Chapter Nine: The Argument
Aella,
I've been neglectful. I'm sorry, my dear child. We're constantly rushing about these days. As such I don't have much time to respond properly right now. I'm sure you will do fine on exams. I don't think you could do poorly. It's not in you.
I am more than positive that your mother would never stop beaming with pride. Rather like I do. Remember to sleep well, study hard and avoid unnecessary people.
I'll be meeting you at the station.
-Father
This had not been what she had expected from her father. His letters were usually incredibly long and detailed. So much so that she ended up skipping large chunks just to get on with it. The letters from the father went on and on about every little event and then some. Here was a short letter telling her she would do well. That was it.
She tried to shove the anger out of her mind but found she could hardly manage. He had never, in all of her time at Hogwarts, sent such a pointless letter. Didn't he have time for her? Of course not, she thought bitterly. The store was busy. She crumpled the letter and willingly threw it into the fireplace.
"What a waste." She snapped out loud. Stephen Hartley moved beside her.
"What?" He asked sleepily as he swiped at a bit of drool.
"You don't have to stay up with me." She noted rather more angrily than she had intended. Instead of apologizing she merely grabbed her book and looked for her spot.
"No. I should be studying too." He said as he began a rapid search for his own texts.
"It's on the floor, Stephen." She quipped with annoyance as she pointed a finger. "If you're that tired you should just go to bed." She tried again. It would be a relief to be alone after the disappointment she had received.
"If Riddle can stay up and study with you I can too." She laughed with malcontent.
"Riddle studies because he wants to. As do I. Stephen, go to bed." His frown almost made her regret her harsh words but he set his work on the table and slowly shuffled to his dorm. She was thankful she didn't have to apologize. A sigh escaped her as she grasped her book.
"That was quite rude, you know." Elinor's voice sounded from the general vicinity behind her. She craned her neck back to see her former friend.
"Elinor." She said curtly.
"You really should be nicer to boys." The blonde said as she sat down next to her.
"I treat everyone equally." She said dryly as she tried to focus on the words before her.
"That's the problem, isn't it? That's why you've got no friends. Not even Tom."
Aella felt her face go warm and her fingers clutched the book dangerously. "I hardly need your opinion on my life." She noted before slamming the book shut. Elinor had grown increasingly horrid since their last unsolved conflict. Aella had had enough of ignoring her. Her constant taunts were childish and mundane. "I hardly need your opinion on anything. Now, if I need advice on how to be a loose, unintelligent scandal, I'll come to you."
Elinor held up her hands as if to defend herself, though that fake smile remained pressed to her lips. "Don't be offended, Aella." She crooned. "Tom doesn't like many people."
Rolling her eyes, she leaned back into the sofa. "How would you know?"
"I've spent plenty of time with Tom." She reminded with a grin as she twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
"Certainly not quality time." Aella noted with force. "Let me guess, Tom likes you."
"Oh I don't know about that." Elinor said with a light laugh. "I only know that he didn't mention you once earlier when we were alone. I suspect his mouth was a little preoccupied for conversation though." She said with pure glee.
Aella tried to quell the feeling of disgust at Elinor's pleased face. "Of course." She agreed sarcastically.
"You can ask him yourself. I'm sure he won't deny a thing." She leaned in until Aella felt uncomfortable. "It was really about this need he kept talking about, you know? He simply couldn't stop saying it. He needed me."
Aella could feel her eyes growing wide with disbelief. A wave of territorial venom cursed through her veins in an unsettling manner. "Piss off." She hissed. Elinor shrugged and stood.
"It's alright, dear. Rejection does hurt." She laughed as she wandered carelessly into their dorm.
It doesn't make sense, she thought fervently. Tom despised everything about Elinor. She scoured her memories for moments that he had alluded to her; moments he had flat out said such things. She hoped to come across a memory where he said he had no need of her any more. Perhaps it was the fire clogging her brain or maybe he had never actually said anything to her about Elinor at all. Either way, Aella came up empty-handed.
What irked her more was that fact that she seemed to be growing increasingly upset over such a paltry fact. What did she care if Tom kissed Elinor, did more than kiss Elinor? She wasn't in a relationship with him. They hadn't set any ground rules. She was going out with Stephen now, wasn't she? She didn't even like Tom in that way.
"Bloody Malfoy." She declared as she abandoned her book. Her mind was now on a single track and it had nothing to do with studying.
She found Tom walking back from the library. At first he didn't look at her. When he finally did his face was void of emotion.
"Well, is it true?" She asked loudly, fully aware he could have no idea what she was talking about. She was even more aware she sounded rather shrill. It was the same kind of high-pitched uneasy voice her mother had often used when having an argument with her father.
He paused momentarily but remained silent. "It is?" She asked. Her mouth drew into a thin line. She crinkled her nose as if she smelt something unpleasant. "You're disgusting." She hissed as she moved past him. It had never crossed her mind that he wouldn't let her go, so when his hand quickly yanked back on her arm she nearly screamed. "Let go." She yelped as she tried to free herself.
"What did you say?"
"You heard me." Her tone was filled with snobbish self-righteousness.
"I am certain I misheard you." His brows were raised as if daring her to continue to contradict him.
"You're disgusting." She repeated, feeling her entire body growing hot. The spur of the moment reaction was catching up with her. Not only did she feel needlessly foolish but shame was creeping up on her. Usually fully in control, she suddenly felt unruly and wild. She didn't act like this ever. Indifference had always been her route when confronted with that sinking feeling in her stomach. She kept repeating to herself that she didn't even care that much for Tom. None of her actions were making sense. "Elinor—"
"Ah, I see." He replied carelessly as he started to pull her along with him.
"Let me go!"
"No."
"Let me go!" She screamed, suddenly wishing they were surrounded by people. He turned to look at her as if surprised at the decibel her scream had reached. It was quickly replaced by a dangerous glint in his eyes. His face became a massive explosion of pure rage.
"Be quiet." He seethed. He continued pulling her along the side of the corridor until he found an empty room. He threw her in roughly before locking the door behind him. "What is this about?" His voice was filled with anger.
"You know very well what it's about?" She tried to glare at him but tears were now pricking her eyes and her heart was hammering with fear. "Elinor? Really? Elinor?"
He shook his head. "Burke, this is a pointless conversation."
"Then why the bloody hell did you bring me in here?" She hollered, raising her arms up as if to prove her point. For a moment he was uncharacteristically silent. When fighting, he always had quick retorts.
"I can do what I please." He growled after a moment.
"As can I. Let me by." She demanded as she made to leave the room.
"No." His tall form blocked her with ease. "Do not behave so childishly." He maneuvered her back toward a table.
"I am not behaving-"
"Look at yourself!" He finally yelled. "What I do is of little concern to you. And why should it be? We are not equals. You are beneath me." His oft repeated words had lost all poignancy by this point. "Yet here you are acting as if you own me! You're behaving like a child who wants its toy back." He spat fiercely. Aella's eyes were indignantly wide. He refused to let him break her. "You associate with those similar to you. I don't see-"
She sneered with pleasure at his words, thanking him for faltering. "Oh, so Elinor Malfoy is similar to you?"
He recoiled instantly. "I-"
"She's worthy of your time now?"
"I never-"
"Something about the glorious Elinor Malfoy is worth more than my entire person? You can easily—"
"I would have done the same with you!" He bellowed, slamming a fist into the wooden surface of the desk beside him. Aella sucked in breath and fell silent. Crimson was stealing over face. "I would have if only you would quit fighting me. But you won't. I try and you fight me. I try and you push me away with your stupid words and worries. What do you want from me?" He howled.
"I-I-"
"I have always been honest with you. I don't want her." He spat. "I don't want to play these silly games that young people play. I want what I want and I refuse to deny myself." His voice was shaking with emotion. She cowered back, clearly confused with his unleashed frustration. Never had she seen him lose that cool composure. Even in arguments, his anger would be riled but his words were always carefully chosen to inflict the most pain. Now he seemed to be losing control. "If you would only let me, I would have you and this would not be an issue!" He drew nearer.
"You can't just have me, Tom!" She said as she tried to move away from him. He slammed his arms down on either side of her, causing her to jump. "I'm not some toy, something to be used whenever you feel like it."
"I've hardly used you." He argued. "I've given you more than I would allow anyone else."
"Ha!" She laughed as she threw head back. Again she was thankful he had mistakenly allowed her a chance to improve her stance. "Insults and hatred. Thank you for that Tom. I don't know how I could have been so blind!" Her voice was low, the sarcasm sharp and biting. She watched with relish as he made to step back, surprised to see her strength once more.
"I've been—"
"You've been what, Tom? You've been what?" The biting cold of her voice was meant to maim him, lash out at his sense of pride.
"There is something I want to tell you." He said suddenly, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Something glorious."
She paused her tirade, completely stranded by his change. "You can't just change the subject, Tom." Her voice was barely audible, having barely thought of a thing to say.
"Aella, what do you want from me?" He groaned. "I am tired of this dramatic game. I'm offering you the best I can give." She sucked in breath, realizing he had been aware of her real reason for finding him all along. Despite her flurry of words, the many twists of their argument, he had perceptively realized that she wanted something real from him. She bit her lip as she concluded that she hadn't even realized that had been her point. Had she been so upset because she wanted him to like her? To act as if he did, as if he cared? Surely such a thing was silly but it hit her with force that Tom was the one person she wanted such a thing from.
"No. You're not." She choked back a sob at her stupidity. "You're offering me all that you want to give. You can't be incapable of genuine affection. You can't be. No one is."
"Yes, some people are." He replied calmly. He had returned to himself, shoving back the emotion she had seen a few moments before. She shook her head to hide her watery eyes from him.
"It's not fair." She sobbed quietly. Words pressed against her mouth and she had to struggle to keep them in. She had never cared as much about genuine friendship as she did right then. Even with Elinor, she could have walked away at any moment. Even now, the thought of ignoring her tomorrow didn't bother her. Elinor had merely been company. Tom was different. She wanted to be around Tom though he clearly didn't feel the same way about her. She was a useful pawn in all things in his life and that was it.
He stepped toward her timidly. His hands sought her face. He brought hers up to meet his. "I'm going to open it." He breathed with excitement as he held her face carefully, almost tenderly as if it would break. "I'm going to open the Chamber of Secrets."
"I don't understand."
"Salazar Slytherin, my ancestor, my blood, created a haven. A place for the decent work of pure-bloods to be carried out. There is something inside that will cleanse the entire school of all of this filth." Aella frowned slightly but he seemed not to notice. "I, the heir of Slytherin, am going to open the chamber." His face was filled with horrifying glee. He seemed proud of himself.
"Tom—"
"It has taken me so very long to discover how to do it but I have finally done it!" He looked her in the eyes as if expecting something.
"Tom, this is—"
"Don't call me that any longer." He said with more glee. "I've become someone else now, someone better." His joy was palpable. He brought his lips to hers.
"I don't understand." She murmured when he finally released her.
"I am no longer going to be known as Tom Riddle. The name is awful. I refuse to carry that filthy muggle's name." His eyes took on an intense glaze as if he could no longer see her. Her body trembled inwardly, deeply uncertain of the manner in which he was acting. "I am Lord Voldemort. I will be the most feared and powerful wizard in the world."
A/N: This chapter was full of drama, wasn't it? I hope you're seeing the same struggle Aella is dealing with that I am. Character development is good for the heart, right? She was a bit beside herself and may have seemed OOC but she has a softer side so don't get angry with me! How was Tom? Up to par, I hope.