Making a deal with devils - William James Moriarty x OC

Chapter 4 - The Dancer on the Bridge

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"If you want to see the true measure of a man, watch how he treated his inferiors, not his equals." - J. K. Rowling
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The very next day, the case on Lord Harrington had made the papers. And Scotland Yard did not hold back on the information that was left behind. Highlighting exactly what Lord Harrington was really up to. And it definitely caused conversation to start within the local towns. Some going as far as to wonder who else was corrupt like him.

That same day, William was teaching a math class at the Durham university.

"Does anyone have any questions up to this point?" William asked his students.

He looked around at his students before noticing someone missing.

"I don't seem to see Lucian here. Is he absent again today?" William said.

"Professor!" A student said, raising his hand.

"What is it, Tate?" William asked.

"He's- Lucian, um... has a cold." Tate explains.

"Oh, is that so? Very well, after the lecture, I think I shall go visit him." William replied.

"Th-That's all right! Lucian and I share the same dormitory room, and I'm looking after him, so..." Tate explained further.

"Indeed. Well then, that is a relief." William replied.

After his lecture had ended, William headed to the administration's department in hopes of finding out about Lucian and his cold.

"As you wish. Tate Percival and Lucian Atwood, yes?" The man asked.

"Lucian is the heir to Atwood Viscountcy, a noble family of over two centuries. Tate is likewise... So both of them are heirs to aristocratic families." William thought to himself when he was looking at a photo album outside.

After that, he headed to the dormitory of both Tate and Lucian in hoping to talk to both of them about his absence. He knocked on the door before being greeted by Tate.

"Yes? P-Professor Moriarty!" Tate said, slightly alarmed his professor was at his door.

"That was quite the sneeze. I heard it all the way outside the door. Have you been looking after Lucian and caught his cold from him?" William said as he let himself in before closing the door behind him.

"Er... quite possibly." Tate replied.

William entered further, causing Tate to mutter out a stuttered comment.

"Um, I, uh... This isn't..." Tate said.

"There is no sign that this been slept in for some time. You should start talking, quickly. Right now, I am a hundredfold more cross than you may think." William said with a looming aura that seemed to scare Tate.

"So Lucian has not been home in three days?" William asked when he had the full picture.

"There have been times when he would go behind the housemaster's back, stay out all night, and sneak back in the next morning, but he has never done this before. So this made me rather worried, prompting me to go to the pub where Frida, this waitress from whom he is head over heels, works. If there is anyplace he would spend the night, I expect it would have to be her place." Tate explains.

He then explained that when he tried to go to the pub, he had a bucket of water thrown over him and told to leave.

"I see. That would explain your sneezing. However, for you to receive such a harsh welcome without warning, there may have been some trouble beforehand." William said.