CHAPTER TWO
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-: fifth year :-

── IN WHICH THEY RECEIVE
BADGES OF HONOUR, AND ONE
DOES NOT

. . .

A WEEK OR SO LATER, their Hogwarts letters came. Lena was sat within her father's office, reading over one of the reports Theodore had written for his work experience at the Ministry alongside her father. They were pouring over another document together by his desk. She liked working in there, reading in there, and often liked to paint it. The walls were covered in tall bookshelves stretching all the way up to the ceiling, folders and files tucked in drawers and stacked on side tables, the plaque he had gotten to prove his position hanging on the wall behind his desk, to the right of the portrait painted of his family. On the left of that, the collection of medals he had acquired during his time as an Auror at the beginning of the war.

August Bones was something of a Ministry hero, a soldier rewarded by position at the very top. He appeared, in all sense of the word, as the perfect man for their liking, as he had such a darling daughter and a son just like himself, and a wife of note too. Not to mention his commitment to the work he did. August Bones was the perfect Ministry man, and on his days off he continued to devote his life to his profession, albeit with the help of his two children and wife, who would often visit the office in moments of calm within the orphanage with pitchers of sweet drinks and platters of still-warm baked goods.

"Theo?" Lena looked up, to find her brother deep in focus in the document his father had presented, a file left untitled in his right hand.

"Leave him for a moment, Odette." The sobriquet had become her name for August, for her love of Tchaikovsky's ballet. He call her swan, too. Her brother was Benvolio, for Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and sometimes, Lena was Cordelia, of King Lear. "What is it, darling?"

"Nothing much, Father." She replied, almost hesitantly. He said nothing, but raised from his leather-bound chair and set towards her, the girl lifting her feet so that he could sit down. "I just wondered if this was true, about the Werewolves?" She pointed out. August's face flickered through emotions, perhaps wondering just what he could say to her. "It's unjust, they didn't choose to be turned."

"That does not matter, Lena." Theodore stood up, his tone harsher than she had expected. "They-"

"I'd rather you did not try to justify this to me, Theo." Lena replied.

"Now, now. Family feuds do nothing to aid us." Mr Bones interrupted, standing to properly separate them. "Lena, Cordelia, darling, it may be unjust, but that is what is difficult about my job, and Theodore shall have to experience the moral imbalance soon. Theo, we are in a home setting, you are allowed to express your true emotions here."

"That is how I feel, Father." Theo's nose scrunched. "They may not have chosen to be Werewolves, but they choose their paths in life. Lena, I do not want to upset you over this but-" He was interrupted by a pecking at the window and their heads shot up, previous conflict forgotten. Two owls sat on the windowsill and August crossed the room quickly, unlatching the wood and allowing the birds to hope within.

"Hogwarts letters?" Theodore stood tall. He was about to enter his seventh year, and it was evident what he was hoping for. One of the owls carried two envelopes, and he reached forward to take them. One appeared heavier than the other and he beamed, handing his sister the thin slip of parchment that was the other. "Perfect, just as I had hoped."

"Theodore." August said gently, looking over his daughter's shoulder. "This is your letter, here."

"Pardon?" His son looked horrified and turned a shade paler, as though he was going to be sick. He flipped the envelope over, having not even opened it yet, and scanned the scrawl addressing it to one of the two. "Oh." Theodore didn't look up as he held out the envelope, and August gently switched the two.

"I understand this is a disappointment." He placed a hand on his son's shoulder, eyeing the envelope he held. Momentarily, he turned to Lena. "My little swan, we shall celebrate later. Leave me and your brother be, go and tell your mother the good news."

Lena nodded slowly and left the room with her letter, and the four others that had been held by the second owl. The door swung closed behind her after she realised she hadn't retrieved her book from the sofa. She did not return to get it, and instead leant against the wall, smiling, as she slipped her nail beneath the familiar red wax seal and opened it, extracting the letter and watching as a yellow badge fell into her palm. Prefect.

She could only have hoped to get the position like her brother had two years before. Inevitably, he would be in a sordid mood for the next week or so, attending to several letters in an attempt to find out who had gotten the position instead of him, but would eventually congratulate her, once he had calmed down. Carefully, Lena replaced the letter and badge in her envelope and tucked it in the tight space

With a brief excursion to the rec room to find Edgar, Polly, and Charles - two second years and a third year - to deliver theirs, Lena made her way down the very same hallway as she had not too long beforehand, one letter besides her own remaining. She came to a stop at the end of the corridor, in front of the very last door on the left hand side.

Raising her hand, she rapped against it once, then twice. "Come in." A voice within said, and she twisted the door knob and entered, standing with the doorway. "Lena, I said you could come in." Tom said, with some sort of small smile, as though he found amusement in it.

She smiled too, at her own mistake and stepped within. "Would you like me to shut the door?" She asked, and he paused for a moment, looking up from his desk. Lena was being entirely sincere, something he hadn't expected from her. He could remember, from many years before when it had all began, that people were more wary than him. Lena was not.

"If you would like." He replied.

Lena closed the door and briefly scanned the room. "I have something for you." She smiled, as she came to sit on his bed, the only place to sit in his room - he was at his desk chair, which he turned around to face her. "Something exciting." She continued, clutching the envelopes to her chest.

"Our Hogwarts letters came?" Tom deduced quickly, because he could see the excitement she expressed reflecting in his own eyes. Like before, he found himself smiling. "You're happy." He commented, made note.

"I am." She nodded and bit back the smile. Her eyes darted downwards, scanning the familiar lettering on the envelopes. "Here, this is for you." She held it out to him, watched as he took it and removed a smaller, ornate letter opener from his desk, sliding the blade beneath the wax seal and opening it.

He extracted the letter first, out of instinct and scanned the letter. "The books this year look interesting. The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 5... Miranda Goshawk."

"The woman who wrote the Book of Spells." Lena said, knowingly. "The teachers are prohibited from teaching from it, Professor Veres was telling me about it last year. She must have expanded." She rocked back and forth slightly, practically unable to sit still.

"We're required two extra quills this year, did you notice?" Tom pointed out. "They must be for exams, extra homework... you can't wait can you?" He didn't know exactly what had changed, really, or what would change between how she acted before him now, and the more reserved act he saw within school, but the Lena he saw before him was the reason why he felt something warm within him, something truly budding there.

"What?" Lena flushed. "No... I just think it's exciting." She replied. Her fingers dragged along the exposed skin of her inner arm, watching him carefully as he too, studied her expression. "Go on, please."

He set the letter down the desk beside him, using a closed bottle of ink and the corner of his notebook so that he could straighten it out. Then he turned back to her, and tipped the envelope upside down over his palm, watching as a green badge tumbled out.

"Ah, perfect." Tom allowed himself to smile, although he almost knew that he would certainly hold little to no reaction should he have been alone. He would have been happy, pleased with the outcome, but it was only because of her that he actually showed it. He held it between his index finger and his thumb, watching it shine in the life. Prefect. "Am I to assume you received one as well."

Her fingers brushed against his skin as she placed the daffodil-coloured badge into his palm, it resting on a slope against his. "You assumed correctly." Lena's head tilted.

"I always am." He hummed, pleased with himself.

"We'll be going to Diagon Alley in the next couple of days." She told him after a few seconds of simply observing him, watching . "I have to discuss it with my parents later... tonight maybe."

"It's before noon."

"Theodore didn't get Head-boy." Lena said quietly, as though she was just as disappointed as him. Tom didn't doubt that she actually was. The Bones family prided themselves on each other; having two prefects in the family would be something August Bones would no doubt boast at work, and for Theodore to miss out on such a position would certainly hold some unrest between them all. "I'll wait until later." She said decisively. "They'll be a celebration dinner too, at some point."

"Wonderful." He said drily.

"They're not bad, Tom." She told him gently, as he returned her badge to the palm resting against her thigh. "Thank you," Lena said, "but truly, they're not bad."

He made a face, adjusting in his chair. "I just don't like them, darling." He shook his head. She felt her heart warm at the nickname, and didn't say anything for a moment.

"If you'd prefer I can speak to my mother and request them not to say anything." Lena suggested slowly, thinking it through.

"I would, thank you Lena." Tom said. "Congratulations on becoming a prefect."

"Thank you, you too." And she pushed herself up from her seat on his bed and made her way to the door. "I'll let you know about visiting London soon."

𓆙

"I'm unbelievably proud of you, sweetheart." Sylvia Bones stood before her daughter, hands brushing against the lapels of her brown pinstripe blazer. It was a new purchase, as Lena's mother had deemed it necessary for her to have something that made her look a little more serious, a little more put together, a little more like a young lady who intended nothing but business. And, of course, the first of a few rewards. "Prefect, second in the family." She shook her head, speaking softly. "It's unfortunate your brother did not receive the Head-boy badge, but it is certainly not a necessity."

"It is unfortunate." Lena agreed. "He's been in a rotten mood since. Does nothing but go to work anymore, and he doesn't even get paid for it."

"It's about the experience, dearest." Her mother assured her. "Think of it this way, to be a prefect, to be the Head Boy, they are titles, they are rewards, they are proof of hard work. Now he doesn't have that title, well, he has to make up for it somehow. You cannot blame him for being upset."

"I suppose not." She tilted her head upwards as her mother smoothed the collar of her blouse out, and straightened her skirt herself. "If all Ministry workers get to wear this, I might just join Theo and Father."

"You look wonderful, sweetheart. Exactly like a prefect should be." Her mother's hand on the small of Lena's back turned her towards the room before her. The living room's fireplace was lit, glowing green from the Floo powder prepared. All around them, children were playing, some staring into the flames with wonder. "Now, I shall be meeting you and your father-"

"And Tom." She added, pointing out the addition to their usual plan. "Tom's coming with, remember? He asked to when I mentioned it, rather than having a celebratory dinner."

"Of course..." Sylvia glanced around the room, finding a tilted dark head of hair on a nearby armchair. "Tom? Would you come join us, please? It's about time for you to go."

He stood, snapping his notebook shut and sliding it into the inner pocket of his blazer. "Are we going to the Ministry?" Tom asked politely.

"Briefly, yes." Lena nodded. "Just for a little bit, then we're going to Diagon Alley, where Mama will meet us and we'll shop." Tom nodded, listening to her every word almost as though they were gospel.

"Have you got everything you need?" Sylvia looked between them. "A book, perhaps? In case your father is stuck in any meetings."

"He promised he wouldn't be." Lena shook her head, lips set in an almost overly-confident pout at the idea. While easily not knowing her father as well - August Bones was an elusive man, remaining in his office or private family quarters during his time at home and only emerging for the important events for the home, or his daughter's piano performances - he knew Mr Bones was fond of his daughter and did not wish to displease her. He would be there, ready for their walk-around tour of offices Lena was more than familiar with. Tom, however, would not be.

"But if not-"

"He won't be." Lena replied, certain and oddly defiant. "Have you travelled by Floo before, Tom?" He nodded. "Perfect."

And with that, she stepped into the fireplace, he watched as the flames delicately licked up at her legs before ultimately consuming her and she disappeared. He mirrored her actions, and when he opened his eyes he was within the black-tiled grandiosity of the Ministry of Magic's atrium. He knew that should Mr Bones be anyone else other than the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement that the pair of them would have been forced to enter like any ordinary worker, and he was more than glad that they didn't; Lena was chattering along to him as they walked, and he couldn't quite find himself fancying the prospect of stepping into a Muggle toilet bowl.

"Father said to meet him in his office." Lena hummed, her arm merrily slotted into his elbow. She had done it with an ease of simplicity, as though his arm had not been on fire since the very moment she touched him, so as to not lose him within the throng of workers passing through the atrium. "But first, we must be issued our passes."

They came to a stop before two men dressed in a matching deep blue robes, their identification cards pinned to a breast pocket held together by a black and silver button, that held the curvature of font naming them as part of security. She cleared her throat politely, and one looked up.

"Miss Bones." He smiled, accent shining through. "Look's like ya've gone got ya'self a boyfriend." The man held up a small laminated slip of paper that seemed to shimmer with iridescence and was printed with pink. The image of the girl upon it was young than the woman he stood beside, and she smiled as she pinned it to her coat.

"Oh no, Mr Robinson, just a friend. This is Tom Riddle, my father or brother is supposed to have informed you of his invitation for this visit." Lena smiled. "I'm sure he'll be coming alongside me some other times, so I ask if you could keep his identification alongside mine."

"Of course, Ma'am. Here you go, Mr Riddle." The man held out his badge, plain white, typed in black. Mr Robinson's coworker nudged him. "Ah - that's right, in't it? Congratulations are in order, Little Miss. Prefect is something to be proud of, in this day an' age, with everythink goin' on."

"Thank you, Mr Robinson. How are the girls?" She asked, with a smile.

"The Missus is pregnant again, dunno how-" But Tom didn't hear the rest of their conversation, his focus that had once been entirely upon the girl slotted into his left side drifting away to find himself admiring the devotion to magnificence within the atrium.

The black tile climbed up the walls, to heights he could only imagine and slowly transitioned into gold to circle around a circular skylight. Within the centre of it all, before the stained glass windows of the offices (that formed the image of a Phoenix flying within a night sky), lay a great fountain of black and gold. A group of golden statues, larger than life-size, stood in the middle of a circular pool. Tallest of them all was a noble-looking wizard with his wand pointing straight up in the air. Grouped around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf. The last three were all looking adoringly up at the witch and wizard. Glittering jets of water were flying from the ends of the two wands, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat, and each of the house-elf's ears.

He frowned, finding himself almost hating the look of adoration within their eyes. No wizard he had come to meet had ever desrved to be gazed upon like that, nobody but her.

"Tom?" She asked. His gaze snapped back to her almost automatically. "Are you ready to go?" He nodded. "Thank you, Mr Robinson, We'll see you on our way out."

"Have a good day, Little Miss." Mr Robinson nodded at the both of them as they uttered their thank yous and passed back into the crowd of Ministry Workers.

"This way." She held tight to his arm as she guided them through to one of the lifts in a passageway just off the atrium. He followed her dutifully, unconsciously taking notice of the some of the more ornate details to the buildings. Some of the tiles had engravings, the door handles were shaped like owls, some of the doors were wood, some were metal, and so many people seemed to know Lena Bones.

She smiled at everyone they passed, she was addressed by name and greeted by witches and wizards whose badges were edged in gold, a sign of higher status. They stopped, briefly, to offer their congratulations and extend that to Tom when she pointed it out. They smiled at her, wished her good luck in her O.W.L.s, hoped she was having a good summer, dared to follow in Mr Robinson's footsteps and ask if she had gotten herself a boyfriend. She denied it, each time, saying he was a friend, but smiled up at him like it was anything but that.

He was sure though, that it was all just her, and she was unaware of... well, everything.

They reached her father's office with select ease. Lena knew exactly where she was going, how to avoid the corridors with particularly heavy foot traffic - and flight traffic; the Ministry was still in the process of phasing out the owl quick-mail system - all whilst greeting and speaking with various people of varying status in their workplace as they went.

"Good morning, Penny." Lena came to a stop by a desk not ten feet away from a hefty wooden door, upon which sat a plaque and several engravings detailing scenes of magical battle. "Is he busy?"

"He shouldn't be, Miss Bones." Penelope, seemingly August Bones' assistant, smiled up at her. She was young, certainly no more than a couple years older - and he recognised her, perhaps she was freshly graduated from their school. "I pushed forward all appointments until tomorrow so he may join yourself and your mother in visiting Diagon Alley later. There is a booking for a private dining table at the Leaky Cauldron for one, too."

"Thank you, Penny." Lena smiled, "I hope you enjoy your afternoon off."

"Thank you, Miss Bones." The secretary repeated the gratitude back to her with a smile. It seemed a lot of people smiled at Lena, perhaps because her own smile, with its blooming turned up corners and the rosy pink flush.

Her pretty heeled shoes clicked over the marble floor towards the door. "Coming, Tom?" She asked and looked back at him. He hadn't even realised that it would be a necessity for him to come. "You were invited, weren't you?" Somehow, Lena knew what he was thinking and he nodded, following behind her.

She rapped on the door, twice, and pressed down on the handle, watching as it's engraved surface swung open on command. They stepped within.

"Minister Spencer-Moon." Lena smiled, although Tom had seen her shoulders tense in the shock. But, truly, she had spent years as the daughter of the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement and knew how to hold herself together - and had spent much of her childhood quiet and learning the correct etiquette necessary for the position, because that's what it was, really. "It's wonderful to see you again - I'm so sorry for interrupting, Penelope did not inform us you were in here."

"No, no, don't worry Lena, I told Penelope not to let you know." The Minister of Magic, Leonard Spencer-Moon, was a rather stern man on first appearance, but appeared considerably jolly as he greeted the girl before him, and just like every single employee within the Ministry of Magic, he, too, knew her by name. "And who is this young man?" He asked, booming voice filling every inch of August Bones' office.

"Minister," August stood up from his dark oak desk, upon which Tom could see a framed moving photo of his family in front of the family manor, "This is Tom Riddle, he's been living in the manor for some time now." There was a darting of August's gaze between the boy and the Minister, a particular uncertainty regarding how Tom would react.

"Pleasure to meet you, Sir." Tom replied dutifully, shaking the offered hand.

"What house are you, Mr Riddle?"

"A Slytherin, Sir."

"Two Ravenclaws, a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin." The man mused, before his attention diverted. "I believe a congratulations in order, that is what I am here for after all - Lena, I believe you received a certain badge in the post not so long ago?"

"I did, Sir." Lena couldn't hold back her smile as she nodded. Her eyes landed on Tom, albeit momentarily, before returning to the Minister of Magic.

"And am I to take that as Mr Riddle here also received such honours?" Mr Spencer-Moon caught on quickly, it appeared, and Tom nodded. "How wonderful! You must be simply overwhelmed with pride. That would be three children raised in that manor of yours to receive the honours, August."

"Of course, Leonard. In fact, I believe that is why Lena and Tom are here today."

"You are celebrating?" The Minister found confirmation. "Well! Don't waste a moment longer, I'm sure you have plenty to do! Cheerio, August, old chap, I'll send a letter along this evening and I'm sure there'll be some form of congratulatory gift sent by owl soon."

With a smile and a bow of his head to Lena and hearty shakings of Tom and August's hand, the Minister of Magic left the office behind in a hurry to embark on the rest of his busy day.

And, with full intentions of ensuring her father did not do a single bit more work, Lena set about herding both him and Tom out of the Ministry and towards the heart of Wizarding London.

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