Marauder's Daughter (Eventual Tom Riddle X OC)

Chapter 42: Champions

"If you needed people to understand something, and be taken seriously, how would you do it?" I ask Tom the day before the other schools get here. I've been contemplating on telling someone about Moody, but want to try it in a way that works, unlike when I was three and no one listened to me.

"I do believe you've already expressed a distaste for my methods of getting others to rally to my side, Ms. Abigail." Tom points out smartly, and I roll my eyes and groan.

"Yes, oh evil dark overlord, teach me your lame methods so I may improve upon them and get this imposter caught." I say with dripping sarcasm, and he chuckles lightly at me.

"Who is the imposter and what is he doing that's so bad?" He asks me plainly.

"He's a fanatic, and he's going to get my god-brother thrown into the Triwizard Tournament as a fourth champion." I tell him mostly honestly, leaving out that the enemy is technically one of his followers.

"The Triwizard Tournament?" He asks with interest and I nod. "I never thought they would bring that back. There were too many deaths in all the past ones, so much so that the last tournament winner was simply the last one left alive, even if she had the lowest points out of the champions."

"Getting off topic here, but we can circle back to that later." I deadpan at him.

"How will this imposter get your brother to be in the tournament? There are still only the three schools competing, are there not?" He asks for clarification, putting on a serious face to show he's focused on the topic.

"I believe he will confund the Goblet of Fire to believe there's a fourth school. I plan to stand guard and stop him before he does it, hopefully." I say stubbornly. "Thus far, I've tried breaking into the imposter's office, but no spell can get through it. Plus, he's taken to constantly being in there, no longer going to meals and leaving it unattended. I'm about this close to just killing him and being done with it." I rant out to him.

"Why not just kill him?" Tom asks innocently. "It's what I would do. If someone is in my way, I remove that someone."

"I'm trying to not be as much of a murderer here, that's the problem. I'm trying to be a better person. It sucks." I complain.

"Since you seem to have an uncanny ability to know the future, what will happen to your brother should he enter the tournament?" He asks, playing devil's advocate. I rotate in my chair to stare at him, thinking seriously.

"I mean, not much until the end of the year." I tell him honestly. "He'll do fine during the first two tasks. It's the third task that's the problem."

"So you have time, then. Just train him to be better than he is, and he'll win. Or you can find a way to get him disqualified." He offers up, genuinely being helpful. "Do whatever it takes, if it means so much to you."

"Whatever it takes..." I mutter out, then get an idea. "Oh Tom, you are useful. Glad I didn't kill you already." I say happily to him, smirking meanly at him.

"I too, am glad." He chuckles out genuinely. This has been a newer development with him over the past few months, he's starting to have more real emotions. I checked in on him a few times since I found he could be civil to talk to last year, and he's served well as a distraction. He does give good advice when I get him talking, too. "So, what is your idea then?"

"I'll take his place, if all else fails." I say proudly. "Polyjuice Potion is easy enough to make."

"That wasn't exactly what I was referring to when I said 'whatever it takes'." He says with a tilt to his head. "But I suppose that works as well."