Tom Riddle is Here-Plan in Action

Sly

So they had the entire plan down to perfection. It would be perfect, as long as everyone did their part that was. They were Slytherins, though, and any decent Slytherin was at the very least able to fake certain emotions, or get others to believe that they were feeling certain ones. Or project a certain feeling. Or, should those prove complicated for whatever reason, at the very minimum they were capable of causing others to think a certain way without specifically steering them in that direction with their words. Slytherins were politicians after all, and most of the time they needed to be capable of speaking without speaking, and lying without lying. This, this was much different however. Draco and Tom needed actors. Good actors. Wonderful actors, and those which were absolutely perfect with their ability to fake emotions that it would be a practical science. Draco and Tom had spent quite a long time perfecting this specific plan, that they needed to be able to ensure that Dumbledore, who would be their main audience, saw nothing wrong with any part of the performance. The man was shrewd, both Tom and Draco needed to acknowledge such a thing, however it was not bad. What was annoying was Dumbledore's propensity for ensuring that no matter what information came up he could not allow his prejudice to clear his conscious. 

They were about to force Dumbledore to do some reckoning. Some questioning of his abilities. If, as they believed, Dumbledore did what it was that they expected him to do, even in the slightest, their plan would work perfectly, and would be rather fantastic. Though, even if the old bastard did not do as they expected, it would still work, just perhaps a bit differently then what they had previously anticipated. However, they knew that since, either way, their plan would have the effect that they wanted (they had ensured this with painstaking talks and hours of contemplating every possible route that this could take) Dumbledore would be faced with some interesting new evidence, and almost the entire Slytherin populace that was in the know was mentally vibrating with excitement. It was something that was long in coming, Dumbledore having to question himself and his ability to see past his anger and prejudice towards the Slytherins, and that was precisely what they were finally ensuring with their plan. It would not be easy, of course, and it would take a certain perfection of acting that had caused both Tom and Draco to be incredibly picky with who they chose. Draco would normally just pick Pansy and Blaise as the two were astounding at acting. However, that had posed potential complications. Which both Tom and Draco had acknowledged. 

The fact remained that Draco was friends with Pansy and Blaise and they each other quite well, and got along very decently with each other. They often were talking together and Draco, Pansy, and Blaise were well known to be great friends. This was well known among Hogwarts with how often the boy was seen with them And how often they just simply were together. Whether that be in the library, or wandering around. Though it was not as often as Draco with Crabbe and Goyle, that was because those two were protection more then friends. Though Draco did hold some degree of respect, even if he despised their manner. They were also in the same year as Draco, and as such it was not necessarily ideal to use them. They wanted someone of a higher year. It would work far better should they use someone of a higher year, to truly ensure their act was perfected. Draco and Tom had questioned really what the ideal person in such a case was. It was difficult, because Draco, while he knew all of the Slytherins and made it a point to be aware of each of their abilities, Draco and Tom wanted something that was rather difficult to do, and neither of them would accept something such as failure. 

It was because of this that many were hesitant. Of course Draco and Tom could both just as easily demand that they do what they wanted and that would be that, they would not dare disagree, but Tom and Draco wanted to ensure that everything was perfect and that there were no potential discrepancies. They needed someone willing to do this for them. Someone who was good and was more then capable, AND that would be willing to do it, despite their fear and respect of the duo. To find such a person was rather difficult, as the weight of failure would way heavily on anyone in such a situation. 

They did, in the end, finally figure out a person that was more then willing to help them. Pucey. He was not a prominent family, not as much as Draco's own, or Tom's Wizarding family line, but he was definitely capable. Tom and Draco both had questioned him, interrogated him extensively as well. They had also forced the other to showcase his abilities. After all, they had to be perfectly sure that this would end well. Once they had deemed the other perfect, they were quite excited for this afternoon. 

While, yes, this was a slight detour from their main plan, both Tom and Draco had decided that as long as they were careful, it would have incredibly useful aspects in the near future. Both Tom and Draco were tired with the over scrutiny, and though this may not get rid of that entirely, it would at least lessen it slightly, something that both of them were quite fond of. Furthermore, the Trio still were suffering at the hands of the other Slytherins. Gossip was quite a useful tool should it be used properly. Pansy was probably the perfect and most well rounded person with regards to gossip then anyone that To had ever met, which was saying something because Tom himself had been quite up to date with the gossip during his time at Hogwarts. 

They certainly had not forgotten their main plan of ensuring the suffering of the people who had caused Draco and himself suffering during their unfortunate stay at the Black residence, but this detour was rather necessary. One which would become quite useful in the long run.