Chapter XIII: Joy in the Darkness
The Poisonblood loves poisons.
She poisons out of love, but above all, out of passion.
She knows how to recognize filters and smells,
And makes fortune of the scourge she sells.
It is wise to use Aconit,
When a Poisonblood gets lit.
Watch out for her charms and potions,
Because slowly, close to these temptations,
The heart, then, is poisoned.
Note to the Gift # 10 from the Codex of Slytherin
The next day, - as expected -, a storm hit the castle and both students and teachers were confined inside. However, this morning, it was not the pouring rain outside that was distressing the students.
As he walked back into the Great Hall, Eddy frowned at the whispers of worried students. And it was not him they were looking at. Despite this delighted change, the look that his classmates had has intrigued him. He sat next to Rita who was chowing down on a toast, her eyes fixed on her newspaper.
Eddy at first thought it was the school paper, but it was the Daily Prophet. In fact, all the students were staring at their own copy of the newspaper.
"What's happening?" Eddy asked, helping himself to a glass of apple juice.
Rita returned a sardonic eye roll, but she was livid. She handed him the quotidian with the most edifying title:
'GRINDELWALD ESCAPED FROM NURMENGARD'
"It is still with difficulty that we barely manage to gather all the information to date. Gellert Grindelwald, - the most powerful black mage of the turn of the century - has escaped from his prison, Nurmengard.
No one knows at the time of writing these line how he did it. Grindelwald after being defeated by Albus Dumbledore had been locked up in the prison of Nurmengard, which he had built himself. When the new magicoguard went to the prison on Thursday evening, it was completely empty. His only missing prisoner, as are his guards. The Bulgarian Aurors dispatched to the scene had no information to communicate to the Bulgarian ministry and the latter, fearing a movement of panic among its population, took time to make the news public.
Now the question arises, where is Grindelwald? How did he escape? Has he received support? Where are the magicoguards dedicated to watching over him?
These questions are being asked and the wizarding community will need to know the truth from around the world.
Your reporter, Max Tuxedo."
Eddy risked a glance at the staff table.
Dumbledore was static, frozen, -as if in thought-, and Professor was Riddle speaking with Slughorn. McGonagall also seemed in the most worried conversation with Flitwick and Sprout.
"Grindelwald! Do you realize? Do you know his supporters tried to attack my mother when she was on her European tour? But… he also fought your guardians! Do you think we're in danger? What if he wants revenge on our families?"
"No idea," admitted Eddy, still a little shocked.
Newt hadn't told him that much about Grindelwald, other than their letter from the previous year. He knew that they had fought them years before by finding themselves a little involved by chance in the legendary fight, which would face Dumbledore and Grindelwald.
Eddy wondered how Grindelwald had managed to escape as all the students in the Great Hall whispered over their breakfast. He heard Rosier claiming that Grindelwald had received help from the Bulgarian ministry, which was still secretly loyal to him, but no one believed him. Xenophilius at the Ravenclaw table called out to Rita:
"We absolutely have to start preparing an article for next week. He used Fassanach, I'm sure!"
"Fassanach?" Eddy asked, as Rita rolled her eyes.
"The Fassanach are formless, invisible magical creatures capable of infiltrating anywhere. No one knows what they look like", Xenophilius answered very seriously.
"These things do not exist, Xeno. You don't have to give me orders; it's my newspaper. This afternoon, go to the club with Parkinson; we will discuss it quietly when we have more information."
She shot a chilled look at Dumbledore. Undoubtedly she was going to follow him discreetly all day to try to collect some gossip.
They then saw Professor Riddle stand up, along with Slughorn talking to him. Together they left the Great Hall.
Eddy turned his head towards the end of the table. Salazar and Medusa were chatting with their own copy of the newspaper. The young girl held her brother's hand tenderly, all complicity back between them. Sal realized he was watching them and waved at him. Eddy took his glass of apple juice and joined him. The two Slytherin students next to them jumped up when they saw him coming. When he sat down, his sister recoiled and looked away.
"Did you see that?" Sal asked talking about the case. "I have never seen Dumbledore like that before."
Actually, Dumbledore had still not moved from his position. He seemed lost in his own thoughts and even when Sprout seemed to call out to him, he didn't move. McGonagall jolted him out of his trance by patting him on the shoulder. The Headmaster of Hogwarts stood up, and silence fell suddenly in the Great Hall. He took the newspaper with him and disappeared through the entrance to the trophy room.
"Never mind that old wreckage," Medusa whispered when the conversations rose. "If Grindelwald seeks revenge on him, we'll get rid of him."
"He could attack the school for that," Sal pointed out.
It barely seemed to attack the young girl's aggressiveness. She then darted worried glances at them. She seemed to calm down a bit after a long sigh.
"Sal told me what father had done to him. Thanks you for helping him."
"Thanks until the next slap," Eddy grumbled.
"He's not wrong," Sal added. "You are mean with him without being under the influence of any spell."
"So what do I have to do?" Medusa said, rolling her eyes and continuing in a sarcastic voice. "To apologise?"
"That would be a good start, yeah" Eddy retorted, finishing his glass of juice.
He ate his eggs and toast hungrily while Medusa remained silent. He had time to take several bites before the young girl winced, turning towards him.
"Sorry about the beach. But… when I found out that our father was going to know…"
She did not finish her sentence and pitifully shoved her cereal between her lips.
Eddy didn't really know how to respond to these vague explanations. He hadn't forgotten their kiss, but it was becoming increasingly complicated to understand her.
"Anyway," Eddy said turning on Salazar. "Hope Newt and Tina are okay; they're still in California."
"Are their search for a cure progressing?" Sal asked hopefully.
"Not really," he admitted.
"You really look better though," Medusa finally said casually.
When he looked at her, she looked away and stared at the magic ceiling where the rain was falling with a very interested pout.
But she was right. Only this morning he had seen the difference. He no longer had a greyish complexion, and fewer dark circles. This morning again he hadn't taken his potion and was eating with appetite and without nausea. He felt better, like just before the holidays, without treatment.
At this, Sal and Medusa looked pensive. Eddy wondered what they were thinking.
"Even if you can't tell us," Sal said, "we'll get you out of here."
"Don't get me involved in this," his sister told him. "We can not do anything."
"We're still not going to leave him with our father," Sal whispered. "You know what he wants and what he is capable of."
Eddy thought that precisely Riddle's motives were still very murky. He knew that Riddle wanted to be the head of Hogwarts, but to do what? Make reign of terror and dark magic?
"The only way to break such an oath is for one of the three parties to die. Either, the two contractors, or the chainer." ends up saying Medusa turning pale.
They all turned white. They were completely blocked. The young girl after these revelations; got up and left the Great Hall. The two boys watched her go, utterly frozen.
"She should have refused, just like me," muttered Eddy, devastated.
"That's also why it's called inviolable," Salazar reminded with an annoying tone.
They finished their breakfast in silence. Not having much to do in this weather, they decided to go to the library to work on their homework. Flitwick and Riddle had given two particularly difficult essays and needed references. They left with a delay and when they met, they understood that they were not the only ones to have had this idea. Many students were there, and finding a place was not easy. They sat next to Rosier and two sixth-year Ravenclaws. After a while working, Eddy noticed that Rosier was staring at him, looking mean. He looked down and went back to work.
After a while, Rosier seemed rather engrossed in his own book so the young wizard concentrated a little better. He then demanded an explanation from Sal about a notion in Defence Against the Dark Arts. After two hours, he managed to write something passable. Sal had already left him, taking advantage of a lull to take refuge outside. The other students at his table had eventually left.
He gathered his things and left to go back to his dormitory. Except that no sooner had he entered the corridor, then the stairs, than he was caught by a hand through a painting. He was in the secret passage connecting the second floor to the basement. Eddy saw that the one holding him looking evil was Rosier. He did not open his teeth.
"Stop talking to Medusa. She's mine."
"She hates you and doesn't belong to you, you moron."
In response, the teen smiled slightly and pulled out his wand. Eddy jerked free and pulled out his.
"I can seduce her, I just did not know how to do it. You too, I can watch you if necessary."
"Go ahead please, start."
Before a spell came out of his wand, Eddy had already hit him in the stomach. The teenager curled up on himself, moaning. Seeing him gasping in pain did many good to the young man. Before he got up, Eddy kneed him on the corner of the face. He anticipated and twisted, and then Rosier knocked him down with a spell. From there, he knocked him down to punch him in the face. Eddy felt the fist hit his cheekbone violently. Immediately his magic reacts to dismiss the young man. He fell painfully back to the top of the stairs of the secret passage, looking completely dazed.
"You monster!" growled Rosier.
"Coming from you, I'll take that as a compliment."
As Rosier was about to cast a spell on him, the silhouette of Professor Riddle appeared behind him.
"Well what do I see? So, you really want to lose your titles of prefect and captain of the team?" asked the professor sharply.
Rosier froze and went pale, making him look greyish in the darkness of the secret passage. He immediately lowered his wand as Eddy did. Seeing this insufferable boy frozen and trembling gave him a black feeling of satisfaction.
"N-No, Professor Riddle."
"Perfect. We'll talk about all that later, Mr. Rosier. Detention in Mr. Piccot's company on Monday evening. Get out."
He left dodging the teacher, Eddy was about to do the same on his side of the passage but the men called out to him.
"It feels good, doesn't it?" asked Riddle.
"What?"
"Correct the useless or the execrable. We take a kind of pleasure in it."
Eddy saw very well what he was talking about; putting that dumb Rosier in his place had greatly satisfied him. He had had the strength to fight back and better still, his Obscurus had not completely exploded. He was calm and serene about what he had done.
Riddle quietly walked down the stairs and found himself on his level. He had a relaxed smile.
"See you in class for practical work on Tuesday. Then I will know if you take your potion or not. Have a nice day, Mr. Lee."
Too flustered to answer, Eddy got out, and walked in the opposite direction to his teacher.
.
.
"Eddy,
You don't need to worry about us. Everything's alright, my boy. We are currently in the process of finalizing our research. We will come back soon to test this protocol with you, if you agree. One of our comrades would also like to meet you. I don't know if that's something you want.
We can discuss this further when we meet.
Regarding Grindelwald, I don't believe he's targeting us at the moment. No doubt, he is currently looking for his old allies. Anyway we know how to protect ourselves, we have always done it.
See you soon, xxx
Tina and Newt. »
Eddy had received his letter earlier that day. He had not really had time to think about it on his way to his first lesson. Tuesday was the day the young man disliked the most. His day began with Defence Against the Dark Arts, followed by a hour and a half gap, and after lunch he had Hex, Divination, and concluded with Astronomy.
He entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts class after Bellatrix and Kheiron. The moon globe in the classroom had a somewhat disturbing reddish colour. Eddy felt like he was inside an oven. Riddle stood there with a bored expression as they silently re-entered the classroom. There was a huge wardrobe next to him. When the door slammed, he resumed his impassive expression.
"Well, today I have planned some practical work."
He let a small religious silence hover which tensed the students waiting feverishly for the beginning of the lesson. The cupboard next to him suddenly quivered. Eddy felt a cold, icy sweat run down his shoulder blades.
"Get in line. I think Prince brought up the subject of Boggarts late last year. Who can remind me what boggarts are?"
Eddy was the first to raise his hand. With a small smile of contentment, the professor gave him the floor.
"Boggarts have no form, they take on the appearance of whatever scares us most. Their purpose is to feed on our deepest and most secret fears."
He had said that in such a cold, hissing voice that a few students in lines turned their heads towards him. The professor did not seem to care and smiled more.
"That's right. Five points for Slytherin. Who can remind me of the proper spell to neutralize it?"
"Riddikulus' spell," Medusa replied after being questioned.
Professor Riddle gave his daughter a few points and a face-to-face smile and ordered them to think about what scared them the most and to get ready. Medusa was the first to pass while Eddy and Salazar had instinctively put them at the very back. Eddy knew very well what his greatest fear was, to be consumed by his Obscurus and disappear. Only, as he remembered this lesson very well, he absolutely could not see how to laugh at the situation to cast the spell. Did he even have the strength?
Their professor with the back of his hand lifted the latch holding the cupboard door. Slowly a form appeared in front of a trembling Medusa. It was a huge spider the size of a trailer advancing towards the totally frozen girl.
"Riddikulus!" she managed to articulate in a small high-pitched voice.
Immediately the huge long hairy legs of the creature seemed to take root on the ground, thus blocked it looked above all like a kind of big toy on spring advancing back and forth in a furious rattle.
Next, it was Bellatrix's turn. She saw what looked like her sister's silhouette sinking into the water. The girl cast an angry spell and the figure jumped out of the water like a champagne cork. And the students lined up. After that, it was Gwendal with pixies, then Kheiron with a huge centipede or Rita with a mutant rat, which was the size of a pony. Soon there was only one student left in front of him and Sal at the end of the line, a Hufflepuff named Sanjay Patil.
In front of him appeared a gigantic hissing serpent. Surprised or not, the snake stared at Professor Riddle for a second before trying to attack Patil, as Eddy noticed. Sanjay turned it into a garden hose and then it was Eddy's turn. While he was already imagining the shape of his Obscurus, he remembered trembling, what had given birth to it.
With his wand outstretched, he watched in terror as the silhouette took shape.
Under the reddish glow of the globe his father appeared. There he stood, nearly six feet tall, with bulging and lean muscles, hair on his chest, and his face flushed with anger. With a panting posture, his boggartfather began to advance, while searching inside the pocket of his jacket.
"Dirty little brat," he heard his father hiss. "I will tear you to pieces."
His father took out his revolver and a few students in the class recognized what it was, they let out a cry of terror.
"Riddikikus!" Eddy yelled as just a few sparks flew from his wand. "Ridikulus!"
"O'beng, O'beng ! Die. Beng!"
He fired a bullet, Eddy heard a girl scream behind him. As he sensed something dark and dangerous within him, he saw his magic sweep the bullet away with a hot, angry filament. The bullet went and stuck in the closet door with a shrill noise.
"O'beng," his father repeated, reloading his pistol.
Eddy froze; his father was going to shoot him at close range. He was going to shoot again but at the last moment, Professor Riddle got between the creature and him. His father's silhouette faded then. For a moment, the Boggart took the form of Mr Riddle smiling sadistically, then he slowly transformed into a woman.
She was an old woman in her sixties dressed in black rags, she was dirty and seemed completely delirious. The students jumped back when they saw that she had been stabbed in the chest and was bleeding profusely with black blood. The woman moved like an inferius; her long hand outstretched towards Riddle.
"O'beng. O'beng. O'beng," the woman whispered like Eddy's father just before.
"Ridikulus," whispered the professor.
The woman's wound widened, causing her blood to spurt out like a surreal fountain. She appeared to dissolve into herself, and the professor threw her forcefully back into the cupboard.
No one said a word anymore. A gloomy silence has taken the room and everyone wondered what the word uttered several times by the Boggart was. Salazar behind Eddy gave him a curious look.
"The lesson is over. Thank you. Mr. Lee you will stay with me for a few moments."
He had spoken in a strange toneless voice that Eddy had never known to him. The students complied without asking for their rest. Salazar and Medusa retrieved their bags without a word but eager to know with their wide eyes between them. Rita also gave him a wriggling look, as she was the last to leave.
"What was that dirty trick with the Boggart?" the teenager hissed, looking up at his teacher.
"These exercises are on the schedule," Riddle retorted stiffly. "If you can't beat a simple boggart then we have a problem. You didn't stop your potions."
"Yes, I did," Eddy said lip service. "It just has to be some left in my body, I was able to levitate a thing or two yesterday. My magic is waking up, it needs time."
Riddle clicked his tongue impatiently and darted icy eyes at him.
"What does this word mean? O'beng?"
"Who was this woman?" Eddy retorted.
"It doesn't concern you," hissed the professor.
"Are you sure? Two people whom we know spoke this word. It is not a trivial word."
Curiosity took over the professor's face.
"I murdered years this woman ago after she stabbed me."
Riddle seemed to recall that memory as he felt a phantom pain next to his shoulder. Somehow, Eddy was not surprised. He suspected it. She was the woman who had whispered her curious prediction in Romani before she died.
"So?" asked the professor impatiently.
"Beng, it's the devil. They called us devil... or demon."
The professor froze. He paled even more and his gaze became incandescent at this discovery. His jaw twitched violently, then he gave a little hiss:
"I see. Touching."
He calmed down as Eddy swallowed his saliva.
"Looks like we have a lot to share, Mr. Lee. We will continue to use the Boggart for our upcoming sessions. Oh, and obviously this conversation is of course part of our pact, like any we'll have in the future. If you take it into your head to translate these little gypsy words to anyone, your Obscurus will no longer be your main problem. Now get out."
With a wave of his teacher's hand, Eddy felt himself swept out of the classroom like a leaf in the wind. He fell back down the hall heavily as his teacher locked himself in for the break.
Rita was there, quivering to question him but he ignored her and walked away, lowering his head. What he had experienced disturbed him to the point. That this particular word linked him to this cruel and sadistic professor worried him. They looked a lot alike, of course, but Eddy felt different, he didn't hurt for pleasure. Then, he thought back to what he had done to Rosier and was ashamed. He felt a sudden prick in his heart and had to stop in pain. His Obscurus now refused this shame.
Rita, who had followed him, leaned towards him:
"Oh, are you okay?
"Go away," he said worriedly.
The young girl had the reflex to do so and jumped away, wand outstretched. Inside him, the thing seemed to calm down a little as he recalled the pleasure he had felt in hitting Rosier. This thought did him a lot of good. He got up, coughing, and pulled himself together.
"Sorry, little crisis."
"Does this happen to you often? How does it manifest?"
"You are far too curious."
"It's by asking the right questions that you get to know people," the young girl answered him. "Do you intend to keep the suspense hanging over this word any longer? I'm sure he's already been around the school by now."
He chuckled and walked away down the hall. The girl grimaced and called out to him as he took the stairs.
"You are full of mysteries, Mr. Eddy Lee, and they beg me to be uncovered."
"Stay away from it all, Rita, for your own good," he told her.
The girl smiled barely perceptibly and turned on her heels. Eddy began to hope very seriously that she did not know any Romani descent around her where her life might be in danger.
.
.
The rest of the week passed smoothly. Life had resumed its course and all was calm. He felt his Obscurus twitch from time to time but just the thought that he had been able to fight off an older student gave him a kind of sweet tranquillity.
With this relief, Eddy felt that he was better and that for once things were under his control. He only had to unload the overflow during his sessions. It was so simple yet the young man did not forget his distrust of the professor. What exactly did he expect of him and how was he related to Medusa and Salazar?
This question they had asked for a long time with Salazar without finding satisfactory answers. Eddy thought that for once and despite his distrust of Dumbledore, he would have liked to tell him everything.
But the Headmaster had been away several days doing business at the Ministry since Grindelwald disappeared, as the newspapers only talked about that mysterious escape.
At breakfast that morning, Professor Riddle was sitting in his place, occupying his post in his absence. He looked very satisfied while reading the newspaper.
Eddy had seen him look up at him and Salazar but didn't seem to find anything wrong with this assembly. Undoubtedly he already knew for a long time that his son had escaped his enchantment but didn't care. He had what he wanted.
"I'm going to see Silvana tonight to ask her about Unbreakable, wizarding customs are sometimes close to centaur customs," Salazar told him as they walked to potions class.
"I'll go with you," said Eddy.
"No, it's better not. Really. The forbidden forest is no longer safe. There are more and more spiders; I have a hard time avoiding them myself. It's not a good idea."
Eddy scowled, a little annoyed at being dismissed. He did not like it when Sal took that emphatic tone with him.
They joined their classmate in silence and then entered the classroom when Slughorn allowed them. The potion of the day was Euphoria. It was not very complicated but required a particular and continuous tossing. Out of habit, Salazar sat next to his sister while Eddy joined Gwendal. They prepared their ingredients. Eddy managed to light the fire with his wand and even Slughorn seemed surprised at this feat because he opened his eyes wide giving him the look of a big puzzled walrus.
While Gwendal cut the ingredients with a quiet hand, Eddy stirred the potion to prevent its texture from thickening. It had to have the consistency of cake batter throughout the preparation, without burning.
"You're really good at cutting," Shafiq said to Umbridge in front, as she made a delicate slice of her fairy eggs.
"Thank you. Cutting things is a passion," replied Dolores with an ecstatic expression, sending a shiver down the spines of the three boys beside her.
The lesson ended well. The potion seemed to please Slughorn when he saw it because it was indeed still in the right texture but a little too deep yellow compared to the expected chick yellow.
"I wonder how they make the colour-blind in potions", wondered Gwendal that this tiny difference had offended. "When you can't see the colours well, how do you do it, huh?"
"Precisely, you don't."
As Eddy was about to leave, Professor Slughorn challenged him. The boy waited for the last student to leave and turned to his teacher. The potions professor handed him his double dose of illuminial which he no longer took but seemed to be waiting for something else behind his big walrus mustache.
"Edward, my boy, I see you look better. That's because the treatment works. You have made great progress recently. What a prodigious strength of character that you have there."
Eddy might have felt flattered by these compliments, but it seemed to him that Professor Slughorn expected something from him. He muttered a vague thank you to the man, curious to know his intentions.
"You know, I'm hosting a small gathering next week with a couple of close friends. I've invited our dear Newt and assured him you'll be present. Don't disappoint me as you did before the summer break. It would truly mean a lot if both you and your tutor could attend. What do you say?"
"Uh…I…yes," he said after briefly searching for an excuse to escape this chore. "Newt and Tina are back home?"
"Of course, I ran into them yesterday on Diagon Alley on my way to my potionists guild meeting!" enthused Slughorn. "Excellent, so you can come. I'll see you there."
He quickly escorted him to the door. From there, Eddy found himself in the hallway a bit speechless. He felt used again and a bit angry with his teacher. He was not a freak, or an instrument to be used to lure Newt. He suppressed an angry hiss and left for his next lesson.
He had Herbology. He entered the greenhouse just before Sprout closed it behind him. With a small apologetic smile, he went to stand in front of his trestle where the Ayahuacsa they had to weave were growing.
It was a long vine from South America capable of bringing visions to the sighted wizards of the region. It had to be braided during its growth to be able to grind it more easily afterwards and let its juices flow. Because the still young plant was already struggling fiercely, he could not imagine when it would have to be cut. He grabbed a struggling vine end and began to lie it on top of another while he caught the third in its vine braid. The other students were concentrated working methodically.
Beside him, Bellatrix slammed each recalcitrant vine against the table and hissed insults smothered in her beard. After a while, Professor Sprout gave him detention upon hearing that. The young girl turned her table angrily and left class without a word.
The students watched her leave, speechless.
"Go back, to your vine," Sprout finally said to put an end to the uneasiness.
They resumed in a somewhat tense state of mind. The lesson ended without the atmosphere calming down. Eddy joined Sal while Medusa stalked off to see Rita and discussed the whole thing in a strained voice.
He and Salazar passed them and the young Riddle whispered:
"She is in a lot of pain. A lot, but she can't say anything."
Eddy wondered what it felt like to be able to feel the pain of everyone around you without being able to do anything about it, better find a way to cut yourself off from the world indeed.
"I'm going to the forbidden forest, don't come."
Squinting, Eddy consented to do so. However, he watched him leave from afar after climbing into the Astronomy tower with his bag. He liked to be here when the sun was going down. Even if by this month of November, it was starting to get cold. Thus, he was well to reflect with the last rays of sun on the cheek. His gaze, however, was drawn below by two figures returning from the forbidden forest. He picked up the telescope hanging from the railing and stuck his eye to it so abruptly that he nearly gouged it out.
It was Professor Riddle holding his son by the neck as they walked back up to the park. Riddle appeared composed and engaged in what seemed like a casual conversation, but Eddy harbored strong doubts about it
Salazar didn't return to the dorm that night. Eddy wondered with fear where he had spent the night because when he got up his bed was still so empty.
Arriving early in the common room, he found Medusa and sat down next to her to question her. She shifted slightly and seemed embarrassed by his presence.
"He's going to arrive. Father probably locked him up. Confinement is one of the things that scares him the most," she whispered in a low painful tone.
She then plunged back into her book looking distressed so he left her. Salazar appeared in class, but he was pale and mute. He did not open his mouth all day.
.
.
Slughorn's evening arrived without Eddy being able to find an obligation to get out of it. He had an evening robe in his belongings, but it was two years old, he had grown so much in the meantime that the bottom of his pants came to his mid-calf. He was ridiculous.
"Put this on," Kheiron had told him after bursting into laughter at the sight of him.
As the teenager wiped away tears of laughter, Eddy saw that what his classmate had thrown at him was a royal blue suit. Kheiron was his height and they were about the same build.
"Thank you, I'll make it up to you."
"Pleasure is mine. Thanks for the giggle."
With these words, he went to get dressed. The suit was a little tight but fit him much better. The young man was not used to seeing himself so elegant.
"That's much better," Kheiron assured him, poking his head through the bathroom door. "Come on, you'll be late. Good luck with Slug and his slugs."
He left under the compliments of his comrades. Even Sal gave him a small smile behind his voluminous book on magical creatures. Since his father had found him near the forbidden forest, he had remained very quiet. Even Professor McGonagall who had tried to interrogate him hadn't had an answer to her question and had waited patiently before having to give up.
Eddy hoped he might get better soon. He thought about talking to Dumbledore about it but he had been flying around school lately.
When he arrived in the common room, Bellatrix and Rodolphus were leaving. The young woman was dressed in a long black dress and fitted around her muscular body. She gave a short, tight, awkward little smile, while her eyes had darkened further. The bags under her eyelashes had grown heavy and were purplish, making her look ragged and sickly. Rodolphus looked a little better in an equally dark suit.
"Rosier came back with a bad face the other day," Lestrange hissed. "Well done, he didn't want to tell us who it was but since you were the only one who still had a little cockade, it must be you."
Eddy couldn't hide a small grimace of mixed satisfaction and embarrassment. He then walked after the couple. They left the common room and went to Slughorn's office. The journey passed in silence. In front of the office, they heard the sound of a catchy little waltz.
"Come on," sighed Lestrange. "Show must go on, as they said."
Somewhere Eddy agreed with him as they entered the magically enlarged professor's office. Large drapes had been taped to the wall and there was a huge banquet stand in one corner. Several guests were already there, but they were fewer than the previous time, maybe twenty. Eddy spotted Medusa in a long golden dress, her long hair wrapped in a complicated bun tangled in golden ribbon. She looked a bit like an oriental princess like that because she had made up her dark eyes with kohl.
Eddy sneaked near the buffet to get something to eat, from there he began to search for Newt and Tina in the crowd.
"Hey, it's been a long time."
It was Arthur Weasley in a waiter costume. He was in detention with a plump, sweet-faced young redhead woman in a similar outfit but with a long, pencil-cut skirt. Eddy had not really spoken to Arthur since their detention together due to the misunderstanding between their houses, but Arthur had always smiled at him when they passed each other in the hallways.
"Indeed, what else did you do to find yourself here, Mr. Prefect?" he scoffed.
"A little moonlit walk with Molly," the boy blushed as the redhead slapped his arm to shut him up. "Ouch, Molly-honey, it's not a fuss, we weren't doing anything wrong. We were just too close to the forbidden forest, that's all. Slughorn just caught us coming out of the forest", he explained.
"What was he going to do in the forest?"
"We saw the body of a huge spider in the undergrowth," replied the young woman, offering him a tray of punch. "He was collecting venom. It is horrible the monsters that there are in this forest right next to us, why do they leave children next to that? Molly Prewett, by the way, delighted."
Eddy realized Molly was the sister of the two men who tried to kidnap the Riddles. Despite everything, he presented her with his hand; she seemed touched and responded with a frank and firm grip. There was a lot of kindness but great strength of character in this little piece of woman.
"We never got a chance to be introduced, but I hope you're feeling better, it must not be easy. You really look better now."
The young man thought at first that it was a little immodest to talk about such things, then he saw so much concern in those big brown eyes in front of him that he managed to sketch a small awkward smile.
"T-thank you. I'm fine."
"How does it feel to be on the other side of the fence all of a sudden?" asked Arthur Weasley.
"I don't know, I just arrived. But I'm already looking for a way to escape as soon as possible."
Arthur and Molly chuckled.
"We should be able to help you, the leech stir-fries are spoiled from the smell. Take one or two and the dinner might get pretty fun," said Arthur.
"For you, for sure."
"Try it, you'll be laughing at this in a few years. As of this situation, you will see we will laugh in a few years Mollygrowly."
"Don't call me like that," the witch blushed. "If my mother finds out that I'm doing service at Hogwarts, I might end up doing my last year with a tutor."
The redhead choked at the idea. Medusa who was only a few meters away then turned her head towards their group. She advanced with the gait of a huntress.
"Well, well, well. Who is here? The two slugs stuck together. You haven't managed to make us a little redhead with all the empty classrooms in this castle yet? Do you need to take another poor redhead with you?"
Molly Prewett turned scarlet as Medusa took an appetizer with a smirk.
"As charming as ever," Arthur gritted. "Don't you have any voodoo dolls handy to vent your anger on?"
"No, but two years ago I went to the United States, I learned how to do it. Beware Weasley. It's pretty easy and it takes its toll."
She gave them a wicked little grin. Eddy wondered if Molly knew what her older brothers had done on Dumbledore's orders. Medusa enjoyed terrifying others so much that the young woman's expression gave him no clue to that question.
Slughorn then arrived to drive the waiter couple away and ordered them to turn around the room and serve. He then gave Medusa and Eddy a wriggling look.
"Miss Riddle, Mr. Lee, you're in good luck. I'll come back to you in a moment, it is absolutely necessary that I introduce you to someone but wait, I have to greet another of my guests. Newt!"
Eddy turned his head towards his tutor who entered the office with a shy and awkward gait. Tina was not with him, he seemed terribly uncomfortable as usual in this kind of festivities. Slughorn grabbed him before Eddy could call him. Medusa then turned to him, having lost her snake pout about to swoop down on her prey.
"Didn't you have any other sessions?"
He shook his head, it was the only thing he could say, because trying to speak the words stuck like a compact ball against his throat, for a second he couldn't breathe. Sweat trickled down his neck.
"Can't you tell me what O'beng means now?" she whispered softly, leaning towards him.
She was there very close looking up at him.
"I won't use my gift if it would endanger you, I promise."
"I can't say anything, Medusa."
"Nevermind. In an hour, meet me down the hall. We need to talk."
Suspicious, he gave his consent. He looked at the watch on his wrist, it was twenty past eight. The young girl walked away as her father entered the room. Riddle was still in his eternal dark robe.
Newt called out to him at that moment to come to Slughorn's side. Eddy joined him avoiding a couple of wizards dressed in long coloured veils.
"Edward, my boy, I was just telling Newt how much progress you've made lately."
"Indeed," his tutor said softly, smiling at him. "I am happy to see you. You look very fit, I didn't expect that. I'm very happy about it too, but it's very surprising."
"Yeah, I Know." Eddy lied very easily.
So easily, that he froze inside. He was going back to lying openly to his guardians like as did in Ilvermony. He gave Newt and Slughorn a confident smile, however.
"Edward takes his potions, besides the little incident on the stairs, he has a lot of future. I just wanted to introduce Miss Riddle and Mr. Lee to a very good friend of mine, a reporter for the Daily Prophet."
"If you're talking about Mr. Tuxedo, Medusa was able to meet him at the Ministry last winter. But thank you for this delicate attention," whispered Professor Riddle arriving with a glass in hand.
When he noticed him, Newt froze. He frowned while his opponent was keeping his gentle demeanour. This made Newt looked like a strange statue in front of a still unknown and dangerous species. Mr. Riddle was smiling calmly.
"Ah, Tom, here's the man for the job. Without your intervention with Mr Lee, things could have been terrible."
"I only did my duty. Without the help of Professor Dumbledore the situation would have turned into a nightmare, replied the professor modestly, still keeping a small smirk.
"Mr Riddle," Newt corrected himself. "I think we were not properly presented this summer. Thanks for helping Eddy. Newt Scamander, delighted."
He presented his hand awkwardly to the professor who took it. Their palms clenched together and Newt had a strange little shiver that Eddy noticed.
"You already know each other?" inquired Slughorn.
"We bumped into each other this summer," Riddle answered calmly. "I had to step in to help Edward. This boy has so much potential."
"I'm sure of it," Newt said slowly, suddenly lowering his eyes. "If you'll excuse me, I have to talk to Eddy. It's been a long time since we've seen each other."
Eddy did not even greet the two professors and followed Newt to the back of the room.
"How are you?" he asked Newt who was pale.
"I am fine my boy," Newt mouthed after swallowing. "I don't like this man. Not at all. Stay away from him by all means, Eddy."
"It works," he lied easily again. "You wanted to talk to me?"
"Indeed, I'm glad to see that you're improving every day and that the overdose of treatment hasn't hurt you too badly. You're doing like a boss. Unfortunately on our side the news is not so encouraging. The likelihood that the treatment we have developed will work the first time is very low. We don't know how it will be when you take it. That's why a colleague wants to meet you, Ulman Felish, a mediwitch specializing in dark magic and magical mutations. We would like to frame this first take if you of course want to take it. We can continue to work, we are still working on it."
He had spoken in a quick voice, practically without stopping. Eddy had to concentrate to record all the information in this little monologue. Disappointment overwhelmed him. It would probably not be conclusive and he would again be treated like a monster or a test subject.
"Is that why Tina didn't come?" he asked to avoid answering. "Greet her from me."
"That, and the fact that Slughorn didn't send her an invitation. That's not very courteous of your teacher. I never liked this kind of meeting… but I had to talk to you one-on-one."
Eddy looked up, taken aback.
"Now that Grindelwald is out in the wild, you should know that the power of the Obscurials has always fascinated this dark wizard. It's important that you take care of yourself. Please do not go outside unsupervised. Your secret must not be leaked too much."
"That works. You can trust me," he said honestly this time.
"Alright. Thank you, big guy. Do not worry; Dumbledore will eventually get his hands on him. I think you've really grown lately, even physically. This robe suits you well."
Eddy blushed at the compliment and scratched his head a little uncomfortably.
"Concerning the experimental treatment, do you want to test it?"
"No," Eddy admitted. "I'm good, can we wait a bit? I don't really want to know what will happen. So far so good."
"Or… we'll wait. We will surely work on this all winter; I may still have a lead. Do you want to spend the holidays with us? We will be in the United States with Queenie."
"No, I'd like to spend them here at Hogwarts… just to see what it's like. I have friends who stay at school. I will be very careful."
"Sure why not. You'll see, there aren't many of you, and the castle becomes even more magical in those moments. We will miss you very much."
"You, too," he slipped away as three rickety old wizards recognized Newt and began to bombard him with questions.
"Mr. Scamander, what a pleasure to see you again, I haven't seen you since your lecture at the Magical University of Salem ten years ago… That doesn't make us any younger, does it?"
Eddy scrambled looking at the big clock in the office. It was almost time for his date with Medusa. He hid behind a curtain and slipped out unseen. He reached the hallway somewhat relieved and pulled the collar of his suit a little. The young man began to walk down the hall a little worried. He wondered what Medusa still had in mind and even thought for a moment of just turning on his heels to go back to his dormitory.
A hand emerged from the bottom of a dungeon as well as a piece of golden dress. So intrigued, he approached it. The hand grabbed him sharply by the costume and pulled him into the darkness.
Medusa was barely noticeable stuck in the shadow of the wall where the torches weren't lit. He could barely make out her features and her eyes.
"What is this about? he gritted. What are we doing here?"
"Can you tell your tutor that I'm sorry for my behaviour at their house?" asked the young woman in a small voice. "I had Mrs. Scamander's dress washed, I'm ready to send it back."
"You'll have to go and apologize to him yourself, as well as to Tina. But you didn't bring me here for a dress affair, considering how weird you've been around me lately."
"No… Indeed. You know, I still have very good memories of the beach."
"Not me," he retorted, feeling the turmoil surge inside him as he thought about how miserable he'd felt after the slap and Medusa's words.
"I suspect it, but I loved your face it's true," she boasted, then she resumed even more embarrassed. "What I mean, is that there is a particular moment that I loved that day."
There was a faint noise in the dark and Eddy noticed Medusa raise her hand to put it on his cheek. It was warm and pleasant. He felt a shiver run through him, but it was a nice shiver.
"It brought me great joy. But let no one know, I have to find some joy in the darkness."
She approached and Eddy understood what she had in mind. He pressed his lips to hers before she finished stepping forward. Her lips were soft and warm, like on the beach and inside him he felt a force roaring furiously. She answered his lips with delight and closed her hands against his face as he gripped her waist. He wasn't sure how long their kiss lasted but didn't want to stop it. It was so pleasant that he felt warmth rising all along his belly. Finally, she let go and moved away several meters.
She had come back into the light. Lit by a torch with her mystical golden dress and a few hairs escaping from her bun during their embrace, she did look like a Gorgon. The small curly locks waved like little snakes as she smiled with a proud posture.
"None is interested in a memory where we see nothing. He won't see anything in our heads like that. It was a pleasure. See you soon for a next session. "
She gave him a wink and left. He stood there, feeling happy and frozen, as the beast inside him cried out in ecstasy from deep within. She walked away down the hall to join the party, but still frozen, he couldn't move for a moment. When he pulled himself together, he managed to put into words the feeling of fulfilment he had felt when he kissed the young witch. He had felt good, happy and confused. He felt this warmth at the very bottom of his body that had intrigued him and more, it resembled the feeling of well being he felt in the fire.
A powerful feeling, which he had never felt before towards anyone else. It was not destructive on the contrary; it was pure, intense, joy, which nothing seemed able to extinguish.
He returned to the party to take his mind off things. As he opened the door, he saw that Slughorn had taken Newt to task with a man who appeared to be the reporter, Bellatrix and her companion standing by their side. Medusa joined them with an air step crossing the room. As he was about to enter, Arthur slipped out through the same passage. To avoid colliding and too curious to see him slip away, he closed the door and stayed outside. Arthur leaned over to vomit as soon as the door slammed shut.
"I accidentally ate leeches, I think. OooOOOooh."
He brushed his smudges away with a flick of his wand while Eddy chuckled. After Medusa's kiss and the promise of more to come everything seemed fun and soft. Eddy felt like he'd swallowed the euphoria potion he'd made a week earlier.
"Now, who's laughing?" he chuckled with a silly smile.
So silly, that Arthur Weasley wiping his mouth noticed it. The prefect stretched his chicks in turn.
"I know that smile of a happy man. I told you it would happen. So, tell me? Who is it?"
"No one," he blushed. 'It's not your mandrakes."
Weasley seemed to remember whom he had seen come in just before he left the office and his face lit up. When he understood, he pouted.
"Merlin's beard! That why she comes to nag us when we're with you… You chose to suffer, my boy," he said, mimicking a wise old man.
"Thanks, I know. Don't tell anyone, otherwise if it's not her, her father will surely kill me."
"Don't worry. But you'll have to learn to hide that silly look you're putting on," Arthur laughed. "It was not very difficult to understand and yet I do not have the soul of an auror. I think you have less of an Obscurial concern than a survival instinct concern if you ask me."
Weasley dusted himself off, checked for stains, and prepared to go back to work.
"But if you need to talk, or need some dating advice, maybe I can help you. At the rate things are going, maybe you'll soon move on to more serious things with your maniacal pixie."
"Whatd'youmean?" Eddy choked as he felt himself turning scarlet.
Weasley gave him an enigmatic smile, gave him a wink, and walked into the office. Still embarrassed and confused, Eddy began to understand what his comrade had meant. Tina had more or less explained some things to him. He felt himself turning even redder. The evening was ending, he did not want to go back to be caught up by other guests and decided to go back to his dorm instead. Around him, he felt his magic quivering with little golden tentacles exulting with joy and something warm he was unable to name.