Masquerade- Tom Riddle Fanfiction

Ravenclaw's Secret

*Dedicated to @Night_Sky_333 because she is stressing over her computer programming project with me, and for her to keep up the good work :D

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  I dove into the matron's mind, narrowing my eyes as I picked out the specific memory in less than a second. 

    Tom Marvolo Riddle. 

   Mrs. Cole was sitting in her desk, across from an older man with an auburn beard, clad in plum velvet garments. It was unmistakably Dumbledore. 

   "I am here, as I told you in my letter, to discuss Tom Riddle and his arrangements for his future," Dumbledore said, his half moon glasses glistening. 

   "Are you family?" Mrs. Cole asked. 

  "No, I am a teacher," Dumbledore replied, "I have come to offer Tom a place at my school." 

   "What is this school?" 

    "It's called Hogwarts." 

    "And how come you are interested in Tom?"

   "We believe he has the qualities we are looking for," Dumbledore answered. 

    "You mean, he's won a scholarship? How can he when he never applied for one?" Mrs. Cole asked sharply. She was no fool. 

    "Well," Dumbledore said, "his name has been down for our school since birth--" 

    "Who registered him? His parents?" 

   Deception was needed at this point. 

     Dumbledore pulled out his wand from his suit before waving it before a piece of perfectly blank paper before placing it towards Mrs. Cole. "Here, I think this will make everything clear--" 

  Mrs. Cole's eyes slid in and out of focus as she stared intently at the blank piece of paper. 

  "That seems to be in order," she said placidly before spying a bottle of gin and two glasses, magically conjured in a heartbeat. "Err--" she looked at the bottle with a new look in her eyes before turning to Dumbledore, "may I offer you a glass of gin?" she asked with an extra layer of refinement in her manner. 

   "Yes, thank you," Dumbledore beamed, and I knew exactly what he was up to. It was clear that he knew that Mrs. Cole had a habit of a drinker. Pouring a generous measure into both glasses, she drowned her own glass in one gulp. She smacked her lips with relish before smiling at Dumbledore for the first time since he walked into her office. Dumbledore didn't hesitate in pressing his advantage. 

  "I was wondering whether you could tell me anything about Tom Riddle's history? I think he was born here in the orphanage?" he paused interrogatively.