Tom Riddle and the Pure-Blood Prince

Madam Puddifoot's

 For over an hour, Eileen crouched in the crowded teashop without a date. She was sadly coming to the conclusion that Tom had stood her up. She was glad nobody cared to notice the lack of companionship, as she was in the very back corner, like a propped up wallflower. At least freed from prying glances.



She was absolutely flummoxed by Riddle's no-show. He was one of the most punctilious people she knew. Furthermore, he'd seldom ever arrived late for class in over five years of their magical training together. This was most unlike him, and it made her wonder....



For Eileen it was a bleak and gloomy winter. Riddle had been distant since the New Year. Eileen could not regret her idiotic behavior more! Why did she believe a love potion scheme could work on him?!



The only time they briefly conversed was at Dark Order meetings and those were not the one-on-one attention she'd come to crave from the most handsome, powerful boy in the school. Eileen knew he was special and believed it still. She must dote on him, and let him know his time at Hogwarts would be whispered through the halls for centuries to come!



It was this that kept her from leaving Madam Puddifoot's. Eyes downcast she waited, crestfallen with silent disappointment. And she clutched the opal necklace he commanded her to wear everyday. It was like her lifeline, the one thing that was proof that Riddle thought her special. Her fingers clung to it.



And just as quick as he could be absent, he was present as if coming from nowhere. In the centre of everything. Many girls glanced hopefully in his direction. Eileen could have melted to watch him stride over. It was like he had eyes only for Eileen.



"You'll have to accept my apologies. So sorry to have nearly ruined your birthday, Eileen. I'll make it up to you, I promise!"



Eileen didn't pout, though part of her wanted to. At once Riddle swooped down, bending to plant a kiss and playfully his beautiful hand caressed the black locks framing the girl's thin, angular face. The Elixir shaped Eileen's features, making them more feminine and curved. She no longer had the dour appearance, the stringy hair or slightly beaky nose. That had long since been eradicated and Riddle knew it wouldn't embarrass him too much to be sitting with this girl in the most romantic venue for a Hogwarts student.



"A happy seventeenth, sweetheart. May you live to see many more. You look beautiful!"



Eileen could have cried. He'd never been this kind!



"Oh, Tom!" she gushed, almost going gaga. Before he could sit down, she didn't let it happen. She grabbed his heavy, woolen robes and nuzzled against them, breathing in his musky, worldly scent.



Riddle allowed this gesture but then gently pried her fingers away, and finished by giving a pat on the head, like she was a reformed child.



A woman in vibrant red almost lurid robes in honor of St. Valentine's Day came by. "And what can I get for you two?



Riddle ordered for both him and Eileen, and said each would content with the same. The woman raised a brow to see the boy order for his date, as if Eileen had no opinion. Eileen looked to Madam Puddifoot and nodded assent. Eileen's tacit consent made sense; after all she was subsuming herself to her master, the cult leader. But the waitress could not possibly know this of course.



The waitress's heels clicked away scant dress swirling, hips swaying. Riddle's eyes lingered, Eileen saw it, and was infuriated.



Her eyes narrowed suspiciously and she surveyed Tom darkly. "You must have something up your sleeve. I wish it involved me. What is it that you've been doing?"



Ever since her passing addiction to billiwigs, Eileen had crashed. But now that her obsession was present, she'd soon change her deposition. With each passing moment she was becoming happy again.



And Riddle was answering Eileen's question honestly. "Well, you may indeed ask that Eileen!" he said charismatically. "Unfortunately all of my projects have been unrelated to you. I am sorry if this bothers you..."



Riddle became darker and smiled at Eileen. "Upon reflection however...last year you were useful. Very useful to me. I thank-you. Always remain in my favour. That is all that I ask, and you know this. Don't you darling?"



"Yes, Tom," conceded Eileen dreamily.



"Good... said Riddle quietly. "Ah I almost forgot! Your birthday gift and more!"



Riddle took out a plainly wrapped box, in cream coloured paper. "But before your present...Rookwood made you some more."



Riddle took out two vials. One was the potion, the Elixir of Youth the other contained a mysterious single strand of hair.



Eileen's eyes grew round. Innocently she countered, "But what's that vial with the hair? Oh, are you making Polyjuice Potion, Tom?"



Riddle did not even hesitate, but his saucy mouth curved with a slight guffaw. "Yes." It was ironic. If only she knew what that hair stood for, to help in the plan to kill her father!



Riddle put the vial away and gave the other one to Eileen.



"May I open it? I can't wait. Please, Tom!"



"Of course, of course you may," he relented at once.



It was no ordinary present. It was in fact, a highly prized magical object. Yet simple with it's purpose. It was nothing but a small, wooden chest.



Eileen held it delicately in her hand and was glad to see that there were flowers and a birthday card with a valentine inside. "Thank-you, My Lord," she whispered.



Eileen studied the box, trying to sense if there was magic.



"It has a powerful curse on it. I made it so that only you can peruse the contents without suffering. And of course myself..."



Eileen smiled with dawning understanding. "You mean...Only you and I can share the box's secrets? That's wonderful, Tom."



"Thank-you," he said. "I thought the strongbox would come in handy for you as a member of the Dark Order."



This was true. And years from now, the box would be one of Eileen's most prized possessions on Spinner's End. And Eileen understood that she could conceal things from all but Voldemort, the maker of the object's curse.



Their food arrived. Eileen busied herself by cheerfully stirring a rod in her teacup. Next, she poured an ounce of the Elixir in and stirred, still wearing a chimerical smile. If only she knew that one day she'd be deprived of the Elixir and what that would entail for her.



With tea, Tom and Eileen celebrated the birthday and the holiday with scones filled with Devonshire cream.



Eileen soon tired of the food and drink, and cradled the warmth emanating from the teacup in her hands. It was a comfort to commune with Riddle for the first time in such a while.



And then Riddle's hand stretched out across the table, and he grabbed her. Eileen was actually sitting in Madam Puddifoot's surrounded by happy couples, holding Tom Riddle's hand at the tea-table trestle. It was strange to be sharing a time of such emotional intensity with him, when he'd been cold to her since January.



Riddle massaged her hand, fondling it. Eileen giggled like mad. Riddle played with this some more, happily thinking of the thought that her father would soon be dead.



"You seem so happy today, Tom....Joyful even."



"I am." Riddle patted his knee jovially. "Now come sit.... Just this once, I don't care if the others see me." He meant he didn't care this time if they saw him with a girl.



So Eileen went there, perched on the edge of his lap and helped herself to another scone with Devonshire cream.



Eileen rested her head against Riddle's neck. Something clammy and cold was there. She had a look and saw his necktie was stained red.



Eileen went red with shame; embarrassed to say something and also scared she'd offend her master. She pondered if it was blood. Not used to the smell of it, she didn't realize it would smell if it was.



"T-tom your necktie. It's stained."



Riddle said nothing, munching on a scone, mouth full. Eileen took the initiative and whipped out her wand. Like a devoted servant girl, she cleaned.



"Scourgify! Scourgify," soap bubbles came out and washed it.



And then Eileen used a spell to dry the shirt. Eileen was desperate to prove herself. She could serve him like an apt follower. She was better than all those boys!



"Good girl," he said. Eileen felt the weight of his approval as he held her in the crook of his arms.



They snogged, entangled in each other. Eileen swooned and Riddle appeared content too. His hands snaked inside her robes and he stroked her buttocks. For a fleeting second he thought of the time he'd come to Stonewall Estate where in that lonely gully he performed a sexual act on the unconscious Eileen!



He stopped kissing and Eileen looked into his dark eyes with pure content, almost ecstasy. She took up her teacup and drained it in one gulp.



She went back to eating, still sitting on his knee. But then she was disappointed as the lovely dinner ended too soon.



"Let's take a walk...." and he slid Eileen's skinny frame off his lap. Riddle rose to his full height and laid a few galleons on the trestle.



Eileen could see that in truth Riddle had tired of being in the sweltering, overcrowded teashop. She felt his torrid emotions, his passion recede. Eileen was disappointed, but still delighted he'd kissed her again, just as passionately as that Halloween night a couple of months before.



They stepped out and into the darkening twilight. Together they went towards the high road.



Eileen was glad that possessively, Riddle grasped her hand and they walked together like a real couple. Although Eileen had recently learned the cruel lesson, that he could never be truly hers. She knew he was set apart from normal people. He belonged to nobody and preferred to be alone.



"Tom, at least it isn't raining or snowing today. The weather is perfect!"



"Yes. But a hard wind is coming from the mountains. I predict a storm by tomorrow."



Eileen dared humor him. "Oh, you're a seer too now, My Lord?"



Riddle didn't find this funny. He just said seriously, "No. The one thing your master can't do...Is predict the future."



Riddle turned the collar of his cloak up against the biting, icy wind. It was cold out. But Eileen was bundled in a nice fur coat.



"I had a good time with you tonight. I am grateful for the kindness you showed me today."



"You pleased me, Eileen. You are very valuable to me. Always remain so and you will be fine." For in a weird way he was pleased, knowing how great he would seem to his followers when Graham Prince, the great Chief Healer of St. Mungo's was dead, all thanks to him. And young Voldemort was as happy as he could be, of course it wasn't genuine happiness in it's purest form, but truly he was glad.



On the High Road they finally came to the open gate into the school's property. Of course it was left open for today's visit to the village.



Riddle paused and looked shrewdly over his shoulder. Nobody else was coming up the road. They were essentially alone. Eileen shivered suddenly afraid.



Riddle held Eileen's hips and he kissed her again, gently this time.

Greedily, he moved her body closer.



In the gathering darkness, he groped Eileen. She felt his hands massaging and squeezing her breasts and surprisingly she submitted. Later that night, she was deeply ashamed for letting herself go. She had never let herself feel such desire, but clearly her Lord felt it for her, and so she must reciprocate.



She would remember that day for a long time. It was an enduring, happy memory of a time that Tom Riddle had treated her so well. It glowed inside her heart, rekindling her inflamed belief in Riddle's power. If only she'd known then, that the kindness he demonstrated, could not have been more malicious....As it all came from the mean thought that her father was going to be murdered.