Chapter Text
November 10th, 1942
You finally put the Charms essay you were writing down, using your wand to clean your ink smudged fingers. You lift the letter you wrote to your parents after getting the invitation to Slughorn’s club they seemed over the moon singing their praises of their time being members. Your father is still in close contact with the Professor, who will now and then ask him for a favour or two.
Basil jumps up onto your bed after just waking up he stretched and climbs into your lap his bell chiming reminding you of your stalkers most recent visit. You pat his head earning a pleased 'meow'.
Now you can focus on what has really captured your attention. You have spent the last 6 days trying to figure out whose ring you found lying in the corridor was after you and Ed left the library. Maybe to distract you from the fact that you agreed to attend slug club tonight, you were tempted to drink a Fever Philter potion and go to Madame Pomfrey’s instead. Hours before the meeting you sit in your four posted bed going over pureblood family crests trying to match the one on the ring to a name. You have borrowed nearly every book in the library on records of families who have attended Hogwarts. You pause at Gaunt, you have never heard of the last name, nor has your parents ever mentioned it. The crest doesn’t match but you continue reading,
“…last descendants of Salazar Slytherin… through female lines descendants of the Peverells”.
You flick to the Peverells page, of course everyone knows the story of the three brothers; you thought it was just some made up story your mother read you before bed. The Peverell coat of arms is the same as the ring, how did you not see this before? it’s the Deathly Hallows mark, the same mark both your parents wear around their necks.
So how does a Hogwarts student link with these two families and potentially Grindelwald? You would ask Riddle tonight what he knows, he might have seen someone while on patrols that night.
-
You dread every step as you make your way down to the Professor Slughorn’s office in the Dungeons. The stone clicks under your heeled Oxfords, you chose your most modest skirt and tights for the occasion under your stalkers advise. You make sure your blouse is buttoned up correctly under your robes and that your Ravenclaw coloured ribbons in your hair are neat. You knock on the large door softly and politely, only to be answered by Professor Slughorn himself. You greet him first.
“Ah Professor, I am very grateful for your invitation this evening. My father was glad to hear the news and urged me to bring pineapple lollies from him,” You keep your tone soft and polite as you present him with a bag of yellow sweets in which he perks up at. “Oh Miss Bulstrode, I am glad you could make it. How is your father? Still in the Ministry I presume?” He matches your tone but has an edge of enthusiasm as he takes your coat hanging it with the others.
“Yes, he is working closely with the Minister to try and catch Grindelwald, I do hope they catch him soon,” you say what Professor Slughorn clearly wants to hear even though it is the opposite, your father is nothing but a filthy spy. He nods with a big smile before turning to the group of boys all staring in your direction.
“Oh, how rude of me for not giving introductions, I am sure you already know Tom, but these are Abraxas Malfoy, Cantankerus Nott, Lucien Rosier, Marcellus Lestrange, Vulean Mulciber, Nicholas Avery and Antonin Dolohov. This is Y/N Bulstrode, she is the most brilliant witch in your cohort,” Professor Slughorn lists off as he gestures to each Slytherin boy, all of them purebloods and from influential families. This doesn’t seem like a meeting of Hogwarts’ brightest but Slughorn putting together heirs of powerful families. You smile slightly curtsy wanting to uphold manners in the social setting. In exchange every boy inclines his head to you. You take the seat Professor Slughorn pulls out for you politely it happens to be next to Tom Riddle, you smile at him briefly before paying attention to the boys around the table.
The boys discuss mundane topics about classes; you see your chance to question Riddle.
“I have been meaning to ask something of you,” You turn to him calmly keeping your voice low not to disrupt the talking. He nods his head, so you go on. “Do you know anyone who attends Hogwarts with the last name Gaunt?” As you speak you see his eyebrow quirk up just slightly before offering you a polite smile.
“Why do you want to know?” You can tell he is keeping his voice even which only increases your confusion.
“Oh, I found a ring in the hallway near the library it has the Peverell coat of arms. I read that the family name died out and was married into the Gaunt family, so I presume its some family heirloom, you seem like you know something about it,” You take a risk and referring to his small reaction he presented.
He just smoothed his hand out on the table before smiling and shaking his head. “Truly nothing can be hidden from you, when Slughorn said you was incredibly bright I almost did not believe him. All that from a lost ring and under a week of your time?” His measured voice is back as he holds out his hand. You carefully place the ring on his palm, fingertips brushing his pale skin you pull away when he’s unnaturally cold. He slips it onto his finger calmly, briefly moving it. Its small but you can guess that he’s pleased to have it back.
“So, what did you really want to ask me outside the library?” You can tell he’s being lenient with you, giving you small crumbs so you keep going. His dark eyes glance to you as you sip the tea in your cup.
“How can I trust you won’t rattle out my inquiries to the next student?” He talks like what he is saying is a given, he sets his bait. His voice holds a hint of coldness; you're prying into his business. You take the hint.
“What would gain your trust Riddle?” You hold his eye to show you're serious. His eyes gleam with a newfound interest now that the heat is off him.
“What do you care about most Miss Bulstrode? Where do your ambitions lie?” It’s like he is repeating a line, he must use people’s goals to his advantage.
Smart
“The preservation of Magical Creatures, it is what I wish to do after I leave Hogwarts,” you smile and respond to his question truthfully.
“Well muggles seem to be the leading cause in their dangers am I right? Their wars they continue to create are damaging their ecosystems are they not? So, what if you could truly protect these creatures from the plans of Muggles?” He speaks with utter confidence; you find yourself easing into his company more.
“What are you suggesting? Eradicating muggles completely? But there would still be wizards that take advantage of magical creatures,” you hint at the views of blood supremacy to see if he takes it, you presume the other boys around the table has told him about your parent’s ideals.
“Would it be so bad to have power over those who oppose you? There wouldn’t be these wars that their incompetent politicians create, magical creatures could live freely and… no more hiding,” His words enchant you; just how much is he promising? You sit back into the chair slightly thinking it over. “With this power you could rule over other witches and wizards to ensure the preservation of magical creature not just work under ministry jurisdiction.”
As he continues to talk you find yourself agreeing slightly with his words, he’s good at this clearly, you barely even notice Professor Slughorn wishing everyone a goodnight. You snap out of it giving the old man a wave, once he leaves all the attention from the table falls onto you; you glance around nervously.
The entire atmosphere shifts the light conversation and pumpkin spiced scents fade. The room almost feels smaller, darker, less room for error. What have you found yourself in?
"It's late I should retire for the night..." You stand quickly retrieving your coat placing it over your shoulders, you wish them all a goodnight before leaving.
Tom's POV
I can't let her get too close to me without my control right now, I'll make her only approach me when I need her. For now, I must focus on finding the chamber; her role in my plans will come later.
9:15 pm- She wakes up 1st years who sleep against the Ravenclaw portrait they had accepted their fate of never being able to guess the riddle. She is kind and helps them solve it. She's good with children.