Of Greatness and Grandeur

Chapter 4

Breakfast and Blood

Tom Riddle boasted a well-deserved reputation as an excellent student. One of the ways in which he had built this reputation was by being seen in the Common Room every morning, studying before breakfast. While Riddle found the course material laughably easy, the extra time could always be well-spent reading books from Hogwarts' extensive library. Of course, books on some of his darker interests had to be concealed, but a simple illusion charm did the trick nicely.

Currently, Riddle sat reading "Potions of Ill-Intent," although the cover stated "Healing Charms for Common Ailments." He had been in the Common Room even earlier than usual this morning, as he did not want to risk Katherine slipping out before his arrival. She had managed to avoid a confrontation the night before, but Riddle was determined to find out why she was at Hogwarts as soon as possible. Hogwarts was Riddle's domain, his kingdom, his empire, and he intended to maintain a strict border policy.

Adeline's shrill voice interrupted Riddle's thoughts. "Merlin! Have they changed the uniform?"

"If they have, I am so getting the new one." Celeste said determinedly.

A lower, more melodic voice joined that of the twins. "Actually, I just altered the uniform a bit. I can show you how, if you'd like."

Riddle looked up towards the girls' dormitory. Katherine had appeared at the top of the stairs in her new Slytherin uniform, one hand resting lightly on the railing. A charcoal grey pleated skirt hung to her knees, ever so slightly shorter than those of the other Slytherin girls. On the top, she wore a crisp white blouse that came in at the waist to show off her curves. The sleeves were long, but rolled up to her elbows, revealing a delicate gold bracelet around one wrist. Under the blouse's stiff collar, a silver and green striped tie revealed her Slytherin membership.

Her dark brown hair hung in luxurious curls past her shoulders, which bounced gently as she began walking down the stairs. Her lips were painted cherry red, without the slightest hint of a smudge, and her eyebrows arched elegantly above chestnut brown eyes flecked with gold. Although it had been evident the night before that Katherine was a pretty girl, the light of day made clear that her beauty was not commonplace. She was beautiful in a manner that was more often observed in paintings or described in poetry than seen in real life. The result was simultaneously enchanting and unsettling.

Riddle closed his book, without taking his gaze off of Katherine. She continued to chat with the Greengrass twins as she descended the stairs, listing some of the changes she'd made to the Slytherin uniform.

He stood as she approached, leaving his book on the green velvet couch, and offering Katherine his arm. "I thought I could escort you to breakfast, Miss Morrigan."

She linked arms with him, smiling graciously. "Of course, Mr. Riddle. But please, call me Katherine. If I have to ask again, I'll be terribly put out with you." She pouted playfully, eyes sparkling.

Riddle remained stiffly polite, not responding to her flirtation. "Certainly, Katherine. I'd hate to make you feel uncomfortable here at Hogwarts." While his tone sounded sincere, he held her gaze just a moment too long, suggesting that perhaps he would enjoy making her feel uncomfortable.

The pair began walking towards the exit of the common room. Celeste and Adeline began to follow a few steps behind, but paused as Riddle turned around abruptly.

"Celeste, Adeline, as much as I would enjoy the pleasure of your company this morning, I think you'd better stay in the common room until the others are ready for breakfast," Riddle said smoothly. "I'd hate for them to think they'd been abandoned."

Adeline furrowed her brows slightly. "But they could just join us in the Great Hall, couldn't they?"

Celeste nodded her agreement. "It's not like they won't know where to find us."

In an instant, Riddle's carefully composed mask of charm slipped away, revealing a much more menacing expression. "I believe I asked you to stay here," he said, in a voice as cold as ice.

Adeline and Celeste glanced at each other, before looking at their feet.

"Yes, of course, Riddle," Celeste said meekly. Adeline continued to look down.

"And you Adeline? I trust you will be staying with your sister?" Riddle said with a smirk, clearly relishing his power over the twins.

"Yes, my –…" Adeline froze for a moment, panic flashing across her face. "Yes, Riddle," she said nervously.

Riddle's eyes were briefly clouded with rage, before he appeared to put the feeling aside, placing a hand on Katherine's back and leading her out the Common Room. "Come, Katherine. We have much to discuss."

The walk to the Great Hall proceeded largely in silence. Katherine made one attempt to begin a conversation, but as soon as she did, Riddle snapped, "not here," and continued to guide her rapidly through the halls of Hogwarts.

At one point, Riddle moved to enter a passageway behind a statue, but Katherine refused to enter. "A public place, remember?" she reminded him.

Riddle sighed in exasperation, but took the longer route throughout the main halls, in which several students and professors were walking. His hand remained firmly planted at the small of her back, as he forcibly guided her through the many twists and turns of the castle.

Eventually they arrived at the doors of the Great Hall. Due to the early hour, only a few Ravenclaw students were in the hall, eating an early breakfast while poring over books. Riddle finished his promenade with Katherine at the Slytherin table, which remained completely empty save the two of them, and a handful of younger students at the far end of the table. Riddle took his usual at the top the table, and Katherine sat across from him, crossed one leg over the other and rested her chin in one hand, waiting for Riddle to speak.

A brief silence ensued, before Riddle broke it with a sharp question. "Well, why are you here?"

Katherine raised an eyebrow, a slight smile playing at her lips. "Well, unless I've been terribly misguided, Hogwarts is a school of magic," she said, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Durmstrang's reputation has been considerably damaged by its association with Grindelwald. Hogwarts is thus my best option in terms of education."

Riddle's eyes burned holes into hers. "Do you really expect me to believe that you're simply here for the classes?" he asked in clipped tones. "You show up at Hogwarts just few weeks after being introduced to me at Grindelwald's castle. Doesn't that timing seem a little suspect?"

Katherine rolled her eyes. "Why do you think I'm here, Riddle? Please, enlighten me as to the great conspiracy you think I'm involved in."

Riddle paused for a moment, eyes searching Katherine's face and sizing her up. "I think you followed me here. When Grindelwald's ship went down, you were left adrift and looked for the nearest lifeboat. Since Grindelwald had mentioned my recruitment program at Hogwarts, coming here probably seemed like a good option."

Katherine scoffed, flipping her hair to one side. "As much as I appreciate your nautical metaphors, Riddle, I know almost nothing about you. Why in the world would I follow you to another country?"

Riddle's eyes narrowed. "I'm not sure yet," he admitted, "but I intend to find out. To begin with, what is your real name? Katherine or Katarina? Or something else entirely?"

"What would you like it to be?" she inquired tartly.

At this, Riddle finally snapped. Quick as a snake, his hand darted across the table, grapping Katherine's wrist. She gasped, and her head jerked jarringly in the absence of its resting place.

Riddle bent her wrist backwards towards the table, causing Katherine to grimace in pain. He smiled chillingly. "Tell me again, darling, what's your name?"

She looked at him furiously, be never the less responded to his question. "Katarina," she spat.

Riddle continued to hold her wrist in its painfully bent position with one hand, and reached across the table with the other to tuck a strand of hair behind Katherine's ear. "Thank you, Katarina," he said calmly. "I now know two things about you. The first is your name." His fingers moved past her ear, trailing along the side of her neck, his thumb lingering threateningly at her pulse point.

"The second is that you think that because you're beautiful, you are untouchable, and that you'll always get your way." He spoke almost lovingly, his free hand moving to stroke her face gently, before cupping her chin with a firm grasp.

"But you are wrong about that. You see, this is my domain, and here, your impertinence is going to get you into trouble." He gave her wrist a final rough jerk towards the table before letting it go, and sitting back in his chair with the smirk of a man who's just made his point.

Katherine's other hand flew to her wrist, where it rubbed at the sore joint. Through gritted teeth, she managed a wan smile. "Oh, I count on it."

Riddle's smirk faltered and fell away, leaving a look of slight confusion on his face.

Katherine continued, voice shaking slightly, but growing stronger with every word. "You see, with trouble comes excitement, and with excitement comes change, and with change comes opportunity. And I will always take advantage of an opportunity."

"Is that why you're here?" he hissed. "You see Hogwarts as some sort of opportunity?" She was absolutely maddening, speaking in meaningless prose, never giving a straight answer to a question. She reminded Riddle a bit of himself.

"No, Riddle," she said. "I see you as an opportunity."'

Riddle's dark green eyes widened slightly, but before he could respond, the remaining 6th and 7th year Slytherins trooped into the Great Hall. He began to fix himself a mug of coffee, resolving to continue his conversation with Katherine as soon as possible.

Abraxas and Orion entered first, taking their usual seats next to Riddle. Further down the table, Antonin Dolohov and Thaddeus Lestrange took seats across from each other, and the Greengrass twins slid into the seats next to them.

Victoria Carrow began to complain loudly that Katherine was in her seat, but Riddle silenced her with a sharp look, not wanting Katherine to move out of his sight. Charles motioned for Victoria to take the seat on his other side. She huffed, but took the seat, tossing her straight dark hair to one side.

Abraxas gave Katherine a once-over, taking his time as he ran his eyes over her. "Wow, new girl. That uniform is much improved when it's on you," he said lasciviously.

"Funny, I'm much improved when it's off of me," said Katherine with a flirty wink.

Abraxas' jaw dropped slightly, and it took a moment before he remembered to close it again.

"Stop salivating, Abraxas," said Victoria sourly, pouring herself a cup of tea.

"You're looking at little green around the edges there, Vic," said Orion, reaching across the table to grab a piece of toast.

"Well, at least green's a Slytherin colour. Katherine looks a bit brown to me. Mud brown, to be precise," said Victoria, shooting a challenging look at Katherine.

Riddle slammed his mug of coffee down on the table, and all the older Slytherins turned to look at him. "Victoria," he said quietly, "Have I not told you before that such talk is not acceptable in public places? Show some decorum."

Victoria swallowed, and her eyes darted quickly from side to side. "Sorry, Riddle," she mumbled. "It's just that I've never heard of a wizarding family named Morrigan before."

Riddle sneered. "I'm sure there's many things you haven't heard of, Victoria. That doesn't make them appropriate topics for conversation."

Katherine, who had been watching the confrontation with mild interest, now smiled sweetly at Victoria. "I don't mind at all, Riddle. It's my pleasure to educate the poorly informed on matters of magical history." Katherine glanced at Victoria to make sure the verbal blow had met its mark, before continuing.

"Morrigan is the family name used by the British branch of the Markova family, a European pureblood family dating back at least twice as far as you own, Victoria."

Victoria rolled her eyes. "How do we know you aren't just making this up? I've never even heard of this Markova family."

Katherine lifted her chin. "Well, perhaps if your family had spent more time teaching you the history of wizarding families, and less time feeding your ego, we wouldn't be having this unfortunate conversation now."

Victoria gaped at Katherine, and looked at Charles for support. Unfortunately for her, he seemed to be fighting to suppress a laugh at her expense.

Katherine continued. "As things stand, perhaps Antonin may be of some assistance." She looked down the table towards the boy in question. "Is your family still in touch with their Eastern roots, Antonin?"

Antonin appeared startled that he was expected to speak. When he did speak, it was hesitantly. "Yes, my mother told me about the Markova family. But there was a terrible accident, a fire, a few years ago. She told me they died."

Katherine looked down at her plate, fingers playing at the gold chain of a necklace hidden beneath her shirt's collar. "Your mother wasn't wrong. There was an accident. While I was in town, something happened, some magic gone wrong. My father was always experimenting with new spells, though we warned him it was foolish. By the time I returned, our family home was burnt to the ground. My parents and younger sister died among the flames."

Silence followed, no one knowing how to respond to the darkness of the story and the tremor in Katherine's voice.

Eventually, Katherine spoke again, her voice having regained its usual rich smoothness. "If you doubt my identity, have Antonin send his mother an owl. My family knew the Dolohovs well; she would surely be aware that I remain alive and well. Now, that's enough of this heavy conversation. Who can tell me where my first class is located?"

Immediately, Abraxas, Orion and Charles all began to speak over one another, clamouring for Katherine's attention. The Slytherin table erupted into laughter and banter once more, and the darkness of the morning's earlier conversation was almost, but not quite, forgotten.

AN: Why is Katarina really at Hogwarts? What does she want with Riddle? And will she get it from him?

Please review! I would really appreciate it as this is my first piece of fanfiction. :)