Zealous (Tom Riddle)

Chapter 6

In a compact little village about twenty minutes away from Hogsmeade was an inn. It was warm and welcoming, candles lit in the doorway and sledges set outside for those using its facilities. The snow was at its peak - it was about three feet deep and crunchy.

Since the village was so far away from most other areas, the snow was fresh. Elizabeth felt guilty as she strode through it, ruining the picturesque scene.

"Don't be so foolish," Tom complained as Elizabeth began to trod lightly.

"Don't you feel bad?" She asked, sighing audibly.

"I don't feel anything."

Elizabeth gave him a look, "You're trying to tell me you feel nothing? Tom, you're the most frustrated person I've ever met."

"Are we on a first name basis now, Marin?" Tom inquired, ignoring Elizabeth's statement.

"I thought we should try to get along, assuming that we won't arrive back at Hogwarts until midday on Monday," Elizabeth said truthfully, her eyes showing honesty.

Tom noted this mentally. He wasn't good at reading emotions when it came to Elizabeth - she confused him, and she was one of the only people he couldn't understand close to fully from just a glance and idle chatter.

"Sure," Tom agreed, "Perhaps we should."

Of course, he was thinking practically. Tom was into dark things. If he could use Elizabeth as an excuse, much like he did with the medicine he collected from the matron, his objectives would be fed to him with a silver spoon.

"You're accepting it?" Elizabeth asked as the inn and the rest of the village came into view. It was similar to Hogsmeade, but less of a tourist attraction. As well as that, it was a lot more remote, explaining why Hogwarts didn't take trips there.

"Yes," Tom said, suddenly angry. Why was it hard to understand? He found humans like her so simple.

"Right," Elizabeth nodded along as if she understood. But she didn't. She found boys like him so complex.

Tom's frosty blue eyes searched for any indication that Elizabeth was weary of him. She didn't appear uncomfortable or frightened in the slightest, and she wasn't fawning over his appearance or just his cleverness. Why was she different?

They reached the inn. Tom entered first, eyeing the candles that he instantly labelled as a danger. They were flaming furiously, perhaps even unrealistically.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth took in the sheer beauty of it. The inn was something she hadn't seen before - she'd never even been to a hotel, having always had her parents or grandparents to stay with, but this place had more to it than that. Everything about it felt connected. It felt as though not a decoration was out of place, not a person unwelcome.

Or perhaps just Tom wasn't.

"Hello," a tall, beautiful woman with platinum blonde hair and striking, sky blue eyes greeted the pair. She was behind a mahogany desk, her long, unpainted fingernails tapping against the wood. There were small indents where she pressed a little too hard.

Cheap, Tom thought as he replied with false pleasure. The desk is cheap material. She's a Veela. Quarter. Or half at most.

Elizabeth was still astounded at the warmth of the inn. It was further away from the houses and shops and didn't have a fire. Why was it so warm?

"I'm afraid to inform you that we only have one room," she told them, "But the double bed is made from two singles. You can move them if you wish."

Tom and Elizabeth nodded. The woman handed Elizabeth the keys.

After taking them, Elizabeth jingled them between her fingers. This made Tom become anxious and frustrated, but he didn't comment.

They got to the room and it was to the same standard as the lobby.

"Don't you think it's... suspicious?" Tom suggested as he studied the walls, tapping them lightly.

"Not really," Elizabeth replied, shaking her head. "I heard it's only been here for a few weeks."

"Think about it, Elizabeth!" Tom snapped, "That woman was the only female here other than you. The rest of them were men, and she was at least a quarter Veela. A few weeks? That's when this activity started. Although Dippet is concerned about Hogsmeade, how easy would it be for that girl to lure men from there to this place?"

Elizabeth watched Tom as he spoke. His lips were confident and didn't shake at all, not once. He was proud. His eyes were fierce and the way he said her name set a fire in her stomach - she was scared.

"Passionate," she commented lazily, laying back on the bed, "It all adds up, though."

"Right," Tom nodded.

"It's still Lizzie."

"If you think I'm calling you that, you're wrong," Tom snarled.

Elizabeth frowned, "Why not? It's what I go by."

"It's too affectionate for me," Tom said, waving his hands to signal for her to shut up. He moved towards a glass desk, ripping out a sheet of paper from the small notebook left on its surface. He furiously opened the drawers, spilling the contents of one on the floor.

"Tom, calm down!" Elizabeth shouted warningly, grabbing Tom's arm and forcing him to sit on the edge of the bed. She sat on the chair in front of him, looking him in the eyes, "What's gotten you so worked up?"

"This! It's infuriating," Tom growled, his hand resting on Elizabeth's forearm. His breaths regulated as he felt her pulse - it was steady and calming.

"What about it?" She asked softly, her fingertips loosening on his arm.

"I can't figure out why..."

Elizabeth giggled, earning herself a glare. "Tom, we basically have three days left. Don't be so upset."

She moved away from him and cleaned up the contents of the drawer, pushing it back into its socket and cleaning up the mess of paper he'd made. She handed him a pen.

"Is this what you were looking for?" She inquired, raising a dark eyebrow.

He snatched it off her, "Yes, actually."