Tom Riddle despised Dumbledore. This I knew, but I wasn't prepared for the utmost loathing I saw in his eyes as he watched Dumbledore walking towards us.

"What's the old oaf doing walking out to the greenhouses at a time like this?" He hissed, glaring at me like it was somehow all my fault. "Surely he has a class to be teaching."

Tom was so tall, I had to crane my head back to look at him.

"I don't know." I admitted. "Maybe he's coming to speak to me?"

Tom scoffed, but stopped immediately as soon as Dumbledore got close.

"Riddle, Granger. Wondrous day isn't it?" The Dumbledore of Tom's time said pleasantly. I looked at him closely. He looked extremely strange with auburn hair, for some reason I always considered Dumbledore to be old, I had never considered the possibility he was once young.

"I suppose." Tom said impatiently, and shot him a sharp look which said all too clearly we know you're not really here to talk about the weather.

"I'm here to speak to you both, but first I wanted to inform you Tom that your next class with Professor Merrythought is outside the Quidditch pitch. There's a shortage of space in her classroom for the time being, as we've used it to contain several escaped Boggarts."

He smiled in reminiscence of a memory Tom and I would never know.

"I realise the reason for your lateness too, of course." He said, snapping back to the present moment. "I can assume Professor Beery has asked you to help wrangle the Venomous Tentacular, so I won't be deducting points off Slytherin House today."

"But what about Hermione? Sir." Tom added after a pause, his eyes shining. "What do you need to speak to her about?"

Whatever patience Tom had mustered appeared to have expired.

"That is between both Miss Granger and myself." Said Dumbledore mildly. "Enjoy your lesson Tom. I assure you, Miss Granger will be present in your next class. Now if you don't mind, we really must be off."

Dumbledore didn't stop to talk further, instead he turned and walked up to the castle, his emerald coloured robes trailing in the grass behind him. I followed hastily, almost stumbling, not caring in the slightest about Tom nor the way he stood in silence staring after me.

-----------

I was expecting to be led to Dumbledore's old office up the spiral staircase but instead we took a detour to the seventh floor, coming to stand before the most unexpected of places- the Room of Requirement.

I looked around. Literally no one was in sight, not even Peeves. Wringing my hands, I felt a sort of queasy feeling, the horrible sinking sensation I got whenever Tom Riddle was around.

The sooner we get inside the better I found myself thinking. Goosebumps erupted over my skin, I wrapped both of my arms around myself, trying hard not to let my mind wander to dark places.

"I do apologise," Dumbledore was saying. In silence he walked the span of the wall, head bowed in concentration. "However I do think it best if we were to speak in a place where no one would, for want of a better word, listen in."

"Would people really eavesdrop in your office, Professor?"

Dumbledore looked at me, directly, for the first time since I came back to the past, and it was almost impossible to decipher the look in his light blue eyes.

"People will do anything for proof if they are convicted that they alone know a truth no one else knows. And even more so if they are seeking to expose it." He said heavily. "Ah, yes. This is it."

Dumbledore ran his not yet blackened hand over the wall, and grabbed hold of something.

A door knob?

With a twist of his wrist, he pushed, and the outline of a black door grew out from the wall, a small darkened room exposed within.

"After you, Miss Granger."

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🐍 Tom Riddle P.O.V 🐍

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"Tom Riddle," The booming voice of Professor Merrythought rang out across the grounds, "is the winner for today's non verbal Dueling challenge. 30 points to Slytherin House!"

The Slytherins clapped raucously, several such as Zabini and Mulciber didn't make a single noise except cast me a brief look of admiration. It was no surprise whatsoever to hear the Ravenclaws all booing against the din. One Slytherin girl, to my mild amusement, appeared to be threatening to hex them all if they didn't shut up.

I looked at her closely. Ah yes, of course. Shalini Black.

Amused, I walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Leave it." I said quietly. "That is enough."

"Y-yes, my Lord." Shalini peered up at me, eyes wide and black, and for a ridiculous moment I thought of an owl and its analytical gaze and felt a wave of annoyance.

The last thing I needed was for her to analyse me. I turned to walk away but Shalini grabbed my arm.

"I just wanted to say- congratulations for-" She froze when I raised an eyebrow, and then continued hastily, "-for winning the Dueling challenge. You did really well." She finished lamely.

"It wasn't much of a challenge. It was basic." I said coldly. "I was surprised to see you had forgotten the correct way to repel a simple Impediment jinx. Surely I have taught you enough so you wouldn't look stupid in front of that absolute idiot Ora Plum."

I glanced over to the right where a curly blonde haired Ravenclaw girl was sat on the grass tying her shoe. Bullied by even those of her own House, Ora was one of those students I resented the most, born with magical abilities and absolutely no brain. For most of the lesson I saw Shalini failing to block the easiest hexes and jinxes this moron fired at her, becoming angrier by the second.

"I apologise, my Lord. I'll try better next time." Shalini was blushing, reminding me instantly of someone else, someone who had been on my mind since the day she first arrived at the common room door.

Hermione Granger.

I thought of her, the pale fairly average looking girl with the oversized Slytherin robes, bushy hair and fiery attitude. She could be a real asset as a Death Eater, she was intelligent... effective at dealing correctly to the Venomous Tentacular... Ambitious... Not afraid to deal to Shalini... Not even appearing to be afraid of me.... I guess in a sense she was almost like me. And it was then that I realised- that was what I was looking for. A similar person. A similar mind. I was brilliant, in the company of idiots, and now it seemed change had come. A change... for the better. For too long I had been tolerating the Slytherins not exactly sure what was lacking until this moment.

As Professor Merrythought helped the idiot Ora people began crowding around me, some my Death Eaters, and various others but I wasn't looking to make conversation with anyone right now. I wanted to know exactly why Dumbledore was speaking to Hermione. Surely it must have something to do with the Time-Turner.... I wondered for a second how long it would take Hermione to be expelled. A day? A few hours? A single solitary second?

Quietly, I snuck off while Professor Merrythought was distracted, coming to find myself on a dirt path that detoured around the Quidditch pitch.

Thank god. No one in sight. Not that I wouldn't be able to play the part of charming model student and weave a convincing lie.

I didn't normally swerve my own classes, especially not for some girl, but I was positive Dumbledore would warn Granger about me. And I couldn't have her believing him or his incessant lies.

Quietly, I began walking back toward the castle, the girls name the only thing on my mind.

Hermione.

------------------

"It's rather small, but this will do."

Dumbledore illuminated his wand exposing a small cosy room. Instead of windows there were two huge velvet armchairs. I took a seat on the one opposite him, nerves mingling with my curiosity.

"A room that is safe for revealing secrets." I realised out loud. "Is there any particular reason there's no lights?"

"I must've stressed the word dark when I told the room "a place for the deepest most darkest secrets to be spoken." Dumbledore said seriously.

By the light of Dumbledore's wand I could see the room clearly. It was no bigger than a broom cupboard, and stacked in high piles like a wall all around us were books.

"I am aware that you have been sent from the future," Dumbledore said heavily. "I can feel the traces of the deep magic you have been involved in, and the weight of the responsibility you are burdened with."

"H-how did you-"

To my shock, Dumbledore actually laughed. "You underestimate my skill. Many people have tried to understand the complicated and often cruel nature of Time Travel, and many a man has even tried to understand the inner workings of that charming necklace of yours."

His tone was light, conversational, but his eyes were guarded as I pulled the Time Turner from around my neck and held it out.

"I myself, many years ago, did attempt to study Timelore. I didn't venture far but suffice it to say that now I am rather gifted so as to notice these forms of magic even when they are not visible. I will be keeping that in my possession for now, where it is safe."

I nodded, passing over the Time Turner, feeling a definite sense of relief. It was now being guarded by Dumbledore. It was safe.

I wrung my hands again, feeling the anxiety kicking back in. This was an extremely unexpected twist of events. So Dumbledore knew what I came to the past for?

Almost as if reading my mind, Dumbledore smiled at me. "Do not worry, for the sake of your life, and mine, I will not be asking direct questions regarding the nature of your mission. I do not know it, nor would I be so stupid as to ask you to tell me. I can safely assume however, terrible things have happened in the future. And if I were to take a heavily educated guess, I would also say they involve Tom Riddle."

I swallowed uneasily as Dumbledore surveyed me through his half moon spectacles. He was young, but the shadows cast by his illuminated wand in the dark room revealed several lines on his face that made him appear years older.

"Tom has realised that you have a Time Turner, and he has notified his Head of House. Horace Slughorn, naturally, then turned to me before alerting the Headmaster, to discuss what to do next."

I thought of Tom speaking to Professor Slughorn at breakfast this morning. So he hadn't been speaking to him about his time table after all, the sneak.

"What does that mean, then." I croaked, "Am i expelled...?"

But to my instant relief Dumbledore shook his head. "You are not expelled. I have informed Professor Slughorn that I had been advised prior that it is a mere keepsake with no magical ability, which he believes. But that's not all I wish to speak with you about here. There is a certain rumour circulating the school," I grimaced inwardly, "Have you informed Headmaster Dippet you are related to me?"

I might as well tell him the truth.

"Yes." I said honestly. "I was going to tell you all of this beforehand but-"

"Tom beat you to it? As he so often does."

Dumbledore nodded wisely. It was very dark in the room, even the light from Dumbledore's wand seemed to be flickering out.

"I have confirmed this rumour, trusting that you must have had a very good reason to begin it. I can't help you every step of the way, this mission is yours to undertake alone. But take my advice. Do not get close to Tom. In any way. I have witnessed many students make that mistake, and follow him, some becoming so smitten they have even fallen in love with him." "Whatever you do," He said quietly, "Don't make that mistake."

Now it was certain, the light being cast from Dumbledore's wand was flickering out. And...

And Dumbledore didn't look the least bit taken off guard.

"As expected." He said evenly. "Someone has tracked this room." He stood, and I followed suit, the both of us standing in the small space between the sofas with our wands aimed at the door. "I might spare a guess to who exactly it is, but I find that I already know." Dumbledore said calmly.

"Tom." I breathed.

Dumbledore didn't reply. Suddenly, a great splintering sound ricocheted through the room- whoever was on the outside was trying to break through the door.

"W-what do we do?" My voice sounded shrill even to my own ears. "H-he's going to kill us-"

Dumbledore placed a hand on my shoulder. "Hermione. Once again, you are forgetting who you are with. Did you not think I might have anticipated this?"

I stared at him, completely lost for words. Dumbledore was expecting Tom to try and break through into a room he shouldn't have even known we would be in?

"Professor, how do you know all of th-"

Crash!

I jumped. Tom was getting closer. I thought of my fifth year, when Dumbledore's Army used the Room of Requirement and the horror of seeing the Inquisitorial Squad breaking in.

"Ok, Professor w-what's your plan."

Crash!

"We are going to Apparate to the Hogs Head. Take my arm."

Crash!

"But Professor, we can't apparate from within the sch-"

"You're not understanding. Everything that happens within this room is a secret. Every single trace of magic and every spoken word-"

CRASH

"-is completely undetectable from this room. I asked it to be, so it-"

CRASH

"-was."

I took Dumbledore's arm , not bothering to mention that I knew how to apparate perfectly fine, just trusting that he knew exactly what he was doing and that this would be enough to rescue us from Tom.

Turning, we vanished into thin air, into nothingness.