Zealous (Tom Riddle)

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters of the Harry Potter franchise.

She stared at him with doe-like eyes, widening as Professor Slughorn edged closer to the boy who defeated her and defaced her glory every time she thought she'd just got it right.

"Well done, Tom!" The potions professor cheered, tapping his hands on his large pot belly. Elizabeth watched in disgust as Horace Slughorn swung an arm which was clothed in a hideous, checkered suit around Tom's shoulders. The boy looked equally as disgusted but still held an obnoxiously over-proud smirk on his pale lips.

"Yeah, well done Tom," Elizabeth muttered under her breath, dislike evident in her voice.

"What was that, Miss Marin?" Tom taunted as he rested a hand on the edge of her desk softly, his undeniably pretty blue eyes resting on the way she frustratedly raked a hand through her hair as she collected her books together.

"You know what it was, Riddle," she snarled back, dark brown eyes ablaze.

He replied with his usual confidence, his smirk reappearing upon his features, "Very well, Miss Marin."

With that, Tom Riddle was gone.

Of course, Elizabeth was used to their pretty much unspoken rivalry and Tom's constant hinting towards it. She was used to watching professor after professor ignoring the great work of not only herself but other students too, just for Tom Riddle. He was their idealistic student - prompt, proper and perfect at everything he did.

Elizabeth groaned in frustration as she threw her bag down on the Slytherin common room floor. Why did she have to be a Prefect along with Tom? She had just entered her fifth year and was delighted with that news. That is, until she found out she would be accompanied by Tom himself.

She ran to her dormitory which she shared with two friends, Hazel and Eloise Winslow. They were twins, although they were distinguishable from one another with their eyes - Hazel had, of course, hazel-coloured orbs whereas her sister Eloise had clear blue ones.

"Hello Hazel, Eloise!" She called out as she rushed around their room. She put her bag down and released her hair from its ponytail, suddenly feeling more free as the ache at the back of her head lessened, "Prefect duties tonight! I'll be back late."

They shouted back their goodbyes as Elizabeth rushed out of the room and downstairs to the common room. There stood Tom Riddle, patiently waiting for her.

"Waiting for me, Riddle?" She tutted as she reached him, "Better not waste time on that. Might be late for your precious duties. At this rate, you'll never become Head Boy."

"I am destined for that title, Miss Marin," he replied coolly, his eyes and expression lacking emotion. He added, "Unlike you."

"Well, of course. I'm not a boy," Elizabeth told him, a cheeky smirk playing on her lips.

Tom growled at her, "You know that's not what I meant."

"But wasn't it, Riddle?" She asked, fluttering her eyelashes with feigned innocence, "How would I have known?"

Tom's answer never came. Elizabeth was displeased with this, but nevertheless enjoyed the deathly silence that came over the two. They didn't share a word until they came across a young boy walking back towards the Slytherin dungeons.

"And what might you be doing, Mr Andrews?" Tom asked quickly, hopping in front of the boy calmly.

"I was talking to Professor Dumbledore, s-sir..." The boy whispered, his pale frame trembling in fright.

"Well?" Tom said, "Don't you have a note of some sort?"

"No, s-sir," the boy mumbled, "P-Professor Dumbledore said it w-wouldn't be necessary."

Tom's infamous smirk appeared on his features again as he began to patronise the boy, bending his body forward so that the boy's eyes met his frozen blue ones, "He obviously didn't realise I was on Prefect duties tonight. Mr Andrews, 10-"

"Tom, don't be so harsh," Elizabeth cut in, kneeling down in front of the frightened first year, "It's okay, Mr Andrews. You can go, no points deducted."

The boy scurried away, looking back at Tom in fear. Tom turned to Elizabeth, snarling at her, "What was that for, Marin? The boy deserved to have points taken off of him."

"If you had any sense, you wouldn't take points off your own house so willingly," Elizabeth replied, shaking her head in disapproval, "Tom, that boy was terrified. Let's go ask Dumbledore if he was really with him, okay? If he wasn't, you can take away as many points as you like."

Tom rolled his eyes lightly, but followed Elizabeth to Professor Dumbledore's office silently, watching how she walked softly, grace in her every step. He admired her in some ways - her effortless elegance was incomparable to that of some of the student body as many were promiscuous and uncaring for their own appearance to their audience.

Elizabeth, on the other hand, was thinking of how cruel Tom could be. She was so determined to beat him, yet she couldn't help her curiosity running away with itself. She wondered what had happened to make him so cruel. She knew he lived in an orphanage but he would be eighteen within the next two years and could be free of that. She couldn't picture it being so awful that he became how he was. It wasn't like he showed sentiment, either, so she pondered whether or not he actually cared about whatever happened to his parents.

"Hello, Professor," Elizabeth greeted politely after she knocked on his office door and got an invitation inside. Tom followed sluggishly, uninterested in their conversation. He was still unamused at Elizabeth's interruption. He was so close to ruining that boy's day, too! Despite this, he still held his head up proudly.

"Hello, Miss Marin and... Oh, Mr Riddle! What brings you two here?" The professor replied cheerfully, blue eyes studying the pair inquisitively.

"Well, we stumbled across a boy in the halls. Mr Andrews," Elizabeth started, glaring at Tom with her deep, muddy eyes, "Mr Riddle thought it wise to deduct points from him, however he said he had previously been visiting you. Is this true?"

"Yes, yes it is," Dumbledore replied quietly, "Mr Riddle, please do confirm that the student is having points taken from them rightfully before doing so. It would have been unfair for Mr Andrews."

"Yes, Professor, of course," Tom nodded, his perfect student voice appearing once more, "Good day, Professor."

Elizabeth smirked as they left the classroom, her eyes trained to Tom.

"Disappointed you got a little telling off, are you?" Elizabeth asked nastily, her tone packed with malice and bad intentions.

"Don't ever do that again," Tom growled, his wand suddenly pointed at Elizabeth's neck, "Do ask. Do not blame."

Elizabeth wasn't scared in the slightest. If there was one thing she thought Tom wouldn't do, it was hurt someone. His perfect image would be destroyed, and the teachers would never forgive him for such an act. At worst, he'd be expelled.

Before the brown-haired girl knew it, the wand that was in her grip inside of her robes was in Tom's hand.

"You know non-verbal magic?" She questioned, holding out a hand for him to return it. He watched her cautiously, not ready to return it to her, "That's not until sixth year, Riddle."

"Unlike you, Miss Marin, I am far advanced into the sixth and seventh year topics," he replied, slowly placing the wand back in her hand. Compared to his icy touch, her skin was the sun, and he felt a shock go through him as he felt her warmth.

"You're cold, Tom," Elizabeth said softly, her eyes meeting his briefly before she looked down at his hands, "Is that why you're always so pale?"

Tom didn't reply. He was busy roaming the halls for more students to attack unnecessarily. Unfortunately for him, there were no more that night. They walked back to the Slytherin common room in silence.

His last words before she wandered off into her dormitory to see her friends then sleep were, "Your hair looks more flattering loose."