Perception A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Seven - Salvation

A few weeks later Dumbledore motioned Cassiopeia to stay behind after Transfiguration class. Tom watched with narrowed eyes as she gathered her things and went to Dumbledore's desk. He wondered why Dumbledore wanted to talk to Cassiopeia. Tom packed his things, deliberately taking his time, trying to listen in to their conversation.

"Professor?" Cassiopeia asked politely.

"May I have a word in private, Miss Houlton?"

"Of course, sir." Cassiopeia nodded and followed Dumbledore into his office. Tom watched them leave, anger stirring in his chest.

Dumbledore closed the door behind them and sat at his desk. "Take a seat, Miss Houlton." Cassiopeia carefully sat on the edge of the chair in front of his desk. She was tense, wondering what Dumbledore wanted.

Dumbledore paused and eyed her for a moment before he said, "I wanted to talk to you because the summer break is approaching, and I think you are aware that you're probably going to be appointed Head Girl next year. Furthermore, I'm afraid that Headmaster Dippet will presumably have no choice than to make Mr. Riddle Head Boy, despite all my reservations."

Cassiopeia raised an eyebrow. Dumbledore watched her closely over his half-moon spectacles. The twinkle that usually sparkled in his eyes was missing. After a moment he sighed. "I've got to know you as a responsible, fair-minded and unprejudiced young witch, Miss Houlton, and I think that Headmaster Dippet is absolutely right if he chooses you to be Head Girl next year. Unfortunately, I can't say any of this of Mr. Riddle. I can assure you that normally I wouldn't discuss something like that with a student, and I have contemplated this carefully. But there are a few circumstances that were finally decisive. I surely wouldn't have this conversation with you if it hadn't been for the things I came to witness during the night when you and Mr. Riddle happened to get attacked out on the grounds."

Cassiopeia threw him a curious glance. A smile crossed Dumbledore's features. "I take it by your reaction that Mr. Riddle didn't fill you in on all the missing details, and I must say that I'm not surprised. But it's safe to say that for quite some time now I've come to realize that if there is anyone who could be of any influence on our probable future Head Boy, it's you. And this is also the reason why we're having this conversation. I want to ask you to use the considerable amount of time you are going to spend together with Mr. Riddle as Head Boy and Girl to give him the chance to see that there are moral values that have to be respected in order to make the world a place worth living in."

Cassiopeia stared at Dumbledore, her mind empty. This wasn't what she had expected him to tell her. Actually, she didn't truly know what she had expected but it surely wasn't him asking her to save the world from Tom. Cassiopeia swallowed. She had always liked the Transfiguration professor. But somehow she felt as if now she had to choose between Dumbledore and Tom. She knew it was irrational because all he had asked of her was showing Tom the importance of common moral values, but she couldn't fight the feeling that in the end he wanted her to betray Tom's trust, making him abandon his desires.

When Cassiopeia remained silent, Dumbledore sighed again. "Finally, I also want to remind you to be careful because if Tom is only half of what I fear him to be, then this world and those around him are in great danger."

Cassiopeia's face was devoid of any emotion. After a moment she said politely, "I'll see what I can do, professor."

Dumbledore smiled sadly at her and replied, "I'm sure you will."

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After Cassiopeia had left Dumbledore's office she slowly went back to the Ravenclaw common room, contemplating Dumbledore's words. Deep inside she knew that Dumbledore was right. Tom was going to be a great danger to the world. His disdain for life, his extraordinary magical talent and his insatiable desire for power made a disastrous combination that was bound to reduce the world to ashes one day.

But Cassiopeia knew she had to face the truth. She was far too deep entwined in his web to ever be able to leave it again. Moreover, she severely lacked the determination to do so. And there was no denying that she had to take full responsibility for this. After all, she had entered his web willingly; he had in no way tricked her into his fangs. She had sold her soul to the devil with her eyes wide open.

She shortly wondered whether there was a chance that Dumbledore was actually right about her being able to prevent Tom from using his power to shatter the world. She doubted it. She knew that Tom deeply despised Muggles, primarily because of the way he had been treated at the Muggle orphanage and by his own Muggle father. All those Muggles had been unforgivably unkind and uncaring towards him, excluding him just for being different from them. He had inevitably grown to believe that they were all the same, deeming them weak, disgusting and worthless. Consequently he also despised Muggle-borns. And with that he was sure to have all the Slytherin pure-blood supremacists on his side, obsessively following his lead, oblivious to the fact that Tom's hatred did not stop at pure blood.

Although outwardly Tom obviously agreed with the belief in pure-blood supremacy, Cassiopeia was certain that deep inside he did not fight for beliefs, he only fought for power. He needed a cause to support in order to gain the ultimate power and domination he strived for, and there was nothing better and more suitable than the old Slytherin pure-blood supremacy belief that aimed at the elimination and oppression of Muggles and Muggle-borns, the very beings that Tom detested to the core. The Slytherin gang of Malfoy and Avery and Lestrange and all the others with their obsessive belief in pure-blood supremacy would finally give him the excuse he needed to use his power to dominate the world.

Cassiopeia felt that the task that Dumbledore had set for her was insoluble after all. It seemed impossible to sensitise someone for common moral values who did not even have a conscience. It was obvious that Tom simply did not care. He did not care about morals, he did not care about another's life, he did not care about the world. If anything, he only cared about power. Cassiopeia certainly did not want Tom to destroy the world but she knew that she probably wouldn't be able to stop him from doing so. After all, his hatred was strong.

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After dinner Tom and Cassiopeia were sitting on the sofa in the prefects' common room, reading. Without looking up from his book, Tom suddenly asked, "What did Dumbledore want?"

Cassiopeia thought for a moment before she answered, "Warn me." Her voice was calm and even.

Tom glanced at her curiously. "Warn you? About what?"

Cassiopeia closed the book she had been reading and placed it on the table in front of them before she replied in a low voice, "You."

Tom raised his eyebrows. "And what did you say?" he inquired.

Cassiopeia shrugged. "Nothing. After all, he told me nothing new." Cassiopeia looked at Tom, a sad smile on her face.

Tom stared at her. Sometimes he couldn't believe that she was actually still there, by his side, of her own free will, although she knew so much more about him than anyone else. She had seen and experienced all the cold, black, uncaring darkness that was lurking inside of him, his hatred and his cruelty, and yet she did not shy away from him. Suddenly a burning desire washed over him, and with a quick move he pushed her down on the sofa, blocking out his rational mind and acting on pure instinct at last. He smirked as a look of surprise flashed through her eyes before it was replaced by an undisguised longing for his touch. His dark eyes were filled with greed and desire as she pulled him close. His body was hard against hers, yearning to get closer, and her skin was burning under his touch. She ran her fingers through his hair, craving for more until he was finally closer than ever and the room faded around them.

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Author's note: Thanks for reading!!!