A/N: Nothing much to say. This is really short, but I'm finding it helps with writing chapters faster and more efficiently - so I'll be trying to shorten everything from here on in. It's not my most favourite or exciting of chapters that I've written for this story, but it does its job :P

The Pureblood Prince Chapter XVIII –The Lord and the Prince.

Eileen had never been so happy in her life.

It seemed that Hagrid bringing that Acromantula egg into the castle had been a blessing in disguise; for soon after, the boy that she had now admitted to herself that she had hopelessly fallen for, had actually talked to her the morning after her meeting with Hagrid; he literally walked right up to the Ravenclaw table and had a discussion with her!

"Prince, is it?" he had asked.

Lucy Fawcett choked on her pumpkin juice at the sight of Tom standing over the three third year friends. Eileen, who was sitting opposite Lucy and had her back to the speaker, gaped at her friend wide-eyed before turning slowly to face him.

"…. Y-yes?"

Tom smiled charmingly. "Mind if we have a little talk?"

When Tom had taken her to a secluded corridor and informed her that he had overheard everything about Hagrid and the creature, Eileen's mood took a turn for the worst. That's it, she had thought, I'm expelled and I'll be homeless and I'll starve and I'll die. The mind of a thirteen-year-old was no place for rational thought.

But then Tom had explained that he was not going to turn them both in.

"I'm as interested in these things as you," he explained with understanding. "I just… want to make sure that Rubeus isn't putting one of my favourite Ravenclaws in danger by making her care for a poor but dangerous creature. What was it, again…?"

Favourite Ravenclaw! Well that was a little forward, considering he had only just become aware of her existence, but Eileen was not going to complain when served with such a compliment – they were always so rare.

"It's…" Eileen could see no point in lying, Tom already knew it was dangerous, "…it's an Acromantula… oh, but Hagrid would never deliberately put anyone in danger!" Eileen told the dreadfully handsome boy reassuringly. "He just has a love for the precarious. As, you could say, I do."

Tom's eyes glittered inquisitively. Little did Eileen know just why they glittered.

"He does, does he? He is often getting in trouble for bringing things into the castle isn't he…?". Eileen frowned, Tom seemed rather too happy.

"Well, yes. But he also wouldn't hurt a fly - I promise." She said fearfully.

Tom chuckled and folded his arms. "Well then, as long as he isn't hurting flies then I think your secret is safe with me… like I said, I am merely asking out of interest. I know how it is to have everyone hate you, like everyone does the poor Acromantula's."

"Huh? No one hates you. You're… you're really popular." Eileen blushed girlishly, and it was annoyingly doubly obvious on her extra pale skin.

A brilliant smile radiated from the Slytherin's beautiful face. Wondrous as it was, Eileen couldn't help but feel a warm pang of disenchantment in the pit of her stomach… as he could ever think of her: a sickly, scrawny, puny, unsightly looking third year girl, as she thought of him.

"Hogwarts has been kind to me," Tom explained as they walked back to the Great Hall together, Eileen felt obnoxiously superior to all the girls who stared at them as they walked on by; she even slowed her steps so it would last longer. Eileen usually could not stand arrogance in any form, but she couldn't deny that this made her feel good. "The Muggle orphanage isn't nearly as kind, Miss Prince, especially to a wizard."

"Oh, Tom, I'm so sorry."

He was an orphan. An abused orphan, by the sounds of it. Compassion flowed through her like running water. Eileen's mother always said that it was a weakness on her part, but Eileen didn't agree.

"Don't be," Tom said, waving her condolences away. "I am just saying that I know what it is like to be outcaste. Which is why I have a deep interest in the creatures that you also have a fondness for, and in turn which is why I see it as a great disservice to the thing if I turn it in: to be executed, no doubt. As long as it never harms anyone…"

"It won't. Hagrid and I will make sure of it. You… you won't tell anyone about it though?" Eileen asked as they came to a halt in the hallway of the Great Hall, her voice was lowered.

"And have Dippet or Dumbledore destroy such a rare and interesting specimen?" Tom replied in an equally low manner. He leant forward towards her and for one insane second Eileen thought he was about to kiss her - but he merely whispered, "as long as your friend makes sure it does no one any harm, you have my word… thank you for the talk - Eileen."

He had her around his little finger, and he knew it. In fact, she was so rapturous as she waved her goodbye to him and ran back to her friends (where she was instantly interrogated), that she did not notice the way Tom smirked nastily as he looked back at her from the Slytherin table, nor did she notice his friends sniggering… nor did she notice Hagrid watching all of this from the Gryffindor table with a perplexed expression.

Eileen turned over in her bed that night, thinking about the day's occurrences and smiled contentedly. Of course, she had by now made up all sorts of stories in her head about her and Tom, as teenage girls often do, though she wasn't quite as moronic as those giggly ones who scratched initials into the classroom desks with their un-inked quills (Eileen had certainly seen a few T.R's surrounded by love hearts during her time at Hogwarts). She still had a steady head… she knew deep down they were but fantasies.

Still, he had talked to her - which was more than the other prettier girls in her year could say. That made her feel good. So good that she was able to effortlessly dissolve into her fantasies and emerge from them five minutes later, feeling satisfied. Miss Prince slept well.

~*~

~*~

Serafina paced the marble floors of her grand library. She had done an awful lot of pacing aimlessly today.

Her 'episode' after her meeting with the Dark Lord had certainly taken its toll, but she had finally triumphed over her injuries and ailments… it was a shame, really, that Serafina was reduced to remaining in the confines of her home since she had followed the Dark Lord's order to take leave from her influential position in the Wizengamot and return only when he commanded – where she awaited any sort of news to no advantage.

Until now, that was.

"Mistress Sera! Mistress Sera!"

Missy had pushed the library doors open with a superhuman force.

"Calm down!" Serafina demanded of the panting House Elf. "What?"

She hoped the next words out of Missy's mouth were news of her husband's perceptible lack of breathing.

"There is a young man- a young man coming down the path-"

Missy's Mistress' cavernous black eyes widened.

"What?"

"Missy was keeping watch as ordered, Mistress… he fits the description indeed!"

Serafina had never run so fast in her life. Her emerald cloak looked almost a blur as she set off at a panicked sprint out of the library, across the landing and towards one of the many rooms overlooking the front of the manor; she almost crashed against the window but steadied herself upon the frame.

Taking one quick look at the figure standing outside - who was gazing around at the grounds with an overwhelming look of disbelief – Serafina took of at another hasty run towards her chambers, Missy following at her heels. The elder women yanked off her heavy billowing cloak and tossed it to the floor.

"Get my bed robes," she snapped at the House Elf, who did as she was bid. When Missy returned from the enormous walk-in wardrobe, Serafina's hair had been transformed from its usual elegant taut bun to a messy maze of ebony tresses, which she tied back in a quick, uncivilised ponytail.

"Let him in," Serafina commanded, accidentally taking a glance of herself in the mirror and grimacing with disgust at how she looked. It had to be done this way if she had any hope at all of gaining his trust. "Make sure he stays in the entrance hall until I arrive to greet him."

Missy rushed away while Serafina whipped out her wand to complete the finishing touches to her look. Before her very eyes the simple aging spell had created dark rings around her eyes, wrinkles around her usually porcelain forehead and mouth… cracked thin lips where they used to be rose red and full… it was almost too painful to endure. Worst of all was the greying of her raven hair, something that had been, and would be, inherited amoungst her family members for generations.

At least it's reversible… was her last thought before drawing in a deep breath, and making sure that her Occlumency shields were adequately in place. She knew she would have to do the best acting job of her life with this clever one…

"Hello, Severus."

Serafina found her grandson standing right where she had ordered Missy to take him; he took his eyes off the magnificent chandelier in the centre of the grand staircase and fixed them upon her - she was pleased when she saw a slight flash of alarm in them.

"You received my letter." Serafina prompted as she staggered down the stairs on one of Attcius' walking sticks, in the perfect impression of a woman on deaths door.

"Yes."

"And Eileen… I mean... your mother…. does she know you are here?"

"I don't care."

"Is she well?"

"She is never well."

So something must have happened. Not a bad thing… it was obviously the push that brought him here.

"I merely came to enquire about your health, I won't take up any more of your time than is necessary," Severus continued as he glanced around at his opulent surroundings. "You clearly have much more extravagant ways of keeping yourselves amused than my company."

"Don't be ridiculous," Serafina retorted in a cracked and weary voice, "I have waited many years for you to arrive at Prince Manor. It is only a shame that it is my physical demise that brought you here, but I am grateful to see my grandson whatever the reason." She gestured to the sitting room. "Shall we sit?"

"I told you, I won't be staying-"

"Surely you didn't come all the way to Essex from Derby for a five second spiel about how you won't be staying?"

She tried to say it as kindly and as sickly as she could without sounding completely false - after all, Severus had met her when she was her genuine, sharp self… it was a delicate operation indeed.

"No," Severus snapped. "But I didn't come here for a good old tête-à-tête over a pot of tea and biscuits either. I'm from a working class household, you see, we all eat and socialise like rabid dogs."

Serafina smiled amiably, she was growing rather fond of his prickly wit… almost worthy of a Prince indeed, were it not for the Muggle references he used.

"Ah well, I can promise that there will be none of that here… suffice to say your wizarding family is not really the type for heartfelt natters and biscuits. Shall we?" She gestured once more. "I have much to discuss with you."

This time, he complied. And the journey had finally begun.

~*~