Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

22

Pulling her knitted cap tighter over her forehead, Animo silently cursed the blizzard that was waging war outside of the castle. Snowflakes assaulted the glass panes in a fury, quickly collecting into clumps and Animo wondered, not for the first time, why there weren't more warming charms in the castle. She turned around the doorway into the library, grazing her hip against the side of the nearest bookshelf with a wince. Last night, their 'dueling club' had practiced disarming charms, which Cilla was wicked at, resulting in a fair array of bruising along Animo's side.

Her gaze caught on the table in the furthest corner and a bubble of nerves rose in her chest at the dark head of curls poking above an extraordinarily large textbook. Tom had been acting strangely since their last conversation. Animo swore she would feel his gaze burning into her side, but whenever she turned around to check, the Slytherin was absorbed in some activity, usually a book. Still, she was painfully aware that her time was running out. Dumbledore would confront Gellert by the end of the year and if Animo planned on fighting against her brother.. her influence on Tom was limited.

Adjusting her stack of DADA notes, Animo slunk over towards Tom's table and sat in her usual spot across from him. She pulled out her quill and began to scribble a rather poorly drawn diagram.

"I have yet to understand how you can operate being an utter slob."

Animo jerked up her head to see Tom observing her with a scornful expression, nodding in the direction of her quill. "There are practically no feathers left."

Fixing her hold on the pen, Animo grimaced at the bare stem. "I pick off the feathers in class. Nervous habit, I suppose."

"And you didn't bother to pick up another at Hogsmeade last weekend?" Raising a dark brow, Tom held out his palm. At Animo's hesitance, a glimmer of annoyance flickered in his eyes. "Give me the blasted quill, Wallis."

Gingerly, Animo placed the depressing feather into his fingers. Instantly, the quill set ablaze, crackling into ash as orange ember laced up and down the stem.

"Tom!" Animo lowered her tone after the librarian sent her a deadly glare. "That was the only quill I had!"

Seeming entirely unbothered, Tom swept the ash from the tabletop with a swift flick of his wrist. He settled back against his chair and returned to the pages of his book, which Animo recognized as Advanced Potion Making. At least it was a change from the boy's typical tastes, which entirely revolved in the Restricted Section.

Creeping her fingers forward slowly, Animo kept her eyes on her notes while she made a grab for Tom's quill, which was made of a great eagle feather that glistened in the torchlight.

"Touch it and you suffer," Tom flipped to the next page of his book, not even looking up while Animo retracted her hand with a scowl.

"Is the answer to everything pain for you?"

His expression detached, Tom waved his hand and the book turned itself to the chapter he was seeking. "Pain is power."

Animo leaned back on the legs of her chair, folding her arms over her chest. "And what if someone doesn't fear pain?"

Scoffing, Tom closed his book with a pointed huff, indicating he was not pleased with her interruption. "Everyone fears pain. Why do you think the Cruciatus is outlawed?"

Knowing that the boy was already experienced with using the curse, Animo tried not to let her disgust show. "I'm not."

"Really?" Tom quirked his eyebrow, a sadistic gleam glinting in his eye. "I highly doubt it."

"No," pursing her lips, Animo was highly unnerved by the near excitement Tom was displaying at the challenge. "Pain is fleeting."

Tom's mouth curled. "Unless it ends in death."