"Noted," he says with an undisguised smirk.

"On that note you are actually going to have to wear a uniform when classes start. And something under it, if you keep going with the skirt."

"I've been informed of the uniform rule, yes. Not of the other one, though."

"Ah, the sure sign of someone who hasn't had to follow uniform rules before: thinking that something isn't specified. Technically you're supposed to stick to a whitelist even under trousers, but nobody can see those and issue you demerits for them. But if an updraft hits you and everyone gets a look at your, uh..." Observing that he is once again in dangerous territory, Peter back-pedals. "You'd better hope your knickers are regulation, is all I'm saying. But non-regulation is better than nonexistent."

"This skirt is updraft-proof," he says with confidence. "But fair enough, I shall follow the rules."

He is so confused, here, is this or is this not the guy from Narnia?? Did he get it mixed up? This boy is totally interested in him back, right, it's not just his imagination??? How does he bring it uuuuuppppppppp!

Peter smiles and claps Pete firmly on the shoulder. "Then I'm sure we'll get along. Though I think we'd have got along anyway. -anyway, I should introduce you to the boys on the hall. The ones in your year, I mean. My roomie and I are sixth-formers, stationed here in our capacity as responsible young men to make sure none of you are playing polka at midnight or whatever it is the youth get up to."

"You must be doing this on purpose," Pete grumbles.

Also, that "my roomie" there sure seemed to have some layer of meaning he's not quite catching. Not in the way Peter is saying it, though; it just feels like foreshadowing. Maybe the narration informed the audience of something important? He wishes he could read/hear it.

Well, no matter, he'll find out soon enough he's sure.

"Pevensie," someone says from the doorway. "And exciting mystery student! Don't tell me they're on our hall?"

"He is," Peter says somewhat woodenly. "Pete, this is Tom. My roommate. Also a... responsible young man."

He turns around and beams widely. "Oh, so that was what was being foreshadowed! Quick payoff, I'm glad. It's a pleasure to meet you, Tom, I'm also Peter, but Tarleton not Pevensie, and you can call me Pete instead."

Tom extends a hand. "It'll be my pleasure, I'm sure. I'm Tom Riddle, and if anyone shows up with my name I hope they're as amenable to changing it as you are, because I really don't share."

??????????????????????????????????????

Boy he sure is glad he took that Friends In Places series of perks because he is not sure he'd have been able to keep the horror from his face as he shakes Tom's hand if dealing with rich people weren't "intuitive and natural" to him.

Tom Riddle?????????????? Riddle??????????????????????????????????????

What the fuck.

Okay, okay. Okay. Okay.

Okay.

That is too many okays.

He doesn't have another word to think. He is sure he should be thinking of other words. He needs to think. And he can't think right here, right now.

Why is Tom Riddle drop-dead gorgeous. Why is everyone in this goddamn school drop-dead gorgeous, he should amend.

"That's an interesting last name. A lot cooler than mine."

Safe topic????? Maybe???? "Intuitive and natural" doesn't seem to cover being able to use any extra brainpower to try to not come off as a dimwit while his brain is still throwing error messages at an alarming rate. Good thing he is Mysteriously Alluring, he guesses, that oughta smooth over some of the kinks of meeting someone.

WAIT HE BETS IT'S BECAUSE HE PICKED "I CAN FIX THEM" GOD FUCKING DAMNIT

Does that mean he gets to fuck and redeem Tom Riddle well yeah probably but WHAT THE FUCK.

Tom chuckles. "I can't really take too much credit; it was my father's."

YEAH HE KNOWS HE IS AWARE OF MORE DETAILS OF YOUR BACKSTORY THAN YOU PROBALY WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE SHARING ON SUCH SHORT ACQUAINTANCE

Well, maybe not. Pevensie and Riddle, he's probably in some weird fanfiction? ......wait is this some "seduce fictional boys from various media" kind of fic? He's here for it, obviously, but God who else is he going to be meeting. Wait, was Hywel meant to be from some other fictional series? He does not recognize the name, at all.

"Peter mentioned you were also here in a capacity as a responsible young man to supervise the young'uns, does that mean I'll have both of your lovely selves to accompany me on this little tour he's promised me?"

"No."

"Tom prefers to only do his job when it's absolutely necessary."

"If I'm always kissing their scraped knees I can't discipline them as effectively, now can I. You can play Mother, I know how you like it."

Teeth: gritting.

"Now, now, boys, don't fight, I'm sure Tom will have plenty of opportunities to need to discipline me and there's more than enough of me for both of you."