Tom Riddle is Here-Plan in Action

Twins the Second

Despite their reservations, they went ahead with the meeting. Not that they would deny going to such a meeting when there was the risk of them finding something that was important. It was important that they glean as much information from the Weasley Twins as possible, otherwise the whole point of their going to the meeting would be useless. They were still a little worried that the Weasley Twins had something up their sleeves, and would betray them and they would be ambushed by who knows how many people, or which people, but they were prepared for such a case. They would not hold back if it was necessary to keep them safe. Tom had already Owled Lucius to ensure that if they were injured at any point in time in the school, they would report it and he was to bring it up to the Council. After all, an heir to the ancient and noble house being injured? It would be easy to claim that Lucius had not received word of his son being injured, and bring it up to the council and question why exactly he had not been notified. After all, it was a common necessity . Such a thing would only help them, not hinder them. 

Still, they would rather that they were not injured, or anything of the like. It would be hard to fight themselves out of a potential ambush, but they also knew that they would need whatever information it was that the Twins could grant them. If necessary, they had a way to turn the unfortunate situation into a fortunate one, but neither Tom nor Draco wanted to even begin to deal with the whole problems that being injured and in the infirmary would cause. They did not want to be confined to one area, either. 

"Tom, do not worry," Draco said softly as they swiftly headed up to the Charms corridor. "I am sure that we will be capable of dealing with this. While the Twins are definitely pranksters, their pranks have never gone so far as to severely injure someone." Tom hummed, and gave a curt nod to Draco's attempt at reassurance. 

"Yes, well, they had never had to deal with the entire school lashing out against Gryffindor either." Tom gently reminded the younger boy. "Now that the tables are turned there are many things that could happen, or could go wrong. Especially since the Twins tend to be incredibly emotional, though generally happy, and emotions almost always cloud another's judgement." 

"I suppose, that is why Dumbledore, despite all of his faults, is so well respected in many ways. The man easily manages to manipulate people. Thank goodness he is not a Slytherin." 

"That man would have been eaten alive in Slytherin." Tom responded swiftly, voice low and slightly annoyed. Draco tilted his head, slightly, considering what Tom had spoken. 

"You are right," Draco agreed. 

They were now at the Charms corridor, only a few moments before their meeting was to take place, and they waited. Neither was able to really figure out what they should expect from this. Though they had prepared for the worst, they also desperately hoped that the worst would not actually come through. Still, it was a dangerous thing that they were doing, and Tom had done his best, with the help of Draco and his friends, to try and eliminate all risks possible without actively bringing them with. He did not doubt his or Draco's magical ability, and he did not want to potentially bring suspicion by having more than just Tom and Draco aligned during the meeting. To have others present would likely do no good, just more harm, and Tom would not allow such things.

The Twins came much sooner than either Tom or Draco were really expecting. They had expected the two to be a few minutes late, but surprisingly, they were on time, and had serious looks on their faces. Tom and Draco just watched them, leaning against the wall, hands crossed over their chests. 

"Weasley," Draco said, voice soft, cultured, but with a slightly warning edge. 

"Malfoy, Riddle," The Twins said amicably.

"We heard you had wanted to meet with us. Despite our, reservations of the act of doing so, we went ahead and agreed." Tom said, swiftly taking the conversation straight to the point. "As I am sure that you are aware, neither of us has much time, and the Slytherin Common Room is quite far from here, so I would ask that you make your time count. It is very little, after all, and a second meeting is not assured." The Twins nodded quickly, noting the dark gleam in the Riddle boy's eyes. 

"We were just wondering..." 

"...Why you had..."

"...left us out of the..."

"...fight between you and Gryffindor." The Twins spoke intermittently but the concept was quite clear. 

Draco and Tom supposed that it was quite a good question. After all, they had no reason to leave the Twins out of most of the tricks which the Slytherin house was doing, and yet they had. It would only make sense that the group was rather curious about it. If Tom was being honest, he had not really expected them to notice in the first place. 

"Draco," Tom said simply, raising an eyebrow. 

"I like you two. Not too much of course, but you were never...too hostile, at least not as much as the other Gryffindor students, and I fully have enjoyed the pranks which you have pulled since my time began at Hogwarts. I asked Tom to try and help leave you out of it, he agreed to do so as long as it was in his ability. He vouched for you, I suppose you could say."

Tom smirked inwardly. His Draco was quite good at these sorts of things. Managing to not only make sure it seemed that he himself was not responsible, nor Tom. It led the Twins into thinking that there was another person behind their actions. Of course, there was not, but they were well aware that Dumbledore had likely commissioned the Twins to try and snatch information from them. Even if the guise was just that they were curious. 

"You enjoyed our pranks?" 

"Truly?"

"Of course, if you were not so clearly Gryffindors I fear we could have been friends. Unfortunately that cannot be the case. Not to mention my father hates yours, for admittedly, rather decent reasons if one truly knows the reasons behind the hatred. There is no way either of us could have been friends with such hatred  between our family Patriarchs. Not that I would want to become friends. Lately the behavior of all the Gryffindors has been abysmal." Draco said primly. "Still, I had not expect that my request would actually be granted." 

"There is not really any reason to know for sure why you were left out of the recent goings on between the Slytherin and the Gryffindors." Tom said simply, with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"I dare not request much further into the reason either." Draco admitted. 

The twins looked rather put out. Clearly they had not gotten the information that they had expected, or wanted. Not that it bothered Draco or Tom much. They had done what they had come to do, and this information would be passed to Dumbledore likely as soon as the next twenty-four hours. 

"If you will excuse us," Tom said simply. "We really must be getting back to the dorms now."