Strange and Wondrous

Part 1: One Perfect Moment

Hogwarts, October, 1940

On a bright and sunny Saturday afternoon, Tom Riddle sat in a little used corner of the school library. He spent most of his time here, partly to reinforce his image of serious student and partly because it was a quiet place where few would bother him. It had disappointed him greatly upon his arrival at Hogwarts that, although the Wizarding world offered him much better treatment and gave him many more opportunities than the Muggle world, it was still populated by the same kinds of annoying and ignorant people.

Even being sorted into Slytherin house had not brought him into a circle of kindred spirits. Oh, there were ambitious witches and wizards from old and respectable families who were power hungry enough, but they were hungry for wealth or fame or political placements. They didn't want the power Tom desired. They didn't want to reshape the Wizarding world as he did, and though they might bait Muggle-borns, not one sought revenge on Muggles as a whole. The few Slytherins who did gravitate to him in response to his growing Darkness tended to be mediocre. Tom only hoped that Lucretia Malfoy's infant cousin Lucius could grow up to do more to reflect the honor of the Malfoy family name, because Lucretia sure as hell wasn't going to do much besides look pretty on a rich husband's arm.

Tom sighed and tried to focus again on the translation upon which he'd been working since school began. The book, written in medieval French, was said to hold details of Salazar Slytherin's prophecies regarding the Chamber of Secrets. He had used Imperio to get it. Archibald Rosier was weak willed enough he probably didn't have to use it, but he rather liked practicing the Imperius curse. The third year had nicked it from his great-grandfather's secret library and given it to Tom on the Hogwart's Express.

He pushed it aside in frustration. The Translating charms were not very accurate and his grasp of medieval French, while incredibly advanced for a fourteen-year-old, was not sufficient to make sense of the words. He would have to ask Solange Olivier, the Charms professor and Head of Slytherin House, for help with improving his Translation charms. Professor Olivier was extremely supportive of her students' quest for knowledge. He had had unlimited access to the Restricted Section for over a year, thanks to her. This didn't help him much at all today. If only he had someone more knowledgeable in the Dark Arts to turn to for advice and help. Being the Heir of Slytherin wasn't easy when you had to be Innocuous Tom Riddle as well.

Luckily, Tom had been born under the sign of Gemini, making his capacity for having two distinct personalities a bit easier. He could tutor idiots like Hannah Clay (or as they referred to her in the Slytherin Common Room as "Dumb As") for pocket money - an idea of that damnable Dumbledore's when Hogsmeade visits for Tom began last year - and make the highest marks in all of his classes and be an honorable and decorated member of the Dueling Club while still planning his path to his destiny, smiling sweetly and shyly the whole time. Moving between his two personas was tiring at times, but it was the only means to the end he wanted so badly.

There was only one person at Hogwarts whose opinion mattered to him. From that first meeting with Minerva McGonagall in Diagon Alley, he had known that she was an embodiment of everything that was good about the Wizarding world. She was all that Tom wanted to be - wealthy, from an excellent Pure Blood family, well connected, and well liked. One of the main reasons he could bare being Sweet, Brave Tom Riddle was for her. While they had never been close friends, she always spoke to him like he was an equal, not a Half-blood orphan deserving of pity. They would sometimes even share a study table in the library. He would ask the occasional question, for which he already knew an answer, just to hear her explain the properties of obscure herbs or how to best Transfigure bats into buttons.

Those study sessions had stopped last spring when Alphonsus Goyle finally noticed Minerva. They had started courting, and Minerva had had little time left over for Tom. He made sure his subtle torment of Goyle's Slytherin second cousin, Albert, stepped up a notch after that. But he still got to see her at Dueling Club, and to his delight, he didn't have to hold back in his defensive charms and curses when in competition with her. They were an equal match, and, though he was loathe to admit it, she could often best him. Something between them seemed to crackle with energy and tension when they faced each other. He knew it was probably just his teen aged vanity imagining that, but in his fantasies...

The sound of books being placed on the table woke him from his reverie. Dear Merlin, it was Minerva. He hastily made sure to brush a spare parchment over his book.

"Minerva, hello. Do you want this table? I could move if you need me-" Tom began babbling. In her presence, the Dark Lord Voldemort he had begun imagining himself as vanished immediately, leaving Sweet, Stupid Tom Riddle to muddle through.

"No, Tom, I've actually been looking for you," Minerva smiled. She sat down across from him, her eyes making a sweep of the table and its contents. "How were your holidays?"

"Painful as usual," Tom said, hatred and bitterness flashing through his dark eyes. "Nothing a few Healing spells couldn't handle."

"I'm so sorry," Minerva began, aghast. "I thought Professor Olivier had arranged a place for you to stay."

"The family emigrated to Canada at the last minute," said Tom. "Didn't want to stay in England with the Muggle war going on, and Grindelwald's War getting closer. So it was back to the orphanage. But please don't think on it. I'm back home now, and that's all that really matters." He flashed her his Brave Tom smile and changed the subject. He didn't ever want pity from her. "And how are you doing in your last year at Hogwarts? Are you managing to fit Quidditch captain, Head Girl, and Dueling Club President in with your class schedule?"

"Just barely," she laughed. "I do have a lot on my plate. Which is one reason I've been looking for you, actually. I have a matter of some importance to discuss with you."

Tom felt the blood rush to his cheeks and other more private parts of his body. Minerva had been looking for him? "Please, go on," he managed to say without his voice wavering.

Minerva cast a Privacy charm with a casual flick of her wand. "I was chosen for the Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts class this year. I've had an idea for my class project, but it's dangerous, risky, and, well, technically illegal. I need someone who's not only bright enough to assist me, but who is discrete enough to keep it secret." Noticing Tom's eyes widen in surprise she added, "I wouldn't ask you to do anything illegal, of course. That would be on my head. Do you want me to tell you about my project? If not, I'll stop now, and you can pretend I never mentioned it."

"I'm intrigued. Continue, please," he said, wondering if he hadn't fallen asleep and was now dreaming.

Scooting her chair a bit closer, Minerva said, "I have a theory about a way to block the Imperius curse. I still have a great deal of research to do, but I think a certain combination of Focusing potion and Deflecting charm might be able to effectively block it. If I can develop a working theory, it will help my chances of getting into the Ministry's research laboratories. If I can make it actually work, the sky's the limit. The only thing is that I'd have to actually perform Imperio to test it, and there lies the rub."

"But Minerva, your father is the Minister of Magical Law Enforcement," said Tom, a bit baffled, but thrilled to hear a hint of deviousness existed within the perfectly Gryffindor Minerva McGonagall. "Won't you risk his job if you're discovered using an Unforgivable Curse? Not to mention the risks to yourself. You're going to get into the Ministry no matter, Minerva. It's not like you need to do this."

"That's not the point, Tom. This can work, I know it can. It might be what's needed to sway the war with Grindelwald, to help our side against Dark forces in the future. England is safe for the time being owing partly to the fact that my father is one of the best Law Enforcement Ministers in history, but it's a matter of time before the war reaches our shores. With the Wizarding world and the Muggle world at war, chaos would ensue."

'And wouldn't that be interesting,' thought Tom. He wasn't necessarily a supporter of Grindelwald. From studying his campaigns and methods, he thought he was quite the presumptuous blowhard for all his power. 'When I'm in power, I'll never let myself get that arrogant. That's how you make mistakes and fail.' Tom speculated for a moment. Minerva wasn't complimenting her father's prowess out of family pride. He was a formidable wizard who was indeed marshaling the forces of the Ministry to not only combat Grindelwald but to aid in the wartime protection of Muggle England as much as was prudent. Tom wouldn't want Malcom McGonagall gunning for him.

"Minerva, why are you asking me? I'm not even in your year," he said.

"Oh please, Tom, you might as well be. Everyone knows how brilliant you are. You're probably the most talented student in Charms at school, and you do just as well in Potions. Plus," and with this she raised an eyebrow and gave him a most direct look, "I've watched you closely for four years. I know you've had access to the Restricted Section for awhile now, and I also know that the book you're reading would be confiscated by the Ministry if anyone but me noticed the symbols on the spine. I know that you've a knowledge of curses and hexes that are also quite suspect, and I would report you myself if I didn't know you were a good person at heart."

Tom went hot and cold at the same time. "I simply believe that one must study the Dark Arts to better fight them," he lied quickly.

"I agree. Desperate times call for desperate measures. I think you have knowledge that I need to make a difference. What do you say? Will you help me? I'd have to cast Imperio on you for testing purposes, but I promise I'd never force you to do anything untoward. We'll be research partners, and I'll give you full credit for whatever we do. Would you like to help?"

What Sweet, Brave Tom Riddle wanted to say was "Minerva, I would do anything for you." The Dark Lord Voldemort wanted to say, "You blackmailing bitch - join with me, and we will rule the world." Luckily, he was too shocked to say much more than, "All right then. When do we start?"

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As the school year went by, Tom noticed that his motivation to ferret out the Dark secrets of his heritage faded somewhat. Not that he didn't want to pursue his destiny, but working with Minerva was... He had never known anything like it. They met a couple of afternoons a week in one of the dungeon workrooms connected to the Potions classroom. Officially they were working on a generic curse deflecting potion. Unofficially Tom was quite impressed with Minerva's grasp of Dark strategy and usage of Imperio. He wondered sometimes if maybe she wasn't the same as he was, hiding her Darker nature under the noble exterior, but he doubted it. She used what Dark methods she explored only as a means to defeat them.

When he was with Minerva, he wasn't Sweet, Brave Tom Riddle or Lord Voldemort. He was more himself than he'd been with anyone else. He had to hide his vast knowledge of the Dark Arts and his motives for knowing them of course, but he didn't have to maintain the mask of model student and tragic innocent with her either. He had found his first real friend, a person with whom he could share almost everything. And if he had been in love with Minerva McGonagall the image before, he was now intensely in love with Minerva McGonagall the person. He never let on, however, no matter how comfortable he felt with her. He wanted nothing but passage of time to make their time together come to an end.

The first time she used Imperio to test her theory, Minerva had been very nervous. He'd been tempted to tell that he'd used Imperio many times, and it wasn't a hard curse to perform after the first time, but he knew that her hands were trembling for ethical reasons, not practical ones. He'd simply smiled and made a joke about making him act like a chicken. She had cast it successfully, but it didn't matter. He had been under her thrall with no magic at all. It turned out that the potion and charm had not quite worked the way she'd expected, and more fine tuning of the method was needed. Tom was overjoyed it hadn't worked on the first go.

By the time the first of June came round, Minerva and Tom worked together almost every day to make the final preparations for the last testing. Minerva had been a nervous wreck, waiting for word on whether she'd been accepted into a Ministry position, studying for her N.E.W.T.'s, and completing her Advanced Transfiguration class project. Tom knew she would do well, no matter her fears. He also realized with an increasing mournfulness that he only had a short time left with her. She'd be gone from Hogwarts, and he would be alone again, surrounded by mediocrity.

The second Friday in June was the day the last version of the Focusing potion would be ready. As Minerva would be occupied with the N.E.W.T.'s the next week and other end of school activities, this would be the final day of the project. Tom was out of sorts the whole morning and had sloppily allowed his attention to wander in Transfiguration. This resulted in an after class conversation with his least favorite teacher.

There was no real reason Tom had to dislike Albus Dumbledore so, other than the fact that Tom felt like Dumbledore could see straight through him. One skill Tom had refined throughout his years was building up telepathic walls so that any Legilimens at the castle wouldn't be able to read his thoughts. Whenever he was near Dumbledore, he instinctively kept the shields firmly in place. Dumbledore made Tom very nervous, even paranoid.

"Tom, I noticed you were not quite with us in class today," said Dumbledore kindly.

In his finest Sweet, Brave Tom persona, he had answered back, "I apologize, Sir. My mind was elsewhere. It won't happen again."

"No doubt you were thinking of your project with Minerva McGonagall," Dumbledore continued. "I understand the final test is today."

"Urm.. yes, it is," said Tom. "Minerva has kept you up to date on the project then, has she?" As always when talking with Dumbledore, Tom felt like he was being backed into a corner and watched himself closely for mistakes that would trip him up.

"Oh, she keeps me informed," said Dumbledore, looking at him in that piercing way of his. "I hope your efforts prove successful, Tom. I also hope care is taken, as it should be with any experimentation."

"We're very careful in our testing procedures," said Tom, hating himself for starting to sweat under his professor's scrutiny.

"I should hope next class period your attention will be in the classroom, Tom."

"It will be, Sir. May I go now?"

Dumbledore nodded and watched as Tom left the classroom. Once Tom was in the hallway, he took a deep breath. He decided he'd head down to the workroom instead of eating lunch. He wasn't hungry anymore.

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"Tom, I have the best of news!" Minerva cried as she entered the workroom, brandishing a parchment. "I've been accepted into the Ministry! I'll be working in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement as a research assistant."

"Minerva, that's wonderful," said Tom, his eyes taking in the color of her sparkling eyes, trying to memorize the way her hair fell about her face. "I'm so happy for you. I know it's a relief to have found out before the N.E.W.T.'s."

"A huge relief." Clapping her hands she said, "Well, partner, are you ready for the final test? This could be the most important day of our lives."

Tom smiled. He hadn't the heart to tell her that he had figured out two counter curses that would likely damage the Deflection charm enough to negate the boosted Focusing potion. If she were still in magical law enforcement when he came to power, he realized that they would likely be enemies. He wanted that day to be far off, but he also wanted every advantage he could to succeed. He would keep his knowledge to himself.

"I'm ready if you are," he said.

Minerva stirred the potion in the cauldron clockwise five times. As she was preparing the dosage in a vial, she said, "I was thinking that I haven't had the experience of trying the potion and charm myself. It would be useful to make sure that more than one subject was tested. Would you be able, and willing, to try the Imperius on me? It's really not a difficult curse once you get over the moral implications. You don't have to," she hastily added, " and I wouldn't want you to if you're not comfortable."

"I'm not sure, Minerva," he said. Of all the times he'd used Imperio, he'd never once felt hesitation, but this was different. "I could try, if you really needed me to."

"I'd like to know, Tom," she said. "But as our protocol has always been with you as test subject, will you take a dosage first?" She handed him the vial she had prepared.

"Of course, Minerva," he said, drinking it down and feeling a surge of the magic at work.

"Tom, I have to tell you once again how much I appreciate all your help. Not everyone would do this for a friend's school project."

Tom smiled. "It's been an incredible experience for me, Minerva. I'm honored you chose me as a partner."

"Ready?" asked Minerva. She took a deep breath, pointed her wand at him and said, "Imperio."

The dreaminess and loss of control washed over him like a wave. It would be so easy to succumb to this, to be her puppet, to do as she bid for as long as she wanted. He understood how his own victims felt now and had less guilt about his actions than ever. The Focusing charm worked its own magic, and his self will came back with a jolt just as he was putting a foot in front of him.

Minerva once more said, "Walk towards me." Tom shook off the Imperio, and said, "No! Finite Incantatem."

He stood there, blinking for a moment as he came fully to his senses. Minerva had sat down at the work table and was writing down notes in her log book. "It worked that time, didn't it? It'll have to be refined and made more practical for magic users in the field, but it worked. This is incredible, Tom. With this we have struck a small blow towards the enemy." She beamed at him with a joy he couldn't help but reciprocate. It was quite an accomplishment even if he would have to defeat it utterly in the near future. He sighed and rubbed his eyes.

"Are you all right?" said Minerva.

"I'm fine," he replied. "A little tired, is all."

"Are you still up to trying to cast Imperius? You don't have to. In fact, maybe you shouldn't. I can always wait till I'm working in the lab to further the research."

"I think maybe you're right, Minerva," he said. He didn't want to use Imperius on her, no matter what the motive. Not now, hopefully not ever. Desperate to change the subject, he continued. "Minerva, I'd like to celebrate. Would you be too busy tomorrow to take advantage of the last Hogsmeade weekend? I'd like to buy you a butter beer to toast our accomplishments."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Tom," said Minerva. "I can only go for a little while, though. Shall we walk together or do you want to meet me there?"

"We could leave school by 11:00. Would that be early enough?"

"I think that would be fine. Now, could you do another of your cursee write-ups for me? Describe everything you felt the entire time. And thank you again, Tom, I really mean it."

"But of course." Tom smiled and went to sit beside Minerva at the table. Taking out a quill and parchment he began to write.

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The last Hogsmeade weekend of the year was usually the most crowded and rowdiest of them all. Tom and Minerva were lucky to find a small corner table for two in the extremely busy Three Broomsticks. Tom hoped he wasn't acting like a total prat, but this might be the last time he ever sat with Minerva or chatted with her. They were having a splendid time and spent a good deal of the hour they'd been together laughing. It felt good to laugh, to talk, to be in her presence on this beautiful summery day.

"Tom, I wanted to ask you, have you found a place to stay this summer? I've been worried but didn't want to bring it up."

"Yes, actually, Lucretia Malfoy's family offered to take me in." Tom was glad he wasn't going back to the orphanage, but he was not enthused about spending a summer with Lucretia.

"Oh, well, that's good then," said Minerva, with the slightest hint of disapproval. "I didn't realize you two were such good friends."

"We're not," said Tom, pitching his voice a bit lower, "I can't stand her actually. But it beats the orphanage." He tried to keep a straight face, but Minerva started giggling again. "I think... she fancies me, though," he managed to say between his laughter.

"Oh, I'm so sorry for you," said Minerva, wiping tears from her eyes. "Try not to get betrothed. Those Malfoys are crafty. You'd best keep a dose of Focusing potion with you at all times."

"I don't know. She'd make a beneficial ally, if her father would allow a Half-blood to tarnish the family name. And what about you, Minerva, are there wedding bells ringing for you soon?" He had been wanting to ask her this for awhile.

"With Alphonsus? Merlin no, not yet. He's very sweet and all, but McGonagall women tend to wait a bit before marriage. I'll be settled in my career before I settle down with anyone."

"Good," said Tom. "And you do know, of course, that I'll have to personally approve any prospective mate of yours. Not just any wizard off the street will be worthy of the great Minerva McGonagall."

"How sweet, Tom," said Minerva. "You will stay in touch won't you? I'd hate to lose contact with you. I'll be happy to be a reference for you when you leave school. I bet I can even help you get a job in the Ministry when the time comes. Maybe we'll be able to work together again."

"Maybe," he said wistfully.

Minerva took a drink of her butter beer. "Tom, you've kept our secrets this whole time. Can you keep another one?"

"Of course, Minerva, what is it?"

"I've been dying to tell someone," she whispered, "but I'd been advised not to. You know I've been working on a special project for Advanced Transfiguration, right? Tom, I'm an Animagus. I made my first transformation last night after we had finished up in the lab."

"Congratulations!" said Tom. "That's an incredibly rare gift, Minerva. What animal form are you?"

"I'd better not tell," she said. "I'm not registered with the Ministry yet. Can you imagine though? This has been an incredible way to end a school year."

Before he could stop himself, he said, "You are magnificent, Minerva. You're everything that's good about our world. I don't... I don't know what I'll do next year when you're gone."

"That's high praise indeed, Tom," said Minerva, patting his hand. "You'll do fine. You're such a good student, and all the teachers go on and on about your potential. I'll miss you, as well. I promise I'll write you often."

If she hadn't touched him, Tom probably wouldn't have done what he did next. As it was, the feel of her hand on his, the closeness of her body in the chair next to him overwhelmed him. Looking into her eyes, Tom wanted nothing more than to pull her to him and kiss her and never stop and before he knew it, that's just what he was doing. The moment their lips touched, time fragmented for him. His heart was pounding loudly in his ears as he placed his trembling hands on each side of her face. Her lips were soft and yielding as he moved forward, and he slipped one arm around her, pulling her closer. He could have been kissing her for a second or an hour when he felt her hand touch his. He broke the kiss with a start.

Horrified, Tom said, "I am... Please forgive me. That was inexcusable. I.." Minerva looked surprised, but not angry. They were both breathing hard from the intensity of the kiss. He was still close to her, and before he could lose himself in her again, he said, "I'm sorry, Minerva." He got up clumsily and fled the Three Broomsticks, running nearly the whole way back to his dormitory.

The next day, Minerva sought him out at dinner and they briefly spoke about the event. She told him there was nothing to forgive, and he apologized again anyway. After that they didn't have much time to see each other until they bade each other an awkward farewell on the Hogwarts Express. He started translating his medieval French in earnest and with the influence of the Malfoys became focused once more on his path to become the most powerful Dark wizard in the world. Minerva kept her promise to write, but the letters were never more than friendly greetings and eventually came less and less often as the months passed. Tom had his memories, though, and he locked those away in a part of his heart that hardened with each day. He would always remember that kiss, that one perfect moment in his life. The Darkness brewing inside might one day reject all other notions of love and light, but that moment would haunt him forever.