A Little Trip Through a Diary / TOMIONE (COMPLETE)

Chapter Two: Entry to Despair

Despair makes people hopeless. Hope makes others despair less. And some just despair and hope in little portions fewer than everybody else.

In the Slytherin common room...

Tom sat down and relaxed. He hated being in the company of Dumbledore and he knew that the Professor felt the same. But it was enjoyable having some witty banter for once. All his other classmates were as slow as snails when it came to their pea-sized brains. Alphard suddenly appeared, like the stalker that he was.

"Tom!" He said when he saw his leader. "Did you find out what happened to the girl? I mean, My Lord." He bowed quickly.

"Oh, stop it," Tom flapped a hand. "I can't bear you all doing those idiotic little bows. If I want you to bow," here he waved his wand and Alphard's back began curving forwards, "your nose will wipe the floor with snot." The boy was eventually allowed to straighten up, his nose red with carpet burn. "Like that. Rest assured, I won't hesitate to use you as my guinea-pig; you're so willing." Tom laughed, removing the Imperius. 

Alphard gave a half-hearted smile, while ruining the look by seeming absolutely terrified and rubbing his nose with his hand. 

"Sit down," Alphard sat awkwardly beside him. "I found out nothing because Dumbledore," he spat on the floor, "dismissed me, and happily, for the girl was only a filthy Half-blood or worse, I escaped. We shall find out soon, I expect, who she is, won't we Nott?" 

He directed this at another snivelling boy who'd also just appeared.

The boy skidded to a halt in front of the sofa.

"Yes, My Lord," he panted. "I think they took the Hat up there."

"She's being Sorted?" Tom asked quickly, understanding at once. "So she hasn't been here before and snuck under our radar?"

"What Hat?" 

As usual, Black was miles behind. It was surprisingly really: Nott, though idiotic and immature, did know who to find out information. Instead, Black just bribed every swooning girl within a metre radius.

"Go and seduce Myrtle," Tom commanded and Black sped off. "The girl's bound to be in Ravenclaw," he told Nott.

"Why? My Lord," he added hastily.

"I wouldn't have noticed a stupid Hufflepuff," Tom snapped. "And a Gryffindor wouldn't have found the library to appear in; she may be a spy, knowing the secret passages."

"There isn't a passage in the library." Nott looked confused.

"Exactly," Tom said, standing up. Nott now seemed utterly bewildered. It was past him. "So she's a spy," and he strode away, sending Nott flying as he shoved his way out of the Common Room.

Meanwhile, in the Hospital Wing...

Hermione bolted upright, having just recounted when Antonin Dolohov had struck her with Dark Magic in the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. Dumbledore sat watching her, with a sad little smile on his face.

"The future is tough?" He questioned softly. Hermione nodded, not trusting herself to speak. "I believe you," he said at long last. "Otherwise, why would you react to a name like Tom Riddle?" Hermione winced. Dumbledore saw and said wisely, "he caused you grief in the future." Hermione nodded again. Dumbledore sighed. "I always knew, always, that darkness would fall on that boy. He is a riddle, you see," he gazed intently at Hermione, though not really seeing her. "He never shows his true colours; his other teachers adore him; he is a brilliant student but he is overcome with something that I am so close to getting, but can't touch," his fingers grappled onto something she couldn't see.