EXILE | TOM RIDDLE

05. Between the Pages

"I see we have a new student today," a professor says the moment he steps into the classroom, a bright grin on his round face. While he is young, he caries the ambiance of a jolly old man, and I can already tell that every other student either loves or hates him, no in between. Where I settle on, I ponder for a moment as I observe him, before deciding I like him. "Please, introduce yourself, Miss Bailey."

"My name is Rebekah Bailey," my lips twitch as I speak, searching the crowd of students. Next to me is Tom, who, as promised, will be aiding me in my classes, and whose eyes I can feel glued onto my side. I spot Alphard, who gives me a kind smile and an encouraging nod, and next to him is Abigail, though she is mid conversation with another girl.

"Is there anything we should know about you, Rebekah?" The professor asks.

My skin crawls as I struggle to come up with a viable answer — what is there to know about me, after all, other than the situation I have found myself in? Other than being the missing child of Rowena Ravenclaw, I find I do not possess many interesting attributes.

"She's shy," Tom interjects, and I feel a hand resting on my shoulder, sending a shiver up my spine. Why does he always feel the need to touch me so, and more importantly, why does my body react in such a way when his skin brushes mine?

"I see," the professor nods with a kind smile. "Well, it's a pleasure to have you in class, Miss Bailey."

"Thank you. I am very blessed to be here," I breathe, as the professor, who I find out the name he calls his own is Slughorn, begins to teach the class, instructing us on how to brew a Drought of Peace. Something I most certainly could use, I suppose.

"Blessed to be here, aye?" Tom's lips are close to my ear as he speaks, sending yet another shudder coursing through my body, all the hairs on my neck standing up for attention. For reasons unknown, his hand remains on my shoulder, nails piercing the cloth of my tunic and making indents into my skin.

"Is there a problem?" I whisper back in an attempt not to be overheard by the professor. While I am unaware of how students are disciplined now, I would not be surprised if they still flogged students as they did in one thousand and one.

"Not at all, Rebekah," he smiles at me through his shiny white teeth. "Care to be my partner? We need to team up for the potion, in case you didn't hear what Professor Slughorn said."

"I would love to," I say, and Tom immediately rises to his feet, moving to get the ingredients. While I feel as though I should follow him, I determine it is best if I remain seated, lest I accidentally retrieve the wrong items needed.

When he returns, he allows the ingredients to scatter across the table, dumping them out of his arms before reaching to put his cauldron in between us. "Do you have a textbook, or would you like to share mine as well?"

"I do not. Sharing would be ideal."

"Brilliant," he claps his hands together as he sets the book in between the pair of us, and the text immediately has my eyes widening. Some of the words, the phrasing, is so utterly bizarre, I find myself unable to comprehend what most of it means.

Somehow sensing my confusion, Tom's hand finds its place on my shoulder once again. "Would you care to begin chopping the rat tails, Rebekah?"

"Of course," I move to grab the rat tails, touching the handle of the knife and gently bringing it down. The flesh is surprisingly easy to slice through, as I chop it into tiny pieces, and eventually dump them into the cauldron.

"You're quite good at this," Tom comments, observing me from the side. "I'm surprised. Homeschooled people typically aren't great when they come to Hogwarts — not that we get many, anyways."