I pulled my trunk along the familiar platform, dodging in and out of the many students and their parents, some of them returning and some of them departing for the very first time. I had come alone however, I had done so now for the past three years, Father no longer accompanied me, he 'did not see the need', I was a 'big girl' now. My brooding however was soon short lived as I spotted Wiglaf give his Mother a departing hug before heading across the platform in the direction of the train; I smirked, and quickly snuck around the back of him.
"Good holiday," I called down his ear, giggling, he turned around instantly, a smile in place.
"Greetings Grisha, not bad, not bad at all, though I am looking forward to a fresh year at Hogwarts," He stuck out his chest, the royal blue prefect badge shining proudly,
"And you a prefect," I nodded,
"Indeed," He smiled, "Speaking of which I really should get to the prefects cartridge, all house prefects must report to the new head girl and boy before we arrive back at Hogwarts,"
I pouted, "You won't be joining us Heirs for the journey then,"
"A las not all of it no, you will have to save me some confectionary from the trolley," he smiled,
"But of course, that pumpkin pasty is as good as yours," I smiled, as we reached the doors to the train.
"After you," Wiglaf gestured courteously, I stepped onto the train, levitating my trunk in front of me.
"I'll see you later then Wiglaf, good luck." I grinned at him, as we parted ways. I eventually found an empty compartment, stored my trunk in the overhead shelf and settled into my new seat for the next few hours, about ten minuites went by, before there was a tuneful knock on the window of the compartment door, causing me to look up. Lazarus beamed through the window at me, pulling a face when he realised I had saw him, I laughed as he pretended to mime trying to get into the compartment. I leaned over and slid open the door,
"What do you want?" I asked mockingly, he smiled widely,
"It's not a case of what I want, it's a case of what do you want!" He smirked, emptying his pockets all over the seat beside me, littering the furnishings were piles of the best wizarding confectionary available, peppermint toads, cauldron cakes, jelly slugs, fizzing wizzbes and of course chocolate frogs among many others.
I licked my lips, "Oh ok then, you've twisted my arm, take a seat," I winked at him; I noticed a slight flush of colour suddenly enter Lazarus cheeks as he avoided my eye. Had I emarassed him somehow, I was only joking.
An hour went by as we slowly began to leave the city landscapes and enter the vast rural landscapes of fields and forests, I and Lazarus had eaten our way through large selection of sweets as we talked about our holidays, well Lazarus talked about his, I didn't really have much to tell him. The only thing that stood out to me was that dream... and I certainly did not want to share that.
"You okay Grisha?" Lazarus asked, breaking my train of thought, I realised my expression must have changed to reflect my discomfort at the memory and so I fixed my expression into a small smile,
"Oh yeah too many sweets I think," I lied,
"Too many sweets? I just don't understand you Grisha," Lazarus laughed popping another jelly slug into his mouth.
The compartment door slid open, at the threshold stood Wiglaf and, my breath hitched in my throat, Tom.
"Room for two more?" Wiglaf smiled,
"Hmmm maybe one more," Lazarus smirked, fixing Tom with a mischievous look,
"We will see you later then Laz," Tom replied, returning the smirk.
I averted my eyes, as I felt my mouth run dry and my breathing become heavy, I flickered my gaze to Tom but could not hold it there. He was immaculately dressed as always in his full school robes, a little taller perhaps than before the summer and yet just as handsome if not more so. His dark hair parted to the side neatly, his porcelain skin flawlessly pulled over his high cheek bones and sharp jaw, his blue eyes swimming like the clearest river. I swallowed hard, this was the first time I had seen Tom since I had... since the dream... I shook my head.
"Are you alright Grisha? You're very quiet over there?" Wiglaf asked, I look up to find the three boys staring at me, Tom had a questioning look in his eyes.
"I'm... fine. Ghosted out for a moment that's all." I replied, "Here as promised," I smiled, throwing Wiglaf a pumpkin pasty; he caught it swiftly and winked as he started to unwrap it.
"Hey wait a minute! You too!" Lazarus exclaimed, dropping a fudge fly onto his knee that he was just about to pop into his mouth, instead he was pointing at Tom's chest, and true enough there it was a shining emerald green prefect badge. Tom glanced down towards his own badge,
"Perceptive as always Lazarus, yes me too." Tom smirked,
"Congratulations," I croaked, I felt his gaze upon me but did not meet it. There was something different about his presence that was making me nervous, though it was probably only in my own mind...
"Well you two must be nervous! It's the big O.W.L's this year for you two," Lazarus chuckled,
"I'm quiet looking forward to them actually," Wiglaf replied honestly,
"You would," Lazarus laughed, "What about you Tom?" He questioned, waving an acid pop around in his hand, Tom's eyes followed its movements as he replied,
"I don't think I really have anything to worry about."
"Huh, arrogant as ever I see," Lazarus added, now sucking on the sour sweet.
"If you mean by that, that I am self-assured in my own knowledge and abilities Lazarus then yes, I am arrogant as ever," Tom smiled roguishly.
Another hour or so had passed by; Tom had now pulled out his black leather diary and had begun to write in it. It was then that I saw it, there on his right index finger, an ornate gold ring with a dark onyx angular stone in the centre. I felt my hand involuntary flinch to reach out to touch it but I was saved the embarrassment by Lazarus's taunt,
"Writing your woos and woes in that diary again," he taunted; he laughed and reached out to snatch the diary from Tom's hands. Tom snapped the diary shut and grabbed a hold Lazarus'S outstretched wrist, his expression dark. I had never seen Tom react so strongly, normally he would just taunt Lazarus in return, Lazarus too recognised this dangerous reaction and pulled back looking uneasy, Tom released his wrist but there was some certain reluctance to do so, Lazarus rubbed his now red wrist.
"Merlin, relax Riddle it was just a joke," Lazarus breathed cautiously,
"Well don't." Tom replied sharply, his expression stony. There was a flash of something in his eyes that was different, that had not been there before, it was threatening and cold. A few moments of awkward silence pasted by before Wiglaf commented,
"That's a nice ring Riddle, is it new?" there was no mistaking that although Wiglaf had posed a question that it was a statement.
Riddle looked down at his own hand, and seemed to admire the ring himself, a strange contorted smirk on his face,
"Yes, its new," he replied, "Where would someone like you get something like that?" Lazarus blurted, unable to stop himself. Tom's jaw clenched, "I'm not sure I follow you Lazarus," his tone was dangerous, I poked Lazarus with my foot descretly as a warning to leave it, Lazarus instantly turned to me and begun, "All I meant was-" "What Lazarus means is that it is a unusual item for you to aquire over the summer, of course we heard very little about your summer, forgive me but the news of your newly appointed position as a prefect was unknown until tonight," Wiglaf intervened, Lazarus looked as if he was going to add something but I fixed him with a gaze which told him to just stay quiet. Tom seemed to have regained his composure again, his face calmer he almost looked amused, he held his hand out infront of himself, turning it around and flexing his long fingers, almost flaunting the ring. "I do not question nor care for your possessions. This ring now belongs to me." Tom said firmly, his words brought a finality to the conversation and everyone descended back into silence, though Wiglaf continued to steal glances at Riddles hand.
Finely off of the train we trudged the short distance from Hogsmeade Station to the stretch of lane lined with evergreens, where the cartridges would be waiting for us, the September evening air was cool and the sky clear. When we reached the carridges, I looked around me to find that Tom had stopped following us and was now mere feet behind us, he was staring intently at the empty space just before the carridge, his face a mixture of curiosity and fascination. "Tom," I whispered, "what is it?" I asked, Tom reluctantly drew his eyes away to look at me, "It's nothing, I was thinking about my coming prefect duties," the lie slid off of Tom's lips like a butter on hot toast, he was a master. Hardly anyone could detect when we was lying, apart from Dumbledore, it was a skill I would not develop for a very long time.