Rose & The Riddle || Tom Riddle Story

Chapter Nine - Two Sides of the Same Coin

Rose did not know how she was going to recruit Mary and Isabel to the Knights. What if they refused? What if they wanted nothing to do with her after they found out what it really was? Granted they both come from pure blood families, and she was sure her parents upheld pure blood values, Mary and Isabel never seemed to hold any disdain for Muggles or Muggleborns.

Then there was Tristin. She watched him closely whenever they were in the common room together. He seemed so young and naïve. What was to become of him after he joined the Knights? The younger children would not understand, leaving them more vulnerable, more impressionable.

Rose's mind had not stopped racing since the first Knights meeting and since her duel with Tom. In essence, she knew it was wrong to try and best Tom at a duel. She knew she was going to lose as soon as she lifted her wand, however she was proud of herself for standing up to him, even if it left their relationship a bit rocky.

Weeks had passed and she hadn't spoken to Tom. She had even avoided his gaze in the Great Hall. Even though she sat next to him in Alchemy, she had, for the most part, successfully given him the cold shoulder. Surprisingly, he didn't try to push her. He knew that he had left her with a great burden to bear and she needed time to figure out what she was going to do. However, the thought of her ignoring him left Tom deeply unsettled.

"There's a Hogsmeade trip coming up this weekend," said Tom as Rose took her usual seat next to him.

Rose raised a skeptical eyebrow. "So?"

"So," he continued. "Your birthday is this weekend. I imagine you'll be celebrating with your friends."

Rose ignored Tom's gaze as she pulled her textbooks out of her bag and placed them in front of her. Tom watched her carefully.

"No, probably not," she answered.

"You should," he answered. "To most people turning seventeen is a very important rite of passage."

Rose scoffed in annoyance. "Why do you care what my plans are for my birthday? You want to throw me a party or something?"

"No," he said simply. "But it is important for you to spend time with your friends."

Rose knew exactly why he wanted her spending time with Mary and Isabel. She had given much thought on how she was going to get them to join Tom's Knights and how to ease them into it, but she had chickened out every time. Granted she hadn't been spending much time with either of them lately. Rose spent most of her evenings and free time tucked away in a corner of the library or down on the grounds alone, weather permitting.

"I'm working on it, Tom," she muttered as Professor Dumbledore strode to the front of the classroom.

"Good morning, class," he greeted as he placed his belongings down on his desk. Rose shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she felt Tom's eyes still locked on her. She wished that she could just sink into the floor instead of endure another painful Alchemy class with Golden Boy Riddle.

Dumbledore waved his wand and words appeared on the chalkboard in front of the class.

"Aurum Nostrum Non Est Aurum Vulgi."

"Our gold is not common gold," began Dumbledore. "Alchemy is largely concerned with altering and transforming properties within physical matter. However, ultimately, it is concerned with transformation and change. Today we will be discussing and exploring the realms of spiritual alchemy. Please turn your books to page one hundred and four."

The class was silent as the class rustled the pages of their books to turn to the correct page. It was titled The Seven Stages of Spiritual Alchemy.