"Now... I want you all to make a dream diary, yes I know you've made them before, and I want it handed in by the end of the week. We all dream, and they all have meanings. You're excused."

Tom and Elodie gathered up their belongings and made way for the door, both happy to be free from Divination. Elodie hated making dream diaries, since she could never remember her dreams when it came time to writing them.
It was late in October, nearly a week away from Halloween, and Elodie noticed Tom had been leaving her more often, usually sneaking off with Adrian and Julian, and would return a few hours later, quite smug. She never asked him where he was going, or what he was doing; she knew he wouldn't tell her.

"Kitten?" Tom whispered, pulling her away from the main stream of people, "I need your help with something. Something very important."
Her heart fluttered just looking into his eyes, and she sighed, "Anything, Tom."
He grinned and kissed her cheek, "Wonderful. Now, listen closely. In Slughorn's office, there is a book. Not just any book, but the only one of it's kind in Hogwarts. It's called Inconcessus Veneficium, and it's far too important to be kept even in the Restricted Section of the library. I need you to get it for me."
"How would I get it?" she murmured, struggling to translate the Latin book title to English, "And why would you want it? Can't you just a-ask Slughorn for it?"
"My, my, so many questions," he purred, running his hand through her hair, "Don't you want to help me?"
"Of course I do," she confirmed, nodding, "But Tom... The book translates to Forbbiden Magic... Isn't that d-dangerous?"
"It's a fairly simple book to handle," he stated nonchalantly, "And I'd get it myself, but Slughorn is getting suspicious of me."
"Why?" she blurted before she could stop herself. Tom grinned, "Must have been dear Dumbledore's doing... The man hates me."

"Oh..." she trailed off, going deep into thought. Dumbledore had said he did not trust Tom, and the old man had a very good judge of character. However, she didn't see what there was to not like, and pushed Dumbledore out of her mind, "When shall I g-go see him?"
"Now," he urged, grasping her hand and pulling her back into the flow of students, all chatting noisily in the hallway, "He has a free period. The book is located in his office, in the drawer of his desk, the top one. Please, please do this for me, kitten."
"I promise, I'll get it," she muttered, shooting him a smile. He returned it, but it was not a loving smile. Quite on the contrast; it was a cruel, hungry smile, one which gave Elodie shivers as she slipped away from his side.
"Professor Slughorn?" Elodie called, knocking on the door to his vacant classroom, "Sir?"
"Oh, hello Ms. Greensworth!" he boomed from the storage cupboard near the back, "Give me a moment... First years left this thing a mess!"

"T-Take your time," she laughed, somewhat nervously, and took a seat on a stool, waiting. How was she supposed to get into his office? It was always locked, and unless he invited a student in, he kept it relatively secure.
After a few moments, her portly teacher returned from the cupboard, looking rather unkempt. He swept his thin black hair over the bald spot on the top of his head and smiled, "Well, what can I do for you?"
Elodie paused for a moment, trying to think of something that would involve the pair of them going into his office, "I... I was h-hoping we could discuss it in your office... It's a p-private matter."

He seemed shocked for a moment, then frowned, "A private matter? What sort of matter?"
"I j-just don't want people walking in h-here and ..." she trailed off, her mind racing for something to say, "And taking you away! You're a v-very popular professor, and it's hard to get time with you!"
Flattery had always worked with the Head of Slytherin, and the man grinned, "Well... I suppose I am rather popular."
She giggled and he motioned for her to follow him in, then take a seat on a rather ratty chair in front of his desk. She watched him settle down onto his leather chair behind his desk, then smile, "Well, what is it?"
Elodie looked at her hands, trying to seem shy, but really hoping to buy some time with a lie. Finally, she cleared her throat, "I... I don't know what to do after Hogwarts!"
He raised his eyebrows and she let out a forced cry, "I spoke with Dumbledore today, and he thinks I should work for the Ministry, but I'm really not that good, and I don't know what to do! What can I be? I know we went over this in fifth year, but I wasn't ready then! And I still don't know!"

Inwardly, she was shocked. She hadn't stuttered once through that entire speech, and she instantly wanted to swell with pride. It took a lot to keep herself from smiling.

"Oh, come now, Ms. Greensworth," Slughorn chuckled gently, smiling, "I think you have grades high enough to do anything you wished! I have the file to prove it... Would you like to see what some examiners wrote for you?"
She licked her lips, "Y-Yes, sir."
And it was back. Slughorn rose, "It's in the filing cupboard in the classroom... Two seconds."

Her heart picked up the pace as he swept out of the room, and she was instantly on her feet, scuffling around his desk and ripping open the top drawer.

There it was. Right on top of a pile of papers, Inconcessus Veneficium. Forbidden Magic. What did Tom want with such a ratty, torn old book? She wasted no time in wondering, and stuffed the small, yet thick novel into her cloak, then moved quickly out of the room.

"O-Oh, I'm so sorry," she called, watching Slughorn turn around from his hunched over position by the files, "I j-just remembered I need to take a History of Magic test that I missed... Do you mind...?"
"Come back later, then," he invited, slamming the file drawer shut, "I'm sure you have what you need, anyway."
Elodie frowned for a moment, and he turned away, retreating into his storage cupboard. Did he know?

*-

Tom studied Elodie as she hurried off toward the dungeons, shuffling through crowds of people.
Oh, it was just too good! She barely put up an outward fight. He could sense she was losing some trust in him, but that didn't matter, for now. Now, all he wanted was that damn book.

Patience is a virtue, Tom, patience is a virtue.


Yes, yes it was. Patience was something he had learned to master.

"Mr. Riddle? A moment, please?"

Tom cringed. That irritating, deep voice which belonged to none other then Albus Dumbledore made him want to vomit on the spot. What did the old fool want with him now? He hadn't done anything!
"Actually, if you don't mind, sir," Tom spat mockingly, turning to face the man, "But I do have a class I need to get to."
"You have a fifteen minute break," Dumbledore chuckled, calmly folding his hands in front of him as the last few students trickled out of the hall and off to their next classes.

Curse him, Tom, curse him!

He couldn't. Not yet.

Kill him, Tom, kill him.


He would, in time.

Tom raised an eyebrow, "This must be important... It's not everyday you wander up here to see me."
"Well, I wanted to catch you," Dumbledore admitted, his eyes twinkling slightly, "Ms. Greensworth tells me you are dating."
"I don't see how it's any of your business," Tom ground, glaring at the man and his hands tightening on the book he was holding, "But yes, yes we are."
"Funny how you've never given her any of your precious time before," Dumbledore mused, his eyes narrowing only slightly, "But she seems quite happy."
"Of course she's happy," Tom snapped, "We're fine. She's a beautiful, charismatic, and exceedingly intelligent girl."
"Sometimes too intelligent," Dumbledore murmured softly, and Tom had been forced to lean in to hear him. The boy frowned, "Are we finished, sir?"

"Yes, but a word of caution, Tom," Dumbledore said firmly, "Any mistreatment of Elodie will have consequences of it's own nature."
Tom glared as Dumbledore began to walk off, humming something under his breath. With a sneer, Tom called, "Is that a threat, sir?"
"Of course not," Dumbledore replied calmly, a small smile on his lips, "Merely a precaution. Good day, Mr. Riddle."