Masquerade¹ → Tom Riddle [Rewritten] ✓

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

As much as Evelyn hated Peeves, if anyone would know who spoke parseltongue in Hogwarts, it would likely be him. She tried to avoid him whenever possible, but for the first and likely last time, she sought him out.

Evelyn knew where he was by tracing the screams. As she got closer, she saw him pelting chalk at a group of unsuspecting first-years, "Peeves!" She called out to him, causing him to stop momentarily.

He chuckled mischievously, "you plan on joining them?" Before Evelyn knew it, he turned to face her and began to throw more chalk.

Evelyn simply let it hit her, placing her hand around her ear as though she had heard something. "Is that the Bloody Baron? It sounds like he's coming this way!"

Peeves stopped, "he isn't!" But Peeves did not seem convinced.

"You know," Evelyn took a step closer to him as the first-year students ran away. "He and I got rather close, I would say he would be willing to come up here to see you if I asked him..."

"What do you want, girl?" He huffed in annoyance.

"I would like to ask you a question-"

Before she could finish, he cut her off, "well do it then!"

She cleared her throat, speaking louder this time, "as I was saying! I want you to answer a question for me and I want it answered honestly." She leant close to him, close enough to whisper, "have you seen anyone hanging around the girl's bathroom on the second floor? Anyone going in regularly?"

"I might have."

"Who?"

"A student."

"Who?" Peeves flew up in the air, zooming back down behind Evelyn. "If you don't tell me, I will get the Bloody Baron and that is a promise!" She wished he were human so she could simply threaten him with violence, it would save her a lot of time.

"I've seen ugly Myrtle, she cries all the time!"

"I know about Myrtle!" Evelyn was at the end of her tether, "who else?" Peeves blew a raspberry at Evelyn, causing her to roll her eyes in response. "Who else?"

"I hear him all the time in there, hissing like a snake. A boy, in your year." With that, Peeves vanished into thin air.

"Merlin! Peeves I will talk to the Bloody Baron right now! You will be sorry!" She shouted into the courtyard at nobody.

As soon as Evelyn found the Bloody Baron and told her what she wanted, he was on board. "I'll get a name from him, I'll get Helena to tell you."

"Thank you!" Evelyn was grateful for the Baron in that instant and she knew that would be an event unlikely to occur again. Although some of the Hogwarts ghosts were rather fond of the students, engaging them in conversation every now and again. the Bloody Baron was unlike any other. He barely spoke to the students and when he did, they were almost always Slytherin, as though he did not wish to mix with those who Salazar had not considered pure. As much as Evelyn hated the idea of blood purity, she was glad that both her parents had been wizards, it was simply a fact that made her feel safe.

Evelyn felt her stomach rumbling, clutching it with one hand as she realised that dinner had likely already begun. She made her way to the Great Hall, walking as quickly as her short legs would take her, sliding into her usual seat as soon as she spotted her friends.

"Where did you get to?" Lily asked as she tucked into a helping of pie.

Evelyn dropped a slice of pie onto her plate, "I got distracted by Peeves." It might not have been the whole truth, but it made Evelyn feel better than an outright lie, her friends deserved to know as much as she could tell them.

Lily groaned loudly, "Merlin, is that the first time this year?" Evelyn nodded, "you've done well to avoid him for that long!"

"He's caught me so many times! Mostly with boys..." Sara giggled "but it really does ruin the mood! Nobody exactly wants to do anything with me when there's a poltergeist around!" Sara tucked into her slice of pie with a grin, "you know they really ought to find a way to get rid of him!"

"They already tried!"

Evelyn nodded her head, "In the nineteenth century, the caretaker tried to trap Peeves but somehow Peeves ended up armed with weapons, threatening students with death!" Sara gasped. "Eventually, the Headmistress signed a contract with Peeves to give up the weapons and he got extra privileges..."

"And that was the last time they tried to get rid of him!"

Sara raised her eyebrows, "I can see why! If only he would go and annoy other students, I would finally be able to get somewhere with boys!"

"Speaking of boys, Evelyn what are you doing hanging around Tom Riddle so much now?"

Sara nodded, "yeah since Christmas you've been with him so much! How come?"

Evelyn had already thought of a lie for when her friends eventually questioned this, "he's my partner in Runes and I might be falling behind a bit so he's been forced to tutor me." Neither Lily or Sara were in her Ancient Runes class, they would never know she was lying.

"How bad is it?" Sara thought back to her disastrous attempt at conversing with him at the beginning to the year.

"Well, he isn't Peeves," she chucked lightly, "but he also isn't you two! At least he talks to me, it could always be worse..."

"Merlin I'm glad I don't take Runes! I would never be able to pass, especially not if I had to be tutored by Tom Riddle!"

"It's certainly a challenge."

After discussing the possible matches for Sara's next romantic partner, the trio made their way back up to the Ravenclaw Tower, stuffed full of food and ready for a long night's sleep. "Good evening Helena," Lily said as she walked into the tower and Evelyn was sorely reminded that Helena likely had something to tell her, something she wasn't sure she wanted to hear.

"Good evening girls," she looked over at Evelyn with a sweet smile.

"You two go ahead," she glanced at her friends, "I need to talk to Helena a moment."

Lily and Sara nodded, making their way out of the common room and into their dormitory at once.

"The Bloody Baron asked me to give you a name...."

Evelyn took a deep breath, "yes, just tell me Helena."

"Tom Riddle."