The morning couldn't have come quick enough for me; I had to endure almost the entire night of my dorm mates asking me questions about Beauxbatons. They were convinced that everything from the men to the fashion was better in France. After a while I found it easier to just nod and agree, they had more than enough of their own opinions to truly want mine. For the first time ever Jenny was in a different girl's dorm to me, having been selected as Prefect. It wasn't a shock for anybody; her year long absence hadn't affected her grades or popularity.
"Excuse me," said Emma Abbot practically shoving me out of the way of the mirror.
Currently there were five girls stuck in a room with only three mirrors, I had only gotten a glimpse of my face before being banished from the room. I hadn't changed much over the year, dark blue eyes stood out more than ever, framed by black lashes that were set off perfectly by my 'chubby' rosy cheeks. Mother always said I had the looks of my Grand'Mere; all I could remember about the woman was a wrinkled old face and a smile that felt like home.
Not at all bothered that I couldn't fix my hair, it was far too wild anyway, thick black curls that trailed down my back. I grabbed my bag and set off for breakfast, Jenny had to go ahead and help the First Years find their way around, so I walked alone through the corridors.
I had barely begun to worry about the silence around me when a group rounded the corner ahead; the flash of blond hair instantly gave them away. I noticeably stiffened but didn't cower or run away, I had been told in France that the best way to deal with bullies was to ignore or not interact too much, they would eventually lose interest.
"Morning Mudblood, have a nice year away?" sneered Malfoy, looking down his nose at me. Crabbe, Nott and Goyle all sniggered, only one of them stood off to the side observing silently.
"Very nice, thank you," my reply shocked them so much that I was able to slip past. Even Riddle seemed surprised that I didn't instantly burst into tears or run away. I heard footsteps behind me, but didn't walk any faster because of them.
"Seems that the Mudblood has forgotten her place," Grunted Nott.
A hand gripped my upper arm, pushing me into the wall, my back scraping against it. Hissing out a breath of pain, I leaned as far away from the lanky body in front of me as possible. Sadly Malfoy moved to my right and Goyle to my left; leaving Nott holding me in place and the other two watching, one with glee and the other impassively.
"Let me go." I didn't raise my voice or give any indication that I could feel a trickle of blood go down my back, staining my new white shirt.
Nott sniggered, moving closer and crowding me for a totally different reason. Freezing, I tried moving away from the body in front of me, but it just pressed me against the wall harder.
"You know, Mudblood, you haven't turned out half bad." Slightly crooked teeth took up my vision; I was too frightened to move as his hips shoved against mine.
"Nott," one word from pale lips and my lanky tormentor was gone. A slight look of fear on his face, Nott slunk to the side, allowing Riddle to take up all my sight.
I didn't dare move, the look in his eyes scaring me more than anything Nott could have done. Malfoy clenched his fists as he glared at Nott, the crooked toothed boy seemed shocked at the hostility from both of his idols.
"You left without saying goodbye." Clicking his tongue, Riddle stopped about a foot away from me. "I was so very… concerned that something had happened to you; while all this time, you have been in France with your blood traitor boyfriend and his sister."
"Don't talk about them like that!" I surprised even myself with the strength in my voice; the group of Slytherins took a step back, but not because of me.
Riddle's eyes darkened, the blue turning dark red. Gripping my upper arms he shoved me back against the wall again, lips quirking in a snarl when I struggled for a moment.
"Be still," hissed the man in front of me, seeming to take pleasure from the growing fear in my eyes.
I froze, not wanting to antagonize him further. "Excellent, now it seems you have forgotten your place Mudblood." His hand moved from the painful hold on my arm to lightly holding my neck, his thumb lightly tracing over my racing pulse. "You are nothing but vermin in our world, you and all your kind belong where you have always belonged, beneath us."
Nott let out a titter, believing that Riddle meant to give me to him.
Rolling his eyes, Riddle turned his head towards Nott. "Do you want to catch something?" Sneering he looked back at me, "Merlin knows what diseases it has."
His words were so reminiscent of what had been drilled into my head before, that for a second I wasn't seeing Riddle, but a man far crueller.
"Please let me go." My face must have gone very white, for a second he looked confused at my reaction, but then something flashed in his eyes. Before I could stop him his other hand reached for my wrist and felt beneath my uniform, instantly finding the raised skin of where my tattoo lay.
"Well, well, looks like the little Mudblood is a little gypsy." Riddle's posse gave each other confused looks, not having heard about what was going on outside the Wizarding world.
Finally finding my strength I shoved Riddle off me, all the while knowing that he let me. Stepping back he smiled, a flash of white in a demon face.
Biting back tears, I straightened my uniform and picked up my book bag, practically running past the snickering gang and to the Great Hall. I had been strong enough for today.
…
"Well this is torture," growled Jenny, sitting down next to me. I wasn't sure what she meant, having been enjoying the sunlight all around too much to pay attention to anything.
Turning my head, I studied the irate red head. "What do you mean?"
Raising an eyebrow, she tossed her timetable/our timetable at me. Grabbing it I scanned the parchment, it took a second for what I was seeing to sink in.
"Potions, Care of Magical Creatures, Defence against the Dark Arts and Herbology all with Slytherin…" Lifelessly I sank back onto the ground, no longer glad I was early for my favourite class. "How did this happen? I thought Ravenclaw is supposed to be with Slytherin."
Jenny kicked up a piece of tuff next to me, making a small hole in the ground. "It was Riddle's idea, he was made Head Boy, can you believe it?!" Riddle as Head Boy, my life had just entered a whole new level of hell. Jenny continued, "He said that the 'relationships' between houses had to be improved. And for some reason he surmised that Slytherin had more of a problem with Hufflepuff than Gryffindor. Is he mad!?"
Before I could answer a refined voice came from behind, "I believe you had your chance to argue my idea, Bones, and your concerns were dismissed."
Startled I shot up, not bothering to brush off the grass that had collected itself on my hair and clothes. Riddle stared down at me, slightly elevated on the hill overlooking the gamekeeper's cottage, looking as bored with me as he usually did. Though this time I noticed the shiny badge pinned to his robes, proudly stating to the world that he was the 'best'.
Jenny was much calmer in standing up, actually taking the time to brush herself off before facing the devil incarnate.
"I believe, Riddle, that we both know the real reason you suddenly decided to start a campaign to 'eradicate ill will' between our houses." She pointed at me, "You want to torture Tony this year. What? Was making her life hell beforehand not enough, now you have to destroy one of the only classes she enjoys!"
Smirking Riddle took his attention from me and stepped close to Jenny, for a moment she faulted but didn't step back. "I would be careful how you speak to me, Bones, I would hate for your family to find out about your little… friend back in France."
Jenny turned pale so quickly I thought for a second she was going to faint, "W—what?
"You didn't think that was a secret, did you?" As he spoke Malfoy slinked out of nowhere to stand next to him, I stiffened even more at having the blond Slytherin near me. "Abraxas has many female friends at Beauxbatons, they like to talk."
"Among other things," chimed in Malfoy, a smug smile on his face, the entire time his eyes never left me.
I wasn't able to stop the disgusted curl of my lip, the idea of our friends at Beauxbatons actually being friendly with Malfoy was enough to make me sick. There was no denying the attractiveness of the blond snake, but he was poisoned ugly through actions, like Riddle was. The blond monster smirked, almost as if he knew what I was thinking. His hand reached up, I flinched instinctively and he frowned for a moment, before plucking a piece of grass from my hair and twirling it between his forefinger and thumb. This woke me up.
"Come on Jenny," grabbing my frozen friends arm, I yanked her away from the dangerous wizards.
Out of ear shot of them, Jenny clung to my arm as we walked down the hill. "They know about Francesca. What am I going to do?" she whispered, sounding more frightened than I had ever heard her sound before.
Around us our Housemates followed the path to Professor Catti's class; I knew they wouldn't bother listening in to our conversation.
"We aren't going to do a thing. Riddle and Malfoy won't want to use this information unless they see an advantage in it, and they won't see an advantage in it unless it hurts me in some way. So you aren't going to help me out this year, no using your Prefect badge to keep them away or argue with Riddle about anything." Jenny looked like she was going to argue, "You and Jeremy have been protecting me for years, and it's my turn to protect you."
She opened her mouth to reply, or probably argue knowing her, but Professor Catti had arrived. He was all rounded edges and walrus moustache, a kind man but ultimately still thought women weren't good for anything but keeping house and having babies.
"Good morning all," he beamed at everybody, "gather round."
The people behind us shoved until Jenny and I were practically in Catti's moustache.
"Excellent. Now, for the next month or so we will be studying the majestic creature known as the Unicorn." Excited whispers broke out between both Houses, "Settle down. Now, our Head Boy made a lovely suggestion that I should separate you into groups to complete this assignment, so would every Hufflepuff please find two Slytherin classmates to work with."
Furious yells broke out, thankfully none came from Jenny.
"Professor, why can't it be one Slytherin with two Hufflepuff?" questioned Elijah Bottworth, one of the only male Hufflepuff in the class. Several of the Slytherins around us rolled their eyes, having already come to the same conclusion as me.
"Because Mr Bottworth, there are far more Slytherins in this class than Hufflepuffs. And Headmaster Dippit wishes to foster more inter-house relations," there were a few blank stares, "We want you to learn to work together," exclaimed Catti with another wide smile.
Despite his words nobody made any effort to move towards a pair of the Snakes, being the first to move might mean you actually liked the smarmy bastards.
"Perhaps Professor, I might suggest who would work best with whom." Said Riddle, my eyes sank shut in despair.
"Excellent suggestion Tom," nearly every Professor called Riddle by his first name, except Professor Dumbledore. "Would everybody please move into the groups suggested by our Head Boy."
People parted for Riddle like he was Moses, even the Hufflepuffs adored him and eagerly awaited command.
"Bones with Crabbe and Nott," giving me a sad smile Jenny moved towards the tall boys, they immediately made room for her between them.
"Bottworth with Parkinson and Black." The two girls gave Bottworth sweet smiles as he stood between them, if anything it made him even more nervous. I suddenly got a feeling that Riddle had planned this from the start.
"Cumber with Snape and Goyle." Cumber was a smallish seventh year with glasses, he looked like he was about to face a Gorgon when he stepped between the thick skulled Goyle and dainty Snape.
"Jackson, Prewitt and Lestrange," the last Hufflepuff before me shuffled towards her two partners, they gave her a seemingly pleasant smile and herded her between them.
And finally, "Zima, Malfoy and of course myself," said Riddle a smirk in the corner of his mouth.
For a second my feet wouldn't move, but Professor Catti frowned at me and I forced my stiff limbs over. I made to stand next to Malfoy, knowing he was the lesser of two evils, but Riddle reached forward and pulled me between them. The tight band his hand made on my wrist stung, I didn't dare tell him to remove it though; he seemed particularly on edge today.
Meekly I stood between the two large Slytherins, Malfoy's cool blue eyes assessing me and Riddle looking straight ahead.
"Well, now that that is all over we will continue with the class," smiling Catti started walking towards the Forbidden Forest, knowing we would follow.
Rather than allowing us Hufflepuffs to congregate again, the Slytherins somehow kept us between them and separated. Riddle and Malfoy both gripped one of my wrists each over my robes, while their Housemates kept control through simpler means. Mainly flirting by the look of it, except with Jenny, although she knew better than to try and get away from her 'partners'.
"Can anybody tell me the lifespan of the common Unicorn?" Professor Catti spoke as we walked. I knew the answer, and usually would have put my hand up, but was trying too hard not to run away to truly concentrate on the class.
Riddle spoke, somehow sounding both bored and knowledgeable at the same time. "Unicorns are known to live from anywhere from one hundred to several thousand years, the healing qualities in their blood making it impossible to tell the exact age of a Unicorn. It is known however, that no Unicorn has ever died of natural causes."
"Well done Tom, although I expect no less from our Head Boy, ten point to Slytherin." Professor Catti stopped just outside a clearing; we weren't very far into the forest. I wondered for a moment what we were doing here; I had only ever seen Unicorns in the middle of the forest.
"Look at that," exclaimed Bottworth; I suddenly understood why we were in the clearing.
Somehow Professor Catti had trapped a Unicorn to one of the trees; he must have used a diamond tether and positioned it just right, to have it not have broken free already. The second the creature noticed us it began to panic, waves of fear rushed over me and I took a step towards it, wishing to somehow free it. The hold on my wrists tightened, a firm warning not to try getting closer.
"Please," with a whisper I beseeched Riddle.
He looked coolly down at me, "You can't do anything for it."
I knew he was right, as the owner of the Diamond tether, only Professor Catti could release the creature.
"I can calm it." Too panicked for the creature to care what I said to Riddle, I again tried to move towards the terrified creature.
Riddle must have made some sort of signal towards Malfoy, because the next second my back was pressed against the Head Boys front and my view was blocked by the blond aristocrats back, he was pressed tightly against me. It became easier for me to control my impulse to help the creature when I couldn't see it, although it was impossible to ignore the hard bodies pressed against me.
"Tom, Abraxus, good to see you trying to protect your fellow classmate, however all students are required to try and 'tame' the Unicorn." Said Professor Catti, hidden from me by Malfoy's wide back.
"Of course sir, Miss Zima seemed so frightened for a moment I thought it best to help." My tormentor sounded so believable that I even sunk back against him for a second, somehow forgetting that his story was a lie.
Professor Catti chuckled, "yes, women often lose control of their emotions when faced with a beast in distress. They are such gentle creatures."
"Indeed sir." I wanted to kick Malfoy in the back of the knees, horrible brown nosing snake.
"Still, Miss Zima will need to go towards the creature."
Riddle made a thoughtful noise; his partner in kidnapping took the hint and moved so I could see. Currently Parkinson was edging towards the wild being; I could see her hand shaking as she moved towards it. A single finger touched its flank and the unicorn went mad, kicking up dirt and trying to stab the Slytherin with his horn. Parkinson made a girly squeak that would make any Beauxbatons teacher proud, and fell back into the dirt. Somehow making an even louder noise when she realized what she had landed in.
"Never mind, Miss Parkinson, I'm sure it will wash out," chimed Professor Catti, motioning a Nott forward to touch the creature.
Parkinson looked like she wanted to hex both the unicorn and Professor Catti for a second, then she looked at Riddle and seemed to instantly calm down. Smiling charmingly she stood and moved towards her group.
Hesitant as the girl before him, Nott edged forward only a single step and glittering hoofs tried to cave his head in.
"Best back up, Mr Nott, sometimes they can be very picky about whom they let touch them." Nott instantly backed up into his group, looking relieved. "It is believed by Muggles that only a 'maiden' may tame a unicorn, a laughable belief." The smug look on professors Catti's face made me want to smack him, how could so many wizards so easily mock Muggle beliefs… "Miss Zima, your turn to tame the wild beast."
I gulped and moved forward, not afraid of the creature but fearful of what I knew it would do, or in my case not do. Slowly, so as not to startle it, I edged forward trying to meet its gaze. Finally the silvery pools met mine, and I smiled. The unicorn froze, to anybody else it might have seemed entranced, but I was somehow feeling its emotions and asking it to be calm.
Hello ancient one, I am so sorry that you are tied up at the moment, I promise that if you are not released today then I will do it myself when I am able.
Logically the unicorn couldn't comprehend me; it could no more understand English then I could understand its own language, but he could feel that I meant him no harm.
Now confident, I walked briskly towards the creature, neither of us disturbed by the gasps of Professor Catti. Reaching his side, I ran my hand down his hide, loving the feel of the silky fur. Making a pleased noise, a butting nose met my hand, begging for a scratch. Laughing, I obeyed and ran my hand down his nose and behind his ears.
I will return if you are not freed.
In answer the unicorn nodded his head; giving one last stroke I moved back towards the group. When I reached Riddle and Malfoy they both gripped a wrist and pulled me between them, moving in even closer than before. I knew that the Head Bot was mad, I wasn't entirely sure why though.
"That was incredible, never have I seen a unicorn warm so quickly to any one student. Well done Miss Zima, twenty points to Hufflepuff." Professor Catti seemed to look at me with something new in his eyes, as if the idea of me actually having a talent had never occurred to him. "I don't say this often to young women, but you might want to think of a career in Care of Magical Creatures, I knew you were skilled at the subject but this is simply amazing." I blushed under all the praise and stares. "I believe that is enough for today, please remember your groups as you will be in them for the remainder of the school term." Students started to gather their bags, "Please have a foot and a half essay on the origin of the Unicorn on my desk before next month, to be completed by the group as a team," he emphasized.
Another thing to love about this class was the easy homework we were all assigned, Professor Catti was a firm believer in 'taking it easy'. More for his sake then ours, I'm sure. In the corner of my eye I watched Jenny take a step towards me, all it took was a firm hand on her shoulder by Nott to stop her. It seemed the Slytherins were intent upon keeping us separate, herding everybody ahead of myself, Riddle and Malfoy up the path and after the retreating Professor.
I took only a step before I was yanked back, "Not yet," hissed Riddle in my ear.
Only a few seconds past and we three were alone in the clearing with the unicorn, who strangely wasn't at all as concerned with my compony as he should be.
"What was that?" Snarling, Riddle backed me towards what I thought was a tree. It was only when it moved that I realized I was literally sandwiched between the Head Boy and his head follower.
"W—what?" frightened beyond belief, I tried to back further into Malfoy; it was like trying to hide in a brick wall.
"Don't play dumb with me, Zima, I know what I saw." He pressed against the front of me; I was so shocked by his willingness to touch me that I didn't cry out for help. "There is something different about you, besides your dirty blood."
Malfoy's chest shook against my back, he was chuckling. I shifted to the side, hoping to slip out from between them. Hands gripped my hips on either side, manicured hands.
"Let me go!" unable to fight the feeling of being trapped, I kicked out against Riddle, hoping to catch him unawares. As if he had expected the move, he caught my leg in one hand, forcing it high and making me nearly drop like a fool if not for Malfoy keeping me standing. Tilted at an odd angle, I tried instead to use my hands to get Riddle away from me. I managed to dig them into the side of his neck before he shoved me back even more into the chest behind me. Apparently sick of my struggling, Riddle shoved something hard into my neck, a wand. I froze, knowing how dangerous and powerful he was. Blood trickled slowly down his neck; my nails had done more damage than I thought.
"It seems that the only way to get you to speak is to trap you. How like the wild animals you love you are." Malfoy's hands tightened around my waist, holding me more securely as Riddle spoke. "Now tell me what you are, and we can avoid the annoyance of me forcing it out of you."
His eyes were cold, a dark blue that seemed almost black. A pain in my leg forced a yelp out, the position it was being held at was too much and a cramp started in my inner thigh.
"Ah," shoving back against Malfoy, more to alleviate the pain then escape the situation, I managed to lower the leg only an inch before Riddle yanked it back up, inadvertently forcing my skirt higher. Making an annoyed noise, Riddle moved his hand to the back of my knee, allowing my leg to bend slightly and stop the worst of the pain.
"Tell me," Riddle's voice was deceptively calm, like anything was before a roaring disaster swept through it.
"I—I'm a witch," the Unicorn stamped its hoofs nearby as if to agree.
Smiling, Riddle dug the wand even deeper into my neck. Whimpering I tried to turn my head, but the sharp point followed me.
"Remember that this was your choice, Gypsy." My tormentor grinned, "Legilimens"
A roaring pain ripped through my mind, leaving me breathless and violated. Eyes scrunched shut my body jolted against the strength behind me, but it easily held up under the movements.
I could feel Riddle in my mind, he moved like a snake through my memories, casually flipping away the ones that held no interest for him and replaying the ones that did.
"You are nothing but a dirty gypsy," snarling like a dog, Heinz Koch spat on my mother. She didn't move, just stood their calmly and accepted the abuse. All around dirty and shaven women were being treated the same way.
When she didn't react he gripped my arm, it was tiny compared to his hand, easily breakable.
"Shall I take your filthy child with me? I know so many ways to make her scream."
Instantly mama snapped and threw herself at the Heinz, screaming and trying to claw him.
In the confusion my arm was snapped, I fainted at the pain.
Riddle lingered on this memory twice, forcing me to relive the agony and childish fear. He moved on as if it were all of no consequence.
Grand'Mere smiled down at me, lifting me into her lap and cuddling me close; the scent of thyme and lavender washing over me.
"Now, my little one, we mustn't let the words of the Gestapo hurt us. They do not understand our culture; do not understand how special you are."
My tiny hands fiddled with the folds in Grand'Mere's skirt, "Why am I special."
"You have a gift," she kissed the top of my head and cuddled me closer, "When you are old enough I will teach you how to use it."
Having found the memory he wanted, Riddle moved through the rest, trying to find the one that was connected. But he would never find it; we had been found by the Gestapo a little time later and sent to Dachau. My Grand'Mere died in that camp, the last memories I had of her were of a wasted shell that couldn't control the hacking coughs that eventually choked her.
Growling Riddle tore himself from my mind; crying out I slumped entirely in Malfoy's arms, my leg was released so the blond bore all my weight.
"You should have told him what he wanted to know, pet." Said a smooth voice behind me, Malfoy shifted me in his arms properly so I wouldn't fall to the ground. I wondered why he bothered. "My Lord always finds out what he wants to…"
Lord?
The 'Lord' in question was still fuming in front of us, he seemed to be deciding whether to kill me or not, his wand hand rising and then lowering slightly. Apparently deciding on letting me live, Riddle slipped his wand back into his robes. We stared at each other silently for a moment, the only noise coming from the Unicorn crunching on grass behind us.
"Inconvenient, you don't even know what you are."
Legs wobbling beneath me and head aching, I forced myself to stand; deciding to ignore how glad I was that Malfoy's hands remained around my waist to steady me should I fall.
"I am a witch." I wanted to leap at Riddle when he smirked, smack that smile from his eerily dark face.
"Haven't you ever wondered why you have such skill with Herbology? And why almost any creature you wish to calm is calmed, or tamed…" I flinched, he was correct, I had always been curious as to why I was so good with some things and terrible with others. "It's because, despite you're firm beliefs, you are not actually a witch."
"I—I," Riddle cut me off.
"I have no doubt of your dirty blood, and that magic is somewhere in your line, but it is not in you." He smirked when I finally found the strength to leap at him, only to be stopped by Malfoy's arms. "That isn't nice, I try and help you and you attack me."
"Fuck you!" I yanked against Malfoy, Riddle nodded his head and the arms holding me let up. Unable to stop my propulsion I fell on my face at both their feet, scraping my hands on the twigs beneath me. As if scent of my blood finally alerted the beast near us, the unicorn started snorting and stomping its feet, trying to get closer to me.
Ignoring it, Riddle stared down at me with a sneer. "Witch or not, you will always be beneath us, Zima." He smiled a cold smile, "Make no mistake though, when I find out what you are and decide if you will be of use to me, there will be nowhere you can hide." He turned and walked back towards the castle, Malfoy followed without a glance back.
For a moment I sat stunned on the ground, trying to sort through exactly what Riddle was talking about. If he thought I was some kind of mystical creature he was wrong, I was a witch, a very bad one, but just a witch.
The Unicorn let out a snort, reminding me of my promise.
"Oh," I pushed myself up, the urge to help overcoming any pain I might have felt. Again without fear I stood in front of the dangerous animal, studying the diamond tether keeping it captured. "Do you know how to get this off?" I questioned the unicorn, hoping he had an idea.
Somehow with only a blink in his eyes, I knew that he did. The deadly horn whizzed by my eyes, not a warning but a clue. Up close I could see that the tip of the curling bone was made of something that shone brighter than the chain around his neck, his horn was formed from diamonds.
Shaking my head at my own stupidity, having read that fact several different books, I tested out the tether. It stretched just enough for me to help the horn meet the crystals.
"Sorry," gripping the bottom of the creature's horn, I tilted his head to the side. It must have been painful, but not even a snort was heard. The sharp tip of the bone sliced through the diamond chain like it was nothing, the second it broke the entire length vanished, probably charmed to disappear to Professor Catti the second it was broken.
Giving a happy snort, the unicorn trotted in a circle around me. Laughing I twirled with it, enjoying the play of light off his entire body. Finally he stopped though, tilting his head as though hearing somebody coming. For a second we stared at each other; inclining my head in respected I wished him well in my mind. Then to my shock, the unicorn bowed his head.
Farewell, young one, we will meet again I hope.
The words flowed into my mind from the unicorn; I was struck dumb for a moment watching him gallop away into the forest.
Bye?
