Okay, this is the stupidest chapter of the story.  I had major writers block on this chapter, which is why the quality is so poor, and it took me so long to write.  There are a couple of good conversations between Tom and his trio, and the end is really the important part.  Hopefully the next chapter will be much more entertaining.  Thanks for reading anyway!!!

Also, in case you didn't guess, Hogwarts, Tom Riddle, and other such notable characters or things are products of J K Rowling's imagination, not mine. 

Chapter 9

Finally Friends

            Tom Riddle's first week at Hogwarts was much like that first day.  He attended his classes and enjoyed the majority of them.  Tom excelled in each subject, even the few he didn't much care for.  Biggs, and his sidekick, Zander Adkins, were attempting to make Tom's life miserable, but were not succeeding.  This was due to the fact that as far as Tom was concerned, the two of them were complete idiots.  No matter what Biggs did in class, Professor Dellian, and even Professor Dumbledore always seemed to praise Tom's work instead of Biggs'.  Tom never failed to know an answer, but didn't flaunt it, which showed both intelligence and humility.  To top it all off, Tom correctly performed each spell or potion that was asked of him.  It drove Biggs mad, which Tom didn't mind at all.  As Tom went to all of his classes, he was followed by Samirah Kellen, Luke Delmaur, and Joseph Piddly.  Tom didn't much mind their company; after all, Samirah and Luke were both smart, and not bad at making conversation.  On the down side, they were both overwhelmingly nosy.  The pair of them had all ready shared practically their entire life stories, as had Piddly.  Now they were all focused on Tom and had begun asking him about his past and family life.  Tom wasn't embarrassed or ashamed, well, perhaps he was slightly embarrassed by his mother's husband, but that wasn't the reason he was reluctant to share personal information with these people.  Number one, it wasn't any of their business.  What right did they have to know about Tom's mother's journal and about her past and most importantly about Tom's plans for the future?  And he wasn't overly thrilled about sharing his tales of the orphanage; that too, was private.    And number two…well he didn't really have a number two, but number one was reason enough. 

            "Tom, do you understand this spell?"  Luke asked frowning down at his charm book.  Luke, Tom, and Samirah, were in the library, doing homework for the following week.  They both, and Piddly as well, loved to do homework with Tom, since he always knew all the answers. 

            "Of course he does?  Why do you even bother to ask?"  Samirah laughed.  Tom ignored her and looked past Luke at the spell in question.

            "It's a simple spell."  Tom replied as his eyes breezed over the text.  Luke shook his head and sighed with irritation. 

            "I don't understand.  It's supposed to be a fire spell, but it isn't.  We all ready learned the spell to make fire and this isn't it.  Why would there be two spells to make fire?  How complex is fire anyway?  Why do you even need a spell?  I mean it's just fire!  Why can't there be…" 

            "Luke, stop it!  You're acting hysterical!"  Samirah interrupted sounding exasperated. 

            "Sorry."  Luke responded taking several breathes.  "But they gave us a ton to do!  It's only the first week you know."  Samirah smiled slyly.

            "Perhaps if you began studying before you got all this homework, you wouldn't be in this situation." 

            "Shut up!"  Luke hollered.  Samirah laughed. 

            "Aw, what's wrong Lukie, are you mad you didn't listen to Christy?"  Samirah asked in a mock, childish tone.

            "I said shut up!"  He yelled, throwing a quill at her.  She laughed again. 

            "Sunlight."  Tom said calmly. 

            "What?!?"  Samirah and Luke said looking at him oddly. 

            "Sunlight."  Tom repeated. "The spell you were looking at doesn't make fire, it makes a beam of sunlight.  That's why you didn't understand it; it didn't do what you assumed it did."

            "Oh.  Thanks."   Luke said, and instantly scribbled something down on his paper.  Samirah shook her head at Tom, and was about to say something, when Piddly came rushing over to their table.  He pounded on the table.

            "Yes Piddly, what is it?"  Samirah asked looking over at him.  He pointed to his mouth, and shook his head. 

            "I don't get it."  Luke said looking puzzled.  Piddly clutched his jaw, then his throat, then shook his head again. 

            "Have you ever considered getting professional help?"  Tom asked shaking head, then looked down as his book again.

            "Well jeez, would you just tell us all ready?"  Samirah asked crossly.  Piddly shook his head.  He took out his wand, and pointed it as his throat.  Tom looked up again suddenly understanding. 

            "He can't."  He explained.

            "Why not?"  Luke asked looking confused. 

            "Piddly, open your mouth," Tom ordered.  Instead, Piddly shook his head.  "Do you want help or not?"  Tom asked crossly.  Piddly looked down sadly, and nodded. "Then open your mouth."  Piddly, still looking upset, reluctantly, opened his mouth to reveal that he no longer had a tongue. 

            "Whoa!"  Samirah cried leaping up from her chair knocking it over as Luke did the same thing yelling:

            "Jeez!"  Tom took out his wand a muttered a few words.  In seconds, a tongue began to grow from the back of Piddly's throat.  Soon Piddly had a tongue again.  He sat down, and Samirah warily sat next to him.  Luke also took his seat next to Tom again. 

            "Hanks Hom." Piddly said.  Apparently, his new tongue was still swollen. 

            "Didn't we tell you not to practice spells with out one of us around?"  Luke lectured. 

            "I hih hent.  Hit wahent my hault."

            "Then who?"  Samirah asked. 

            "Higs."

            "Who?"  Luke asked.

            "Higs."

            "Who?"  Samirah echoed.

            "Higs!" 

            "Who!?!"  They asked together.

            "Biggs!!  He said it was Biggs!"  Tom cried rolling his eyes.  Jeez, sometimes they all could be so annoying. 

            "Oh.  Him?  Why that slimy little jerk.  I'm gonna go give him a piece of my mind."  Samirah said standing. 

            "Rel heh?"  Piddly asked. 

            "Well sure." 

            "You know, I think I'll join you.  I'm tired of doing this anyway."  Luke said.  He and Samirah began packing their books away.  "Aren't you coming Tom?"

            "No." Tom had gone back to reading his book and did not look up when Luke spoke to him.

            "Why not?"  Samirah asked. 

            "I'm doing homework."  He responded, his eyes still glued to the book. 

            "No you're not.  You've been finished with your homework since Friday.  You're just reading that dumb old book for no reason."  She accused.

            "First," Tom began, finally looking up from his reading to glare at her, "this book is not dumb, it's very enjoyable actually.  Second, I'm not reading it for, as you so eloquently put it 'no reason'.  I'm reading it to better understand the history of that new potion that we learned in class on Thursday.  The one that many historian wizards think was the original cause for…"

            "Stop. Stop. Stop."  Samirah begged.  "I don't care.  Basically, what you're saying is that you can't put down that book for five minutes to help us go yell at Biggs?"

"Well…Yes.  I suppose that's precisely what I'm saying."  Samirah shook her head.

"Whatever."  She snatched her bag and threw it angrily over her shoulder and stomped out of the library, followed closely by Luke.  Before Piddly left, he turned to Tom

"Seeh ya lay her Hom."  Then he too was gone.  Tom shrugged.  What did he care if they were upset with him?  Besides, why should he help Piddly deal with Biggs?  It wasn't as if it was Tom's problem.  That boy Piddly needed to learn how to take care of himself.  Tom nodded his agreement with his own statement and continued reading.  He only got through one more paragraph before admitting that his concentration was broken.  Sighing impatiently, he slammed the book and tossed it into his book bag.  He flung the bag over his shoulder and hurried from the library, not knowing why on Earth he was doing such a pointless thing.  Going down the hall, it wasn't long before he thought he noticed Samirah's voice.  Sure enough, when he turned the next corner, he saw Biggs standing smugly with Adkins by his side.  Samirah, Luke, and Piddly were in front of them.

"I've had about enough of you Biggs.  Thinking you're better then everyone else.  Well I got news for you, you pathetic jerk.  You couldn't impress anyone if your life depended on it."  Samirah sneered.

"Oh really.  Well I think Piddly's a bit impressed don't you?"  Biggs asked slyly.  Adkins laughed.  Tom stepped forward and began walking to the group.

"Congratulations Biggs.  You've managed to complete one of the simplest spells in all of chapters three, four, and five, and on Joseph Piddly.  You must feel so proud."  He stopped just in front of Biggs, who was now very red.

"That spell wasn't as easy as you may think."  He hissed. 

"Oh really?  Then let's give it a try then."  Tom took out his wand and pointed it at Biggs.  Biggs stepped back quickly.  Tom laughed.  "Afraid Biggs?  Well you should be.  Because I'm ten times the wizard now, then you can ever hope to be no matter how long and hard you study.  Face it Biggs, no matter what happens, you'll always be number two, if even that."  Biggs' eye began to twitch.

"Is that so?  Well since you think you're such a great wizard, then why don't we do a little test?"

"Aren't you going to fail enough of those in classes?"  Tom quipped.  Biggs continued, ignoring Tom's statement.

"Tonight, meet me right outside the Forbidden Forest just after midnight.  I know a way we can prove who the best wizard really is."

"Let me get this straight.  You want me to meet you just outside of a place we aren't supposed to go, at a time we aren't supposed to be out."  Tom shook his head.  "And I suppose you won't have the groundskeeper there waiting for me so I can receive a detention, right.  Give me a break Biggs." 

"He won't be there.  It'll be just me, and Adkins."

"Of course it will."

"I give you my word."  Tom laughed.

"Is that suppose to mean something to me?  I only accept the words, of those whom I respect."  Biggs grinded his teeth.

"Fine, then don't show up.  But I'll be there, waiting for you.  And if you don't show, then I'll know what I suspected all along is really true.  You're all talk and no action Tom Riddle.  See you tonight, unless you're too afraid."  Biggs turned and strolled away with Adkins tailing along behind him.  Tom frowned and brought his hand to his chin as he began to process the situation.  He looked at both sides intelligently.  If Biggs were actually serious, and he was challenging Tom, there was no way he could refuse him.  The likes of Biggs would take him for a coward and Tom had no intention of allowing anyone at Hogwarts to think him a coward.  On the other hand, if it was a set up, and Biggs was just trying to get him into trouble, if he went, he would look like a complete moron.  A moron who had to serve detention. 

"You should definitely go!  It would put that head swollen imbecile in his place.  Besides, he just challenged you; you can't turn down a challenge."  Samirah said quickly.

"Yeah, but if it's a trap then you would look like a moron.  A moron with a detention."  Luke put in.  Tom gave them both strange looks.

"I think you should go."  Piddly said.  Then he gasped.  "Hey!  My tongue!  It's back to normal!  Yeah!!  I'm not a freak anymore!"

"Well that's certainly debatable."  Samirah muttered. 

"It doesn't matter what any of you think or what your ridiculous opinions are.  I'm not going to indulge Hayden Biggs' little scheme."  With that, Tom turned, and strode away heading towards the Slytherin common room.  Tom had yet to make up his mind whether he would be meeting Biggs, but one thing was for certain, he didn't want Samirah, Luke, and Piddly tagging along this time. 

"Ah, Riddle.  I see you made it."  Biggs said looking up as Tom approached him and Adkins.  "But where is your little trio?"

"I fight my own battles.  I don't need any assistance."  Tom quipped.  Biggs glared at him.

"Nor do I.  Adkins is just here to observe, not to interfere."

"Of course he isn't."  This time Biggs ignored him.  "So why am I here Biggs?"  Tom asked after a few moments of silence.   Biggs smiled and turned around.  He began walking away from where Tom stood. 

"Do you know why they call these woods the Forbidden Forest, Riddle?"  Biggs asked.  Tom followed him, but made sure to keep several paces of space in between them.

"Because it's a forest that Hogwarts students are forbidden to go into."  Tom responded.

"Very clever."  Biggs said sarcastically with a snicker.  "But no.  That's not what a mean.  The forest is forbidden because it's much too dangerous for the students to enter."

"I know all this.  There are werewolves and other ferocious beasts inside.  What's your point?"  Tom asked stopping.  He folded his arms and glared at Biggs impatiently.  He had come full of curiosity, but now felt only irritation.  Biggs seemed to realize that Tom wasn't following him anymore, because he too stopped.  He turned around to face Tom.  Adkins was just behind Tom and was watching them both with curiously.

"You may know about the werewolves Riddle, but you don't know anything about the other beasts."

"And I suppose you do."

"Oh yes.  I do."  Here, Biggs paused.  "Are you a muggleborn Tom?"  He asked.

"No."  Tom spat angrily taking a step forward.

"I'm a pureblood.  My father went to this school.  And his father before him.  And his father before him.  My family can be traced hundreds of years back."

"I'm not a muggleborn."  Tom hissed.

"Before I came to school this year my father told me a story."  Biggs continued.  "He said the story had been told ever since my family had first starting going to school here.  The story was about a legend of a monster that lives in the deepest darkest part of the forest.  This monster is so ferocious, that even the headmaster himself is afraid to go looking for it; even just to see if it in fact exists.  The monster is said to be able to rip the flesh from a body, and maim a body beyond recognition.  A very powerful wizard, the most powerful of all wizards, put this monster in the forest, so the story says.  It goes on to say that the monster can only be controlled by the most powerful wizard. Anyone who does not make the qualifications will meet a fatal end."  Biggs paused, and probably would have continued if Tom hadn't have interrupted.

"So you brought me out here to go wandering around the forest searching for a mythical monster so you can prove you're more powerful then me?"  He interjected.

"Basically."  Biggs said with a smug smile.  Tom shook his head.

"You're insane."  He turned and began heading towards the castle.  Biggs laughed.

"You're afraid!  I knew it!  Wow Riddle you really turned out to be a coward huh?"  He laughed again.  Tom stopped, and turned to face Biggs once more.

"I might be slightly uneasy about parts from your story, if I thought any of it were true."

"What?"  Biggs' smile faltered slightly.

"I don't know who you think you're dealing with Biggs, but I am no fool.  You just made up that story and the dramatic way of telling it thinking I would panic and have some kind of break down.  If that ridiculous story were even remotely true, you would be more afraid then I, seeing as your entire family, as you so purposefully insisted, has been at the school and has told it over and over.  Besides, even if it were true I wouldn't go into the forest with you for several reasons, none of them being I am afraid.  First of all, 'mythical' means of myth, also meaning not necessarily true.  If I were going for a romp in the woods it would be for something I knew for sure was real.  And yes, I know you used the word 'legend' but you did mention no one has actually seen it.  That is a myth.  Also it's just the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard of.  Maybe I didn't mention this, but you're insane.  Besides, if you think that I am going to go wandering around anywhere with you anytime, you must be more idiotic then I thought.  And here I was thinking you'd have a real challenge for me.  Well maybe your ridiculous ramblings have scared other people in the past, but not me.  Good luck Biggs, because with your lack of intelligence and creativity, at this school, you going to need it.  Don't bother me anymore."  Tom turned for the last time and marched straight toward the castle without so much of a glance back.  His only regret was that he had to miss the look on Biggs' face as he departed.  Tom entered the building, still pondering the idiocy of the boy; he turned left to head back to his dormitory when he heard footsteps coming from the hall just behind him.  He froze.  Maybe whoever it was, was heading the opposite direction.  If that was the case then Tom didn't want them to hear footsteps, if they hadn't all ready.  The footsteps got louder, telling Tom the stranger was indeed heading in his direction.  Fuming at Biggs silently, Tom tried to hurry away while making as little noise as possible.  The other footsteps stopped. 

"Who's there?" A cold voice called out.  Tom recognized the voice as none other than Filch.  Tom heard Filch take more steps forward, very slowly this time.  Filch was obviously about to turn the corner and then he would see Tom standing in the middle of the hallway like a moron.  A moron who would at the very least, be serving detention.  Having no choice, but absolutely hating the action not even worthy of calling a plan, Tom darted forward and turned another corner.  He fled in the general direction of his dormitory as fast as he could.  He could here Filch hurrying behind him, but was nearly positive that Filch had yet to make an affirmative ID on the student whom he pursued.  Knowing if Tom led him to the dormitory, he would almost definitely be caught, Tom took a right instead of an appropriate left, hoping something useful to do would come to him as he fled.  After going a few more paces, Tom was grabbed by the arm and yanked into a room.  Before he could cry out or do anything, a hand clamped over his mouth.

"Shhh."

"Luke?"  Tom asked recognizing him in the dark.

            "How ya doin' Tom?"  Luke asked him with a smile. 

            "Would you two keep it down?"  Samirah hissed from next to the door.  She was peering out through a small crack, and Tom realized she had been the one who grabbed him. 

"What are you two doing here?"  Tom asked in a whisper.

"Saving your butt, obviously."  Samirah answered.  Tom glared at her back.

"I do not need either of your help."

"Oh really?  It didn't look that way to me when you were running senselessly down the hall only five seconds ago."

"I was in the process of forming a plan." 

"Whatever you say Tom."  She answered back.  Tom was about to respond when she raised her hand.  Filch, who had run past the room where the three of them were hiding, had returned and was walking very slowly up the hall, checking all the rooms.  Samirah softly closed the door and backed up.  "This doesn't look good."  She whispered to Luke.

"He'll do it."  Luke assured her. 

"He who?  You aren't talking about Piddly, are you?"  Tom asked.

"Shhh."   The doorknob turned slowly.  All three of them took in a silent breath.  The door started to open when suddenly there was a loud crash in another hallway.  Filch turned from the door and rushed off.

"See."  Luke said stepping forward trying to steady his shaking hand.

"Well come on we've got to hurry."  Samirah said, she and Luke hurried out after Filch.  Tom followed, but at a slower pace.  Just as they were about to enter the room, Samirah looked over at Tom.  "Just keep quiet unless you're asked a direct question.  We've got this completely under control." 

"I'm so relieved."  He muttered.  After giving Tom an angry glare, she burst into the room.  Piddly was standing in the middle of the room and next to him was an overturned table and a now broken vase.  Filch had turned to see who burst into the room and was not looking very forgiving. 

"Joseph, thank goodness, we've been looking all over the castle for you."  Samirah cried stepping forward looking at Piddly.  Piddly blinked a few times and squinted at her.

"Momma?"  He asked tilting his head and squinting harder.

"No Joseph, it's me.  Samirah."  She said firmly.  Tom shook his head and folded his arms, but Filch was looking at Samirah and Piddly.  He stepped forward.

"You all have been wanderin' about the castle?" 

"Yes sir, looking Joseph here."  Samirah said. 

"Really?"  Filch smirked.  "And why was he out of bed."

"He was sleep walking sir."  Luke explained stepping forward.

"Sleep walking?"  Filch asked looking skeptical. 

"Yes sir."  Luke continued.  "See it's been a problem for him since he was a very young child.  I woke up a little while ago and realized then he wasn't there, and I immediately realized what must have happened.  It's very dangerous you know.  One time, he almost stabbed himself in the foot with a butcher knife when he was sleeping."  You sure he was sleeping?  Tom thought sarcastically, but figured he better not say it out loud.   

"What a tragedy that would have been."  Filch muttered.  "So, you've been running through the halls looking for a sleepwalking kid?"

"Uh-hu."

"Yeah."   Samirah and Luke said together. 

"Would any of you have happened to have been around the southeast entrance a few minutes ago?" 

"No."  Luke answered.

"I wasn't?"  Samirah said looking significantly over at Tom. 

"What about you?"  Filch asked turning to look at Tom.  Samirah was giving him an odd look.  "Well?"  Filch asked again.  Finally, Tom understood what Samirah was trying to get across.

"I was near there yes." 

"Were you?"

"I just said I was."

"And did you happen to see a student wandering around.  A boy, I think it was."

"I did as a matter of fact.  He spoke to me, some nonsense about checking out the Forbidden Forest with another boy."  Filch's eyes bulged. 

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"Before when?"  Filch shook his head.

"Do you know who it was?"

"Yes but I'm not one to turn in my fellow students."  Filch glared. 

"You all get back into bed and you make sure that one" he pointed at Piddly "stays there." 

"He might be in the Ravenclaw dormitory by now."  Tom told Filch as he left.  Tom heard Filch run towards the dormitory instantly.

"Hey that was great!  Did you see me?  Hu did you?"  Piddly asked everyone.

"Yes yes Piddly, it was uh, a stirring performance."  Luke answered. 

"What are you all doing here?"  Tom asked quietly looking at them.

"Well we figured you wouldn't really turn down a challenge from Biggs, so we had Luke stay awake to see if you would go down.  When you did, he woke up Piddly and me and we went down to the common room to develop a plan."  Samirah explained

"Yeah, we guessed you wouldn't be too long, seeing as it was Biggs and he is such an idiot.  The sleepwalking thing was actually Piddly's idea."  Luke continued.

"That's right.  Engine yes wasn't it?"

"I think you mean ingenious, Piddly."  Luke said shaking his head.

"Yeah, right, that's what I said." 

"But why?"  Tom asked.  "You all could have been caught and given detentions, or worse."  He pointed out.  Samirah shrugged.

"We knew you would have too much pride to figure you could be caught in a situation like this, so you wouldn't bother to make a plan.  And jeez, someone had to have a plan."

"Yeah Tom.  Besides, you're our friend; we couldn't let you get into major trouble or anything."  Piddly added.  Tom looked down.

"Besides, if you got in big trouble, we might not be able to copy your answers for homework."  Samirah laughed.  Tom cleared his throat.

"Well…what you all did was very…uh…considerate… and I uh…suppose it was somewhat clever…and a bit helpful…so I uh…"

"Yes Tom?"  Luke prompted him.
            "Go on, you can say it."  Samirah encouraged.  Tom cleared his throat again.

"Well… um…thank you.  All right, thank you."  Samirah laughed.

"See that wasn't so hard was it?"

"You're welcome Tom.  Well let's get back to the dormitory before Filch returns and decides to give us detentions for the shear joy of it."  Luke said.

"You think he would do that?"  Piddly asked his eyes widening. 

"You never know."  Samirah said with a chuckle.  As they all head back to the dormitory, Tom was trying to process the situation.  The three of them had taken a huge risk to help him, even though he hadn't been exactly cordial.  Tom shook his head.  He had expected to come to Hogwarts, and enjoy the company of his own kind without actually interacting with them.  Well maybe he imagined a little interaction, but certainly not friendships.  But then again what could having friends hurt, after all, even the greatest most powerful wizards had to have some kind of support, didn't they?  Tom decided even if most didn't, he would, besides, who knows, maybe these new friends of his would come in handy, after all, hadn't they done just that.