From time to time Acrux would say innocent things that were actually cryptic. Sometimes she simply made references to earlier conversations that people usually didn't remember. After noticing that peculiar aspect of her modus operandi, Tom started paying more attention to everything she discussed with him and others only to mitigate his curiosity. Nonetheless, Acrux was able to confuse Tom either way and, frustrated, the boy tried to forget the situation. If unable to drop the subject Riddle would, as the snake he was, subtly figure Acrux out, which meant using the most disagreeable method of all. Oh, how he relished Legilimency, specially when it regarded Black's mind. Hers was pitch black and unknown.

The girl had inherited the most irritating ability in Tom's opinion. As a natural Occlumens, and a very skilled one for her poor age, every time Riddle tried to slither through her mind he would literally find a closed gate there. The odd barrier should be only an abstract concept; still it sealed any thought Acrux would have and that would put an end to the case. Perhaps her skills were even charming, making Tom more and more unsettled as time passed. Black wasn't oblivious to his attempts, and the looks they exchanged afterwards were intriguing.

Silence followed both of them until they reached the border of the forest, as Tom digested the whole situation. For once, he wouldn't pour oil on troubled waters with his silence, even though he wanted to keep his thoughts for himself. Tom had tried to focus on the upcoming DADA test, or maybe the Divination work he had to deliver until friday. Werewolves, prophecies and omens, gillyweed for Merlin's sake! No subject could make him distracted enough to forget the invisible and quiet movements of the gears inside his companion's head. He could swear his ideas about breaking her down and taking her out of her hiding place were at war with his good senses.

"What do you meant by saying I am 'full of rubbish' just before?"

"Oh, don't be mad! I was kidding, you know it wasn't an insult."

"Don't take things that way. You know what I am talking about." The smile on her lips faltered a bit. She was tense, he could tell. Acrux would hardly tell him the truth.

"Lately you have the tendency to think I am always implying ideas instead of voicing them properly. I am the over thinker here, not you Mr. Slytherin." Her light tone of voice sounded forced and it only made the whole atmosphere around them worse. Tom wouldn't let Acrux slip from an interrogation session, and if not properly answered now, he would be later.

"Don't take me by a fool, Acrux!" He hardly ever pronounced her first name, especially with such a harsh tone. Tom was getting moody and demanding like a spoiled kid asking for a toy. "I might be ignorant to your words' meaning, but I know when you intend to say something."

"If you had asked with the right words I might have let you read me just like I read you."

"Like you read me?"

"Believe me Tom, you don't need to invade a person's privacy to understand her. I can read your expressions and I can look at your eyes and know a bit about who you are, and I am aware you see who I am too. Then, if you want to know more, you just need to ask me."

"I was asking."

"No, you were demanding! Not everything in life must be taken by force."

"A great deal of things must be. A lot must be conquered, Acrux!"

"Captivated with time and effort, yes. But just taken, so suddenly? The best things don't need to be earned that way, they can't possibly be."

"Are you one of those valuable things, then?" Sarcastic, Tom scorned her statement, which was so full of certainty that it made his mouth bitter. How could she be so pathetic, someone he highly regarded? Why had he let her teach him magical technics all those years ago? At times, even ignorance seemed a better option than association with a witch taken as weak by so many Sacred Families' heirs. Her compassion and precious modesty, what were them for?

'Do you still hangout with my cousin? She's the current black sheep amid her family, ironically. Being in Hufflepuff is diminishing', he continued, even though Tom seemed uninterested, 'and not just for her. She's from a second branch lineage, not very important, but enough to be inconvenient. The Blacks had only Slytherins and Ravenclaws in the past, you see.'

Malfoy rarely talked about the particularities of his household, but he seemed determined to distant himself from some of his relatives. 'Acrux's just a second year, but has excellent grades and, as far as I know, she's is quite talented.' Tom's answer was sincere, he clearly remembered it, but it had little effect on Abraxas.

'If feeding good meat to those beasts in the forest is equal to talented, that is. This is family business, Riddle. They are just waiting for the duels to see if she's good or not.'

"You would be surprised to hear that yes, I do think my mind is valuable. Everybody is somehow worthy, did you know that? At least until they remain themselves and act in the righteous way, I mean." There they were again, the constant insinuations Black made as if she held the secret of life at the palm of her hands. A shiver ran down Tom's spine as he suspected Acrux to know... but she couldn't possibly be aware of his latest actions. Nevertheless, those tempestuous eyes seemed to have bettered his in terms of analyzation, her ears trained enough to catch murmurs uttered in empty hallways and distant dungeons. Was her imagination good enough to daydream of what Tom did in his secluded Chamber, filled with screams of agony and the memory of a shattered heart? Hopefully, Acrux had heard only the murmurs.

'Our eldest aunts never liked her mother, an Ollivander who fraternizes with half-bloods, muggleborns and all sorts of low leveled wizards. I mean, that's why Selene is always around that girl from her house. They are family.'

"So you know about the meetings after curfew? I didn't think rumours would start spreading so easily", Tom said with a steady voice, but a face haunted by unreasonable guilt and awareness. He felt naked.

"They haven't. You know how Nella is, she can't quite settle when she has a feeling in her gut." Ornella Ollivander. He knew it! That Hufflepuff Sherlock just had to stick her nose in other people's business.

"One of these nights we decided to wander around the castle after visiting the kitchens. The elves were in such a fuss, some of them saying they felt strong magic within Hogwarts, a very rare one too. Other elves would just order them to shut it, afraid of messing with a potentially dangerous person. In these times of war you just never know in who to trust, right?" Acrux's discrete sarcasm was not as fun as Tom's.

"I guess it wasn't difficult for your little friend to go straight to the dungeons."

"Well, she will be a very good Auror, that's for sure. After so many old Slytherin students started to follow Grindelwald she thought it to be wise to search your area first. The whole thing stank, and I was so afraid to investigate and find something bad, so I kept myself out of Nella's way. She continued to follow new leads though, studying her ground, but would we ever be ready to figure Malfoy and all his damn crew were lowering their heads before you? I don't think so! When she told me that, I knew there was more than just a few students fooling around, more than Nella could ever sense. You are not just studying dark magic, you are doing wrong things with it too, aren't you Tom?"

Shit. He had never seen Acrux crushed, but she was close to that. Her previous expression of rage dissolved itself into one of pain, the teary eyes making her look both fragile and solid, like the sea waves hitting rocks during a storm.

"Nonsense."

"Oh, yeah?! If it is so righteous why can't you show these new talents of yours for everyone to see?"

"What is wrong magic anyway? Please, be kind to enlighten me Acrux."

"Something that drifts you away from your true self! Something that rips you, perhaps? Isn't that enough?"

"Oh, dear! She's becoming a little spy too. Perhaps you would like to join the Aurors and lock me up in Azkaban for good. But wait, becoming a hero isn't that bad either! What about healing me from my madness? Be honest, that sounds too good, doesn't it Cure? Saving everybody from all the shit in this world." Cure. The stupid, but somehow sweet nickname was pure poison coming out of his mouth this time. Acrux felt disgusted.

"Now I am the bad guy? Because I care about what will happen to you when not even you seem to think things through?"

"Why would you fucking care?!"

"God, Tom! I can't believe you have the nerve to say that!"

They were close now, Tom's hands holding tight Acrux's forearms as she stared into his darker than black irises, eyes blurry with rage whilst hers were filled with pity. She was sad due to what he had become and, most importantly, of what would possibly be his next steps. It would be the death of young Tom Marvolo Riddle, so now Black slowly sank in anticipatory grief. In a last attempt to be truthful to their friendship, Acrux lifted her protective veil of ebony and left a passage of ivory come to the surface of her mind.

"You know what? I don't care what you'll think of me. Aren't you smart enough to answer your own questions? Go on."

The exposure was frightening, but soothing all the same, ending the burden of those silent feelings of hers that boiled in her chest and throat, limiting her voice to a whisper and sticking her feet to the ground. On the other hand, Tom, amazed, gazed at her in tender confusion, doubt taking the best, or worst of him. Seeing, feeling and understanding Acrux made his blood rush to the head, his hands pulling her closer to him. Her unsteady breathing against his skin was the only thing reminding Tom there was a physical world. He was already lost in the turmoil of sensations and memories she shared with him.

'[...] Alek is only quiet, and his name is very pretty and strong.'

'Your opinion on that latter is insignificant. You like every rubbish you hear or lay eyes on.'

'Oh, excuse me, but you too are the only one that likes the name Acrux else than my parents and brother, Mr. Tom Riddle.'

Names. They would always haunt Tom, impress Acrux, or hurt them both.

'Merlin, Tom! You are the one full of rubbish.'

Those subtleties would really drive him mad one day.

'Why are you helping me with these spells? I thought you Hufflepuffs didn't like Slytherin at all.'

'Well, you are quite wrong. And don't you think that is a superfluous reason not to talk to you? Besides you were very kind to help me in the train ride, Mr. Riddle, and I never had the chance to thank you for calming me down.'

Right, she was an anxious little girl three years ago. And a very formal one too.

'How can you perform such a charm? It is a bit advanced.'

'Pureblood families, as people say, have the tendency to pride themselves for their knowledge of charms and jinxes. They certainly cannot afford their children staying behind others, so my parents already taught the theory of magic and its performance to my brother and I.'

'I see. If you need help with your studying you can come to me, Miss...'

'Acrux. Acrux Selene Black.'

'Tom Marvolo Riddle. You can call me Tom, no need for formalities.'

'Likewise. Acrux is fine.'

Tom had revived his past through Acrux's point of view. For her, his heart seemed softer than it looked, his dark circles from reading until late were charming and she fancied messing his perfectly aligned hair. For her, Tom's gazes should be avoided, they were both daring and dangerous, but his smile was a whole different story; if natural and warm, it was a pretty vision to see, and if sly, it was too attractive to watch without blushing a little. Either way, Acrux would smile along with him. He was, most of all, a good friend.

She always came to the boy with that irritating habit of helping people, never asking anything in return. Tom remembered he once read in a biology book a person's heart is the size of her fist. Then, he observed Acrux's small hand and thought that was a dirty lie; hers should be much bigger, even though an organ's size has nothing to do with someone's feelings. The thought was absurdly illogical, of course, but he smiled. That just meant she was a badger to the bone and a clever one.

'I saw you healing some of the Quidditch players at the pitch today.' Tom caught her attention in an instant. 'Those were quite good spells. Have you thought about being a Mediwitch, Cure?'

'Do you think so?! I mean, if I cannot become a Magizoologist like Mr. Scamander, working at St. Mungus would be a good alternative too.'

Cure. It might have been a little joke with her name, but Acrux had loved the sound of it anyway. Had he been so blind not to see her deep affection? She was betrayed by her eyes, which she hid behind floors, walls and doors not to reveal the silky, vulnerable beat of a lover's core.

'Just don't be knocked out in a second, cousin.' Malfoy said with disdain. 'We don't want you to disgrace the entire family.'

'What a heavy word to throw to the wind, Abraxas. Grandma wouldn't like that.' The boy uttered a very unimpressed wow. 'The old goat… I am scarred at the mention.'

'You should be. Well, I thank you for your consideration, but please, try not to cry at the sight of a broken nail in your turn. We don't want to bring shame for both families, do we? Especially for uncle Albaric.'

'Very funny.' Acrux turned away, walking towards a skilled opponent, a Slytherin boy of her age. 'Hey, Riddle! Watch that! Your friend got Flint, that little jerk. I bet 50 Galleons she won't stand up for long! What would you say?'

'I don't bet, Malfoy.' The duel would start in a few moments and, while waiting, Acrux stared at them both. 'Oh, come on! If you believe in her it will be easy money, right? I'll double the bet if the fight lasts less than a minute.'

Merlin. The guy just wanted the satisfaction of seeing Acrux without moral support. Riddle had forgotten how Malfoy used to be an annoying bastard. However, Tom really enjoyed what had followed that little talk. As soon as he shook hands with Malfoy the girl's face brightened.

'So, what about my 100 Galleons? She disarmed him in what, 30 seconds?' He didn't know which was better, her victorious smile, or his heavy pockets. The next trip to Hogsmeade would be a happy one.

'For Merlin's beard! I'll kill Flint.'

'What did you think, cousin? Good enough?'

'You're still a disgrace for my savings. But you did well there, Selene.'

"You are my confidant, Mr. Riddle, and I hope you can cope with my silly feelings, even if you don't really care to return them. Even if you don't care to remember this moment from now on." She laughed a gloomy laugh. "You are wrong if you think I want to 'cure' you. Only you can put yourself in the right path. I am just a random person along the way, like everybody else you have at Hogwarts."

Acrux received no answer and it was ennerving.

"You really should learn to control your temper. Do I have to open my mind each time to shut you up?"

He used to control himself pretty well. Once, when his mind was not so crowded as now, with so many names.

Salazar Slytherin. Gellert Grindelwald. Albus Dumbledore.

Gaunt. Riddle.

Lord Voldemort.

Nonetheless, for a minute the most toxic words seemed to have vanished and all that was left was Tom. Tom Marvolo Riddle, a sixteen years old student with few treasures and a worthless name, for now. A grand, but miserable boy who wanted to make his friend laugh instead of cry in his arms, arms which embraced her body with intensity. He wanted to make the sorrow she felt be gone, for it was him who inflicted it. Unfortunately, no trivial excuse or positive remark would make things better.

"I think there is a better way to shut me up", he said with a sly smile, earning a laugh back. Tom felt Acrux fingers twisting the fabric of his sweater tighter, her head leaned against his chest, not a single cold tear breaking through. "But we should leave this place before you do so, Miss Black."

She wouldn't swallow his constant distance, or their fiery quarrels, and maybe he might not cherish her as much as his forbidden readings. He wouldn't settle for her omission, excessive indulgence and passiveness either. It wasn't a fairytale, happily ever after as they say, but they could enjoy their hard, tiring love while it was still warm. Their world was wrong, but it was not ending just yet.

"You know, the door is open for you to leave whenever you want to." He knew he wasn't the immaculate knight in shining armor Acrux might deserve, but he wouldn't be her captor either.

"Likewise." Tom had his own ambitions and she knew his plans included one person only, not two.

"I don't think I would leave."

"I think you think too much. That's my role, remember?" These last words were vague, although distracting, but the truth was too harsh to be said anyway. He would eventually be gone, far from her reach, but the show must go on.