Nick got a lot of awed and jealous looks from the other students and a wrathful one from Lockhart at the professor table. Nick ignored all this however and sat down before digging into the food with gusto. After seeing that Nick had no intention of satisfying their curiosity most chose to focus on their friends and food instead. A few more stubborn personalities remained focused on him but he totally ignored them with the exception of Ginny/Riddle. While no one else seemed to pick it up Nick felt the malicious intent in the soul shards magic and sighed.

'I was going to leave you alone for now but since you insist on targeting me I'll get rid of you early.' he thought without any change in expression. After eating Nick left the great hall and went to his workshop while leaving the door open on purpose. Considering how arrogant Riddle was he doubted that the soul shard would miss the opportunity to catch him alone. He was right too as shortly afterwards Ginny/Riddle walked into the workshop with a curious expression. "Is this where you make all those amazing things?" She/he asked while closing the door.-

Nick tapped his wand against the floor and ropes immediately sprang out of the stone and bound Ginny/Riddle while snatching the wand hidden in the right hand away. "Don't bother trying to scream the room is soundproof. I was originally going to leave you be but you had to try and press your luck didn't you Tom?" Nick asked casually and Ginny/Riddles face twisted into a cold scowl. "How did you discover me?" she/he asked coldly. "Not that it matters all that much but I am rather sensitive to magic and horcrux magic has an unmissable stench to it that is hard to mistake for anything else." Nick explained calmly while walking over to the bound individual.-

Reaching into the robes Nick pulled out the worn black leather diary and decisively cut the connection to Ginny it had knocking her out. Taking out the Nazgul ring from Greed Nick immediately disposed of the soul shard before replacing the diary in Ginny's robes and unbinding her. He then disillusioned himself and her before carrying her out of the workshop and to the infirmary. Leaving her on a bed he removed the spell on her and left just as stealthily as he came.-

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Riddle was so arrogant that he had never expected that he would have gotten caught so easily in a trap by a mere second year like Nick no matter how talented. His plan was to try and use the fact that in normal cases Nick wouldn't expect his friends sister to attack him to sneak attack him. That may have been true if Nick didn't know both who he was possessing and could also sense the diary as easy as breathing. As for why Nick didn't keep the diary it was so Ginny would simply assume that the thing had lost it's enchantment as old objects like that tend to.-

Even if she did remember what Riddle had used her body for and sought him out Nick would simply deny the encounter. If she mentioned those memories and the diary he could mention how that sounded like a cursed object that messed with memories and should be gotten rid of. Nick turned into bed after that so that he was well rested for tomorrow's interview. He woke up at his normal dawn time and got dressed and ready for the day. After that he waited in the workshop for Fudge and the interviewing reporter while also setting up a temporary enchantment locking ward.-

'This will stop any sort of funny business from either of them.' he thought calmly while sipping some tea he had brewed for this occasion. It was rude to host guests without offering refreshments after all. Clearly Fudge and the interviewer who unsurprisingly turned out to be Rita Skeeter were eager for the interview as they arrived a seven o'clock exactly. Fudge was all smiles as he walked into the workshop and greeted Nick. Next to him was a blonde woman with glasses and a shifty expression like she couldn't wait to find some flaw to write about.-

"Good morning Headmaster , minister Fudge , Madam Skeeter would any of you like a cup of tea?" Nick said in his best impersonation of Dumbledore which made the man himself behind them smirk. "I think I would quite enjoy a cup thank you." Dumbledore said clearly deciding to play along. Fudge looked completely uncomfortable at the situation but Rita didn't seem to care and accepted the tea. Nick transfigured some chairs and a table for them to sit comfortably. "You'll have to forgive me for not having the best accommodations for guests since this room is not usually intended for such an event as this." he said apologetically.