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The taller cloaked figure peered authoritatively at Tom and Hermione. "Both of you, get behind that arch," she said. She turned to Adelaide again. "Are you ready? Do you have everything in order?" |
"Everything that I need," the girl mumbled. She gazed at the castle of Hogwarts unhappily. "I still cannot believe this—I know I was not your best pupil, but I looked forward to being here, and now—" She broke off, turning her hooded head away. |
McGonagall was silent for a moment. "It may be that you can return someday," she said. |
Adelaide shook her head, as if to dismiss that idea. McGonagall pursed her lips but did not speak again to contradict her. Hermione and Tom watched from a distance, hidden from behind the arch that McGonagall had directed them to, as a third person appeared in the courtyard with a pop. This one was silhouetted in the morning light, so they could not identify who it was. |
The figure shook McGonagall’s hand gingerly and turned to Adelaide, placing a hand on her shoulder. A sob wracked the girl. In the next moment, both of them Apparated away. |
McGonagall then turned to the arch where Tom and Hermione were concealed. She strode over and peered at both of them. |
"Watch the sunrise,’" she repeated skeptically. "Lord Thomas, I am well aware of what day it is, and I will certainly keep your secret for you. I am of that blood myself, so I have no desire to get anyone in trouble for observing the old holidays. But you and Lady Hermione will keep your lips sealed about what you just witnessed as well." |
"Is she leaving the school?" Hermione asked quietly. |
McGonagall nodded. "She has been targeted by her own father. Apparently he thinks that she knows where her mother is and means to harm her if she won’t tell. She came to me after a Transfiguration lesson to tell me. It was unexpected, because she never seemed to regard me as a mentor, but I think she wanted to confide in a woman. Her own female friends in Slytherin have abandoned her too." |
Tom and Hermione had noticed that. Adelaide’s band of Slytherin girls had ostracized her since the owls had arrived to deliver the fateful news to her and Draco Malfoy. |
"It is despicable, and even though I was not her Head of House, and she was far from my favorite pupil, I will not watch this sort of atrocity happen to a witch." Her lips thinned even further than they already were. "High Master Dumbledore and the other professors do not know of my role in this." |
"They will not find out because of us," Hermione promised her. "I swear." |
"And so do I," Tom said, as they held their wands aloft. |
McGonagall nodded. "I accept your oaths. Now, get back inside the castle." |
Adelaide had left behind some of her relatively impersonal belongings, as well as a note that apparently—according to the story being told—indicated that she was leaving the country itself to go to the Continent. |
"I very much doubt that," Tom confided to Hermione that night in their private room. "But of course, she had to have an explanation other than the real one." |
Hermione agreed. "It’s worrying, Tom. I do not know exactly what Professor McGonagall was implying this morning, but if she is that afraid of her own father, the man must be a monster. I mean, he is, of course," she clarified, "but it’s a rare monster indeed who turns against his own child." |
"He is following in the footsteps of Armand Malfoy," Tom said sourly. "For her sake, I hope that he never finds her, because her fate will probably mirror the fate of Malfoy’s offspring too if he does." |
Hermione shuddered. |
"On the other hand, my mother received some good news about... the Muggles," he said. Hermione instantly knew that he was referring to the widow Lady Cecilia and her child. "The child is a girl, but the two of them went to live with her family. It’s a relief." He sighed and stretched his legs in front of him. |
"Your friends have been better to me," she said in a change of subject. "I think that what you said to them last month did the job." |
"Good," he said. "Whenever we have a meeting again, you are invited." |
She smiled and curled against his side. "I think I will come, actually—and I was just about to tell you that the Friends of the Founders are holding a meeting tomorrow night, and that you are invited." She gazed wryly at him. "If you can bring yourself to sign that paper stating that you will not tell any Malfoy allies about it." |
He scowled. "I still don’t like swearing oaths to them... but if it really does refer only to Malfoy allies, I suppose I can do that." |
The following night, Tom and Hermione ascended the many staircases to go to the Come-and-Go Room for the meeting. They linked their arms together and walked as close to each other as they could. Hermione was thrilled at how eager he was to express their bond once again, and a smile formed on her face almost involuntarily at the thought. She continued to smile as they entered the room and Tom signed the document, even though his eyebrows narrowed and he took in his breath abruptly as he affixed his name. Harry gave them an encouraging look and handed them flagons of ale for refreshment. Hermione noticed relief in his eyes as she sat down with hers. |
Unfortunately, the smile faded from Hermione’s face as soon as the Weasley boys entered the room. The twins bore expressions of haughtiness, as if they knew a secret that no one else did. They regarded Tom with surprise. One of them narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Tom, while the other snorted lightly at the sight of Tom and Hermione’s blatantly affectionate, possessive body language. It was obvious to Tom and Hermione that the Weasley twins either regarded their affections as insincere, or found it amusing to have observed a noble couple in an affectionate moment. Tom noticed, and he glared back at them, making a point of holding Hermione around the waist. |
The younger Weasley boy was not so able as his older brothers to control himself. He sneered openly at Tom and turned to Harry and Neville. "Why is he here?" he demanded. "The last I saw, he refused to sign our list and stormed away... though I suppose she"—he gestured at Hermione—"must have told him everything anyway." |
Wordlessly, Tom rose from his seat, drawing his wand. He advanced toward Ronald Weasley. |
Hermione leapt to her feet and grabbed Tom’s arm. "Leave it," she said. She shot a harsh glare at Weasley. "Some people are churlish. Don’t sink to their level." |
"Lord Thomas is here because he is interested in the same goals that we are," Harry Potter spoke up, peering darkly at Weasley. "Anything Lady Hermione told him is between them. The oath only refers to Malfoy’s allies, which Lord Thomas absolutely is not." |
"Maybe it should be broader," Weasley said, continuing to glare at them. He edged closer to his bigger, taller brothers. "Maybe it should include talking to anyone except ourselves and our families." He sneered at Hermione. "And he is not your family yet." |
"That oath would prevent us from gaining any new allies, since we couldn’t tell anyone else about the group," Neville Longbottom said sharply. "Sit down and leave them be, Weasley." |
Ronald mumbled something resentfully to his older brothers as he sat down. Tom made a motion to follow him, but Hermione reached again for his arm and pulled him back towards her. He sighed but assented. |
Harry strode to the front of the room. "Welcome to all, as always, and good evening to you. The Weasley family has some important news for us tonight, which I understand that Ronald Weasley will tell—" |
Tom glowered at this. |
"—and I myself would like to announce that my godfather, Sirius Black, is getting married to Marlene McKinnon Valant, of Godric’s Hollow, in a week." He raised his flagon in a toast, and in the next fraction of a second, the group members all followed. Hermione and Tom exchanged meaningful, pointed glances with each other as they clinked theirs together with the flagons of the people nearby. |
I wonder if Regulus has told him anything yet, Tom thought as he quaffed his ale. |
The three Weasley boys had joined the toast, but they all hovered in a knot, gazing suspiciously outward at the others. Harry noticed. |
"Is something wrong?" he inquired. His voice was just a little too innocent. |
"I mean no offense to your godfather," Ron Weasley said, "but I have heard some things about his bride." |
"What have you heard?" |
"Her first husband, a Muggle, fell fighting for the queen-pretender." |
"That’s true. Is there a problem with that?" |
The twins nudged Ron. He scowled. "I suppose not." |
Harry nodded curtly. "I am glad to hear it. Now, the next bit of news tonight, as I mentioned, is going to be given by... Ronald Weasley himself." He gestured courteously as Ron rose and came to the front of the room. |
"Some of you may know that my eldest brother, William, has been on the Continent for a while, trying to gain the support of the goblins. I am pleased to tell everyone that... he has managed it at last." |
Polite applause filled the room, but Tom did not join in. He gazed at Weasley with a studying look, as if trying to read his thoughts. Perhaps he is, Hermione thought. |
"I understand that he has promised them quite a treasure trove of goblin-made artifacts that they said had been stolen from them by English witches and wizards," Ron continued. |
Tom’s eyebrows narrowed abruptly. "Excuse me?" he spoke up. "Stolen? And he believed their word, just like that?" |
"He says that the goblins have a different view of property—that the creator of something is always the owner, and any "payment’ for it is rent, and passing it on to one’s heirs is theft from the goblins." |
Tom sputtered in contempt. "So what?" he exclaimed. "If that is what they think, then they should put it in the contracts they have with their human customers—or not do business with us at all! Why should we defer to their views if they lie and deceive us, just so they can hold a grudge about how wicked humans are? There is a reason we don’t trust goblins," he finished darkly. |
Ron was standing at the front of the room, appalled. He turned to Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom in outrage. "I cannot believe you allow this," he complained. "Is it because he is noble?" |
"We have always allowed debate and dissent, Weasley," Neville said. |
"Well, I think this is taking it too far." Ron pointed at Tom. "He is not with us! I don’t know why he is here—or why she is here, unless it was to spy on us for him—but he is not on our side. How can you not see that?" |
"Sit down, Ronald," one of the twins growled. |
He almost looked for a moment as if he might, but he changed his mind. "No, let’s talk about it. I really would like to know why Riddle is here—oh, pardon me, "Lord Thomas,’" he said, giving a mocking bow. |
Tom drew his wand and advanced. "I would like to know why you are here," he said, pointing his wand at Weasley’s forehead. "Half of the pupils in the school heard what you said about witches when Malfoy’s Imperius laws went up! You don’t have an objection to witches being controlled!" He glared at the younger boy’s face, trying to lock his gaze with Weasley’s, but Weasley kept his eyes directed at his feet out of intimidation. "And now your brother has negotiated an "alliance’ that loots Britain’s magical treasury and hands it over to the goblins! What authority does your brother have to pledge that? Who do your family think they are?" |
"My family has more authority than—" Weasley suddenly slammed his lips shut as the twins rose from their seats. |
"That is a fair question, actually," Harry said, frowning as he considered Tom’s words. "What is your brother talking about giving the goblins, and when? If it’s something your family owns—or would gain at the end of a war, because it was something you lost to Malfoy—then that is your own affair, but is that all he promised them?" |
"I want to know why he thinks that his family members have the authority to make promises like that," Tom repeated, glaring at Weasley. |
"And I would like him to explain what he said about witches and Malfoy’s law," Hermione added, standing up. |
Ronald Weasley looked like a trapped rabbit. "I was angry about my mum!" he burst out. "And the goblins—my brother—it’s just a promise he made, right?" |
"Are you implying that he did not mean it?" Tom said. |
"He meant it, but... I don’t owe you an explanation," Ron said sullenly. |
"But you owe us one," Harry spoke up. "Neville and me. And Luna," he added as she took his side, "and... your own sister?" Ginny Weasley had taken her place by Neville, and was gazing at her brothers in shock. |
One of the twins finally rescued Ron. "As I understand it, our family has taken the lead with the full approval of your father, Potter; your parents, Longbottom; the Macmillans and Bones; and Dumbledore. We thought that your parents would have told you. Truly, we did." |
Tom and Hermione glanced quickly around the room to get a look at everyone’s expressions. Harry and Neville were shocked. So was Luna. Susan Bones and Ernest Macmillan were surprised. Ginny Weasley was outraged. |
"Why would you have thought that?" she exclaimed. "You did not even tell me that they were now leading it, let alone that Bill had promised wizarding treasure to the goblins that was not his to give away!" |
"I think they decided not to tell you because—" the twin who was speaking broke off. |
"Because I am a witch?" |
"Because you are young." |
"I think it’s because I am a witch. I know what Mother thinks. She is such a hypocrite." |
Harry attempted to interpose. "Let’s all calm down," he urged. "This is very surprising, and I think we all have additional questions...." He trailed off, his attention distracted by Tom. |
Tom was still trying to lock eyes with any of the Weasley boys. At last, he met the blue eyes of Ronald Weasley. He gazed hard into the other boy’s face for a moment, his dark eyes widening in unmitigated shock at whatever thought he had just read. His eyebrows narrowed as he turned aside. |
"Tom?" Hermione asked. |
He shook his head quickly. "I will explain later," he said in a tone so low that no one else could hear it. To Harry he said, "You are quite certain that you know nothing of what your father or anyone else’s parents are doing for this—group?" |
He shook his head. "This is a surprise to me. I had no idea that the Weasley family now led the group... the outside group, of course. As for this goblin alliance...." He turned to the Weasley boys. "What treasure did your brother promise them, and when?" |
One of the twins replied. "At the end of the coming war, the goblins who fought for us would get to look over all the wizarding treasure and take back anything that belonged to them." |
Tom’s jaw dropped. "What?" he roared. "How dare you! I don’t know if my mother owns anything goblin-made—though she probably does—but it doesn’t matter. How dare your family! Your plan is to win the war, sit high and mighty, and give away the treasury to foreign agents? And they are, Weasley. They are not witches and wizards. They do not share our interests, and by your own admission, they have been living on the Continent, to boot." |
"This is a... surprising bit of news," Harry said haltingly, staring at the Weasleys. "How did your family think the wizarding nobility would accede to that?" |
"Most of them support Malfoy and Lestrange. They would be defeated." |
"Not all do," Hermione spoke up, standing beside Tom arm-in-arm. |
"I understand exactly why you did not want us here," Tom snarled to them, "and why you wanted to expand that oath of silence! My family and our allies are your enemies too, now, aren’t they?" |
Ronald Weasley drew his wand on Tom and sent a curse at him. Shocked, Tom blocked it, then returned a stronger one. Weasley crashed backward, stumbling on his feet. He fell backward on the floor. |
Everyone else in the room went for their wands if they did not already have them in hand. Harry and Neville shared a quick glance, then raised theirs high and sent showers of magical sparks through the room. |
"Wands away!" Harry exclaimed. "This has gone too far already!" He gazed at Neville for nonverbal confirmation of something. Neville nodded grimly. Harry turned back to face the restive group. "I think this should be the final meeting. Clearly, things are going on at our parents’ homes that most of us know nothing about. Anyone who wishes to practice magic, as we did in previous years, please let me know so that we can form a new group for that. But this political group seems like a sham to me now, to be frank." He gazed at the Weasleys in disappointment. "I did not know that your parents and brothers were making plans of that magnitude." |
"It is not our fault if your father did not tell you," said Ron, getting to his feet again. |
"No, it isn’t, but I see little point in meeting if our opinions mean nothing to anyone. What is the purpose of this if people are going to make the important decisions behind our backs?" He flicked his wand, summoning the list of names, and folded it up. "We are still bound not to talk of this to Malfoy or his supporters... but...." He trailed off, gazing at Tom and Hermione in concern. |
Tom was staring back at Harry, trying to come to a decision about something. He then glanced away, meeting Hermione’s gaze with his. He pulled her close and gave the Weasleys a withering glance as they left the room together, ahead of everyone else. |
They walked quickly down the hall, almost running. Tom was in a hurry, and Hermione was eager to be away from that and find out what he had learned from performing Legilimency on Ron Weasley. Whatever it was, he had not liked it at all, but it was also not something that he had wanted to blurt out to the group. She felt a growing trepidation as they descended the many flights of stone steps. |
At last they reached the ground floor. Tom strode toward their private room, closed the door behind Hermione, and locked it tightly with magic. He sank onto a sofa and pulled her down next to him. |
"Hermione," he finally said, "I did not want to tell Potter this until I asked your opinion first." |
She remembered the conclusion of the aborted meeting, and how he had stared at Harry contemplatively. "Is this about what you read in Ron Weasley’s thoughts?" |
He nodded. "This is bad, Hermione. It’s worse than giving away other people’s property to goblins, and that’s quite bad enough in its own right." He took a deep breath. "The Weasleys have one son who is knighted." |
"I know," she said. "Ginny Weasley mentioned it that other time that you came—briefly." |
He looked pained at that memory. "I really wish I had stayed, then," he said quietly. "I humiliated you that evening, and I am sorry, and it seems that I got what I deserved for it by missing out on hearing that." He sighed. "I doubt I would have guessed then, but enough has happened since then.... Hermione, he is not just a knight. He is the Muggle pretender Stephen’s personal wizard knight. The eldest brother has plans to go to the Muggle court as well. They have formed an alliance with him. His Muggle supporters—many of them—back him specifically because they do not want a woman, his cousin, ruling. He is also offering the church power over many government affairs." He put his head in his hands. "God only knows what the Weasleys have told him about wizards and witches! This could be a disaster, Hermione." |
She was gazing at Tom in horror. "Tom! Lord Regulus’s first visit to Parselhall last summer! He told us that his grandfather Lord Arcturus had heard of magic being used in a battle in the Muggle civil war, and that they thought it meant Malfoy or Lestrange had an alliance with one of the pretenders. It wasn’t!" She glared at the ceiling. "It was a Weasley!" |
He gaped at her. "You’re right," he exclaimed. "You are absolutely right." He gazed ahead, his eyes wide with alarm and upset. "Mother has to know of this. She will want to tell Lord Regulus about it, of course." He turned to her. "What about Potter? Does he live with that wretched father of his still?" |
"I don’t know, but it sounds as if he might have the option of living with Sirius Black soon instead." |
"I hope he does. You should urge him to do that," Tom said. |
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