Battle of Wits: Tom Riddle x Reader

Part Seven: In the Light of The Morning

The morning light came through the great lake with much difficulty as mermaids and other water folk came up to the polished glass and rapped their jagged claws against it. This was a normal occurrence in the slytherin common room and quite usually instilled a dislike of magical creatures among those that lived under the lake. At the sound some of the teenagers awoke with a yelp, others shouting a curse or two, and a few others waking with a slight start before raising up under their soft cushions to glare the the cackling creatures through the glass as the dashed off.

The rooms light green aura came from the morning sun hitting the water, calming the girls after a moment or two of watching the others in the room. A mutter or two left the girls, calling them vile, stupid creatures as they began to dress themselves for the day. Soon after the disruption the girls began flitting into their common room with agitation showing on each of their faces. For the most part the luxurious room was empty, shining and sleek but void of any others . The mermaids made a point to flit in and out of view as the girls settled in or left the area all together. (Your Name) did her best to ignore their taunting ways as she made her way towards the sleek black tables and chairs nestled in the back of the room and hoisted herself up into the corner chair so she could see the expanse of the common room that was laid out before her.

A house elf appeared moments after she had settled down, staying in her line of sight yet managing to dip down low enough for her nose to skim against the floor. She drummed her fingers against the polished wood in an awkward manner, still unused to the creatures willingness to be ordered about. She came back up with a large smile on her face, eyes a warm chocolate color that made sure never to connect with her own as she waited to be addressed.

"Er..tea, please." (your Name) eventually decided, stopping her drumming as a few underclassmen entered the area and gave her a very clear look of annoyance. She rolled her eyes at them and looked back to the elf before adding "and something to eat, if you will."

It had taken her quite some time to get used to the willingness of the many house elves residing within the halls of hogwarts but eventually her dislike for ordering them around turned into indifference when she realized that they actually enjoyed doing the chores and hard work for their 'masters'. Though still at times she found it hard to give them orders if only because of their eyes, big and round like that of an animal...only they were actually intelligent and perhaps even more loyal than a dog could be.

She smiled at the tiny house elf just slightly as she vanished and reappeared minutes later with tea and biscuits. Then, just as soon as she had appeared to her she had vanished without a sound. 

'The ever silent servant...' She mused to herself as she stirred her tea. 'They would make good spies.'

She stayed like that for quite some time, enjoying her small slice of peace after the hectic night that she had faced hours before. The ink drawing on the wall and anything else surrounding hogwarts after hours vanished from her mind as she instead focused on the present. Eventually she began to note prominent figures of the Slytherin house as they entered from their dorms. Abraxas Malfoy, whom she hated..The Goyle twins, whom she also disliked, and Tom in all his glory.

(Your Name) met his eyes as his groups settled across the room in the leather sofas, all talking about something he seemed to deem unimportant. A prickling sensation latched onto her neck not too long after she locked eyes with him and even as she looked away she could feel the discomfort of it attacking her back. She rubbed her hand against the nape of her neck with a disgruntled sigh until it finally vanished all together.

They were choosing to ignore one another as the wintery sunday morning began, not that she really cared since he tended to do such a thing rather often. School had changed him, she knew that fact very well. She zoned in on her tea and biscuits, glancing up at the boy every once and a while to see him reading out of the tattered old book he had found in the library last year. His possy even seemed more tame in the morning light, despite their obnoxious laughter about mudbloods and halfbreeds being inferior. 

(Your Name) eventually looked up from her task of waking up and focused on the lake beyond the window with an almost dreamy sigh. She thought of the night prior (as she had told herself she wouldn't) and grasped onto the threads of what she could remember. Sleep had hung heavy to her frame when she walked through the common room door that night, having fought Peeves for nearly another hour after Tom and herself returned to the other, hissing and spitting at one another over the suit of armor. Once he was free she had left, tom escorting her back to the girls domatory, and she had crashed then and there without so much as taking her shoes off. She had no memory of waking back up in the middle of the night to put on her pyjamas, which perplexed her the longer she thought on it.

The light of the morning brought her questions, several of them. Yet it gave her no time to address them as a familiar voice called for her attention. "Miss (Last Name)," Her eyes flitted from her newly drained teacup to the figure making his way towards her form. 

"Professor Slughorn," She replied, standing quickly as Tom Riddle did the same from where he had been sitting moments prior. "Is something the matter, Sir?"

"Well- You're in no trouble, dear girl...but-"

"Is everything alright?" Tom interjected with a charming smile directed towards his head of house, hand touching the small of (Your Names)'s back as if they were chummy little kids.

"Yes, yes. Perhaps you'd better come too, Tom." the wheezy old man said, seeming to debate within his mind for a moment or so before waving them to follow behind him.

"Where is it that we're going, Professor?" (Your Name) then asked.

"Headmaster Dippets office...He'd like to have a word with you."