Begged and borrowed time - Tom Riddle

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒇𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

As the knights patiently awaited their leader's arrival, their vigilance remained unyielding. They knew better than to succumb to the lull of sleep, always on high alert. Their collective focus shifted as Tom Riddle strode into the room. The air seemed to crackle with anticipation.

"Stand up," Riddle's voice commanded, his tone brooking no argument. "We need to find somewhere more private." He glanced at the entrance, expecting Draco's imminent arrival. The urgency in his words hinted at an impending matter of utmost importance.

Without hesitation, the group of followers rose from their positions, their senses heightened as they followed Tom downstairs to a deserted common room. The absence of other residents ensured the privacy necessary for their confidential discussion.

Once gathered in the dimly lit room, the boy's eyes fixated on their leader, awaiting his revelations. Riddle's piercing gaze swept across their faces, the weight of his words hung heavily in the air, captivating their undivided attention.

"The girl," He began, "Flamel-there is something awry with her." His words caused a ripple of curiosity and worry to surge through his followers.

The boys exchanged glances, their curiosity and worry palpable. Rosier, in particular, voiced his concerns, "What do you mean? Is she in danger?"

Tom's brow furrowed, his mind racing to make sense of the revelation. The girl who had joined their journey, had been absent from his visions, a conspicuous omission that should not have occurred if she were meant to be at Hogwarts. The implications were troubling, suggesting an unforeseen twist in their destiny.

"I mean, she should not be here. There is something happening even the prophecy couldn't foresee," Tom's voice showed concern and bewilderment. He leaned in closer, his cold black eyes searching the faces of his companions, eager to share his revelations. "Tonight... The prophecy, I saw Harry Potter, which actually unfolded as I foresaw. But there was a stark difference- Flamel was with him. She witnessed my future self, an encounter that never took place." Tom's words hung in the air, laden with the weight of uncertainty.

"What are you suggesting?" Abraxas's voice quivered with intrigue, his eyes widening in anticipation. The atmosphere in the Slytherin common room became charged, a palpable tension in the air, as if the very walls held their breath, awaiting Tom's response.

A momentary pause enveloped the room, each heartbeat amplified in the stillness. Tom's grip on the plush velvet green chair tightened, the fabric yielding to the pressure of his clenched fists.

Drawing a deep breath, Tom's voice resonated with an unwavering resolve. "Flamel isn't a mere first-year student," he enunciated each word deliberately. A flash of determination crossed Riddle's face, his jaw set and his eyes ablaze with an unwavering resolve. "She harbors a secret, a hidden truth that demands to be unveiled," he declared, his voice carrying the weight of unyielding conviction. The room seemed to pulse with anticipation, its very walls resonating with the collective desire to unearth the enigma that surrounded Flamel.

Nott, driven by a potent blend of desperation and ambition, summoned the courage to question their course of action. "How should we proceed regarding her?" His voice quivered slightly, as if on the precipice of a decision he was unwilling to fully embrace.

Tom's piercing gaze swept across the room, his eyes scanning the faces of his assembled companions like a predator surveying its prey.

"We take her to our side," It wasn't a plan, crafted with careful consideration and room for negotiation. It wasn't an idea born out of fleeting thoughts or fleeting desires. Nor was it a request made in hopeful anticipation of compliance. No, what hung in the air was far more profound. It was Tom's final decision, a resolute and unyielding decree that carried an air of inevitability.