His Salvation

The Slytherins started to leave, but Luther said they had to go together.

"Jeff! Den! Wait up!" Gabby pushed through everyone, anything to get away from those girls.

"Hey, Gabby," Tom grabbed her arm.

"Hi," Gabby said quickly. She slid her arm out of his grasp and found the boys. Her two best friends.

"Hey, where have you been lately, Gabby?" Jeff asked.

"I've had so much homework lately, and all this prefect stuff," she shrugged. "Besides, you guys are busy with Quidditch practise."

"I guess I just miss hearing you cheer and scream at us from the stands," Jeff shrugged.

Gabby rolled her pretty green eyes.

"Our little Gabby's all grown up," Dennis said putting a friendly arm around her shoulders. "Jeff, remember when we used to help her with her punching skills."

Jeff nodded, "Or when she used to force us to do our homework." Jeff put and over her other shoulder.

Gabby moaned. By this time they had reached the Great Hall.

~

"What a bitch," Miranda hissed, looking scandalized. "I don't know what possessed you to trust her with your secret of being a Parselmouth."

"She's not a bitch." Tom tore his eyes from Gabby. "Those are her best friends, what would you do?"

"I'd stop leading you on. Although, I must admit she is quite good at it. Maybe even better than me," Miranda shrugged.

Tom looked at Gabby. She was staring right at him. His spine tingled as those forest green eyes swept over him. She smiled her smile and Tom felt a blush creep up on him.

Stop it! The evil part of him screamed. You're Lord Voldemort, not some boy with a silly little crush on a schoolgirl.

The Tom Riddle part of him responded quickly: If she joins me, I'll be unstoppable.

Tom cleared his head as Dippet began to talk urgently about all the attacks and how they should stop or they may have to close the school. At the end of his long, and rather boring, speech he told anyone that knew anything that seemed even the least bit suspicious to speak up.

He beginning or December was approaching and with that came Christmas, extra homework, and a ball. Tom hadn't talked to Gabby in a really long time.

He knew she wasn't avoiding him because she had visited with him briefly in the library, but Tom had to finish a plan for the basilisk. She even snuck into the Slytherin changing rooms to wish him luck with his Quidditch game. They beat Hufflepuff 10 - 300 that game.

~

Gabby sat out in the bleachers of the Quidditch field. She knew she shouldn't be out there. Dippet had given strict instructions to stay in large crowds and not go outside unless accompanied by a teacher, but Gabby was a prefect.

Gabby's hair was frizzy and her face was wet from tears. Her brother had been petrified and it broke her heart when she saw him just lying there, stiff as stone and just as cold. He was holding his brand new Oakshaft in his hand. All Quidditch games had been cancelled since.

Charles had been found with his girlfriend, Shirley Brocklehurst. She was a pleasant half-blood from Ravenclaw.

Gabby wiped her eyes quickly. Someone was coming towards her.