Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the affiliated merchandise.

Please note that the pervious chapter has been edited and expanded.

Author's Notes: Well, that was an unnecessarily long gap between updates. I'll do what I can to work on that. I've recently had the idea of doing a much more in-depth version of gender-switch!Tom Riddle, with a closer bases in canon but I can't decide if I want it to extend passed Hogwarts. Opinions? As always, please enjoy!

Warnings: very light femslash, borderline inappropriate student-teacher relationship

Venom and Cream

Hogwarts

After Albus Dumbledore's visit to the orphanage, Tian spent the rest of her summer traveling back and forth between St. Mary's and Diagon Alley. She asked the various shopkeepers, and the occasional patron, every question she could think of –and some probably she shouldn't have. By August 31, Tian was, perhaps, the most well-informed student of her year. And so, it was with utter confidence that she packed up her things for the school year, said her goodbyes, and stepped onto the Hogwarts Express.

There were a few things that everyone she'd spoken to had forgotten to mention, apparently... Such as the level of obliviousness that the younger generation could reach, and their love of dramatics.

"...And then Auntie told us that the Lord Black was thinking of securing an older bride for his heir! Could you imagine, being married to a man younger than you? I'd run off to elope with some rich foreigner." The girl, straightening her spine, tossed her hair over her shoulder with an imperious flick of the wrist.

Her friend sighed in a grand manner.

"Honestly Kathrynne, you're not looking at the bigger picture. It hardly matters that your husband would be younger; you would be the Lady Black! Just think! The entire Wizarding World looking to you for the next trend in high society..." The annoying twats looked conspiringly at each other, giggling behind their hands. Tian wished they would shut up.

It had been like this since the train ride had started. She'd settled near the last third of the train, and spent almost an hour watching her fellow students bid their families goodbye as she waited for the whistle to sound. It did, right at eleven; the students remaining on the platform scrambled onto the steam engine before it could leave them behind. Then they came in. The taller of the two wore full summer robes while Kathrynne only kept the outer robe and wore it over an urbane muggle dress. At first, they hadn't noticed her as they chit-chatted away.

Tian would have preferred it stay that way... But alas, it wasn't to be.

"How true! However...such a political marriage isn't very romantic," the girl looked at Tian out of the corner of her eye with a sly smile. "You have to admit, Jaqueline, there is something to be said about romance." (Ugh, no there wasn't.) Yet again, the two broke out into a giggling fit.

...especially since they seemed to think she was a boy.

That was simply insulting. Just because she wore trousers and kept her hair short (it was longer than she was used to now, though still much shorter than the lengthy manes of the two girls) didn't mean she was a boy. Honesty!

If the rest of the Wizarding World was this stupid, there would be...issues.

"Oh! Did you hear about the Malfoys? Mother heard that they are beginning to decide on potential candidates for Abraxas's bride!"

"Really? And he's to be in our year too!"

That poor fool.

"Potter is being an imbecile again." Indeed he was. The self-righteous Gryffindor kept looking over at them, or rather Tian, with a leering expression. She never seemed to care what the other boy did, preferring to keep the stupidity down to a minimum by pretending to be oblivious.

"That's hardly worth noting Dolohov. Is the wolfsbane ready?" Antonin wished she would get angry about; she might demand then that something be done about the imbecile's behavior. He had a number of ideas that he was sure she'd approve of.

"Yes," he sighed, than frowned. "Do you think he and his gang of idiots are planning something? They've made a point of doing something especially stupid every year around this time..." He glanced uneasily at Tian, which she ignored.

Abraxas Malfoy picked that opening to add his two kunts, "Most likely. You would have though he would have learned by now."

"Malfoy, focus on your potion before it explodes."

He blinked at her.

"Huh, you're mad at me again?"

"Focus Malfoy." The sharp edge to her voice made to the male Slytherins pale a little, but wasn't enough to curb Malfoy's ability to whine.

"She's made at me isn't she?"

Antonin rolled his eyes. "You are the one that put the idea in Potter's head. She's entitled to be irritated with you, I think." He glared to remind that younger boy just how much he was angry about it. "The boomslag is ready."

"I didn't think he'd take me seriously!" Tian let out a low incensed hiss.

"Malfoy! If you don't pay attention to your bloody potion, I will use it to burn your face off!" Pausing, she took a deep breath to regain the composure she'd lost. "...Please begin grinding the asphodel Dolohov."

"Yes madam." It was a simple and effective way of reaffirming their obedience, though the blond's voice was uncharacteristically meek.

Unfortunately, Professor Slughorn decided to remind them of his horrible timing.

"Ah, Miss Riddle, it is hardly proper to threaten your classmates." Trotting over to them, he paused at Tian's elbow, closer then strictly appropriate. Ever since the beginning of fourth year's second term, Slughorn's behavior around Tian an ill turn. If it wasn't for the fact that she had use for him, Tian would have had him cited for sexual harassment even if it meant going to Dumbledore of all people for help.

"My apologizes Professor," she smiled thinly at him "but this draught is highly volatile if it isn't given apt attention, is it not?"

"That is true..." the Professor's eyes followed the line of her neck, and Antonin's wand hand twitched sporadically, "even so, please refrain from using threats to insure your classmates pay attention." Malfoy watched, transfixed as he abused the poor asphodel into submission in place of Slughorn. He barely held back a snarl.

"Oh course. It won't happen again." The older wizard turn away from the three, and continued his rounds around the room.

"I'm nearly done with the asphodel Tian. Is the crystal in yet?"

She turned to him and smiled, "It is. Now, about Potter..."

The working relationship between the Head Girl, Tian Morgana Riddle, and the Head Boy, Antonin Dolohov was much more efficient than any of the professors could have hoped for. (Especially since the other candidate for Head Boy was Charlus Potter; she would have killed him in his sleep.) They knew each other well enough that any arguments the two might have had were resolved before they even begun. For the first time in years, under their leadership, none of the prefects attempted to abuse their power and the usual animosity between prefects of rival houses was near none existence. (The prefects in question didn't have the heart to tell the professors that this good behavior was due to them being horribly afraid of Tian Riddle and the control she had over the heirs of various powerful pureblood families.)

One particularly romantic student liked the two to the Queen Victoria and her husband, the Prince Consort, Albert. (Her sister quietly told her to shut up. "Honestly, Riddle's ruling style is closer to Queen Elizabeth the First's. She has them strung by their b–" "That's enough Miss Bones!") The entirety of Slytherin was very grateful that Tian never caught wind of this. They didn't want to know what the fallout would be if she thought she was being mocked.

The private relationship between the two was another matter entirely. She was completely content to leave it as it was, with her as the master and Dolohov as the vassal. Antonin on the other hand...

"Just face it; if you haven't gotten her attention by now, you're never going to." Theodore Nott (the Second) was always fond of sharing his pessimism with those in need. The Slytherin lend back against the sofa. One of the perks of having both of the Heads be Slytherins was that they finally had a semi-secure room for meetings.

"Go jump off the North Tower."

"Is our lady King angry with you?"

"No, but...if you call me that again Theo, I'll castrate you." She smiled sweetly at their startled expressions. As she settled herself one of the overstuffed chairs, the rest of the group glanced wearily at each other. A smiling Tian was rarely a good thing. "Regardless, graduation will be soon. You've secured suitably subtle means of contacting me, yes?" They all nodded, than glanced at each other. Malfoy and Nott stared meaningfully at him, but he pretended not to notice.

Avery sneered at the three and said, "Tian, I don't mean to intrude but..." His hesitation was obvious. "Have...you found a place of residence?"

Everyone expected her to explode in rage but she continued smiling.

"Indeed. Speaking of," she flicked her eyes to Antonin, "is there any particular reason why Madam Dolohov would be extending an invitation to resided at her home?" They all froze. His face pale dramatically, and then flushed.

"Er, I, uh..." Unfortunately for him Nott recovered quickly.

"It might have something to do with him wanting to marry you."

Calamity ensured.

Ending Note: This was going to have a lot more femslash in it but Antonin threw himself in front of that train so... There you have it!