The Chain [Tom Riddle]

Chapter 11

Abraxas almost cried in happiness when he learned that they would be sharing classes with Gryffindor students than Ravenclaw. On side of the table Helia, Christopher, and Joaquin while the other side was Abraxas, Tom, and Nessa. Although, Nessa sat a few spaces away from them. Everyone was eating their supper, Nessa already had two plates and was working on her third one. No one even bothered to talk to the girl, she had almost cried out of frustration if it wasn't for the chocolate cake she was eating.

"I'd rather deal with them any day." Abraxas said while looking over at the Gryffindor table. Nessa glanced up to focus on Abraxas, they could only make eye contact for a few seconds before Abraxas looked away. When she first sat down all four of them were looking between her and Tom, waiting for him to do anything but he didn't. The only conversations they were talking about was congratulating Tom and Helia on being a prefect and sharing their summer stories.

"How was Dite?" Helia asked her lover Christopher while she was stroking his hair.

"I think I'm growing on her, she only tried biting me twice when I tried to feed her." He answered, Nessa pulled a strand of hair behind her ear to hear their conversation better. She knew they were talking about Helia's owl Aphrodite, she was an adorable looking owl but shared the same personality as Helia. Helia had ask for Christopher to watch over her while she was away for the summer. When Helia first got her owl she asked for names from her classmates, Nessa was the one who brought up the name Aphrodite. Helia was reluctant to take that name at first because it was Nessa that suggested it but everyone else liked it. Nessa licked the frosting off of her fork, finished with her slice. She was about grab another piece but Tom reached over and pulled the cake away from her.

"You had three plates." He said without sparing a glance towards her. Helia and the others kept quiet not wanting to receive anything horrible from Tom if they got involved.

"Fine." Nessa knew it was for the best, she needed to control her impulse to eat especially sweets. But that self awareness only lasted for a good few minutes before she was plotting her next eating scheme.

...

"One more game." Christopher said before shuffling the cards, everyone was either in their common rooms or asleep. Tom and the others stayed up playing cards, Tom only played one round before sitting back either watching or writing in his diary. Nessa was on the sofa across from them. In her hands she was making a human figure out of thin sticks hoping she could find a spell that will allow it to carry the Hemophilia blood. She was working on the legs as she was humming, if everyone was chattering her humming wouldn't be heard but it was only the sounds of the fire burning the wood and the sound of the cards shuffling. The others heard her but continued to ignore her, it was only Tom that reacted to her humming. He shifted in his seat uncomfortably hearing the melody she was humming.

My Jolly Sailor Bold.

Although the humming didn't leave him in a trance like before, he still didn't like it. The others would stare at her humming for only a few seconds before going back to their game. Tom was pleased that Abraxas and the others listened to him and left Nessa alone. He watched her making a strange object reminding himself that he needed to ask her about it tomorrow. Nessa and the couch was facing sideways to the group and so the arm part of the sofa covered whatever Nessa was doing. Tom noticed how her left arm would slowly move as if she was reaching for something before she would turn her head away as if she was trying to get something out of her face. He counted it was the fourth time that she did that. He studied her mouth and chin, noticing little movements as if she was trying to hide something.

"Nessa." Tom called, everyone stopped what they were doing even Christopher stopped shuffling the cards. Nessa responded with a hum but didn't even move to look at the boy. Her body language was enough to confirm his suspicion. He sighed as his index finger was tapping against the wooden table.