Luce Spinnard

Luce Spinnard was not fit to be a professor, has not even taken into consideration a career that would involve children or people in general. Pale blue eyes that would scare anyone that would come closer to him, a face that expressed nothing but a continuous scowl at everything around him and a personality to match his cold appearance; those were his characteristics and Luce knew he had grown tired of others being scared of him and labeling him as nothing but scum of the world. 

Ever since he was a child, he had a certain attraction to the dark arts and he would exceed at absolutely anything regarding Potions and Occlumency. Above his obvious liking of everything that was dangerous and dark, there was one person that told him a while back something that he wanted to hear but not from him. 

[Flashback]

Back then, Occlumency was a subject that third year students could opt for instead of Divination, which was pretty much bullocks for everyone, even the great professor Dumbledore. 

"Are you sure you want me to accompany you to this secret hideout of yours?"A younger yet still dark looking Luce Spinnard asked his classmate.

"You are the only one that can get into his head. No one is half as skilled as you in Occlumency, Luce." 

That boy was a master in the art of manipulation and his perseverance was astonishing. Besides his mysterious yet elegant personality, Tom was a smooth talker and Luce could easily say he was the best of all -amazingly talented at using absolutely anything and anyone in his favor. 

"You're one of the best in class, Tom. Besides, we're in different houses. Why would I help a Slytherin?"

Even back then, Luce was witty and had tremendous temerity for a fifth year student. Of course, he was renown in the Gryffindor Tower for his peculiar friendship with a certain redhead but also for his strong dislike of Slytherins. 

Ravenclaw; Luce Spinnard was sorted in Ravenclaw when he entered Hogwarts and he quite liked it but felt jealous on the students that have been sorted in Gryffindor. Maybe that was why he became friends with the most talented of them all.

"Hey! Mate, I've been waiting for you for-Oh, Tom."The usually cheerful ginger mumbled, his happy smile dropping abruptly. 

Vernon Peverell was his name, a boy with incredible amounts of patience and charms. The ginger with cute dimples and even cuter smile was the complete opposite of Luce in looks and personality yet Luce's brain was what saved Vernon several times in History of Magic and Potions.

Tom raised an eyebrow at the ginger before chuckling ironically.

"Now that your loyal puppy is here, I should be going. But don't forget my proposition, Luce. We both know your talents are high above anyone at Hogwarts."Tom spoke, his eyes remaining on Vernon even if he was speaking to the cold blue eyed Ravenclaw.

As soon as Tom left, Vernon sighed and placed one hand on Luce's shoulder, grasping it slightly in what was probably encouragement. 

"He didn't threaten me." Luce mumbled, sensing the worry coming off Vernon.

"I know. I just feel overwhelmed whenever I look into those eyes of his. It's like I'm looking at a snake, aware that he would like to bite me but haven't found the opportunity yet."

Luce rolled his eyes before he looked down at his hand. The parchment that Tom gave to him was a secret from everyone at Hogwarts and even if he gave a negative answer, Luce was sure Tom will return and ask for a favor again.

----------------------------------------------------

And he did. Tom Marvolo Riddle returned on a rainy night, covered in a cloak from head to toe yet still very elegant. Luce was working in his comfortable cottage outside London when he heard the repetitive knocks in a certain rhythm. He was enjoying a book about defensive spells when he was interrupted. 

Those cold blue eyes widened at the sight of his former classmate. Tom looked the same yet very different; his eyes were darker and even though he looked fairly good, Luce could see traces of something else, darker than it was before.

"Are you here for the address?"Luce asked, leaving the door open and walking back into the living room. 

"Certain circumstances have interfered with my plans." He started, scanning the room in one long glance. "Living the commoner life instead of pursuing a meaningful life, aren't you?"

"You know I hate people." Luce mumbled, scratching his cheek while narrowing his eyes at the carpet. It suddenly became hard to look Tom in the eyes and Luce knew it was the reason why he came in the first place. "I made research of my own. You killed your father, Tom, and your uncle was sent to Azkaban for it."

"I haven't found exactly what I was searching for but I did find something precious."He answered as if the problem about his father was nothing important. "That family is gone now. But I found a way to assure that the bloodline of Slytherin will not end."

Luce hummed, acknowledging the important piece of information without thinking that it might become an issue later on. Grabbing his book from the loveseat, Luce sat back down and crossed one leg over the other.

"Why did you come then? My skills cannot aid you anymore. You took care of it yourself, it seems." Luce spoke nonchalantly, which surprisingly only amused Tom.

"You still owe me a favor, Luce. Nott was ready to kill you when I stopped him. I knew you're too precious to be killed just yet."

Tom's words were selfish and it didn't surprise Luce to hear the sarcasm in his voice. Knowing that he will regret, he still asked.

"What do you want me to do?" 

Those eyes darkened even more and for a moment, Luce swore he heard the hissing of a snake coming from deep within his former classmate.

"Kill the woman and bring me her child." Tom hissed, his eyes glistening in the dim light. "Bring me the daughter of Morfin Gaunt, no matter the costs."  

----------------------------------------------------

He knew, he was very sure, that killing someone was going to hurt him more than anyone else, especially because his personality and looks were instigating rumors already. Luce looked into those icy eyes and saw the face that will haunt him for the rest of his life. 

Tom Riddle was evil, he was sly and nothing could satisfy his greed for power. Unfortunately, Tom was also very perceptive in his younger days and Luce caught his eye from the moment they met in the Occlumency classroom.Not many could see it but tom could; the way Luce was looking at Vernon was not one of friendship but jealousy and that was the moment tom knew he could use Luce for his purpose.

That was how, on the morning of a cold day in autumn, Luce Spinnard left early and apparated in the square in London. He could easily spot her in the crowd: a woman that was dressed like a person out of a character book for children. She was not beautiful, common if anything but she had a bright light around her, probably because she was pregnant. 

Sneaking through the people was easier said than done, scowling at the muggles that had the bravery to look him twice in the eye, yet he did it. He stopped a few feet from her and waited for her to get into his sight before he drew his wand. Taking care not to look extremely strange, he looked straight at her, his heartbeats getting so fast and loud that he could barely hear anything else.

"Avad-" He mumbled yet couldn't say it completely because a gentleman walked by. 

He looked down at his feet, hiding the wand and moved a bit towards the left. Afterwards, he raised his head and looked at her again; she was looking right back with a confused expression, having no idea what was in store for her.

Seeing her stare right back at him, he felt his heart cringe. There were many dark rumors about him but at the core, Luce Spinnard was not a killer. He sighed and with one quick move of his wand, he whispered Petrificus Totalus. The woman froze and fell backwards like a statue. 

"It's alright! I'm a doctor!" Luce exclaimed, making his way through the crowd that was forming around the woman that fell out of nowhere.

When he got to her, the wizard pulled out of his pocket what looked like medication. He forced it down her throat and closed his eyes. He was trembling from every bone and fear was crawling up his spine, knowing that what he was doing was wrong. 

"She's going to be fine." He exclaimed again before looking down into the eyes of the woman. "She will be well attended." 

[End of Flashback]

Dumbledore sighed, returning to his office with the person that accompanied him in that swirl of memories. 

"Why did you show it to me? Does it look like I forgot about my mistakes?" An older Luce asked the headmaster, hands gripping the Pensieve tightly. 

Dumbledore took a moment to understand what was going on through Luce's head and he could finally see, after that memory, that he was right in bringing Luce to Hogwarts in order to meet the person that he least wanted to see. 

"Lillian was well attended." Dumbledore said, passing Luce down towards his desk. 

The former Ravenclaw narrowed his blue eyes at the one that was once his favorite professor but didn't say anything.

"I hope you understand now why I chose you to teach Ophelia Dark Arts. Of course, you're welcome to stay for more than a year; I would like that as well."

"If I teach her Occlumency, he will come searching for me. As you have seen, he already has a grasp on her. He reached her without you knowing, Dumbledore?"

The headmaster heard the sarcasm in Luce's voice but shrugged it off completely. 

"The lemon tarts at dinner were delicious. You should take one too. Their structure is most impressive." The headmaster advised with a soft smile.