Stolen Time A Tom Marvolo Riddle Fanfiction completed

Chapter Twenty-five

The next morning Cassiopeia entered the staff room of the School for Muggle-born Witchcraft and Wizardry with a feeling of anxiety. The last time she had been here things hadn't turned out very pleasantly. She remembered Lestrange's burly form towering threateningly in the doorway, Rosier, slightly slimmer but yet no less intimidating, following close behind. She quickly shook her head, trying to get the unsettling image out of her head and concentrated on the present.

The room was almost empty. Only Percival was sitting at the table, a cup of tea in his hand and the Daily Prophet on the table in front of him. When she entered the room, he glanced up from the newspaper and a smile crossed his features.

"Morning," he greeted. "How was your weekend?"

"Morning," Cassiopeia replied, pouring herself a cup of coffee and taking a sip. "Oh, well, my weekend wasn't quite the way I had planned. It was packed with surprises. But it surely could have been even worse. What about yours?" She eyed him closely.

Percival looked back at her. "Mine was rather uneventful. I mainly  prepared classes, nothing too exciting. But I had this unbelievable inspiration for a potions test I'm going to try today."

Cassiopeia's lip twitched slightly. That sounded just like Tom. He had always had a talent for planting false memories, and he had always liked tampering with other people's minds. She could still recall the satisfied grin on his face, that morning in Slughorn's double Potions so long ago, when he had altered the memories of Yaxley, Nott and Malfoy.
Obviously, he had taken the chance to play his little game again.

Refocusing on Percival, she said, "Sounds great." After a moment she asked, following on a sudden impulse, "Are you teaching Ben, Anna and Livia today?"

Percival threw her a confused glance. "Why the three of them? Obviously, I'm teaching their respective classes, though not the fourth years today." He looked at his timetable. "Fourth year tomorrow." He gazed up again. "Why?"

Cassiopeia shook her head. "Never mind. Just asking."

She sat down as well and drank her coffee in silence. If she were honest, it wasn't unexpected that Tom had taken the opportunity to end their extra lessons quite unceremoniously. After all, that was exactly what had been the purpose of Lestrange's and Rosier's mission, even if it wasn't the way they had had intended to take, of course.

"There have been several arrests and disappearances again." Percival's voice broke the silence. He kept his gaze on the Daily Prophet, reading the headlines. "People are so stupid."

Cassiopeia eyed him wordlessly. Tom had really made a good job of it.
She snorted lowly, pressing her lips together. Of course he had. Why did he always have to do everything so damn perfectly? It was frustrating.
Finally, Cassiopeia got up. "I have to get going. See you later."

Percival nodded without looking up. "See you."

Still feeling slightly annoyed, Cassiopeia went to her classroom. She had Ben's class first. The students were already waiting in front of the door. When they filed into the room, Cassiopeia scanned the faces for Ben but he wasn't there. The students took their seats and turned to look at her expectantly.

"Good morning. I hope you are all well," Cassiopeia said, rearranging some sheets of parchment on the desk.

"Good morning, professor," the class replied in unison.

"Where's Ben?" Cassiopeia tried to keep her voice calm despite the gloomy sense of foreboding in her stomach.

A girl in the second row got up. "He didn't feel well, professor. I heard the matron had to send him to the hospital."