Burning Obsessions : Tom Riddle

45: Bound to Collide

[victoria's pov]

"Professor Locke!" a student calls from behind me. I turn my back and come face to face with a Gryffindor. The young woman's hair is nipped tightly in a bun as she carries a stack of transfiguration books. The corridors are full of students that try to walk around us and I excuse us to the side.

"Yes, Minerva?" I ask. She was one of my top students. One of almost every professor's top students, including Slughorn. Had it not been for the fact that she was a Gryffindor, she would be in his slug club. Not because he was biassed but because she was biassed.

She was even head girl and a prefect of her seventh year class. It was quite impressive indeed as her status only reminded me of Tom's accomplishments.

Minerva catches her breath and asks, "I was wondering if you could help me retrieve a book."

"The library's open until an hour before curfew," I say. "Would retrieving a book be a problem for you?"

"No, erm, you see," she begins. "This particular book happens to be in the restricted section and headstudents are no longer allowed access"

I raise a brow. "Why is that?"

"New precautions brought up by Slughorn last year," she explained. "But it's a defence against the dark arts book I've been longing to learn from. I can't possibly pass my N.E.W.Ts without it in my hands!"

She looked frantic as she explained her situation. I calmed her down.

"I'll see what I can do," I reassured her.

As promised, later that night, I made my way to the restriction section. Never in my six years of teaching, I've been in the restricted section. Or in my seven years of learning. I had never needed to.

The library had changed, becoming less of scrolls and more of books. Madam Auclair was still in style, keeping her eyes peered over her book as she watched students like a security guard. She simply nodded her head in greeting as I unlocked the restriction section with my key.

Being a professor came with many advantages.

I shut the door behind me, locking it. The restricted section was a dark area of the library, separated by no longer a rope anymore, but a wall with scarce windows. The shelves were close against each other as the room was slim, but tall. I came across an empty shelf and the rest around it was full of other books. From the dustiness of the shelf, the books that once belonged had to have been stolen a few years ago. I looked down and saw a label under the empty section.

Horcruxes.

It was no riddle as to who took the books.

Looking around, I finally found what I–or rather, Minerva–was looking for. It looked harmless as I skimmed through it, but it maybe was just one of the rare books Madam Auclair liked to keep away from sticky fingers.

With a grin, I turn my heel and make way for the exit when I hear a slam against the ground behind me. I turn and flare magic in my hands defensively. Just then, more books over my head fell and I dodged them, making me yelp.

I heard a playful cackle fly overhead and I looked up at the ghostly figure.

"Damn you, Peeves," I muttered under my breath.

"Gotcha there!" he exclaimed before disappearing through a wall.

I shook my head with disapproval as he left the mess of books for me to clean. Picking them up one by one, I placed them back on the shelves in alphabetical order. It brought me back to when I was organising Wool's library, the very first time I came face to face with Tom.