Perception A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Eight - Threats

Cassiopeia had invited Tom to stay at Houlton Manor over the summer, and he had been more than ready to accept her offer. It was their last summer break, and he relished never having to return to the wretched orphanage ever again.

The weeks went by, and they spent their time studying and experimenting with magic. The Houltons' library had lost nothing of its appeal, and being surrounded by all this ancient knowledge, stored in the pages of all those books, Tom still felt like being in paradise.

Finally, the end of the break drew near, and they received their letters from Hogwarts informing them that they had been appointed Head Boy and Girl.

Tom held his Hogwarts robes in his hands and carefully pinned the gleaming badge to the fabric. A sneer crossed his face. "Isn't it funny that they actually made the two of us Head students? The very two students who have violated almost every important school rule? Who probably know the most about the Dark Arts of all the students in the entire school? Sometimes I can't believe how easy it is to manipulate others. After all, how could Dippet truly believe that Hagrid was smart and powerful enough to find the Chamber of Secrets? How could the whole school believe Hagrid to be the heir of Slytherin? Are they actually that stupid?"

Cassiopeia was sitting on the windowsill and scanned the list of school books they would need for the year. Without looking up, she shrugged, "I tend to think that they just aren't able to imagine someone as polite, handsome and smart as you to be so rotten to the core. And, after all, you are an exceptional liar. You can fool everyone."

Tom's lips twitched, and a genuine grin spread across his face. "I couldn't fool you. I always wondered why?"

Cassiopeia looked up from the letter and slightly cocked her head. "I think you seemed too perfect to be real." She paused. "And I cared enough to look closer."

There was a moment of silence. Then Cassiopeia smiled. "And, you know, it turned out to be the best thing I ever did, because under the many layers of your false façade I finally got to know you...the real you." They looked at each other, and Cassiopeia added, "Because of you my world is a happier place."

Tom quirked an eyebrow and smirked. "You are crazy."

Cassiopeia shrugged. "Maybe. But not for anything would I have missed one single moment of what we've been through together."

Tom turned to look out of the window. He knew he had to admit that he wouldn't have missed any of it for anything either. He would never have thought anything like this could ever happen. But being around her made him feel strangely alive and somehow inexplicably content. He cast a sideways glance at Cassiopeia. She had turned her attention back to the list of school supplies, carefully noting down which things she would need to get. Tom exhaled sharply. She had somehow complicated things tremendously, and yet he knew he wouldn't have it any other way.

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A few weeks into the term Cassiopeia and Tom were sitting at their desks in the Heads' common room doing their homework when there was a knock on the door. Cassiopeia shot Tom a questioning glance, but he got up without looking at her and opened the door. His Slytherin gang entered the room. Cassiopeia watched as Lestrange, Malfoy, Avery, Nott, Black, Rosier and Mulciber took a seat on the sofas around the fireside while Tom sat in the armchair.

Cassiopeia eyed the boys for a moment. She had always wondered about the common ground of the motley crew. Most of them were the heirs of wealthy pure-blood families, snobbish and stuck-up, and surely not the ones to take orders. Yet they all shied away from Tom as if he was their superior. Cassiopeia didn't think it was likely that Tom had openly shared his glorious Slytherin ancestry with them because, although that would surely have left them awestruck, Tom would thereby have proved his connection with the Chamber of Secrets. Cassiopeia doubted that Tom trusted the boys enough to let them have such crucial information. And yet, apparently, they were convinced that he had to have decent wizarding ancestry because, even though she had never heard of any pure-blood family with the name of Riddle, and she was quite sure that the boys hadn't either, for some reason they obviously accepted Tom's leadership unconditionally, not even questioning his blood status.