Non Omnis Moriar

13: Suspicions

Happy New Year to my beautiful readers! How are you all? Has the new year been treating you well? I hope everything is amazing and everyone is safe!

A/N: Just to mention that some of the classes will have undergone changes to keep with the customs of the "times". You'll see what I mean ;)

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As usual, the Slytherin common room was that strange blend of cold and warm. A roaring green fire blazed in the grate closest to me, my feet up on one of the small tables at the sitting booths arranged around the room; a gesture that had Lila raising an eyebrow and Eileen Prince cast a surreptitious glance around the room.

I hadn't lowered my legs.

The first week back at Hogwarts had already gone by in the blink of an eye. Now, Hogwarts tended to do that; make time go by quick while you're busy studying, with friends or perhaps plotting the end of a Dark Lord. Here of course, I felt the passage of time almost as if it was something physically brushing me by.

That one week had seen me completely ingrained in this little circle. The bonds had strengthened almost with no hiccups, aside from here and there when I had caught a few glances and pursed lips thrown my way when I would do something mildly forward for these times. Most of them came from Eileen, however, so I wasn't too bothered.

After all, she had given birth to Snape who never liked anything in the world so why concern myself?

It wasn't like I was blatantly trying not to fit in. It just didn't seem to matter to the other students. They were almost all purebloods and while, weirdly enough, there was only light and partial hostility between the rest of the houses with Slytherin, bigotry wasn't something easily diluted. It had only gained further foothold as legacies deepened – like death eaters.

I just had to live with it.

As per Dippet's wishes, Dumbledore had seen to my new enrollment into the school. During one nightly conversations, he'd talked of the process, talking about how he'd put me down for Care of Magical Creatures and Ancient Runes. With a twinkle in his eye, he'd simply said not everything required magic, when I'd asked how he had known.

While he had mentioned once that I wasn't supposed to speak of anything vital of the future, I decided it was safe to tell him of the way, Hermione had helped me study the subject. I'd taken it because a great aunt had advised me on future prospects and curse breaking had looked the most appealing. Language elective was a requirement for that.

Hagrid, though not the most competent was still the most fun Magical Creature expert I'd known and it was a given to pick that one. Only this time, the teachers were Silvanus Kettleburn and Beryl Babbling.

Naturally, when I'd stepped into the classes, Riddle was there, tucked away in one corner but sticking out like he always did, commanding the atmosphere in that horrible cold, stoic presence he radiated. Even in the paddock where the creatures were kept, I could feel the prickle of his being, in a much too unsafe distance, even with Alphard and Lila's warmth next to me.

I'd thought he'd take something more complicated, like Arithmancy. Or maybe even Divination, seeing as how he'd been so intent on that one prophecy.

Apparently, those weren't his forte, but Fawley had whispered about how it was unlikely he didn't already know the subjects. There were even rumors that Riddle took Alchemy lessons in secret.