Tom Riddle and the Pure-Blood Prince

Desires and Revelations

By the time, Tom had left potions, a quarter of an hour before noon, he was sweating a bit. He couldn't be sure if it was the flames under the cauldrons and the simmering heat of the concoctions in them, or if this sweating was from nerves. He was having a very stressful day.

He hoped that the release of the basilisk within the school through the chamber last night, was not going to have the first attack today. It made him quite paranoid to think of the possibility of being accused. It seemed much more likely to happen on a day like this, where he was getting more attention that he ever had, for quite a presumptuous reason. Tom just wanted things to get back to normal, so he could retreat into his usual life of secrecy, with primarily only socializing with his group. He thought that at least Eileen Prince was not following him around. She had had the sense to leave him alone, after the chaotic scene in transfiguration this morning.

But he was not as alone, as he thought he was, when he had taken a longer detour to the Great Hall to avoid the crowds. Avery appeared from another corridor, into the one Riddle was walking through. A second later, Rabastan Lestrange was also with him.

"Wait for us!," Avery said hoarsely, as he sped up, with his bag swinging over his shoulder, as he ran and Rabastan followed him.

Tom knew, that they probably had followed him from potions, to see where he was going. He stopped in his tracks and turned around. Riddle had just shared a table with them, and had had heard enough of their silly problems for the day.

Once they were near, Riddle said testily, "What is it? I have better things to do right now, than to engage in small-talk." He was trying to make it clear, to these two followers, that he wasn't in a great mood.

"What made you want to duel Dumbledore?," said Rabastan with such an eagerness it sounded like a stupid question. Of course, they had all been present when it happened.

"That was not a duel....All it was, was proving I'm at his level. Dueling Dumbledore in the future, I will make sure to overpower him," Riddle added the second sentence more to himself. Then he said, "Forget about it!"

"You almost won though," Avery interjected, his voice sounding mild, not enthusiastic like Eileen's. "I don't think I could forget this. How mad was-"

"I told you," Riddle said rigidly, "Not to talk about it until they ask. It's bad enough that it's spreading right now in the Great Hall. Make sure to say something like the reason I intervened with Dumbledore's wandless magic was because the bookshelf looked like it would fall on me," he said this all with furious impatience, as he knew it sounded somewhat silly.

"Why?" said Rabastan, who always spoke his mind.

"Think Lestrange! I don't want the teachers, especially Dippit to know I was being defiant to Dumbledore's authority," he answered, sounding imperious to their intellects.

Both Avery and Lestrange nodded in agreement. Then Avery changed the subject, "I heard that a beater on our quidditch team is being replaced. I think I'll try a strategy of black-mailing the captain to get me on before try-outs," he said in a drawling voice.

Rabastan showed some interest immediately, saying how he wished he was more talented at flying. But Riddle was hardly concerned at this, until he realized several seconds later, "I'm telling you it's best not to be on the quidditch team. It may interfere with... my schedule."

Avery argued sullenly, as if he was discussing this with his father, "Why can't I?... Quidditch practices are in the afternoon and our meetings are always at night."

"If this Quidditch gets in the way of any order, I will not show mercy to you," Riddle said with a dangerous, edge to his voice. It was also obvious that he had little understanding of how fun playing on a Quiddtich team could be.

Avery just stamped his foot, in agitation, and said obstinately, "If it does I'll resign!"

A few seconds later Lestrange spoke, "When is the next meeting?"

Riddle answered this immediately, "Spread the word that I'm calling one for Friday. The usual hour. An initiation ceremony," he said the last few words with a strange fervor of excitement.

Both Avery and Lestrange's eyes had become round. It was true that, this would be a lot of fun to them, as new members were very easy to take advantage of. They were now walking down the main staircase.

"What will you have him do, once he gains passage?," said Avery quickly.

"I'll leave it up to everyone to decide," Riddle said charmingly with a lop-sided crafty grin. Yet of course, he would make sure he was still leading it. Just as he was leading, his two "friends" into the Great Hall right now.

Entering the double doors, they saw that the room was buzzing with conversation, and not just in individual houses. Surely, by dinner the whole school would know what happened, but somehow Tom felt it did not really matter much. He was not one bit sorry at what he had done. He felt no guilt whatsoever.

The day slipped by to the rhythm of a denouement as it drew to a close, in which Tom Riddle felt relief to see it end, for it had not been one of his best days at Hogwarts, despite the legendary chamber had been opened by him last night.

After lunch he had had Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures class, and that was all for Monday. He felt his usual coldness, and lack of affection brewing for his so-called friends whom he had socialized with mostly today. They were not as wonderfully enjoyable to him, in comparison to having Eileen Prince. Tom Riddle almost laughed aloud, as he sat in the Slytherin Common Room, gazing strangely into the fire thinking about Eileen, meanwhile surrounded by his entourage. He knew she had such a passion for him and a desire to please him. Her loyalty to him was humorous in a very dark sense to his point-of-view. Tom thought analytically, I am shaping her feelings, to make her potential to serve me.

The problem, that he is oblivious to is the depths of Eileen's desire for him, that was ever-growing. Eileen was falling dangerously in love with Tom Riddle, but Tom was choosing to forget and ignore all the instances he saw that were indicating her love for him. Because of course, Riddle's philosophy was that love had no power against the real forces that mattered in the universe.

A half-hour later, he was back in the great hall at six o'clock for dinner. By now, the entire school had heard fragments and pieces of the truth mixed with wild rumors, of what occurred that morning between Riddle and Dumbledore during a fifth-year transfiguration lesson. The dramatic rumors mixed with truth was fleeting back and forth over the four, long house tables. At the far left, the several Slytherins gave their story, and on the far right were the Ravenclaws also telling what they witnessed.

Tom was dreading Armando Dippit's almost certain curiosity for what had transpired and the inquiry that was sure to happen soon.

So, when he saw the Headmaster briefly nod a curt greeting to Dumbledore, his heart was sinking into his stomach from nerves. What if, Dumbledore did change his mind and gave the full account? Meanwhile, Eileen Prince, was chatting with her one and only girlfriend who was a sixth year, whom she had nearly reached excellent terms with.

As he took bites of his baked potato, Riddle kept glancing every few seconds at the Headmaster standing in front of the staff table, and he watched as Dippit walked over towards Horace Slughorn. They talked together for a moment, and Riddle looked away, deciding that he really was off the hook.

But then a minute later, Professor Slughorn was confidently leading the way past the torches against the wall, with the pointed windows high above them, and Professor Dippit following in his tread. Neither of them looked angry, but still Riddle put his guard up, ready for difficult questions. He clenched his teeth, and automatically closed his mind, and subconsciously chose to employ his smooth-talking charisma.

Slughorn spoke first, "Don't look so worried! You're in no trouble. We're here to congratulate."

Riddle raised, an eye-brow in cool surprise, and he relaxed a bit.

Dippit looked down at him, his head to the side, inquisitively. He was a thin, older man, with beady-black eyes, and tufts of grey hair sticking out of his cap. He was wearing black wizard robes with white edges on the sleeves, and a high, white collar. He had an air of properness about him, but also a genuine sense of normalcy with a peaceful temperament.

"I apologize Mr. Riddle, as it seems you were, quite frankly..." he made a small guffaw. "Caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Dumbledore told me your interference with his demonstration was acceptable," he said this all with a note of symapthy in the tone he directed at Tom Riddle.

"Well, great deeds do come of great causes, headmaster," Riddle said with sheer confidence, clearly realizing he had Dippit's respect. "There was no choice in that-"

Dippit nodded twice as he interrupted, "Too true, too true boy. Your deeds had cause. I heard from...most that you were justified in protecting yourself. However..." he suddenly added on a seious note, like he was offering advice. "Some students appear to be....I dare say, jealous of your aptitude," he said then added more as if convincing himself, "There is no need to listen to their abominable misconstruing. Why I believe, you will become as great as Dumbledore, Mr Riddle!" Dippit said the preceding sentence with positive enthusiasm.

Riddle smiled mechanically and said with false warmness, "I thank-you for your compliment, sir. Dumbledore is an extremely talented-," Riddle started, picking his words carefully.

"Of course, you hold him in high esteem. But how do you consider Dumbledore? A fond, mentor of yours, correct?"

A shadow had passed over Riddle's face, for a full second there was a darkness, evident on his pale complexion.

Riddle had opened his mouth, about to lie, when Slughorn out of nowhere spoke, "We'll finish supping up over dinner now, won't we? Armando made a toast to your bright future and what you'll do to help magic-folk just before, Tom."

The shadow reappeared somewhat, along with a startling knowledgable look in Tom's handsome features as he responded, "I do have some marvelous plans in mind...."

Slughorn, put his hand around Dippit's shoulder and they were going back towards the staff table, when Dippit added, "We'll be sure to talk again! A model student like you."

Riddle just smiled oddly and continued eating, feeling better than he felt all day, his head teeming with energetic speed at the plans he had in mind. Five minutes later, he left to go to the library for some studying.

Riddle was studying in the library for potions looking up the information that was his homework, which was to analyze ingredients. It included description and determining measurements and classiying them. As he had been in the library over an hour, quickly completing the homework he had been assigned that day.

He was in a dark corner in the back with only a light above his desk to the side, but which gave him a good view of the entire large room of the library. As most of the library was empty, except for a half-dozen people quietly studying, when he saw movement at the other end of the room, out of the corner of his eye, he looked up.

There was Eileen Prince, she entered and made a sudden turn through the jungle of rows of shelves. Riddle had important things to tell her, so as soon as he saw her, he efficiently put his books, parchments, and quill away.

Then he got up and followed, going for the exact row she had went in. He saw that she was not at the other end of the several yards of books. He turned back and went up and down the rows, casually searching for her, It seemed like he was hunting down his prey.

Eileen was concentrating hard, her dark-eye brows scrunched, leafing through books looking for more information on the dark arts, as she still had her curiosity peaked from the night at the library before Christmas.

Even though she could not go into the Restricted Section, she knew there might be some limited hints. She had become suspicious of Tom, so she was also going to do the research on the consequences of her "reward". She wanted to be sure it would not backfire on her. Even though she was paranoid about his behavior, she still felt every bit of hope and desire for him she had before.

Finally she wandered over to the last shelf, in that area of the library against the wall. It was the darkest in this area. She went over to the corner, because she knew this area probably had the information on everlasting elixirs, that she remembered him muttering about.

As she soon found started reading, she discovered it was mostly about description of the everlasting elixirs, and not the effects, for very few wizards had ever ingested one. Some of the more simple ones were everlasting fire. It took the combination of many other primal elements of both magic and nature to create a more complex one. She saw there were elixirs specifically for eternal youth and beauty without immortality (this one appealed to her the most). But even some silly ones like eternal growth, eternal sleep, eternal gaze, etc.

As she read carefully about the most intriguing elixir, she heard somebody walking down the rows, but she couldn't tell where. Eileen stopped reading, and looked around. She was not afraid, more offensive, thinking of the girls she did not like that she had to share her dormitory with. It was a sense of distrust she had with most people, and she did not want to have her back turned in the shadows of the library in the evening if, someone was sneaking up on her.

A dark figure came out of the other row in front of her and walked closer. A second later, out of the semi-darkness and the shadows Tom Riddle stepped into the light, looking straight at her. Eileen closed the book that was open in her hands, and put it back on the shelf (she would get it later). Then said, "Hello, Tom," in an almost friendly way.

"We didn't get...alone time earlier. But now is our opportunity. We'll leave here and go somewhere deserted," he said quietly, and only a trace of his superficial glibness.

She followed Tom, when he suddenly started walking down the rows and back to the exit. Eileen was feeling apprehensive, but also excited as she usually did when it came to being with Tom Riddle.

Within several minutes, Riddle lead her to the bathroom where he found the entrance into the Chamber of Secrets. He of course, had planned this as the best place to talk in private. Eileen sighed, and followed him into the hollowness of the bathroom, with it's high ceiling.

At the other end there was a short figure of a girl, hunched over one of the the sinks. She was looking into the mirror, as tears fell down her face, mumbling to herself indiscernible words. As she heard someone come in, she automatically looked up, and the eyes behind her spectacles became wide with fright from what she saw in the reflection of the mirror behind her. She cried out, as if in pain, and turned on her heel.

Tom Riddle was there with Eileen at his side. He laughed high and cold, as Mrytle continued to sob, now more afraid than depressed.

"Get out of here mudblood! If you know what's good for you," he said in a disgusted tone of hatred.

Mrytle did not need telling twice, she had already sprinted out the door.

Tom continued to smile savagely, then said, "Silly little girl, I'll give her something to cry about," he muttered more to himself.

Then he focused back on Eileen, he looked at her as if she was an object, appraising the possibilities he had already seen in her. "I asked for money or at least some valuables a couple of weeks ago. Do you have anything?," he asked cooly.

"No...but I haven't even been initiated. Can't it wait?" she said a bit defiantly with some anger.

Tom made a threatening move towards her. It was like he was closing in on her. "It can. But after your initiation, you have got to start working harder. You don't have it, by the next meeting after that..." he paused.

Eileen thought he looked terribly intimidating. "What, Tom?" she said begging him to tell her.

"The whole group may attack you, if I order them to. Or-"

He made another step closer to Eileen, she was now leaning against the wall beside the row of sinks. "I alone will make you suffer ....in private, which is surprisingly worse."

Eileen gulped and said, "I'll have something for you. I will!" she said more to herself, desperately trying to convince herself in her mind.

Tom felt satisfied, and Eileen could feel that was so, because the hardness of his handsome features softened a bit, after her answer.

Eileen made a sudden movement to the side, trying to escape as she was feeling trapped once again. Tom saw it and with quick reflexes grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back against the wall, hard. Eileen smiled and looked nervously at Riddle, biting her lip.

"It will not be easy to pass the ceremony. The followers will want to bully you," he stated this as a bland fact.

Eileen felt a surge of fear, rise up her stomach into her chest. Her heart beating fast, "But you'll stop them for me. Won't you protect me Tom?" she said, only half-hoping.

He sneered with doubt and raised his eyebrows a little, "If it's useful to. But if not, I certainly won't make them stop," he said.

"Who are they?" she asked in wonder, eager to know.

"I can't tell you their identities. You won't know until you've made your vow...", Riddle said sounding superior."You will conceal your face with robes and a mask I'll give you beforehand," he spoke authoritively.

Eileen looked Tom straight in his blue-grey eyes and took a deep breath, she was about to ask questions of where and when. But Tom Riddle answered the thought in her mind.

"Friday evening. Eleven o'clock. I'll accompany you to the Forbidden Forrest."

Eileen felt her whole body fill with terror at the thought of acromantulas, werewolves, and all the other wild beasts that lived there. "But what about---th-the dangers?"

"I know the safest locations. Only initiations are held in the forrest, not the other meetings," said Riddle.

"And the centaurs...they'll attack us?," Eileen said feeling rising panic.

"No. Once they were present, and all they did was look on because they don't interfere with wizards' lives....It will be quite a night for romance, Eileen," he said with obvious humor.

Eileen picked right up on his saracasm, "You know it won't. It's dangerous. And that reminds me, it really hurt my feelings when you said you wanted to re-invent me!" she said.

"Why?," Tom said in a deep tone. He felt inquisitive about this sudden revelation, and he wanted her to keep explaining.

Eileen for a moment, was shocked at how open she had been with her feelings. She was usually too embarrassed to admit, when she was upset. But then again, she felt close to Tom Riddle. Yet right now she was a mix of her love for him, with her own righteous anger.

"It was insensitive of you to say that you'll change my appearance magically. Isn't it good enough that I'm pure-blood for you?"

Eileen was partially revealing her attachment to him. Tom did sense this, but he felt no attachment to her whatsoever, nor any real caring for her being vexed by his plan for her reward.

He leered at her, looming ever closer. By coincidence, she had struck the right cord to get his full attention. Her mentioning her being pure-blood, reminded Tom deep down how he is not.

Eileen regretted being so assertive to him, especially when she was stuck in his grip. She was pinned to the wall, as she knew from her prior attempt that she could not escape.

"Of course it's enough!" he said aggresively. "Yet you still think that I, Tom Riddle care what you look like?," for once, he stated exactly what he was thinking.

"Yes, you do," Eileen whispered aloud, what she realized was merely a wish.

"No. Nor will I ever. I don't set store in that rubbish," Tom scoffed, shaking his head, speaking plainly.

Eileen was starting to cry from this revelation and Tom Riddle knew it. He observed for a few seconds, with a satisfied expression. He saw her face fall, in disappointment than to despair.

At just the right moment, Riddle changed tactics and manipulated her mind back to thinking of her reward,"But that's what you want Eileen. To look beautiful. Your deepest desire," he spoke softly, smiling at her.He was selling the idea all over again. Yet he didn't know that he was rubbing it into her heart, making deep impressions.

He gazed strangely at her, almost hypnotically. It was like he was putting her in a trance. He moved ever closer, whispering into her ear, "You'll be my most faithful once I reward you. You'll want me and nobody else."

Eileen blushed crimson and her mouth was struggling not to smile as she still felt upset. But from those words he just spoke, Eileen was glad to sense the under-current of a promise of something much more intimate.

She was now vaguely aware that he was manipulating her, but still torn between too many emotions. So she had to be taken in.

"Okay, Tom," she agreed complacently. She looked away from his startling gaze for a second, as the light in his eyes was scary to her. She thought for one second of telling him that she loved him, but decided to wait for another time. But she glanced back at him,and thought how wonderful it would be if he would kiss her again, or show any other affection.

He knew she was thinking how she wanted affection.
Being a good actor, he took a handful of her long, dark hair in one hand while embracing her lightly, and kissed the top of her forehead, "I won't be so...tender during your initiation....Good night and good luck," he said charmingly. He then let go of her, and swept out of the room.

Eileen was now alone. She moved very slowly, as she was very confused and unbalanced. She turned around to look in the mirror at her reflection, pondering what was happening to her. Soft tears fell down her face, as she remembered how he had just admitted he cared nothing for her to become beautiful. Then she realized she might not ever be the same after the initiation, which made her even more afraid than the thought of the forbidden forrest and being bullied by the others.

But then she felt, revulsion at the thought that she was acting like Mrytle. She had to allow herself some self-respect. But of course, she loved Tom and she thought maybe when she got him what he ordered she could tell him... She convinced herself that that would be the best time, and she was filled with a true desire to succeed at her part of the deal they had made.