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AUBREY'S FACE CRINKLED with disgust watching a boy named Belby, slobbishly scarf down his food. She twirled her fork around her fingers, loosing her appetite quite quickly. The witch was tuning out the boring conversations Professor Slughorn was trying to make with his students. Aubrey glanced over at Hermione, who was uncomfortable under Cormac's intense glazes. The brunette glared at the bloke, making him advert his glaze to his plate of food. Hermione smiled lightly at the brunette, silently thanking her. Aubrey looked beside her, seeing Harry picking around at his food. She pursed her lips, wondering why he was quiet.

"So, tell me, Cormac, do you see anything of your uncle Tiberius these days?" Slughorn curiously asked, taking a bite of his food.

Cormac nodded. "Yes, sir," he said politely. "In fact, I'm meant to go hunting with him and the Minister of Magic over the holidays."

The fake politeness of Cormac threw at the professor, made Aubrey want to roll her eyes. She hated guys like him-guys that were respectful toward adult figures, but disrespectful and total jerks to women.

Slughorn smiled with delight. "And what your uncle, Belby?" He turned to the boy who slurped down his food. "For those of you who don't know well, Marcus' uncle invented the Wolfsbane Potion. Is he working on anything new?"

"I don't know," Belby shrugged, putting more food in his mouth. "He and my dad don't get along. 'Prolly cause my dad says potions are rubbish. His only potion worth having is a stiff one at the end of the day."

Slughorn cleared his throat, a weary grin showcasing his face, before turning toward Hermione. "Miss. Granger, what exactly does your family do in the muggle world?"

"My parents are dentist," Hermione stated, looking around at the questioning looks of confusion from various people. "They attend to people's teeth," Hermione farther explained.

Aubrey and Harry shared a look of amusement. "Fascinating. And is that a dangerous profession?" Slughorn boasted.

"No. Although, one boy, Robby Fenwich, did bite my father once. He needed ten stitches," Hermione giggled, as Aubrey looked away in second-hand embarrassment.

"What about your parents, Miss. Thomas?" Slughorn asked, his glaze turning toward the brunette.

"My parents are dead," Aubrey bluntly said, as everyone's eyes looked horrified at the young woman, dropping their silverware on the plates.

"Oh, I'm so very sorry-" Slughorn started to apologize, but was cut off.

Aubrey chuckled a tiny bit, as everyone continue to stare. "Don't worry about it. I didn't know them at all. By the time I was one, they abandoned me and left me on a doorstep. I was founded by the Malfoy family, and they took me in as their own."

Harry stared at her with sympathy. His heart went out toward her, but he found it strange that she didn't feel the least bit upset about her parents. Aubrey acted like it was nothing; that the two people who were supposed to love their child more than anything, didn't mean anything to her.

Ginny Weasley had opened the door to the dining room, looking apologetic toward the students and professor. "Sorry, I'm not usually late," the red-haired witch mentioned.

Hermione leaned in toward Harry and Aubrey. "Look, her eyes," she whispered, as the trio glanced up at Ginny seeing her eyes were red and puffy from crying. "They've been fighting again. Her and Dean."

The dinner was finally coming to an end, and Aubrey couldn't have been more pleased. She didn't understand why she showed up, she wasn't going to. But Harry and Hermione had convinced her to come, saying they didn't want to be alone. Aubrey had teased that they both owed her a Butterbeer and a package of sweets from Honeydukes.

"Hey, you coming," Aubrey said, as she stood by the door, seeing Harry being the only person still at the table.

"I'm going to stay back and see if I can get anything out of Slughorn about Tom Riddle," Harry implied.

Aubrey nodded slowly, a grin growing on her face. "I'll join then."

Harry shook his head. "No, you don't need to. Dumbledore wanted me to do this."

"Harry, I want to help you. Besides, I'm really good at persuading people," Aubrey smirked, rocking back and forth on her heels.

Harry sighed in defeat, finally giving in. Aubrey internally sighed with relief, grateful that she was able to see what Harry knew about Tom Riddle. She wondered why Dumbledore needed Harry to get something out of Slughorn about Riddle. If she didn't get her answer tonight, she would contact The Dark Lord and have him explain what Slughorn knows.

"Potter! Thomas!" Slughorn said in surprise.

"We're sorry, sir, we were just admiring your hourglass," Harry claimed, as both of the teens stared at the object.

"Ah, yes, most intriguing object," Sluhorn mussed, walking closer to the hourglass. "The sand runs in accordance with the quality of the conversation. It is simulating, the sand runs slowly. If it is not..." Slughorn trailed off.

"I think we better be going, then," Harry muttered, as he gripped Aubrey by the wrist, starting to pull her toward the door.

Aubrey frowned, yanking her wrist back. "Uh, Harry no."

"Thomas is right! Nonsense. You have nothing to fear, dear boy," Slughorn waved off.

"Actually, some of your classmates...We'll let's just say they're unlikely to make the shelf," Slughorn persisted. Aubrey raised her eyebrows, her eyes narrowing in on the man. Slughorn gulped at the witch's intense, clearly terrifying glares.

"Shelf, sir?" Harry asked.

Slughorn walked over to his shelf full of varies moving pictures of his past students. "Anyone who aspires to be anyone hopes to end up here. But then again, you already are someone, aren't you, Harry?"

Aubrey scoffed at the man, wondering how a kiss-ass like him, ended up working at Hogwarts. "Did Voldemort ever make the shelf, sir?" Harry inquired bluntly.

The brunette almost choked on her spit, hearing how blunt Harry's question really was. Slughorn's face turned pale, the color draining out of him.

"Weren't you his teacher, way back when?" Aubrey interrogating. "Isn't Tom Riddle what he went by back then?"

"Mr. Riddle had a number of teachers who were here at Hogwarts," Slughorn insisted, moving away from the two teens.

"What was he like?" Harry persisted. "I'm sorry, sir. Forgive me, he killed my parents." Aubrey felt guilty for being on Voldemort's side, knowing he murdered Harry's parents. But Voldemort taught her everything she knew, and without him, Aubrey wouldn't be who she was today.

"Of course, it's only natural you should want to know. But I'm afraid I must disappoint you, Harry, and well, I guess you too, Aubrey. When I first met young Mr. Riddle, he was a quiet, albeit brilliant boy, committed to becoming a first-grade wizard. Not unlike others I've known. Not unlike yourself, in fact. If the monster existed, it was very deep within," Slughorn cowardly explained.

Knowing Slughorn wasn't going to explain anymore, Harry and Aubrey had decided enough was for tonight, so they left. Harry had walked Aubrey down to the dungeons, where the Slytherin common room was, not wanting their night to end just yet.

"He's lying," Aubrey claimed.

"Why do you say that?" Harry questioned in curiosity.

"Did you see the way he was acting? It was sketchy if you ask me," Aubrey shrugged.

"In his defense, we did just corner a man about Voldemort himself," Harry mentioned.

"True, but he knows more. He just didn't want to spill."

Harry had wished Aubrey a good night, as she entered into her common room. She made her way into her dormitory, ignoring the daggers she was receiving from Pansy. Aubrey laid in her bed, cuddling into her blankets, before falling fast asleep.

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