For the Greater Good || Tom Riddle ||

Chapter Six: Dragon's Blood

It rained for the next several days of September. The sky seemed to hang over Hogwarts like a damp, blustering blanket. It was the frothy color of clouds and rain and light. The kind of sky that hurt your eyes if you looked at it for too long.

Gwen awoke to the sound of rain pattering against her window. It was a Saturday, and many of the girls in the Ravenclaw dormitory were still silently snoozing. Jane had begun forming the habit of waking up at five o'clock in order to study. She claimed with distraught hysteria that she had already fallen behind in Potions, and in order to remain a Prefect, her grades had to remain up to par.

Gwen occasionally joined her in the Common Room, curled up on one of the blue chaise lounge chairs. However, she did not study any particular subject. She merely sat contentedly reading from the Tales of Beedle the Bard.

Jane did not question her. Having grown up in the muggle world, she was not familiar with the wizarding world's version of bedtime stories. And Ravenclaw was full of eccentric people. Compared to some, it would not be very odd for Gwen to be obsessed with a book full of fairy tales. So she chose to continue to stick her nose in her Potions textbook, and not initiate conversation.

Which was fine by Gwen, for she was, in fact, studying. She spent most of her time reading that book, turning its frail and yellowed pages. She worked to memorize every story, word for word. As she read, her grandmother's voice filled her ears. It was as if she lived inside of that book, as if her very soul was sealed within its bindings.

However, Gwen decided not to join Jane that day. Instead, she grabbed the Tales of Beedle the Bard, and headed for the library.

The corridors were cold, something Gwen found unusual because she had begun to associate Hogwarts with warmth. The castle was an inviting den full of secret passages and whispers.

On her third day at Hogwarts, Gwen had stumbled upon the House Elves in the kitchen. The sight of them bustling about the kitchen made her think of her family's House Elf, Pit, who was named after all of the cherry stems she'd pull out of the sweet fruit. 

On her fourth day at Hogwarts, she swore one of the portraits, one that featured a woman dressed in medieval garb, told her that she knew exactly where Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem was hidden.

Yes, it was undeniable that Hogwarts was very much alive. From the moving staircases to the never-ending feasts, magic filled the air. It was delightful. It was wonderful.

The rainy day had not permitted the sun to tear away its cloudy sheath. The morning remained dark and gloomy, and no rays of sun penetrated the castle's glass windows. Only low-light torches lit the corridors.

Gwen turned a sharp corner, tucking the Tales of Beedle the Bard under the crook of her arm as she wrapped her black robes around her frame. However, she abruptly reeled back as she collided with another figure. The book skidded against the cobblestone floor, and finally came to rest a few feet away from where she stood.

Gwen looked up.

There was Tom Riddle, looking very unlike his typical polite and polished self. He looked nothing less than annoyed. His jaw was set in a very severe manner, and his eyes glinted with a coldness that Gwen had noticed several times before. His dark gaze drifted toward the floor in a lazy yet calculating sweep.

He politely stepped passed her, and knelt down to pick up her book.

"You're headed to the library this early only to return a book? It must have been very displeasing." An arrogant smirk crept over his lips as he stood up and ran his thumb over the cover.

Gwen straightened her posture, but began growing nervous. She did not want Tom to become curious and open the book. If he did, he would surely find the letter she had so cleverly hidden inside of its pages. Instead, she steeled her gaze and settled her voice.