butterfly effect, tom riddle

09. | past

"Miss Swan! Just the young lady I was looking for."

I spun around, blinking. We were standing in the midst of a boisterous corridor as students rushed to get to lunch. Norma and Ethelle, who had been walking with me, paused in their tracks and glanced up at the source of the booming voice.

It was Professor Slughorn, a genial beam decorating his walrus-like features. He stroked his sandy mustache as he stared down at me.

"Oh, hello Professor," I greeted curiously, as Ethelle and Norma exchanged glances behind my back. "How are you?"

"Very well, thank you!" Slughorn boomed affably. In the few weeks I have known him, Slughorn seemed to become rather fond of me. "I was just wondering, Miss Swan, if you'd like to join the Slug Club? It's a special club I have created, for—"

"Oh, yes, I have heard of the famous Slug Club," I interjected with a pleasant smile. "And I would be most honored to join, sir. Thank you so much."

Slughorn beamed jocularly at me. "Great! I will be expecting you at my party, next week on Friday evening. Bring a date!"

And with that, he whirled around and sauntered away, looking positively cheerful. My smile slowly slipped off my face at his last words.

"'Bring a date'?" I quoted, spinning around to face my two friends. Norma looked simply delighted, while Ethelle was snickering behind her hand. "What! What date?"

"Ha, ha!" Ethelle laughed. "You're both in the Slug Club now! Nerds!"

"Oh shut it, Ethelle," Norma snapped, smacking the red-haired girl's shoulder with her spellbook before turning to me. "This is great, Vivi! Now you'll be in the Slug Club with me. Although his parties can be a bit boring..."

"Who am I going to ask?" I inquired miserably, as the three of us made our way through a sea of Hogwarts students, bumping into people and murmuring half-hearted apologies.

At once, Ethelle stopped sniggering, and a knowing smirk formed on her naturally red lips.

"Oh, I think we all know the answer to that one," she announced smugly, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," I grumbled as the three of us entered the noisy Great Hall. "Isn't Riddle already part of the Slug Club?"

"Who said anything about Riddle?" Ethelle questioned innocently, as the three of us sat down at the Slytherin table. I gave her a deadpan look, and she began giggling again. "But, now that you mention it, Slug Club members can bring other Sluggies as their dates. Isn't that right, Normy?"

"Don't call me Normy," Norma retorted sharply, piling food onto her plate, before her features softened in reluctance. "But...I suppose they can."

Norma shot a guilty look in my direction, causing me to groan. There was no way I was inviting Tom Riddle as my guest to the party—my mission was to, at most, befriend him, not start dating him or anything.

But just as that thought crossed my mind, a thought dawned on me.

"Wait—maybe you're right," I said slowly, causing Ethelle to perk up in surprise and hopefulness. "Maybe I can bring Tom as my date! But just as friends, you know. He is, after all, my only male frie—er—acquaintance here."

"That's a great idea, Viv," Norma replied approvingly, nodding her head at me. "Don't listen to Ethelle; we shouldn't be focused on romance, but our studies and our friends."

"Just as friends?" Ethelle repeated with a roll of her eyes, ignoring Norma. "Whatever. As long as you take him!"

She squealed excitedly, causing Norma and I to trade exasperated glances. When it came to Tom and I, I definitely appreciated Norma's advice to Ethelle's; Ethelle was convinced that Tom and I would make an—and I quote—'adorable couple', but Norma defended me by stating that neither Tom nor I planned on engaging in romantic activities any time soon.