Lesser Virtues, Greater Goals | Tomarry

Chapter 21: Things to be taken care of

A/N: Up to chapter 18, it seemed really depressing, so I decided to change the mood a bit and make it into an adventure again. But of course Tom has a lot to learn, still. I'm not forgetting that.
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Benjamin Bartok generally preferred peace. He had his job, his wage, his flat.
That was before Kingsley put him to work along with Mary. He knew her from school, though they didn't talk much.

She was in Hufflepuf - and very shy then, with only two best friends. Now she has gotten way over her initial shyness.

He was in Ravenclaw. He was a dreamer, who preferred to draw instead of paying attention in class. He got into lot of detentions because of it.

It was her idea to vouch for Riddle. They were both responsible for him. If he ever killed anyone directly, they would be all put into the same cell in Azkaban. His career is literally on the line.

Mary had brought chaos in his life. But now he sees it as more of an excitement than a burden. Riddle may be a complete jerk, but at least Ben is not bored. He hates the office life. File typing, signing. He detests all of it, the routine.

Now the three of them are before Umbridge herself. They found her in her office, marking another child - a Hufflepuf, Connie Garfield - with her blood quills.

They told the brunette to get out and they stepped inside.

Tom looks absolutely livid. He is ready to snap her neck, to hear the sound of the bones there breaking.

"So... Mrs Umbridge, is it? It's been a while." He mutters, voice perfectly polite.

If it was someone who didn't know him, he would think he wasn't angry.

But Ben knows how to read the signs. Riddle barely holds himself back from cursing the woman.

"What do you want in here, Mr Riddle?" Her question is laced with sweetness.

Ben feels nauseous from the pretense of it.

"Oh, me? I received some complaints from students, you see. Complaints referring to your way of punishment. The little girl, just minutes ago, was proof of that."

Her left eye twitches. "Th - these children are lying! They carve their hands on their own and then blame it on me! I merely make them write down lines!"

"Are they lying, madame? Let's check it out." And now Riddle glances at him. "Ben?"

The blond boy walks forwards with his wand on the left hand, pointing it to the scalp of the woman, muttering a quick "Legilimens."

And they see everything. Lots of children scarred, from all the houses, even Slytherin - of which she picks the youngest ones, who aren't yet prejudiced. At least seventy eight. Disgusting.

"You can stop now." Commands the Slytherin softly and Ben breaks the spell off.

The woman is dizzy. She touches her forehead, trying to collect her thoughts.
"I don't understand! Fudge gave me full rights to do as I deem best for this school!"

"You're right." Concedes Tom. "Your plan was going really well, indeed." Then his eyes narrow, his lips are formed into a line. "Your only fault happened when you messed with the wrong child."

"The wrong child?" Blinks the woman. "Who?"

"Potter." Spits out Riddle, eyes gleaming, two thunderstorms sparkle inside them. "He's been under my care for the last two and a half years. You should have been more careful in your selections. Such a pity, to end your career like this."
Then he turns to the young woman, who had been standing in front of a pink wall with portraits of kittens with her arms crossed. "Mary, can you show Dolores here her firing notice?"