How to Solve a Riddle || Tom Riddle x Reader ||

Chapter 13

You quietly open the book.

You're in the Ravenclaw common room; it's midnight. You couldn't sleep.

The book isn't any normal book, it's a book created by solely Ravenclaw students. Spells and potions and anything a Ravenclaw student has made or figured out is in this book.

Amosterellian
A spell to make someone completely fall in love with you.

You wonder how someone made this spell, no one had been able to do such a thing previously. They must've been powerful. Potions can create a feeling of love, spells cannot. Except, apparently; this one.

You wonder more how many people have actually used it.

You flip to the next page.

You aren't looking for anything in particular; simply curious as to what people have created.

Sectumsempra
A spell that causes severe haemorrhaging.

You frown, who would create such a thing? No creation had a name to it.

You close the book.

Sectumsempra...

The spell stays in your mind as you finally go to sleep.

~~~<>~~~

"And today we will be brewing the amortentia potion. May anyone tell me what that is."

You raise your hand, as does Tom, and as does Lily.

"Mr. Potter." Slughorn says instead.

James hadn't raised his hand.

"It's, uh, a love potion." He says.

"Correct, but not a full answer. Mr. Black?"

Sirius coughs, "shit- I mean not shit. I didn't- ha I wouldn't..."

Slughorn looks so done. You think to yourself.

He sighs, "just answer the question."

"It's a good one..." Sirius says, clearly a guess.

You press your lips together to hold in your laughter.

Slughorn frowns, "yes... anything else?"

"Nope..." Sirius says back.

"Tom?" Slughorn calls instead.

"Amortentia is an extremely powerful love potion, as they said. However, it creates more of an obsession than a love; it cannot truly create a feeling of love. It smells of what attracts the person. It is an extremely dangerous potion."

Slughorn's face lights up. "Wonderful! Perfectly correct. Amortentia is indeed one of the most dangerous potions one could brew. I do not recommend using it. However, we will be brewing it today. Open your textbooks to pages 472. You will work in pairs with your seat partner. Begin."

You open the textbook and pause.

Tom hadn't spoke to you since you had kissed his cheek. It isn't that big of a deal, is it? Perhaps it is.

You force yourself to focus, quickly reading the ingredients and then standing up to get them; not saying a word to Tom.

The class mostly continues as such. Neither of you speaking together, and yet still brewing the potion to perfection.

Slughorn walks by as you both finish it; "oh my! This is perfect, though I wasn't doubting anything less. Yes, yes. Tell me; what do you smell, miss Black?"

You frown and breathe in the potion.

Oh. And somehow it smelled of a certain boy next to you. And naturally, in your panic; you make up a lie that's perhaps even worse than the actual answer.

"James Potter." You blurt out, and then you realize your mistake. "Wait- I didn't... I didn't mean James... I, uh- not James! Not James. It- it smells-"

"Miss Black." Slughorn says, "just... stop." You nod and slowly sink into your seat, knowing that several people likely heard you.

Slughorn leaves, shaking his head.

"James Potter? Really?" Tom asks.

No, you bastard, I smelled you and your stupid face... your stupid pretty face.

And you panic again and instead of confessing that you had simply not wanted to say what you actually smelled, you continue the lie. "Yes."

He tilts his head, "right."

"And you? What did you smell."

He looks away, "absolutely nothing."

You frown, "really? How odd."

"Indeed."

And you don't realize he's lying; he is much better at it than you.

~~~<>~~~

You sit on the quidditch field with James Potter.

"Look, y/n..." James says, "there's been a lot of talk around school that you fancy me? I don't know, maybe it's not true... but I did overhear you in potions class. Now, don't get me wrong; you're beautiful, I just-"

"James." You stop him.

"Yeah?"

"I don't fancy you. I didn't even smell you. I had smelled Tom, but Tom was right next to me so I couldn't say I smelled him so I panicked and said you..."

He blinks, "oh thank Merlin!" And then he pauses and processes fully what you said, "wait you fancy Riddle? Of all people? I'd prefer you'd have fancied me! Tom Riddle? Really?"

"Oh shush." You slap his arm, "even you have to admit he's very pretty."

"Well, you're not wrong. But, he seems boring. Such a teachers pet too."

"He isn't boring... but yes, you're not wrong; he does seem to be a teachers pet."

A/n:
I'm literally in love with James Potter now idek how it happened but AH
Probably gonna write a James Potter fanfic soon - friends to lovers