The Deal
Hogwarts was quiet at night. I walked down the corridors as I did every night, my destination was the clock tower. I have not slept in my dorm since I got hexed by my room mates two years ago. A charm made my steps soundless and I moved carefully. I knew that prefects roamed the halls from time to time to check if students have left the common rooms after the curfew. The prefect of my house, Tom Riddle, was the only one of them I worry about, he was no ordinary wizard and it was much harder to trick him. Up until today I have been lucky enough to never encounter him at night.
The hospital wing was the trickiest part of my way to the clock tower because the nurse was often awake at night when a patient needed her help. I managed to sneak past her and I grew a little to confident in my abilities because I have been doing this since my 3rd year. I did not realise that someone was following me.
I have finally reached the clock and cast a spell to uncover a blanket, a pillow, a few books and candles that I hid here in case another student used the solitude of this hideout. It was my favourite space in the whole castle. The clear glass dial let me overlook the courtyard and south entrance of Hogwarts and I always knew when it was time to sneak back.
An illusion was sleeping in my bed in my place and was protected by spells. My roommates believed that I just protected myself since that incident, they didn't know about my nightly escapes.
I put the pillow against a wall, lit a candle and got comfortable with a book, The Hobbit from J. R. Tolkien. My father gifted me this book for Christmas two years ago and I often read it when I missed home. A strange feeling hindered me from fully diving into the story and I looked up from my book and out into the night. I saw a shadow in the reflection of the glass dial, someone was watching me from the shadows.
I contemplated whether to talk or pretend I didn't notice them while I keep staring into the night. The person from the shadows decided to break the silence first.
"I know that you saw me.", I knew that voice, it was quiet but cold and determined.
I sighed and took a deep breath before answering "Then what's the point of hiding in the shadows?"
The person chuckled and moved into the light of the candle. The light of the flame danced across the face of Tom Riddle. I took a second to process that the Slytherin prefect was standing in front of me in the middle of the night. It was to late to deny anything or run away I decided to do what I do best. "Good evening Riddle, do you want to hear a bedtime story?"
He ignored my provocative question. "I have always wondered where you go at night. You know that Hogwarts provides a bed with a room for you? You don't need to sleep on the floor."
My face hardened as I thought about my dorm and my voice was equally cold as his "I don't sleep in that dorm."
He raised an eyebrow at those words but he didn't question them.
"You are putting dirt on Slytherin's name. If someone caught you after the curfew it could cost us valuable house points. Professor Slughorn would not be pleased."
I fully put my book to the side and looked the prefect into his eyes with a determined look. "Mr. Riddle I have been sneaking around the castle for the past two years. Today is the first time I was ever caught. And I doubt that you weren't able to follow me for the past two years so you must've found out about this only recently, which proofs my discretion and abilities. Slytherin's name was never in danger."
A look of anger crossed his face but he also seemed slightly impressed. Tom Riddle had a reputation among the students of Hogwarts. He was the perfect student, impressive grades, charming and skilled but also ruthless to anyone who broke the rules. Not many dared to stand up to him. He changed the topic to distract from his defeat.
"You are reading muggle fiction Mrs. Lestrange?" , he looked at The Hobbit ostentatiously.
"Does that also put dirt on Slytherin's name?" He didn't answer but the look on his face was answer enough. I shrugged "It's a good book. Those muggles have a lot of imagination despite their lack of magic. And it reminds me of home."
"Home?", he scoffed, "Isn't Hogwarts your home? Or maybe your dorm, where you ought to be right now."
I looked at him with a sceptical look. "My dorm has not been my home since my 3rd year. It was your first year as prefect. You know what happened back then. But if it satisfies you, I can return to my dorm and promise to never roam the halls again."
Riddle leaned against the wall and crossed his arms "I know you Katherine Lestrange. You would not keep that promise. You have no loyalty to anyone but your own cause."
I put my blanket aside and stood up "It seems that you don't know me at all, Tom Riddle. Or you would know why I am here at night and you would bother to remember what happened two years ago. And for your information: I am loyal to the Houses of Scamander and Lestrange and my friends. But I don't make friends, I make acquaintances."
Riddle seemed offended by my remark, he pushed himself off the wall and walked towards me. "For your information: I know that your room mates used some kind of curse on you two years ago. But I didn't think you would be so cowardly to never sleep in that room again. To me you seemed brave and resistant."
I was visibly confused by his compliment but quickly regained my composure.
"I am resistant but I am not fond of the idea to wake up with an irreversible curse placed upon me.", I took a step towards Riddle and I was ready to start a conflict.
He looked at me up and down, his eyes analysing my body language and he smirked at my attitude. His hand reached out and touched my chin as a display of power over me. "You pick the wrong enemies Katherine. And the curse was fully healed in the hospital wing. Your face does not even have a scratch." He lifts up my chin to get a better look at my face. I grab his wrist with my left hand and remove my chin from his touch. My thoughts are full of sorrow and my voice is quiet.
"You have no idea."
His eyes narrowe but I ignore it as I take out my wand and point it at my face. With a quick flick and a non verbal spell the skin on my face starts to transfigure into it's original form. Multiple scars distort my face, the biggest one starts at my forehead and goes through my left eye with multiple branches emanating from it, the longest reaching my collarbone. There are other small scars scattered on my face and a small part at the top of my right ear is missing.
Tom Riddle was visibly shocked by my change of appearance but he did not seem repulsed, his face rather depicted fascination. "You just did human transfiguration on yourself, non verbally.", he paused "How? Who taught you that?"
I looked at him in confusion, I didn't expect this reaction but I answered nonetheless: "Professor Dumbledore transfigured my face after the scars couldn't be healed any further. I asked him to teach me because I didn't want to be dependent on his magic. I spent many evenings in his office to become this skilled."
His amazement made my cheeks turn slightly pink. The clock tower chimed once to signal that it's half past midnight. We both realised the circumstances to our situation and he takes a step back, his face a serious mask again.
"As interesting as this backstory is, you should still return to at least the Slytherin common room." , he clasped his hands behind his back and lifted himself to his full height as he talked to assert authority.
I tilted my head at him before I sat back down against my pillow and grabbed my blanket. "No, I don't think I will.", I answered with a sarcastic smile.
He looked at me intently and if looks could kill even the bloody Baron would drop dead for a second time. "Would you like me to tell Professor Slughorn that his second favourite student spends her nights breaking the fundamental rule of Hogwarts?", his voice could cut through glass. I realised that he was growing impatient and that I ought not upset possibly the most skilled student of the school.
"How about we make a deal?", I couldn't believe my own words as I said them out loud. This could end really badly.
The prefect lifted his eyebrows and responded interested: "What kind of deal?"
"I get to spend my nights here and for that I am in your debt with some kind of favour."
He smiled mischievously about this proposition. "Are you sure that you want to be in my debt?"
I looked him in the eyes with full honesty. "No," I replied, "So is it a deal?"
He considered it for a moment but I was fully convinced that he just wanted to make me wait.
"Yes. Let's shake hands on it."
I stood up again and we shook our hands in agreement. He bowed his head to seem like a gentleman as he wished me a good night and disappeared along the corridors. First I transfigured my face back to its untouched state then I returned to sit down and fully dived into the story of The Hobbit. Eventually I fell asleep.