Rose & The Riddle || Tom Riddle Story

Chapter Twenty-One - The Successor

Rose hadn't spoken to Tom much except in passing over the next couple of weeks. Even though they shared Alchemy together twice a week, Professor Dumbledore had assigned them with a ton of work, which kept everyone busy, so side conversations were typically difficult to have.

As Rose sat in her Defense Against the Dark Arts class, she remembered what Tom said about Professor Merrythought retiring at the end of the year. She wondered if Tom had made any headway with securing the position for himself. She hadn't thought much about the next meeting for the Knights of Walpurgis, but late one Thursday evening she felt her tattoo burn her wrist. She looked up at Mary and Isabel who were sitting with her in the common room, and they had both felt it too.

Rose's heartbeat quickened as she remembered what Tom had told her the last meeting. He wanted her to give out the dark markings to the new recruits. She was hopeful that perhaps he hadn't been successful in securing any new initiates, however when she entered the Room of Requirement with her friends, she was disheartened to see a few new faces.

Oliver Greengrass was the first face she recognized. He was a third-year Slytherin who liked to hang out with the older members of the Knights. He stood next to fellow initiate Dirk Selwyn. Dirk was a fifth year whose family had significant ties to the Ministry of Magic. His parents worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, so Rose knew that he would be an asset to Tom's group for that reason.

There were two younger girls whom Rose had recognized from seeing them in the common room, but she did not know their names and they stood next to a younger, more timid looking boy with dark hair. He reminded Rose of a younger Tom Riddle.

Mary and Isabel fell into their ranks next to Druella and Lucretia. She desperately wanted to stand with them, but she assumed her usual position right in front of Tom. Tom's eyes were locked on her the whole time. She didn't dare speak or look him in the eye in hopes that he had forgotten what he had tasked her with.

"Now that it appears we are all present," began Tom, his sultry voice echoed throughout the room, "I would like to begin by welcoming our new initiates."

Rose glanced around the room and for the first time, marveled in the fact that Tom was able to create such a loyal following in such a short amount of time. At the end of last year, the Knights had lost many members and Tom had been able to successful recruit ten more followers in just a few short months.

Her mind wandered as Tom spoke and she couldn't help but watch him. His presence was powerful and intimidating, yet welcoming. He used his charm to get to people and he was cunning and able to manipulate any situation the way he wanted to. He was indeed powerful, there was no doubt about that, but a tiny piece of Rose still feared him. Every now and then she would picture of what would become of Tom, and it saddened her, but it also frightened her. She never dwelled on it too long, because the visions of his lips on hers flooded her memory and there was nothing else in the world she could ever want more than Tom. All of him. Even if he didn't love her.

Rose was pulled from her thoughts once Tom summoned her to the front. This was it. He was going to make her brand the new members. Her stomach jolted and her veins flooded with adrenaline as she stepped next to Tom, ranking herself as his equal. She noticed a scowl escape Druella's lips, but she tried her best to ignore her. She was already nervous enough, the last thing she needed was Druella's judgment.

"As you all know," said Tom, looking out amongst his followers, "I will be departing from Hogwarts at the end of this year. However, I would like this group to continue meeting even though I will no longer be present. I'm announcing now, that Miss Rose Davies will be taking over my position once I am gone."

A few of the newer members looked surprised, but the older members such as Avery, Lestrange, Nott and Malfoy kept their faces stern. Druella's jaw-drop expression however had been priceless. Rose was thankful Druella would also be gone at the end of this year.