Masquerade¹ → Tom Riddle ✓

chapter thirteen

After a confusing week, Evelyn found herself sat in the library. Usually, on a Sunday, the library was packed with students attempting to finish their homework from the previous week, however, Evelyn found it unusually quiet. Almost every table was empty, with those with students on only having one seat taken. Upon scanning the library, Evelyn found herself surprised to not stumble across Tom Riddle as he usually sat in the far corner of the library and spent the majority of his time there.

With mock exams coming soon, Evelyn found herself revising. She opened up a difficult ancient runes book and began to work, knowing she would need to get her act together if she had any chance of even passing her OWLS, let alone doing well in them. Although she felt prepared for other subjects, ancient runes were far too complex for her to understand with ease and with her partner being less than willing to support her, she found it impossible to see herself getting any better at it before her exams.

"Speak of the Devil." She muttered do herself, closing her ancient runes book and glancing up at Tom Riddle, who strutted into the library and straight towards her. He made an instant beeline for her table, sitting down opposite her and staring her dead in the eyes.

"I wouldn't exactly call myself a Devil Evelyn, that's rather rude."

"How on earth did you even hear that?" She began to stack her books into a pile, making an effort to be silent to avoid the glare of the librarian who commonly had to discipline the students.

"What can I say," He smirked, "I'm far superior to most others."

"I find that hard to believe Tom, but you keep your ego strong. Anyways, what are you doing in the library today?"

"The same as any other student, revising." From his bag, he pulled out a book: Salazar Slytherin and the Creation of Hogwarts. He flicked through the first few pages, eventually settling halfway through the book.

"And what subject would that be for Tom?" Evelyn eyed up his book, glancing at the title. "That doesn't seem like something we're covering this year, or anytime soon for that matter Tom."

"Well, Evelyn. Some of us are smarter than others in this school so therefore we qualify for a slightly higher level of academics." His eyes began scanning the pages of his book, glancing upwards at Evelyn as she spoke.

"Well if you were chosen, then surely I would be too. You can't deny that I'm almost academically identical to you."

"Almost." He emphasised. "Barely in ancient runes, you seem almost incompetent at that"

"Well, maybe that's because you won't help me. If I had a better partner then maybe I would be more successful."

With that, the two fell into a comfortable silence; Tom reading his book and Evelyn reading hers. Both students were fully engaged by the words on the parchment pages before them, leaning closer in an attempt to better intake the information: hours passed before they spoke again.

"Mind if I borrow that book after you, Tom?" Evelyn shut her book, glancing up through the window at the sun as it began to dip behind the horizon.

"Well Evelyn, I highly doubt you are of the academic capability to truly understand it. Unfortunately, I will be keeping this copy to myself." He slammed the cover shut, glancing over at the librarian whose expression changed from stern to kind once she saw him.

"Well, that is a shame, Tom."

"It really isn't." With that, he picked up his book. "Anyway Evelyn, I'll see you around." Tom Riddle made his way out of the library with haste, quickly vanishing from Evelyn's line of sight.

Once she could no longer see Tom, Evelyn rose from her seat and began making her way through the library. She walked up and down the aisles until she found herself stood in front of a section on the history of Hogwarts. Scanning the shelves, she eventually found the book that Tom had been reading. Evelyn quickly took the book in her hands, made her way back to her table and opened the book. She flicked through the book until she found the page she recognised and began reading.

Slytherin didn't trust muggle-born students, and he expressed his opinion by proposing that they should not be accepted at Hogwarts. However, when the other didn't agree, Slytherin created a chamber, hidden inside the castle, concealing a basilisk inside. and only to be opened by a true heir of Slytherin. He left the school soon afterwards, never to return and died at some point in the Middle Ages.

Evelyn's face fell in horror as she read the passage. She knew once she read it exactly what Tom wanted to do, he wanted to open the chamber. He wanted to purge the school of all muggle-born students and nobody had any idea. Evelyn flicked the page over, almost recoiling in horror as she read the next passage.

Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size, and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it.

Evelyn couldn't believe her eyes. She slammed the book closed, earning a stern look from the librarian. It was all too much for her. Feeling tears well in her eyes, she stormed out of the library and began walking towards someone she suspected would know about this chamber: Professor Slughorn. Wiping at her eyes, she knocked firmly on his door.

"Come in." Evelyn could barely Professor Slughorn from where she was stood. She slipped into the classroom and walked towards his desk. Upon seeing Evelyn's faces, Professor Slughorn felt relieved, "Evelyn I'm glad it's you coming through my door rather than another first-year student." He chuckled lightly, pointing her to the seat opposite his desk. "What was it you wanted?"

"Well, I was doing some reading in the library and I came across something about Salazar Slytherin hiding a chamber in the castle. Would that be true?" She spoke cautiously, asking enough to get information but not enough to give anything away. "It's for a project." She added for good measure.

Professional Slughorn stared curiously at her, as though he was trying to piece together a puzzle in his mind. "Well, Evelyn it seems I haven't. Why would there be such a chamber in the castle? He wrinkled his nose as he spoke.

"That's what I'm trying to find out, for my project." She could tell he was lying, he had been at this school longer than she'd been alive, it would be impossible for him not to know, especially since Evelyn knew he often let his curiosity get the better of him.

"Well, that does sound truly curious. Do let me know if you find anything dear, you have me rather intrigued." He smiled at her lightly. "Apologies but I am rather busy tonight, perhaps it's best asking another Professor."

"Well thank you anyway, sir, I'll see you in Potions." Evelyn strode out of the office with only one thought: she had to find that chamber.