Tom Riddle and the Pure-Blood Prince

Accosting and Acquittal

On a Saturday morning in the first week of February, Tom Riddle and Eileen Prince had prefect duties that involved mainly patrolling the castle. It had always worked that Eileen had one area and Tom the other. It was a habit of them to split up on duty like before, when they had not gotten to know each other well before now. Tom of course, enjoyed operating his duties alone.

He was patrolling the halls of the dungeons that led to the Slytherin common room, when he took a usual short-cut of his to get to the west end of the castle. Riddle made his way, striding with purpose through a hollowed door-way that led down a staircase to the lower dungeons. The one most students were too terrified to venture in, especially as Apollyon Pringle (the sadistic caretaker) liked to use them.

Tom stopped on the first landing and entered the dark abyss, that was completely empty. His footsteps echoed over the stone flagged floor, his lit wand shimmering over it. It was so silent and dark, most people would have felt tense, but Tom pereferred silence and darkness.

After a minute, he had almost reached the other end of the castle and the stair-case leading up to the light when he distinctly heard a door swing shut, and a voice. Riddle's eyebrows furrowed in concentration, as he listened in to discover whom the voice belonged to, as he groped around with his only light of his wand to find the door.

"Sorry...but I gotta take care of yer down here. Don't want nobody seeing you...Ara," the voice was husky and gentle at the same time.

Just then, Riddle's hand closed around the handle, and he pushed it open, eager to accost the person he knew it was. Entering the tiny room, as small as a dank cupboard he shouted, "Rubeus!"

It was indeed Rubeus Hagrid. The boy Eileen had seen and been told by Tom to be the big blundering fool of Gryffindor. Rubeus's beetle black eyes seemed to flash with defiance as he asked, "What do you want with me now, Tom?"

Not moving any closer to Hagrid, Riddle crossed his arms lazily, and raised his chin up. Hagrid was a few inches taller than him, but that was certainly not going to stop him from exerting his power and control.

Speaking as if talking to someone slow Riddle said, "I've seen you with that acromantula before," and he pointed a long finger to indicate it, lying in the box. "And you couldn't know I was present," he said pausing in his explanation. "So as a prefect I believe that you have broken far too many school-rules, Rubeus. The point is, your in trouble all the time and it's time it was reported."

"But she's not dangerous! Aragog's-" argued Hagrid with vehemenence.

Riddle drew in his breath and said ina sultry, dull tone, "Regardless it still goes against the rules set down by Hogwarts,"

"What rule?" Hagrid challenged him.

"For one thing...students are allowed to bring a cat owl or toad. Nothing about a spider, you stupid oaf," Riddle snapped, his face contorted with revulsion as he continued to look at Hagrid.

Riddle made a few steps closer to Hagrid. Instinctively, Hagrid knew that Riddle was aiming to snatch the box with Aragog in it. Howling, Hagrid dropped his beloved spider out of it's box and onto the floor, and it scuttled away.

Riddle felt a surge of rage, as he was going to use the spider as proof. Before he could try an incantation to bring it back, Rubeus upset, channeled that into anger and lunged at Riddle, flailing his arms. They were both knocked on the hard floor, Hagrid on top of Riddle.

Rubeus threw a couple of hard punches at Riddle's stomach, thinking it would knock him off balance and he could seize his wand. Riddle did not seem to register the pain, but continued to fight to get his control back. It was almost like he was immune to pain, as he didn't even wince. Hagrid tried to grasp Riddle's wand, but failed as Riddle yelled, "Incarcerous!"

Hagrid was now bound in ropes and Tom got to his feet, looking furious, but struggling to reach his normal level of control.

"Enough of this, Rubeus!," said Riddle who was truly frustrated. "Stop struggling and obey me, and I'll release you. As a prefect it is my job to apprehend you. Were going to Professor Dippit... but first-," he said with a mix of arrogance and a note of warning.

He raised his wand, and eyed Hagrid as if summing up his possibilities. Then a gleam of inspiration, that made him look ugly hit Riddle, and in a flash he used a spell that caused a wide gash on Hagrid's left cheekbone. Not explaining his reasoning Riddle, knelt down as a smile curled the corners of his mouth.

"One more time can't hurt your dismal disciplinary record, can it Rubeus? But maybe, you'll be expelled," Riddle said softly.

Hagrid was breathing hard, and he looked like he was becoming increasingly emotional, ready to lash out again.

Releasing Hagrid, who jumped up immediately, Riddle pushed him forward, and then poked his wand in his back, as they left the room., "It is only a responsbility of mine report this aberrent behavior. We can't have students like you, with dangerous secrets and illegal creatures. You should be ashamed of yourself, Rubeus." Riddle was primarily saying this to make Hagrid feel guilty and to set him up properly to weaken him before they got to the Headmaster's study.

In a few minutes they were nearing the corridor that led to the stone gargoyle's of the entrance to Dippit's quarters.

Riddle continued to berate Hagrid, trying to frighten him even more as he said in a whisper, "Nervous, Rubeus? Scared? I know the worst, imbeciles and miscreants like you, are punished by Apollyon Pringle. Do you know how?" Riddle laughed a dry chuckle at the thought of it.

As they were turning the corridor, Eileen Prince appeared to be patrolling her area of the castle. At the sight of Tom with that boy she had been told about, she hurried forward, clearly curious. Coming closer, she noticed Riddle leading Hagrid forward with his wand, and she tensed. To Eileen, it looked like this boy, was in some sort of serious trouble.

About to ask a question, Eileen opened her mouth but Riddle spoke before she could start, "Lucky I found him. He's raising dark, lethal creatures in the lower dungeons, Eileen. I'm taking him to the Headmaster. You just...," he muttered and then pausing as he was considering using Eileen as a further back-up. "Go and forget about. I'll take care of it."

Eileen did not look like she wanted to agree. But before Riddle could see this, he was already passing her as they walked down the corridor. Eileen stood there, contemplating how she should react. She decided that it was probably standard procedure to get the student in trouble their head of house. So she hurried back down the corridor in the other direction, towards Dumbledore's office.

Professor Dippit was pulling on his traveling cloak rushing to leave for an appointment with the minister of magic about the attacks, when there was a loud knock on the door. "Enter," the old wizard said.

"Riddle...I'm sorry I have somewhere I have to be." Dippit did not even seem to acknowledge that Hagrid was there. Hagrid was standing right next to Riddle though, his hands as large as saucers, balled into fists.

Riddle looked straight into the headmaster's beady black eyes and he saw that it had to do with the Chamber of Secrets being opened, as this was on Dippit's mind

"I have urgent news, sir..."

"Oh!" said Dippit becoming intrigued.

Riddle swallowed hard, his courage mounting and had the gall to burst out, "It might very well concern the prepetrator of these....heinous attacks."

Dippit's eyes became wide and he finally spotted Hagrid. "Do you mean you saw something from this boy you brought with you?"

"That's right, sir. He's using illict creatures as an accessory to his crimes to do his bidding," Riddle spoke with a savage fervor, as if repulsed.

Riddle stopped to wait for the Headmaster's reply, to this most unsettlings news, but none came. Instead Hagrid let out a roar of frustration and then said, "I never hurt any student! Aragogs done nothin' neither!"

Dippit's voice became uncharacteristically sharp, "Who's Aragog? And what is your name, year, and house?"

Hagrid's face fell, as he realized he should not have blurted out Aragog's name. He looked down at the tiles of the floor and said in an almost defeated voice, "...Rubeus Hagrid. Gryffindor, third year. Ar-Aragog is my pet spider...and I don't let him near anyone but me!"

"So you admit to owning creatures that aren't deemed appropriate for a Hogwarts student," Dippit spoke sternly. "Continue with your explanation, Mr. Riddle," sounding much milder towards him than Hagrid.

"To be precise, it's an acromantula Professor Dippit," Riddle said dramatically and at these words, Dippit suddenly looked like he would explode, his face turning red.

"He's only a baby acromantula!...Professor," Hagrid said in a whimpering tone.

But Dippit semed to not care and was quickly coming to the certainty of Hagrid being guilty. "You shall have your chance to defend yourself, so quiet" he admonished to Hagrid.

"I saw it when patrolling on prefect duties and there he was, hiding the acromantula in the dungeons. I've been watching Rubeus for a while and I've heard plans to have more than an acromantula, sir."

"What plans exactly?" Dippit asked in a squeaky voice.

Riddle knew that Hagrid's dearest ambition was to raise his own dragon so he said looking straight at Hagrid, "He's been doing his best to get his hands on dragon eggs. Rubeus knows all about where to find them. I've even heard him brag that he occasionally goes into the Forbidden Forrest and collects numerous other creatures."

This was only partly true, but it did not matter to Dippit who was taking the story as being totally factual. It was because Riddle spoke with just the right pursuasion needed to convince the Headmaster.

Hagrid was becoming more and more nervous. He was restraining his vocal cords as hard as he could not to yell again.
Dippit had turned his head and was now eyeing, Hagrid with great suspicion. Taking in the full details of his appearance, Dippit said, "Where did that cut originate from, boy?"

Hagrid slumped his shoulders, thinking of what Riddle had done to him. Tom spoke first with cool confidence, "I think we can conclude it was one of the dangerous beasts he trains, Headmaster."

Tom was going to use that cut, as he had planned from the moment he had done it, as a method of evidence that Hagrid had dangerous magical animals in his possession.

Dippit nodded, his wrinkles crinkling in apprehension. "I want to see everything you've got on you! Turn out your pockets," Dippit demanded.

Hagrid hesitated, and then delved into his pockets of his crinkled, over-sized school-robes. He pulled out a number of miscellaneous objects, including a handful of seeds, a photograph of his deceased mother, Fridwulfa, and another of him with his tiny father.

Dippit walked over to the little table, Hagrid was throwing them on angrily. The Headmaster walked over to examine the objects, his hands behind his back. After a few seconds, he picked up a small knife.

"Why do you keep a knife, Rubeus?"

Hagrid managed to come up with a good answer, "For cutting up potion ingredients, sir." Although that was actually a lie.

"I suppose that is a natural reason," Dippit said and he sighed, feeling a bit more relaxed.

Riddle immediately intervened, "Headmaster, I'm sure you're going to investigate Hagrid, more fully though? Perhaps his-"

Hagrid suddenly jerked his fist down on the table, knocking many of his own belongings off the table, and they rolled onto the floor, his strength increasing his voice roared like a lion, "I may have broken a few rules, Tom, but my heart in the right place! Unlike you hating anyone whose blood is less than pure. You-you," Hagrid started to stammer.

"I will not have you insult Riddle in my presence. He is quite possibly the most brilliant student Hogwarts has ever had," Dippit said.

Tom thought how the contrast between them worked so perfectly to his advantage, as he gave a wry smile. Then he spoke, "As you can see, he has a terrible, uncontrolled temper. I don't see how it can be tolerated much longer."

"Yes, I agree. I will be keeping a watch on Rubeus for now on, like you had so wisely done."

Hagrid who was still feeling anger and needed to express it physically, but could not was now on the floor picking up the mess.

"He's too attached to creatures. I suppose it is a sickness or something," Riddle said logically in an even voice. He was trying to use phrases to make out Hagrid to be a bad seed.

Hagrid now looked like he was shaking with rage, he had just opened his mouth to argue again, when the door of the study opened and Dumbledore was in the room with Eileen Prince right behind him.

"Dumbledore!," said Hagrid triumphantly.

Hagrid was looking at him with shining eyes.

Riddle and Dippit turned on the spot to face Dumbledore, who came poking through the room wearing a pointed wizard's hat, which made Dumbledore appear even taller. Eileen, who was of normal stature for a girl of fifteen followed, although she seemed shorter behind him.

"Eileen Prince, a prefect came to my office saying that Hagrid was harboring dangerous creatures in the dungeons. I rest assured that Hagrid has not been found guilty, am I correct?"

"We cannot prove, but I think Hagrid may have a hand in the culprit of the attacks. Riddle came to me with an account of Rubeus harboring creatures. Also, Rubeus Hagrid admitted to me here that he owns an acromantula," Dippit said, speaking in an objective tone he had not used before Dumbledore arrived. "I've also heard from Riddle that Hagrid ventures into the Forbidden Forrest on occasion," Dippit added in a dispassionate voice.

"Although Ms. Prince is sure that Hagrid is guilty, where is the evidence that the accounts of Hagrid being responsible for the chamber are the truth?" Dumbledore asked giving a significant look towards Riddle.

"Hagrid has a most peculiar wound on his cheek and I doubt it's something-"

"That may be evidence, but it is only circumstantial, Armando," Dumbledore said calmly.

Used to getting advice by Dumbledore, Dippit was not angry of the assessment of his surmise of the events. So Dippit sighed and said, "I still would like you, Professor Dumbledore to have a search of his dormitory and to place sanctions on Hagrid's activities. He is no longer to be permitted in Hogsmeade or to go outside the castle at all."

"I will make sure to handle it," Dumbledore said calmly. After a moment Dumbledore asked, "I suppose that is all there is to say concerning this?"

"Yes...Mr. Riddle, the girl, and Mr. Hagrid may leave," Dippit ended on a cold note, actually scowling at Hagrid who made the most noise leaving.

Dumbledore remained because the Headmaster wanted to talk privately with some advice about all the fishy activity going on and to hear Dumbledore say again that the Chamber of Secrets really must be opened.