From the Devil's side

Chapter Ten- A character to play

I stared back at my reflection in the mirror as I buttoned up my shirt. I smirked at myself. The tables had begun to turn. My endless searching had finally uncovered some useful information. I was closer now to discovering my true heritage then I had ever been not to mention my other 'smaller pursuits' were seeming to be going smoothly. My knights grew by the day and the more powerful and influential we were becoming. 
   It was the first outing to Hogsmede of the new year. Usually I would attend with my closest circle however this time I decided it was more in my favour to spend my time with the other heirs. I needed them close and my knights could survive without me for the afternoon. Besides some of them had jobs to complete. 
  I turned my focus to Malfoy in the reflection of the mirror as entered the dormitory and began to combe back his slick blonde hair. 
"My Lord." he muttered to me I he realised I was also in the room. 
I inclined my head towards him.
"Do not disappoint me today Malfoy." I instructed him plainly. He nodded nervously. 
"I won't." He assured me. He had better not, I had been working on this recruitment for months. 
I left the dungeons and made my way up towards the ground floor, before I could reach the entrance hall I felt a hand upon my shoulder. I turned my head to see Wiglaf stood beside me his hand now back at his side. 
"Morning Riddle," he greeted. "Shall we?" He gestured to the doors leading into the entrance hall where the other two would be waiting for us. I nodded. 
I spotted them almost instantly, stood at the bottom of the stairs laughing together freely. I led Wiglaf around the back of them so that we could not be seen. Sneaking up on Lazarus was a particular pleasure of mine that I liked to execute at any given opportunity.
"Urgh, where are they!?" Lazarus complained.
"Who? Us?" I smirked down his ear, replying to Lazarus's exasperation at our lateness. 
"Stop doing that!" He cried out, raising his shoulders up to his chin. 
Grisha chuckled, she wore a green dress and her blonde long hair up in a bun out of her face. It was then I realised that I had been staring but then her eyes were also upon me. She must have realised as her cheeks began to darken as she averted her eyes and began to pretend to fix her hair.
"Shall we be off then? The carriages will be leaving soon," said Wiglaf leaderlike as always. 
"Yes please!" Lazarus replied dramatically, I exchanged a look of amusement with Grisha before we made our way towards the carriages. 

After what felt like an agonisingly long journey into the village in which we had to endure the endless ramblings of Lazarus about whether Julie had truly 'locked lips' with two of the Gryffindor quidditch team players within one night or if Eric had really broken Arthurs finger in potions last week we arrived. I let out a sigh of relief which was not missed by Wiglaf who smirked at me in agreement. 
As we exited the carriage I noticed Grisha fixated upon something or someone. I followed her gaze realising that my good 'friends' were stood a few feet away looking over at us with less then inconspicuous jealous expressions. I thought I had made myself quite clear. I fixed them a warning look which seemed to jolt their little memories as they turned away and began talking animatedly again. I resisted rolling my eyes sometimes I wondered what I had done to deserve such brainless oafs. Pure of blood they might be but pure of mind they most certainly were not.
"Sweets! Come on then!" Lazarus clapped his hands together and almost ran over to the busy shop door, Grisha followed him laughing. I rolled my eyes, great a crowded sweet shop. I was regretting my decision to come here already.
"How old is he again?" I hissed to Wiglaf, who I know shared my thoughts on the situation, as he looked just as thrilled as I did.
"It would appear that he is missing ten years," Wiglaf replied, we both sniggered before Grisha shot us a playful pout.
"Behave, he's excited he has his pocket money to spend," she smirked,
"Run along then Mother hen, look after your child, he looks to be getting a little squashed over there," I grinned, enjoying seeing Lazarus getting practically cut in half by the heaving front door of the shop. 
"Oh no! There is no way you two are getting out of this one come on," she laughed as she grabbed each one of us by the wrist and pulled us through the throng of bustling teenagers.
 I huffed trying to tell myself that there was a higher purpose to me enduring all of this as Grisha, Lazarus and even much to my disappointment sometimes Wiglaf 'Oooed' and 'Awed' as they choose their confectionary. You would think they were in a shop of rare magical artefacts.
"Aren't you getting anything Tom?" Grisha asked as they got ready to cash out their items.
"No," I replied simply. Besides not wanting any of the overpriced blood sugar inducing foods I unlike most of the spoilt brats in this place could not afford to spend precious school funds on lavish goods.
Once out of the shop we sat on the curved bench around the large fountain of the founder of Hogsmede, a rather large clumsy looking man in my opinion. Certainly not a flattering portrayal.  I reached into my pocket which I had enchanted to carry much more than the average pocket and attempted to pull out a book,
"Oh put that away Tom, here try this!" Lazarus said, pushing a small beige coloured bean towards my face, I moved myself backwards slightly, blinking slowly at it, until Lazarus moved it a little further away from my face. If he hadn't have done he might have found it shoved up his closest orifice.
 "I'm fine thank you," I replied flatly.
"Oh go on," Grisha urged, "We are all having some,"
"You might as well Riddle, face it you are not going to get much reading done this afternoon, if you can't beat them join them as they say," Wiglaf smiled.
I sighed loudly, stuffing the book back into my pocket, I suppose this is what I signed up for.
"Fine, what is it?" I asked, hesitantly taking the small sweet from Lazarus's hand.
"It's a surprise," said Lazarus, a mischievous grin on his face.
I raised my eyebrow at him as I inspected it,
"Why does that concern me," I replied. I caught Grisha smirking, clearly she knew exactly what sweet this was. I slowly put the small bean into my mouth and the taste was instantaneous, "Urgh," I spat the sweet out onto the floor and covered my mouth with my hand, unable to stop myself from gagging, as they all roared with laughter.
"That's a sweet? That's disgusting! People choose to eat this for fun," I spat placing particular emphasis on the word fun.
"What did it taste like?" Grisha asked through her continued giggling,
"What did it taste like?" I repeated breathlessly still trying to get the disgusting taste out of my mouth.
"Vomit? rotten egg?" Lazarus smirked,
"Or was it more ear wax?" Wiglaf added,
"Tasted like all of those," I grumbled.
"Bertie Bott's finest every flavour beans those are," said Lazarus smiling, popping one into his mouth himself, "Ah cherry my favourite," he grinned.
I shot him a narrowed stare and snatched the bag of sweets from him to Lazarus's protests, I smirked taking out  a green jumping snake (of which I knew he particularly enjoyed) and popped it into my mouth with a smirk.
"Thanks Laz," I grinned at him as he snatched the bag back off of me.

The day had gone well. There had been no arguments and I felt as if I had certainly gained a little more trust from Wiglaf. I had resisted asking Grisha about her little task, I would allow her a little more time. Time to think that I had faith in her and that she was not under any pressure. I needed them on side. Thinking of 'on side' I rounded the corner of the corridor were I saw Malfoy's silhouette waiting for me. His face become more illuminated by the torches as I drew closer to him. 
"My Lord," he whispered, swallowing hard. I assessed his body language... and I could already fell my anger bubberling. 
"You better have good news for me Malfoy." I hissed. 
"Well I... It didn't go exactly to plan... you see I tried to..."
I cut off his sniverling.
"I had thought I had made it quite clear to you Malfoy," I spat struggling to keep myself calm.
"Yes, yes my Lord but it's proving difficult to-"
I dropped my wand from my sleeve down into my hand and jabbed it towards Malfoy's torso. He groaned dropping to the floor in pain. I felt a small wave of calm wash over me as I watched him suffer.
"Your pitiful excuses do not serve me Malfoy, if we were not out in the open and I had not a reputation to uphold you would be in a regrettable position," I breathed quietly. 
Suddenly I sensed her pendent. Why had she held it? She was not in danger that much I could tell... I looked around the corridor... no one. I looked down to see Malfoy still gazing up at me confusion and fear upon his face. 
"Get up." I snapped. Hastily and stumberling a little he clambered to his feet. 
"Get out of my sight." I snarled storing my wand back up my sleeve. He didn't need to be told twice as he sped off down the corridor and out of sight.