
Talk is all lips. "Make an unbreakable vow", my voice didn't shake.
Riddle furrowed his brows. "An unbreakable vow? What for?", he didn't seem pleased.
"A vow that you would do everything in your power to keep me alive. You will not intentionally try to kill me."
He scoffed, "Make a vow to be someone's bodyguard for the rest of their lives? Are you mental. Your terms are too broad." He crossed his legs facing away from me.
Does this mean he was considering it?
"I will make it tighter than. You will not intentionally attempt or even plan to attempt to severely harm me or kill me."
He glanced at me long fingers propping his chin. He narrowed his eyes, "What are you hiding that you think its so important that you need an unbreakable vow? Is someone coming for your life?"
"One cannot ever be too sure, you know."
For some reason his eyes softened, and if I wasn't listening intently I would have missed his next murmured words.
My ever cautious Hermione.
I didn't know what to say to that. It didn't even looked like he meant to say it. So I went on to sweeten the deal, "Only Dumbledore knows my situation, it is why I was meeting with him."
He looked at me intensely for a moment. "I am hazarding a guess, that you won't tell me the nature of your secret without the vow, correct?"
I gave him a firm nod.
"You do know I have my own ways of getting information. I do not need your consent to know what you are hiding." He leaned closer to me.
I stiffened. He was threatening me, but more than that he was doing the effect of flexing his muscles.
"I realize, but you also realize that you would never gain my full cooperation if you choose to go that route."
He smiled, like a shark. All white teeth. I could imagine him with those serrated edges scouring the seas for prey, leaving ceaseless carnage in his wake. In a parallel universe, I was sure there was a shark named Tom. Putting tales like Moby Dick to shame.
"Fine, we do the vow. I will not intentionally harm you to kill or plans any events in that sense and you will tell me all your secrets. I want to know everything Dumbledore knows."
I tried to regulate my breathing because I started panicking. He would know everything! There was no point in this endeavor if it meant giving him the winning plan.
He was carefully observing me, "What is the matter Hemione? Were you thinking of giving me some watered-down drivel?"
I forced myself to calm down and remember everything I told Dumbledore. I never gave him the exact time. I let out a breath. I could still do this. I never thanked my stars enough now, that I had the sense to be as vague with Dumbledore. Tom would still know important aspects of who I was, but he wouldn't know the extent of it.
"No Tom, I wouldn't think you would accept it anyhow." He seemed pleased with my response. "I agree with your terms, lets do the vow"
We needed a third person to do the vow. I didn't trust anyone on Riddle's side. I didn't know any of the death eaters at this point. I suggested Lou. I felt safer with her and I would sure she wouldn't pry more than I was willing to give. He gave a moment to this about this.
He seemed to think she was competent and neutral enough to agree. "I will hold the decision to obliviate her afterwards." I shakily agreed, he wouldn't budge I was sure.
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To her credit, Lou blinked once at my request and sighed. She murmured, "I will assist you this time. I do hope you know what you are doing Hermione."
I hope so too.
"Just be sure to clearly state that for his terms, Riddle would get to know what Dumbledore knows."
She nodded once, looking marginally disenchanted.
"Thank you for this Lou, I mean it" I offered her.
She gave a small grin in return, "I expected you to come back to me after I gave you the smoke bombs. You couldn't leave him be. He is a complicated one is he not?" She tilted her chin towards the Slytherin dungeons.
I rolled my eyes, "That is putting it mildly…" I let out a whoosh of breath. Riddle. No matter the time, he finds a way to be a big pain. I had to admit, that takes talent.
"You are a complicated one as well", I smiled ruefully at that.
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After the prefects made their rounds, Lou and I sneaked through the corridors to go to the Whomping Willow. Lou was a better spell caster than I expected, casting nonverbal concealment charms for the both of us. She barely raised an eyebrow when I told her I didn't have my wand. Opting to instead slightly shake her head and look on disapprovingly.
We met by the tree, this time it heaved in a rhythmic pattern, looked like it was sleeping. Riddle must erased his charm, for he appeared immediately in front of us. He nodded towards Lou before gesturing towards the entrance to the hidden pathway. The three of us quickly made of our way in, Riddle taking the back again likely due to the chance the tree would awaken from its slumber.
Inside the pathway, he spoke, "Hello ladies, the pathway leads to the shake. Let us do this quickly."
He strode forward and we quickly followed after him.
We came up to the same room again, but there appeared to be some glamor present now. The splintering wood looked to be smoother over and the tattered curtains and cloth replaced with their dust free versions.
"These are the terms, Hermione will disclose her secrets of her situation and I will not act to kill or irrevocably harm her. Understood?"
We both nodded.
Riddle looked bored, if it wasn't for the palpable tension, I would almost believe he was.
"Then let's start."
We knelt on the floor, hands clasped together. He had a firm grip that nearly engulfed my own. The feel of him somehow thrilled me. This was the only civil physical interaction we had thus far.
Lou stood poised in front of us, wand out. Citing the proper incantations. I idly wondered the history between these two. He trusted her to a certain degree, but I knew she was not part of his group.
I watched in morbid fascination the white tendrils that flowed from the wand onto our hands. Spreading and encompassing our hands in vein like fashion. It pulsed like a living thing, changing colors. It reminded me of an octopus and its arms curiously grasping and gliding over the sea bed.
"Do you Tom Riddle, vow to never act with the intent to kill or irrevocably harm Hermione Gardener?"
"I vow", he smoothly replied.
"And do you, Hermione Gardener, vow to disclose your secrets? Tell Tom Riddle, all of what Dumbledore knows?"
"I vow", I replied.
The tendrils began moving erratically. I felt it getting warmer, tightening over our hands, before slowing dissolving away. Lou started moving her wand in a quick complex pattern.
"It is done"
Riddle kept his hand clasped to mine as we got to our feet.
"Do I need to obliviate you, Lou?"
She had closed her eyes and tilted her head for a moment before replying, "No, I don't believe you do"
It seemed she and Riddle had some silent communication before they both nodded.
"I am going back to bed," she announced and promptly made her way out of the shack.
She was gone before I could get a word out. I was shocked and looked at Riddle confused. Was this still the same person? Voldemort would never have let anyone retain any information, preferring to eradicate their existence instead.
He seemed to understand my confusion for he smirked, "We have an understanding, the two of us."- he straightened to his full height "Now I believe you have something to tell me."
I nodded tiredly.
He transfigured two green chairs and we made our way over to them. I tried to tug my hand out of his grasp, but he only tightened his grip.
Annoyance colored my tone as I asked him where my wand was.
He only grinned, "I have it right here in my pocket. But first you must keep your end of the deal, wouldn't want you dying anytime soon now that you made the vow"
Sitting on the edge of my chair, I divulged as much information that I thought would sate him. The unbreakable vow, used my fake name. Theoretically I could tell him straight gibberish and not be affected by the curse. However, magic still had the power of intent, it had been my physical hand attached to his. I would keep to my end of the promise.
Riddle had kept rapt attention to my words. Eyes growing slightly wider at the mention of where I had been from. He then leaned back and perused me, looking as if this was our first meeting.
"A time traveler… You said you would be a student at Hogwarts in the near future? That is an unfortunate situation about the phoenix. So what do you know about me in the future?"
I could tell this was the part he would be most interested in. "Well from what I know, you were head boy. You did end up breaking the NEWT and OWL record and after graduating you worked for Borgin and Burkes."
Riddle looked displeased, "Is that all, you know nothing else of me?"
I stammered slightly, "Well, you worked there for a few years dealing with artifacts before disappearing-"I needed to throw him a bone. "- there was a big mess with Grindewald. He will spread his influence you know, wreaking havoc here in England and in America"
Riddle looked interested in this, leaning towards me. He made a motion with his hands that translating to, "And so? Tell me more"
I continued, "He will be declared to be the most dangerous dark wizard of all time."
Riddle narrowed his eyes. I bet not liking the title of most dangerous to bestowed on anyone but himself.
"Who will win the Quidditch cup this year? What policies will be passed this year in the Department of Magic?"
My eyes widened. I honestly told him, "I do not know, the news will be filled with Grindelward. There will not be room for much else in the papers that I remember"
He looked chagrined at that. "What else do you remember than?"
I shrugged my shoulders, "I told you more than I told Dumbledore, I didn't tell him about Grindelwald. I was just a student, a Gryffindor from where I am come from."
Riddle mulled that over. "Makes sense you were placed in that house. I wonder what changed to place you in Slytherin." I ignored that quip.
"Tom, you won't tell anyone right? No one can know. If Grindewald finds out what I know, he could use me for his own ambition"
"If you follow my lead Hermione, no harm will befall you. No worries, I won't let Grindelwald lay his hands on you" He assured me.
"Does Dumbledore know how to send you back to your own time?"
I shook my head, "We are researching it now, but I haven't heard any progress as of yet. The time turner is currently being researched in the Department of Mystery, I am not sure when it will be completed."
Tom's eyes flashed at that. "Well no matter, I am sure there will be word soon."
He then searched his pockets before he handed over my wand.
"10¾". Vine wood. Dragon heartstring" he murmured.
I took it back swiftly.
"Are we done now? It is getting late."
Riddle smiled, his thumb making circles. Reminding me how he still hasn't let me go yet.
"Yes, for today. We are done."
I felt foreboding pit in my stomach churning around at his words.
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I had guided Hermione back at towards the Slytherin dorms. I would make sure to keep an extra eye on her from now on. It had seemed lately some of the girls were taking their frustration out on her that they wouldn't dare in my presence. I bade her goodnight before starting my rounds.
This was getting much too interesting. I now have a time traveler in my fold, with knowledge I bet the darkest wizard of all time would kill to possess. I couldn't help but sneer at Grindelwald's future title. He was active in Germany for the moment, I knew that the England minister Hector Fawkley was in favor of isolationism. This could all turn out interesting indeed.
I felt a hunger awakening within me. It was running through my veins, I could feel it. She didn't know everything, but I could have guaranteed she knew more than she let on. Policy changes, economics pit falls, world events, I now had them all. She was just too bright to forget any major events worth noting. She would just need a refresher to remember them all.
Dear Hermione, she needn't have worried. I would never let Grindewald touch her, nobody would. There was no one in this school who could best me and or even come close to challenging me like her. She was mine, destined for me. In time, I was sure she would come to see that way as well.
Borgin and Burke's? I scoffed at the thought. I envisioned a plan unraveling in my head. I could not wait to implement it. And my sweet little bird would assist me.
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Hello Lovelies
This is the biggest one yet!
So Tell Me What You Think. It is a Command now. MwahHaaH
This is my gift to you. I was going to split this into two chapters. But I thought to just give to you at once, instead of leaving you on a cliffhanger. I too, dislike those as well.
Its been so busy on my end, classes, work, and my DAT prep has been killing meh. You should look at my face when im writing these. Its like pure panic and self loathing lol
Also the Guest Reviews for the win! You guys are great, I wish I could reply to you individually! They really pushed me to update.
AvalonTheLadyKiller: do you like what i did? parts of what you said inspired me.