Masquerade¹ → Tom Riddle ✓

chapter nine

Evelyn thought about Tom Riddles book for far longer than she would have liked to. The next evening, she found herself pacing up and down the Ravenclaw common room, still thinking about why he had that book.

"You seem troubled Evelyn." She turned to see Rowena Ravenclaw speaking to her through the almost life-size painting on the wall.

"I'm just stressing about exams! They feel like they're much sooner than I thought!"

"You still have many months left to prepare. From what I've heard about you, I doubt they'll be any trouble for you at all." Rowena smiled sweetly at Evelyn, her voice playing like a melody.

Although Evelyn wasn't telling the full truth, she did find herself consumed by the thought of her life-altering exams in May. If she wanted to become an Auror like her parents then she gave to exceed all expectations when it came to her exam performance.

"Besides," Rowena began, "I'm sure things will turn out much different than you expect." With that, she turned away and left down the path in the middle of the painting.

"Talking to Rowena?" Sara called from behind her, seating herself on the couch that sat opposite the fireplace. "Did you get any good advice? I heard from the sixth years that Rowena gave the best advice."

"Nothing crazy, she just told me not to worry about exams." Evelyn took a seat beside her friend.

"You shouldn't be worrying! If anyone should be it would be me, I still haven't finished my homework from the start of term." Sara smiled, seemingly not bothered by her lack of academic proficiency. "Haven't you got that strange meeting with Professor Slughorn later?"

Evelyn sighed. Quidditch practise had been cancelled tonight due to the bad weather which meant that she had unexpected free time before the meeting. "Yes, it's in a half hour. I should probably start getting ready soon."

"Can I help? I don't really fancy doing any homework." Sara looked down at the pile of parchment she'd left in the common room with a sigh. "I can keep it super simple," She knew Evelyn wouldn't want anything fancy for the meeting so keeping it simple would be the best way to go to keep her happy.

Once the two were in their dormitory, Sara dove straight into Evelyn's wardrobe and began searching for the perfect combination. Eventually, Sara settled on a long-sleeved grey knit dress with a necklace, something simple that she knew would make Evelyn look good. At the end of the sliver chain sat a small eagle, with a sapphire gemstone sat where the eyes would be. After a short while, Evelyn was changed and ready to go. Her hair fell past her shoulders in loose curls, and a hint of pink was placed in the centre of her lips. Stepping out of her bathroom, she gave a shy twirl before Sara.

"Wonderful. Go impress them with some fancy words and knowledge." Sara smiled at her friend, similarly confused as to what the meeting would entail.

Evelyn took a leisurely stroll towards the dungeons, knowing with absolute certainty that she would be the first one there. When she arrived at Professor Slughorn's office, she found herself waiting outside, anxious to be the first one there. Minutes passed until she heard another set of footsteps in the dungeons, footsteps belonging to none other than Tom Riddle.

"I was hoping you would be here." She smiled politely at him as he got closer to her, halting in his tracks when he felt too close. "I was hoping to ask you a question."

"And what would that be Evelyn? Is it about how I have such wonderful hair or how I am exceptionally talented?" He shot her a light smirk.

"As much as those two topics interest me, Tom, it's not about that. You know last night when I saw you outside the library?" He nodded. "I was just wondering why you were reading such a book, and how you had been able to get it out of the restricted section? I'm really rather curious."

"Evelyn, I do think you are mistaken. I was simply reading a collection of tales, certainly not the kind of novel you would find in the restricted section of a school library."

Before Evelyn had the chance to press him further on the book, Professor Slughorn appeared at the door. "Tom, Evelyn!" He smiled graciously at them, "You're a little bit early but please do come in, we're just getting set up." He beckoned for them to follow in behind him. "Take a seat you two, I'll be back shortly."

With slight discomfort, the two took a seat at the round table in the centre. Although Tom sat across from her, she was still interested in questioning him about the book. "I don't think it was for a subject Tom, we don't do that kind of magic at Hogwarts and I know what I saw."

"I don't think you do or you wouldn't be questioning me. My reading habits are far from exciting, I would rather you didn't keep pestering me on the matter, Evelyn." He turned his face away from her, surveying the room.

Seeing no use in continuing to pester him, she found herself doing the same. Her eyes scanned the room, taking in every small detail that she could see. Dainty crockery was arranged on the table, set up for a three-cours meal, something that Evelyn had never had before. Covering the rest of the white tablecloth were small black and gold sequins, a muggle invention that Evelyn adored. When Evelyn looked up again from the table, she was joined by a collection of fifth and sixth-year students, as well as Professor Slughorn. Once everyone was seated, two house-elves in tuxedos emerged holding golden trays on which goblets filled with punch sat. Circling the table, they dropped a goblet beside each student before making their way out of the office through the side entrance.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Professor Slughorn took a swig of his punch and spoke. "Eleanor, I heard some things about your lineage that simply fascinated me, would you care to divulge?"

A tall Hufflepuff student sat beside Evelyn smiled at Professor Slughorn. "Over the summer, my family received some interesting information through the mail, it suggested that we should take a closer look at my family tree so my family and I did just that. It turns out I might be descended from Helga Hufflepuff! We're just waiting on a confirmation from specialists but my parents are pretty sure it's true." Professor Slughorn was rightly excited by her discovery; Evelyn knew it was rare to meet a descendant of any of the Hogwarts founders, especially Helga who until recently had been thought to be without family.

"How very incredible Eleanor, you must let me know when you hear back. Now, let's eat." He clapped his hands, summoning the house-elves back to deliver plates of steaming food.

Everyone quickly tucked into the food, Evelyn keeping food in her mouth at all times, fearing that Professor Slughorn would question her next. Luckily, he struck somewhere else, questioning Mary, a sixth-year Gryffindor who sat a few seats across from Evelyn. "I heard your father recently invested in some rather peculiar artefacts from Borgin and Burkes." He paused, waiting for Mary to divulge information to him.

"Yes sir that is correct, he has recently taken some interest into historical artefacts and once he was in Borgin and Burkes, he was very quickly persuaded to purchase some goods," Mary said as she pushed her inky black hair behind her ear.

"What particular things has he found?" Slughorn leant forwards, obviously intrigued in what she was saying.

"He recently collected some seeds for a silver-leafed tree that he hopes to plant in our garden and sometime in the near future, he hopes to acquire a time turner. It has always been his dream to have one in his possessions"

"How very interesting," He sighed, "Perhaps Arnold's father could assist him in finding one."

Evelyn was almost falling asleep at the table. After a few bites of salad,
her eyelids were already threatening to close. Glancing across the table at Tom, she saw him sat solemnly, picking slowly at his salad.

Suddenly, Evelyn pressed her hand to her head–a sharp pain occurring in her mind. It felt as though someone was pushing needles through her skull, drilling into her brain and sucking the life out of her. Evelyn was in such pain she thought she could die, although she would have usually been polite enough to excuse herself from the situation, she truly felt as though she didn't have the time. Abruptly she stood up, pushing her chair back and darting towards the door in a flurry: she had to get out.

Almost instantly once she escaped the office, Evelyn suddenly took on a pale look, as if she'd been painted with white-wash - even her lips were barely there. Then with one step backwards she crumpled like a puppet suddenly released of their strings.