Loyal | Tom Riddle

27: Witch Weekly

Nikolai leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing across his lips as he folded his arms across his chest. He raised an eyebrow at his sister as she regarded him with suspicion, scanning each face at the table.

"Sir," Arabella said, glancing briefly at Professor Dippet, "what exactly happened?"

The elderly wizard drew a deep breath, pressing his lips into a thin line as he laced together his frail fingers that were more bone than anything else. "Your brother, Miss Travers," the headmaster began slowly. "He started a fight with another student--" Will shrank back in his seat like a dog expecting a swift kick to its side-- "and faces suspension, possibly even expulsion if the head of his house deems his actions to be worthy of such punishment."

Halia's brown eyes widened at this, her lips parting as if words were dying to be let out; she constrained them, though, and remained silent, watching from the sidelines.

"Your brother testified that your friend Mr. Bones made a remark that he wasn't too fond of," Dippet continued, blissfully unaware of the range of emotions playing out before him. "Mr. Bones stated that he simply told off Mr. Travers for what he took as. . . . ogling."

Arabella's gaze travelled from Will's face to her brother's, then back again. Judging by how Nikolai's lips curled into a half-smile and his head shaking, she decided to believe the Hufflepuff Prefect, who sat glowering at the Slytherin boy across from him.

"It looked like he was about ready to jump her, sir!"

"Now, now, Mr. Bones, I don't remember asking for any commentary," the Headmaster chided, his face softening nonetheless.

"Yeah, Witch Weekly," Nikolai sneered. "Shut it."

Will's hands twitched, but he kept them gripping tightly onto the edge of his chair as not to lunge at Nikolai and instigate a second brawl. "Don't. Call. Me. That."

"Pardon, Willykins?" Nikolai cocked his head to the side, a smug smile stretching slowly from ear to ear. "I didn't quite catch that one. You'll have to speak up, Badger Boy."

"I said--"

"Boys!" Dippet yelled. Silence fell across the office. "I do not tolerate fighting, anywhere! The first was enough, not even taking into account the fact that we're readmitting a student!"

Nikolai's grin grew wider as he laced his fingers behind his head and kicked his feet up onto the desk, just as he had a few visits before. "Don't worry, sir. That was only banter. If you'd really like to see us fight, though, I'd be more than happy to kick this scrawny prick's ar--"

"Mr. Travers!"

"You know I'd win," Nikolai finished with a laugh, reaching into his jacket pocket. Drawing out a cigarette, he surprised them all when he leaned across the table and extended it towards Halia. "Here," he said gently, pulling out his lighter.

Gingerly, Halia accepted the cigarette he offered her, placing it into her mouth with a tiny smile that made his grow. He lit it for her wordlessly, watching her with some type of look in his eyes that Arabella had never witnessed before. Tenderness, she thought, or some other gentle emotion that was so alien on his face.

"Mr. Travers," Dippet's nasal voice whined once more, rather impatiently and forced this time. "How many times have I reminded you that smoking is not permitted at Hogwarts?"

Nikolai paused in the act of lighting his own cigarette, a mask of fake shock flickering across his features. "Is that so? What else isn't allowed?" He took a drag, breathing deeply as he began ticking things off on his fingers. "I'd think Dark magic, no? Or maybe starting a cult? Manipulating students? Torturing Mudbloods and murdering their family members? Forced conscription? Blackmail?"