(DISCLAIMER: All characters and the whole Harry Potter franchise - except for Jeremiah Hallysworn, Mallory Evans, Alice Urie [plus a few other more characters I haven't decided to get into the story yet] - belong to none other than J. K. Rowling)

The day ended for Alice with the riddle about music. Alice also just arrived from her last class of the day, History of Magic. She admitted to herself that she didn't dislike any of the subjects she'd encountered today. Though the subject she like least was indeed History of Magic. Yes, it had interesting topics on what happened in Wizard ancestry times but she couldn't deny that the way the teacher actually discussed made the lesson feel like a drag. Apparently, Professor Binns died ages ago as a teacher of the subject but hadn't actually realised he was dead as he kept on teaching. As for the subject she liked most, Arithmancy stole the spotlight for Alice. And it just so happens that it turns out, her professor was one of Alice's distant relatives.

After her class in History, Alice bumped into the professor and things went downhill for her. She cringed mentally at the fact. She was no less interested with what her teacher had been saying the whole time. She acted polite and listened falsely.

Alice felt some sort of exhaustion when she walked to her classes. She didn't know exactly where from, but she felt her body shutting down slowly. As soon as she stepped in the Common room, Mallory saw her and immediately came rushing to her.

"Alice!" Mallory exclaimed as the girl came to her arms. Her body felt so heavy and Alice started to slip in and and out of consciousness. She could hear her friend's faint cries for help before finally collapsing in Mallory's arms.

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Alice woke to see that she was in the Hospital Wing, laying comfortably under the covers and she could feel her cheeks as warm as fire. The covers were up to her nose bridge, only her eyes and the top of her head popping through the covers. She liked it that way, that would mean Mallory was the one who put it at that.

Her blue orbs wondered around and observed her surroundings. All white, already quite dark outside as seen at the windows near the top, no one in vicinity, at least that what she thought until she saw Mallory at her bedside conversing with that Ravenclaw boy that Alice first sat with in Arithmancy.

Alice blinked twice before starting to tug at the covers. This caught her friend's attention. "Alice! Thank goodness you're awake."

Mallory slowly helped her friend to get up. Alice did not emit so much of a groan or complaint on her current condition. She rubbed her face with her hands to soothe the warmth before actually speaking, "What happened after I passed out?"

Mallory explained how the matron said that Alice had lost so much energy. Just she said it, the matron came immediately to Alice's bedside.

"How are you feeling, dear?" The matron asked politely.

"A bit exhausted, but alright, nonetheless. Thank you for your concern and care, madam." Alice said, smiling kindly at the matron.

"It was nothing, but I do have some concerns. Have you been doing anything strenuous today with, let's say, your mind, dear?" The matron asked. Alice contemplated whether or not to answer truthfully, but she then decided that there was no harm in telling. This was for the sake of her health after all.

"Yes, ma'am. I've been doing Occulomency a few times today." Alice answered with a sigh.

"My dear! You shouldn't have. You've used up all the energy you have left for the day. Yes, you'll be fine, just a bit more rest and you'll be alright. I'll just give you something to drink before you can go." The Matron hurriedly went across the room to get what she was looking for Alice was reminded of her own mother. Her mother worried about anything and everything and was pouncing round about the house when she wasn't at work. She went insane when the house she came back to was dishevelled to the bone and as her daughter, Alice picked up a few habits of OCD herself.

Alice drank something that tasted a lot like minty chocolate and was permitted to leave with the assistance of her two companions, Mallory and the Ravenclaw boy, Jeremiah Hallysworn, as she found out his name.

Jeremiah, also called Jem by most people, was the type to speak unless spoken to, one of Alice's favorite types of people. Although, when you earn his trust fully, he'll start talking out of nowhere. She now feels a bit guilty that she hadn't considered to have someone like Jem around her when she would need it. But something tells Alice that after this incident, Alice would be part of a trio.

"You know Occulomency?" Mallory asked, curiosity getting the best of her. Alice thought about it again. It wouldn't hurt for them to know at least a little bit of her, right?

Alice nodded at her friend.

Jem widened his eyes, "Seriously? Woah, that is just brilliant!"

Alice chuckled, "Keep your voice down, Jem, everyone can hear you throughout the castle."

Jem looked shockingly at Alice who was just sending him a playful smile. He did not expect someone as quiet as her to just tease him that playful.

"Wow, Alice. I didn't think you had that in you." Jem earned a smack to the head from that. Alice giggled at Mallory who started scolding Jem for his words.

Alice was used to be thought as a very quiet person now. Some people even thought she was mute but the people she has classes with know better.

They walked all the way to the Great Hall as a trio and sat down near each other. Alice felt nice, this is how it felt to have friends. She smiled to herself at that thought.

They discussed how their day was with each other and Alice felt genuinely interested to listen. She giggled when Jem talked about someone who made the teacher look like a tomato of embarrassment and kept her eyes narrowed when Mallory described the looks people were giving her as she walked the halls.

"Why did you use Occulomency so much Alice?" Mallory finally asked. Alice silenced a sharp breathe she was about to take and sighed.

"Someone's been trying to get into my head even since yesterday." Alice lowly answered, afraid anyone but Jem or Mallory would hear her answer.

"But who?" Mallory questioned on further, the feeling of concern crossing her features.

"Think of someone who would be intrigued enough to look in my head. And someone able enough to actually perform Legillimency," Alice told her. As Ravenclaws and people who've stayed her quite longer than Alice, the answer came naturally to both Jem and Mallory.

"Riddle," they both whispered in realization, looking at Alice with wide eyes. Alice nodded and scanned the area for anyone listening in to the conversation before continuing.

"He was the very first student I met even prior to you, Mallory. Like I said yesterday, all he did was give me information I already knew, but as I did not speak a word, I felt something poking around my head. I immediately pulled on my barriers." Alice looked at her hands as she spoke. She felt unsafe as someone kept trying to get in her head often.

"And I've been paranoid in my classes I have with the Slytherins. I don't want anyone ever entering my mind. It feels awful once a secret is uncovered, not that I have many. But yes, you get the idea." Alice calmly lied with her having such a few number of secrets. She had loads of them, that if she had a galleon for every secret she had, Alice would've been rich.

Again, Jem stared at in awe at his new friend. Alice noticed this and rolled her eyes, "Oh, get over it. It's not like I'm a mute and I suddenly had the ability to talk."

Alice could not shake down the feeling of paranoia she had since the day before. It was getting worse by the minute but she hid it so well that it wasn't even believable she was paranoid at at all.

"So that's why you've been using Occulomency almost the whole day today, and it took so much of your energy that you just passed out . . . like that." Mallory concluded and looked at her friend but Alice's mind wasn't in the present.

Alice's mind wandered around her secrets. It looked like the Department of mysteries as each secret would be represented as a prophecy. A place she would visit with her secrets, a place she was safe. But this place wasn't secure in terms of access. Someone had been trying to get to this chamber of secrets. She was not to give the password, ever, to anyone especially Tom Riddle. Even if it takes a whole lot of energy to raise her barriers.

Alice went back to earth as Mallory and Jem had questioning looks on their faces. She tilted her head in confusion in response.

"You weren't responding." Mallory cleared out and Alice's face came to one of realization.

"I apologize. I was simply visiting my mind place." Alice smiled as if it was the most normal thing anyone would answer. Jem and Mallory exchanged shrugs and found that their friend was glancing at the neighboring table.

Alice scanned the boy's face of any emotion, but there simply was none. This boy had a façade and had his own secrets, but Alice wondered why he would want to find out ones that belonged to herself if he had a share of his own already. She concluded that this boy wanted to know all. For with knowledge comes power, as all the wise men come to say at one point. He wasn't aiming for knowledge. He was aiming for control and authority. For power.

Alice looked away before the boy would even notice that she was staring at him.

Just as she was about to leave the Great Hall, a Gryffindor student approached them. Alice recognized him as one of the Gryffindors she had class with today and even threw herself a sarcastic mental congratulation.

"Miss Alice Urie, Professor Dumbledore would like to speak with you." Said the boy with a clear sense of authority. Alice only now saw that he had a Prefect badge on his chest and nodded in response.

She turned to Mallory and Jem. Mallory was the one who spoke, "We'll wait for you at the common room. Don't take too long." Alice nodded with a smile and said a small thanks before following the Gryffindor prefect to what she suspected was Dumbledore's office.

Once there, the Prefect left Alice to her own and she knocked on the door which lead to their Transfiguration classroom, and also Dumbledore's office. Alice heard a faint voice say, "Come in" and she went slowly to the Professor's quarters.

Professor was there, holding a bowl of what seemed like beans. Jelly Beans, Alice repeated in her mind as a small smile formed upon her lips.

"Ah, Miss Alice, yes, would you care for a jelly bean? Not really my favorite treat but still it satisfies my sweet tooth." The man said, scoffing down a bean in the process. She gladly accepted the professor's offer of sweets and put it in her mouth, savoring the sweet flavor she'd come to love herself.

Alice said a quiet and barely audible 'thank you' as Dumbledore offered her a seat. When she was sat comfortably and done with her jelly bean, the Professor spoke.

"How has your day been, so far, Alice?" The professor asked as his eyes inspected the girl. His eyes roamed to see the crest of the Ravenclaw house shining proudly in the midst of her dark pigmented uniform.

Alice noticed the old man's eyes drift towards her badge an let out a low sounding sigh. By her observations of the man, she knew he was not one to be lied to. But nonetheless, spoke as minimalistic as she could.

"It'd been wonderful so far, Professor. It seems I have a thing for Arithmancy." She spoke with a smile.

Professor Dumbledore continued to converse, "Oh yes, very nice. It isn't often I see a student excel in that subject. Very complex, indeed."

Alice appreciated the fact that the Professor was stalling and she appreciated his efforts. She barely knew the man, even though her parents told some stories of him, all of which were good, but Alice had never concluded her thoughts about him. She understood the man was giving her some space, but as she was wanting to continue her rest as the matron had told her to, she wanted didn't want this to take too long.

"Forgive me, Alice. I simply wanted to know more about the newest addition to the year. I also heard about your time at the Hospital Wing, I hope you reattain your rest as soon as possible."

Alice felt a bit drowsy to say the least and she forced herself to hold on a bit much longer. She didn't want to let the old man feel as if she was physically weak to the point of her just collapsing. She muttered, "Thank you, sir. I appreciate your concern."

That's when she wasn't able to keep in the yawn she was holding and ended up being red faced in front of her Transfiguration professor. He just chuckled at this, "No need to feel embarrassed, Miss Alice. I just need you to know that you'll be fine as long as you are here at Hogwarts and that I personally offer help when you need it." Alice smiled at his offer. Not that she believed it would be necessary.

"Thank you, Professor, though I doubt I'll be needing. But I sure will keep it in mind." Alice said, her velvety voice becoming a bit strained.

The professor noticed this and smiled, "Well, I shan't keep you up late. I wish you to have a good night's rest. I shall be looking forward to seeing you again, Miss Alice Urie."

Alice smiled in relief and in gratitude as Professor Dumbledore assisted her to the door.

By the time she was out in the hall in front of Dumbledore's classroom, it was quiet and dark, only the light from his office illuminating Alice's figure.

"Lumos," Alice whispered and her want instantly cast a soft glow to her path. She needn't a companion anymore to tell her that the dark was nothing to be afraid of. She knew. She knew that the dark held secrets and that's what she had to be cautious of.

Taking a few seconds' walk and she had reached the part of the hall where she could barely see the light from Dumbledore's office.

Alice heard footsteps as she continued on, both hers and another pair she could recognize. Nimble feet and seemingly gliding on the floor with ease. She could only think of one person.

"Urie," A voice Alice expected would come erupted from behind her. She slowly turned, not wanting to make any sudden movements as if she was a little rodent facing a vicious serpent, and faced the boy whose stern look could make someone cower at his stare any moment.

It was true. For the moment, Alice was a small mouse and Riddle was a basilisk. But an unwavering mouse, Alice was. She stood her ground as her eyes made contact with brown ones. They were a warm color but the way he glanced made them look icy and cold, much to Alice's advantage.

She took this opportunity to reveal the wonders of her intense, piercing, blue orbs and both battled for dominance. Yet, none seemed to win.

"Now, how does a sixth year Ravenclaw," he spoke with such venom that it sounded like he was just spitting at something terrible, or maybe the other way around. Maybe he was spitting out something bad out from his mouth. A poor thing that might be, Alice thought. Who would ever want to spend time in Riddle's mouth for even just a second? He narrowed his eyes at Alice's blank expression, "just seem to be wandering round the castle at this time night?"

Alice just stared at him. She wanted nothing to do with him whatsoever and here he comes walking up to her and taking his position as prefect to try and cancel her out before she even gets to spend her second day at Hogwarts? My, what a vile thing he is, thinking he could do that, Alice thought to herself. She saw the smirk starting to form on the boy's mouth and at this, she resisted the temptation to roll her eyes. This boy was indeed very arrogant and full of himself.

"I am disappointed at you, Miss Urie. Walking past curfew this time of the ni-" Tom was ruined of his perfectly planned speech of how as just about to let off the girl this once, seeing that she was new but not before he was about to tease her at how much shame the Ravenclaws would give her if they ever found out about this.

"I'm sorry Tom, but I had called Miss Urie for a talk. I was about to escort her, you see, but she insisted on going alone." Dumbledore flawlessly covered.

Alice looked to the professor and sent him a small smile before looking back to the prefect who was previously about to talk her ears off. He looked as if he was ready to hex the man who interrupted him had it not been a professor. And it just so happens to be Professor Dumbledore.

"It's alright, Tom. I'll take care of Miss Alice for now. You may go back to your dormitories." Dumbledore told him calmly and held out an arm for Alice to take. She hastily grabbed onto it but did it nonetheless. She saw the boy take one glance at her before turning around and swinging his robes with him in the process.

True enough, Dumbledore escorted her to the common room and marveled at how easily she answered the riddle given by the eagle. Her velvety voice being heard once more as she thanked the Professor for what he did in the corridor.

She received help again and she cringed at herself.

What is with me and being dependent all of a sudden?

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UPDAAAAAATE.

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