Harry Potter and the Two Faced Mirror - Updated Chapter 6 Part 7 - Page 5

Tom who had collapsed twice in the entire day felt shivery and on top of that he was hungry. It was lunch time in the Castle. He wanted to eat something. Riddle who hadn't left his side of the bed since Harry had left had fallen asleep on it. He slept like a vampire does in a coffin, straight, with his hands folded on top of him in the dark and cold side of his room. When Tom slept he was all over his bed. He didn't know how to sleep straight. He always kept revolving on his bed like the spikes of a wall clock, sometimes clock-wise, sometimes anti clock-wise. And he loved to wake up with the sound of the twittering birds.

Tom decided to go down to the Kitchens to get himself a sandwich. He couldn't summon anything because he had no intentions of collapsing again. He felt if he had something to eat he'll be able to have a better start practicing with Riddle when he woke up. Tom left the room closing the door behind him but didn't lock it because he knew he wouldn't be able to unlock it when he came back.

Tom entered the Kistchens, ordered a sandwich and waited for a couple of minutes until a house elf served him his favorite butter beer. When the sandwich arrived Tom decided to eat it right there when he suddenly remembered Riddle. Riddle hadn't eaten anything all day either. Tom should at least offer him something. As the house elves served him his sandwich they offered him sweets and pastries along with the sandwich out of courtesy like they always did. Usually Tom would never take anything he didn't intend to eat, although he loved the sweets at Hogwarts, he took them when he was feeling like it, so he wouldn't waste any of it. He always knew what to use and how much of it, always cared that some must be left for the others.

This time he accepted their sweets and pastries. He knew full well, Riddle would never eat sweet, he had never liked any, since they were children, but he might consider the sandwich in which case Tom would eat the sweets. Thinking so, he took both plates in his hands and left the Kitchens, which felt weird as usually he would levitate things behind him though right now he was in no condition to do so.

"Hey, Tom." Tom had just walked out of the Kitchen doors when Dudley called him.

"Hey, Duds."

"What are you doing down here?" asked Dudley, looking at the plates in his hands.

"Came to get something to eat."

"Yeah, but you could have come to the Great Hall, it's lunch time remember?"

"Yes, it's just, I'm not feeling like it and after what happened today during invigilation, it'd be quite embarrassing up in the Hall."

"Oh, yes, I heard. What did happen actually?"

"I don't know. I simply used a summoning charm and accidentally pulled everything off poor Peter."

"I've heard that things can go wrong with magic if you try to use it without a wand."

"How do you know I didn't use a wand?" asked Tom confused.

"The whole school knows, Tom. The entire class saw you casting the spell without a wand. They're talking." said Dudley, looking into his eyes. He knew something was wrong with him. But he didn't know what or how. He was expecting Tom to explain but Tom didn't as he couldn't. He didn't want anyone to worry about his health. He was already working at it. Dudley who wanted to know more pressed the matter. "They're even talking about your disappearance during the past weeks. Where were you, Tom?" Dudley had finally asked what he had come to. He hadn't had an opportunity to talk to him all day and Harry hadn't told him anything yet.

"I was here, in the Castle, I just didn't leave my room, had some rest."

"Why? Did anything happen?"

Tom literally didn't want to talk about any of it right now.

"What does it matter now? Let's move on."

"Tom," Dudley looked into his eyes once more and this time more seriously. "I'm asking you because I have a feeling something has happened. Roy isn't here, Estella's not in town, Malfoy's suddenly resigned from his post, Hermione's been replaced by him, you're not yourself, don't even have your wand on you--_"

"How do you know about Malfoy and Hermione?" asked Tom cutting across Dudley.

"I read the Prophet, Tom. What I'm surprised about is, that any one of Harry, Ginny or you never told me any of it. Tom, what is going on?" asked Dudley now looking very concerned and Tom decided to let him know a few things, Harry will, of course, take care of the rest.

"Look, first of all, I'm fine. What happened today was only an error which occurred because I didn't have my wand on me because it was snapped in half in the forbidden forest when I was there with Porch helping him through his gamekeeper duties. You remember, I had told you there were trenches in the forest and I had fallen into one of those?" Dudley nodded. "I fell in one of those again with my wand in my back pocket, what do you suppose would have happened? And I've been gone for a few days for reasons I really can't explain right now and I seriously don't think I'm the right person to. Harry will call a DA meeting, he'll explain everything there."

"So, something has happened?"

"Yes, but I want you to keep quiet about it to other members of the DA until Harry calls for the meeting." Dudley nodded. Tom who knew Dudley was satisfied with his answers asked him a question himself. "Duds, has everyone been talking? I mean, other teachers...who made my remaining examination papers? Didn't they want to know where I was?" Tom wanted to know that to keep himself prepared if anyone else had questions for him.

"Well, what else do you expect them to do? Padma made your papers and you know her, she doesn't like to intrude but she was worried sick about you." Tom nodded. He had been wanting to talk to her himself. He didn't want to explain to her anything but he wanted to do what he had decided to do a few months back. He wanted to hand over his post of the Deputy Head to her as right now she deserved it more than he did. And anyways, his powers were getting to him, he didn't know how strong or weak his protection around the Castle would be or how much longer would he be able to persist it. It was better if he simply handed over his responsibilities to her. He hadn't asked Harry to do it because he knew Harry would refuse point blank. He and Padma would perform the procedure and shift his post to her but that would be if she agreed and he was hoping she would. "As a matter of fact," Dudley continued. "She was asking for you only now and I told her you'd be in your room and she left to see you, said she couldn't wait, wanted to know how you were immediately but I found you here."

"What?! She's gone to my room!" Tom shouted as both plates shattered in his palms and everything fell on the floor which Dudley had just swept. "Why didn't you tell me that before?!" The moment Tom realized what could happen because of this he ran flat out of there towards his room.

"But-_" Dudley started but Tom couldn't wait.

He had been talking to Duds for a long time, he only wished Padma hadn't gone to his room straight. As he ran Dudley stared at the mess he had left behind feeling quite clearly that whatever Tom was, he wasn't probably fine. Tom needed to hurry. He ran through the length of the corridor flat out towards his room. He couldn't imagine what would happen next if Padma entered his room to find Riddle fast asleep or if he woke up at her arrival, things could get very confusing. He reached his room to find the door slightly open. His heart skipped a beat. He didn't know what was going on inside the room.

Tom neared the door quietly and peered inside to find Padma and Riddle standing in the middle of the room. He was right Padma was quite confused to see the room divided into two colors and Riddle (Tom from her perspective) wearing a black cloak. Apparently, she had just arrived.

"Tom, what's happened to your room?"

Riddle who had just awoken when she had called out Tom's name stared at her a full minute before answering but it wasn't the calculating or judging look that he had given many times to Tom and Harry, it was somethiing entirely different. He had looked at her down from her feet to her black eyes. Tom didn't at all like the way he was staring at her. There was a kind of hunger in his eyes suddenly which were shining brightly. He took a step closer towards her and spoke in less than a whisper. "Just a little change of interior."

"Tom, you hate black and suddenly you're wearing it and you have half your room covered in it?"

"Everything else was in the wash. And I have decided to get over my loathing of the color, that is why the change in interior. By the way, how can I be of service?" He had taken another step towards her. She was very attractive, although much older than him but he had always had a taste for women and his criteria never included differences of age.

Tom wanted to burst into the room and blow Riddle up just like he had done to the plates he was carrying which had been quite unintentional but he couldn't. It would blow up the lie Riddle had just spoken. Padma had never seen Riddle in person. Only the duelling members of the DA had seen him clearly. All others had only heard how he looked. He had looked a little vicious back then but now, after his soul had come back to him he had turned back to exactly the way he had been, like Tom, fair, tall, attractive with light brown heavily lidded eyes. But he was quite different from Tom. Tom would rather keep his distance from the women around him while Riddle would be as near as he could. He felt he had needs to fulfill and anyways he enjoyed their company if they were attractive enough to lure him and worthy of someone like him.

"Well, you can't help me with anything right now and I haven't come here for anything, I just wanted to make sure you were alright." She replied smiling, taking his face into her arms. She usually cuddled him because he had been her favorite student and then a helping colleague and an excellent friend.

"I am fine, now." said Riddle taking her hands into his palms and squeezing them reassuringly at the same time taking another step towards her and this time she stepped back a bit. She had been noticing Tom since she had entered the room. He had been behaving a little strangely ever since. He had never been with her this way but right now he seemed like he wanted nothing but to be near her and she could feel that by the touch of his hand and the way he kept closing in on her. Tom had always been a very attractive boy and she was sure no one would ever disagree but she had never looked at him this way. He was just so much younger than her and then he would always be her student, no matter what. True, she had feelings for him, feelings that she had been very scared of and had never dared even ponder over but she knew she was simply never going to let those feelings overpower her. And then Tom's personality had also never allowed her feelings to come to surface.

Tom, himself had always been a little distant and he was always happy, bright and pleasant but she had never seen him exotic as he was right now. She looked into his eyes which were shining with glee but she couldn't see past them. She couldn't tell what was going through his mind. She shook her head she couldn't be thinking about him this way. He had always been a dear friend to her. And she had felt he took her like an elder sister but maybe she had misunderstood everything, maybe she had mistaken his attention towards her as being brotherly, maybe he had always liked her and she had always underestimated herself as being a little over aged for him. Maybe she wasn't that old for him, maybe he had felt soft corners for her and after Estella's departure from his life had been lonely enough to long for her, maybe she was still very attractive and it wouldn't at all be wrong to consider him after all.

Tom couldn't stand it any longer. He had always had an inkling of how Padma had felt towards him but he had never dared stir her feelings for him the way Riddle had done today. She had been his mentor his entire life, he respected her too much, there was simply no way for him to think of her otherwise. But he had known for a couple of years how she felt for him. Specifically, after he had nearly died a year and a half ago when Riddle had stabbed him. He had been very glad that she had never brought up any of her feelings and simply remained his friend and his mentor. But Riddle's behavior with her was confusing her feelings for him. Tom had to stop him any way he could. He already had to deal too much with Hermione when it came to Roses, he didn't think he could handle any humiliation when it came to Padma.

He hated to worry Harry again as it would be the third time during the entire day but he had to get his help. He hurried to Harry's office. He didn't wait to knock, he couldn't so he strode in straight to find Ron, Hermione, Ginny all there with Harry. He wasn't expecting them but right now was not the time to mention it.

"Harry, I need your help." said Tom as all four of them exchanged looks with each other not knowing what had happened now.

"What has happened?" asked Harry feeling like he was stuck in a nightmare or something which wasn't about to end that quickly.

"Padma, she's in my room, talking to Riddle." All four of them looked thunderstruck. "Don't worry, she thinks it's me."

"I'll go get her out of there." said Harry starting to leave his desk.

"Just send her a patronus, call her in your office." suggested Ron. Harry needn't go there.

"For what?" asked Harry.

"To transfer my post to her." suggested Tom.

"Yeah, as if." said Harry. He knew Tom had been thinking about it but he couldn't let him do that. "I'll send for her to invigilate James's and Peter's separate exams in the Dungeons." said Harry sending her a patronus at the same time. "You should be leaving." Harry nodded at Tom who understood what Harry meant. Padma who had seen Tom in his room couldn't see him again in Harry's office.

Tom left Harry's office unable to decide where to go than decided to leave the Castle to make sure he didn't run in to Padma on her way to Harry's office. As he left the Castle doors he felt like he was being kicked out of his own home. He didn't know how was he going to manage with that.

Harry called Tom and Riddle back into his office when he had sent Padma up to the Gryffindor dormitory after giving her details regarding her duties with James and Peter to inform the two of them about it. When Tom entered Riddle was already there.

"I had complete control over the situation." He assured Harry who was on tenterhooks as it was the third time in the entire day when they could be exposed. Harry hadn't realized it to be this difficult. When Tom had been recovering in his room, Riddle had stayed at the Castle in a disillusionment charm at all times. It hadn't been difficult to hide the two of them then. But now only one of them had to hide it felt as if it were never possible.

"I appreciate that--_"

"You shouldn't." Tom interrupted. "What the hell were you doing?!" He shot at Riddle.

Riddle smiled mockingly. "What have I done?"

"What's going on?" asked Harry quite confused but Riddle knew exactly what Tom was talking about. He had figured it out that Tom had seen him with Padma.

"You stay away from her." Tom warned him threateningly. He knew exactly what Riddle was thinking of. She didn't know it was Riddle being ridiculous with her. From her perspective it was Tom.

"You really want me to do that now, don't you?" Riddle's question was a mock in itself. He had realized by now what Tom thought of her and he just couldn't imagine telling him what she was thinking about him. Riddle had of course penetrated her mind very easily and known what she had started feeling from his behavior.

"Shut up. If I ever see you anywhere near her, you're good as dead."

"Tom, what are you talking about?" asked Harry not knowing what exactly had Riddle done to Padma to have received Tom's that kind of behavior. He had seen Padma and she was alright, she wasn't harmed or cursed in any way visible.

"Ask him!" Tom replied as Riddle kept on smiling. He was surprised to find out that Tom had remained at Hogwarts with so many women and had never once taken advantage of any of them.

"I was simply getting to know her." said Riddle his smile vanishing as Harry's gaze met his light brown mischievous eyes.

Tom wanted to throw him out of the Castle immediately but he knew Harry would never let him do that.

Harry on the other hand finally understood and was shocked to realize what had occurred to him. Riddle had actually been flirting with Padma. Harry had never seen Tom do that. He was also aware of how Padma had felt towards Tom for a long time but he had never dared ask her. He and Ron had both noticed the night Riddle had nearly stabbed Tom to death. But neither of them had noticed Tom behave with her any way that might suggest his inclination towards her. If Riddle behaved with her in any manner that might suggest his interest in her it would directly affect Tom.

"You shouldn't be." He replied him to clear the matter out once and for all. "Your behavior towards her would only impact Tom because you do not exist. Padma only knows Tom, your behavior will lead her to think that Tom has been doing all that. It will be a blemish on his reputation." Harry had said exactly what Tom had been thinking of all along. It had happened once before but if it happened once more he didn't think he would be able to take it.

Riddle bore his eyes into Harry's and knew that he meant every word he had just said. "Very well, if that is the case then I shall make sure nothing like this ever happens again." said Riddle reassuringly. He knew any sort of reasoning would be fruitless with the two of them as according to him they did not understand the needs of a body. He never had trouble hiding things. Harry would never need knowing what Riddle was doing and Tom if he finds out about anything, will be taken care of.

Originally posted by: VSai2008

Brilliant one dear

Thanks for updating