The Years of Riddle

Chapter Twenty-Nine | Hogwarts, April 1963

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Hogwarts, April 1963

The Hogwarts Library was Silas' favourite place. He spent much time there, as he was a studious person, and often found the common room or the dorms too hectic. A bonus was that Inesa Fawley was a library assistant, and when she wasn't working, was studying at one of the long tables in the aisles. This is where she found him one rainy Saturday afternoon, with his head in his hands, essay abandoned.

"Whatcha up to?" she asked, sitting on the narrow desk and swinging her legs. She was tiny still, but over the past four years colour had come back into her cheeks, freckles dashed across her nose, and her hair faded to a warm honey blonde.

"Wondering." He titled his face up to look at her, taking in the nose that was a little turned up at the end, the delicate lips. "What about you?"

"Finished shelving, thought I'd see if you needed any help." She waved at his forgotten schoolwork. "Though I think maybe you're done for the day?"

He sighed and sat up, glancing at the essay. "It's almost finished."

"What were you wondering about?"

"It's nothing really, just someone that keeps popping up." He began putting his things away. "My Pa keeps on mentioning him to his ministry friends, has been for a while. I've been hearing it whispered my whole life."

Inesa tilted her head curiously, a curl falling out of its bobby pin. "You don't recognize it?"

"There's a whole lot of Tom's out there." He smiled and picked up his bag. "Supper?"

She nodded and followed him out, still caught on the mystery. "Is it bothering you, not knowing who this man is?"

Silas considered the question. "Not exactly – I just feel as if it's important."

"Then we'll figure it out." Said Inesa, excited for a challenge. "If you think it's important, then it must be."

Inesa said goodbye and went to sit with the other Hufflepuffs, but not before she told Arthur and Molly about the mystery. "We're going to help Silas figure this out," she said before sitting down.

"What's this about a mystery?" asked Molly, excitement settling in.

"Its not really," Silas hurried to keep them calm. "Its just – I've heard my parents, before Ma died, whisper about a Tom all the time growing up, and then after. I've been hearing it more and more; I just want to know what's going on. Will you help me?"

"Sure we'll help," Arthur grinned. "I like a good research project."

"Better take notes," laughed Molly, "In case Silas assigns us an essay at the end."

Silas laughed along, but wondered if he was making a good decision – maybe he should leave it alone, but he'd been wondering for years who this Tom was, and he wanted to know. Bad idea or not, they were starting the hunt.

~*~

The four teens stood in the library, staring down the long and narrow aisles, stuffed with books.

"Right," Inesa blew a curl out of her eyes. "Where do we start?"

"How about...Ministry records?" Molly suggested.

"Seems like a good place." Shrugging, Silas led them to the few ministry records the school had. They then spent several hours going through books, lists, letters of recommendation, and job interviews, becoming covered in dust. They soon gave up on the Ministry records, as the entire Tom's they found had been dead for several years.