InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "I like pie"

Tom Marvolo Riddle (riddleman) wrote in beyondthepages,
@ 2010-05-19 20:55:00

Entry tags:

!complete, 2023 10, ginny potter, tom riddle

RP: Just A Young Man, No Danger At All
Characters: Tom Riddle, poking Ginny?
Time/Date: 19 October 2023, mid-morning during classes
Location: The Great Hall, Hogwarts
Warnings/Rating: TBA
Summary: This is not where Tom was.
Status: Incomplete

Tom Riddle had been in the Great Hall at Hogwarts many times over the years. For meals, for evacuations because of the wars (even wretched Muggles can drop a lucky bomb or ten), for performances by the choir, for any number of other things but what he couldn't quite work out was what he was doing here right now. He had been walking down the corridor towards his Charms class with his friends and yet... now he was here.

He slowly turned around and took in the room. It was exactly what he was expecting... and yet not. There were changes, they were subtle but they were there. Little changes in the architecture, in the very walls themselves. Nothing big but enough for someone who was as observant as he was to notice. But it was undeniably the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

He realised then that he was also minus his bag of books though his wand was still tucked away in his school robes. Another curious little fact that he couldn't yet explain. It was all very odd though he wasn't at all alarmed or panicked. He didn't know what was going on but he was sure it must provide an opportunity for him. Though he suspected he would be wise to play his usual role of the good boy here... wherever he was or whatever was happening.

He glanced around the room again and then started to walk towards the doors. Perhaps he ought to head up to the Headmaster's office. He disliked Dumbledore intensely but the man would likely provide answers.

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bat_bogeys
2010-05-20 04:51 am UTC (link)

"She was, and a very good one at that," Ginny said. "Tough but fair," she elaborated with a soft, fond smile. Fair enough, anyway, though she imagined she'd bent a little on the matter of Harry a time or two. "She taught transfiguration, and was deputy Headmistress when Professor Dumbledore was the Headmaster."

Ginny strolled out of the Great Hall, making herself be relaxed, be casual. This was just another wizard back from the dead. He was young. Mistakes could be corrected. He just needed to stay the fuck away from her daughter, and oh was she ever going to sit Lily down later and have a very, very serious talk with her about this.

She was itching to tell Harry so he'd have a head's-up before the official notice went through, and as soon as she'd pawned Tom off on someone else, she'd do just that.

"I'm sure he'll be very eager to talk to you when he hears you've returned," Ginny assured Tom. She didn't even think it was a fib; surely Dumbledore would be very, very interested in knowing about Tom's return.

"Does the castle look very different from your time?" she inquired, mostly to have something to say, but she was curious if he'd noticed the marks of rebuilding, the subtle differences.

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riddleman
2010-05-20 05:21 am UTC (link)

Tom managed to look blandly pleased at the idea of speaking to Dumbledore. If the man was from near the time... no, the woman had mentioned that Dumbledore had defeated Grindelwald, which placed his return after his fun with the Chamber. A pity. He would have enjoyed a Dumbledore ignorant of that time. No matter. He would handle it.

"It does a bit," he said, looking around eagerly as they walked up the stairs. "Not much, just here and there in certain places. I suppose that makes sense. Eighty years is a fair stretch of time, one would expect some changes."

He smiled mischievously. "I do hope Slytherin House is still down in the dungeons. It just wouldn't be right for us to be anywhere else."

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bat_bogeys
2010-05-20 05:30 am UTC (link)

"Some of it was rebuilt, a quarter of a century ago. There was a battle here," Ginny said calmly. So very calmly. Harry would be proud. "Fair bit of destruction, a lot of deaths on both sides. I'm sure they'll offer you some history books and you can read all about it, if you'd like."

She wondered what it would be like for him to read how he was taken down, and a hint of a smirk pulled at her lips as her eyes briefly flooded with a fierce light. It wouldn't matter, whether he read it, or someone told him. The stories would be the same.

"It still is. They haven't moved any of the house commons." Ginny stopped outside of the Headmaster's office and waited for the charms to acknowledge her before entrance began to open. "Would you like me to go in with you, or do you think you'll be all right from here?"

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riddleman
2010-05-20 05:53 am UTC (link)

Tom caught the tiny smirk and puzzle pieces started to slot into place in his minds. Only tentatively since he was definitely operating without necessary information here but the picture they formed had a certain logic to it. A battle that she found amusing so... presumably a battle in which he'd died and she liked that. Which meant she had opposed him. Was she a Mudblood then? She'd called herself Potter and he knew Charlus Potter. He was a pureblood.

"I'd imagine there is a great deal of history I must catch up on," he said dryly, acting as though he hadn't seen her reaction.

"Good," he said as they arrived at the entrance to the Headmaster's office. He smiled charmingly at her. "No but thank you for all your help. It's very much appreciated. I'll be alright from here. This part is familiar."

He gave her a small bow and made his way up the stairs, wondering what he would face with this Headmaster. Hopefully a little more like Dippet who had thought he was a fine young man.

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bat_bogeys
2010-05-20 06:03 am UTC (link)

Ginny watched him go, and only when the door was closed between them did she react as she'd wanted to. She pressed a hand to her mouth as she tried to sort out her priorities. Harry ... Lily Luna. Albus Severus. She suppose Filius would handle the other professors formally and officially, but she'd go see Katie.

Katie. Definitely Katie.

Withdrawing her wand, she imagined her happy, healthy, extended family and she cast her patronus. "He's back," she said simply. Harry would know who she meant. She watched the silvery horse gallop off, and she turned away to go talk to Katie about LilyLuna's lessons.

Then, she'd find her daughter and do whatever it took to make sure Lily understood this wasn't a joke and 'stay away' meant just that.

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