The Heir of Slytherin

[choki]

"Tom! Artus's here too," Lucia said.

"Riddle..." Artus greeted, eyeing him suspiciously. Though like him, Tom Riddle was a favourite among teachers and fellow students, Artus felt something was different about him. A feeling he could not put in exact wordings. Maybe it had to do with the age old rivarly between Gryffindor and Slytherin. And the fact that being a fellow Slytherin prefect, Riddle had plenty of chances spending alone with Lucia. Perhaps it was just jealousy. Artus shrugged the feeling off.

"Potter," Tom returned the greet.

"So... what exactly happened?" Artus's voice trailed off softly as he saw Susie's lifeless body. With an expression of sheer terror and a body that seemed frozen in time, Artus wondered who or what could have done this.

[Q.Araignee]

Tom shook his head, allowing his features to express his 'despair' a little more prominantly. Although he felt laughter welling up inside him, at the look on Artus' face, he quelled it swiftly. He made sure his voice was quiet and hesitant when he spoke.

"I'm not entirely sure- I was coming down the staircase, having just finished checking no one was out of bed. I heard a shriek from here when I was on the Second Floor. I ran as fast as I could to see if I could help, but when I got here she was already like this- and whoever attacked her was no where to be seen. A few students from the lower floors came to investigate, and went to tell the rest of their friends. After a few minutes, a rather large crowd had formed and I had to order them back up to their Houses. And that's all I know."

Tom looked back at Susie with regret, delighted with the results of his work so far.
It will only get better, with a little patience.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"Would you like to come into my office for a cup of tea?" Dumbledore asked cheerfully.

"Er..."

"Come along," he said sternly.

[choki]

Just as Artus bent forward to touch Susie's seemingly lifeless body, he noticed a trail of spiders. "What's these?" he asked to no one in particular. Lucia stepped forward but upon seeing those spiders, she screamed and hid right behind him, grabbing his hand while doing so. She was never fond of the eight legged creature. Artus groaned inwardly. He knew she was afraid of spiders.

"It's ok... they are leaving," Artus commented, in an attempt to calm her down. He turned around, facing Lucia and ignored the spider trail.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Mervanai and his followers arrived in the Entrance Hall just as Dumbledore and Riddle were leaving.

What is Dumbledore up to?He is always with that Riddle kid- the half-blood Slytherin.

There was a foul taste in his mouth.

"Slytherin was MY rightful house and he took my place in that house. I don't want too many enemies at this school but while he is here and I am aswell, he will never be in my good books..Tom Riddle, what a pathertic name.." Mervanai said in a distasteful tone.

"Merv, do you want us to follow him for you? You know.." said Joke (one of his most loyal acquaintences)

"Find out his secrets...dig up some dirt so we can really teach him a lesson??" Kay cut in.

"Yes, yes, do what you have to. But DO NOT get caught!" Mervanai spat the last sentence at them. "Go on...GO!"

He watched the two of them scramble towards the dungeons.

There is only room for one gang in this school, you'll get it Riddle...

He walked away-back to the Common Room.

[Q.Araignee]

With a look that could have passed for intrigue, Tom glanced at the trail of spiders- glad that Artus had ignored them. Of course, spiders flee from it- but where will they go? Tempting though it was to follow them now, he knew he would have to wait until he was definately alone.

It wasn't too long afterwards that the Headmaster came running down the stairs. He looked very flustered, but paled at the sight of the Gryffindor girl. He saw Tom, and came over.

"Tom, what- by Merlin's beard- has happened here?" His voice wavered slightly.

"Perhaps we should go up to your office, sir- after taking Susie to the Hospital Wing?", aware that a group of students were staring at him.

"Ah, yes- of course. Quite wise, Tom."

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

Arsenio marched upright and with his mouth open curiously until the Professor signalled him to take a seat in the office of the transfiguration teacher.

"I don't know if you could tell perhaps by my tone or not, but I have not asked you here simply for a bite to eat."

"Er-"

"But take a cracker, by all means," Dumbledore continued. "No, I wish to ask you a favour."

[Scarlet Lioness]

Mervanai was agitated.

His croonies hadn't returned. Probably got themselves caught...everytime they go do something, as good as they are at digging up dirt- they always somehow get caught. I wonder why that is...

Merv looked around the Hufflepuff common room. There were only a few students around, most prefered their dorms, he didn't- there were too many mudbloods in his dorm except Joke and Kay.

Well I might as well start on my homework- at least I can distract myself easier

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"Yes, sir?"

"You may have noticed that I... stick out a bit, in a crowd," pointed out the professor.

"Well... yes sir," Arsenio bent an eyebrow curiously.

"I request of you some assistance in solving the problem of the events of today. Such an attack must never happen again, you understand - it could spell disaster for the school."

"Of course, sir."

[Q.Araignee]

The Headmaster hadn't asked that many questions, he trusted Tom completely. Old fool. he thought to himself. He had told the same tale as he'd had told Potter, reassured him that there was no one around the Entrance Hall when he got there, and was sent on his way.

Although it was late, after nine o'clock now, Tom kept the vaguest look of despair in his eyes- any wandering students couldn't see him being happy. It was lucky that he had done so: he began walking down the last few steps to the Slytherin Common Room, when the Hufflepuffs' who had been watching him erlier came into view. Although they blanched slightly they continued walking. As they made to shuffle past, Tom stopped them.

"What are you doing down in the Dungeons at this time of night?" he asked genially. The boys muttered something about Remedial Potions- although he felt like punishing them for their lying, he settled on taking ten points from Hufflepuff and letting them go. When they had hurried off, out of sight, Tom allowed himself to assume that they had been here at Mervanai's request- and promptly swore silently for his nosiness. That boy had hated him since the Sorting Hat had put him in Hufflepuff- despite his Pure-Blood and family history. Well, there was only one way to deal with a snoop: snoop right back. Tom made his way up to his Dormitory, a plan formulating in his mind.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"I want you to go where I can not. In a nutshell, master Parkinson, I would like you to inform me of the general going-ons of a certain Tom Riddle."

"You want me to spy on him, sir?"

"No, no," he brushed the word away. "No following or tailing or anything like that. Just step a little closer to a conversaiton he's having or perhaps... just note a look on his face. But be warned - I would not let him catch you."

"Sir..."

"I have the utmost confidence in you. And trust your instincts when it comes to him. His face for instance... watch his reactions to things very carefully."

"What do you expect to find, sir?"

Dumbledore smiled.

"Just satisfy an old man's curiousity, will you?

Arsenio didn't think he was especially old, but pushed the thought aside.

He's scheming, he thought. Why?

"Of course, sir," he agreed. "I'll report anything odd to you right away."

"Then of course you are excused."

"Thank you, sir."

When the door closed behind him, Dumbledore frowned.

"Now we wait," the professor tapped his fingers on the table lightly...

To see Tom's reaction when Parkinson tells him about this meeting, he thought.

[choki]

Artus stayed on in the Hospital Wing for a short while before escorting Lucia back to her dormitory. He did not wish for another incident to happen. On the way to the dungeons, he spotted Arsenio. It was already very late, all students should already be in their dorms, except for prefects making their usual rounds. Artus was about to shout out to him when Lucia grabbed hold of his hand. He looked at her and figured it would probably be better for a Slytherin to talk to one. Morever, the entrance to the Slytherin dorm was just around the corner. It should be safe.

Leaving Lucia and Arsenio, Artus turned back and headed towards the Gryffindor tower.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

"Er... hi, Lucia," Arsenio said lamely.

She just rolled her eyes.

"Get in there," she pointed to the Slytherin Common Room entrance. "You're lucky I don't report you. Oh, and by the way - Tom Riddle wants to talk to you. He came and told me," she flushed.

"Er, right... thanks." He walked curiously into the Common Room, and Lucia continued her rounds.

[Scarlet Lioness]

Mervanai drummed his fingers on the table. He was slightly agittated.

What is taking those two so long?!

He waited another 5 or so minutes before getting up and leaving the Common Room to find them.

He stalked the corridors.

[Phoenix in the Ashes]

It didn't feel right to Arsenio - plus he knew that Tom would find out. He was scary like that.

Dumbeldore could be intimidating too of course, but Tom Riddle... Tom Riddle would go places in life, Arsenio was sure. He could be a powerful ally, maybe.

He would tell him in the morning.