Disclaimer: As usual, JK Rowling is a goddess, and her work, ideas, and brilliance is not mine to claim! But, enjoy what ever was my brilliance...hehe :)

"Harry Potter! Get your ass moving or we're going be late for class!" screamed Hermione Granger. It was merely the second day of classes and they were going to be late.

"Yeah, Harry! Let's go!" Of course Ron would be the one to chime in, after all, they were inseparable ever since Ron had worked up the courage to ask Hermione out. Since then, Harry's life had become a little less pleasant. Not only did he have to cope with their incessant cute-talk, cuddling, and other forms of pure disgustingness, but Ron had done nothing but support Hermione's every whim since June. And in moment's like this, Harry did not want to hear it.

"Chill out, you two, I'm coming!" muttered Harry, as he stepped out of the portrait opening of the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Three minutes, Harry, we have three minutes, because you couldn't find your Potions book! You should really be more organized!" lectured Hermione as they descended the moving staircases.

"Really, Harry, you should listen to Hermione! She's got some brilliant ideas."

"Oh, shut up, Ron!" cried Harry, trying to keep up with Hermione's more than leisurely jog down the stairs.

"Don't you snap at Ron like that Harry!" said Hermione, turning around in mid-stride to scold Harry, "He's only trying to…"

"Hermione! Look out!" Just as she went to continue walking, the staircase shifted, and in a split second, the Trio's world changed. Hermione teetered on the edge, but her balance was nothing to be desired. Ron lunged forward, and Harry grabbed his arm. In an instance, they were all plummeting to their inescapable deaths. Harry closed his eyes, waiting for the inevitable crush of bones, silence of the screaming, the black, emptiness of death washing over him. Yet, the only thing reaching Harry's ears was the slight tinkling of breaking glass, before an odd tugging sensation occurred, and, then, silence.

Harry opened his eyes. Hermione lay on her stomach, arms above her head as though shielding herself. Ron, however, was on his back. He raised, looked Harry in the eyes, and started laughing. Hermione raised her head, looking at him incredulously.

"What the hell just happened?" laughed Ron.

"Oh no," was all Hermione responded, looking below her, "Oh no."

"What's wrong, Hermione?"

"It's broken…"

"What are yo…?" started Harry. However, he saw what she was talking about. Before her was a tiny mess of fragile, shattered glass and grains of sand splayed about. The glass that remained intact was attached to a golden chain upon Hermione's neck.

"You have a Time-Turner?" exclaimed Ron.

"Well I had one, Ron. It's NEWTS year! I convinced McGonagall to return it when I scheduled to take everything but Divination since I can not decide on a profession outside of Hogwarts. I needed options! But now I broke it! Oh, I am in so much trouble, I'm going to be in so much trouble!" tears began to well up in Hermione's eyes.

"Are we all forgetting that we should all be dead now!" exclaimed Harry.

"Yeah, but we're not…Seriously, what the hell happened?" asked Ron.

"Oh no. You don't think…?" started Hermione, suddenly standing and looking around frantically.

"What, Hermione?"

"The Time-Turner, when it broke, did anyone else feel an odd pull?"

"Yeah, but I just though it was us slowing down. That's what it was, right?" asked Ron.

"I don't know, Ron. It's also the feeling I get when I use the Time-Turner."

"You don't think we traveled back in time do you?" Harry just stared at Hermione.

"There's only one way to find out. Come on!" said Hermione, beginning a determined walk toward the headmaster's office. They walked for two minutes without encountering anyone. Hogwarts was empty. But, everything looked exactly the same.

"Maybe, we traveled back a few months, and it's summer again. No one's here." wondered Ron, carelessly.

"Excuse me, students? Shouldn't you be at the feast?" Hermione, Ron, and Harry stopped abruptly, rapidly turning around to come face to face with Nearly Headless Nick.

"Nick! I'm so happy to see you! So the feast is going on, now?"

"Of course it is! It's September 1st after all!"

"See, Hermione, one day, there's nothing to worry about!" said Ron, relieved.

"Thank you, Nick. We'll head right to the feast!" said Hermione, ignoring Ron.

"Excellent, I, myself, am heading there!"

"So, Nick, how was summer here at Hogwarts?" asked Harry.

"Ah, fair enough as always! Thank you for asking…erm…I do not believe I recall your name," stumbled Nick.

"Um, it's Harry, Nick, I've talked to you every year for six years."

"Hm, I do not recall this, I am quite sorry, I swear upon my severed neck, I have never laid eyes upon you in my many years haunting the corridors of Hogwarts!" exclaimed Nick.

"If it is not too much to ask, Nick, how long have you been haunting these halls?" asked Hermione, suddenly losing color.

"Well, if I recall, the year is 1943, I believe making it…"

"1943!" yelled Ron in disbelief.

"Why yes, young sir, were you under a different impression?"

"No, no he wasn't, of course it's 1943, we all know that. Ron just misheard you, right Ron?" said Hermione, glaring at Ron, who was now the one losing color.

"Yeah, sorry, I thought you said 1934, that's all, just misheard." said Ron, turning a shade of green.

"Well, good sir, you suddenly appear ill!"

"Oh yes, we need to take you to the infirmary immediately, Ron! Come on. Goodbye, Nick!" said Hermione, pulling Ron's sleeve and stirring him in the direction of the infirmary.

"Farewell!"

As soon as Nick was out of earshot, Ron finally spoke.

"Oh Merlin, we're going to die, and we're going to die in 1943 and I'm never going to see my family again, oh Merlin, I'm going to be sick!"

"Ron, calm down, we're figure something out!" said Hermione, suddenly stopping, "That's it!" Suddenly, Hermione turned around, heading back toward the Great Hall.

"Hermione, where are we going?"

"Dumbledore!"

"What? Hermione Dumbledore's de…" started Harry, "Oh!"

"Exactly, Harry! It's 1943, Dumbledore's still the Transfiguration teacher here at Hogwarts. If anyone can help us it's him!"

"Brilliant Hermione!" smiled Ron. However, the date unsettled Harry.

"1943...there's something important about that date." muttered Harry. However, before Harry's dilemma could be addressed, there they were standing in front of the Transfiguration professor's office, emblazoned with the title "PROFESSOR ALBUS DUMBLEDORE".

"Wait, Nick said the feast is underway, he's going to be there isn't he?" However, it appeared as though Ron had answered too soon, for the door flung open just as Hermione's hand reached for the door knocker. The man before them was not the same Dumbledore who had perished at the top of the astronomy tower just the year before, yet the similarities were enough to make Harry pause in excitement and nostalgia. The Albus Dumbledore of 1943 was adorned with blue, shining robes, with the half moon spectacles identical to those of his later years, however, the beard and shorter hair underneath his wizarding hat was a shining auburn merely tinted with the familiar silver.

"Can I help you?" asked Dumbledore, giving them a warm smile.

"Yes, Head-I mean Professor, I believe you're the only one who can help us," said Hermione in desperation.

"Ah, I see, come in." They followed Dumbledore into the Transfiguration office. Harry was relieved to see the familiar trinkets scattered about the office, although the rectangular shape, stuck as a reminder that the good old days of Dumbledore's eventual office would not occur again.

"I was on my way to the feast, but I am sure my presence is not crucial to the festivities just yet. I do not believe the student's have even arrived, and yet, here you three are," smiled Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling in their familiar knowing way.

"My name is Hermione Granger, this is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. We are sorry to hold you up, Professor, but we are in an incalculable predicament," cried Hermione.

"Well, I hope I can be of assistance."

"Well, you see we…oh, how do I say this…"

"We're from 1996!" blurted out Ron. Dumbledore stared at Ron momentarily without any change in expression. Hermione glared at Ron, who helplessly shrugged back. After a moment or two Dumbledore stood up and crossed over to the window.

"Well, that seems the most reasonable explanation for why I have never seen you three in class," spoke Dumbledore, smiling as he turned around to face the trio before him, "But, I believe time travel is impossible. However, if you are from the future, it is reasonable to assume there exists some methods."

"It was my Time-Turner. I know they do not exist now, but we're seventh years at Hogwarts, and as Ron so bluntly put it, in 1996. We were on our way to class, and we were late. We missed a step on the moving staircases and plummeted to what I thought would be our deaths. Luckily, my Time-Turner fell from underneath my shirt robes and hit the ground before we did. It must have been spinning, which is why when it shattered, we were all plunged here into 1943," said Hermione, barely drawing any breath during her speech. Dumbledore appeared to contemplate for a few moments before talking again.

"Well, I see the predicament. As time travel is not developed yet, I do not have any immediate solutions. But, I am sure Hogwarts can make room for three additional students until I can be of assistance."

"You mean, attend Hogwarts, like we're from this time period?" asked Ron, dumbfounded.

"Yes. You shall attend Hogwarts, it is after all your seventh year, and I believe we can offer you, perhaps an outdated education but nevertheless, an education," said Dumbledore, "Now, I believe you three are members of Gryffindor house, as demonstrated by your robes, so I assume that you would like to continue residence in the common room?"

"Actually," chimed Harry, "Would it be possible to transfer to Slytherin?"

"What?" exclaimed Ron as he and Hermione immediately turned toward Harry, dumbfounded. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.

"Well, think about it. If we are in Gryffindor, seeing as we all have relatives in Gryffindor, we may run into some and possibly let some things slip that were safer not told. In Slytherin, we're away from them more, you know less chance of ruining the future, or whatever."

"Hm, Harry, that seems like quite insightful. I will honor that wish, you shall all reside in Slytherin. I shall discuss things with Headmaster Dippet and I'm sure we can arrange for your rooms and procure the supplies you'll need for the year. Hopefully, you will not need them longer than a few months," spoke Dumbledore, "However, we must develop stories for you three, as well as false names in order to protect your true identity from unwanted attention. I believe you're first names will be sufficient, but the last may need some modification, for as you can predict, there are students residing her with similar surnames. My. Weasley, we shall shorten your name to Mr. Weals. Ms. Granger, Gran shall suffice. And Mr. Potter, you shall become Mr. Potts. Understood?"

"Of course, Professor." replied the trio.

"And for your story, you shall be transfer students. They are rare, but not unheard of here at Hogwarts. Your parents are the dragon training business, meaning you travel frequently. However, your parents agreed that you shall attended Hogwarts, as you have all expressed the desire to exit the profession. I am sure you three will have ample time to fill in the gaps," smiled the Transfiguration professor, as the three nodded in unison, "Now, I believe it is time to engage in the opening festivities! Off to the Great Hall, I shall see you there and in class later. Come first thing in the morning, and I shall have your schedules."

"Thank you, Professor," said Hermione, glowing.

"You're welcome, now run along, I'm sure your time traveling has made you famished," smiled Dumbledore as he closed the door, eyes twinkling.

The three continued on their way until suddenly Hermione grabbed Harry's arm with a violent tug.

"Slytherin? Not Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff? You went with Slytherin?"

"Yeah, man, what's up with that, are you trying to make us curse everyone in the past or something?"

"No, I realized what's significant about 1943! It had to be Slytherin, this is the year that…'

They'd reached the Entrance Hall before Harry could finish and students were pouring in, causing Hermione, Ron, and Harry to forcibly become assimilated into the crowd of rowdy students. They were lead into the Great Hall which was decorated in its usual suspended candles and the ceiling shone with brilliant stars of a clear autumn night, almost identical to the ceiling shining just one night ago in 1996. Immediately, the three headed for the Gryffindor table, until recognizing that the normal brood of cheering lions was not sitting in their normal spot, awaiting the celebrated trio. Rather, unfamiliar faces lined the benches, and noticing that their uniforms had changed emblems and colors without their noticing, reminded the three that they were now members of the despised snakes of their former time. They shifted their direction and took a seat at the end of the table, attempting to isolate themselves from the rowdy gang gathering at the opposite end.

Unfortunately, people began to point and they realized they'd be anything but unnoticed. The gang that was gathering at the end, apparently became too curious to withhold self-control, and made their way toward the three. The group was made of four students: one girl and three boys. One wore a newly polished Prefect badge, indicating he was a fifth year. The other three appeared to be seventh years. The girl, however, seemed to catch Harry's attention immediately. She was positively stunning, possessing platinum blonde hair, beautiful, Caribbean blue eyes, and a desirably curvy body. The oldest of the boys seemed to roll his eyes at the fifth year, and started to head in the direction of the trio while the others followed.

"Excuse me, but I'm under the impression we've never seen you three here at Hogwarts, however my friend here seems to think you've been here all along. Care to prove him wrong for me?" The boy was tall, blonde, and possessed cold gray eyes. Immediately, Harry got a sick feeling that he was looking a relative of one Draco Malfoy.

"No, we're transfer seventh year students. We've never been to Hogwarts before," spoke Hermione, trying to appear confident at being addressed by complete strangers.

"Told you, dumbass," said "Malfoy" ,knocking the sixth year in the arm, "Anyway, I see you've been sorted into Slytherin. Congratulations, there is no nobler house here at Hogwarts. My name is Abraxas Malfoy," Malfoy reached out his hand, and the trio bit back their disgust at touching a Malfoy civilly in order to appear polite.

"Harry Potts."

"Hermione Gran."

"Ron Weals."

"Nice to meet all of you. Mind if we join you here? It appears as though third years have populated our previous spot."

"No, please do," said Hermione, as the four students sat down.

"Anyway, seeing as these idiots are too impolite to introduce themselves, this is Cygnus Black to my left here, Alexander Nott, across from you, the fifth year is Monty Avery, and last, but most certainly not least, is my fiancée, Eve Clearwater."

"Nice to meet all of you," said Hermione, politely. Harry was uncomfortable sitting next to so many future Death Eaters; however, he had yet to catch sight of the real prize. Suddenly, though, it appeared his search had ended, as Eve shot up in her seat and began waving across the hall.

"Tom!" she screamed. Harry's stomach dropped. This was it, the reason why it was so important to be in Slytherin. Harry turned around, and caught eye of the man who had made his life hell. He was walking toward them, wearing a smug smile that just reeked with a sense of superiority. His hair was longer than his fifth year self from the diary, and slicked back into a small pony tail. A Head Boy's badge glittered upon his chest. Malfoy stood up to greet the Heir of Slytherin, shaking his head from across the table, and smiling as though greeting an old friend.

"Tom! Good to see you! Trust your summer was well?" asked Malfoy sitting back down. Tom, however, remained standing, as his eyes swept over the trio.

"It was…bearable, but nothing compares to Hogwarts of course," replied Tom. Harry looked over at Hermione and Ron. However, neither of them seemed in the least bit terrified as Harry, knowing the future Dark Lord stood before them scanning them like potential threats from an unknown land. Suddenly, it struck Harry. Ron and Hermione had never seen Tom Riddle before. To them, the man before them was just another stranger. However, Malfoy immediately ruined their ignorance.

"Ah yes, Hermione, Ron, and Harry, this is Tom Riddle, wizard genius of Hogwarts and aptly Head Boy," said Malfoy smiling. With the introduction, Harry could almost tangibly touch the fear and surprise oozing from the pair.

"Pleasure," said Tom dryly, apparently disregarding the blunt surprise upon their faces.

"I-It's all o-ours," said Hermione with a slight, timid nod. She looked over at Harry, understanding the reason for their placement in Slytherin now.

"What brings you three to Hogwarts?" asked Tom as he took a seat next to Eve, who had done nothing but beam since she spotted him from across the hall.

"W-we're transfer s-students. Our parents were all partners in the dragon training business."

"Ah, that involves a great deal of travel, doesn't it?" asked Malfoy, disregarding the fact that Dippet had stood at the front of the Great Hall and appeared to be demanding the student's attention.

"Yes. Our parent's refused to send us to school though. They were convinced all we needed to know was how to train dragons, you know, in order to carry on the business. But, we felt as though, for our final year before we become of age, that we should have a real education. It took awhile, but here we are," finished Hermione. Harry was astounded by her ability to tell the fabrication so well.

"You couldn't have picked a better school," spoke Tom, "But, I must admit, some of the teachers are a bit…incompetent."

"Or just plain bat-shit," said Malfoy, "For crying out loud, Professor Merriweather tried to set Anthony Crabbe on fire last year, thought he was an Inferi!"

"I think he was referring to Dumbledore, Abraxas, right Tom?" said Eve obviously seeking praise from the Head Boy as though she was some lonely puppy whose life depended on his affection. Tom only smiled, as suddenly the food appeared, indicating that Dippet had finished his speech and the feast had begun.

After the night they'd been experiencing, Hermione and Harry barely touched any food. However, Ron hardly seemed to mind that the Dark Lord was casually seated five feet from him, and, thus, preceded to gorge himself as always. Harry was entirely more concerned with watching the boy Voldemort. Harry understood that it was impossible to change the future and possibly prevent Tom Riddle from ever morphing into the Dark Lord. Rather, it seemed more prudent to take this unique opportunity to uncover possible Horcruxes instead. Immediately, Harry's eyes shot down to Tom Riddle's right hand, where he was not surprised to see the Slytherin crest imbedded on a black stone which glittered faintly in the candle light of the Great Hall. Had Voldemort already made his first Horcrux and was Harry gazing upon it now? Harry was already well aware of the fact that Riddle had killed at least three people. However, Hermione interrupted his pondering by bumping him in the shoulder and gesturing to his food he had yet to touch. It was obvious she was worried his lack of appetite might bring more scrutiny upon the trio. Thus, Harry went away picking at the cold chicken leg and mashed potatoes before him, listening to Malfoy and Black discuss the details of their extravagant summers.

"And in India, my mother purchased an enchanted ruby the size of her fist, you know, in order to ward off the banshees we'd encountered earlier on our trip," spoke Malfoy in the common elitist drawl of his future grandson.

"Now, dear, you seem to be forgetting the best part of your whole summer," spoke Eve, batting her eyelashes and glancing at Tom, making sure he was listening to what Malfoy had to say next.

"Of course, my love, how could I forget!" Abraxas said smiling, "You see, after a month of separation from Eve, I decided I could never leave her side again so…"

"He asked me to marry him!" piped Eve, boasting her glittering emerald ring upon her left hand to Tom who immediately raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Congratulations," he spoke switching to a charming smile of sincerity.

"The ceremony will occur over the summer," said Malfoy turning to Tom, "You will attend, won't you Tom?"

"Of course," said Tom, "I wouldn't dare to miss such an event." Eve continued to look at Tom, but it was obvious she had expected an entirely different reaction from the news than Tom had showed. However, the appearance of dessert interrupted the wedding discussion, and just as everyone began to dig into their coconut cream pies and treacle tarts, a group of giggling Ravenclaw girls walked behind the Slytherin table, one of which letting out an anything but subtle, "Hi, Tom" before scurrying off to their table. Tom flashed them a smile, and immediately turned around with a look of annoyance upon his face.

"You'd think after four or so years of perpetual one night stands, at least one of the girls in this school would learn to leave me alone."

"Ha, that's a funny one," laughed Nott, "Problem is half of the girls here are just looking for a one night stand anyway."

"Yeah and the other half believe eye contact means you're going get married and grow old together!" snorted Malfoy.

Tom smiled, "It's their crazy asses that force me to live in the restricted section of the library every day."

"Oh, bad news, Tom, crazy ass number one is headed in this direction," said Malfoy glancing over Tom's shoulder.

"Shit, you're joking, right?" said Tom without looking over his shoulder.

"Nope. Oh and she's got a Head Girl's badge on, too," laughed Malfoy. Before, Tom could speak again a girl had appeared behind Riddle. She was a fairly normal looking girl with long black hair tied back in a long straight ponytail, with light brown eyes, and to Harry's surprise, Gryffindor robes. Upon her chest, glittered a badge with a large "H", identical to Tom's.

"I need to talk to you, Tom," she spoke.

"What I don't even get a 'hello, Tom, how was your summer?' Straight to the demands?" smirked Tom.

"Who in their right mind would make a slut like you Head Girl?" piped in Eve before the girl could respond.

"Sorry, were you expecting it? Guess you didn't sleep with enough of the professors to secure the position," spat the girl. Black and Nott snorted in their drinks in an attempt to suppress their laughter while Eve stared dumbfounded and Malfoy looked like he'd been personally offended. With that response, Harry decided he liked the girl.

"Now, Lizzie, that wasn't very nice," smiled Tom, obviously taunting her.

"Because you're the judge of what's nice, Tom. And will you stop calling me that?" scowled "Lizzie", "Anyway, I prefer to get this over with. Can I please talk to you alone?" Tom sighed but got up and followed her over to the corner of the Great Hall out of earshot.

"Merlin, I hate that bitch," said Eve still slightly pink with rage from the girl's accusation.

"Don't let her get to you, babe, she's just jealous of you, you're so much prettier than she is," said Malfoy.

"Of course, I know that, Abraxas. I'm the prettiest girl in this damn school. Liz just needs to learn she doesn't rule the place. Someone needs to knock he off her pedestal."

"I agree," nodded Malfoy, slightly reminding Harry of Ron, when agreeing with Hermione.

"Just because she's Dumbledore's favorite, doesn't mean shit," complained Eve, "I mean, especially after last year. Damn bitch should have been expelled." Just as she finished talking, Tom sat back down beside her, "What did the whore want?"

"Schedules for patrolling the halls, when we can meet with the prefects, you know, Head Boy and Head Girl responsibilities," said Tom, rubbing the skin between his eyes.

"I can't believe they made her Head Girl," huffed Eve again looking at Tom as though eager to hear his opinion on the matter.

"Drop it, Eve," sighed Tom, "Look, I'm going to head to the Common Room before the swarm. Avery, make sure you take care of the first years, and these three as well." pointing to the trio, "I assume none of you are familiar with Hogwarts so just follow Avery out when he leads the first years to the Common Room." Hermione, Ron, and Harry nodded as Tom stood up and slipped out of the Great Hall.

"Who was that girl who came over here?" asked Hermione to the group sitting next to them.

"Oh, that was Liz Potter. She's a seventh year, Gryffindor." snickered Malfoy as Harry's stomach suddenly flipped over at the sound of his surname, "Last year, Tom and her had a bit of a…disagreement."

"Damn slut," muttered Eve, "Trying to soil Tom's name."

"What happened?" asked Ron.

"Well, Tom and Liz used to…" started Malfoy, but Dippet had suddenly arisen and wished the eager students a goodnight signaling a mass of people to begin exiting the Great Hall in droves.

"Come on, you three, you're to follow me," said Avery pointing them in the direction of the gathering first years.

"I'll tell you guys the rest later. It's an intriguing story, really," snickered Malfoy as he grabbed his fiancée's hand and walked toward the doors into the Entrance Hall.

Immediately, Harry, Ron, and Hermione isolated themselves from the others, hanging behind the group of first years being led by Monty Avery.

"You put us in Slytherin on purpose, Harry!" whimpered Hermione, "You knew Tom Riddle was here!"

"I told you I knew something significant about the year 1943."

"Why the hell would you want us to be in the same house as You-Know-Who?" asked Ron.

"Isn't it obvious, Ron? Harry's trying to find out more about Riddle's Horcruxes. It's actually brilliant!"

"Thanks, Hermione, but first we have to get closer into that inner circle."

"I don't know how close I want to be to the future Voldemort and Malfoy's grandfather," shuttered Ron.

"It's completely necessary Ron," said Hermione, "As long as we're here we might as well get some use out of the experience."

"If Riddle doesn't find out we're not who we say we are and instead we get ourselves killed," muttered Ron, causing Hermione to roll her eyes, "And I could certainly go without hearing about Voldemort's sex life thank you very much."

"From the sounds of it that won't be last time we do," said Harry as they reached the dungeon entrance to the Slytherin Common Room.

Upon entering the Common Room, a wave of familiarity washed over Harry, taking him back to the days of second year, when spying on Malfoy in the Slytherin Common Room was the most dangerous activity of the day. However, the new target was a murderer, and that murderer happened to be sitting in front of the fire, casually levitating a live snake in front of him. Abraxas and Eve were sitting on the couch adjacent to Riddle looking deeply into each other eyes, making Harry slightly ill. Nott and another boy were engaged on the floor in a game of wizard's chess and two other boys Harry didn't recognize were gathered around them coaching the pair on their next moves. It appeared that the rest of the house had headed off to bed before the trio arrived.

Hermione pointed to a table on the far end of the Common Room and the three sat down.

"Does anyone have any idea were the dorms are?" asked Ron to the two.

"Looks like we'll have to scope them out. Someone's bound to head to bed soon, it's nearly ten o'clock," replied Harry watching Tom who had started hissing too low for Harry to comprehend the Parseltongue. The surrounding boys didn't appear to notice Riddle speaking to the snake, confirming Dumbledore's suspicion that they were well aware of Tom's true involvement with the Chamber of Secrets.

Harry's prediction came true only moments later, when Malfoy suddenly stood up declaring that he was headed to bed, but only after giving Eve a passionately sickening kiss goodnight did he head up to the staircase to the left.

"Looks like the boys is the left. I recommend taking the right staircase Hermione," said Ron, watching as the two boys surrounding the chess players left as well. Suddenly, Nott sent the chess board flying, screaming that his contender had cheated, and stormed out of the room muttering of a rematch. The other boy waved his wand, laughing, and soon packed up his chess set, nodding goodnight to Tom and Eve. Tom had ceased to levitate the snake, apparently finishing up his conversation with the scaly creature which had completely disappeared from sight, making Harry slightly nervous about its unknown whereabouts. Immediately after the boy was out of sight, Eve stood up and sat next to Tom on the coach, glanced over at the trio before leaning in to whisper in his ear. Whatever she had to say apparently amused Tom, because a sly smirk had appeared on his face.

Without a word, Tom stood up and walked over to a door Harry hadn't noticed that read HEAD BOY on a shining, gold plaque. Before opening it, he turned around to face Eve who still sat on the coach, eagerly watching his every move.

"Would you care to take a tour of the Head Boy's room?" asked Tom smoothly, the same smirk across his face.

"Does that include a tour of the Head Boy?" asked Eve seductively standing up. To this Tom only smiled, watching her as she walked into his room. Before entering himself, he hesitated and turned to the trio.

"I trust you three won't mention this to Malfoy. It's best he doesn't know," smirked Tom. However, Harry could distinguish the undertone of a threat in his voice. The three nodded.

"Good. It's wise you learn the hierarchy of this school as soon as possible and the most important part is that at the top is me." With this, he closed the door.

End Chapter One