Consuming Shadows

Chapter 10

The next few weeks passed relatively quickly for Hadrian, as the students settled into their school work and grew accustomed to the changes to their timetables, as well as the presences of the other schools.

There was, naturally, still a bit of tension in the air; simply the result of the rivalry between the three student bodies.

Hadrian knew though, that once the champions had been selected and the tournament officially started, the childish rivalry would undoubtedly explode into an all-out war.

Because if there was one thing he knew, it was that children had the tendency to blow things well out of proportion.

For now, there was only a crackling energy that seemed to follow everyone.

Hadrian, on the other hand, found himself to be the calmest he had been since he had first heard of the tournament. He had not even noticed how horribly tense he had gotten after arriving at Hogwarts until he had slipped his false nomination into the goblet.

It was freeing for him to just be a student, to only worry about his classes and assignments; rather than have to spend all his time plotting and scheming ways around his problems.

Of course, being who he was, he was never fully relaxed. He was all too aware of how his enemy lurked in every shadow of this place, how anything he did had the potential to be reported back to Voldemort if he drew notice.

Which is why he was so very pleased he had managed to avoid Riddle for the past weeks. While he had enjoyed their little battle of wits – loathe as he was to admit it – Hadrian knew the man was far too dangerous to interact with for any length of time.

He had been caught off guard too often during their meeting, had gotten too invested in the conversation and trading of questions to maintain total control of the whole thing.

His mother would be ashamed of him for so easily getting swept along by someone else. She had trained him better. It was just...

Riddle had been fun to talk with. The man – while positively sinister – was sharp and quick-witted, with a dark sense of humour that Hadrian could appreciate. Excluding the obvious age difference, it was almost like talking to himself in a way.

Which was why Hadrian had absolutely no qualms with researching the man. There was nothing wrong with...satisfying his curiosity after all.

He learned quite a lot actually.

It appeared Tom Marvolo Riddle was quite the celebrity in Britain, particularly in Hogwarts. He had attended from 1938 to 1945, during the height of Grindelwald's reign, had been Prefect and later Head Boy, a member of Slytherin House, the current holder of the highest ranking results achieved by a student at Hogwarts, and had been awarded a special school service award for helping fix some fiasco that happened during his time at Hogwarts.

He was also a half-blood, if the rumours held any credibility. Though no one seemed too certain exactly which wizarding family the man hailed from. Hadrian suspected to was his mother's side, seeing as it was customary for the woman to take the male's name at that time and there was no way 'Riddle' was a wizarding name.

Hadrian was also pleasantly surprised to note he had been correct. Riddle had been insanely attractive in his youth if that faded article picture was anything to go on. He was definitely have propositioned the other had they been the same age.

Alas, Hadrian tried not to go for anyone more than a decade older than him – the exemption being Claire's older cousin whom Hadrian had almost seduced one Yule when he had been fifteen, her cousin being almost thirty himself.