TRIGGER WARNING: SUICIDE TAUNTING (very brief and in dialogue)
Tom stood in the dark hallway leading to the entrance of the Ravenclaw common room, waiting in anticipation for Myrtle to come out and looking behind a corner. He hoped she would appear soon, it wouldn't be good to miss anything. Luckily, he heard the door behind him creak open, turning around with great anticipation. But, upon doing so, he was left in a state of confusion, mouth slightly agape.
"Myrtle... why are you in your nightgown?", he asked, observing her for any potential explanations.
Her squinted eyes looked down lazily, widening and making her jump upon taking a closer look at herself.
"I- what? How didn't I realise this?", she asked in disbelief, frantically scrambling to tie her hair.
"Oh, hopefully we won't miss anything! I'd hate for this to go wrong because of me...", she said, sighing.
Immediately after, she gasped upon feeling her nightgown change, black fading in and replacing the vibrant pink color, smoothening out the frills. Then, she felt a white collar form around her neck, a blue tie hanging from underneath it. Shocked, but amazed at the same time, she looked up at Tom.
"We won't be missing anything, Myrtle.", he said to her, smirking.
"Now, come along. We have some work to do.", he added, turning around and walking away with her at his tail.
"Coming!", she gleefully exclaimed, skipping to him with her energy fully restored.
Upon hearing her speak in such a jolly tone, he couldn't help but let a genuine smile tug on his lips. They really solidified his reason for doing all of this in the first place. Still, he needed to focus if he wanted them to achieve anything tonight. The show was only beginning, after all.
The two of them continued traversing and patrolling the halls, carefully observing every detail of their surroundings. Sometimes they split in order to have more vision and control over the castle's space. Over the hours, they repeated this tactic, checking if one of them had potentially discovered anything. But, their efforts proved fruitless with both of the teenagers growing impatient and agitated.
"What is this? They can't just disappear into... thin air!", Myrtle lamented to him.
"You're right. We still have around four hours left before class begins. By then, they will certainly emerge from their little common room. We just need to be patient.", he explained to her.
"Uh... I suppose you're right.", she said, looking to the side.
"For all we know, Hornby could've fallen asleep again and disrupted all their plans. But, if that did happen, when will they actually move the thing itself? I mean, they certainly can't restrain it forever, we've seen how it-", she stumbled, glancing upright and looking at him.
"Tommy? Hey, Tommy! Are you even listening to-", she exclaimed before cutting herself off.
Without turning around to face her, he continued peeking behind a corner, wide and dark eyes staring at some unknown point in the distance. Mentally cursing herself, Myrtle slowly tip-toed closer, attempting to carefully peer from behind him. But, before she could catch a glimpse of anything, Tom turned around to face her.
"There's a girl just behind the corner, looking out of a window.", he whispered to her.
"Sylvia Blackwood, a Hufflepuff. I wonder if she has any particular reason for being here at this time, perhaps some ulterior motives? I reckon not, but it wouldn't hurt to find out.", he said to her with a smile, carefully proceeding forward.
Myrtle bit her lip out of nervousness, following him and wondering how the event would play out.
"Hello.", Tom greeted, steadily approaching the girl who flinched and gasped upon hearing him.
"Might I know why you are up at this time?", he asked in a friendly tone.
The girl, a little embarrassed and on alert, anxiously contemplated on how to respond.
"I- well... my housemates were being mean to me for some reason, so I decided to take a breath of fresh air by stepping outside a little.", she replied, twirling her strand of snowy almost white hair.
"Really? Have you perhaps got any idea as to why they would do that?", he inquired.
She paused for a moment before responding.
"I don't know... it could be because of the whole Olive Hornby dilemma that's going on...", she quietly replied to him, fiddling her sleeves.
His face suddenly grew colder, as if he shed a layer of friendliness from it.
"And why is that? Surely, you wouldn't go out of your common room at this time if it weren't that bad... you know that's prohibited, right?", he said, feigning an innocent look. Her expression turned into one of shame upon glancing at his glistening two badges.
"No, I wouldn't. They were really persistent, I couldn't take it anymore. It would probably be because I stayed mostly neutral about the whole matter, but I just can't imagine supporting someone like Hornby. The girl has already called me nasty things...", she replied, clutching her arm and sighing.
In that moment, both Tom and Myrtle beamed at her statement, but for seemingly different reasons. While Tom delighted in having found someone seemingly normal, Myrtle's mouth contorted into a grin, the words "Guess I'm not the only one." almost visible on her face.
"Oh, I see.", Tom finally replied, the look of friendliness returning to him.
"Just keep in mind that you can't go out of your common room at night, though I'll excuse you this time. Your housemates will eventually calm down, don't worry.", he added in a friendly tone.
"Well, I must go now. Being both a prefect and head boy can get tiresome sometimes, Mrs...?", he said, waiting for a response.
"Oh! Sorry about that. It's Blackwood. Sylvia Blackwood.", she answered quietly with an awkward smile.
"Mrs. Blackwood. Right, I thought I already knew your name, my apologies. Have a nice night.", he replied, cracking a fake smile. Beside him, Myrtle silently and awkwardly waved at her, walking backwards.
"Goodbye...", she exclaimed with a slight smile, turning around once again to look through the window.
After a few moments, Myrtle turned around to face him.
"Huh, it appears that Olive Hornby has a wide range of victims... though, I wonder why that girl's clothes were seemingly... so stitched up. Rather colourful stitches, I'd say. You've seen it, right?", Myrtle curiously remarked, tapping her bottom lip with her finger.
"And there is a good reason for that, Myrtle.", he replied calmly.
She raised a brow at his response.
"You see, once every month, Blackwood undergoes a painful transformation under the moon, explaining the clothes. Simply put, she's a lycanthrope. I think you've perhaps seen her before, though in her other state.", he said, looking in the distance.
Myrtle's eyes suddenly beamed.
"Oh, right! I knew her eyes looked oddly familiar... that murky brown colour really is a distinctive features of hers. Apart from that, her snowy hair perfectly matches the colour of her, well... then fur. Poor girl, but I just can't help but feel... resentment over her actions. I mean, she almost bit me, you know how bad of an outcome that would've been.", Myrtle exclaimed, irritated, but sighing soon after.
"But, she didn't know what she was doing, I'll give her that. Though, I don't think I'd share these thoughts if the attempt was intentional.", she concluded, crossing her arms.
"Fair point, Myrtle. I have the same opinion. But, we mustn't get lost in thought and sidetracked from our current goal.", he said, looking in the distance and walking forward.
With a slight disappointed frown, Myrtle silently walked near him, eventually continuing to observe her surroundings. The clock ticked, signaling they had around three and a half hours left for their nightly investigation. In the gloomy and dark atmosphere of the school, their efforts persisted, determined to uncover the truth this fateful night. But, as the clock ticked... three hours, two and a half, two... even their combined force of will seemed to gradually waver.
"Tommy, it has been so long, what in the world is going on with them?", Myrtle said to him, her movements becoming sluggish as the time past.
"No, they will show up eventually. I know they will.", he replied to her, dark eyes still determined to succeed.
"I hope so. All this time for-"
Both of them suddenly jolted as a bloodcurdling scream faintly echoed across the numerous floors and hallways.
"Did... did you hear that?", Myrtle quietly asked, looking at him for any semblance of reassurance. But, instead of that, she found herself being ushered to run as quickly as possible.
"This is very important, Myrtle. If we find the source of the noise...", he muttered, trailing off as his breaths gradually becoming more rapid while he ran.
Running through the hallways, Tom's intense rumination about all the possibilities only seemed to intensify, leaving him barely responsive to any possible distractions. They had to be hiding here somewhere, they just... had to be! Over time, the lack of a lead was taking a toll on him, with the exhaustion caused by the running completely draining him of his physical strength.
"What... what is this?", he breathed out, panting as sweat rolled down the side of his head.
"They couldn't have just... escaped! They have to be close by!", he desperately reassured himself.
"Tommy... I...", she began to reply, panting along with him.
"Look at us! Completely drained of every ounce of our energy! How will we-"
"NO!", he shrieked, making her gasp out of fear.
"They can run, Myrtle. But they cannot hide.", he growled out, continuing his pursuit with all the strength he could muster.
Panic started to creep up on him. What was going on here? All the erratic movements and sounds and... oh, he should probably think of ways to calm down. All this nonsensical flailing wouldn't do him any good... he was above that. Gradually, he returned to his calm and composed self. Sooner or later, they would make another puny mistake. One they wouldn't be able to escape.
"What... what was that? Do you think... it maybe happened again?", Myrtle quietly asked.
"We'll see, Myrtle. They won't go too far with their puny plans... if there were any to begin with.", he said, a layer of mockery audible in his voice.
"The only thing we're supposed to do is to be persistent.", he quickly blurted out, once again diverting all his attention towards finding any sign of suspicious activities.
Another agonizing ten minutes passed by, yet no clues were found. Tom initially appeared calm, but under the surface... it took all his willpower not to lash out of anger. But then, something seemed to ring in their ears, piquing their attention.
"Aragog?"
The faint voice appeared to have been produced by a teenage boy, and from the looks of it, very close to him and Myrtle. A wide grin spread across Tom's face.
"Aragog!"
Yes, this had to be it... the fools could only run for so long, after all. All it took was a quiet approach and it would all be over. They would surely regret ever crossing paths with them.
After turning around three or four hallways, Tom and Myrtle appeared to run into a certain half-giant. Upon seeing the two of them, he froze in place, pure terror visible in his eyes.
"Where is it, Rubeus?", Tom asked, glaring at him with a sinister grin.
"Where is the monster you so dearly called after just now?", he continued, trying to force out an answer.
The wild-haired half-giant stood there as if petrified, eyes darting around in a desperate attempts for words. But, upon not finding any, he went ahead and bolted away from them, fleeing with a sense of nervousness, never looking back.
"Wait! Don't you run away!", Myrtle shouted, attempting to run after him, but stopping upon feeling herself being held in place.
"No, let him go Myrtle. It's fruitless attempting to hex a half-giant. From the looks of it, even he himself doesn't know where the monster is, evident from his desperate look. I reckon we're going to have to find out where it is for him.", he said, grinning and heading for the opposite direction.
Once again, the hallways never seemed to end, beginning to look like an actual maze rather than the inside of a school. The countless turns they took still didn't lead them to the monster. Dizziness was starting to catch up to Myrtle, her movements becoming more and more sloppy. Eventually, when Tom saw her missing, he sharply turned his head around, seeing her peering into another hallway. And with that, seeing her let out a gasp of shock, her face becoming pale as her eyes widened.
"Oh, not again!", she exclaimed, putting her hands on her mouth.
Seeing her like that made him shudder. Despite all his current frustration, he decided to approach her.
"What's wrong? What did you-"
A rush of sickness coerced through his entire body, the familiar sight coming back to haunt him. All his prior feelings of urgency and irritation just seemed to... strangely fade. No, he need to stay concentrated. These feelings couldn't persist.
"A familiar sight, right, Riddle? We both know how this went last time... you saved the poor mudblood's life, and yet you got absolutely nothing out of it. The little brat even made quite the remarks about you and your pathetic close companion, further disrupting your plans. Do you want history to repeat itself?"
He... he had to get moving, what about the monster and those abhorrent three girls!? But, seemingly, the longer he locked at the boy sprawled out on the floor, his body mauled in a gruesome manner, he felt as if... as if...
"Forget about him, Riddle. You've got better things to do. After all, you're doing all of this because of Myrtle, right? You wouldn't want her to hate you because of your chosen priorities."
Why... what were these... feelings? He wanted to alleviate all of Myrtle's suffering, wanted her to feel safe and unthreatened in this school... but at the same time, he couldn't just... leave someone to... die...
"That's it, you're so close. Remember, you are doing this to make Myrtle happy. You are doing this because you love her."
His limbs trembled from the mental strain he was facing, eyes altering between uncertainty and frustration as he continued to gaze at the boy before him.
"Leave, Riddle."
But this... this wasn't... right...
"Leave."
This... this couldn't continue. As he still stared at the boy in front of him, so did his rapid feelings of severe frustration grow. He couldn't just... watch and do nothing. If he did decide to help, he knew what would come next... but, if he didn't, then... the boy would... No! He wouldn't do such a thing. He wasn't... he wasn't crazy! He wasn't!
His nails dug into his flesh from how hard he was clenching his fists, letting out a groan as he walked close to the boy.
"T-Tommy...?", Myrtle croaked out, her voice trembling.
"Are you-"
"Not now, Myrtle. We have to take care of this...", he hissed back quickly, crouching down and pulling out his wand.
She hastily went up to him, rapidly looking around anxiously while contemplating over what to do.
"What do I... if we call a professor, they'll surely take them away once again and help... Oh, but then we'll be left with an even worse reputation! There really is no way out of this!", she lamented, her breathing rapid and tense as she anxiously circled them.
Tom's body trembled as he healed the student, knowing full well what awaited him. Her hysteria, her fruitless lamenting... and he could do nothing about it, absolutely nothing. He just wished it would cease, that it would stop.
Upon hearing Myrtle gasp, he lifelessly raised his head, glancing behind the corner. Great. A professor had arrived, just like he anticipated. It appeared to be the charms professor, his eyes widened upon seeing the sight, juxtaposed against Tom's indifferent glare.
"Oh! Tom, Myrtle, what happened here?", he asked, running towards them.
"Professor!", Myrtle exclaimed, both relieved and nervous.
"We don't know! I- me and Tommy- Tom happened to stumble upon this student, laying injured on the floor... just like that! I-I-"
"Mrs. Warren, please calm down. I'll take over from this moment.", he said, crouching down next to the boy and starting to pick him up. Tom simply stared blankly at him, emotionlessly watching him and not bothering to get up.
"Whatever the cause is, we'll find out. Though, I must admit, it is rather suspicious seeing you two at such a scene, knowing what previously happened.", he calmly stated, sighing as his voice echoed in the hallway, growing more distant by the second.
"But-but professor! It isn't what it looks like, I swear!", Myrtle desperately shouted, though in vain.
Desperation overtook her as she watched the professor disappear into the shadows, fearing for what would come next. Hoping for some comfort, any of it, she looked behind herself and at Tom, who was still on the floor, his expression unchanged and cold.
"Tommy?", she quietly called, approaching him.
He didn't respond, still staring wide-eyed at the bloody floor. The deathly silence didn't help in soothing Myrtle's anxiety.
"Tommy, please answer me.", she croaked out.
A spark of hope appeared in her eyes as she slowly watched him get up, seeing it as a sign of responsiveness. Though, as quickly as it had come, her enthusiasm began to fade again.
"Tommy, say something.", she whispered, waving at his unresponsive form and practically beginning for any semblance of an answer.
"Please?"
After that, Myrtle watched in shock and disbelief as he slowly began walking away, not ever bothering to look back. Her mind was racing for words, anything to say in hopes of diverting his attention, making him come back. But, as he was gradually becoming more distant, more blurred, so did her frozen form drown in hopelessness, eyes welling up with tears.
...Half past seven, Tom noted, glancing at his watch. What a pathetic waste of time all of this was. He quietly paced through the castle, going to the Slytherin common room in order to get ready for class. Throughout all that time, his expression seemed frozen in place, intense dark eyes staring distantly in front of himself, his emotions going numb. How? How was this possible? It was all supposed to be perfect. Today was supposed to be a day of victory, a day of relief for their combined suffering. But, instead, it seemingly took a stark turn, with the events becoming something perverse... something utterly repulsive and... abhorrent. Everything he anticipated would not happen.
Tom stood beside a desk in the common room, eyes fixated on the objects he was packing for class. Books, quills... never mind that. How was he going to fix all of this? Being in class would completely hinder his ability to further observe the activities that unfolded behind the scenes between Hornby and her associates! Of course, in the meantime, Hornby would come up with more nonsensical and nasty lies to tell about him and Myrtle, the gullible and stupid students consuming it all and further spreading it.
No, that couldn't happen. The spark from his eyes disappeared as he ruminated in his thoughts while clutching a glass bottle of ink.
He would make sure that something like this never happened again, it was unacceptable.
As he buried himself deeper in his mind, his hold on the bottle only intensified, the strength of his grip threatening to break it.
Why was this happening? It wasn't like him to make mistakes. It just wasn't. His numbness wavered as a newfound feeling of rage surged through his entire body, making him gradually start to tremble as he seethed. Why? It was all so carefully thought through. Then why didn't he succeed? Why didn't he achieve anything? Why, why, why, why, WHY!?
With a sudden thrust of his arm, he threw the bottle against a wall, a low and feral grunt escaping his lips. The bottle shattered into countless pieces, releasing the ink onto the delicate and ornamented green walls. Upon the impact, the black substance continued to trickle down the wall, consuming everything in it's path. Dark like the deepest nights, dark like the most sinister of shadows... Dark like pure hatred, now released from it's constraints and left to freely ravage everything around itself.
The sky was desolate and empty, a monotone grey colour enveloping the distant terrain around the castle. A dim and weak light shone from the windows, reflected on the knotty wood of a classroom door. Before it stood Tom, his gaze fixated and body locked in place for several minutes now. Never had his time in class been so agonizing, every second feeling like an eternity. There was simply this persistent feeling of urgency, the feeling of restlessness that was getting harder and harder to control.
Finally, the door creaked, gradually opening as a few students began exiting the classroom. Though, instead of waiting outside, his impatience forced him to come inside. Professor Binns certainly wouldn't notice or even care, after all.
"Hey, Warren, what's with that sad grimace?", Hornby taunted, holding her wand in her hand.
"I bet I can fix-"
She breathed in sharply upon noticing her wand forcibly and aggressively flung to the back of the classroom. Enraged, she looked back at Myrtle, but shuddered upon seeing Tom right behind her. This prompted Myrtle's expression to change from angry to surprised, looking behind herself. A surprised, but delighted gasp escaped her lips.
"Tommy, you-"
"Come with me. It's urgent.", he whispered, glaring daggers at Hornby in case she dared snoop on them.
Myrtle glanced at him warily, then at Hornby, eventually nodding and following him through the door.
"Where are we going?", she quietly asked, feeling they were far enough from those girls.
"The room of requirement.", he quickly replied.
"Oh. But why? Why so suddenly?", she said, raising a brow.
"Because we need to have a talk.", he exclaimed under his breath, slightly twitching.
Myrtle gave him a confused glance, somewhat concerned, especially after his expression remained neutral. The feeling didn't leave her even as they continued to walk, the atmosphere only growing more awkward.
"Tommy, what's with you today?", she asked bluntly.
"You've been a grump ever since we stumbled upon that boy, you know? Leaving me like that certainly wasn't nice. What's gotten into you!?", she exclaimed rather loudly, frustrated and pointing at him.
With a sudden stop, he slowly turned to look at her, dark eyes gazing straight into her soul. Myrtle couldn't help but shudder, her eyes welling up with fear.
"...What's gotten into me?", he said, the vacant stare still present on his face.
"...Why would you ask that? I feel perfectly normal, Myrtle.", he replied, slowly resuming his pace and looking away from her. Instead of answering questions, this only opened up more unanswered doors for Myrtle.
Heir of Slytherin... Heir of Slytherin... the words felt like someone stabbed him every time he heard them. And the fact that the boy they saw yesterday was muggleborn... how absolutely delightful. Now ever the most skeptical of students will believe in it, and of course give him the title of Slytherin's heir. In reality, they were right, although for all the wrong reasons. All of it irked him... so... much...
He gazed at the stone cold wall, awaiting for an entrance to form with Myrtle behind him. Soon after, he opened the door, stepping inside without exchanging a single word. Myrtle timidly closed the door behind them, slowly and unsurely approaching him. Next to them, a simple table and two chairs generated, filling up the mostly barren room.
"Have a seat, Myrtle.", he calmly said, his back still turned to her.
Not sure what to do, Myrtle simply did as he said, resting her head on her hand and waiting for him to continue. After a few moments, he eventually sat down across her, slowly looking up.
"We've got to think of solutions, Myrtle.", he stated firmly.
"If all of this persists, the rumors will get to the point that no one will ever trust us or even believe us, even the professors. Do you know how difficult it'll become to do anything if that happens?", he exclaimed, finally breaking his stoic expression.
"We'll be utterly hopeless, not being able to even move around or see each other without arousing further suspicion from everyone around us!", he continued, his tone now desperate and frustrated at the same time.
"Uh, yeah... I got that part. If Olive Hornby gets her way, we're doomed! I can't even imagine what the hag will make up this time, her nasty rumors... I hate her so much.", Myrtle growled out, clenching her teeth and crossing her arms.
"I am aware of that, Myrtle. But we cannot continue to dwell on Hornby and her actions. On the other hand, the things we should be doing is thinking of ways to get back at her, not what kind of rumors she will attempt to spread.", he said to her coldly.
At that remark, her face contorted into an irritated frown.
"But... no, we can't just brush that off! She can't keep getting away with things like this! The more we wait, the worse it will get! Don't you understand!?", she shouted at him.
"I do understand, Myrtle. That's what I was trying to say to you just now, in case you haven't noticed.", he replied harshly.
"No you weren't! You just want to think about plans that will take ages to put into action! And in that time... that time... who knows what they will try to do! Hex me, hex you, berate us, torment us! It will never end!", she shrieked at him, standing up from her chair.
"But we can't be erratic, Myrtle. You think I wouldn't try to end our combined misery as fast as I could? Of course I would. I just can't do it in an instant.", he hissed, clenching his teeth.
"Ugh! Don't you understand!? I can't wait anymore! It has been five years since this all began, I've had enough! I just... can't describe how much I utterly hate them. Nobody seems to care about my repetitive turmoil, not even the professors! If they don't want to do anything about it, I will, and not even death will stop me.", she snarled.
"That will bring us nowhere, Myrtle. If you continue to exhibit this irrational behaviour, we will only be dragged further into this mess! Can you even hear yourself?", he said, trying his best to sound calm.
"Irrational? There's nothing irrational about my actions! How would feel if someone tormented you here from day one? Oh, right... maybe you just don't seem to get it... how could you do so when you left me in the shadows a few hours prior, not even bothering to check up on me?", she said in a sarcastic tone.
"Besides, if Hornby's words are that meaningless to you, why are you so irked each time someone even does so much as associate you with the heir of Slytherin? After all, it is her doing..."
He froze out of disbelief.
"What are you implying?", he breathed out, staring at her in shock.
"I am implying that you could perhaps be the heir of Slytherin, assuming they even exist at all. If I'm honest, I've never seen someone show the traits Slytherin valued so much so well. Cunningness, intelligence, determination... the resemblance is almost uncanny. I could maybe see why they-"
"Enough!", he shouted, violently standing up and slamming his hands onto the table. Myrtle immediately took a step back, looking at him with a frightened and shocked expression.
All of a sudden, his feral expression slowly contorted into a slight smile, creating an unsettling contrast. If he wasn't careful, a giggle threatened to escape his lips from the sheer disbelief and feeling of complete and utter betrayal.
"You too, Myrtle?", he calmly said, eerily displaying no trace of his previous rage.
"You too?", he repeated, a weak smile fading from his face.
He stepped closer to her, with her taking a step backwards, almost as if... scared.
"How could you even say such a thing? Here I am, trying to pull us both out of this complete mess, and this is what I get in return?", he croaked out, adamantly staring at her directly in her eyes as he came closer to her.
"Don't you see? I know how you feel, Myrtle. I know how much they hurt you. You mean the world to me, all I'm trying to do is alleviate your suffering. I'm doing this because I want you to be happy. I'm doing this because I love you. Don't you see it!?", he suddenly shouted, his voice cracking. His pupils widened, reflecting the evident sadness and desperation that was already noticeable in his speech. But, apart from the sadness, there was an obvious glint of suppressed rage in his eyes, unnervingly contrasting his sadness. It made him all the more unpredictable, his gaze remaining on her, abnormally large pupils staring at her, neglecting the need to blink.
"If I really was the heir of Slytherin, I wouldn't be anything like this, would I? No. Instead, I would be busy bringing Slytherin's perverse wishes to life. Countless muggleborns would suffer, their numbers lessening with each passing day. Do you think I'd do such a thing? If you really think so, then I'd surely be a murderer by now.", he growled out, breathing heavily. Myrtle was now in a corner, further curling up on herself.
"But I'm not. And you know why? It's because I'm not crazy. It's because I'm not sick. Insane. Twisted. Demented. Whatever word of that sort that comes to mind!", he exclaimed with a smile, letting out a giggle.
"Surely, you understand. I know you do. After all, you know me best. You know I'm not insane. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not-"
His wide smile persisted as he repeated the words until they lost their meaning, a surge of mania taking over him as his body continued to convulse. But, a feeling of surprise suddenly rushed through his body, stemming from his pale hand, as he felt something... wet. Looking down, his smile gradually began to waver, face falling down upon discovering what caused it.
A tear.
Horrified, his eyes looked up at her once again as if to confirm what he suspected, desperately not wanting it to be true. Sadly, as he looked at her gloomy, puffy and teary eyes, he was forced to accept the truth before him. How... how would he respond? This was nothing like what he hoped to achieve!
"I... I'm sorry!", he awkwardly blurted out, looking at her for any sign of response. His anxiety only increased when seeing her persistently look at the ground, refusing to respond.
"This wasn't how I wanted to make you feel, just to-"
"Stop. You're... you're scaring me.", she quietly said, teary-eyed and still not moving an inch.
He felt himself tense up at those words. They were simply nauseating. What would he do now? The ship had already sailed, all words becoming futile, understanding becoming... scarce. Seeing her like that... he just had to come up with something... He had to!
As the nervousness, along with a sense of urgency crept up on him, he suddenly approached her, almost instinctively. Maybe, just maybe, if he couldn't reach out to her with words, he could do it... physically. But, his attempt at an embrace was met by a harsh rejection, a hand on his chest stopping him from going any further.
"Don't... I don't think I can return the gesture at this moment.", she emotionlessly said to him, shifting and distancing herself from him.
"Maybe after some time, but I'm not sure... I just can't. I'm going back to the common room, this is too much.", she quietly added, looking at the doorknob.
Tom stood frozen as he watched her reach for the doorknob, desperately wanting to take some sort of action. But, there was nothing left for him to do. Speak? Approach? The situation looked dire, but something in him just... forced him to take action.
"Wait!", he exclaimed, breaking the silence and stepping towards her. Upon seeing her halt her movements and turn around,
If felt wrong to let her go just like that, especially after what just happened.
"Can I... at least go with you until you reach your common room? I'm truly sorry for all of this and I'd hate to see you miserably walking by yourself.", he said, swallowing dryly.
Myrtle raised a brow at his statement.
"Now you do? After what happened?", she seethed, looking at him with squinted eyes.
"I do.", he adamantly and firmly replied, breathing in.
"I know I left you in the dark that time and I admit it was wrong to do such a thing... I'm so sorry. But, I assure that I won't leave you again. And that's a promise.", he finished, waiting for a response.
A rush of relief went through his body after seeing her expression change, becoming mildly surprised.
"Fine. But this doesn't mean anything!", she shouted.
"My opinion of Hornby still hasn't changed. And just so you know, something is still wrong with you.", she remarked, pulling on the doorknob and aggressively swinging the door open.
Ignoring her erratic and uncontrolled movement, he breathed in a sigh of relief. This was good. She trusted him enough to let him be near her, even after this... exchange. While it may have caused her to react this way, he still stood by every single one of his words... just not how he delivered them. Oh well, after this, there would be no more altercations of this type and especially deserting. He had promised, after all.
The air was filled with tension as they walked, no words being exchanged, not even the briefest of glances. Whispers surrounded them, feeling like the very space around them was closing in... feeling as if... trapped. Soon, they were in the yard, rigidly passing through without meeting anyone's gaze.
"What's the matter, four-eyes?", a voice spoke from behind them. Tom grew wary upon noticing Myrtle tense up beside him.
"Out for a little stroll?", she teased.
A feeling of bitterness sprouted in Tom. Intimidating her or taunting her would be futile, how could he do so while being watched by a crowd of students? Apart from that, threatening her with reports or even deducting points would be fruitless. The dim-witted fool didn't care about those things.
"What about you, Riddle? I see you've been rather close to her these days...", she said, chuckling.
"Shouldn't you try to fix her pathetic state?", Ruth added, sneering.
Frustrated, he turned his head back, glaring at their repulsive grins. Oh, how he wished he could just make them stop by force at this very moment, but the prying and piercing eyes around them would certainly have their moment of satisfaction, confirming their warped and distorted theories. Simply disgusting.
Though, strangely enough, Avalite's steps appeared to be... feeble, dawdling behind the other two while clutching her torso. That would surely explain the scream they had previously heard in the distance. Almost as if the monster had escaped and caused a serious injury, Tom thought, suppressing a sadistic grin. How interesting. Maybe this was a test on who could last longer... one that he was determined to win.
"Exactly. You know, Riddle, I saw you two at the start of the holidays, going together in a single compartment and placing a dozen charms to prevent... interruptions?", Hornby remarked, putting her hand on her mouth and snickering.
"It's no surprise, really. Warren, you've always been quite a loose woman, if you get me.", she added, winking in their direction.
"Hah! And now even Riddle can't tend to you... once a freak, always a freak. Face it, no one ever tolerated you in this school. Knowing that, has it ever come across your mind to... end it all?", Ruth added.
Myrtle clenched her fists at that remark, starting to tremble.
"Don't listen to them, those disgusting remarks couldn't be farther from the truth.", he whispered to her.
"Your life has been nothing but misery, it would be so easy...", Hornby continued.
"Oh, no! I don't think that would be a good idea! It would most likely snap from how fat she is!", Ruth exclaimed, laughing.
All of a sudden, Tom saw Myrtle stop dead in her tracks, eyes staring at the ground, revealing that she had... snapped.
"That's IT!", she shrieked, pulling her wand out of her pocket.
Hornby and Ruth took a step back as they saw her stomping towards them.
"I've had enough of this! You won't ever stop unless I DO something about it, will you? WILL YOU!?", she shouted.
With a fast swish of her wand, she sent a strong wave of magic in front of herself, sending multiple students to the ground.
"And all of you around us, you never bothered to help me in any way, did you!?", she screamed, coming closer to them.
Swish.
"I remember everything. And I won't ever forget!"
Swish.
After that she turned around, racing towards Ruth and Hornby who flinched upon seeing her come closer.
"What's wrong? Can't say anything now!?", she said to them, casting yet another wave of magic.
"It's easy when you're the one in power, isn't it? Ahaha!", she said, grinning at them.
"Insolent!"
Swish.
"Little!"
Swish.
"Vermin!"
Hornby gazed at the rapidly approaching white light, hitting her directly in her face. It felt someone had dropped a weight on her, making her become glued to the ground. But, upon opening her eyes again, she suddenly felt an intense cramp on her face, a nauseating feeling spreading throughout her entire body, making her writhe in pain on the cold ground. Then, with a grotesque squelch emanating from her forehead, an eye emerged. Three. Soon after, another appeared.
He was supposed to do something, to stop the situation from getting even worse... but it was all seemingly so... captivating. The person he hated most reduced to a squirming mess, screaming her lungs out from the sheer agony. His dark eyes fixed themselves on the spectacle, hungrily yearning for more.
"Another one! Who's the four-eyes now, huh?", Myrtle said, giggling with a wide grin. But, gradually, it turned into a bitter scowl.
"You and that Ruth and Avalite...", she growled out, stepping closer to Ruth who flinched.
"Stupefy!"
With a terrified gasp, Ruth fell to the ground, motionless like a puppet. Myrtle glared at her with a crazed grin, failing to suppress her giggling. Cold laughter echoed on the dim stone walls of the yard, making the students' hair behind their neck stand up. But, gradually, it began to waver, becoming more unsure and doubtful, turning into... sobs. The prying eyes were too much... she began to tremble, eyes anxiously darting around herself. With one last glance, she sprung forward, bolting out of the yard while crying.
Tom's eyes were still on Hornby, relishing every second of her pain. He knew he was being watched and observed, knew he had to put on a friendly facade... but he just couldn't help himself. Observing Ruth get her own treatment made it all so much more delightful, with Myrtle being... where?
Noticing she was no longer there, his gaze suddenly shifted upwards, an ice-cold sensation travelling up his spine and making him snap. As gratifying as this was, he couldn't just let her wander off like that. And so, he rushed through the yard beside Hornby and Ruth, not even bothering to do so much as glance at them.
Strangely enough, there was no trace of her. How could've she fled so quickly? It puzzled him and alarmed him, the feelings amplifying after checking all the directions around himself. No, it wasn't possible for her to go far, he'd surely find her. The common room appeared to be her original destination before this revolting encounter, he recalled. With that in mind, he hastily began his way towards it, checking if she could potentially be anywhere else while on his way. Staircase after staircase... hallway after hallway... there was still no sign of her. As he started approaching Ravenclaw tower, never spotting her once in all that time, his confidence in her whereabouts seemed to... waver. By this time, she would've most likely already entered the common room, hindering his pursuit of her.
But Myrtle wouldn't do such a thing. He knew she would search for a quiet place which was free of all others. All others except for one person, he noted, smiling to himself.
One empty classroom, two empty classrooms, three... every count made him tense up, eventually stopping keeping track of it. It would do him no good... all he needed was to be persistent and he'd find her. Determination was key, it always kept him going in these-
...Was that a... cry?
Suddenly stopping in his tracks, he turned to look behind himself. That must be her! Frantic, but also concerned, he began heading his way towards the desolate classroom. Except, it wasn't a classroom, but a... bathroom?
Never mind that. What mattered most was that he would approach her and make things right. But, as he stood in front of the entrance, he couldn't help but feel that something was... wrong.
"What's the matter, Riddle? You've finally found her, yet you're afraid to approach her. Do you want her to suffer alone?"
No! That was the last thing he wanted to happen. Strange feelings of nausea slowly consumed him, making him clutch his stomach as if going to be... sick. His eyes stared blankly at the entrance, unease only increasing as the event that was taking place did not seem all that odd, bizarre... but rather familiar.
"You left her in the dark, Riddle. Are you going to make the same mistake once again?"
He wasn't. Of course he wasn't. All he needed to do was sort out his mind and calm down. Taking in a deep breath, he feebly raised his leg, stepping onto the cold tiles of the bathroom. But, soon after, he quickly retracted it, feeling as if he'd been burned like a demon stepping onto sacred grounds. His sickness only grew worse, a dull and persistent headache taking over his thoughts.
"She is still wallowing in misery while you're here contemplating what to do. The person she trusts most... the only person who can reach out to her... reduced this pathetic state. How does that make you feel, Riddle?"
What was this? He wanted to reach out... he really did, but just... couldn't. The sickness was becoming overbearing.
"Remember, you made a promise, Riddle. A promise. You promised her that you would be there for her. You promised to be a listening ear to all her troubled thoughts and problems. It shouldn't be a problem for you, right? Go ahead..."
...It shouldn't be a problem. It really shouldn't. But it was, and acknowledging it made him loathe himself even more for it.
"Put her out of her misery."
No, this wasn't... he wasn't...
With a sharp and sudden turn, he frantically began running, disappearing into the shadows... never looking back.
The dim and warm light emanated from the fireplace, shining on the various objects and students in the common room. In spite of that, Tom never felt colder, blankly staring at a piece of parchment in front of him. Shallow and long definitions filled the parchment as he mindlessly held his quill, still thinking about what to do next. But, his thoughts were interrupted by futile ponderings about his previous actions.
"And just so you know, something is still wrong with you."
...But what? What was wrong with him? The words persistently echoed in his mind. Up to this point, he thought he acted perfectly normal. Towards Myrtle, towards Hornby, anyone else... his decisions were perfectly thought of. The talk he had with Myrtle... while initially causing such a reaction, he knew she'd eventually come to the conclusion that it wasn't without reason or merit. Apart from that, there was nothing wrong with relishing over Hornby's suffering. Hornby, Ruth, Avalite... anyone else who associated with them... they enjoyed watching him and Myrtle being in pain, too. So what was so wrong about having mutual feelings towards them?
He didn't know.
As the clock ticked midnight, more and more students settled down in their beds to sleep, leaving a few stubborn ones that still continued to chit-chat. What could be so important they had to discuss it now, Tom wondered, growing more and more annoyed. Eventually, he decided to make the area around him completely devoid of sound, after which he resumed his work. Though, he couldn't feel an intense feeling of exhaustion. Over the days, he spent half of them pacing through the hallways at night, wanting to find any clue that could held him in this situation. Today wasn't any different: he'd skipped sleeping yet again, but was met with unfortunate events even he couldn't predict. Now, it finally seemed to have caught up with him, a strong desire for any kind of rest emerging from within him, craving it...
No, he wouldn't let such a simple thing drag him down. It would be utterly humiliating. With as many problems and thoughts as he had, it would even be impossible to do such a thing. Raising his lowered and hunched back, he lifted up his head, half-closed eyes briefly looking in front of him. A sudden bright light made his eyes widen, fully awakening him.
Observing his surroundings, he found himself sitting on a chair in the middle of some hallway in the school. Strange. Standing up, he began making his way through the school, wanting to find out what was happening. It seemed like there were no students or professors anywhere around him, only an eerie, glowing light peering through the windows. Outside, bright sunshine decorated the outside of the castle, signaling the start of spring.
After the brief interruption, he resumed his exploration. But, a sudden, almost silent sob made him stop in his tracks. Growing wary, he peeked behind a corner, wanting to carefully observe the situation before acting. Upon doing so, he appeared to see two individuals, sitting in close proximity, both of them crying. Looking at their attire, he concluded they were both muggles... certainly uncommon to see in Hogwarts. After a few moments, one of them briefly lifted up their head, allowing Tom to take a closer look. Upon doing so, a chill ran down his spine.
Mrs. Warren?
He stood there frozen, not knowing what to do. What made them come here? The implications terrified him.
"Oh, Tom!", she exclaimed, standing up and looking at him.
"We were just going to call for you!", she added, approaching him.
This was nothing like Mrs. Warren. The first and last time he saw her, she was cold and unfriendly towards her own daughter, obviously disapproving of their friendship. But now, now... she acted as if he were an old friend. Soon after, he felt himself being embraced by her, squeezing him and causing him great discomfort.
"Why... why are you here?", he quietly asked, breaking the embrace.
"What made you come here?", he asked once again in a more commanding tone, the fear of the unknown taking over him.
Mrs. Warren looked at him with a confused, but sympathetic glance.
"You don't know?", she asked, pondering on how to respond to him.
"...Poor boy, still in denial.", she said under her breath.
His eyes widened out of shock upon hearing that.
"Denial?", he breathed out.
"What happened to her!?", he brashly inquired, stepping closer to her.
Despite his increasingly erratic and uncontrolled actions, Mrs. Warren remained calm.
"Tom, dear, calm down. Your friend, our daughter... she is in a better place now.", she replied, bittersweet tears falling down her face.
Staring blankly into the distance, he suddenly let out a pained laugh, an unhinged smile forming on his face.
"Is this a joke?", he asked, smiling out of disbelief.
"No, Tom. This is not a joke.", Mr. Warren replied in a shaky voice.
"We wouldn't joke about such a matter about our very own daughter, and we understand that it may be too much for you to process right now.", he replied, sniffling and looking away from him.
"...What are you talking about? She isn't dead! Myrtle is not dead! What made you even say these things!?", he shouted.
Seeing that he was still confused and shocked, Mrs. Warren calmly approached him.
"Tom, listen... just yesterday, we found out our dear daughter was found... dead in this school. No one knows why such a thing happened, nor how it came to this, but what we do know is that she is now at peace.", Mrs. Warren said, offering a comforting hand and hoping her words would get to him.
"No... that never happened. I know it didn't. Where is she now, if I may ask?", he said, glaring at them.
"She's in the hospital wing... at least what remains of her before she left us-"
"No, she did not. And I'm going to prove it.", he growled out, racing towards the aforementioned location.
As he rushed towards the hospital wing, Mr. and Mrs. Warren walked behind him, giving him concerned looks. In their eyes, he was simply just a boy, too traumatized to even think about the possibility of his friend dying... too weak to face the truth, instead preferring to ignore it and become emotionally numb. On the other hand, Tom was far from that, determined to prove their false perception wrong. Something like this just... couldn't happen.
Finally arriving at the hospital wing, his eyes rapidly glanced around the room, stopping when seeing what appeared to be a person laying on a bed, covered by a white cloth from head to toe. He swallowed dryly, suddenly stopping in his tracks and looking at the sight before him. His previous confidence in the matter seemed to waver, doubt rushing in to slowly replace it... No, this couldn't be true. He knew it couldn't. For all he knew, it could just be another random student who happened to pass away and was currently in the hospital wing.
"Are you alright, Mr. Riddle?", the matron asked, rushing towards him.
"Please, calm down-"
"No, don't stop him. Let him say his last goodbyes to a dear friend.", Mrs. Warren said firmly, standing on the entrance.
Let him say his last goodbyes. How poetic. Soon, he would reach out and lift the veil, proving to them how utterly nonsensical their claims were, a simple end to this madness. Taking a few steps closer, he firmly stood before the covered form. Slowly, he reached out his pale hand and lifted up the cloth... feeling his knees give out.
No... this couldn't be real. How could've he allowed such a thing to happen? He was supposed to be there for her... protect her... But now, now... all that remained of her was a cold and stiff body, growing more and more rigid by the second, sunken and lifeless brown eyes staring without seeing... just like a broken piece of China. His collapsed and weak body grew more shaky with each passing second, breaths tensing up and becoming erratic pants.
"H-how? This shouldn't... it can't-", he exclaimed, voice cracking and interrupted by his uncontrolled gasps for air.
"Take your time, Tom. She was your-"
"This can't be! It has to be a lie!"
With a sudden jolt of his hand, he harshly grabbed the cloth, pulling it away further. This had to be a misunderstanding... this wasn't real... but, as his eyes wandered more and more, she became less and less alive, further failing to convince him otherwise. Desperate, he clutched her pale and stiff arm, trying to shake life back into her.
"Myrtle, you can't be dead... you can't...", he breathed out, voice trembling and looking at her with an unfathomable desperation. His face fell upon seeing his action were completely futile.
"I'm so sorry... I wish I was I there... by your side, not letting anything get to you... but I failed you! I failed you so much!", he shouted, hopelessly looking into her eyes and shaking her, tears streaming down his face.
Seeing this, Mr. and Mrs. Warren hastily started approaching him, alarmed at the unexpected escalation of events.
"This is all my fault... I should have been there... how am I going to continue like this? How-"
Feeling a tightening sensation on his upper arm, he sharply turned around.
"Tom, please... this is getting out of-"
"DON'T TOUCH ME!", he shrieked, aggressively pushing Mrs. Warren to the ground, a scream escaping her mouth.
What were they thinking!? The pain was unlike anything else he had ever felt, and now they had the audacity to keep him away from her!? His eyes rapidly darted around, growing wary of the people around him as his head throbbed, causing severe disorientation.
"Don't you dare try to drag me away! I was the only person who truly loved her!", he growled out, once again approaching her.
"This is so unfair, Myrtle... I lost you, forever... and now they're trying to separate us even when you're gone!?", he exclaimed, his entire body shaking.
"I won't let them... I won't!", he cried out, running over to her and pulling her into a fruitless embrace.
"Oh, God, what do we do!?", Mr. Warren exclaimed, looking at the other two women.
"Tom, this has to stop.", Mrs. Warren said, scrambling to get up and glancing at the matron.
"This is an insult to our daughter-"
With a sudden and heavy surge of magic, all three of them collapsed on the floor, motionless as groans escaped their lips. The glass windows shattered as large and dense cracks spreading across the whole room.
"I don't understand... why did it have to end this way?", he whispered, holding her close to himself. She rigidly hung like a puppet in his grasp, her absent heartbeat heavily juxtaposed against Tom's erratic and uncontrolled.
"Why... why, why, why WHY!?"
A guttural shriek of pain echoed through the room, conveying the sheer grief present in it. The world seemed to spin, becoming increasingly unclear and distorted. Darkness seemed to encircle them, a feeling of falling down building from within Tom.
With a loud thud, Tom crashed onto the floor, a wave of pain surging through his whole body. As he slowly opened his eyes, he noticed that his surroundings were now green, a hard ebony-coloured object circling his body. He reached out his feeble hand to his face, feeling something wet around his puffy and bloodshot eyes.
Tears?
Had he really... cried? The horrible dream was engraved in his mind, voices and images coming back to haunt him. Exhausted and barely open eyes emptily gazed at the ceiling, his body refusing to get up. With no other choice, he simply laid on floor, completely limp.
This wasn't right. The time was ticking, each passing minute serving as a reminder of the time he was losing. The situation was already bad enough, he couldn't afford to waste any more time. With all the strength he could muster, he proceeded to raise his body from the ground and stand up, twitching and trembling as he did so. There was always a solution to every problem, that is if one was determined enough to search for it. Tom certainly was.
Twisting the silver doorknob, he quietly and carefully stepped into the bathroom, away from his sleeping housemates. He needed to be alone... needed to think...
As he idly stood in the dark room, ruminating about all the things he needed to attend to, fragmented plans began to form in his mind, though not quite enough for a complete and effective plan. It greatly annoyed him, especially after the episode he just had. Sighing out of frustration, his gaze momentarily left the floor and happened to glance at a... mirror.
But, strangely enough, he found himself unable to... look away. Retrospective thoughts began filling up his mind as he continued to gaze at it, cold and dark eyes looking back at him. So these were the eyes of the person who left Myrtle alone, not even once, but twice. They had caused all her suffering, her pain... After this dream, he was left to wonder what would happen if he couldn't put himself back together... couldn't help her... He felt his face tense up again, preparing to let down yet another stream of tears. He just... felt so helpless... alone... completely and utterly... weak.
Suddenly, as he locked his eyes with the mirror, his solemn expression seemed to... relax, his puffy and tired eyes gradually becoming perfectly open without any hint of exhaustion. The light from his eyes began to disappear, darkness fiercely consuming it. His mouth, once a miserable frown, now seemed to twist into a perverse and wide grin.
Yes... this was exactly what he had needed.
A pleasurable relief rushed through his body as he felt the weakness disappear, replaced by a bliss feeling of power. Oh, how did he even let such a disgusting thing as weakness consume him completely? All he needed was a reminder of what he was truly capable of... the unwavering confidence, the absolute feeling of dominance over everyone who stood in his way...
Myrtle's words finally seemed to make sense. There was indeed something wrong with him, but now... he was undoubtedly back to being his true self. Myrtle really did know him best like he initially said, so it would be only right for him to know her the best as well. He knew what she liked, didn't like... what made her happy, what made her sad... absolute knowledge and understanding of what was best for her. And if, somehow, she reacted negatively to his actions once again, he would simply mold himself to fit her needs, carefully tailoring his personality to be just right.
Apart from this, another thought took over his mind, deep hatred emerging from within him.
What to do with Hornby, Ruth and Avalite and all of those who associated with them? Especially Hornby.
Hornby. Hornby. Hornby.
The name tasted like vile poison on the back of his tongue, absolute and utter disgust making his stomach churn. She didn't have any limits, didn't she? It was because of her that Myrtle suffered so much... it was because of her that he acted towards Myrtle in those foul ways... It still puzzled him as to why she hated Myrtle so much... how could anyone dare to hate such a perfect person? Was she doing all of this to satisfy some kind of sadistic urge? Was this just a game for her?
If all of this was just a sick game... he would gladly join. It was no longer about catching the monster, no longer about bringing their actions to light, but rather a game of who could last the most before snapping. Why would he go out like a fool and stalk her every move when he could just wait and see what happens next? Rather, he could carefully observe behind the scenes and pull the strings, slowly orchestrating their complete downfall. The occasional little taunt, remark, slowly pricking into their minds, preparing them for... harsher treatment. It was endlessly amusing, watching someone gradually decay before they initially turn into a lifeless husk, no longer being recognizable.
A quiet giggle escaped his lips... then a cackle... and finally maniacal laughter which reverberated on the cold walls. After a moment, he calmed down, returning his original friendly demeanour of a composed and harmless prefect with one thought in mind:
"Oh, they can't even fathom what's about to come next."
Sadly, the next chapter will have to wait, hopefully I can update the fic around January, so stay around until then. :(