Metanoia~ Tom Riddle

Chapter 2

Veruca lay in her bed, wide awake. She found no sanctuary in her dorm. Instead, she found the quiet rather torturous. Unable to sleep after last night's events, the girl stayed up all night tossing and turning. Thinking of what she would do if she went and if she didn't.

So, she won't go, she will continue with school? Watch the world be destroyed by a boy, simply a boy who had nothing, no family or friends or warm house to go home to during holidays? Return to her usual routine as if never offered the mission?

If she went, she would need to change her last name. Find a new wardrobe, learn the etiquette of the 40s, read up on Tom Riddles time at Hogwarts, learn more advanced dueling techniques, strengthen her wandless magic, perfect her non-verbal spells, and finally- the most troubling thought of all- give up everything she had, the life she had been working so hard to build for herself.

Veruca sighed, for the sixteenth time that morning, and sat up in her bed. What was she going to do? Would she hate herself if she didn't? Would she hate herself if she did? Maybe she would feel guilty for not helping when she could. Or would she feel guilty, perhaps, if she didn't help the boy who was so alike her? If Voldemort took over the world, her life would be ruined anyway, right? Maybe he wouldn't succeed though. What if he failed, as the prophecy said?

The girl sighed, a seventeenth time, and rolled out of bed, heading to her bathroom for a cold shower. It was an odd quality, yes, but she liked the cold, she preferred it, it helped her think. Focusing her forever active mind was a difficult task. The cold-water cascading down her back helped her drown out the world. Helped her draw her attentive mind to herself, reeling her in and stalling her stampeding thoughts.

Stepping out of the bathroom, maybe twenty-six minutes later, Veruca was dressed, in a black pencil skirt and white school blouse with her tie loosely hanging from her neck, ready to go.

To the library. She had to find some informational books about the 40's, she had made her decision.

Yes, she was going.

***

Veruca, the poor girl, found herself in the library until late into the evening. She summoned a school elf for a late lunch but that was all. She scoured the shelves, high and low, for anything she could find in the 40s. Both muggle and wizardry information would be mandatory. She read books about clothing and etiquette, which weren't needed, as she was already incredibly proper for an orphan raised with no one to teach her such qualities.

She read up on Hogwarts itself, only in the 40s, as she knew most everything about the castle now, at this time. She also read some books on the dark arts. She already had a vast magical mind, her wandless magic was rather advanced for a witch her age, as was her non-verbal magic. Her dueling tactics were precise, and she knew plenty of ways to fight someone older and wiser than herself, successfully.

"Bloody hell, Penderwick! That's a lot of reading, even for you! Whats it you want to know now?"

The girl that spoke, wasn't a friend. Veruca didn't have many friends, just people she kept close enough for informational purposes and such. She had yet to meet someone she felt she could truly trust. The way she was brought up lead her to believe most people were out to get her, which made trust a hard thing to come by.

The girl before her, however, had seemed to think they were good friends. She was always appearing out of nowhere to help Veruca in whatever way she could; taking extra notes for Veruca in classes she took that Veruca had shown mild interest in, things like that. Veruca guessed she didn't have many friends of her own, which was fine. It worked out for Veruca either way.

"Hello Lena, I'm reading up on the early 1940s." At Lena's questioning look Veruca explained further, though vaguely, "Its just curiosity. I tracked my family line back to the 40s but nothing further." The lie was as easy for Veruca to tell convincingly, as it was for the young Ravenclaw to believe it.

"Oh, well what kind of topics are ya looking at?" the girl asked, walking towards Veruca.

"Just everything, at first I was just curious as to what life was like back then, with the muggle war going on and all, but finding no other evidence of my family lineage, I was beginning to wonder if maybe something happened and if that something might be on the record."

Veruca watched as Lena grazed her eyes over the shelves, in a helpful manner. Veruca was mildly surprised the girl wasn't a Hufflepuff.

"Well, I don't have any personal knowledge, but I could owl my grandmother. She loved the 40s, talks about those years all the time."

Veruca nodded, a charming smile gracing her lips, "Thanks, Lena. I'd better gets going, goodnight." And with that Veruca was gone.

***

The next few days were the same for Veruca; lots of studying, note-taking, story planning and such. When Saturday came, the day she would meet with Dumbledore again, she was eager to get to the circular office. When 10:20 p.m. came around, she left her dormitory and made her way to meet with the old, looney, man.

Proud of her research and nervous about what was to come, she entered at Dumbledore's call.

"Veruca, you're early."

"Only by a few moments, sir." She replied, confidently.

"Well," he started, putting down his quill and folding his hands over his desk, "I assume you have come early, because you are rather eager to get the information you will need, for, if I am not mistaken, you have decided to go."

Veruca wanted to roll her eyes at the man's confidence in her decision, however, ever the quiet- until- provoked girl she was, Veruca simply stared blankly at the man as she spoke.

"Actually, I have some conditions Id like to voice." The old wizard's eyes widened in surprise, but he nodded anyhow, with a knowing smile on his face.

"I want to leave in four months," she paused, analyzing Dumbledore's reaction, much like Tom had in the memory, "I would also like to skip occlumency practice, I don't need it." Dumbledore seemed to hesitate. Veruca didn't give him a chance to voice whatever it was he was thinking though, she continued eagerly, "And I don't have money for clothes or anything like that. I'm not asking money from you, or anyone, just help me find a job so I can save for the next few weeks. I also need a place to stay, so it may need to be a job with higher pay than a normal sixteen-year-old would have."

The wizard before her seemed unsurprised by her demands, so she continued.

"I also request that you help with my teachings in dueling. I know a man of your talents would be a great teacher with great lessons, especially if I am to face young Tom Riddle and succeed in impressing him."

"I agree to your terms," Dumbledore stated, "Is there anything else?"

"I'd like your permission to search some books in the restricted section of the library."

There was a beat of silence, but Veruca knew he wouldn't deny her.

"I give you permission to enter and search the restricted section of the library, however, if you would so kindly search after hours, I would appreciate the discretion."

Veruca nodded, "Of course, professor."

"Well, I suppose you best get to bed. Training starts tomorrow afternoon, I'll let you know where."

And with a final nod, 'Goodnight', Veruca exited the office and headed to her dorm, anxious for the next few months ahead.