Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything really. What a shame.
A/N: As usual, I'd like to thank the few and wonderful people that reviewed. It's b/c of you that I'm continuing with this.
Also, this chapter didn't come out quite right. I apologize.
A Future Riddle
What Lies Beneath
The day of the dance dawned bright and clear, or so Jessie was told. As usual, she dared not venture past the dungeons before night fall. Because it was a Saturday, Jessie slept in and when she finally struggled out of bed it was just past three. She spent the remaining time before the dance transfiguring a dress from her trusty black cloak. It resembled the dress she had worn at the Yule Ball, but Jessie didn't care. All that mattered was fooling that arrogant egotistical brat into believing that she was at the dance and there to stay.
Making sure she had her wand and a small compact mirror (just in case the Basilisk was too quick for her) Jessie departed her room and ventured up to the Great Hall where the students were beginning to gather.
She quickly spotted Riddle and Clarona in the midst of their Slytherin friends. All eyes seemed to be glancing enviously over at the attractive couple. Jessie just shook her head at the sadness of it all.
Riddle had everyone in the entire school completely fooled. He was so incredibly manipulative, and they were all so incredibly gullible. How very, very sad. Oh well, that's why she was here, right?
Right at seven, the doors to the Great Hall majestically creaked open and the students filtered into the incredible set-up.
Jessie wasted no time and quickly headed over to her camera station where curious students were already waiting.
At the front of the line Jessie spotted Romulus Rook and Erika Sage. She was surprised to see them together. The Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff never said anything in her class to one another, and both of them were normally such outspoken people.
At seeing her, Romulus gave a small smile and said, "Hello Professor Pandora. What's behind the curtain? All those dead bodies you've been hiding?"
Jessie grinned at one of her favorite students. "Well naturally, I wouldn't be stupid enough to leave them lying just anywhere." Everyone laughed, though a few of the younger students in the line did look a little frightened. Jessie continued before one of the little ones could go run off to the Headmaster about her exploits. "It's actually a photography set in there. Would you and Ms. Sage care to be my first victims?"
Romulus gave a quick glance over to his date who giggled and nodded. "Sure."
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The night was progressing quite well. So far, Jessie had managed to make everyone who stopped at her booth happy and had kept an eye on Riddle and Clarona. At the moment, the two were dancing to a slow song.
Jessie had to admit that Riddle surprised her with his dancing talents. Who would have thought that the future dark lord knew how to slow dance? Maybe she could just blackmail him into submission?
No, Jessie reasoned, where would be the fun in that?
Jessie was so wrapped up in her thoughts of taunting Voldemort about his dancing skills that she neglected to see the person coming up behind her until it was too late.
"Busy as ever I see," a dark voice murmured. One Jessie knew very well and had longed to hear.
A small smirk graced her features as she continued to stare at the elegant couple on the dance floor.
The mysterious figure stepped up behind her and whispered almost playfully in her ear," So tell me Jessie, are you going to kill him straight away," he ran a finger lightly down the exposed skin her dress neglected to cover. "Or do you intend to play with him a little. Because knowing you, I would have presumed him dead by now."
Jessie turned around, and much to the shock of all the students who had taken an interest in the mysterious pale man's actions towards their Defense teacher, kissed him. It was intense, but didn't last as long as either would have liked. There simply wasn't enough time this night.
Breaking off the kiss, Jessie looked into Fritz's stormy gray eyes and smiled. "I've missed you."
"I would say the same, but you're such awful company," Jessie's smile widened as she pushed him away.
"I'd love to take you to my suite and change your mind about that, but tonight's booked. I actually did plan on killing the twit right now." She danced a finger across his jaw line. "Good timing by the way."
Fritz's features darkened and he crossed his arms. "It's no coincidence that I'm here tonight. Armenius sensed that you might be in danger. He wasn't very specific though."
"Typical. He likes to be all cryptic." Fritz didn't lighten. "Alright Fritz, Alright! There will be considerable danger tonight, but it's nothing that we can't handle." She ushered him behind the black velvet curtain of her photography set to escape the growing number of prying eyes. "Riddle plans to open the chamber tonight. There will be a Basilisk down there. That's really my only concern-Riddle's talents might be formidable, even at sixteen, but they're not good enough to beat me."
"Well, when is he going down there?"
"As soon as he stops waltzing around the room with his arm candy."
Fritz's looked her up and down with an odd expression and finally quirked an eyebrow, "What do you want to do until then?" Fritz narrowed the distance between them until Jessie would have been able to feel his warm breath and hear his heart beat, had he had either of course. He wrapped his arms around her waist and stared at her with an impish grin. His gray eyes flashing amber for an instant.
"I want to watch him so I'll know when he leaves. There will be time after this is over for any other plans you might have had." Jessie smirked as his face soured and he released her.
"Fine then. Go ahead and watch the little git. I'll just go dance with one of the young, vivacious witches out there." He ran his tongue across his fangs, "Haven't seen blood this raw in ages."
Jessie shook her head and caught his wrist before he could vacate the curtained area.
In an urgent tone she whispered, "No feeding. If you get really thirsty, call Trixz. She'll show you to my suite where I have a supply of blood. I don't want you killing any of my students." She gave the smallest of smiles. "I fear I may have grown rather attached to some of them."
Fritz frowned and looked like he was about to argue, but instead, he just glared at her for a second before crushing his lips to hers. She was just starting to kiss back when he broke it off with a satisfied smirk, and giving her a flippant salute, pushed the curtain back and left her.
Jessie just stood there for a second and tried to put a leash on all of her emotions before she too exited the curtain and began lining students up again to take pictures.
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"Do you, like, wanna join me outside real quick?" The sixth year blonde pleaded to Fritz as he spun her on the dance floor. Fritz had a difficult time ignoring the throbbing vein on the girl's neck as he declined.
It had been like this ever since he had walked away from Jessie.
Jessie.
Why was she always so difficult? She always said what she thought she was thinking instead of what she truly meant. Fritz hadn't exactly liked the way she had been staring at the raven haired youth either.
Even now, looking past the love struck eyes of the young witch he was dancing with, Fritz could see Jessie on the perimeter of the floor stalking the boy. Her fluid motions like that of a panther seeking the kill. A predatory glint was in her eye, even if she didn't realize it.
Fritz sighed. Whatever went down in the chamber tonight wasn't going to be pretty. He just hoped Jessie would be able to do what needed to be done.
Of course, he could be mistaken. Maybe she just really wanted the boy dead. He had on numerous occasions seen her take extreme glee in making a good kill on a bad person.
But then, why? Why was she looking at him like that? Fritz swallowed and looked down at the teenager in his arms once again.
He really needed a drink.
Without even realizing he was doing it, he pulled the excited girl closer to him and lowered his mouth to just above her neck. A quick snack wouldn't hurt anyone.
Suddenly, a tan flash sped past the couple's feet almost tripping Fritz. He immediately came to his senses and much to the girl's disappointment moved away from her slightly. His enhanced eyesight just caught the sight of a tail as it rounded the corner out of view.
When the song ended, Fritz very quickly excused himself from the flushed girl and found a better target: the so-called arm candy Riddle had been parading around the dance floor for the better part of the night. Maybe that would get her attention.
Hopefully.
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What on earth is he doing? Jessie thought as she witnessed Fritz excuse himself and head over to Clarona and Riddle. Is he trying to blow my cover?
Jessie's worry quickly changed to amusement as she saw the look of disbelief on Riddle's face as Clarona agreed to dance with the complete stranger. It was priceless.
Jessie, however, did not laugh when she saw the provocative way Fritz was slow dancing with the girl.
Clarona's ever present dour expression and condescending leer had vanished as, for the first time since becoming damned, she smiled.
Jessie shook her head, Is his hand actually where I think it is? Oh..my...god. It iiis. Eeeeew!
"Revolting, isn't it?"
Unlike when Fritz had tried to surprise her, Riddle actually succeeded in getting Jessie to jump.
In anger, Jessie pivoted around and hissed, "Five points from Slytherin for startling a teacher Mr. Riddle."
The boy winced at the use of his muggle name, but otherwise remained emotionless.
Riddle shrugged, "House rivalry seems fairly petty to me. Much bigger things in life to worry about Professor."
"Care to elaborate Tom?" Both Jessie and Riddle turned around to see the flushed face of Albus Dumbledore. In tow behind him was a brunet witch with a severe bun who appeared to be a few years his junior. Her face was equally flushed as she gazed admiringly at her dance partner.
Riddle raised an eyebrow at the stranger.
"Oh, Forgive me." Dumbledore stepped aside and gestured to the witch, "this is Minerva McGonagall. She graduated from Hogwarts a few years back. She's interning under me to become a Transfiguration instructor."
In a curt voice, one that seemed reserved only for Dumbledore, Riddle stated, "I haven't seen her around though. Isn't she supposed to be student teaching or some rubbish?"
If Dumbledore was at all angered by the Slytherin's rudeness, he didn't show it. Instead, he just shook his auburn head and said, "I'm afraid we haven't made it to that part yet. Minerva is still working on her advanced Warlock level Transfiguration studies. Hopefully you'll be able to see her student teaching by the next fall term."
Riddle sneered. "Yes. Can't wait for it. And in regards to your earlier inquiry, I simply meant that when we graduate and go into the real world, inter-school rivalry won't mean a thing."
Dumbledore looked like he was about to settle in for a friendly debate when McGonagall, glancing nervously at Riddle, tugged on the Professor's sleeve and whispered, "Just drop it Albus."
Ethereal strains started up the next piece of music. It had a kind of slow, deliberate beat about it. One that almost seemed to lure people into it. McGonagall, in an excited tone nodded to Jessie and Riddle, "It was nice meeting the both of you." She then quickly took hold of Dumbledore's arm and steered/dragged him onto the dance floor saying, "Just one more dance Albus. I really love this song!"
Dumbledore, as he was being carted off just shrugged and gave a happy little grin.
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Jessie almost laughed at the disgusted face the Slytherin heir was sporting. "You were saying Riddle?"
He finally looked away from the spectacle of Dumbledore trying to do the electric slide and with a tone of the utmost distaste said, "I'll reiterate once again since your memory seems to be so challenged...Re-volting."
Jessie didn't appreciate the way he was talking about her colleague. "As much as I dislike pointing out faults in any of my students, I'm afraid I must agree. You're lemon-face is quite revolting." Before he could snap back, Jessie quickly said in an irked manner, "Was there some reason for your coming over here Riddle? Because I find your presence to be somewhat, if not entirely, very negative. Not to mention annoying and highly nauseating."
It might have been a trick of the light, but his emerald eyes seemed to darken, almost become black. He stepped forward, an ominous, confident expression written on his face. "That's rich." The corner's of his lips quirked upward. "Coming from you. A creature of the night whose sole existence relies on feeding off the life force of others."
When Jessie crossed her arms and continued her glare of death, Riddle stepped aside and gesturing to Fritz and Clarona, stated in a self-assured voice, "No wonder he couldn't wait to get away from you."
Jessie knew better than to accept his bait. She started to walk away from Riddle, but his hand clamped down on her shoulder.
Close to sceaming at him to get the hell away from her, she almost vamped out as she turned around.
However, what she saw, contrary to making her kill him right there and then, confused her.
He was offering his hand to her. She saw his jaw line tighten and heard him say, "Do you care to do something about it? Or just stand around and look like a kicked bat?" Not really focusing on his words, she only saw a quick flash of red pass his eyes before she put her pale hand in his own and followed him onto the dance floor where the eerie song continued to play.