-1Chapter 9 -- The Death
"You shouldn't be worrying so much, you know," Tom said to me; it was the day before our 'date.' "Collins was a pest; she was taken care of."
I shot him a look. Tom sometimes said odd things like that... Almost as if he controlled everything. "No one deserves to be Petrified, Tom, no matter how annoying," I scolded. Tom scowled.
"Tal, you have such little sense at times," Tom said with a chuckle. But there was no heart behind the laugh. Just a cold, bitter glare. I shuddered involuntarily.
"Are you cold?" he asked. I shook my head. Tom raised his eyebrows and began shrugging of his jacket. I sighed and accepted it, breathing in the odd scent the jacket carried.
"Thanks," I whispered. We were standing close together, a warm little pocket away from the rest of the world.
"No problem," he whispered back. I saw his face approaching mine, so close, so tantalizingly close-
Then a voice rang out.
"Atalanta! Atalanta!" called the voice. Shoot. Myrtle. I saw Tom's face twitch in annoyance.
"Hello, Myrtle," I said a bit cautiously; I glanced back at Tom, who seemed rather angry.
"Oh, I've been looking everywhere for you, Atalanta; someone's broke my glasses again, and no one will fix them for me," Myrtle cried woefully. I smiled generously at Myrtle, although a bit miffed I didn't get to kiss Tom.
"Reparo," I said, pointing to the broken glasses. The broken pieces joined together, and Myrtle was overjoyed.
"Thanks!" she grinned. "See you around." She skipped off, clutching her newly repaired glasses to her face.
I turned back to Tom; he still looked quite angry.
"Tom? Are you alright?" I asked, slightly frightened.
"Quite," he said in a rough voice, quite unlike his own. I recoiled.
"Oh- O-Okay. I need to go look something up in the library, then. I'll see you tomorrow?" I said, shaken at Tom's coarseness. Tom nodded curtly and I walked away, millions of thoughts racing through my subconscious.
I went back up to Gryffindor tower, strangely tired. I said hello to a few people, and sat by the fire to draw a bit. I started out with an eye, and then I expanded, my subconscious brimming out onto the pages…
An hour later, I was done. I looked at the paper and saw Tom staring back at me with a livid look dancing upon his face. Disgusted, I balled the paper up and threw it against the wall.
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I woke up the next day with a start; I had had the strangest dream the night before… Tom had been dressed in the most odd looking robes. I sighed and looked about at my dorm mates; they were all wide awake, talking in hurried whispers. I opened the curtains wider and they all looked at me.
"What's going on?" I asked sleepily. A girl I knew to be called Gretchen replied immediately.
"They might be closing the school… someone's died!" she replied hastily. My mouth dropped.
"Who?" I asked, the words springing from my mouth. I felt my ribcage closing in upon me, the walls closing in upon me-
"It was a third year, I think. Her name was Myrtle, and she was muggle-born," Gretchen said sadly. I felt my eyes tear up. No, no- this isn't happening, it's wrong, a lie-
"Are you sure?" I whispered, heart in my throat. She nodded gravely. I wiped my eyes before any tears could fall and I dressed quickly, automatically. I needed to see Tom; my gut instinct was telling me that he knew something about all this.
"I wouldn't go anywhere; I heard Dippet's quarantined the students to their dormitories," Gretchen called after me as I made my way to the commons.
"Being Head Girl has it's perks," I muttered. I pushed the portrait hole open; I needed to find Tom, I needed to see him-
Then I heard two voices.
"Riddle." It was Dumbledore's voice.
"Professor Dumbledore." Tom. That was Tom's voice! I almost ran out right then-
"It's not wise to be wandering around this late, Tom." I backed away, and hid behind the corner of the stairs.
"Yes, Professor. I suppose I -- I had to see it for myself, if…" A gaggle of wizards walked past me suddenly, carrying a stretcher. I could see a pale hand poking out from the sheet the covered the body on it. Myrtle.
"The rumors were true!" Tom again.
"I'm afraid they are, Tom." I felt tears running down my face; but I had to keep it together, for my sake as well as Myrtle's.
"About the school as well? They wouldn't really close Hogwarts, would they?" I cringed. I knew Tom had nothing to go back to if Hogwarts were truly to close.
"Headmaster Dippet may have no choice, I'm afraid." It was odd that Dumbledore's voice always remained so calm in a time of crisis.
"Sir. If it all stopped. If the person responsible were to be caught…" A ray of hope burned through me. So Tom did know something.
"Is there something you wish to tell me, Tom?" I wished silently I had the courage to ask him the same question. There was a long pause.
"No, sir. Nothing." I sighed. Lies.
"Very well then. Hurry along." I saw Tom's figure flash beside me; I held my breath and hoped he wouldn't see me. He didn't.
You remember that muggle saying again? Curiosity killed the cat?
I am one helluva cat.
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