Soulbound : Tom Riddle

2: Consensual Situations

Tom Riddle.

Victoria thought he was more charming than J.K. Rowling could ever form into words. More charming than anyone could put into words.

She knew this from witnessing his wittiness in the first week of Professor Slughorn's potions class–who she was not so eager to meet, but was glad that after a long restful night, she had not found herself back at the beach with the Harry Potter book beside her.

She had found out that if she avoided Riddle, she had no reason to fear him yet. Though she knew who he would become, that kept her awake at night, making her think about the pain and suffering she could save for so many people in the future.

Harry, the Weasleys, and innocent half-bloods... all of it could be prevented, but she continued to tell herself that it would interfere with her happiness in the meantime.

Her first interaction with Dumbledore–Albus Dumbledore–was not what she anticipated (though she did not know what to expect from the beginning) as she entered his classroom for her first transfiguration lesson. It still came to a surprise to her when his eyes flickered with a gleam and he gave her a light pat on the back as he passed her seat.

"I told your father you'd awaken," he said with a twinkle in his eyes. "You carry the strength of a phoenix's fire in your blood."

She couldn't help but smile, as the Dumbledore was before her very own eyes, teaching her transfiguration. Though she couldn't help but to wonder about Harry's upcoming events, she had found herself becoming hypocritical and agreeing to "go with the flow."

Before her, she did not feel the powerful presence that was emitted from the films, but she felt as if he were a normal man–disregarding the fact that he was a wizard.

There was a shuffle behind her and she turned slightly, seeing Abraxas. She grinned and her boyfriend smirked with a response before placing his bag next to her seat as he faced toward the board.

To her surprise, Dumbledore did not seem to protest this nor want to involve himself, considering he was family after all. Her family back in the other world would've never allowed a man within six feet of her boundaries. Let alone, sit in the same class, hence why she attended an all girl's school.

As Dumbledore finished reading the syllabus, he instructed each student to pair up with the person next to them and he conjured a living creature before their eyes. It resembled a bat with thick and shiny curved wings. It had big foggy blue eyes (if not for its sleeping state, it could be glossed). Though it was dosed asleep with tiny white fangs sticking out of its mouth.

"It's a pixie!" a red haired Gryffindor said with an excited raised hand, and inspected the sleeping creature before him with the end of his wand.

"Very good," Dumbledore said with a toothy slide smile. "Can anyone specify this creature?"

"It's a doxy!"

"Excellent, ten points for the house of Gryffindor, Weasley."

The red haired boy grinned as I heard a friend address him by the name of Septimus Weasley.

"As much as I dislike transfiguring living objects, it is a crucial skill to learn, especially if the subject is deadly. Much like the doxies before you." Dumbledore approached his own desk to demonstrate.

"In a real situation, doxies have the ability to pierce their teeth through you at any moment they feel threatened. You can only imagine their reactions when they will later be awakened from their cages, to be released back to where they belong. If a witch or wizard is bit, they must seek the antidote immediately. Does anyone know of another method to cure this poison quickly?"