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ABOUT a month had passed since Athena arrived at Hogwarts, and she had begun to feel truly at home within its ancient, storied walls. The castle's beauty had become familiar, and she now navigated its corridors with a sense of belonging.

As October settled in, a chill lingered in the air. Athena pulled her sweater tighter around her, the warmth offering a comforting contrast to the crispness of the autumn breeze. Her footsteps echoed softly in the corridor, the sound mingling with the distant hum of castle life.

Her bag was slung over one shoulder, filled with the books and notes she always carried. Today, her destination was the library, her favorite place in Hogwarts. The thought of sinking into the cozy embrace of its vast collection of books filled her with excitement. The library, with its towering shelves and quiet nooks, was where Athena felt most at ease, and she looked forward to losing herself in its peaceful solitude.

The library was Athena's comfort sport, where she dedicated herself to her studies with the kind of single-minded focus that was essential to her ambition. The Slytherin common room, always cold and dimly lit, did little to offer the warmth and concentration she craved. In contrast, the library's quiet, cozy ambiance provided the perfect environment for her to dive into her work.

Athena's drive was fueled by her desire to outshine everyone, particularly Tom Riddle. Riddle was the only student who consistently matched her in every academic pursuit—be it assignments, potion-making, Transfiguration spells, or History of Magic tests. Their competition was fierce and relentless.

After Athena had gotten a higher grade on last month's potion essay, Riddle became even more determined. He immersed himself in his studies with a single-minded intensity, his hands constantly stained with ink from endless hours of writing. His quest to reclaim the 'Top Student' title– that Athena now shared with him– was a fierce one, and he would not tolerate a single flaw in his work, perfecting every detail.

Athena, not to be outdone, mirrored Riddle's efforts with even greater fervor. Her aptitude for studying and achieving high marks came naturally, but she pushed herself harder than she ever had at Beauxbatons. Each assignment, each potion, each spell, and each test that ended in a tie with Riddle only fueled her determination. Her growing hatred towards the tall, charming boy was evident in every academic showdown they faced.

For Athena, being the best was not just a goal—it was her reason of existence. She would not allow anyone, especially not Tom Riddle, to surpass her.

Athena's day took an unexpected turn when she arrived at her usual table in the library. To her dismay, Tom Riddle was seated there, his presence a blatant challenge to her routine.

She almost dropped the stack of books she was holding in surprise, her eyes narrowing as she regarded him. Clenching her jaw, she chose to ignore him and sat down at an empty table a few seats away, trying to keep her irritation in check.

Riddle glanced up from the assignment he was working on, his face breaking into a smile that was more smug than genuine. Leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms, he said, "I trust I haven't taken your usual spot, have I, Malfoy?"

Athena resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Is your focus so fixed on me that you know exactly where I usually sit, Riddle?" she retorted, her voice laced with a sarcastic edge.

She watched with satisfaction as his smile faltered, though he quickly recovered.

"Don't flatter yourself, Malfoy," Riddle shot back, his expression hardening. "I'm not concerned with your usual spot."

"Good," Athena replied, her tone icy.

Turning her attention to her own table, she pulled out a parchment, quill, and a bottle of ink from her bag. Despite Riddle's head start on the assignment, Athena was determined that her work would be better than his. She stood up, knowing she needed a specific book for her research to perfect her assignment.

As she reached for the book on the shelf, her heart sank when Riddle's hand shot out to snatch it before hers could. Athena's mouth fell open in shock.

"I was about to get that," she said, her voice a mix of frustration and disbelief.

Riddle feigned innocence as he held the book up, examining it. "This book? But I need it as well, Malfoy. You'll have to find another one. My research will be based on this, and as you know, two assignments can't be based on the same source."

He was right. Using the same book would cancel both assignments, rendering their work useless and potentially considered cheating.

Athena's jaw clenched tightly as she glared at him. "Riddle, give me the book. Or I swear to Merlin, you will regret it."

For the first time, Riddle's laughter broke the tension—a cold, mocking sound that resonated with amusement and disbelief. "Are you threatening me, Malfoy?"

"No," Athena said firmly. "I'm warning you."

Riddle merely scoffed, turning away to rummage through his bag for a new bottle of ink, leaving the book sitting innocently beside him. Athena, fueled by a mix of frustration and determination, quickly packed up her things.

She hurried out of the library without a backward glance, her mind fixated on retrieving the book. Once outside, she discreetly pulled out her wand. "Accio," she murmured, her thoughts solely on the book that Riddle had claimed. With a satisfying swish, the book flew from Riddle's table and into her bag.

Athena wasted no time rushing to the Slytherin common room. She preferred to endure the cold in her dormitory rather than face the smothering heat of the library and the confrontation it had sparked. Hidden away in her room, she could finally settle down and immerse herself in her work, her frustration replaced by a fierce resolve to outshine Riddle in their academic rivalry.

And that was exactly what Athena did. Within ten minutes, she had shut herself in her dorm room, locking the door behind her. She turned around, nearly jumping out of her skin when she saw Lucinda's face inches from hers.

"Merlin's beard, Lucinda, you scared me!" Athena exclaimed, rushing to her bed and sitting down on the floor next to it. She quickly pulled out the book, parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink.

Lucinda's eyes narrowed, her arms crossed. "Is there a reason you're so frantic, Athena?"

"Yes," Athena admitted, flipping through the book with intense focus. "I snatched this book from Riddle when he wasn't looking."

Lucinda's mouth fell open in shock.

Athena couldn't blame her; what she'd done was reckless. There was a reason the Sorting Hat hadn't placed her in Gryffindor, after all.

"He's probably looking for me," Athena continued, glancing nervously at the door. "If he knocks, don't open it—"

Just as Athena was finishing her warning, a loud banging echoed through the room, causing both girls to jump.

Lucinda's eyes widened in a mixture of awe and fear.

"Malfoy!" They heard Tom Riddle's voice from the other side of the door, accompanied by more banging.

"Hide," Lucinda whispered urgently.

Athena shot her a disbelieving look, but Lucinda's stern expression left no room for argument. She scrambled under the bed as Lucinda went to open the door.

"What are you doing here, Riddle?" Lucinda asked with exaggerated confusion, peeking out from behind the door. "This is a girls' dormitory. Have you forgotten?"

"Where is she?" Riddle's voice was filled with barely contained rage as he tried to push past Lucinda, who stood her ground.

Lucinda crossed her arms, feigning innocence. "Who? The only one here besides me, is Druella and she is changing. I doubt Cygnus would appreciate you seeing his future betrothed in such a state. Athena isn't here. You might want to check the library." She finished by closing the door in his face and locking it with a decisive click.

Athena cautiously emerged from her hiding spot, gazing at Lucinda with a mix of admiration and relief. "Lucinda, you're a menace," she said, her voice brimming with genuine respect.

Lucinda gave her a pointed look, nodding toward the parchment spread out before Athena. "You better get the best mark, Athena. Or I might have to kill you myself."

Athena chose to ignore the last comment and immediately focused on her research and writing, determined to produce a flawless assignment.

Meanwhile, Tom Riddle was fuming silently in the Slytherin common room, his anger palpable as he stared vacantly into the flickering flames of the fireplace. The audacity of Athena Malfoy had completely blindsided him. He clenched his jaw in frustration, his eyes boring into the fire as he seethed with rage. He knew Athena was hiding in her dorm, and Lucinda's lie had only fueled his anger further.

Despite his fury, Tom decided to stay put and wait.

After three long hours, Athena finally emerged from the girls' dormitory, her hands smudged with ink. She approached him, a smirk playing on her lips, and handed him the book.

Tom took the book from her, glaring daggers at her as he spoke, his voice dripping with venom. "You haven't won, Malfoy."

Athena's expression was one of feigned innocence. "I have no idea what you're talking about, Riddle." She turned on her heel and walked back up the stairs to the dormitories, leaving Tom alone in the now-empty common room.

Tom opened the book, his eyes widening in shock as he discovered what Athena had done.

The pages he needed were ripped out.