how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

sixty-five: importance of occlumency

Tom placed a gentle had on her knee to stop her from continuing her babbling, but in her defence it had been an emotional and sleepless night.

"And what would the identity you are speaking of be exactly, Professor?" Tom feigned curiosity.

"Tom Riddle, I am not only unsure of your intentions for being in this time period, but also curious and concerned as to the methods and outcomes of this act." Lucia may as well have not been in the room, because the witch's eyes were locked on Tom and his distorted appearance to hide his identity. "I would like you to remove the disillusionment and appearance alters so that I can truly see who I am speaking to."

Tom didn't hesitate to remove the spell immediately, attempting to demonstrate his willingness to cooperate to prevent the headmistress from taking action against him.

Tom wasn't going to kid himself, he knew that from the moment he entered the headmistress' office and met eyes with Dumbledore's portrait, the secret of his identity could not be entirely concealed from Hogwarts.

The looks that McGonagall gave him, the comments of the sorting hat as it delved into his mind, the knowing eyes that Dumbledore's portrait looked down at him with over his half-moon spectacles.

He knew that they would know right away.

But Tom's ability to read people was very good.

Despite Dumbledore's mind often being a mystery to him, he had been around the man long enough to understand the way he thought. He was willing to risk a couple of people to see how things panned out, he was willing to put a bit on the line for the greater good.

His portrait would likely reflect that entirely.

"Let's just see what he's up to." He imagined the old man saying, "We shall observe him to understand his motives and objectives, watch play out his connections with Lucia Cohen. Does Tom Riddle, the loveless orphan have a bone in his body that could possibly care for another if they just managed to break through that hard wall concealing his heart?"

McGonagall looked at Tom's features, taking in the face of the killer his future self would become, probably envisioning the reptilian and nonhuman-like appearance he would later adopt as a result of the decline of his humanity.

But the headmistress was not simple-minded enough to think that the boy sitting across from her was the man who caused all the destruction and devastation she had witnessed.

If she had of thought that, the quick witted witch would have struck Tom with a flash of green light the moment he entered the gates of Hogwarts.

"Professor, I promise you, this is not the Tom Riddle you know. I wouldn't be near him if he was." Lucia spoke, breaking the silence and eye harsh contact between the two others in the room. "The development I have seen since I first met him is crucial that you understand. A different course of events has meant a very different person is sitting before you now."

"I do not doubt your observations, Miss Cohen." McGonagall spoke with confidence. "What I question is not only the veracity of this situation, but also the ramifications it may have."

"I should inform you Professor, that I am in fact leaving today to go back to my time." Tom spoke calmly, his hand still on Lucia's knee protectively.