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—REMUS LOOKED AT HIS SON AND SIGHED. "Ri, you don't have to go." He tried, worried about his son's mental health.
Rigel gave him a look. "Rem, this is my education. I'm not letting my stupid.. illness.. take it away from me. It has already taken enough."
"There's nothing to be worried about, Moony." said Sirius, taking his son's side on this.
After all, Remus has gottenoverprotective over Rigel ever since the day he had been diagnosed, and they all noticed.
"Please write to us if it gets bad." Remus said, ignoring his husband and giving his son a scolding look.
Rigel sighed. "I'll try."
When Rigel's guardians finally apparated away, he was left with a frowning Tom.
"Worried about me, Riddle?" asked Rigel teasingly, noticing his concerned face.
Tom huffed. "Of course not."
"Sure."
"..Owl me, will you?"
Rigel nodded.
When Tom also apparated away, he walked onto the train and immediately walked over to the Slytherin compartments.
••
Rigel stilled in shock when he opened the compartment door, Draco rushing over, hugging him tightly. "Thank you so much." Draco whispered.
Rigel slowly started to hug back, nodding. "Anytime, Draco."
"I'm the only one who has no idea what's going on, aren't I?" asked Blaise as he walked in.
The two cousins pulled away and sat down, not answering, making him look offended.
••
When they were all finally in the great hall, Rigel realized Dumbledore looking at him calculatedly.
What was the old git planning?
After the first years were sorted and the students were all done eating, Dumbledore stood up.
The hall silenced immediately.
"Very best of evenings to you all." Dumbledore said. "First off, let me introduce the newest member of our staff. Horace Slughorn. Professor Slughorn, I'm happy to say, has agreed to resume his old post... as Potions Master. Meanwhile, the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts... will be taken by Professor Snape."
Excited murmurs filled the Slytherin table.
Dumbledore continued, "Now as you know, each and every one of you was searched upon your arrival here tonight and you have the right to know why. Once there was a young man, who like you, sat in this very hall, walked this castle's corridors, slept under its roofs. He seemed to all the world a student like any other. His name: Tom Riddle."
Dumbledore made eye-contact with Rigel, who had just noticed his withering hand, making him frown thoughtfully.
"Today, of course, he's known all over the world by another name, which is why, as I stand looking out upon you all tonight, I'm reminded of a sobering fact: Every day, every hour, this very minute, perhaps, dark forces attempt to penetrate this castle's walls... But in the end, their greatest weapon... is you. There's something to think about. Now off to bed, pip pip."
"That was cheerful," grumbled Blaise as they walked out of the great hall.
"I didn't like the way he looked at you. It seemed like he had something planning." Draco pointed out to Rigel.
Rigel, who agreed, nodded. "Exactly what I was thinking."
••
That night, Rigel couldn't fall asleep.
He tossed and turned for about an hour, then gave up.
He was so tired that he forgot to put his Occulemency shields back up.
'Rigel?' asked Tom in Rigel's head, making him jump.
'I could've sworn my shields were up.'
'No, they weren't.' replied Tom with a hint of amusement. 'Your thoughts were too loud.. don't do that.'
'Do what?'
'The last thing you thought about before I talked.' Tom said knowingly, making Rigel tense, but he didn't know that. 'Can you sneak out to Hogsmeade?'
