Gypsy

Chapter Four

Forth Year

Age: 15

Muggleborns everywhere were terrified, myself included. So far two Gryffindor's, one Ravenclaw and four Hufflepuffs had been found paralysed, all were Muggleborns and none had been cured yet. Un-surprisingly no Slytherins had been injured, it was either because there were no 'dirty' students there, or the perpetrator was in that house... in hindsight it was probably both these reasons.

"Still around then," a silky voice came from behind me.

Startled I dropped the pen I was holding, it rolled onto the floor. A pale hand picked it up, but didn't pass it back to me. Knowing this wasn't going to end well for me unless I escaped in the next ten seconds, I grabbed the mirror I had started carrying around with me and shoved it into my pocket. The classroom was mostly empty around us; it had been converted into a sort of mini-library, after students became too frightened to go into the actual library. Three of the seven students had been found there, stiff in chairs and almost always near the petrified body of a ghost.

"Yes," sliding back on the chair I stood, a hand shoved me back onto the chair.

"Please, stay." Riddle's tone brooked no argument. He gracefully settled against the table, barely disrupting the mountains of books I had piled up. "Researching something?"

"No," I refused to give him anything to torment me about.

"Hmm," he plucked a book at random from my table, "'Ancient creatures and their Origin'."

Of course he would have picked that one. Snatching the book away, I hugged it to my chest. Riddle frowned, his fingers rubbing where our hands had briefly brushed.

"Interesting choice, any reason in particular to read a book like this?" He flicked imaginary lint off his shoulder, I would be a fool to think he would be here speaking to me if it wasn't of some import to him.

"No." Tom Riddle was the kind of Slytherin who used others to do his bidding; his followers must be doing something important for him to stoop to speak with me.

"I am starting to understand why even the lowest Hufflepuff deigns to not spend time with you." He smirked, "not very good at conversation, are we?"

My blush was enough to confirm his comment. At this moment there were three Hufflepuffs in the classroom, they had all noticed me and all chose to put their books on the spare chairs next to them, just encase I chose to sit next to them. I had learnt long ago not to try and make friends.

"Please leave me alone." He smiled at me and for a moment I blushed for an entirely different reason. I would have to be a fool not to at least acknowledge Tom Riddle's features; it was easy to see how he had everybody fooled. Even the teachers fell for his 'perfect' student act, we only had potions together and I was forced to watch Professor Slughorn dote on him.

Frightened when he just kept staring at me, I tried to hop up again. A strong hand wrapped around my wrist in warning, pressing with enough pressure to make me wince. From the outside it must have looked as if Riddle was holding my hand, but they would only have to look in my eyes to see the stark terror.

"Not yet," his finger tip swirled around my furious pulse, "first tell me why you are carrying around that mirror? It seems every I see you that mirror is flashing in your hands."

"I—I," unconscious to the movement, my hand wrapped around it, finding comfort in the cool metal.

"And why the sudden fascination with ancient creatures, and don't tell me it's because you have a fascination with animals," sneered Riddle.