Bound To You

Chapter 42: Third Task

Tom walked into Hogwarts with some sense of nostalgia--he remembered when he'd first came. He was awed with it--the structure, its' history, the reason it was built in the first place... He was awed and was determined to learn as much as he could.

But then he met Dumbledore.

When he'd first seen him, it was with a frown. He didn't know it back then, but he'd had the same gaze Gellert Grindleward had before he became obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. Ambitious. Willing to do anything to achieve it. And getting Sorted into Slytherin only made matters worse.

He'd come to loathe the old man from a young age, first because he assumed things that were wrong about him, and second because despite knowing how he was treated in the Orphanage, he'd not give in to his pleas to let him stay all year long in Hogwarts. It had made him bitter in the first place, and only now that he was sane, and had a talk with Dumbledore, did he understand that he'd had been barmy even then.

That didn't mean that he'd forgiven him, though.

Not when he'd done the exact same thing to his Harry.

Though now that he'd understood, he viewed the Headmaster as someone who's in desperate need of retirement. He'd put up a petition to let him get a retirement after he realized his own feelings towards his, and now it only needed to be accepted by at least half of Hogwarts teachers. He shook his head, his red, red eyes glamoured to look more brown, and his scales hidden from view.

He looked like Professor Marvolo once more.

When the students started noticing, he was already nearing the Ministry-workers-only seats, and even there, he could hear the excited whispers of many students.

"Professor Marvolo," Draco Malfoy greeted coolly, right beside him his father, who was sneering at the glamoured man.

"Draco Malfoy," he inclined his head in acknowledgement. "And you must be Lucius Malfoy," he smiled, knowing how his attitude grated on the other man's nerves. They'd met many times at work, but he'd taken to pretending to not notice the rather important person, as he was quite busy with work. It was... amusing to see him try to reign in his annoyance at being unknown.

"Thomas Eoin Marvolo, I assume?" he said coolly, his steely mask far colder than that of his son's. "Draco told me many things about you."

"Yes, he was one of my more talented students," he said smoothly, which wasn't a lie. He was one of his more talented students, right next to his Harry, of course. Nevertheless, Draco seemed to beam at his praise, and Lucius grudgingly acknowledged the man. If he could make him smile like that, then he was a worthy person. Though he didn't understand why he'd petition for an investigation on one Dolores Umbridge.

She was... well, she wasn't the most pleasant company, just barely tolerable actually, but he didn't see her as someone who should be under arrest for things that would warrant an investigation. Draco had told him about her classes--boring, but always putting Potter in his place, and making Gryffindors lose House Points. It was the only thing that made her classes enjoyable.

He decided to watch Marvolo a little bit closer, ignoring the excited whispers of many students below them.

Those calm, brown eyes looked bored as Ludo Bagman announced the start of the Third Task, and explained what it was all about.

"Aleron Patric, with his partner, Ariel Dominique!" The first pair's names were announced, and he noticed Marvolo's eyes brighten a little bit in anticipation and worry. Why would he be worried, though...?

"Annabelle Blau, with her partner, Christopher Agnar, please come in!" Ludo exclaimed, announcing the second pair. Yes, that was definitely worry shining through his eyes, and only then did Lucius realize that he wasn't even watching the Third Task at all. He was searching for someone, subtly. How Slytherin...