Chapter Forty-Four: A Little Bit of Failure

Tom's POV

The Wampus Cat was quite an obstacle.

Throughout his time at the cave system, Tom had seamlessly surpassed every obstacle, never straying for too long but putting up just enough struggle to impress the judges. It felt like Merlin himself had blessed the Dark Lord with the easiest path to victory, but his lucky streak came to a startling pause due to a pesky little cat.

Yet another hiss rang across the cave as Tom felt a sudden weight on his back. The next hiss was closer to his ear as the feline dug its nails into the Slytherin's robes and lowered itself until the weight on Tom's back was almost too much to bear.

Usually, Tom would have cast nasty curses at the creature until it was left bleeding on the floor, but the Wampus Cat was too dangerous and agile to risk such a situation. He might have been egoistical, but the Dark Lord was wise enough to know the difference between bravery and stupidity. With his current circumstance, Tom would be lucky if he made it out alive without any severe injuries.

Attempting to curse his opponent was the first mistake he made, one that led to a very agitated Wampus and a severely weakened Dark Lord.

If Tom Riddle was arrogant, the Wampus Cat was the most pompous creature of all. Undermining it was as good as a death sentence, but attempting to avoid it would lead to severe injuries. For Riddle, a wizard who strictly avoided matters of the heart, it felt impossible to beat the pesky cat.

At least not with his hands smashed against the floor.

Wandless spells were easy for a wizard like Riddle, but even he relied on using his hands as a substitute. With his arms confined between his body and the dusty floor, there was no way for Tom to cast spells at the cat unless he figured out a ploy to move it away from him.

Thankfully, a certain serpent was hell-bent on rescuing her master.

Nagini hissed at the Wampus Cat as she slithered out of Tom's robes, blending in with the black material to ensure the beetle couldn't see her.

She was neither poisonous nor physically terrifying, but her presence was enough to startle the feline as it briefly leapt away from the fallen Dark Lord.

"Stupefy!"

Tom leapt to his feet with newfound vigour and he summoned his wand as Nagini slithered back into his robes. Red sparks shot out the end of his wand, each one finding its mark even as Tom cautiously dragged his gaze away from the Wampus and towards the cave's exit.

The seal on each cave ensured that the Wampus Cat couldn't follow him, but that didn't stop the feline from ferociously hissing and glaring at the sly Slytherin.

With a dark passage ahead of him and an agitated creature behind, Riddle's decision was made for him as he sped through the darkness.

Unlike Cordelia Tom could immediately sense a Boggart's presence as he approached the centre of the obscure cave. An unamused chuckle left his lips as the Dark Lord walked forward, completely prepared to face the usual image of a crumpled, defeated Dark Lord sprawled before him.

What he hadn't expected was a certain professor conversing with Cordelia Black.

"He plans to take over the ministry."

"And you want to stop him?"

Dumbeldore's question made Tom angrily clench his fists as he turned towards Cordelia, keenly awaiting her response.

"Of course, professor."

She looked older than she usually did, with the tips of her hair reaching for her waist and her bodice taller than it was at the start of the third task.

Tom didn't know when or why, but for some reason, his greatest fear had developed from failure to betrayal. It was unusual to fear betrayal from a rival he had despised for over six years, but with their recent circumstances, the Dark Lord knew Cordelia was essential for his plans for the future.

He knew it was a Boggart and was most certainly aware of how to dispose of it, but something stopped Tom from muttering the spell as he blankly stared at the scene before him.

"Would you like to join the Order, Miss Black?"

"How dare you-"

Tom's troubled rambles were cut off by a sigh from Cordelia.

"I was thinking about something along the lines of a spy, professor."

The Dark Lord was beyond furious as he glared at the Boggart and whipped out his wand. It was about time he stopped letting his curiosity get the best of him and moved on with the Tournament.

"Riddick-"

A loud horn cut echoed through the cave system as the floor began shaking uncontrollably. Tom had to steady himself with the Boggart as he muttered several curses and waited for the caves to cease their movement.

Someone had won the Triwizard Tournament.

Someone had beat Tom Riddle, and he was beyond furious as a long passage appeared before him. Even as the Dark Lord cursed his curiosity and inability to beat the Wampus Cat without assistance, he couldn't help but quicken his pace in anticipation of the big revelation.

He could hear the excited cheers and whoops of joy even before the setting sun's light reached him. A large crowd gathered near the centre of the palace's Quidditch Pitch as students and professors alike cheered for the new Triwizard champion hoisted upon people's shoulders.

Tom scoffed.

Of course, it would be Cordelia if not him.

A part of him knew he would never accept defeat to another school, especially not the arrogant French, but Tom wasn't sure whether losing to Cordelia was any better.

On one hand, Hogwarts had won, but on the other, he wasn't their victor.

The Dark Lord wasn't one to accept failure easily, but somehow Tom stopped himself from cursing his knights in frustration and instead focused on the joyous smile across every Hogwarts student's face as they clustered around the silver trophy.

This was not a moment for sour losers, but sportsmanship.

The Slytherins were beyond elated as they chanted variations of the term 'Slytherin Queen' and paraded Cordelia around the pitch, not stopping even as the victorious witch giggled out protests.

They had not only beaten the Gryffindors, but also the French and Bulgarians. For them, there couldn't have been a better outcome to the Tournament. Having a pureblood witch as their winner even earned smiles and excited whispers from the Beauxbaton witches.

It was a moment of celebration for all, but for Tom, the only thing flashing through his mind was red, hot anger at his failure.

He refused to admit it, but if anything, his loss only strengthened Tom's resolution.

Cordelia Lucretia Black-McMillan would have to be his Dark Lady.