If You Could Change One Thing

Chapter 2

Tom hadn't expected his conversation with Professor Baumann to go as it had. His hopes had been set on a book recommendation, perhaps an old editorial, explaining the use of horcruxes and the role they played in the magical world. As he walked through the crowded school corridors, he was thinking deeply about why Professor Baumann had gotten so agitated. Tom thought that anyone who was as infatuated with religion as Professor Baumann could stand a little talk of evil.

Tom wanted to be alone to ponder on what he'd just learnt. He wanted nothing more than to go to the seventh floor of the school, where the apartments for new teachers and their families were. Tom lived up there as the school's charity case, and was the only student to be on a full scholarship and live upstairs for free. By lunchtime, he was so desperate to reach his apartment that he ran blindly up the stairs, bumping into someone and sending a book flying out of their hand.

    “Watch it,” the person spat. It was Gayle, a girl in the grade below him. Tom knew her by default - everyone knew the new kids, and Gayle had been among the pathetic batch that had started this year. Tom very suddenly realized that she could have passed for his sister, perhaps even his twin. They both had the same dark hair, calculating dark eyes, and tall, slender figure.

    “I’m terribly sorry,” Tom said coldly, picking up the book and shoving it into her left hand. Her right was holding what Tom presumed to be her lunch. He wondered where she was going, until he realized that Gayle probably ate by herself. She usually disappeared at lunchtimes and didn’t appear until the first class after lunch was about to begin.

    “Oh, I was supposed to tell you something,” Gayle said. For such a thin girl, her voice was surprisingly deep and raspy.

    Tom raised an eyebrow.

    “Don’t leave your bedroom tonight. Eat dinner by yourself and do not talk to anyone else.”

    “Gayle, what the hell are you on about?”

    “Some lucky stars told me that you’ll go wrong. Maybe you’ve got all of the teachers and the kids here under your little spell, but I know there’s more to you than the intelligent, pretty boy act you’ve got going for you.”

    “And how are you so sure that this is the truth rather than your own little guesses? Everyone seems to have different theories as to who I am and what I originally came from, you know.”

    “Because I know people. And I know that you aren’t a good person.”

    Tom took one step towards Gayle, anger brewing inside him. His eyes flashed scarlet for an instant and Gayle automatically stepped backwards, her eyes incredulous and cautious. For a second Tom wondered if Gayle, of all people, knew what he had been doing for the past three years, or knew what he wanted to become.

    “Do not tell me what to do,” he snarled. “And don’t assume things about people, because you never know how making the wrong assumptions could come back to hurt you.”

    Gayle’s expression changed quickly, passing through several emotions within the timespan of a few seconds. Fear, apprehension, humor, anger, then sarcastic.

    “You can’t scare me into doing what you want, Tom. I know what you’re doing. You can’t fool me like you’ve got the whole school under your influence.” Her voice was cold.

    Tom kept his face cool and unresponsive, but inside he grew more nervous. Could she know? Could she possibly know about the notebook?

    “No wonder you don’t have any friends, Gayle. If you talk to people like that,” Tom retorted. 

    Gayle huffed irritably and flounced away.