𝐵𝑒̂𝑡𝑒 𝑛𝑜𝑖𝑟𝑒 ; ᴛᴏᴍ ᴍᴀʀᴠᴏʟᴏ ʀɪᴅᴅʟᴇ

16

"Want to go somewhere?"

Lilith blinked.

"Are you mad?" Lilith said, trying to regain her soul that left her body.

"Madly attractive." Abraxas added wittily, flashing a smile at her.

"Oh, piss off." Lilith smirked from the comment but hid it so that his ego wouldn't fill the room.

"Since I've missed classes, I was wondering if you could fill me in on the lessons at the library." Malfoy said, now in front of her with his arms folded.

Lilith simply scoffed and then agreed.

-

"You could have just said, 'Want to study at the library?' instead of scaring me half to death and making me think that you want to take me on a once in a lifetime adventure." Lilith said as they were walking to the library.

"Touché." Abraxas said, shrugging.

They entered the library to see dozens of students in groups, working on their homework.

There was an empty table at the far back of the library and they claimed it, limply throwing their bag on the ground and sitting.

It started off normal. Abraxas was paying attention intently yet not a single thing was processing through his thick skull. It was like important information was going in one ear and going out the other.

"Malfoy! I'm going to ask one more time. What is the main ingredient to make an Alihotsy Draught?" Lilith was aggressively pointing to a Potions textbook.

"I don't fucking know!"

"It's in the name, you daft ass!"

"It could be anything. Like Alihotsy bark or Alihotsy powder."

"It's Alihotsy leaves! It's the most simplest ingredient in this whole bloody textbook!" Lilith closed the textbook and it caused an echo throughout the quiet library.

"Why do I need to use a laughing potion anyway? I don't need to sneak some Alihotsy draught in someone's drink to make them laugh at my joke. People laugh at my jokes all the time." Abraxas scoffed like he just been asked the dumbest question ever.

"You're impossible." Lilith shoved the textbook in her bag.

Lilith looked up and looked around the library to see some people looking at them weirdly.

Across from them was a group that Lilith was familiar with.

Tom Riddle and his group.

They all stared daggers at Abraxas and Lilith.

Malfoy noticed Lilith staring behind him and turned around.

"Piss off, would you? I could feel your poisonous eyes burning on my back." Abraxas shot at them.

Abraxas started banter with the rest of the group but Tom's eyes remained fixated on his diary but he looked directly at Lilith from his diary, like he could feel her eyes on him.

Riddle ripped a piece of paper from his diary and cast a spell on it, sending it off to Lilith.

The piece of paper was shaped like a rose and it fluttered over to Lilith, landing delicately in front of her.

She opened the paper and read it:

"If you wish to be my right hand, I'd recommend you break it off with Malfoy.

He will only bring you trouble.

Top of the Astronomy Tower at midnight.

Remember.

- Tom M. Riddle"

When Lilith looked back up, Tom was gone. It was like he was never there.

"Abraxas." Lilith said, which caught Malfoy's attention.

"Yes?" Malfoy responded quickly.

"I think this concludes our lesson today. It's already half past six." Lilith looked at the clock and picked up her bag, along with the paper that returned to its rose form.

Abraxas said something else but Lilith couldn't hear.

Walking out of the library, Lilith felt eyes burning on her.

It wasn't just a pair of eyes but multiple. All around her.

Every now and then, she would hear what sounds like whispers or hisses in her ear.

The unintelligible noises grew louder and unbearable.

It was just her walking in the corridors. Everyone else was at dinner.

She heard footsteps in front of her, growing closer but she didn't stop to turn the other way.

The footsteps grew louder and louder.

Until a presence was in front of her.

A hand grabbed her shoulder but not in a harsh way.

"Lilith?" A familiar voice said.

She looked up to see Professor Slughorn in front of her with a worried look.

"Did you hear that? Those hisses?" Lilith asked frantically.

Slughorn took his hand off her shoulder and looked confused.

"Are you alright, Lilith?" Slughorn said. His attitude towards her was different. It was like he was scared of her.

"Yes, I'm fine." Lilith looked around the hallways.

"It's not safe to be walking around these corridors alone. After those attacks, no student is allowed to be alone. I'll guide you to the Great Hall where everyone is." Slughorn said, motioning her to turn around.

Lilith stayed in one place and looked directly into Slughorn's terrified eyes, reading him like an open book.

"Are you scared, Professor?" Lilith asked, furrowing her eyebrows.

Professor Slughorn shook his head, his face was an awful shade of white.

"N—Nonsense, Miss Rosenyx. I'm scared for your safety, not mine." Slughorn reassured her.

"But you're still scared. You said that Hogwarts was safe." Lilith detected his lies.

Slughorn's warm smile dropped.

"Please, Lilith. Go to dinner where all the other students are." Slughorn whispered the last part, looking around skeptically.

Lilith, without another word, obeyed. She wanted to get away.

In the Great Hall, everyone remained triumph. Professor Dippet wasn't sitting at the front table and Professor Merrythought wasn't as well.

Lilith sat with her usual group. Caspian, Catherine, Theo, and Gatsby. But didn't say a word to them.

The hisses were louder than ever.

Lilith looked over at Tom Riddle who was trailing his wand along the table, muttering under his breath.

He looked exceptionally good.

His black hair covering his forehead, his jawline was sharp and clenched, his dark eyes glimmered, his broad shoulders and biceps would flex every time he messed up on something.

People weren't kidding when they said he was undeniably irresistible.

He made common features look unique and exotic. His blue eyes were common but he made them look dark and almost red.

All around the room, girls would stare and fawn over him from afar but never got any attention from him.

Same with Abraxas Malfoy.

Abraxas knew he had every girl at Hogwarts wrapped around his finger.

Occasionally, he would wink and smirk at them.

But other than that, he didn't care. He didn't show them any other attention.

They never showed any girl attention except Lilith.

They were like a lamb to the slaughter to her.