Bet you thought you were rid of me lol

Not so soon!

I had a bunch of research to do for my masters and then exams but I have an update thanks to NANO! (Also I'm sick so maybe I'm delirious idk)

ANyhoo!

Reviewers:

MyBeewing - AYYY! Ykw, with these two who knows? Wow I am really not very present just go with it. But yeah, as averse to a truce as Ro or Tom are- there is definitely a stasis forming!

Ai Star - Really nothing to gain from lying so why bother?

Godrinkpinesol624- Thank you!

The scarlet curve of the Hogwarts Express twisted elegantly around the bends in its journey to the school. The students within the coach carriages chattered, laughed, and gamed as they awaited their arrival back to their second home. In the fourth carriage, Tom Riddle and his…friends…were the same.

Tom was best familiar with this carriage - in the middle - where he could learn of anything that happened on the train. Unless of course, he had to head to the first carriage for his Prefect meetings. His patrols were easiest from there as well, if he ever needed to send his followers for an 'errand.'

However, he had never noticed that the door to their compartment didn't latch properly.

His eyes kept flickering to the offending hash of metal, slicking against its stopper precariously, itching to pop open at every bump or jolt.

It grated on his sharp senses for some inexplicable reason.

In front of him, Abraxas and Avery were in deep conversation with Lestrange - perhaps about some or the other girl they were salivating over that month. If he wasn't so preoccupied with that damned latch he might have sighed a few times - a signal to end the inane conversation.

He ran his eyes over his followers, taking in the new robes, the pristine conditions of their accessories. Of course, he knew that Abraxas must have moaned at home until he got what he wanted. He eyed the boy critically.

"Um, Tom?"

Tom glanced over to where the comparatively mild mannered Rosier sat. His body was positioned away from the rest of the group - aimed towards the window but his eyes were on Riddle.

"Are you feeling alright?"

The chatter ceased. Eyes roved over to where Riddle sat alone on his side of the compartment, hands placed regally to his sides. His face was relaxed, expressionless. He looked like the picture of ease. And yet, with him…they could never know.

"Yeah, Riddle…how are you?" Lestrange quickly put in.

Tom didn't look at him.

"I am quite well, Rosier." He replied shortly.

There was a pause.

"I heard there was a bombing at your…residence." Abraxas drawled and Tom finally looked away from Rosier at the lounging blond.

"I wasn't aware muggle bombings made the news at the Ministry, Malfoy."

"Well, it could always be Grindelwald so…" Abraxas shrugged. "Apparently there was an incident of underage magic around the area, that's why it caused a stir. But Dumbledore," Riddle scoffed to himself, "cleared it up. I thought maybe you -"

He stopped, glancing at the rest of the boys' warning eyes before looking at Riddle.

"Or maybe it was Revel, I don't know…" He finished.

"You don't know…" Riddle mused quietly, his tenor enough to make Rosier curl a little. "Tell me, Abraxas, does your father discuss underage magic at your dinner table?"

Malfoy had the idiocy to look smug.

"No, he was talking to my mother and I overheard. They never even knew."

Riddle hummed as he stood, buttoning his robe. "So, you do indeed have the ability to remain unnoticed. Shame it failed when I needed you to be so, Malfoy. But keep practicing, perhaps in time you may be of some use to me."

He strode out of the carriage for his Prefect meeting, carelessly shooting a Reparo over his shoulder at the latch as he put Malfoy out of his mind. He had another thing to think about for this meeting.

The rubble that shook out from around them had barely settled.

Tom's shield spell had deflected all of Revel's spellwork, the blasts hitting the nearby buildings. He wondered if any would ricochet and hit Revel herself then rolled his eyes. He wasn't going to be that lucky - definitely not tonight.

Dumbledore's arrival sealed the deal. He was absolutely not lucky that night and that was that. He dropped his shield when told to but kept his guard up regardless. While he sincerely doubted that all this was an elaborate trick to get him alone - he was also aware that Grindelwald posed a bigger threat to Dumbledore than a fifteen year old boy Dumbledore was just suspicious about.

"She's panicking, professor." He muttered dutifully, more to divert his attention off himself than any real concern for the girl. That wasn't to say that her reeling eyes weren't unnerving. Roselle Revel was clearly not altogether present.

"So she is." He said just as she began to drop.

Tom watched as Dumbledore levitated the girl, encircled in a golden mist that was surely some form of illusion. As they trekked back to the orphanage with Revel floating in front of them, Tom had to ask.

"Why are you here?"

Naturally, the old man didn't answer. Tom was sure that even when he would - there would be some damned crypticness to it that Tom would be left pondering upon.

Dumbledore had Tom lead the way to Revel's room, floating and then laying her across the thin mass of fabric that passed for a bed here. He glanced around it, wondering if Dumbledore was thinking about the day they met.

"Now Tom, first things first, I would like you to tell me exactly what happened here." Dumbledore said as he began to delve into his pockets. "And mind you, I need the truth."

Tom obliged - more so because what could there possibly be to gain by lying?

He spoke concisely, glossing over his actions as he watched the older wizard bring out phials and upend them one by one into the unconscious girl's open mouth. Tom felt an odd prickle of discomfort.

They fell silent when he was done, simply eyeing Revel.

"I am here due to underage magic, Tom." Dumbledore said gravely. He didn't elaborate and he didn't need to.

Tom nodded coolly.

"Will she be sensible when she wakes then?"

"I daresay she will. It has been hard for her, and harsher still to get through what happened tonight. I would like to commend you, Tom. What you did for Rose was noble indeed," he fixed the boy beside him with a piercing blue gaze that Tom expertly avoided, looking straight at Revel.

"I simply kept my word."

Dumbledore hummed before pulling out the chair. "It must have been a taxing day for you too Tom, you should go and rest. I will stand guard and notify Miss Cole when they arrive."

Tom took the dismissal readily, walking to the door before glancing back at the professor and Revel. His prickle of discomfort had returned, gnawing at the idea of leaving her alone with him but he shrugged it off.

Dumbledore was, in fact, the girl's guardian and honestly, Tom couldn't be bothered.

As he climbed the staircase he paused again.

"Curious," he murmured to himself.

"...and in light of this report of bullying, I am obligated to take strict action against the perpetrator. Bullying is not acceptable within Hogwarts."

Slughorn looked distinctly nervous as he spoke, clenching the paper of announcement that he was reading from.

I watched Slughorn boredly from my spot next to Lila, her legs draped elegantly over a footstool. Next to her, Fawley and Alphard were already shuffling a new pack of Exploding Snap.

"...as such, we all came together and the prefects have delivered their decision to the Headmaster. He accepts as do I. Olive Hornby, is henceforth, removed from her post of Slytherin Prefect."

A piercing silence ran through the crowd following the announcement. Nobody gasped, nobody even blinked.

Before –

"WHAT? FOR WHAT?"

The shrill screech that erupted from the very center of the common room had heads swiveling from Slughorn to Olive Hornby. She'd stood up by now, her sleek head and shoulder quivering in suppressed outrage.

I glanced back at Slughorn, his own mustache a bit trembly but otherwise, he looked fairly unimpressed.

"Miss Hornby, you have multiple reports and complaints against you for bullying and rash behavior. Aside from the removal from your post, you already are in a lot of trouble. I would've mentioned this in private but your parents might just be called for your use of - untoward - and unprovoked name calling."

"So the mudb –"

"Detention, Miss Hornby." Slughorn broke in smoothly, stomach heaving as he cut off Hornby's passionate display of pure-blood supremacy. "For the Hogsmeade weekend next, you will be spending it with me, arranging my potion stock." He huffed then folded the page he'd been holding.

"Right then, moving on we need a new prefect for Slytherin and the rest of the prefect body has already decided on the candidate if she wishes to accept the mantle. Roselle Revel has been chosen as the Slytherin prefect."

Another bout of speechless silence cut through the crowd, except for one more "WHAT" on Hornby's behalf.

"Me?"

"Yes, Miss Revel," Slughorn finally looked relaxed enough to smile. "You've made quite the impression, it seems. Usually we take great care to vet the prefects appointed." He winced a little. "But I trust the Prefect body on their appointment. After all, I daresay they know their peers best. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out, or talk to Tom."

He nodded around the muttering slytherins and exited out the common room.

"Holy buckets of Merlin's tears," Lila said immediately, turning to grin at me. "You're a Prefect."

I returned Lila's look, completely thunderstruck. "But I've never been a Prefect."

She snorted. "I doubt anyone in the club has been. You're not new anymore, you don't have anything to worry about. Just follow Tom's instructions, I guess, until you get the hang of it. He'll be happy to help, I'm sure."

Tom Riddle…

It had to be him…and even if it wasn't, then he had to know what was up. There was no way this was a coincidence. I certainly wasn't popular enough to warrant a position in the Prefects group.

Spying a marching Olive in the distance, blocked by her hangers on, I stood up. "I'm going to…go look for Riddle and um, hide till it's safe."

"Best of luck, Ro." Alphard said softly.

The steps up to the library were cold and silent this time of the evening and I shivered without my jumper. Truth be told, I'd never bothered to go to the library this late even for my OWLs and sadly, the NEWTs business was just nasty with death eaters running about. That had only helped make me more sneaky.

Pushing open the heavy oaken door, I slipped past the librarian's desk with barely a glance at the witch who gave me a searching look but didn't say anything. Aisles passed, books swirling around, going to their rightful places after being left by students.

I found Riddle sitting at the back of the aisle closest to the Restricted Section and frankly, was not surprised at all. Neither was he, it seemed, when even before I could approach, he'd waved his eerie wand, sending his books floating away while his parchments rolled up and notebooks shut.

Piling his inks and quills together, he gave me the most expectant nod. "Miss Revel," Like in the bathroom with Myrtle, I was again struck by how the dark and pale light emphasized his handsomeness.

I tilted my head in acknowledgement, pulling a chair and turning it to face him. Cleverly, or it only seemed to me, I placed it right in the middle of the narrow aisle, so he couldn't sidestep me to march away.

"The library again? I would've thought you would take some time with your friends, decompress after the trying days you've had."

I leaned back, crossing my legs in a very non-forties way, just watching him. His eyes darted down my body, frowning but he didn't speak again.

"Professor Slughorn made the most interesting announcement in the common room just now. You missed it."

Riddle only stared.

"Olive's no longer the slytherin prefect. I am."

"Congratulations are in order. Is that why you came to me?"

"You don't seem surprised."

Riddle shrugged delicately, reaching out for his quill. "They were hardly going to go without a second prefect, no matter how…efficient I am. Walburga and Druella share Hornby's…ideologies, and the choice lay between you and Lila Macmillan."

"Why didn't they pick Lila?"

"I am sure Miss Myrtle has a hand in that. You gave her courage enough to report Miss Hornby. She must have spoken highly of you."

I nodded, accepting his words. "I know it was you."

Riddle finally leaned back in his chair, mimicking my posture as he broke his gaze. "And how did you come to that conclusion?"

"I'm not an idiot. Nobody would pick me to be a prefect because they don't know me. Slughorn said the prefect body made the decision and I am very sure you had something to do with it."

He looked at me again, blank and unrelenting.

"I just don't know how, or why?"

He smiled then, a slight smirk that twisted his lips up in a way that had me gulping. "You'll find I can be very persuasive." His eyes deepened, thoughts and emotions in them too out of my reach.

"Why?" I whispered.

There was no answer for a long time. Riddle's smile faded to give way to another frown, looking away from me out the window. The last flecks of sunlight had vanished. Soon it would be time for supper, I thought, remembering what he had told me my first night here.

"We can't be allies, Tom." I whispered.

It was the first time I'd said his first name without sarcasm or irony coloring my voice. He flinched and true anger flashed across his face when he turned his head to me before losing heart. I stared at him seriously, arms on the table and empty, as open as I could afford to be.

A few moments passed with the stern gaze suspended between us.

It was me who decided to leave first. Pushing the chair back, I got to my feet and without another look back at the lone, beautiful boy, I went down to eat.

In the days that passed after having the conversation with Riddle in the library, life took many moments to settle down. The mornings started earlier now for patrol, classes took up pace and nights ended later, yet again for patrol.

It almost seemed like Riddle and I danced around each other during these meetings for patrol, to decide and divide parts of the castle. The strangely intense sensation around him never wavered, but unlike other times, it seemed to affect him as much as it did me. His eyes returned to me more than once during the classes we shared and I would feel his mind attempt to pierce into mine on more than one occasion, sometimes almost breaching in before my attention snapped into place.

His proximity sent more than just paranoid flashes through me now.

And it scared me.

So I tried my best to stay out of his way. It was easy to blend into the castle at night, nooks and crannies that I was as familiar with as the veins in my arms, but not so during daylight, when I knew that it wasn't just Riddle I needed to stay away from - but also Olive Hornby.

The girl had been unbearable ever since the news of the new prefect was announced. I avoided her by simply exiting and entering the dormitory when she would be fast asleep, but sooner or later something had to be done about her.

I'd nervously refuted Fawley, Alphard and Lila's invitation to join them in the library to finish homework, instead taking my Ancient Runes books into Helena Ravenclaw's abandoned courtyard.

She hadn't visited the stone and vine and moss covered place in all the times I'd gone by; it seemed like a safe place to scrawl out my essay, against one of the smoother flagstones.

After the scare I'd had with Hagrid, the younger half-giant was careful in not being spotted by me. I knew the news of me being a prefect had spread through the school embarrassingly fast, looks of suspicion, fear and sometimes friendly grins made their way at me in a way they never had before. Whatever Riddle had planned or hadn't planned, it had certainly taken away my much coveted anonymity. It was a spotlight I couldn't afford, and yet it was a chance I couldn't ignore either.

I couldn't bring myself to try and trace Riddle's steps, finding myself blanked behind him before having to resume patrol.

Where did he go during the patrols? What was he doing at night?

"That is Ansuz, not Fehu."

My quill stabbed through the parchment, ripping a tiny keyhole through the rune. "What?" I turned my head, worried my secret spot had been discovered.

There were no black robe-clad students or stern teachers in sight. Instead, hovering a few inches over my shoulder, a shimmery silver specter peeked at my parchment, distinctly unimpressed yet curious. Silver coiled curls flooded to her waist, cinched in with ribbons around her foamy looking gown.

"Helena?" I called the eerily beautiful ghost, surprised at the strange happenstance, at the unexpectedness of the meeting.

She hummed absentmindedly, still looking over my parchment. "You are not a Ravenclaw, not with that serpent coiling at your bosom. Why do you seek me?"

I gaped up at her, silently frowning at the question.

"I wasn't seeking you."

"No?" She turned pale gray eyes on me. "I have seen you lurking here quite some time now, young Slytherin. No one visits here unless they want an audience with me. There is no use lying." She paused suddenly, those eyes turning sharper, almost flinty before her expression smoothed. "Oh."

"Oh?"

"Things are not what they seem, are they?"

I stayed silent, watching her float further into the courtyard and turn to face me. She looked kindly now.

"You have walked in the Beyond. I can see it in your eyes. Is this not your time?"

I shook my head.

"Did we know each other, in your time?"

I nodded.

She tsked, moving closer and then in a circle. "I know you from a distant time, I can sense the familiarity. What are you doing here?"

"You weren't half this chatty when I knew you." I said, an eyebrow raised when she chose to laugh sardonically instead of vanishing through the walls.

"You must have known me in sadder times. I cannot both die and come alive again in melancholy, young Slytherin. Did the Baron send you?"

"No. It feels weird reintroducing myself, but I'm Roselle. You have always called me that."

"Roselle," she muttered the name, the familiar voice raising pained goosebumps across my body. She gazed at me for a while, before in a whoosh, zooming away from me and disappearing in the farther wall.

I sighed. At least she was as temperamental, if not as sad. I looked down at the still incomplete Runes homework, wondering what had happened to make her sadder in the fifty years that passed.

The Ancient Runes homework took the better part of the day to complete, just in time for an owl to find me, clutching a small scroll of parchment in its beak. Unfurling it, I should have expected the invitation to night time hot chocolate with Dumbledore.

If I had been avoiding Riddle and Hornby, I was downright being disrespectful to Dumbledore's small words of encouragement that he tried hard to pour down my back during class. It almost - almost - reminded me of the way Dumbledore had ignored Harry once.

So after wrapping up the OWLs homework as best as I could (abysmally) I made my way up to the Transfiguration professor's office.

"Rose," He didn't seem surprised when I knocked to enter. "How are you? To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I'm so sorry professor. I just wanted to let you know that I was being childish. I wasn't really trying to avoid you after…what happened, but I - I did." I said, clenching my fingers in front of me, unable to meet those serene blue eyes.

Dumbledore was quiet before waving a hand. The chair in front of his desk moved out invitingly. "I cannot say that I did not have the thought. It is understandable of course and I am happy you took the time to sort out your feelings before coming to see me."

I sat in the chair and it moved into place. On the table, in front of Dumbledore was a late night tea set.

"Some tea, I find, is always better than calming potions." He reached to pour out some very sweet smelling tea. "I don't suppose we will need to rehash what happened at Wool's?"

"No sir." I muttered.

"Good, good. How have you been feeling, back in Hogwarts? I see the prefect batch sitting on your robes now. Is the position suiting you?"

I shrugged. "You already know that Riddle had something to do with it, right?"

"I am aware that your name was brought up by Mr. Riddle, yes. His reasons seem obscure. Perhaps he saw potential and felt that you'd be cheered up by being appointed a prefect."

"That's such a -" I changed my words. "That makes no sense, professor. Riddle is not the kind of person to care about anyone else's spirit. He doesn't care about anyone else but himself."

"You think so?"

"I know so. You told me not to tell you anything about the future but he is…he - he is responsible for what happened to me." I said, ignoring the rising of his hand to cut me off. I'd said what I'd said without actually saying the words. Dumbledore could make of it what he wanted to.

Dumbledore hummed to himself. "I know that you and Riddle have a connection from your past makes him one of the people to whom you are closest in this timeline. You may consider him an enemy but keep in mind that Tom has not done any of the things that affect you in your life. You should take advantage of that."

I stared at him. "Are you saying I shouldn't hate him?"

Dumbledore's gentle smile turned grave. "Hate is a poison, Roselle. You have used it to fuel yourself in the past. Perhaps you ought to give some thought to the opposite."

My eyes widened. "I am not going to love Tom Riddle, Professor!"

"Of course not. But friendliness goes a long way as I'm sure you are aware of. You have made friends within Slytherin when you were once burdened by prejudice. I wonder, can you bring yourself to free your mind once more and extend the same to Tom Riddle?"

I took a sip of the sweet tea, pursing my lips against the cup to hold my tongue against the tirade of outrage.

"If you could, would you do the same?"

"I would. There are people to whom I have not been nearly as kind as I should have. I have my own regrets regarding the violence I have put out into the world. I may not be able to take it back, but I can hope for a softer future."

The fire blazed on between us in the silence after his words.

The memory of the crackling fire remained long seared into my bones through the chill of the Castle. The night patrol took me on winding trails over the top half of the castle, wondering where and what Riddle could be doing at that moment. While I vehemently disagreed with the idea that Riddle and I had any form of connection, I couldn't deny that his existence rankled in my head in a way it hadn't before.

Before the holidays, Riddle's presence was an inconvenient threat that had me watching over my shoulder. His followers and their questioning about my life had scared me, yes, but that was an easy enough obstacle to overcome once they met either the wall of Dumbledore's guardianship, or if I was desperate enough, the tip of my wand in an empty hallway.

The paranoia that Riddle inspired was not as easy to dismiss. For one, people in my time might have said that Voldemort was ever truly scared of Albus Dumbledore - but Tom Riddle did not seem to have any such sentiments. He worked secretly, too cleanly to ever be caught and Dumbledore would never accuse him of anything without solid evidence - no matter how suspicious. He also was not someone I could intimidate with magic. If his shield charm was any evidence, he was adept at dueling already. If I was going to kill him, it could not be face to face.

I had to attack him where he couldn't see it.

Thud

I skidded to a stop, head whirling to look towards where the sound came from. The sound was unmistakable, the shutting of a large, heavy door. Glancing at my watch - a thoughtful gift from Alphard - the roving moons told me it was definitely too late for anyone to be shutting any doors at the moment.

I pulled out my wand, a quiet lumos illuminating the hallway better than the mild moonlight.

Feeling along the wall, I touched upon a brass doorknob and pushed it open, aiming the wand tip inside.

The huge looming figure jumped at my entrance, stumbling a few steps away from the light.

"Hagrid?"

"Ro?"

I raised the wand, the orb of luminescence shooting up to light up the room. Hagrid was hunkering inside the room, his large hands fiddling at his front as he shuffled around. He didn't meet my eyes.

"What are you doing here so late at night? You should be in bed." I said.

"Uh…I couldn't sleep. I wa' jus' walkin' around to tire meself out."

I glanced around the room carefully, crossing my arms finally. "Hagrid, if you lie to me, I can't help you."

The boy gasped, mumbled something, before sighing, beckoning me over. He moved aside to reveal a large wooden crate I hadn't spotted behind him. "Look in."

I obeyed, peering into the open box before recoiling quickly. "Hagrid, what on earth! You have a - is that - you have a large spider! Is that an acromantula?"

"Hush! Hush! Not so loud!" Hagrid waived those large hands to divert my rising volume. "Yes, it is an acromantula - Aragog!"

I raised my eyebrows, the name striking a memory. I shook my head to clear images of Harry and Ron telling a freshly revived Hermione and me about the giant acromantula and his brethren nearly eating them.

"You actually named an acromantula." I said, dazed and a little irked by the scratching of the spider from within the wooden confines of its box.

Hagrid shrugged.

"Ok, ok," I shuddered before gathering my wits. "You have a monster in a box in a room in the castle and the thing is going to grow gigantic in not too long."

Hagrid mumbled again but I distinctly caught the 'not a monster.'

I looked at him. "You know you can't keep him here, right? He'll attract attention and you can't be there all the time to watch over him."

There was a pause as Hagrid stared into the box with misty eyes. I wondered if he was going to cry.

"I know," He said at length. "Just a few more weeks."

"Well, that's all well and good now. Come on, I'll drop you at the Gryffindor common room."

"I can go. You have a patrol."

"I finished." I lied. There was no way Hagrid would get to the common room without being spotted. If he managed to escape the prefects, he would surely be seen by the House-elves. I exited the room first, waiting for Hagrid to come out before casting a quick disillusionment charm over him. The darkness would do the rest.

"Follow me and stay close." I said, setting off before pausing. Turning my head, I pointed my lighted wand at the wall. I could've sworn that we hadn't moved forward too much but the door was gone. I gulped, staring down the now familiar hall of the seventh floor.

AND THERE IT IS! I'm not gonna blabber on too much cause it's going to come out a mess rn!

Until next time!