Into The Past | Tom Marvolo Riddle

Potions and Tom's Tricks

"Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times... if one only remembers to turn on the light"

-Albus Dumbledore

It was the third day of school when Flora had potions. She was tired due to roaming the dungeons the night before as it was her duty as  Head Girl. She saw Tom at some point doing the same, but she had merely brushed him off due to fatigue taking over. She knew her task, but it nerved her when she was near Tom. He was a killer. A cold hearted killer...

"Well, if it isn't Nightingale," Tom's voice echoed around the empty room.

"Well, if it isn't Riddle," she countered back, her wit making him smirk. At that moment Slughorn entered the room, dressed in a blue robe, his face bright when he saw Tom Riddle.

"Tom m'boy..." Slughorn smiled, clapping his hands in approval.

"Slughorn,"Tom acknowledged, his face brightening into a fake smile. Flora saw straight through his façade, it was like in Charms. The sudden change of heart.

"...and who might you be?" Slughorn asked, looking towards Flora Nightingale.

"Flora Nightingale," Flora introduced, straightening her back and offering out her hand for a handshake. Slughorn cautiously took the offer and nodded his head whilst shaking her hand. He retrieved his hand and took a couple of steps to the doorway leading to the corridor.

"Get in you buffoons. Class has started," his voice roared, before rushing to the front of the podium at the front. He used his wand to write his name on the blackboard with a piece of chalk before sighing. Everyone piled in, pushing for the spot at the front. Flora ended up staying at the back of the class with Tom and his two friends.

One, Abraxas Malfoy and the other one, she didn't worth remembering. She stood on her tippy toes, whilst Tom rolled his eyes with a smirk. He could've went to the front easily, but he liked seeing her struggle. It was sadistically joyful to him.

"Do any of you know what a love potion is?" Slughorn questioned. Everyone raised their hands and he of course, chose Tom Riddle. "Tom?" He asked.

"A love potion is a brew which causes the drinker to become infatuated or obsessed with the person who had given it to her/him and if I may add... it's considered to be a highly dangerous toxin," Tom answered straight away. Flora caught onto the way he had said love potion, as if he hated the word or the very existence of one.

"Very good Tom," he praised before his eyes drifted across the classroom until it reached the cauldron beside him. "Can someone volunteer to smell the toxin?" He asked raising his eyebrow. The girls in the class raised their hands with a giggle, whilst Flora was twiddling with hers. "Flora?" Professor Slughorn chose, although she didn't volunteer. Nevertheless she made her way to the front of the room. Flora stood there for awhile in front of the cauldron as her eyes glazed over.

"I smell..." Her soft voice started. "... Brewing Coffee, Peppermint and-" she quickly snapped out of the daze and took a step back.

"Flora," Mr Slughorn said with surprise. "10 points to Slytherin due to pulling out of the trance," he hummed before looking around, inevitably letting Flora scurry back to her place.

"Peppermint?" Tom taunted. She gave him a look, making his grin turn into a malicious smirk. 'Idiot' she thought.

"Okay. Does anyone know what's the most powerful love potion in existence?" Slughorn pressed. 3 people raised their hands that were Tom, Flora and Gerald Yearn, a Hufflepuff. "Flora?" He asked.