Eyes Seeking Praise

Tom walked at the very end of the line, following the new students to the Slytherin common room in the dungeons. He raised an eyebrow and pouted slightly when he heard the Prefect speak the password, 'pure-blood.' He'd already overheard some rather impolite remarks during dinner in the Great Hall.

Discrimination and targeting still seemed to exist in the wizarding world. Tom's gaze swept over his second-hand school robe as he lowered his head, following the Prefect's instructions into the corridor and finding his dormitory.

After taking in the dormitory he would live in for the next seven years, Tom curled his lips. A single room was quite good; at least he wouldn't have to live with those snobbish guys, and the room was much larger than the one he had in the orphanage.

He tidied his bed with a few simple movements. Tom reached out and touched the silver-embroidered sheets, then turned and lay down on the soft bed. This is great~ Hogwarts is truly the home of my dreams. No need to worry about going hungry, no need to beg for handouts.

He extended his small hand, looking up at the silver lanterns hanging overhead through his fingers. "I will definitely become someone as respected as Professor Dumbledore!" He clenched his open hand and stood up, walking to the desk to re-examine the Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration.

Even though he was already familiar with the textbook's content, Tom still listened intently to every professor's explanation. Some spellcasting techniques he couldn't yet master became easier to understand after the professors' explanations. Recalling the rule he'd seen, 'magical ability cannot bring back the dead,' Tom felt a pang of disappointment. It seemed magic wasn't omnipotent. Could it, then, at least allow one to escape death?

"Riddle, you tell us the first item in Gamp's Laws of Elemental Transfiguration..."

Hearing his name, Tom snapped out of his thoughts. He looked up at Professor Dumbledore, who seemed a bit helpless, and felt inexplicably guilty. He stood up and recalled the contents of the book. "Food cannot be created from nothing, but if you know where it is, you can summon it. If some already exists, you can transfigure it or multiply it."

Dumbledore nodded approvingly. "A very complete explanation. Slytherin gets one point~ But..." He winked playfully, putting on a slightly hurt expression. "Was my class really so boring that you zoned out? That truly saddens me..."

Pressing his lips together, unsure how to explain, Tom lowered his head and apologized softly. "Sorry, Professor, I didn't mean it that way..."

With a look of successful mischief, Dumbledore grinned and returned to his cheerful demeanor. He gestured for the little one to sit down and continued his lecture.

Tom listened carefully to every word the professor said. He couldn't let Professor Dumbledore be disappointed in him again. Taking the matches he needed, he waved his wand and conjured a silver-glowing needle. His eyes sparkled as he stared at the professor who was looking at him.

Dumbledore examined the silver needle on the desk, blinking. Under the little wizard's expectant gaze, he awarded another point. Turning back to guide other students, Dumbledore thought, He's so alike, truly so alike. Gifted, handsome, and with a personality that excels at endurance – he's just a smaller version of Gellert.

Dumbledore gnashed his teeth in frustration. He still needed time to observe. Since the start of the term, his colleagues had all had excellent impressions of this handsome and academically gifted student. Yet, he felt something was off. Perhaps it was a secret only he knew? Parseltongue... that was a troublesome matter. The Gaunts were all a bunch of lunatics.