After passing the mahogany staircase, the four of you had stopped in front of the portrait, just outside Gryffindor's entrance at the tower.
Mary, who got there the fastest, stood motionless as if bewildered, glaring at the portrait of the fat lady.
"You forgot the password again, didn't you?" - Lily asked her as Molly and you caught up behind.
"Uhh..." - Mary mumbled under her breath, scratching her cheek "Halitus somethingus"
Molly tilted her head "You mean Halitus ignis?"
"Halitus ignis!" - Mary shouted at the portrait, which swung open and revealed the circular hole in the wall.
The three of you chuckled at Mary, flocking all at once past the entrance.
Lily sprung onto a stuffed, red armchair and sighed as Molly kneeled down by the sizzling, marble fireplace. Meanwhile, you and Mary put away the pets in your dormitory.
Later, the same Saturday, once the moon shimmered among the refreshing rain...
You decided to visit Hogwarts library, knowing you wouldn't be disappointed. There were thousands of bookshelves scattered across the large chamber, offering an enormous amount of knowledge to the ones willing to learn. There were hundreds of thin paths to walk through, accessible to those who could digest wisdom at the cost of numb feet.
Your eyes trailed after the books that begun with the letter 'D', already repeating the title in your head over and over again "Dark Arts & more" - a book that didn't include instructions, which meant it wasn't threatening enough to have it placed among the forbidden section.
You glanced around prior to approaching one, colossal bookshelf, spotting some quietly reading students by the square, wooden tables. Each table had a glinting, yellow lantern that would illuminate those paper pages and the inked words students wanted to read.
There were glowing chandeliers above their heads, watching down upon those who wanted to finish their late-night assignments.
The faintly lit lights glinted against your eyes, it felt cosy. Especially with the rain dripping just outside the windows.
After squeezing past tall shelves and thousands of books, you found yourself in one of the quietest parts of the library, where there were barely any witches or wizards present.
You slid your finger past the hardcovered books, inspecting colours, reading each letter, each word, every title, until you could stop at what you were looking for.
Which was a green, thick book with the silver, glimmering letters "Dark Arts & More" engraved on its edge.
Immediately, your fingers pinched around it to take it out of the bookshelf. However, before you could pull it, you felt it tilt opposite you due to a force, somebody was trying to pull out the very same book on the other side of the shelf.
Since you started pulling first, you had an advantage. With some quick strength, you managed to take out the book.
Through the fresh gap, where the book was now missing, you saw the face of the person who attempted to grab the same object, spotting his green eyes first - Tom.
He appeared quite bitter, standing halted, the corner of his lip curved as if he was displeased.
You noticed him walk away, quickly no longer able to see him through the gap. You shrugged, opening the first page of the book.
However, a minute later, you felt warmth radiating behind you, as if somebody was glaring at your back.
You turned around to see glowering Riddle.
He looked judgemental "My, my." - he tapped his foot "First keeping forbidden creatures, now stealing other peoples' books?"
"I grabbed a hold of it first"
"What does a Gryffindor want with the book about the dark arts?" - he sneered, dropping his tone "As if you could ever learn its' true value?"
"I could." - you answered, almost pouting.
"Could you now." - he raised an eyebrow in obvious disbelief, looking you up and down as he firmly placed his hands behind his back.
"Yes"
"I find that hard to believe. That title is wasted in your possession."
"And why may that be?"
"You simply, obviously, do not have the intelect to process such valuable things." - Tom leaned in a bit closer to you, whispering with a mocking voice of tone "Therefore you are a waste of my time." - he leaned back straight "Enjoy your book" - he walked away with his hands still folded behind his back.
Riddle was correct in his own twisted way. After having so much conflict with him, it's pretty obvious he'd feel opposed to you. He feels superior and more intelligent than you.
And slipping a potion to him wouldn't work out now until he'd at least trust you.
It's like you had to draw more attention to yourself, intrigue Riddle just a little more in a mischievous way. Once you'd trick him into drinking the potion, you could be yourself, and ditch the disobedient personality you put on for the mission.
On the way out of the library, you noticed a large basket of snakes lying next to the librarian and a group of girls seated just next. Meanwhile, Tom was approaching the librarian in terms of borrowing his chosen book.
He noticed that you were motionless next to the exit and as if wishing to taunt, he gave you a grin polished with mockery.
You took out your wand and uttered an incantation on the nearby basket of snakes, only being caught with Tom's eyes as noone else was looking.
Suddenly, one by one, the reptiles slithered out, about 10 of them. Screams quickly spread throughout the library, even the librarian who had been hushing students all year, kept tapping her feet in fear, screaming with her high-pitched voice.
The young girls ran into a distant corner, sprinting across the whole room as if the carpet beneath their feet had heated.
The librarian stopped whimpering and tried her best to control the situation by forcing the snakes back into the basket with the help of her wand as she desperately tried to maintain distance.
Some snakes had also slithered their way onto Tom. But he, with a big grin on his face, picked up the very few and rolled them around his body, maintaining devious eye contact with you. He was showing off, once again, his lack of fear.
You smiled at him. As of now, you have proven yourself as more than what he assumed.