Masquerade¹ → Tom Riddle [Rewritten] ✓

CHAPTER EIGHT

On the night of Evelyns first Slug Club meeting, she was unusually on edge. Something felt off but what, she couldn't quite tell. After her lessons had finished for the day, she had collapsed on her bed and simply pet Midnight, something she had found herself doing far more since the start of October, it helped her manage her anxieties and stay above water.

"I thought you would be at Quidditch practise..." Sara looked at Evelyn with confusion as she entered their dormitory.

"It got cancelled," she looked out of her window at the snow-covered grounds with a sigh, she would far rather be playing Quidditch than attending this meeting.

"What about your Slug Club?"

"It's in half an hour, I might not go I don't think I feel very well."

Sara darted over towards her, lifting Midnight off of her body and putting him on the floor. "Maybe it was that demon cat! Anyway, you have to go, I could help you get ready, it would be far more interesting than writing up an essay on trolls!"

Evelyn sighed deeply, "go on then, but nothing over the top." She sat up, watching as Sara dove straight into her trunk searching for the perfect combination. After throwing almost its entire content on the floor, she finally settled on a grey knitted dress, that Evelyn hadn't worn in months, with a small necklace. At the end of the sliver chain sat a small eagle, with a sapphire gemstone sat where the eyes would be.

After a short while, Evelyn was changed and ready to go. "Wonderful. Go and have fun for me! Pray that I survive this essay on trolls because I very well might not!" Sara laughed lightly, looking down at the blank piece of parchment before her.

"Will do!"

Evelyn began making her way towards the dungeons at a leisurely pace, almost knowing that she would be one of the very first to arrive. Her footsteps echoed across the hallway, alerting everyone to her presence, something she wasn't particularly sure she wished to happen. As she made her way closer to Professor Slughorns Office, she walked on her tiptoes to remain as quiet as possible, she would feel too uncomfortable being the last one and being alone with her Professor.

Once Evelyn was just outside the office, she spotted Tom Riddle heading towards her, "Miss Rivers," he nodded his head at her.

"Tom. How were your books?" She asked him.

"Rather curious, you would be surprised how much new information you can find out about Hogwarts Castle, especially considering we reside in it for the majority of our year. It's rather curious how much some students wouldn't know."

Evelyn was intrigued, "like what?"

"Well," he took a step closer to her, "if a boy were to attempt to enter the girls' dormitories or vice versa, the stairway would turn into a slide."

"I would say that is a rather wonderful solution, what else?"

"Muggle technologies cannot function inside the castle, quite how it should be I suppose, why would we need muggle technologies when we have these?" He brandished his wand.

"I suppose you are correct, we can do an awful lot with our wands that muggles could never dream of doing." It was honestly quite incredible how much Evelyn had been able to learn to do with her wand. Even growing up in a wizarding household, she found it breathtaking whenever she saw her parents utilising a new piece of magic.

Before Evelyn had the chance to press him any further, Professor Slughorn appeared at the door. "Tom, Evelyn!" He smiled graciously at them, "You're a little bit early but please do come in, we're just getting set up." He beckoned for them to follow in behind him. "Take a seat you two, I'll be back shortly."

With slight discomfort, the two took a seat at the round table in the centre, sitting as far away from each other as humanly possible. While Evelyn waited for Professor Slughorn to return, she began surveying the room. Dainty crockery was arranged on the table, set up for a three-course meal, something that Evelyn had never had before. Covering the rest of the white tablecloth were small black and gold sequins, a muggle invention that Evelyn adored. When Evelyn looked up again from the table, she was joined by a collection of fifth and sixth-year students, as well as Professor Slughorn. Once everyone was seated, two house-elves emerged holding golden trays on which goblets filled with punch sat. Circling the table, they dropped a goblet beside each student before making their way out of the office through the side entrance.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Professor Slughorn took a swig of his punch and spoke. "Evelyn, do tell me about your parents, I heard they were wonderful Aurors!"

"Well Professor," she took a sip of her punch, "they worked as Aurors for around fifty years between them, I would say they know the Ministry of Magic better than anyone, maybe even the Minister himself!" Slughorn chuckled light as he finished off his drink. "They were working to track down Grindlewald himself before they passed away, well my Father was, my mother began to get awfully interested in Helga Hufflepuffs lineage, she even went as far as to tell me she thought she had a living relative still!"

"Well!" Professor Slughorn raised his eyebrows, "wouldn't that be incredible if it were true! If there were a living relative, they would help us track down Helga Hufflepuff's cup, now nobody has seen that in several decades!"

"Now that would be incredible!"

"Now, let's eat." He clapped his hands, summoning the house-elves back to deliver plates of steaming food.

Everyone quickly tucked into the food, Evelyn keeping food in her mouth at all times, fearing that Professor Slughorn would return to question her next, there was very little of interest she would be able to say.

Luckily, he struck somewhere else, questioning Mary, a sixth-year Gryffindor who sat a few seats across from Evelyn. "I heard your father recently invested in some rather peculiar artefacts from Borgin and Burkes." He paused, waiting for Mary to divulge information to him.

"Yes sir that is correct, he has recently taken some interest into historical artefacts and once he was in Borgin and Burkes, he was very quickly persuaded to purchase some goods," Mary said as she pushed her inky black hair behind her ear.

"What particular things has he found?" Slughorn leant forwards, obviously intrigued in what she was saying.

"He recently collected some seeds for a silver-leafed tree that he hopes to plant in our garden and sometime in the near future, he hopes to acquire a time turner. It has always been his dream to have one in his possessions"

"How very interesting," He sighed, "Perhaps Arnold's father could assist him in finding one."

"Oh yes! My Father has heard there is a large collection of time-turners at the Ministry of Magic, apparently, they keep them under tight security. Evelyn, perhaps your parents told you something about this?"

Evelyn sighed at the thought of returning to the conversation, she felt drained, there were far too many people in one enclosed space for her liking. "Well, just like your father said, my Father was also aware that they were somewhere in the Ministry, he thought they may be in the Department of Mysteries but he never told me why."

Evelyn opened her mouth to speak again but as she did, she felt a sharp piercing pain in her skull.

"Fascinating, truly fascinating! Now, would everyone like dessert?"

"Professor, my deepest apologies but I was wondering if I would be able to be excused, I seem to be coming down with a headache." She pressed her hand against her head, hoping it might bring her some relief.

"Of course! Do look after yourself!" He smiles gleefully at her before returning to question another student.

Almost instantly once she escaped the office, Evelyn suddenly took on a pale look, as if she'd been painted with white-wash - even her lips were barely there. Then with one step backwards she crumpled like a puppet suddenly released of their strings.