Happy Birthday for Riddle-Tom/Luna

[black_hat]

This was done very quickly, for I have to go somewhere tonight. However, Happy Birthday, Tom Riddle! 

p.s. yes, this is crack ;-)

Luna was very busy.

 

It was Tom’s birthday, and she was still wondering what to get him. She went through several things in her mind, based on size and consistency until she was drifting into the realm of small, fluffy animals. And small fluffy animals just wouldn’t do. Neither would large, fluffy animals for that matter.

 

She remained in her room, sitting on the window seat, and thought and thought and thought. He was so hard to buy for, after all, but she was not coming out until she had a nice present in tow. She gazed around the room and her eyes alighted on something.

 

She smiled.

 

 

Luna knocked politely on his door and waited, hiding the present, wrapped in blue-green paper, behind her back.

 

“I told you I didn’t want to be disturbed.”

 

Luna sighed. He always got this way on holidays, playing a game of hide-and-seek in the furthest corners of their home. And he was very good at the hide part, not to mention the hyde part.

 

She decided to go for honesty. “I brought you a present today, on your very special day.”

 

She heard the sounds of books and parchment being un-wound in a very loud manner. “I’m busy.”

 

“It’s not a gift, it’s a present,” Luna said carefully. “I’m presenting it, you know. If you’d like, you can take it from me. We can have a duel over it because I like your present quite a bit myself.”

 

“Then keep it, and amuse yourself.”

 

“All right then,” Luna informed the Grinch, and took some extra paper out of her pocket. She had been prepared for such an event. She crinkled it loudly.

 

“Oh, this is nice. I actually had forgotten how very nice it is. I’m very glad you decided you didn’t want it because now, it is mine. I will get such use out of this, really.”

 

She stomped her feet, all while remaining in the same spot. The door, rich with panels that looked like the evil eye, opened ever so slightly. He peered through the slot curiously.

 

It was enough! Luna quickly pushed the present through the slot, where she heard two things at once: him cursing (she did hope she missed his eye), and the package landing with a thump on the other side.

 

She fled down the hall. She couldn’t have him give it back. Now he would have to keep it, and like it!

 

Luna laughed happily. Everyone deserved a present on the holiday. Santa’s good and bad list was actually one of the reasons she had fought with the old man one year.

 

And she was very satisfied.

 

 

Luna waited for the gift to re-appear mysteriously on her table or not-so-mysteriously in the rubbish bin or fire grate.

 

However, it did not.

 

She would wander near his room, waiting for him to emerge from his solitude during the holiday. Finally, she heard the door open, and she promptly pretended to be interested in the Atlantean tablets on the wall.

 

“Hello,” she said casually, and then gasped when she turned and saw him fully.

 

“Hello,” he said back, just as casually, complete with his black eye.

 

“What happened to you?” Luna asked in wonder. “I never knew the library was so dangerous.”

 

“It didn’t use to be,” he said mysteriously.

 

“So did you…find anything interesting in there? Anything special?” she hinted. “Something the stork brought?”

 

“Don’t tell me you tried to squeeze a child under my door.”

 

“Why no, it—I don’t believe a stork could do such a thing, Tom. They lack the opposable thumb. You may not know it, but storks always bring presents as well as babies.”

 

“I see. Actually, I did discover something in the library.”

 

Luna puffed up in glee, beaming.

 

“It was this oddly, horrendously wrapped package. I suppose the lack of the opposable thumb hinders the stork’s taste.”

 

“Well, I don’t know about that. Some find it charming.”

 

“Anyway, I did un-wrap it. There was no harm in that. It was already there.”

 

Luna nodded, agreeing with his reasoning.

 

“And I would thank the stork if I knew his owling address. But he may not be able to read either.”

 

“Don’t worry. He knows in his heart.”

 

“Right. Well. Did you want to assist me today with our former experiments?”

 

“I think I can make room for that.”

 

Luna was elated. Until she began to wonder…

 

 

What he had put in her present.

 

Luna knew that her family picture album was a risky gamble for a gift. She had suspected he would be able to add pictures to hers, because he was a part of her life and family now. She did not expect for her curiosity to start nibbling away at her. What kind of pictures did Tom have? Did he even take pictures, or have a single photograph? What would the pictures hold within their frames?

 

Finally, three days later, Luna snuck into the library. She knew all his hiding places, and set about the rediscovery of her book. She found it behind the soul lamp of his belated father.

 

“Pardon me, sir,” she whispered, and the soul blinked back from its container in irritation. “Yes, and a happy holiday to you too.”

 

The soul simmered down a bit, and Luna was able to retrieve the book. She opened it eagerly and did find a photograph!

 

She peered at it and squinted. The picture didn’t move but she could feel the scowl radiating from its subject. Luna smiled, suddenly feeling very warm inside. Even at a young age, he was moody. This must be a Christmas picture too, because there was a nicely decorated tree behind the young boy.

 

Then she noticed the hat that sat upon his scowling head. Her eyes widened.

 

Tom was a…for Christmas he was….a little Christmas soldier!

 

She clapped a hand over her mouth, staring at the picture. It was so…absolutely…endearing, and he looked so solemn in his little uniform with his toy bayonet, and…oh, how absolutely adorable.

 

She hid the book in the same place, in the same manner that he had, and Luna expected to be satisfied.

 

Yet she wasn’t.

 

 

 

“Did you finish translating the tablet, Luna?” he asked, staring intently at the ancient sea scrolls in front of him.

 

“Yes,” she said, distractedly, casting a glance over at him.

 

“And?” he prompted.

 

“It says…only under the proper conditions will the—.” Luna looked up at him again. “I think, the furry hat reappear for those most worthy.”

 

His head snapped up, and his mouth fell open in shock. “The what?!”

 

“Oh!” Luna said hurriedly. “Oh, no…I meant the curry hat.”

 

His brow creased. “You mean to say…that the treasure of the seven seas is a curry hat. I wonder if there is some cultural significance in curry, then.”

 

He mused about it, while Luna watched him nervously. She couldn’t go on this way.

 

“I have an idea. Let’s take a bit of a break, and take a stroll together.”

 

“Yes, yes. I will have to mull this over,” he muttered, still deep in thought. “Curry, eh.”

 

“Uh-huh,” Luna said, hurrying to fetch her winter cloak. This called for some desperate measures.

 

 

 

She was clever and preplanned her route across the city.

 

Luna did allow him to take her arm in his, like true gentlemen would, and guide her. However, she did push a little, to guide him along the chosen path tonight. She would succeed, or be driven mad with the knowledge.

 

“Look at the firehouse, Tom,” she pointed out.

 

“Ah. The Muggles are fighting against the face of their true vulnerability, trying to cheat nature. We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

 

“True. But notice their uniforms. The uniforms are…very handsome.”

 

He nodded casually, and she was foiled.

 

“Tom!” she gasped, pointing at a shop window. “Look at the costumes! I see…I see a pirate.”

 

She detached herself from him, and stood with her nose against the window, utterly in awe of the costume.

 

“You’re trying to tell me something, aren’t you?”

 

She grew silent. Careful, now…

 

“It’s just to be….festive.”

 

“Ah…Do you like that costume?”

 

“Very much so,” she said sincerely.

 

“Hmm.”

 

“Do you think we could…get one?” Luna asked.

 

“Well. Go ahead. I know you won’t be satisfied otherwise.”

 

He was speaking in that very subtle way, but she knew he had given in.

 

Luna loved the holidays.