Extreme Remedies ( Tom Riddle Era )

Chapter 25

"I don't know where
Confused about how as well
Just know that these things will never change for us at all

If I lay here
If I just lay here
Would you lie with me and just forget the world?"

Chasing cars, Snow Patrol

~~~~~~~

Tom wanted to get rid of his anger. An anger that tormented him for months and that in the latest weeks was getting darker.

He took ten points to his own House to be sure that Ella Black wouldn't dare to ask help for her homeworks again. It was traumatic enough for her, a simple and innocent girl who never broke rules, to keep her away.
The fear that having been seen with her turned Evelyn upset haunted him for days.
He couldn't blame her, since he would feel the same whenever he spotted her too close to any other boy.
He simply should have been less patient and ordered Ella to keep some distance, instead of letting her breath on his neck.

He spent a sleepless night to read the novel, unsure if that story was merely a coincidence. But if she found it and gave it to him, it was because she believed it wasn't just a coincidence.
Tom lingered in the bittersweet memories of that adventure, although he knew it was toxic.

"Are you alright, my boy? I have the impression that you are taking too seriously your new role. Don't misunderstand me, it's remarkable but I'm worried for your health" Slughorn stared at him in a way that Tom found annoying, but he kept a blank face while he stood on the other side of the desk in the teacher's office.
"I just want to help and be worthy to wear this badge" Tom said softly glancing at his uniform "I dare to say that someone else isn't doing the same, that's why I have to overwork".
Slughorn's eyes widened at his sudden harshness "What do you mean?".
Tom waited a moment to let the suspence in the air, then said frankly "All I want to say is that if I could choose, I would have given the role to someone else. Miss Rosier is a good student, but she doesn't suit the role that she got".
Slughorn blinked with surprise "I'm surprised to hear that you disapprove. Emma seems a hardworking girl who is simply a little shy in these first weeks with her new duties".
"Why not Miss Burke?" Tom said bluntly.

The professor touched his collar uncomfortably "We can only pick one boy and one girl. So it means that there can be many candidates and sadly we can only pick one. It was easy to choose you, but not the new prefect girl".
"I understand" the boy lied, then insisted "I just wish that there some things can change".
"You can try to speak to Dumbledore. He and Dippet are the ones who can revoke the role to give it to someone else".

Tom pondered the suggestion, but he hesitated since Dumbledore was the professor he liked the least of all, but he wouldn't find peace until he would try anything to get what he wanted, so he used the first good occasion to go to talk to the Transfiguration teacher.

"What is making you upset, Tom?" The Head of the Gryffindor House asked going straight to the point.
Tom inhaled and spoke his mind "It's about the prefect girl. I don't think that Miss Rosier fits her new role".
To his surprise, Dumbledore smiled calmly.
"I'll be honest. I expected this reaction from you".
Taken aback, Tom frowned "Really? Why?".
"You want to suggest Miss Burke as a suitable replacement. Am I wrong?".
Tom held Dumbledore's penetrating gaze, tempted to swallow with the doubt that his mind wasn't protected enough.
"No, sir" he confessed.
The professor sighed "She was the first name Horace suggested. But I said that it wasn't a good idea since it's known that you and Miss Burke are close partners in crime. So it wasn't wise to give you the same title that you could use for your personal advantage".
Tom was totally taken aback. He felt uncovered.
"I can resign to my position as Prefect if that's the problem, but I believe that she deserved that title more than Miss Rosier".
Dumbledore looked amused by his solemn offer "If we made a mistake, then we'll offer our apologies to Miss Burke, but I have the feeling she would be thankful for sparing her the new duties".
Tom couldn't deny it. He was all alone fighting what seemed a lost battle. He felt also humiliated, and it increased his anger.