Note: I lied, I'm not good with commitment. I know sorry doesn't count for much after the amount of time that has passed, but, whatever.

Chapter 17:

"I just still can't believe it," Helen said, still in shock, she and Nicole were the only two currently in their dormitory.

Nicole was silent, what could she say? She wouldn't have to say anything; Helen usually did all the talking for her. "She was just a little girl," Helen continued. "An innocent little girl," she repeated shaking her head. "Who would do such a thing?"

Nicole swallowed hard. It was her fault really, ran a voice inside her head. She noticed the snake engraved on the tap, she pointed it out to you and allowed the chamber to be opened. She opened the stall; she stared into the basilisk's eyes. Nicole was sure Tom hadn't meant to kill her, had he?

"I overheard Professor Dumbledore, her parents are coming tomorrow for her body, could you imagine? If you had a daughter and you sent her to school, where you thought she'd be safe and she just died?" Helen gave a shiver. Nicole thought on this for a moment. She hadn't thought about children much before, but if she had, if they died… she couldn't imagine anything like it.

She pitied the girl, honestly she did. Her life taken at such a young age, the grief her parents must be suffering from, but there was nothing to be done. The girl was dead, nothing could change that. "I'm going to the common room," Nicole said after a moment of silence.

Helen looked confused. "Why?"

Nicole shrugged. "Just a change of scenery."

"I'll go with you." Helen got up from her bed and followed Nicole towards the door. Nicole did not respond. What she really wanted was to be alone. No, what she really wanted is to see Tom. They headed down the stairs. Most of the Gryffindor students were in the common room that evening, as there was nowhere else they were allowed to go.

As she reached the bottom of the stairs she saw Professor Dumbledore heading towards her. "Miss Sullivan, may I have a word with you in my office?"

Nicole's stomach dropped, and Helen eyed the two of them suspiciously. "Of course," she responded slowly, knowing very well she couldn't refuse. He turned and beckoned her to follow him. She did, trying to ignore Helen's gaze. He opened a door across from the stairs that Nicole hadn't really ever noticed before, odd seeing as she's resided in Gryffindor Tower for nearly five years. His office was rather quaint, with the odd magical trinket splayed about; she supposed his Transfiguration office would have been more lavish.

"Sit," he gestured toward an empty seat opposite his desk. She did as she was told and he too sat down. He wasn't his normal, cheery self. There was no longer a twinkle in his eye and when he spoke it was no longer soothing and kindly. He looked well beyond his years, as had Professor Dippet during dinner.

"Sir," she managed, shifting uncomfortably in her chair. "Am I—," she paused, uncertain if she really wanted to know the answer to her question. "—Am I in some sort of trouble?" She looked up at him, and he let loose a deep sigh.

"No," he answered quietly. "I have asked you here to question you about Tom Riddle." Nicole's heart skipped a beat.

"What?" She couldn't conceal her surprise, or her worry about what Professor Dumbledore had just said.

"I am going to ask you questions pertaining to Tom Riddle," he repeated in a still soft voice.

"Why?" She asked, again not knowing if she really wanted to know the answer.

"Miss Sullivan, if you would be so kind as to grant me a request and refrain from asking your questions until after you have answered mine," there was no malice in his voice, no sign that Nicole had been successful in somehow annoying him in any way, yet Nicole sank back into her chair as if he had yelled at her.

"Yes sir," she began, biting her lip. "I'm sorry."

Professor Dumbledore put up his hand. "No apology necessary Miss Sullivan. Now, you have resided in a London orphanage with Tom Riddle since the death of your father, have you not?"

Nicole nodded. "Yes, sir." There was no point in lying about that, it was practically common knowledge.

Professor Dumbledore began to stroke his beard. "Would you consider yourself close to Tom?"

Nicole raised a brow. "No, I mean we know one another, but we're not close." She couldn't look Professor Dumbledore in the eye when she spoke. There was something about her Head of House that made him difficult to lie to.

"I see," Professor Dumbledore looked at her from over his spectacles. "Though I find it odd that a magical being, of any sort, that is isolated from magical society for months on end would not seek out another magical being just down the hall."

Nicole shrugged. "He's a Slytherin," she replied curtly.

"True, yet Tom Riddle has a way of…" Professor Dumbledore paused, looking reflective for a moment. "Charming those in his presence."

Nicole wasn't sure exactly how to respond to this. "He hasn't 'charmed' me Professor."

Professor Dumbledore raised a brow. "No?" His eyes fixed onto hers, making her feel almost transparent. "Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary about Tom Riddle?" He continued on.

"No, sir," she shook her head.

"No… unusual talents?" Professor Dumbledore inquired.

"Unusual talents?" Nicole looked surprised, what was her Head of House playing at anyway? Professor Dumbledore waited expectantly for an answer. "No," she shook her head again.

Professor Dumbledore let out a deep sigh; his disappointment was splayed across his face. "Very well then Miss Sullivan, you may go."

Nicole stared at him for a moment. "Professor, why are you asking about Tom?"

"I'm merely trying to find a connection."

"A connection? To what?" Nicole asked, but she didn't need an answer, she could see from the look on the professor's face what was going on. "Wait, you honestly don't think that Tom had anything to do with the attacks do you?" She looked incredulously at him.

"Do you, Miss Sullivan?" Professor Dumbledore eyed her with suspicion.

"No," she answered instinctively, looking affronted.

Professor Dumbledore raised a brow. "Miss Sullivan, I do not think one way or the other. I have been forced to review many possibilities on the cause of this year's madness. Hogwarts is a fine institution that has been in place for over a thousand years, and I have no intention of letting it crumble without making a valiant effort."

Nicole was feeling sick to her stomach. "What happened… to that girl," she stared down at her feet.

Professor Dumbledore looked sympathetic. "Did you know her?" he asked gently.

Nicole shook her head. "No, Professor, I met her once, in the lavatory earlier this year." She paused for a moment. "She seemed nice." Slowly Nicole's head tilted upwards. "She didn't deserve this; she didn't deserve any of this."

There was silence between the two of them for a moment. Nicole got up from her chair. "I think I should return to my dormitory," she replied softly. Professor Dumbledore simply nodded.

Nicole came back up to her dormitory, now empty. Helen was likely downstairs gossiping about her encounter with their Head of House, she had managed to sneak by her without notice. Nicole's heart was pounding, and her hands were clammy. This can't be happening, this can't be happening, she exclaimed over and over in her head.

As if it weren't enough that an innocent girl had died; now she had to concern herself with losing Tom? He knows, Dumbledore knows, he always knows. Nicole began pacing. Well, perhaps he knows, but does Dippet? Yes, that was it. Headmaster Dippet didn't know, did he? He couldn't, and if he didn't then she might still have a chance, she might still have a chance to save him.

She began rummaging through her trunk for a quill and some parchment. She took it over to the bedside table and began scribbling something down. She finished, looking around the room anxiously. "Kanker?" She whispered. "Kanker?"

She began to shake with impatience, this wasn't the time. "Ugh, Scruffy!" she yelled out in desperation. A popping noise was heard from behind her and she jumped.

"Sorry missus, didn't mean to frighten you missus," Scruffy began recoiling as if she'd pointed her wand at his chest.

"It's quite alright Scruffy," Nicole replied, trying to compose herself.

"You need something, missus?" Scruffy asked anxiously.

Nicole folded the piece of parchment and handed it to Scruffy. "I need this note delivered to Tom and no one else, understood?"

Scruffy nodded, taking the note in his hands. "And don't let anyone see you." She added hastily. Again Scruffy nodded. Nicole bit her lip. "Thank you Scruffy," she bowed her head slightly.

Scruffy looked at her with an odd expression. "Of course, missus." Scruffy replied and with that he disapparated to Tom's dormitory.

"Mister Riddle," Scruffy began and Tom looked over at the house elf, obviously surprised, however he did not jump like Nicole had.

"Yes?" He looked down at the house elf curiously. Luckily the others in his dormitory knew better than to keep in his company for long periods of time, and he was otherwise alone.

Scruffy the house elf came forward with the piece of parchment, shaking. "Missus, Miss Sullivan wants Scruffy to give you this."

Tom looked down, taking the piece of parchment and opening it.

Rubeus

Acromantula

Hiding, probably dungeons

Tom shook his head, what relevance does some third year's pet have to do with him? He tossed it aside and turned to Scruffy. "Well, go on then," he muttered, not wanting the creature around any longer than it had to be, it ruined the aesthetics.