❝ ah, but it was not tom riddle who made the dark mark. ❞ dumbledore's eyes fogged over, a memory of the once-smart and cunning student entering his mind as he stroked his white beard.
❝ then who did, sir? ❞ harry potter stared at the headmaste...
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BREAKFAST was quieter than usual. Athena was lost in thought, slowly bringing a forkful of scrambled eggs to her mouth, chewing absentmindedly. Druella seemed completely absent, a fact Athena noticed but knew better than to mention—not after the glare Druella gave Lucinda for asking earlier.
Lucinda had her head down more than usual, her puffy eyes suggesting she had cried herself to sleep. Athena had asked if she was alright, but Lucinda had only offered a reassuring smile, without saying anything.
Athena snapped out of her thoughts when she saw Lucinda playing with the food on her plate instead of eating it. Worry creased her brows as she pursed her lips.
She grabbed both of their empty cups and poured black coffee into them, handing the filled cups back to the girls. Druella didn't even notice, but Lucinda gave her a small, grateful smile before sipping from hers.
Athena returned the smile, though her concern was still evident.
Her attention shifted sharply to the Great Hall doors as they burst open and a flock of owls swooped in, letters clutched in their beaks.
Her eyes locked onto a familiar owl that flew straight to Abraxas, dropping a letter in his lap before flying out.
Her shoulders slumped as she watched Abraxas stare at the letter with pursed lips before opening it.
She could feel the tension radiating from the Slytherin table—something that always happened when students received letters from home.
Druella hadn't even noticed the letter in front of her until Lucinda gently nudged her. She took it delicately, her posture stiff as her eyes carefully followed the words on the page.
A shocked frown flickered across her face before she tucked the letter into her bag.
"They're proud of me," Druella mumbled, disbelief lacing her voice.
It seemed like she was talking to herself, so Athena and Lucinda exchanged glances, pretending not to have heard her.
The Slytherin table gradually returned to its usual murmur of conversation, but Athena and her friends remained quiet. Athena's gaze drifted toward the Bloody Baron, whose ghastly figure shimmered as he floated above the table, his gruesome appearance and foreboding presence sending a ripple of unease through the hall.
The Baron's piercing eyes locked onto Abraxas, who was in the middle of eating.
Abraxas looked up, his face a mix of irritation and curiosity.
The Bloody Baron, with a dramatic flair, hovered directly over him and began recounting one of his many spectral misadventures. His chilling voice made the silverware tremble.
Abraxas, unimpressed, rolled his eyes. "Not now, Baron," he muttered, hoping the ghost would move along. His mind was still on the letter he had just read, and he had no patience for the Baron's antics.
