Rose & The Riddle || Tom Riddle Story

Chapter Fifteen - Accusations

Halloween was upon Hogwarts. The Great Hall was filled with floating jack-o-lanterns, fluttering bats and an inky-blue enchanted ceiling to match the night sky. Excited students piled into the Great Hall for the Halloween feast.

Tom Riddle sat at his usual spot at the Slytherin table along with his followers. He was not nearly as excited about the feast as they were. Tom didn't understand the excitement surrounding holidays. Back at the orphanage, Halloween was a dreadful disappointment, along with everything else in that putrid hellhole.

Cadmus, Avery and Lestrange had planned a party back in the common room after the feast. Tom despised parties, but he would use that to his advantage. He had the opportunity to get closer to Rose Davies, or should he say, Rose Mantos. He smirked as he remembered the malice in her voice when she told him not to call her that.

He glanced down the table and saw Rose enjoying the feast with her friends. However, there was something different about her. She didn't appear as radiant as he remembered. She looked sleep deprived and drained. He was sure that her new revelation was at the forefront of her mind. He wondered if her friends knew. He made eye contact with Mary Nott. He quickly flipped through the jumbled mess of her mind. He didn't see anything at first glance that gave him reason to believe Rose had told her. He broke eye contact and smirked.

Keeping secrets from your friends now, are we Rose?

Avery, Lestrange and Cadmus were sneaking shots of Firewhiskey in their goblets and were proceeding to get drunk and rowdy. Tom scowled but decided to let them have their fun for tonight. Starting next week, things would be very different. He couldn't have his followers acting like imbeciles. He expected them to be poised and composed. They needed to learn how to portray themselves as loyal followers. Not as Tom Riddle's dimwitted cronies.

Tom's eyes flickered back towards Rose and her friends. Rose had stood up from the table, mumbled something to her friends and then proceeded to leave the Great Hall.

Heading back to the common room so early, Davies?

Avery and Lestrange had stood up from the table.

"Hey boss, we're going to sneak to the kitchens to get the drinks for the party," said Lestrange.

Tom glared at him.

"I didn't dismiss you," he said simply.

"Uh – well yeah, but if we don't leave now then we risk getting caught by the teachers," he stammered. Tiernan Lestrange and Emlyn Avery were similar in stature. They were both shorter than Tom and carried a little extra weight. Tiernan had short black hair and Emlyn had curly brown hair that desperately looked like it needed a good washing. Both boys had frightened expressions, waiting for Tom to reprimand them. He relished in their fear.

Tom gave Lestrange and Avery a very threatening look. This was exactly the kind of behavior he needed to squash out of them. Oh yes, starting Monday they will no longer undermine his authority.

"Very well, Lestrange," answered Tom. He was lucky that his thoughts were primarily on Rose Davies. "But take this as a warning and do not undermine me again. You don't get to speak, take a step or even breathe without my say so. Understood?"

"Y-yes, sir," said Lestrange.

Tom dismissed the boys with a wave of his hand. He was left sitting with Abraxas Malfoy and Cadmus Nott.

Malfoy and Nott were better looking than Lestrange and Avery. Cadmus suffered academically and was a compulsive liar, but he comes from a long line of wealth and power and was a good person to keep in Tom's circle. Abraxas Malfoy, however, was cunning and did not need any protection from Tom as Avery and Lestrange did. Abraxas was different from the rest in the sense that he was seeking glory and power and knew Tom could provide him with that. He has never had a slip up with Tom and has so far remained in his good graces. He was a loyal follower.