Official Encounter
~°Tom's POV°~
It's been over a week since arriving at Hogwarts and, frankly, he doesn't get the appeal of the place. He's still trying to get a little more used to the wizarding world after spending so long in that god forsaken orphanage.
He has already memorized the layout of the school and figured out the fastest way to get to a class from any given location, which never matters since he's always in 1 of 3 places, his previous class, his dorm, or the library.
The Hogwarts library was the one thing that stayed on his mind, specifically the restricted section. What was the point in having books in a library if they weren't allowed to be read? It's all he can focus on and is determined to figure to the most efficient way to get in there.
Could he sneak in when the library is most busy? No, too many witnesses - at least one student would be enough of a suck up to tell the librarian. He can't go when there are less people, the librarian has an easier time watching the restricted section like a hawk.
He was in complete focus on the task at hand, going on autopilot as he was to his next class - Charms. He wasn't too thrilled with the class, but he kept getting told he was naturally gifted with a wand. He was more frustrated that they hadn't been taught anything useful in the class. All he was being taught was how to levitate a small feather and light up his wand (which was kinda useful when he wished to read late at night). He was told Hogwarts was this grand school but it appeared they were being taught at a snails pace.
Tom was ripped out of his thoughts when he hears a loud crash echo through the hall. A sharp object glided across his cheek, sending a shockwave of pain. He didn't need touch his cheek to know he was bleeding, but he did so anyways. He looked at the blood that now stained his fingertips and irritatedly growled under his breath, "What the fuck?"
He looks in front of him to see the wall of the charms classroom now has a massive hole, guess those few extra steps to the door aren't that necessary right now. His eyes continue to survey the hall when he saw the charms professor sitting against the wall, surrounded by stone rubble and coughing up a storm, probably due to a mix of inhaling so much dust and just having the wind knocked out of him.
"Merlin! professor, are you okay?!" Tom looks back towards the hole in the wall where the voice came from and sees a student move around the rubble before making their way to the professor. Tom's eyes fix onto the student as he analyzes her features. he could see a small bit of blue on her uniform as she rushed to the professor's aid, wand in hand - a Ravenclaw.
"I'm so sorry professor I though the walls would be reinforced to withstand magic! Are- are you hurt, do I need to carry you to the hospital wing?!" The girl was completely frantic, barely giving herself a moment to catch her breath.
It wasn't so strange to him that a teacher was trying to help. It was strange, however, that the class was supposed to have ended minutes ago, meaning the classroom should've been empty by now.
Tom stares in utter disbelief. This petite, Ravenclaw first year was supposedly the one that launched their charms professor through the classroom and into the hall? Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous.
Tom's thoughts cease once the charms professor started to chuckle between his coughs. "Don't worry Miss L/N, I'll visit the nurse once lunch starts and see to it the classroom walls are properly protected in the future." The professor sits up a little straighter and brushes a bit of debris off his clothing before the girl and a few other students, that also witnessed this ordeal take place, help him to his feet. "You're family has always had a natural strength when is came to spell casting," the professor straightens himself up and places a hand on the girl's shoulder, "I should've remembered that when forgetting to grab practice dummies for today's lesson."
After the girl apologized a few more times, her eyes drift and land on him. He watches as her eyes quickly widen "Holy- are you alright?!" Tom doesn't have time to respond before the girl is now standing a few inches from him, wand aimed directly at his face.
"What the hell are you-" he gets cut off when he hears the girl mumble to herself and feels the cut on his cheek stitch itself back up, along with a cold, wet cloth that's gently pressed over his skin. She takes a few steps back and Tom instantly brings his hand to his cheek, the cut caused from the stone was no longer there and any blood that should've been there had vanished with it. The girl takes his hand and he looks to see a cloth in her hand that was slightly stained red, wiping off the blood from his hand. 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥𝘯'𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘦𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘦, 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘦?
They both look at eachother for a breif second, long enough for the girl to clearly see irritation in his eyes. "Sorry, i probably shouldve asked first." The girl finally lets go of his hand and takes another step back. "Do you know if any other rock might've hit you?" Her voice came off much calmer now than it was when she was speaking with the professor.
"I'm fine." Tom responds, rather harshly, and walks past the student, bumping into her slightly as he walks into the charms classroom through the yet to be repaired hole; now use using the actual door when the man-made one was closer. As he walks towards a seat he could hear the professor once again talking to the student.
"15 points to Ravenclaw. Well done Miss. L/N, I have great hope and investment towards your Wizarding future, I can already tell you'll achieve great things."
He rolls his eyes and grumbles, staring at the hole, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘥𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?
After a few minutes, he watches as Lestrange walks in and sits down beside him. The other three appear in the room shortly after. Avery stares at the hole as he sits down and points to it, "the hell happened here?"
Lestrange looks to the hole and shrugs, "L/N happened. Apparently she was asked to stay after class and perform the knockback jinx, fore the professor believed she wasn't paying attention." He turns back to his charms book that he was looking through.
"So, the professor is more idiotic than we thought. Who in their right mind would doubt a L/N doesn't know a charm?" Rosier rolls his eyes and leans back in his seat.
"It's not like they could've known she'd blow a hole in the wall," Nott looks to Lestrange and Tom, "I take it you both saw it happen?"
Lestrange shakes his head, "saw her help the professor to her feet and talk with Riddle about something...and hear the professor give her house points."
"Fifteen house points-" Tom glares at Lestrange and clenches his jaw "-for destroying a damn wall."
"Why'd she talk to Riddle?" Avery sets his stuff down, sitting behind Tom and Lestrange.
Tom tightens his grip on his quill, "some rubble hit me, didn't do any damage." He stares at his textbook, feeling his eyes twitch. The nerve of her to have walked up to him and dare to touch him. Didn't matter that she was being helpful, she had no right to do so.
"What?!" Nott leans over Lestrange to look at Tom, "There's not even a scratch, where'd she hit you?"
Tom glares at Nott, causing him to slowly sit back down. "It doesn't matter. She was reckless and completely careless in her actions. What made her think casting a spell on a teacher was wise?! Regardless of whatever reason she might have, it's utterly foolish"
Avery and Rosier look at eachother for a second. "Reckless, maybe. But the L/N Family is never careless, or foolish, in what they do. All their actions are...." Rosier snaps a few times, trying to think of the right words.
"Calculated." Avery tilts his head to Rosier
"Precise." Nott twirls his finger, as if trying to cast a spell with his hand.
"Perfect." Lestrange rolls his eyes and flips to the next page on the textbook.
"Thank you!" Nott points to his friends turning to the brand new 'door' as the charms professor walks into the classroom.
Tom keeps his eyes glued to his textbook, ignoring the teacher as he began to start class. 𝘞𝘩𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯?
~°Y/N's POV°~
Y/N stares blankly at the charms professor as they demonstrate the knockback jinx on a stack of books. Apparently he had forgotten actual practice dummies and was trying to improvise.
They had just finished working on review for their other spells and the professor was happy to see students making progress on the levitation charm. Y/N, however, wasn't bothering to practice wand movements or study incantations with the rest of the class. Her mind was stuck on an annoying brunette who she learned she shared four of her eight classes with.
She knew when to admit he was a good student, but Merlin did it annoy her how lestrange and the other Slytherin first years were enamored by him. She hadn't seen him use parselmouth within the past week or so she's spotted him out and about, but also wasn't seeking him out either.
"Mrs. L/N?"
Y/N got a little startled hearing herself be called and looked to the professor. "Yes, Professor?"
"I was hoping to speak with you for a few moments before my next class comes in."
She tiltes her head in confusion and looks around, the classroom is completely empty. Did class already end? How long has it been? She carefully collected her things and moves towards the professor's desk, "Is something the matter, Professor?"
"Yes, I've been wondering where your heads at." The professor looks down at her, their arms crossed behind their back as they move past her and take slow steps towards the center of the room.
"Apologies, Professor. I was just-"
"No need for apologies." The professor cuts her off, holding his hand up when she tried to speak again. "Since you feel so inclined to daydream in my class, I don't suppose you'll have any trouble proving that you're clearly a master at the knockback jinx already."
She was taken aback by the accusatory tone in the professor's voice. Sure, she zoned out it class...but it wasn't because she believed she was better than everyone else. Sure, she known the knockback jinx; that stupid charm, along was so many others, got drilled into her head before she was old enough to form a complete thought. But, knowing the incantations doesn't make her a master at the spell...she isn't pretending to be one either.
She blinks at her professor, trying to see if they're simply trying to make her feel back; if that's the case, it's definitely working. "I'm...not sure I understand. What, exactly, are you asking?"
"Exactly as I said. Prove that you've clearly mastered the knockback jinx already and I'll let it slide that you decided daydreaming was a more adequate way to spend my class, only this one time, though."
Oh... She nervously taps her wand against her wrist, listening as the wood clinks against the bracelet. "I see...would to like me to set up the books or-"
"No need." The professor cuts her off again. "It'll take far too long to set up the books and I'm already standing here."
Her eyes widen instantly at the insinuation and begins to shake her head, "no I- I couldn't possibly...I can't cast a charm on a professor."
"I see..." The professor lifts his chin and lets out an unamused hum. "I suppose I'll have no choice but to dock a fee house points, if that's the case."
Her wand shakes as the words echo through her head. Harming a professor is the last thing she'd wish to do, but losing house points would run the risk of Ravenclaw falling into last place...
She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath in, carefuly getting into a dueling stance and raising her wand. Her eyes open and lock onto those of the professor's as she begins to exhale. With, a flick of her wand, she confidently calls out, "Flipendo"
She watches as the professor falls back and crashes through the wall. Her eyes widen and a hand covers her mouth as she looks at the hole she created. 𝘞𝘩𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤?
"Merlin! Professor, are you okay?!" She runs through the hole, careful not to trip over the debris, and rushes to the professor, instantly knealing down by his side and examining him for any external injuries.
"I'm so sorry professor I though the walls would be reinforced to withstand magic! Are- are you hurt, do I need to carry you to the hospital wing?!" She was completely frantic, barely giving herself a moment to catch her breath as she kept asking about the professor's health.
She wasn't expecting to have that strength, she didn't think it was possible for her to be that skilled. Sure, she knew all these spells by heart, but that didn't mean she would cast them herself.
Her frantic speaking stops as she hears the charms professor chuckle between his coughs. "Don't worry Miss L/N, I'll visit the nurse once lunch starts and see to it the classroom walls are properly protected in the future." The professor sits up a little straighter and brushes a bit of debris off his clothing before she and a few nearby students help him to his feet. "You're family has always had a natural strength when is came to spell casting," the professor stood up straight and places a hand on her shoulder, she assumed it was to help comfort her. "I should've remembered that before allowing you to use be as a practice dummy rather than books."
After apologizing a few more times, her eyes drift and notice a certain brunette standing there. She examines him and takes instant notice of the cut on his cheek. Her eyes quickly widen in shock "Holy- are you alright?!" She isn't aware of her actions, doesn't process what she's doing as she runs up to him and stands a few inches from him, wand aimed directly at his face.
"What the hell are you-"
Y/N mumbles a healing spell she was taught by one of the caretakers and waves her wand to summon a damo cloth into her hand, not hesitating to press it to his cheek. She takes a step back and watches as Tom instantly brings his hand to his cheek, noticing a bit of his hand is stained red. She quickly takes his hand and wipes the cloth over it, watching as the red tranferrs from his hand to the cloth.
She looks up at him for a breif second, long enough to see irritation in his eyes. It suddenly sunk in what she just did and panic set it. "Sorry, i probably should've asked first." She lets go of his hand and takes another step back. "Do you know if any other rocks might've hit you?" She uses this opportunity to look at him properly. He was good-looking, she could admit that. But she still couldn't see what about him infatuated people so damn much.
"I'm fine." Tom responds, rather harshly, and walks past her, bumping into her slightly as he disappears into the charms classroom. 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳?! She scowls slightly, but relaxes when hearing the professor speak to her.
"15 points to Ravenclaw. Well done Miss L/N, I have great hope and investment towards your Wizarding future, I can already tell you'll achieve great things."
She smiles at the professor and hears someone clapping behind her. She turns to see Lestrange smirking at her and walks up to him, "How much of that did you witness?"
Lestrange shruggs and places his hands in his pockets, "showed up right before you ran up to Riddle and used a few spells we definitely haven't been taught yet."
She makes a quick shushing sound and gently smacks his arm, "quiet, I'm not about to risk getting it trouble. Now what the hell is his deal?!" She furrows her brows and forces herself to hide at least some of her disdain, "does he seriously think he's that much better than everyone that he'll act as if I'm a barrier to pass through?!"
Lestrange chuckles and lets out a humorous sigh, "he doesn't know you, dear. Far as he's concerned, you're just an ordinary first year."
Right...she forgot about that. Most people in the wizarding world know her name, not her face. She also isn't a member of the Sacred 28...not because her family isn't pure, it very much is, but because her family married outside of Britian. Although she isn't apart of the Sacred 28, the writer of that cursed book still mentions the L/N Family as an 'honorable one', whatever that entails.
She huffs, completely frustrated with the situation that just took place. She's been in school less than a month and already launched a teacher through a wall. "I wanted to get through first year without drawing attention to myself..."
"Hate to break it to you, but most people will now know that you're powerful enough to destroy wall with the knockback jinx." Lestrange smiles and places a hand gently on her shoulder, "I'll talk with you during lunch, alright?"
She nods and watches as Lestrange walks into the charms classroom. Her smiled quickly dropped when she remembers her next class of History of Magic. She sighs and makes sure she has all her stuff before walking to her next class.