Zealous (Tom Riddle)

Chapter 33

Abraxas Malfoy had been doing everything he could to gain Elizabeth's attention. He was determined to make her his.

"Abraxas, are you sure it isn't because she's Tom's?" Lestrange questioned him cautiously as Malfoy stared at Elizabeth, who was seated at the end of the Slytherin table near Tom.

"It isn't," Malfoy hissed in response, his cold eyes landing on Lestrange's, "It's only breakfast and they're already like that."

Elizabeth was laughing at something Tom had said and he was gazing at her with an expression like melted ice - he was once cold and unbreakable, but Elizabeth was so warm and had crashed down all of his walls.

"Ignore it," Lestrange said. He was becoming tired of his friend's infactuation and felt a strange sense of euphoria as Nott approached them. He took this as an opportunity to leave the love-struck Malfoy to himself.

I can't let him win, he thought to himself. He treated us as slaves for months and as soon as she falls for him, he drops us all.

Elizabeth is undoubtedly in love with Tom, and there's nothing I can do about it.

With that last train of thought, Malfoy shot up from his seat. He considered approaching Elizabeth for a few seconds before realising that Tom would be a better target - if he manipulated him to believe that he'd become weak, Tom would surely ditch Elizabeth.

"My Lord," he whispered like he was the wind in Tom's ear, "May I have a word?"

Tom's face was clearly unamused and his blue eyes were lost of all life. He looked at Malfoy as if he were scum; as if he were a fan asking for a picture at the most inappropriate of times, but nevertheless he stood and followed Malfoy out of the Great Hall.

"Before I speak," Malfoy started, a sly grin coating his lips, "I want to tell you that telling Elizabeth I fancied her was a ploy to get you two to break up, my Lord."

"What?" Tom spat. His gaze was full of hatred.

"You are becoming weak," Malfoy said in the politest tone he could muster, "I am looking out for you. Whilst you're with her, your powers go to waste."

"As if I would believe anything you say, Malfoy," Tom announced in a chillingly calm voice, "You say telling Elizabeth of your feelings was to get us to part - but this is a ploy for exactly the same outcome. You want us to break up so that she'll come running to you."

Malfoy gulped. He'd been found out and there was no use arguing with Tom, he'd done it before and he'd only end up in the Hospital Wing like he always had. He sighed, defeated.

"I'll tell you one thing, Malfoy," Tom declared, "She will never leave me for you."

That was Tom's final and lowest blow. The seven words he said seemed to shatter Malfoy into a thousand pieces and he realised that Lestrange was right; he wasn't after Elizabeth himself, he was just chasing after a future where he'd become better than Tom Riddle.

But that future didn't exist and it never would. Tom had just confirmed it with what he'd told Malfoy before walking away without a problem in the world. Malfoy's chances were ruined.

He wasn't smarter or stronger than Tom. His only opportunity was Elizabeth and he had next to no ability to steal her away from Tom.

This was why all of his followers hated Tom a little bit. He belittled them without trying and he outshone them with all of his easily obtained glory. Malfoys did not like losing, and that was a ridiculous way to be when they followed Tom.