Riddle's Rose || Tom Riddle {#Wattys 2017}

tommy

The time Tom tried to forget his birthday:

The date is currently December 31, 1943. My eighteenth birthday. Hurray.

I've never celebrated my birthday before, and I don't plan to. But, I have a feeling that that won't be happening.

The Common Room is full, but seems to be lacking a certain annoying someone:

Where the bloody hell is Cassiopeia?

I go up back to the Boy's Dormitory to ask Black, but as always, he's dead sleep. But on his forehead is a bright blue sticker:

i see that you have found my note, dear tommy, at least you're not that dumb. you may have noticed that i have vanished. aw, don't worry, tommy, you'll find me...eventually. i know you hate your birthday, but  i promise i'll make it fun! your day starts with the place i crossed the line, in the section where i hummed a merry tune, and your next clue is hidden where a title may seem quite familiar to you🖤

I groan in annoyance. Well, I may as well go along with this. I've nothing better to do.

Obviously, she was talking about the library and she was in the section right in front of the Restricted Section, humming a Muggle tune.

Once I'm there, I look through the section for anything familiar.  At once, I'm greeted by Secrets of the Darkest Art, which is supposed to be in the Restricted Section. I take out the book and the cover is covered in little pink hearts a another bright blue note:

hey, tommy, you made it! isn't this fun? anyway, there was a day when you cornered me in the hall. you scared the shit out of me, but i think i held strong! after that, do you know where i went? but first, tom, please, have a banana split. (and don't forget to say please!)

She hates bananas. But, banana split is a dessert.  She always says that if your craving a dessert, go to the kitchens. So, I follow her instructions.

When I enter the kitchens, house elves surround me, begging to know what I want. 

"A banana split. Please."

The house elves scramble around the kitchen, following my orders.

One house elf comes out with a tray and opens it to reveal...a plate of chocolates? I take the note next to it:

these are the keys to the door.

Shrugging, I take the chocolate and go up to the Gryffindor Common Room, which was the place that she went to after our encounter.

...

Don't ask how I know that.

In front of the Gryffindors' portrait, are two students dressed in lion costumes.

"Payment is due for you to enter," a lion says, sounding strangely like the Potter boy Cassiopeia runs with.

I lift the lid to the plate of chocolates and the lions both take of their costume heads.

"Ooh, chocolate! You're in!" Potter says, stuffing his face.

Shaking my head in disgust and amusement, I walk into the Gryffindor Common Room and up the stairs to the Boy's Dormitory.  On one of the beds on the end, is another note: