Masquerade¹ → Tom Riddle ✓

chapter eleven

After her encounter with Tom, Evelyn made her way to the Owlery. She hurried up the stairs with her quill at the ready. Once she was at the top of the tower, she unfolded a piece of parchment and got to work on a slightly impulsive letter.

Dear Granny and Gramps,

Although I usually return for Christmas break this year I shall be staying in Hogwarts. As much as I enjoy our time together, with my OWLS looking I think I need to be at school in order to revise effectively and perform to the best of my abilities. I hope you have a wonderful time.

—Evelyn

Sealing the letter with the signature Ravenclaw crest, she handed it off to Olympia who willingly took it in her beam and took off in flight.

Evelyn adored her grandparents but she felt as though there were more important things to do this Christmas than open presents. A mystery was brewing in Hogwarts and she wanted to be the one to uncover it.

Evelyn spent the following week stalking Tom Riddle as subtly as possible. She had no evidence of anything he was doing or had planned but she knew he wasn't exactly an open book, answers wouldn't just come to her willingly. After a week, Evelyn would barely be able to fill a page if she wrote down all of her findings.

Evelyn's week had been filled with disappointments until she received a letter from Professor Slughorn inviting her to an annual Christmas party which she knew Tom would be attending. Since beginning to follow and observe him, she hadn't spoken to Tom and hopefully, the party would be the chance to do just that.

Evelyn had spent the first few days simply following in Tom's literal footsteps. She had spent hours on end in the library, simply watching him sit and write in a small black book. With hundreds of students revising for their upcoming mock exams, Evelyn blended right in whilst she was watching Tom, even managing to sneak in a few hours of revision whilst she waited for him to make his move.

Evelyn sat in her usual seat in the library with charms homework spread out in front of her. Since beginning to investigate Tom Riddle, she had found herself with less spare time than she desired, leaving her barely able to complete her homework, something she had never experienced before. Through a gap in the bookshelf beside her, she could just about make out Tom Riddle once she slid her glasses onto her face. His attention was once again captivated by the backs book before him, his hands scribbling down notes as though they were in autopilot. Evelyn had tried to steal the book, but with Tom keeping it within arms reach at all time, the task was impossible.

With Lily and Sara sat beside her, she had to appear subtle when glancing over at Tom, limiting the knowledge she was able to collect from him. "Are you both coming to Hogsmeade this weekend?" Sara questioned, dropping her quill.

Lily and Evelyn both nodded. "I need a dress for the Slug Club Christmas party."

"Oh that's so exciting!" Lily beamed at her. "You'll have to let us help you find one, you can do a little fashion show in the shop for us

"Okay, but nothing too crazy; it's not a wedding." Evelyn knew what would happen if she didn't set any boundaries for the day, she would end up coming home with a white wedding frock and tiara as opposed to a formal dress. Glancing down at her watch, Evelyn realised she was late to the prefects meeting and as she looked up for a final glance at Tom she realised he was already gone.

By the time Evelyn arrived at the prefects meeting, she was far more than fashionably late. She shot the Head Girl, Evangeline, an apologetic as she took a seat on the closest available sofa.

"As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted." Began Tom, staring at Evelyn briefly who found herself sinking further into the sofa. "Prefects are being far too harsh on the students, taking away house points that are rightly gained by others. Everyone needs to take a step back and realise that they aren't God, they can't just control everyone around them."

"Tom, I completely disagree!" She cut in before anyone else could comment on his proposition. "We aren't being harsh enough on the students, so many first years are getting away with the kind of things they would have lost fifty house points for last year. It's incredibly inconsistent from the prefects."

"How about we come up with some sort of baseline rules for all prefects to follow? Over the next few weeks, we'll compile a list of what behaviours warrant the addition or removal of house points so that all the prefects are on the same page." Evangeline smiled at the prefects sat around her. "We can regroup in two weeks with our ideas." She rose from her seat and opened the door, smiling at each prefect as they walked past her.

Almost instantly after leaving the common room, Evelyn spotted Professor Dumbledore at the end of the corridor. Placing his glasses on the end of his nose, he shot Evelyn a concerned look as she made her way along the corridor. "Evelyn. I believe we may be overdue a conversation."

She followed him down to his office hesitantly, unsure of what the next few moments would entail. "Evelyn, you really must work on your spying skills."

Evelyn felt her cheeks immediately flushing red, "I've been observing, not spying."

"Nevertheless, you have been watching the boy. You have been watching with nothing to show for it yet. You have no evidence, nothing to support that inkling feeling inside of you and you are unlikely to find anything. He's a clever more, much cleverer than you or I could possibly imagine if he wants something hidden I can assure you it would be hidden well." He began pacing across his office, eventually coming to a halt before an object that Evelyn could only recognise from textbooks as a pensieve. "Before you progress any further, you must see what he will become, you must see what you are trying to stop."

"I think you are mistaken. I'm not trying to stop anything, I am simply trying to get inside his head and find out what he is hiding."

"He is hiding some things you are not ready to see, but this you must." He took the cover off the pensieve gently, making it hover beside him as he spoke. "Sometimes I find that I simply have too many thoughts or memories and during those times, I use this pensieve. Now, this particular memory is not one of mine, it is that of a very brave wizard who happened to be in possession of a time turner. A time turner which they used to travel forwards in time, rather than backwards. I think what they saw will interest you." He reached out to the shelf beside him, popping the cap off a small phial and pouring the silvery liquid inside. "Dive in."

Evelyn stepped forwards hesitantly, glancing up at Dumbledore one last time before submerging herself in the liquid until she felt herself falling. With a thump, she collided with the ground beneath her. Almost instantly, she jumped up from the ground, pulling out her wand and surveying the area. She was surrounded by darkness, her hearing the only thing that could guide her as the sound of footsteps began growing louder. Spotting a nearby bush, she positioned herself behind it, keeping her eyes above it, staring into the distance.

Evelyn could tell that whatever was marching towards her was strong. They worked together in unison, remaining in an army formation as they moved. From the crowd, a cloaked figure emerged, positioning themselves in front and raising their hand, grinding the army to a halt.

"Tonight I kill the boy." From the voice alone, Evelyn knew exactly who was controlling the army: Tom Riddle.