Orion moved away from the others. He didn't want to admit it, but he felt out of place. All the others here were men, wizards who were already adults or would soon be. Only he was far from it. Was it because of his age that he was afraid? Was it because of his age that he was unsure whether he was able or wanted to speak an Unforgivable?

Abraxas had prepared him. He knew that the initiation involved proving to Tom that one had mastered the Cruciatus Curse. Tom obviously wanted to wait until he was sixteen before asking him to do so. But that didn't make things any easier for Orion. He would have to cast the Cruciatus today and he was so afraid of failing.

The basilisk almost frightened him even more. It took all his self-control not to look up at the huge snake. Tom had just let this monster, which he called Fenrir, come into the hall without warning. One wrong look and every single one of them could have died.

Orion's hands tightened into clenched fists as he watched Dolohov stand next to Tom, apparently getting ready to cast the curse. Did Tom risk all their lives just like that? Or had the basilisk closed its eyes? Tom spoke to him in Parseltongue. Although it was cool here deep underground, Orion felt a bead of sweat break free from the back of his neck and roll slowly down his back in agony.

He was so scared.

Weeks ago, he had been proud to have been taken in by Tom. But since then, he realised over and over again that he was much younger than the others. Tom made him feel it so clearly. All those vague threats, those insinuations. The way he touched his girlfriend and looked at him. The way he laughed when Orion blushed.

Orion's admiration had turned to disgust. Yet here he was. He stood here and wanted to prove that he could belong. When Rufus had asked him to help with a little plan that would put Hermione Dumbledore in her place, he had been only too eager to help. She was, after all, the root of all evil. She lured him in with her feminine curves and fake smile, only to shamefully reject him and throw herself at Tom. She had let Tom touch her in public, without any sense of decency, as if she wanted to rub his nose in the fact that he couldn't have her.

Yet she stood next to Tom, their relationship apparently still intact, and Orion understood that it had been wrong to side with Rufus. Because it was the side on which Tom was the opponent.

Orion was scared.

His feet felt frozen to the wet stone floor, while the rest of his body trembled. His gaze was fixed on Rufus, who just slumped down, writhing in the pain of the Cruciatus Curse. Of course, Dolohov managed to cast the curse without any problems. The family was known for producing wizards with a knack for curses.

Was it just Rufus who was going to be the test subject today? Or was Tom going to teach them all a lesson? Would he, Avery, and Nott also be punished for being in on it? Another drop of sweat beaded down his back.

Rufus was still lying on the floor, writhing. His screams echoed off the high walls. Dolohov's face was impassive, while Tom stared down at his friend with obvious pleasure. Orion's gaze continued to wander. Dumbledore's eyes were widened, while her gaze was fixed on Rufus with intensity. She looked pale, but a triumphant grin graced her lips.

Just like Tom, she was enjoying the scene. She was enjoying it. She was pleased that another human being had to suffer such pain. Shaking his head, Orion looked around. Everyone else present was grimly grimacing, no one was happy. There was a pureblooded wizard lying on the floor being tortured. How could Tom, how could Hermione enjoy this?

"Enough."

The quiet word almost made Orion sigh in relief. Instantly, Dolohov interrupted the curse and the screams stopped. Lestrange's body trembled as he tried to prop himself up on his arms and knees. As if he had no strength in his limbs, he sank back to the ground.

Orion barely noticed as Antonin went back and made room for Mulciber, who now stepped forward to show his readiness. His eyes were fixed on Rufus, who was still fighting desperately to regain his dignity. As if through a veil, Orion realised that Tom was saying similar words to Mulciber and that he was also declaring his readiness. Panic gripped his body.

He knew it was possible to lose your mind if you were exposed to the Cruciatus Curse for too long. There was no way Tom didn't know that. Everyone here in the hall had to know that. Did they care? Did Tom accept torturing a pureblood wizard from the House of Lestrange until he went mad?

Orion's blood rushed in his ears as he watched Mulciber raise his wand. He saw how his mouth formed the word Crucio, how he executed the movement - and then nothing. Rufus lay untouched on the ground, no magic released from the wand. Mulciber failed. Slowly, Orion expelled the air. Perhaps the others were unable to cast the curse. Perhaps Rufus would be spared.

Tom stepped behind Mulciber and placed both hands on his shoulders. He whispered something to him, inaudible to everyone else. The student paled, but he raised his wand again and pointed at Rufus. Without Tom taking his hands off him, he spoke the curse again and this time it worked.

Once again, the huge hall was filled with screams. Orion closed his eyes. He couldn't look. Rufus was strange and cunning, but he was a friend and mentor to him. His only crime was that he had wanted to humiliate Hermione Dumbledore to separate her from Tom. He had done it for Tom. This punishment was senseless and out of all proportion. No one deserved such pain.

Heart pounding, Orion looked at Tom again. He no longer smiled, but instead looked back and forth between Mulciber and Rufus with great concentration. Seconds passed, dragging on like minutes as the torture curse held the writhing body on the ground in its spell. The screams grew fainter until they ceased completely and only a pained gasp could be heard.

"That's enough."

This time it was Dumbledore who spoke the words. Orion looked at her with a jolt. What did she think she was doing, interfering with Tom's initiation ceremony? Who was she to think she could decide such things?

"You heard the lady," Tom confirmed her words.

Immediately, Mulciber interrupted the curse and lowered his wand. His chest rose and fell frantically, as if he had been the one lying on the ground being tortured. With an uncertain glance at Tom, he walked back to the group and stood next to Dolohov.

Orion took a step forward, wanting to say something, object, protest that she had intervened. But a heavy hand immediately came down on his shoulder. Surprised, he turned round and looked into the serious eyes of Peter Nott. The older boy shook his head firmly. "The last thing you should be doing now is protesting against Hermione Dumbledore."

Orion's eyes narrowed to slits. "Who is she to meddle in Tom's affairs?"

With a sigh, the older wizard removed his hand from his shoulder. "Do you really not get it, young Black? This may be an initiation ceremony, but it's really about one thing. Retribution for the crime against Dumbledore."

Out of the corner of his eye, Orion saw Rosier step forward next. He swallowed. Was Rufus going to be tortured again? "Why retribution?"

Clearly surprised, Nott ran a hand through his thick hair. "I thought you were part of the plan too? Didn't Rufus inform you why you were supposed to distract Abraxas?"

Orion rolled his eyes impatiently. "Of course he did. He wanted to talk to Dumbledore calmly and, if in doubt, prove to her in a duel that she's not a suitable partner for Tom."

Nott's eyebrows shot up. "And you think that's what happened?"

Suddenly disconcerted, Orion's gaze flickered forwards to where Hermione Dumbledore was still looking down at Rufus with grim triumph. He scratched the back of his neck. "I admit, I'm amazed at the severity of the punishment Rufus must endure for this."

"Because it never happened." Peter turned his gaze forward again, but he continued to speak in a low voice. "Rufus has done the worst possible thing for a young lady with prospects of a profitable marriage."

Orion's eyes widened instantly. Nott didn't have to say it, he understood. Of course, why hadn't he realised that himself? There was only one way a man could effectively take a woman away from another man. But something still didn't fit into the picture. He turned to Nott. "Why is Tom still standing by her? Her honour is tarnished. This retaliation makes even less sense now than it did before. Tom can't possibly be planning to marry a fallen woman."

Nott heaved another sigh. "You're either really too young, Orion, or you're blind. I don't know which is worse."

He could feel his ears getting hot, but Orion was too proud to let that go. Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he looked up at Nott. "I'm not too young, nor am I blind. I just don't understand what a man wants with a woman who is defiled. Even if Tom doesn't come from any of the notable pureblood families, he's a desirable man. He'll have no problem finding another girl for himself."

"Do you really think that marriage is Tom's plan for his future?" Peter raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Do you really think that the relationship between Tom and Miss Dumbledore is heading for marriage?"

"No self-respecting woman would live in open dishonour with a man!"

"That's correct." Nott almost seemed to grin. "But Miss Dumbledore is not like other young ladies. She's not proper, nor does she value social conventions. She's Tom's partner, Orion Black. She may share a bed with him, but she's so much more than just a pretty girl on his arm. I was naïve enough myself to believe that her disgrace will cause Tom to drop her. The fact that he didn't can only mean one thing. He sees her as a partner, as only men can be partners."

Orion realised that his mouth was hanging open stupidly and quickly shut it. Meanwhile, up ahead, after three attempts, Rosier managed to speak to the Cruciatus, but he was too distracted to worry about Rufus any longer. He had the feeling that the room around him was spinning.

Did Tom really see a partner in Hermione Dumbledore? How could a woman ever hold a position that only wizards could hold? Did Tom not care that his reputation was tainted along with her disgrace? What Rufus had done was a humiliation for Tom if he didn't drop Dumbledore.

"Orion," Nott snatched his attention back. "Tom Riddle has shared his vision of a new world with us. Never think you know how he feels about prevailing norms. Tom is different from us. So fundamentally different that we can never know what he really thinks. The sooner you learn that, the sooner you can avoid making a similar mistake to Rufus."

He swallowed. Tom made it clear to them all that they should never assume they knew what his will was. Until now, he hadn't understood how seriously Tom meant that. Orion ran both hands through his hair in despair. He helped Rufus. He hadn't thought anything of it, because he wouldn't have dreamed that anything about it could displease Tom. Was he himself in danger now? Was Rufus' offence so great that his co-conspirators would be punished as well?

Trembling, he turned his attention forwards again. Tom frightened him, but it was too late now. He was standing here, he had chosen. There was no turning back.