i am lord voldemort • Tom Riddle

XIV:

Neither brought up the Chamber again. They moved on. Pretended it didn't exist. Tom even overheard her dissuading Ephiriam of the whole matter, scoffing at the very idea of a secret lair built deep within the castle.

"Do you think Salazar Slytherin was some sort of super villain?" she laughed, nudging him as they pulled out their stools to sit in Potions, waiting for Slughorn to arrive.

"No," he defended, a hint embarrassed. "I merely thought he had a flair for drama. Really, if he did build a 'Chamber of Secrets' I think he's an inspiration to all of us. May we all be so unnecessarily dramatic. Augusta, back me up here."

Augusta looked grudgingly up from setting up her cauldron, slowly roving her eyes over the two of them. "You are both idiots."

"I resent being lumped together with you," Ophelia muttered in hushed undertones to Ephiriam. "You're the one who thought it was real."

"Settle down, class," Slughorn boomed, striding into the room. "We have much to get out of the way before we begin. Now, I'm sure you all are up to your heads busy preparing for your O.W.L.'s next week."

"Not bloody likely," Rabastan yawned from Tom's left.

"So I'll be keeping today light," Slughorn continued. "Any questions about the exam can be directed to me after class. If there isn't anything els- Oh, yes, Mister Thompson?"

A freckled Gryffindor boy lowered his waving hand and cleared his throat. "Is there any news on Luca?"

Like meerkats rising as one from their burrows, heads across the room lifted together in united interest at the mention of the attacked Ravenclaw.

Slughorn shuffled random items across his desk, though he seemed hardy aware he was doing it. "Nasty business, that. Nasty business... At present, I can't say much while the investigation is underway, but I can assure you that every precaution is being taken to prevent further incidents and bring about Luca's recovery."

"Do they know what did it?" another asked.

"Not yet, but Dumbledore will get to the bottom of it soon enough, just you wait."

From the far side of the room, someone made a cough that sounded suspiciously like, "Slytherin's monster."

Slughorn acted like he'd temporarily suffered a loss of hearing and didn't comment.

"Is it true he's being moved to St. Mungo's?"

"Professor Dumbledore and our wonderful school nurse are experimenting with various means of reviving the boy, but yes, his parents have requested a transfer if no solution becomes apparent."

"What about the rumour they're going to close the school?"

Slughorn laughed off the concern. "Hogwarts is still the safest place in the country. I highly doubt it will close, unless the attacks continue, of course."

That "unless" seemed to hang heavy in the air.

"Now," Slughorn clapped his hands together, "let's get started, shall we?"

It hadn't occurred to Ophelia that Hogwarts could actually close, but of course it could, if it seemed lives were at risk. It was comforting to know, even if the cause of the attacks was far more frightening than any of the most outlandish theories out there, that it was over. Tom gave his word that he could control the Basilisk and she believed him, or at least wanted to. That whole mess was behind them, even if no one else knew it.

Screeching of the bench being pulled back alerted her to a newcomer, and then another. She glanced up pleadingly in Slughorn's direction, for three to a single bench was beyond regulation, but he had pulled Tom into a conversation and was blissfully unaware of the infraction. A third knelt on the floor in front of her, hands flat on the table and head sticking out just above the cauldron.