Deal with the Devil

Chapter 14

As predicted, Nott was overjoyed when Tom mentioned he would be gracing his home for the winter break. "Elena will be joining as well," he added. The Nott heir had responded that he would write his mother; she had always wanted a daughter and would dote on young ladies whenever they called.

Elena was less than pleased when the Knights settled around her at their before-break study session in the empty classroom, and Nott said, "My mother is so excited to find you dress robes for the Malfoy party. She wanted to know what your favorite color is. She also asked me a slew of questions. Do you know what season you are?"

"Er, I was born at the end of winter?" she replied, bafflement written across her face.

Nott chuckled. "I haven't the faintest what that means, either. Don't worry, I'm sure she will have you all situated when we get there." He elbowed Avery on his other side. "I heard your bride is going to be joining us this year." The other young man rolled his eyes and grumbled something about not being babysitter, which brought about another chuckle.

"At least she will have the build Alfred prefers," Tom purred. "Straight-figured as an arrow, right? I only hope she stays that way, rather than taking after her... cousin." Walburga's name need not be mentioned for them to take his meaning.

Avery tried to shrug nonchalantly, saying, "I like a bit more height on them, Tom. Not all of us take to shrinking violets."

Tom minded the way said violet tensed. "I'm just particular about what kind of soil my little flower lands in. Can't have her trying to take root in mud, can we?"

Nott nodded, Avery adding, "True, true."

"Clever," she sighed. "You've made quite sure of that, thank you."

He'd caught the girl staring longingly toward the Hufflepuff table in the Great Hall a time or two, but she always looked away if any of the boys noticed. For weeks, Johnson had watched after her. A few times, he'd made to approach, but she'd evaded him. The last time, Tom had swept in just before the other young man and thrown a friendly arm around her shoulders. That had put an end to it.

He smiled now. "Yes, I have." He pulled a piece of parchment laden with red ink toward him and tutted. "Avery, you need to be especially attentive with your Transfiguration assignments. How many times have I told you that?" There was scrolling 'Acceptable' at the top near the Slytherin's name. The pale browed boy muttered an apology. "This is atrocious," he said, scanning it. "I'd have been pressed to give the same grade. Didn't Teddy read it over?" Avery shook his head.

"I forgot," he mumbled.

"You forgot?" Tom levelled his gaze with the other man's. "You forgot you had eight feet due on the complications of transfiguring non-human beings due?" He took in a breath through his nose and let it out with a hiss. "The next time you forget an essay, I'll have Nott punish you for me. Understood?"

"Yes, Tom."

Tom nodded and glanced down to the quietest of his older Knights. "Lestrange, would you work with Avery on his next Transfiguration essay? I think his study sessions with Nott have been more of a distraction than aid."

"Of course, Tom," he said, with only the mildest snicker at the insinuation.

Elena looked between Avery and Nott, head tilted. Tom smirked as she tried to work out what was going on. He would have to drop more hints until she figured it out; he wondered how red she'd become when she realized the two were actually lovers. Even a hint of physical affection mortified her.

Tom shut his book, the sound startling the others in the quiet of the room. "It's almost time for Slug Club, gentlemen. We need to clean up before then." He patted Elena's hand before standing. "Just the men tonight I'm afraid, sweetheart."

She did not look at all put off by the statement, though she eyed his hand with distaste. "Right. Have fun with that."

Whether Elena Vablatsky had ever been invited to the professor's gatherings, he could not remember her attending. It seemed the sort of thing she would avoid, given her preference for keeping out of sight. He pondered that as his cohort headed toward the dungeons.

Elena was intelligent. As intelligent as any of his Knights, more than some (Avery being the most obviously dense). Had she been honest about her abilities, her Sight included, he had no doubt Slughorn would find her a welcome addition. Tom had realized she strived for exactly one grade lower than whatever she could naturally perform, though she studied as ardently as any of the more competitive Ravenclaws. He wondered how her NEWTs would come back were he to encourage her to put forth her best effort.

The four of them joined Black in the dungeons, shaving charms applied, neckties straightened.

How amusing would it be to have her show her true form after the break, he thought suddenly. After all, NEWT scores would be owled to their recipients; Tom wanted to see how the professors and fellow students would react to Elena's sudden growth. It was like a prank, a secret he'd known all along (well, since last year) they'd not been privy to. And he could rub their noses into it, now that she was known to be among his "friends."

Yes, that's what he would do. It would also open more options for her once she'd finished Hogwarts. He hadn't even started considering where to place her yet, an oversight he needed to rectify.

As he murmured the password to Slughorn's office, his smile was almost genuine.