The Pretender | Tom Riddle

25| bellatrix

25| bellatrix

     Their compartment was awfully quiet. How could it not when nobody was really speak to Abraxas. Benjamin was still made at him for the way he talked about the others. Tom couldn't care less to speak to him. And Seren wasn't speaking at all. Tom wasn't speaking purely out of exhaustion, he wasn't in the mood to carry a conversation and nobody would bother to anyway. Benjamin only sensed the tension and decided it'd be best not to speak. As much as Abraxas realized he did wrong with the boys, at least Seren was speaking to him. But as he looked to her, eyes staring out the window, he doubted they'd be able to speak a single word the whole trip back to Hogwarts.

The New Year's passed too quickly. Seren didn't mind it too much. To be frank, she spent majority of the time on her own. She was a complete idiot. That was all she kept telling herself after Christmas. A complete idiot who fell for just about anyone apparently. The bruises on her neck had faded without a single notice from anyone. There was still a very light shade to them that distinguished it from the rest of her normal pigment, but unless you were to stare long you wouldn't notice.

She hadn't spoken to Tom much either, only very simple and shallow conversations did the pair have. She deeply regretted the kiss. Not because she didn't enjoy, no, on the contrary, because she did. And it just told her how much of a hypocrite she was herself. She despised him. How cruel and evil he was, and how much darker he'd soon become. Yet there she was, underneath his embrace welcoming his kiss like she had been hungry for it all her life. She shouldn't have let it happen. How did it change so quickly that night? One second they were looking at each other with nothing but pure hatred, and the next second they were furiously making out.

Tom didn't feel any different. He shouldn't have kissed her. He shouldn't have welcomed her into his arms in such way. In a way that made it seem like he desperately needed her like no other. He let himself slip away between her soft lips and intoxicating smell of vanilla. He was happy she had been somewhat avoiding him. He was afraid if she wouldn't have, he might've felt overwhelmed with the feeling to do it again.

"Can't believe we've got a dinner already this Friday," Abraxas finally spoke up, tired of the emptiness in their compartment. Seren looked to him for a moment, remembering the letter Slughorn had sent regarding their dinners. It had come just before the New Year, wishing everyone a great break and hoping to start their club as soon as possible. "I completely forgot about that," Seren said in response. It was quiet again, only sound coming from the trolly filled with sweets. She pulled her knees onto the seat, her back to Benjamin as she stared out the window once more.

Tom sat across from her for a change. He got a clear view of her expression. Her eyes slowly drifted shut, Tom watching the action closely.

    She stood on her feet, different from the sitting position she had once been in. In front of her was a sign, words in thick ink that read:

"The Ministry of Magic

     Dolores Jane Umbridge (High Inquisitor) has replaced Albus Dumbledore as Head of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

The above is an accordance with Educational Decree Number Twenty-Eight

Signed

Minister of Magic"

It was hard to catch up. Harry wasn't next to her who she could rely on for any information. Though, the passing students seemed to do just fine. Barely giving small glimpses into their conversation about Dumbledore. It didn't come as a surprise that he had become Headmaster, there was no man more worthy. But she wondered what the rest of the conversations carried.