Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

9

A loud squawking noise filled the air and Animo groaned, rolling over on her side before covering her face with her pillow. However, the simple movement could not block out the irritating toy duck she had charmed into a makeshift alarm clock. Scraping her hand on the wooden headboard, she winced and tapped the rubber bird smartly on its beak, silencing its chirp. The enchantment was one of the more trivial spells Albus had taught her, but useful all the same.

She yawned. There were some perks to having a Transfiguration professor as a mentor.

Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Animo threw on her robes quickly, not bothering to smooth out the wrinkles, although she did make sure her tie was fastened in a secure knot. With a wave of her wand, her hair was up in a smooth ponytail and giving her reflection a last glance, she stumbled down the steps into the Slytherin Common Room. On the last step, she nearly ran into Lucretia Black.

The girl stepped out of Animo's path with a slight scowl, but her focus instantly returned to the neckline of her blouse, which dipped just tastefully enough for the time. Yet her manicured hands tugged at the hem of her sweater to expose more of her chest.

"Do watch where you're going," Walburga snapped from beside the stone fireplace, her moody expression highlighted by the glow of the emerald flames. She raised an eyebrow at Animo's casual appearance. "With a height like yours, I can see why it'd be difficult."

Animo fought the urge to let her expression crumple, burying her insecurity behind a forced grin. "Yes, I do get rather tired of looking down the end of my nose all day." She winked. "But you're used to it, I suppose."

There was a slight pause before Walburga's mouth parted in indignation, her eyes darkening further. "YOU—".

But Animo was already making her way towards the stairs, wincing at the cold stone beneath her feet. She had decided the dungeon was an unfortunate location to hold a common room. Surely it had to have been proposed by Godric Gryffindor or someone of equal disdain to punish the Slytherins.

Reaching the top, she ducked through a small iron door on the right that would lead into the main corridor. Navigating was one of the few benefits Animo had attained from being stuck inside Hogwarts all these years. She reckoned she knew the castle's passages better than even the Weasley twins, no matter how McGonagall loved to complain about them.

She smiled at the sight of a dark head of hair in front of her, bobbing amongst the sea of students. "Oi, Alphard!"

The boy stiffened, pulling on his collar as he turned around slowly, his expression dry. "It's Black to you, Wallis."

Shrugging, Animo increased her pace while they merged into the Great Hall, narrowly avoiding a flying firecracker before it blazed over their heads. "There's so many of you, I couldn't keep track."

"Very funny," Alphard replied sourly, sitting down with a thunk before helping himself to toast and marmalade. "I do suggest you figure out familial ties. Us Slytherins are rather proud of them."

Animo watched while Abraxas Malfoy raised a hand to his gleaming white hair before giving it a secure pat. "I see."

The younger Black followed the direction of her gaze with a slight grimace that pulled the edges of his lips. "Yes, well the Malfoys aren't exactly known for their brains." He stuffed an extra large bit of bread into his mouth. "More for the size of their purse."

Her nose wrinkled at the thought. "Well, that's certainly admirable." The image of the dining room in Malfoy Manor flashed once more in her mind, the acrid sting of blood pinching her nose.

"If you're going to survive, you'll need to play the game." Alphard rolled his eyes, which looked more russet than brown in the light streaming through the window in front of him. "Wealth means connections, Wallis."