The next month developed as one would expect. I kept up with homework easily, spent dinner every Monday night with my family, ran every other morning with Abraxas, had girly sleepovers with the Ravenclaw girls in my year, read numerous books which kept materialising on my bookcase, all buzzing with ancient magic and spent many evenings using Legillimency on Tom. By the time Halloween came around, Cassiopeia was spouting some rubbish about a Black-Malfoy wedding and I even felt I could count Tom and Raimond as actual friends, even if we didn't start on the best footing.
The Halloween feast finished at a reasonable hour, and I had been invited to the upper school Halloween party in the Slytherin common room and more importantly I was invited to bring my friends.
I emerged from the Ravenclaw common room forty minutes after the feast with Henry, Casper, Bradley, Lizzie and Hazel. It had taken a while to convince my closest friends in Ravenclaw that sneaking down the dungeons to party with the snakes was a good idea, but they had agreed in the end. Besides, the rest of our house had nothing planned, so it wasn't as if they were missing anything.
"I can't help but think this will end badly," Bradley sighed, as the sound of his huge clown shoes slapping against the floor echoed off the stone walls.
"Oh shush," Lizzie scolded, flicking her wand to silence the ridiculous sound which could cause us to be caught. I smiled, I knew Lizzie's almost instant agreement to the plan was out of support for me.
We arrived in the dungeons and the party was already in full swing, as soon as I stepped onto the cold flagstones of the common room, Abraxas was at my side, ready to whisk me away into a dance. He had bought two friends with him, under the guise of the three musketeers, and making sure my friends were not excluded I couldn't help but smirk as Raimond led Lizzie to the dance floor.
Cassiopeia soon sent the forth years to bed, but they were not too upset, for they had their share of dancing too. Tonight she was dressed in a deep emerald ball gown, a tiara perched atop a mane of glossy curls, she was a corpse princess. Cedrella, Charis and Elena Greengrass were dressed as matching skeletons, Callidora as what I recognised as Alice in Wonderland, but I was surprised Callidora knew who she was.
A few dances later, I went to get myself a drink at the table Tom was casually leaning on whilst he surveyed the room over the rim of his glass.
"You haven't even tried with your costume, have you?" I chided, pouring a glass of wine. He was wearing a long dark cloak, blood red waist coat and if possible he looked even paler than usual. Tom's only reply was aggressively baring his teeth, flashing two pointed canines. I chuckled and joined him in looking about the room.
"No one told Callidora that Alice wasn't a redhead yet then?" I asked, conversationally.
"This is Slytherin Poppy, knowledge of a muggle heroine's hair colour would cost them their reputation," he pointed out, as he cast me a look. "Besides, she's Ariel in human form is she not?"
"Well, it seems you are a fan of muggle children's literature," I responded, impressed.
"Occasionally muggles can provide fascinating reading," he said, pouring himself another glass of a deep, amber liquid.
"Speaking of fascinating reading," I said, eyes sparkling with excitement, quickly I looked round. "I got a new book earlier in the week, about art." He raised an eyebrow, cottoning on immediately.
"How about we go for a dance Poppy," he said in reply, knocking back his drink and offering his hand. "It might give us a little bit of privacy." He shot a look at the group of people advancing on the drinks table.
I smiled and accepted his hand; he led me off right to the centre of the dance floor, where we were less likely to be overheard because of the noise of chattering and singing.
"When you say art, I presume you don't mean painting," he said, taking my waist and pulling me into him.
"Quite right," I replied, fixing my gaze to his dark stare and trying not to focus on the feel of his hand through the thin material of my toga. "It gives the principles of using Occlumency on another person, in situations like… they've just seen something they shouldn't and before you can get to a private enough spot to erase the memory, you have to ensure no else gets access to it."
"And you think you could do it?" he asked.
"I thought perhaps I could learn," I said. "But I need your help."
"You need someone's mind to shield?"
"On the contrary, I need someone to do the breaking in," Tom immediately frowned again. "You see," I continued to explain. "You've basically got Occlumency shields now and you said yourself you wanted to learn Legillimency. Well I'll teach you, and as you get better at it, I will have to get better at keeping you out of someone else's mind."
He looked pensive for a moment.
"Just one problem," he said eventually. "That would mean we need to tell someone else about this, and Legillimency is illegal." I pouted exaggeratedly at his density.
"You don't think outside the box do you? Why can't we use a bystander? A first year who happens to be walking down the corridor, they'd never know, unless they were very skilled or looking right at us."
His doubt dissipated and a wicked grin quirked his lips, he leaned in more and said in a low, rough tone.
"Sometimes Poppy, you really impress me," he stated.
"Only sometimes?" I replied, head held high as we swayed to the music. "You wound me." I wanted to look away; his gaze was intense as if searching for something deep within my own eyes.
"Which Greek goddess are you?" he asked, running his fingers over the soft material at my waist. I couldn't supress a shiver. He smiled.
"Does it matter; they all looked the same didn't they?"
"Perhaps, but you have to choose one," he replied. I thought for a moment.
"Athena," I replied.
"Wisdom and battle," he commented. "Perhaps fitting. But she was also known for her virtue," he raised an eyebrow at her.
"And what exactly, Mr Riddle, is that intended to mean?" I asked stiffly, but I was still smiling.
"A lot of people in this room would be very disappointed if you were to share that particular trait," he said wickedly, turning me to view Abraxas who was stood, arms folded watching us with a hard gaze. Tom held me closer. I could feel butterflies forming in my stomach.
"I'm not going to rise to your teasing Tom," I countered, but giving him an indulgent smile.
"No, but Abraxas might," he retorted, gently brushing a stray lock of hair off my face.
"I thought you two were friends," I replied, trying not to laugh at the strange colour I could see the Malfoy was turning out of the corner of my eye. Tom leaned forward.
"That doesn't mean he has any claim to you," he murmured, lips brushing my ear, so close I could hear the rough tones in his voice and feel his warm breath playing on the skin of my cheek, blowing stray locks of hair of my neck. This time I fought the reaction to shiver in delight.
"Tom," I said warningly, but he could see the temptation in my eyes. "I think you may have had too much to drink."
"And you not enough," he said, pulling back from me and regarding Malfoy with smug satisfaction. I was oddly disappointed by the loss of proximity. "I best not annoy him too much, if we must spend Christmas together."
"You accepted?" I exclaimed in surprise.
"Cassiopeia coerced me," he sighed. "With the promise of seeing ancient dark books and artefacts. What can I say? She is highly convincing."
"And what makes you think I'm going to share them," I asked, grinning.
"I'm sure I can convince you," he replied, his gaze suddenly burning my skin. I gave a tinkling laugh.
"You know Tom, I think you're right," I said airily. "I haven't had enough to drink, but we can continue our dancing later?"
"I look forward to it," he replied, pressing his rough lips firmly over my hand.
Tom never did that.
It was so unexpected, yet exquisite that I gasped audibly.
He smirked.
Later, flushed from the exertion of dancing the jive with Raimond, I squeezed myself onto the sofa between Abraxas and Tom.
"What are we doing?" I asked, as Cassiopeia handed me a glass of what smelt like firewhiskey, without a word.
"Drinking games," Abraxas replied.
Near two o'clock the Ravenclaws stumbled back to the tower, doubting for once that the Slytherins were really that bad. I however did not move from the settee until nearer four, when Cassiopeia finally announced that it was time for bed, as Raimond had vomited on the rug and the smell would make them all queasy too.
"Poppy, my darling," she said, her words slurring together as she extended an arm around my shoulders. "Would you like to stay here for the night?"
"That's okay thank you, Cassie," I replied. "I think I would like to sleep in my own bed."
"Very well," she agreed. "But someone must walk you back." The head girl turned, finger extended. Abraxas made to get up from his chair, smirking importantly.
"Tom," she demanded, pointing a finger at his chest. "You will walk Poppy home."
"My pleasure Cassie," he replied with a bow of the head. Abraxas looked crestfallen, which Cassie noticed.
"It would be highly inappropriate for you to accompany her Abraxas, who knows what you might do," she said with a smirk. "Now up to bed, shoo."
Tom and I strolled up through the castle with a lot less stealth than was advisable, but we did not notice for our blood was running hot and fast through our veins, buzzing with the alcohol in our systems.
"Even when irritating Abraxas isn't your design, you manage it," I laughed as we reached Ravenclaw tower.
"Naturally."
"Thank you for walking me back," I told him.
"My pleasure," he replied, his voice was rough again. I bit my lip. How could anyone look so good, so deathly pale? Surely a vampire had never been so attractive.
"Goodnight Tom," I managed to say. He lifted my hand and placed a firm, kiss on it. As he dropped it he smirked.
"No moaning this time?" he teased, I grimaced and whacked his chest with the back of my hand. He was chuckling at my indignation as he walked back down the corridor to the dungeons.
Cassie had received another letter from Pollux, so the family had been summoned up to the Black common room. I, after a very late breakfast walked with Cedrella up through the castle, she looked distracted and restless.
"What in Merlin's name is wrong with you Cedrella?" I asked a little harshly as I caught my cousin mid-fall, she had walked into a suit of armour.
"Nothing, nothing," she replied. I gave her a disbelieving look but did not press it further.
"So Poppy," Cedrella said in an airy tone, as if she was trying to be casual, and failing miserably. "Last night, Tom walked you back to the tower."
"Yes," I replied, eying her curiously.
"Did you… I mean are you..."
"What are you trying to ask me Cedrella?" I interrupted, giving her a hard look.
"I was just wondering if you and Tom had something together?" she said in a small voice, shrinking under my stony gaze. She looked embarrassed, but as if she would never sleep if she did not hear an answer.
"No, of course not," I answered, softening somewhat. "He merely walked me home, he didn't try anything."
"It's just you seemed to be so close, at the party," she countered.
"He was pissing off Abraxas," I replied with a smile. "You know how Tom is."
"No I don't," Cedrella exclaimed defensively, eyes widening as she realised how strong her denial was.
"I take it you and Tom had something before then?" I said cautiously. Cedrella looked at the ground. Were her eyes so bright because they were filling with tears?
"I thought we did… once," she said in a small voice, not making eye contact. "I… I thought he really liked me," she said hopelessly.
I stopped and grasped her hand, pulling her to a halt.
"Cedrella," I said tentatively. "Are you okay?"
The reply I received was a pair of arms flinging themselves around my shoulders, my heart dropped when I heard a sob escape.
"Ced," I said again, rubbing her back unsurely.
"I thought he liked me," she sobbed desperately. "And he didn't, he didn't at all. He wanted to get in with Cassie all along. He used me."
"Oh Ced," I sighed, squeezing her tight and bringing a hand up to run soothingly through her hair. "You didn't love him did you?"
"No," she whispered. "But, he has this magnetism… that was enough. You've never heard the way he talks, the way he looks at you when you're…." she trailed off, her voice mournful, but strangely nostalgic.
I took a deep breath.
"Did you have sex with him Ced?" I asked, though I dreaded the answer. I felt a head shake on my shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief.
"You didn't sleep with him and you didn't love him, you can move on," I proposed.
"I may not have slept with him, but I was closer than I care to admit," she said, her voice filled with shame. "I did not give him my virginity, but all of my dignity." I pulled back and looked her in the eyes, her words were enough implication that she would not be an entirely untainted bride, like was expected of her. Though hardly anyone was these days, despite what their elders were writing into marriage contracts. Cedrella could not hold my gaze and looked down at the floor.
"He used you Ced," I breathed, wiping a lock of her hair off of her tear streaked cheek. "But that doesn't measure your self-worth."
"It does," she murmured, her eyes filling with tears once again.
"Never let me hear you say that again Cedrella Black," I said in stern voice, eyes alight with indignation. "Since when did the likes of Tom Riddle have the right to make you feel like shit? What right does he have to control your confidence? You are beautiful and intelligent and you deserve so much more than how he treated you." My face softened into a smile.
"You are a Black, are you not?" I demanded, with a smile, praying I had got through to her. Cedrella took a deep breath and straightened her back, lifting her head high.
"I am a Black," she repeated, a smile which may have been a grimace lightening her features with determination. "You're right Poppy, I don't deserve what he thinks I do."
"You're worth more than that," I agreed. Cedrella wiped her eyes and smiled more genuinely at me.
"Thank you," she said sincerely, squeezing my hand.
"It's my job Ced," I replied.
We were late for the meeting Cassie had called, and she raised her eyebrows at us as we came in, as if questioning our new friendship.
"Apparently our esteemed Lord Black is questioning our guest list," she said, looking from person to person. "It seems it is not selective enough for him, and he respectfully asks if we wish to reconsider."
"Well we don't," Alphard said in a bored tone, looking over his shining leather shoes which were resting on the coffee table. "No one gives a shit about blood purity. Everyone is invited."
"All anyone cares about is money, and any one of the people here could come into a lot of it by some means, so we want them all on our side until they have given us a reason not to," Orion said sagely.
There were various noises of agreement.
"Then it's settled," Cassie said. "We will respectfully, tell Uncle Sirius where to go."