The Favour
In the following days I started to get weirdly aware of Tom Riddle's presence in any room. During the meals at the great hall I knew that he sat at the far end of the Slytherin table surrounded by his six friends and that knowledge made my eyes wander there without command. Strangely enough I caught him looking at me too. At the library I could barely focus on my work when I saw him sitting at another table. The secret he was keeping for me made me feel connected to him in a way I am connected to no one else.I kept thinking about the favour that I still owe him. I wondered what the perfect boy might come up with.
It was an autumn evening in the library of Hogwarts. I did my best to study for the upcoming O.W.L. exams at the end of this school year but I felt overloaded with the sheer amount of homework and while everyone had their friends to study with I haven't collected enough courage to join some group for studying. So I spent all my free time alone at the library trying to study but usually I would give up after some time and start drawing or crying depending on my mood. Today was a crying day. My thoughts went down that spiral of Why can't I just bloody focus? Why can't I just join some study group? Why did I not find friends at Hogwarts? Why am I so bloody pathetic for Merlin's sake?? But a familiar voice broke me out of it.
"Is this bad timing?" I look up and see Tom Riddle standing in front of me, he looks as perfect as usual and probably has his whole life under control in contrast to me. I turn my head away and quickly wipe the tears to hide them. My voice was shaky but I tried my best "What do you want Riddle?"
He sat down in the chair opposite of mine and watched me the over the table. "You don't have to hide the tears, I have already noticed them. What's the matter Lestrange? You're not crying about some homework, are you? Because I know that you are a brilliant student and you should have no problems with some essays." With every word he said, I started to feel more confident yet I was slightly confused by his nice words.
"Well, the frustration started with homework and then I thought about my life." I made a grimace, "It's not the tasks that are the problem but the sheer mass of it. How did you handle this last year?"
"I wish I could give you some helpful advice but I was just good at every subject and didn't mind doing work." He looked genuinely sorry for me. After a short pause the prefect leaned forward and spoke in a low tone. "If you want some distraction, you could help me with something tonight."
I looked at him and then at my homework. If I agree to help him, I would still have to do this later but if I refuse I would probably just keep sitting here miserably and not get any work done. I lift my shoulders "I will probably not finish this anyway.", with a flick of my wand, I commanded my supplies to pack up. "So, what is it that you need from me Tom Riddle?"
"This would settle your debt." He looked around to make sure that no one is listening. "I need you to steal something from me. From the forbidden section of this library."
I raised my eyebrows in surprise at him "Why don't you just read through it the legal way? You just need the note of a teacher that you can borrow-"
He interrupted me impatiently. "No teacher would let me borrow that book. And my reputation is at stake if someone were to catch me stealing it." He took a folded piece of parchment from a pocket of his uniform and slides it over the table. I picked it up hesitantly and unfolded it to reveal the words Secrets of the Darkest Art in a neat handwriting. I looked back at him and wonder what he might need this book for but I wasn't not sure whether I should ask or if I even wanted to know the answer.
Instead I asked another question: "Why didn't you ask Avery or my cousin Icarus? It seems like you want as less people to know as possible and they are already in your circle."
"I believe that you are the most skilled witch for this task. You have experience with sneaking around at night and Icarus has told me, you have mastered an invisibility spell."
"That snitch." I would have to discuss this betrayal with my cousin later.
"It's information like this that make me question why you even worry about the O.W.L.'s."
"Let's not talk about that. I just managed to get distracted from them. You will get your book tonight Riddle, leave it up to me."
He looked at me in surprise but quickly regained his composure. "Good. I will be waiting in the Slytherin common room." He got up and started to leave before he turned around to say one last thing "Do me and yourself a favour Lestrange and don't get caught." The prefect was gone before I was able to think of a cocky response.