Tom Riddle and the Pureblood Prince

Sjauthor: Thanks so much for your review. You'll see my explanation of how Riddle covered it up below. And although Riddle may seem fearless, he is not truly without trepidation when it comes to Dumbledore.


Continuation of….


Chapter Twenty-Three: A Nasty Incident


That evening along the same time Riddle returned to the cavern and up to the point he released the captives, four servants remained under fire.

Rosier was the first to be interrogated and it was at that point Dippet discovered there was virtually no evidence that the boys had done anything at all. Meanwhile, the three other boys remained in separate rooms awaiting the teachers' questions.

Dippet came into the room with Dumbledore alongside. “Mr. Rosier…Professor Dumbledore is going to question you.”

Rosier nodded and looked calculatingly at Dumbledore. Rosier was well aware the professor would use Legilimency.

Dumbledore appraised Rosier with a knowing gleam in his blue eyes. “Relax,” he said, being a bit manipulative, he smiled at the boy. “The faster we find out what happened, the sooner you may leave.”

Rosier just shrugged at this; he wasn’t going to lead them to the truth. He knew his master planned his escape out somehow, yet he hadn't been informed on the details. Riddle expected nothing less but blind trust and obedience.

Dippet sat beside Dumbledore, across from Rosier. He seemed a bit more composed than he had earlier. Dippet patted his thigh, as if placating himself and asked frankly, “Are you sure you and the others weren’t propagating that message on the door?”

“Yes, sir,” he earnestly answered.

And Rosier was quick to add, “We told you our alibi before. It remains the same. We were all at Hogsmeade.”

Dippet looked like he could be persuaded. He stared at him for an inexorable moment. Finally the headmaster looked to Dumbledore, “Do you think this boy and possibly the others are being truthful? If they do recount the same stories?"

“I don’t know,” said Dumbledore softly. His blue eyes stared contemplatively into Rosier’s. Dumbledore’s expression became almost befuddled. Rosier felt very uncomfortable, his breathing was unstable and he fidgeted. He was thinking of his vows and if he broke any command of them he would surely die. Dumbledore did see the vows in his mind but there was no way he could ascertain who was linked to them.

“Guilty conscience, eh?”

Orion jumped. Someone new had arrived in the classroom. Hogwarts caretaker, Apollyon Pringle, and currently, he was holding a long piece of parchment in one hand.

Everyone turned around to see the new arrival, Dumbledore frowning at Pringle. Dippet spoke to the boy first. “Mr. Rosier you should be capable of a more relaxed stance if you’re as innocent as you claim. I agree with my caretaker!”

Rosier’s mouth wobbled, struggling to offer an explanation.

Dippet continued, “Professor, did you see anything of consequence?”

“I’m afraid not. While it appears true that they were at the scene of the crime, I also see all four of them at Hogsmeade. There is no indication any one of them sprawled that message! And nor is there anything to lead me to the conclusion they're holding students hostage.”

Dippet nodded and looked to Pringle. “Well? Were they at Hogsmeade?”

“I believe so, headmaster,” said the caretaker. “I wrote their names right here this morning. And nobody makes that list and nobody goes to Hogsmeade without my permission!”

Pringle almost rudely shoved the parchment under Dippet’s nose, where he appraised all four names.

“There is a possibility….. My main theory is the boys have access to a passage we haven’t heard of. Perhaps that would explain their visit to Hogsmeade and their return to the school,” speculated Dumbledore. He looked to Dippet as he said this and then turned back to Rosier.

Dumbledore’s clear blue gaze followed Rosier to do Legilimency on him again. But Dippet laughed, as if the prior conjecture that they had discovered a secret passage was comical, almost stupid. “Why Professor Dumbledore! This is an ancient school. Not even the greatest minds of the ages could tap all Hogwart’s secrets in a lifetime!…Do you honestly think an unqualified witch or wizard could do so in such a brief time? The school has had a thousand years to store it's secrets. A student could hardly discover them within the brevity of the few years they attend.”

Dumbledore had already finished his Legilimency by now. On topics such as the possibility of a secret passage there appeared to be an impregnable wall set up. There was no way he could get to this information. In the follower's mind, regarding the question of a secret passage, he saw nothing but a black void. And this was because Riddle had planted false memories in each of the emissaries minds'. Doing so, he had also removed the real ones. And Dumbledore knew the wall must have been created by a powerful wizard and perhaps the barrier existed through an Unbreakable vow.

“These boys are under the control of Dark magic, headmaster,” said Dumbledore very seriously.

“Is this true of you or any of your…friends?” said Dippet testily.

Ardently Rosier answered at once, “Absolutely not!” Dumbledore sighed. There was no way of proving that either because Dumbledore couldn’t show them or anyone else the void he was seeing in Rosier’s mind. And besides, it wasn’t viewed as evidence in wizard court.

Dippet looked absolutely spellbound. “Then why….Is there any way you can prove this Dumbledore?!”

Dumbledore shook his head. “Armando there is nothing you or I can do to prove it. I only suspect it's preventing the truth from coming out.…But I am sure my speculations are accurate. Dark Magic was performed in the past and with Mr. Rosier's consent.”

Dippet’s beady eyes looked to the ceiling inanely.

Pringle stalled impetuously. “But you can be sure they were supposed to be in Hogsmeade! They left the village without permission! I suggest I bring them to the dungeons for a whipping.”

Dippet spoke up; “Mr. Pringle you’ve done your part…Any discipline will be imposed on my order alone, and only for the right reasons. Merely leaving Hogsmeade prematurely is not an issue. As long as a student has a signed permission form and was checked off on a visiting day, the act of coming or going is irrelevant. They may leave at their own liberty…whenever.”

Pringle's footsteps were loud when he walked out the classroom just then.

Rosier looked a bit more at ease than he’d had a minute ago. Instinctively he looked at Dippet, avoiding Dumbledore. He muttered, “I only went back because I was eager for the feast…It was a mistake…I regret it, for I wouldn’t be getting accused right now if I hadn’t left…”

Dippet nodded. “Perhaps. But you cannot be exonerated for Dumbledore’s summation; You have been associating with Dark magic. Perhaps practicing it yourself…Furthrmore, you attempted to conceal this from me.”

Rosier looked like he would like to disagree, but then he realized that would be denying something Dippet was taking as fact and would thus get him in more trouble. Dippet actually shook. He was afraid of the thought of Dark Magic.

“I cannot tolerate this at my school. If you were involved in today’s awful scheme it would make sense. I cannot say if you were….Veritaserum is under strict ministry guidelines. I do not want this to go to the ministry…” Dippet shook again. “No…I’ve failed to get a confession out of you. Dumbledore has done all you can, have you not professor?”

Dumbledore answered morosely, “I’m afraid so…”

“There is nothing more we can do. However, Professor Dumbledore indicated to me there is Dark magic present. And it is the type of magic that requires your will to be imposed in order for the magic to work.”

Dumbledore agreed. The type of Dark magic meant either an Unbreakable vow or a powerful sorcerer hiding evil deeds with Rosier’s involement.

Rosier straightened up and was now gritting his teeth, waiting for the headmaster to sentence him. “Now I have no qualms about using corporal punishment for performing the Dark Arts. Rest assured if any student performing such spells is caught, they would be caned or worse expelled while I am the headmaster. You will receive four strokes, Mr. Rosier.”

Rosier looked mutinous. He felt a rage because he knew he hadn’t actually done anything other than join Riddle. But if he started spewing out that, his life would end. Divulging the secret of the Dark Order would break the vows.

*

Later that evening, Dumbledore and Dippet finished questioning the final of the four followers.

“You may return to your common room now,” said Dippet gravely, putting down the rattan cane he’d used.

“Yes, sir,” mumbled Orion Black.

“Do not leave your dormitory for the rest of the evening,” finished Dippet.

Orion Black assented to this and left the classroom quickly, relieved he was no longer under all that pressure. Now it would be his duty to report back to Riddle.

Now that they were alone, Dippet looked to Dumbledore. “There was something else you wanted to tell me in private, wasn’t there?”

“Yes, there is Armando. And I beseech you to listen to me at the very least. But what is more vital is action be taken at once.”

“Go on, Albus… I'm always ready to listen to you. Your advice has been an invaluable asset to me.”

“Then take this precaution: I have not a doubt in my mind that all four of those boys are being controlled. Each played a part in this, I am certain of it. Manipulated by somebody. Somebody knows how to keep the blame from being linked together satisfactorily. Somebody with charisma and an influence. Somebody the boys look to as an authority figure. Even more so than us.”

Dippet bit his lip. “Perhaps you’re right….But I do hate to think of this Dumbledore! The chamber debacle is over. And thank Merlin! I cannot bear to contend with our students’ lives being in peril again.”

Dumbledore urged, “Armando…I believe Tom Riddle is behind this. This incident and probably many others over the years.”

Dippet’s eyes popped and he stopped in his tracks. “Mr. Riddle! Never. The boy…I have grown fond of him….”

“He does associate with these boys in particular…”

And Dippet exploded in denial, and anger, “And so do many other students! We cannot target Mr. Riddle so unfairly when it could be so many others!”

Dumbledore continued, “Even though I’m aware he associates with these students? That Tom Riddle does indeed communicate with each of them and on a regular basis? You will not speak with the boy?”

“When you’ve supplied not a shred of direct evidence professor! I think not! And besides….Tom is a lonely orphan. He merely desires friends…. And that is purely an innocent thing. I cannot call him in for accruing the possession of friends!”

“Very well…There is no way I could change or even hedge your opinion on him? Is there?”

“No,” said Dippet firmly. “Riddle has never caused the slightest trouble here.”

Dumbledore looked drained and done. He’d argued his case. He thought of more to say on Riddle. Things like how Tom Riddle probably never wanted a true friend and how Tom Riddle could not have anything innocent in his character. But he knew Armando would never be able to esteem Riddle as the way he truly was.

A moment later, Professor Merrythought came into the room.

“I have good news,” said the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher exuberantly. “Somebody found the missing children wandering the corridors! They’re not completely unscathed, but otherwise they’re safe and sound in the hospital wing!”

And Dumbledore and Dippet left at once to see the children for themselves.


Note: sorry about putting corporal punishment in this. I do not think it makes the rating go up. I couldn’t avoid it really as I didn't want them to have detention.

I hope you’re glad I’m back if you enjoy reading this. I might come back more often now. But I can’t promise anything. I hope you like the idea of Riddle planting false memories, extracting real ones. Don’t worry, once I get past this Halloween prank, I have more exciting things to tell.