7 Helping Hand

The potions class was as oppressive as the scorching sun outside. Dungeons were already sweltering, and with the boiling cauldrons and fumes, the students were all drenched.

Professor Slughorn walked around correcting the students after pairing Tom Riddle with Morsia Ravenwood.

"I think you'll be a perfect candidate to assist her Tom," Professor Slughorn had added smiling innocently.

Riddle felt like this was the worst thing that happen to him after Notts became a prefect.

Notts came hovering over their table to obviously pry on them.

"How is it coming up?" Notts asked Riddle looking at Morsia being busy with her potion.

"Certainly, I'm not the person you should be asking this question?" He answered her annoyingly.

"Oh, of course not!" she chuckled awkwardly, her laughter tinged with unease.

"It was for your unwanted sidekick, I know you're making her potion as well," she taunted Morsia, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Morsia looked up at her, she had already finished her potion.

"Your potion must have turned out quite well," Morsia commented, directing her question randomly at Notts.

"Huh, yes, obviously. Unlike a certain someone, I'm a true witch," she replied, sassily imitating the motion of a squid struggling in a pool of fiery hot sauce, her head swaying in a playful yet mocking manner.

"You must've drank it" Morsia added quickly while taking a glass tube with her potion to show Prof. Slughorn.

Despite himself, Riddle laughed at this remark.

"What? What is she saying?" Notts looked at Morsia's back thoroughly clueless.

Riddle excused himself and went on with his potion as well.

***

"Oh well, Tom," Slughorn stopped him when he turned to leave.

Morsia was standing beside the professor, looking him dead in the eyes.

"Yes, professor?" Riddle enquired.

"Although Ms. Ravenwood was able to brew a near-perfect potion and all the other teachers have a lot of trust in her ability, I want you to accompany her to learn some basics of Potioning," Prof. Slughorn replied looking warily at Morsia as if she hasn't got the talent in her.

"Sure, professor"

Saying this Riddle now turned to leave once and for all, he was waiting this long hour to read the book he took from the library.

"Wait, Riddle, I haven't finished yet"

'what now?' he felt annoyed as he secretly clenched his fist.

"My bad, professor, please continue," he collected himself immediately looking interested.

"I know you spend most of your evenings in the library, today take Ms. Ravenwood with you and make her get the idea of what is what, I have set up a test for her this weekend!" Prof. Slughorn finished enthusiastically.

Riddle felt like his mission was delaying every second he stood there in the potion's classroom dungeon. He has no other option but to accept this.

"Of course, professor" He nodded.

"Come with me, Ravenwood" he added to Morsia. He felt weird, this was the first time he actually directly interacted with her.

She followed him outside the classroom.

They walked upstairs heading to the library, without speaking a word to each other.

Riddle led her, and just as he was about to enter the library he was stopped by Dumbledore. 'why is he here again?'

He felt nervous despite himself as Dumbledore pried beyond his soul with his piercing blue eyes through his half-moon spectacles.

"To the library, Tom?" Dumbledore questioned.

Just then, Morsia had caught up with him from behind with her books in hand.

"Hello, Professor" Morsia greeted.

"Evening, Ms. Ravenwood" he greeted back as he turned toward Riddle once again, eying him suspiciously.

"C'mon, let's go" Morsia grabbed him by the arm.

Riddle was quite taken aback but all the while he complied with Morsia and headed inside the library after half nodding Dumbledore a goodbye.

The library was scarcely filled, here and there with students. Riddle hugged onto his backpack as he sat down at one of the front desks, Morsia sat down in front of him looking around the library avidly.

"Very well, this is a nice place," Riddle heard her remark.

He slowly walked toward the shelves and grabbed some books as she sat comfortably catching her breath.

He came back and placed the large pile of books in front of her and began reading his own books.

"Excuse me?" Morsia had stooped up and looked above the pile of books and stared directly at Riddle.

"What?" He answered.

"Aren't you supposed to tell me what's what?" she added.

The librarian came near them to tell them to be quiet.

Riddle let out a deep sigh and sat down beside her looking through the books.

He marked certain potions to make, in each year's book.

"There, practice this and you'll be fine," he handed her a note full of lists of potions.

They spent the next few hours doing their homework and Morsia writing down instructions.

After hours, it was close to the library's closing time.

Riddle looked around, almost everyone was gone except for him and Morsia.

He slowly took out the book he had retrieved from the library earlier.

He turned the pages and there it was.

// In stark contrast to the principles upheld by the three other esteemed founders, Salazar Slytherin held a set of values that diverged significantly, oftentimes clashing with their collective vision. Salazar firmly believed that the privilege of receiving education at Hogwarts was solely reserved for those blessed with Pure-blood lineage, dismissing any other heritage as unworthy. To safeguard the sanctity of his conviction, he meticulously constructed a concealed Chamber, cunningly concealed within the very fabric of Hogwarts' ancient walls, concealed from the prying eyes of his counterparts. Within the recesses of this clandestine chamber, an enchanting abode, lay a formidable guardian in the form of a majestic basilisk—a legendary creature whose unwavering loyalty was solely reserved for its master, Salazar Slytherin. //

"What are you reading?"

Riddle was startled by Morsia's sudden arrival beside him.

"Nothing interesting," He said curtly to which Morsia openly glared at him.

"History Of Magic" he corrected himself absent-mindedly.

Morsia signed at the Librarian rolling her eyes, to let him know that it was time to leave.

He looked at the textbook again before closing it.

It was all that it held but he gained knowledge about this magical creature.

'At least it wasn't a total waste' he thought to himself as he put the books back.

The vast expanse of the sky stretched out above, cloaked in velvety darkness adorned with countless shimmering stars, Hogwarts' night view was as majestic as ever.

Morsia and Riddle walked down heading toward the great hall for dinner.