Trapped in the Past (Tom Riddle x Reader)

5 - Mostc Evile

You can't forget the challenge and in the following days you try to spy on Riddle as much as possible.
You see him spending a lot of time in the library, getting access to the Restricted Section.
Some distractions help you sneak in that place and your attention is attracted by a title.
Magick Mostc Evile.

You hide the tiny book under your robe before someone can catch you.
A quick check on its content makes you wander why it was in the library. It would make even Professor Merrythought turn pale.

Befriending your house's prefect helps you evade some rules. You're almost tempt to thank her by revealing that she would become minister.
You visit Myrtle's bathroom, expecting to see her ghost. You wonder if you need to evoke her through some rite.
Her death is an unsolved case.
Her soul is stuck in this world and you wonder how she actually died.
Ellie mentioned of other attacks when students were found petrified and they healed only months later.
You got a list of the survivors, but speaking to them didn't give you any useful hint. It just happened, out of nowhere, all around the castle.
You notice that none of the attacked ones belong to the Slytherin house.
What a surprise.
You want to bet that the most wicked students of that house know something. You recall that when the Chamber of Secrets was opened in your third year, Malfoy was the top suspect, besides Potter.
You never understood that story fully, but at least you know for sure that it's not Hagrid's doing.
And several students were petrified too, with no dead victim like Myrtle.
Mudbloods.
You inspect the list once more, and asking around, you get confirmed that the victims were muggle borns too.
Myrtle Warren was muggle born.

You start to visit the dungeons on your own, hoping to find the solution to the mystery around the Chamber of Secrets. Maybe you can prevent the tragedies of you time.

"Why am I not surprised anymore? Have you lost your shadow, Miss Y/L/N?".
You wince, closing the door of the dusty room you were inspecting and watching stifly as Riddle appear from behind a corner.
"What are you doing down here?".
"Looking for domestic elves" you lie and peer at his attire and at the present he's carrying "Having some date at this late hour?".
"Why don't you find a date too, so you can stop wandering on your own? Why are you not hiding in your little group of friends anymore? They tired of you already?".
"I prefer to work alone".
"So hunting elves is a work? Give me a good reason for not giving you another detention. Or I might start to take points from Ravenclaw so your friends have one more reason to leave you alone".
You aren't affected by his menacing tone as you hear approaching steps, but your hopes die as you see it's just another student.

"Don't we have to meet Slug, sir?".
Lestrange halts while you turn to look at Riddle again, who can see how you are placing the pieces of the puzzle in the right place, no matter how he tries to hide the pinapple box behind his back.
"Sir?" you repeat with a hint of amusement.
"Tom" Lestrange corrects himself with fear "We need to go".
Riddle moves closer to you instead, pinning you there with his piercing stare.
"You're not going to behave, are you?" he hisses.
"How? When I'm everyone's favourite?" you say haughtily "Except for your gang".
He doesn't take his eyes off of you as few other boys gather around Lestrange.
"Boys, go to sleep. We'll deal with this plan another time" Riddle orders coldly.
You watch as the gang obeys without a word.
"Or, go finish your homeworks if you don't want more troubles" you add, knowing how some of them have the habit of forgetting about their homeworks.
You get some glares from them, until you are left alone with Riddle.
"What are you planning to buy from Slughorn with that?" you ask pointing at the box.
"You're going to regret this" he hisses.
"Am I?".
"Wise people know not to mess with me".
You scoff "Why would I want to be wise? As if I'm wearing Ravenclaw's diadem?".
You gasp when quick as a lightning he grabs your collar and drags you in a room. A scary one as you recognize an old armoire.
Riddle tosses the pineapple box on a table and walks around like inspecting the weapons exposed in there.
You feel in danger, your instinct screams at you to run, but you don't dare to take out your wand, not until he motions to take our his own.
You follow his slow movement in silence, until he picks a dagger and his long fingers play with it.
You feel like in a torture chamber.
Maybe being pinned by the thumbs was the least horrible detention.
You blink in confusion between his Prefect badge and the weapon as Riddle moves to stand in front of you, the dagger not aimed at you, but you struggle to breathe like he's holding that dagger against your throat.
His unforgiving gaze studies your reactions.
"What a weird habit, to show a knife to a lady?" you say, hating how your voice trembles.
"Oh, you're a lady now?" he whispers, like a caress that can quickly turn into a strangling grip.
"You're not funny" you warn, moving slowly towards the door.
"When have I ever been funny?" he follows you, a sinister light of amusement shining in his dark eyes.
You reach the door and you're tempted to run away, but your legs fail you.
It's like you have to tame a wild beast. You've never been good at it.