Green Eyes

Hermione had almost made it across the grounds and into the castle before a familiar, but unexpected voice hailed her.

"Miss Hart, see me in my office after class!" The voice drifted across the lawn, coming from the distant figure of Professor Dumbledore.

Hermione appealed to the stormy sky and sighed. Can this day get any worse? Up until now Hermione had been avoiding her former Headmaster. She wished more than anything that she could confide all her worries and fears in the man she had once looked on as a grandfather or favourite uncle. Knowing that she was nothing but a stranger to Dumbledore was almost too much to bear.

She dragged her feet as she walked up to the Transfiguration office. Upon knocking, Dumbledore’s familiar voice answered.

“Come in.“

She found Dumbledore sitting quietly in his desk chair, pondering her over long, steepled fingers.

"My dear Miss Hart,“ he began. “I have been waiting for a chance to get to know you a little better. Now seems as good a time as any.“ He said, sighing.

Hermione thought he was looking unusually grave for some reason.

“I shall be blunt.“ He continued. “I saw your performance out on the lawn with Riddle."

Hermione swore inwardly. This would create problems, she was sure. Only in the dangerous time period she had come from had it been acceptable for a seventeen year old such as herself to use the incredibly advanced magic she had just demonstrated. She was about to launch into some half-formed excuse when Dumbledore apparently read her mind.

"Now I realize we do not know each other well, Miss Hart. But I ask you, my dear, not to insult me with false explanations and lies. You and I both know that there is something you are not telling us about your past." His half-moon glasses flashed as he fixed Hermione with his famous x-ray stare. "You are without a doubt one of the brightest students I have ever met, but under no circumstances should a seventeen year old even want to master such spells as Fiendfyre and Incarcerous, as you so evidently have."

Hermione had to disagree here. The circumstances had been suitable, all right, she thought - those who had resisted Voldemort’s reign of terror had had to cross many lines in order to stay alive. All the same, she found herself shifting uncomfortably under Dumbledore’s obvious disapproval.

Dumblefore continued. "Your technique is completely fluid, belying huge duelling experience." Here he stopped and thoughtfully stroked his beard, admiration creeping into his eyes. "If I’m not mistaken, I even saw you use a few completely original spells. What was that green one? and that purple and orange one?"

Hermione answered the question automatically, as was her nature. "The purple and orange one was Prestio - it causes a head-rush effect in the opponent, except multiplied ten-times over - usually resulting in the opponent fainting. The green one was Knockus Locomotor - it dislocates shoulder or knee bones, if applied with the correct force and direction."

"And I suppose you devised these yourself?"

Hermione nodded. "But the thing is Professor Dumbledore, I'm really not as good as you seem to-".

"Again - please don't insult me, Hermione." he interrupted mildly, raising his grey-flecked eyebrows. "We are all entitled to our secrets, and I promise to protect yours, in the hope that one day you will be able to confide in me your past. However, it is not your past that I wish to speak of today."

It isn‘t? Hermione's green doe eyes rounded in surprise and relief.

"What I want to say concerns Mr. Thomas Riddle." He paused. "I can tell you right now that Mr. Riddle is... shall we say, unaccustomed to being left on his back after a duel. I want to warn you that your actions today will not go over well with him."

Hermione bit back a small smile. This was why Dumbledore had summoned her here? To warn her not to prick at Tom’s over inflated pride? Hermione wasn’t really worried - she knew she was capable of much more than she had shown today.

Meanwhile, Professor Dumbledore was continuing. "And to have been shown up by you of all people - a newcomer, a youngster, a girl - will be completely unacceptable to him."

Hermione shrugged her slim shoulders and smiled light-heartedly. "I'm sure Mr. Riddle's ego will suffer this monumental blow, Professor.”

Professor Dumbledore did not smile. "Miss Hart, this is no laughing matter. I have known Tom for seven years. I have never met anyone like him, and I hope I never will again. Mr. Riddle, as a rule, has never bothered with friends or lovers. However, he goes to great lengths to preserve his formidable reputation. The entire school is afraid of him, and that is exactly the way he wants it.'

Hermione gulped.

"In seven years, Thomas Riddle has lost his cold, expressionless cool only three times. In his first year, he fell from his broom in flying lessons. In his third year, fellow Slytherin Petunia Black tried to slip Riddle a love potion in his pumpkin juice. And just last year, a Ravenclaw girl named Myrtle accidentally caught Riddle doing…something he did not want to become public knowledge.”

The professor shifted his glasses on his nose and continued. "After the flying fall, the school’s entire Quidditch stadium was burnt to the ground inexplicably, almost killing Hufflepuff’s entire quidditch team. After the love potion incident, Petunia Black had all four of her limbs broken by an unknown attacker as she lay sleeping in bed.” Dumbledore now heaved a sigh. “And Myrtle… poor Myrtle was found unmarked but dead in the second floor girl's bathroom.”

Hermione nodded, murmuring, “The Chamber of Secrets…” before she could stop herself.

Dumbledore looked at her sharply, not understanding how Hermione could know about an incident even he had only guessed at. He shook his head, resigned to the fact that this beautiful student was more than she seemed. "Now we come to you, Miss Hart. You have just bested Thomas Riddle in magical skill: the area in which he prides himself most."

Blood was slowly draining from Hermione's face. "So…exactly w-what is it you are saying, Professor?"

"I'm saying, in short, that Tom Riddle is the most dangerous and unpredictable person you are ever likely to meet in your life. And I'm advising you to watch your back."

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A/N - this chapter can be summarised in three words: DUN DUN DUUUUH. Hermione's in trouble! :)