His Equal [Tom Riddle]

five

Kepi sat in the nearly empty library, scribbling across her parchment as she rushed to finish the potions essay that was assigned over their break. She could have done it later that night, but a busy day was ahead of her, for she finally convinced Dippet to allow her to go to Diagon Alley alone. 

Her excuse was that she needed to purchase some personal items and restock some of her school supplies. It wasn't a complete lie, but it wasn't a complete truth, either.

"We aren't going to that musty old classroom," a sharp voice cut through the comfortable silence of the library like a blade. Kepi jumped in her seat a little, but relaxed when she met the eyes of her newest and only pupil, Tom.

"And where do you suppose we go then? The Great Hall?" She snarked.

"Just meet me on the seventh floor."

"Where on the seventh floor, exactly? It's rather large, you know."

Tom glared at the girl across from him, not in the mood for her sarcasm. He had been up all night in the Chamber of Secrets arguing with his basilisk, and all he wanted to do was sleep. "Across the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy."

"The who?"

"The tapestry of the man attempting to teach Trolls ballet, damnit!"

Kepi cocked a brow, noticing that his level of crankiness was higher than usual, but refrained from saying anything particularly annoying. "Alright, then. I'll see you after dinner."

Without a word Tom nodded and left, rushing to his dormitory to finally get some rest. Kepi rolled her eyes and crossed her final t, before another voice interrupted yet again. Peace and quiet seemed to be an evasive atmosphere at Hogwarts.

"Tom Riddle?" A blonde asked, sitting down next to Kepi. Kepi looked at her warily.

"Yes, what about him?" Kepi asked, keeping her voice cordial.

"He's quite the looker, but you do know he's a half-blood, right?" The girl frowned, and tapped her long nails on the polished surface of the table. "I mean, you can go after whoever you want, now that your family is dead and everything, but it would be a shame to see a respected pureblood stray from her . . . status."

Kepi's emotions immediately began to tug in different directions.

She was annoyed at the blonde's bluntness. Who does she think she is, speaking to me like that? She thought sharply. In contrast, however, she was also relieved. Everyone at Hogwarts knew about the deaths of Kepi's parents, and they treated her like glass whenever family was brought up. This girl, however, seemed to completely disregard Kepi's 'feelings'.

"Not that Tom and I's relationship is any of your business, but I've only spoken to him a handful of times. We are in no way involved. It's . . . banter." 

"Banter with Tom Riddle?" Blondie laughed. "Yeah, ok. And Dumbledore isn't gay."

"Dumbledore's gay?" Kepi asked, completely taken by surprise.

"My father told me. He's a huge journalist for the Daily Prophet. They've known for years, but don't want to come out with it until they have better proof. They aren't Witch Weekly," she boasted, her distaste for the popular magazine evident in her tone.

"Oh, are you Samantha Yaxley?" Kepi questioned, thinking back to the gossip she overheard from Walburga and Cicely. The girl was in her seventh year with Walburga. She kept to herself, and was pretty vile toward most people, even if they were in the same social circles as she was.