Tom and I walked until we reached the Entrance Courtyard.
Students were lounging in various parts of it as we walked passed them and headed in the direction of the library.
I sighed shaking my head before walking ahead of him.
Knowing he was already headed to the back corner of the library, where the tables were usually empty on day like these.
As we finally reached the table, I swiftly pulled out a chair and quickly sat down, before waiting to hear what he wished to say.
"Well?" I asked, leaning back against the chair and looking over at him expectantly.
"You remember how during Christmas break, Dumbledore brought us back here to keep us safe?" He asked.
I frowned, nodding uncomfortably at him, before looking away.
"Well, I decided to do some investigating of my own, with the help of Lucius and Dave..." He informed me in a low voice.
"I'm not following. What is that supposed to mean? I thought the professors said that everything is alright." I replied, blinking rapidly.
"Whomever is after us is gathering followers at an alarming speed. That means our lives are going to be endangered again... Unless we do the same..." He explained.
I froze, tilting my head to the side in disbelief.
Surely— surely he doesn't mean that we begin to study the dark arts. Does he?
"That's exactly what I mean. It's the only way I can see us making it out alive..." He explains.
I shook my head, getting to my feet.
"No. That is too dangerous. Surely there must be another way!" I told him, as I attempted to keep my voice down.
His eyes hardened as heard my response.
I could see this wasn't the response had had hope to receive.
"Anna, we've done everything possible to keep the danger away." He replied calmly.
"There— there has to be something else. Something we're missing." I replied adamantly.
"Honestly, are you not listening to what I am telling you? We have been trying everything. We've done nothing but their follow rules, and orders. We've studied hard... The danger is increasing as we speak. That is why I chose to do this... And to keep you out of it. To keep you safe." He replied, edgily.
I closed my eyes, as I brought my hands onto the table, before clasping them under my chin as I thought over what he was telling me.
"Please, trust me. I wouldn't lie to you." He implored.
He was right, I realized, the only times he lied to me was to protect me.
If what he was telling me was in fact true, then what else could I do?
Risk being wrong and hope to survive?
No... That only left me one other option.
"What do I need to do?" I finally asked, looking up to meet his eyes.
His eyes gleamed with eagerness momentarily mezmorizing me. He cleared his throat to gain my attention once more.
"Meet me by the Black Lake, an hour after lights out. Don't be late. Be careful when you sneak out." He instructed.
I nodded, swallowing thickly beforeI watched him rise from his seat and leave without another word.
The rest of the day I spent it in my room, studying for the final exams that were to occur the upcoming week.
When it was time to start heading out I got out of bed and quietly made my way down to the common room and hid beside a large chair as a few students made their ways up to bed.
The moment I knew it was clear, I moved out of my hiding spot, quickly making my out of the common room before I could be spotted.
Hiding in the shadows of the corridors, before continuing on towards clock tower before rushing down the hill and towards the Forbidden Forest.
Once I stepped into the shadows of the forest, I relaxed and slowly began making my way towards the direction of the lake.
I knew I had reached the correct place when I heard someone speak.
"Are you certain that she'll be here, Riddle?"
"She gave me her word. If she doesn't show that's alright too. We'll continue as if it never occured." Tom replied.
I frowned, stopping to listen in, wondering what was going to happen.
"Are you certain that she can be trusted? How do you know that she won't tell anyone?"
"I am. If you care to continue to question my directive, then perhaps you're the one who's trust needs to be questioned not Anna's." Tom replied carelessly.
"N-no. Of — of course not."
"I thought so." Tom replied, smugly.
As I debated whether or not to step out into the clearing, I stepped on a small branch snapping it, causing everyone to go quiet.I narrowed my eyes in concentration as I raised my hand, and pointed my wand at an anxious looking Corban Yaxley standing by Lucius, and Bastan.
"You've got to mean it." Bella whispered as she stood next to me.
"Mean it...? What is that supposed mean? Do you mean I need to be angry?" I questioned and my brow furrowed, as I dropped my hand to my side.
She shook her head at me, "No, you have to feel hatred within you... Deep hatred. Anger is only the beginning. But it'll do for the first try." She told me.
I nodded, as I raised my hand again.
"Crucio!"
As I moved my hand and pointed my wand, an unexpected light flew towards me, causing me to gasp as my other hand rose as if to protect me.
Without even thinking about it the flashing light stopped a few feet before me, and flew back the way it had come.
I stood there feeling baffled as I watched the light hit Corban, knocking him off his feet with a sharp 'Oomph'.
"Are you alright?" Tom asked me, as I sharply turned to look at him, wide-eyed.
"Annie, are you alright?" He repeated.
I moved my head up and down once before turning to watch Corban, as he laid helplessly, limbs twitching painfully on the damp ground.
I gasped, before I realized it was Tom who was doing it.
He stood before me, back stiff as he pointed his wand towards Corban, jaw tight as he did.
"Stop!" I cried out. "You're hurting him! Stop it!"
Tom dropped his wand, turning towards me in concern.
"Leave us." He said as he stared at me.
Everyone within the group quickly pulled up their hoods, before walking into the confines of the shadows of the forest.
"I scared you." He stated.
"No. Of course not. What makes you say that?" I asked, dryly.
"That wasn't my intention. But having you get injured on your first night here wasn't something I was going to allow to happen. It was him or you." He replied.
"You can't just keep trying to protect me. I could've handled him myself." I grumbled, annoyed.
"No, you couldn't have. Which is why I chose to interfere. Had I stood back and allowed it, you would have been the one on the ground." He told me.
"How—?" I began before he interupted me.
"He has been in the group since I begun. He has a few months training and knowledge over you. Trust me it would have hurt you." He informed me, cutting me off mid sentence.
"You underestimate me, and I don't appreciate it at all." I replied, crisply.
"Fine, you want me to stand aside and allow you to get hurt? Will that make you happy? Because it won't make me happy to see you get hurt. You need to listen when I am telling you something and not act like an insolent child." He snapped.
His words stung.
I knew he was right. But I wanted so badly to prove him wrong. That I realized I was lashing out at him.
"Forget it. I'm not doing this. Not now." I replied pushing past him only for him to grab me by my arm and pull me to a screeching stop.
"No, what you are doing now is getting frustrated. You don't want to do something stupid, so calm down." He firmly said.
I pulled my arm out of his grasp and moved farther away, throwing one last look over my shoulders before walking away.After that night I refused to attend the group again. But that didn't stop me from practicing.
No, if anything it made me work harder.
Bellatrix and her sisters were more than willing to help me. Teaching me things I didn't know, while also attending Tom's after hour group meetings.
By the time the school year ended, Bella and her sisters invited me over to stay during the summer.
That is where I begun practicing with them, more and more until I eventually surpassed them.
No one knew this bit of information, and I intended to keep it that way.