A Riddle to be Told (Hermione x Male Reader)

Chapter 12: The Heir of Slytherin vs The Heir of Slytherin

    Tom faced the wall before his bed adjusting his emerald green tie to be, as usual, perfectly in the centre of his collar, before deciding to enter the infirmary. He set his sights to Hermione, as usual, but he stopped in his tracks.

   'Harry? Ron?' he called, noticing the two boys looming over Hermione's petrified body. The two boys perked up upon his entrance, and rushed over to him with a slip of paper in hand.

   'Hermione was holding this, Tom! it's whats been looming around. Why we can understand it--' Harry exclaimed

   'what has?' Tom demanded, kicking himself for having not spotted it earlier. Well, that's where cowardice tends to get you.

   'the monster in the chamber of secrets is a basilisk, Tom. It goes through the pipes' Harry continued.

   'yeah, it wasn't Hagrid after all. That stupid diary was lying; what a surprise, eh!' Ron exclaimed, sarcastically. Tom flinched at the diary being brought up; but he swallowed down thoughts of doubt, and fessed up.

   'it has something to do with Voldemort' Tom said.

   Ron flung back in surpirse as the use of the name, whilst Harry cocked an eyebrow at Tom; 'don't say the same! bloody hell' Ron complained.

   'why d'you reckon?' Harry asked. Tom remained stoic, not replying.

   Tom continued; 'if it travelled through the pipes...then the answer to where the chamber is lies in the girl's bathroom...' Tom's eyes widened. He was astounded he hadn't realised it earlier:

   'moaning Myrtle' Tom said. Harry and Ron, seemingly, weren't too far behind where he was thinking.

   'it's her! she's the girl that died' Harry said.

   'we need to go to the staff room! now!' Ron exclaimed.

   The three boys nodded at one another, before rushing out of the infirmary. Tom took one last look at Hermione, before rushing out with Ron and Harry towards the staff room.

   They sprinted across the halls, gaining looks from the odd group of students chaperoned by a tense-looking Professor. 

   The door to the staff room was already opened, and so the three boys entered -- only to find no one in there. They looked in confusion, until they heard voices speaking loudly and shrill-like to one another, the stomping of shoes echoing ever-louder and closer.

   On impulse, Harry and Ron ran behind a set of cloaks, but Tom remained still; 'Tom!' they hissed to him, but the boy stood still regardless.

   Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore headed the charge inside the staff room, Flitwick and Snape right behind them. 'What'll we do Ablus --'.

   They stopped. Tom sighed, looking at them; 'there's been another attack, hasn't there?' he asked

   'what are you doing here, Mr Riddle?! back to your dormitories now!'. Snape kept his gaze directly at Tom's eyes.

   'I wish to help' Tom said.

   Professor McGonagall looked enraged by the proposal; 'you'll be doing no such thing! --'

   'let the boy speak, Minerva' Professor Dumbledore said, staring intently at Tom, a twinkle in his eyes.

   'I wish to stop the monster in the chamber'

   Professor McGonagall was exasperated; 'and how do you suppose you'll do that?! Hogwarts will have to close, Mr Riddle; you must be in your common room so you can delivered home safely'.