Summary: Through a sudden twist of fate, Myrtle is spared the deadly gaze of the Basilisk, unfortunately Tom wasn't so lucky.
An: Sorry this chapter is so short but I wanted to get it out quickly! To all of my amazing reviewers thank you.
Amethyst Evangeline: I read your Fruits Basket story a few years back, I loved it! Thank you for your lovely review, it gave me the kick in the pants I needed to crank this baby out. I hope I can manage to keep Tom in character for you!
ASF13957:I thought it was an interesting idea myself, and It would embarrass me if my grammar and spelling were terrible!
Shadowy Flip Flops of DOOM: I love your name, and thank you for saying so.
Chapter 3 The Young and the Restless
Ghosts didn't sleep, they couldn't, but they could meditate and refresh themselves if they wished. This is what Tom did for the rest of the night, and when morning came he felt more energy in his ghostly body then he had in a long time. But with this energy came a restlessness, a rather desperate urge to move that needed to be sated, and so he left his bathroom to wander the hallways.
It was early in the morning and most of the students were still lounging about in their common rooms. Most days Tom would have relished the quiet the morning offered, craved it in fact, but today- today he wanted noise. He didn't know where this strange urge had come from, this strange desire to be around people, but he didn't bother analyzing the feeling as he took the once familiar path to the Great Hall where a low buzz of conversation had started up.
The last time Tom had passed through the giant double doors he had been alive. Automatically he lifted his hand to press it against the smooth wood and push open the door but his fingers passed through the solid barrier, leaving a slight tingling in his fingertips. He sighed and dropped his hand and quickly floated through the door, getting a brief glimpse of the wood inside before his vision cleared, and he was in the Great Hall.
Nothing had changed.
The four house tables were in their respective places, the food was laid out in a large delicious looking spread, and teachers were milling about the staff table yawning and glancing bleary eyed at the students below them, mostly studious Ravenclaws. Only two people noticed Tom's entrance though, one was Albus Dumbledore who only gave a curious glance at his former student, the other was Ginny Weasley.
She was sitting at the Gryffindor table, her small hands clutching the book he had given her in the restricted section tightly, as if afraid someone would take it away. She needn't have worried though, no one would know what it was at first glance. It had no distinguishing marks that would classify it as a book of dark magic and so Ginny should have felt safe reading it at her almost empty table. She had looked up from her reading just as he came into the room and smiled shyly in his direction. His lips quirked in a very brief smile in response as he turned to the Slytherin table and floated there.
He almost felt alive as he headed toward a group of young boys who were sitting where he used to. He recognized a few faces: a Malfoy, a Crabbe, and a Goyle, standing out the most, they were sitting together with another boy he couldn't name. He floated closer to the group, they were all huddled together whispering urgently about something but quickly stopped at the sight of Tom. The Malfoy boy glared arrogantly at him looking him over, his silver eyes resting on the Slytherin crest for a moment then glancing at his prefect badge then back to his face.
"Who are you ghost. I have never seen you before." he growled rudely, Tom edged closer to the blond and held back a smile at the shivers his cold body inspired in the boy.
"You wouldn't have." he simply said, letting his hand brush against the back of the boy taking great amusement as he instantly went ramrod straight and took a deep gasp of air.
"You- you can't-"
"Oh but I can Malfoy, unless you care to stop me?" an indignant blush spread across his cheeks as he tried to sputter something out that sounded suspiciously like 'My father'.
"Calm down Draco, he's just a ghost," The boy he couldn't name muttered, glancing at Tom as he took a seat next to the alarmed Malfoy boy. "We still need to talk about what we are going to do to about Potter." The Malfoy glared at the other boy but didn't say anything as he turned his back on Tom.
"Fine," he grumbled. "Keeping that moron from getting into our common room again is more important anyway." The boy nodded.
"Good now that that's settled we need to find out how he is getting our password, I think the girls are telling him." Crabbe blinked in surprise.
"Why would they do that?" Draco rolled his eyes.
"Because girls think he is attractive, I don't know why they would but who can understand girls?" The other boys nodded in agreement.
"So we should start questioning the girls?" Goyle asked excitedly, cracking his knuckles. The unnamed boy looked alarmed.
"If we question them that way they will have nothing to do with us in the future, and I don't know about you mate but I want to get laid eventually." Goyle muttered something under his breath and slouched back in his seat.
"I think we better take care of it Mulciber." Draco said. The now christened Mulciber nodded in agreement and started in on his breakfast, eating slowly.
"I don't think just asking them is going to work, how do we know they are telling the truth?" Mulciber asked after a minute of silent chewing. Draco grimaced and set down his fork.
"We don't," he groaned rubbing his eyes tiredly, "We would have to take them at their word."
"There is another option." Tom murmured, all eyes turned to him. Draco glared at him sourly.
"Let me guess you want us to go to a teacher, well we tried that and it didn't work. All the teachers like perfect Potter." He spat out, Tom narrowed his eyes at the Malfoy and prodded him again with an icy finger.
"St-stop that!" He hissed. Mulciber ignored Draco though and turned to look at Tom.
"What did you have in mind?" Tom's lips quirked at the Malfoy's discomfort before responding to the other boy.
"Capture this Potter and force him to stay out of Slytherin house." Goyle's eyes lit up.
"Force him like," he cracked his knuckles "Force him?" Tom nodded and Goyle beamed at him before turning to Draco.
"It sounds like a good plan Malfoy, I'm real good at making people do things." Crabbe grunted in agreement.
"It does sound like a better plan then questioning all the girls in Slytherin, easier too." Draco glared hatefully at Tom.
"It is a good plan." He growled through clenched teeth, "But how do we capture Potter without getting caught ourselves, and how do we keep him quiet after-?" he wrung his hands in a strangling motion.
"Can you not think for yourselves or do you need me to guide you every step of the way?" Tom sighed in mock disappointment "I feel foolish assuming you were Slytherins.". If the boys in front of him had been dogs their hackles would have been up, Mulciber and Malfoy knowing they had been insulted and Crabbe and Goyle following their betters lead.
"We can too come up with something ourselves!" Draco snarled, standing up aggressively, "Come on guys lets go." The Malfoy abruptly grabbed his bag and stormed out of the Great Hall, Mulciber glanced at Tom before standing up slowly.
"Come on Crabbe, Goyle, you know how his highness gets after a temper tantrum." Both boys gave their plates longing looks before grabbing their bags and following after Mulciber. After the group was out of sight Tom allowed himself a small chuckle and stood, it was good to rile young Slytherins again, almost- fun. He idly straightened out his robes and started to float away only giving a passing glance at the other tables that were starting to rapidly fill up as he exited the Hall.
It took him three minutes to realize he was being followed, and another two to know who is was. With a small smirk he turned a corner and quickly hid himself in the wall, listening for the small rapid footsteps of his stalker. Tom looked out, saw a flash of red hair and emerged from his hiding place.
"Hello Miss. Weasley." Ginny gave a startled yelp and jumped about a foot in the air, quickly turning to face Tom.
"Merlin! Don't do that." she gasped out, pressing hand to her chest. Tom simply smiled at her and her eyes softened dramatically.
"I saw you talking to Malfoy and his gang," Ginny murmured glancing up at his face. Tom gave a small unconcerned hum in response. She glared up at him, her lips twisting in annoyance.
"Not going to tell me what about?" Tom decided to humor her.
"They were having issues with another student, I was simply helping them resolve the problem."
"They looked angry." Ginny observed, Tom shrugged.
"They don't take constructive criticism well." They lapsed into silence.
"If that is all…" Tom started to float away.
"No wait-" she called, he paused "I just- I just wanted to thank you for your help last night." Tom smiled again and the girls blush returned full force.
"It isn't a problem Miss. Weasley, do not forget I was a prefect when I was alive. Helping students was my job." Ginny nodded her eyes glazed over with affection and inwardly Tom scoffed, winning this schoolgirl's affection was almost too easy.
"Yes, well I have to get to class." she muttered and edged away from him.
"Indeed you do, but remember Ginerva," she froze. "Should you ever need any assistance in finding more interesting reading material. I would be happy to help." With that Tom floated through the wall, leaving the little redhead looking after him.