how it feels to be alive {tom riddle}

forty-nine: unfixable

UNFIXABLE

Lucia had just finished telling Tom about the Jackalope she had just studied in Care of Magical Creatures as they sat their books down on a desk in the Potions classroom.

Slughorn paraded into the classroom in a rather expensive pair of brown robes that billowed behind him, his preprepared cauldron already simmering at his desk.

"Good afternoon class. Please open up your textbooks to page 253 everyone, we'll be brewing Memory Potions today." He called to the class, the students quietening down at his request.

"I've randomly assigned partners today, since you all don't seem diversify your choice of peers." Slughorn let out a deep belly laugh that's as rather uncalled for, "Every Potion Brewer has different skills, different methods they use, and at this level I think it rewarding to learn from each other to advance your own personal skill set."

The class grumbled in response to this, which Slughorn seemed to expect since he chuckled and gestured for the students to quieten down.

"I understand you want to work with your friends, but I must remind you that this is a N.E.W.T. class, not a social gathering." He tutted, "You are here to learn, and considering the level and importance of the examinations you'll be taking, I advise you all to take all you can from this exercise."

Lucia sent a side glance to Tom in annoyance, who returned it with a smirk at her distaste to the exercise. The others in the class weren't that insufferable, at least the ones who sat on their side of the classroom weren't. The same couldn't be said for the other side, where Zabini, Nott and Crouch sat with rather bored expressions, but keeping mostly to themselves.

"When I call your names, pair up with the student at a cauldron." Slughorn announced as he unfolded his piece of parchment and ran his beady eyes down it.

As the professor began listing off names, students started milling around the classroom to their partners with a couple of eye rolls coming from those unhappy with their pairings.

"Rosier and Nott." Slughorn called, and Tom's jaw tensed. He sent a daring look in the direction of Jared Nott, who rolled his eyes and picked up his books to come to their table, seeming to understand Tom wasn't moving.

Jared let out a loud exhalation as he pulled out the free stool beside Tom, quirking his eyebrow when Tom didn't even acknowledge his presence.

"Cohen and Crouch." Slughorn's voice broke Lucia from her concentration on Tom and Jared.

Tom's eyes snapped to meet hers, his jaw suddenly clenched and eyes cold. Lucia sent him an apologetic gaze before making eye contact with Crouch who was already making his way over to the table with a smirk playing on his lips.

"Fancy seeing you lovely people here." Crouch announced as he lazily pulled a chair out for himself and slumped down onto it.

Lucia rolled her eyes, pushing a stray hair from her face and opening her textbook to the correct page. "Let's just get this over with, yeah?" She snapped at Tobias, sending him a stern expression.

He chuckled with a quirk of his eyebrows, leaning into Lucia to gaze at her open textbook. His scent invaded her senses, one of overpowering cologne and burnt wood. She could feel his breath tickling her forearm as he spent longer than necessary reading the ingredients, and recoiled further towards the other side of her desk in discomfort.

Lucia didn't dare look up at Tom.

"I'm going to get the ingredients." She said hastily as she practically leapt from her chair towards the storage cabinet.