Turned - Tom Riddle

Chapter Ten

Everything in her world felt at ease. Tom and Elizabeth walked together toward the large dining hall where they would separate and pretend they didn't know one another.

Before they were in sight of the students walking into the hall, Tom pulled her aside. "Don't tell anyone about the other night."

"Why would I?"

"You share an awful lot with those friends of yours," he looked past her, the unobserving students laughing and talking with the bliss of not knowing such dark magic.

"I won't," she promised and they finally walked in. Melissa, Matilda, and Walburga sat eagerly chatting at the middle of the Slytherin table. Their conversation stopped when they saw Elizabeth walking in, next to Tom.

Tom went and sat down next to his group, saying something quietly and looking amongst the hall.

Walburga nearly exploded, "You disappear for nearly two days and then walk in with him like nothing happened?"

"Wal, she was ill. I'm sure the timing was coincidental," Melissa defended Elizabeth.

Walburga didn't seem satisfied, but she continued anxiously tapping her finger nails against the wooden table.

"What's got you in a twist?" Matilda asked.

"Malfoy hasn't even asked the color of my dress. How are we supposed to coordinate if he doesn't know my dress color?" she narrowed her eyes down the long table at Malfoy, who was intensely staring at his hands. Matilda had declined Malfoy, thinking another boy would be at her feet within minutes, but he just went to ask Walburga, leaving Matilda alone.

Melissa rolled her eyes, "Don't be so dramatic, I'm sure he can charm his tie to be a different color."

"Why is his group here anyways? They're usually never here for dinner," Walburga found something new to be annoyed about.

"Dippet said he'd be making an announcement tonight. All students have to be here. Don't know what it will be about though...," Matilda explained.

Elizabeth groaned. "I'm so hungry," for she hadn't eaten in two days.

"As am I, what's taking Dippet so long?" Walburga scanned the teachers' table, where Dippet's chair was vacant.

The loud conversations of the students quickly died out as many eyes laid upon Headmaster Dippet, striding down the middle of the tables. He took his place at the podium and the small clink of a student setting their goblet down echoed across the dining hall.

"I apologize for my late arrival, and for taking some of you away from your activities which would usually commence during the dining hours," his strong voice articulated.

Elizabeth looked across the table to Tom, who was whispering something to a dark haired boy next to him, the boy looking over to her and then nodding back to Tom. She remembered Walburga saying the dark haired boy was her relative. Her heart raced as Tom looked toward her.

"Did you hear that?" Melissa shrieked and as Elizabeth regained focus, for the hall had erupted into gasps and conversation.

"No, what did he say?" Elizabeth turned back to the girls, who were distraught over the unknown statement.

Walburga looked as if she were about to cry, "The ball, the ball might be canceled!"

"Why?" Elizabeth's jaw dropped.

"All classes this week have been canceled due to Grindelwald being in the area. We're supposed to only leave our Common Room for meals and we have to travel with at least one person at all times to those meals!" Matilda cried.