STARLIGHT ; TMR [discontinued]

t h r e e

The sky was now covered by a shimmering black blanket, dotted with sparkles playing their place as stars. The moon cast a white hue down at the occupants of the earth it serves, and Ariel admired it's beauty as she sat near the black lake.

A small orb of water was floating just above the palm of her hands. Inside this orb was a small minnow she had saved just before it was going to be eaten by the giant squid. The minnow floated around frantically, looking at Ariel with wide eyes. 

Once Ariel decided it was safe, she allowed the small orb of water and the minnow to float back to it's home. She shivered, and hugged her robe closer to her body. Considering she had but a silk nightgown underneath, she was freezing. The cold seeped into her skin and wrapped around her bones, holding onto them even when Ariel lit a fire.

While Ariel sat there, an inferno coming out her palms from seemingly no where, she was reminded at the times at the orphanage where she would practically freeze to death because the blankets were so thin. Her and Tom would then head to the fireplace in the living area while everyone would be asleep and sit next to it while Tom read Ariel a book.

She shivered, not from the cold, but from the nostalgic memory. Diminishing the fire in her hands, she got up and started heading back the the castle. Her feet were like ice cubes, they stung every time she took a step. She gulped back, and checked around her to make sure no snooping eyes were watching her. Once she checked, she started floating of the floor, until she reached 5 meters off the ground. Once she did she crossed her legs and continued her journey back into the castle.

•

Tom stared at the window. Every reflective item in the common room imitated the murky green of the lake, giving the room an aura of power and authority. He had just seen a minnow that was almost to be eaten by the giant squid. That is, until it was just pulled out of the water. He sat for a few minutes in confusion, then dismissed it as some land creature looking for food.
The confusion came back to him once the minnow returned, safe and unharmed.

That could only be the work of a human, or more specifically, an elemental. Tom wondered whether it was a student here, and wondered whether he knew them.

He decided to head out, and check to see who this mysterious elemental was.

•

Ariel was now back on her two feet, briskly walking back to the Slytherin common room. She hadn't been caught by a professor or prefect as of yet.

She heard heavy footsteps echoing throughout the dark dungeon, she panicked, an alarmed look settling itself on her petite face.

Thinking quickly, she hurried into the nearest broom cupboard, locking it behind her. She then noticed something rather... Interesting, that resided in the broom cupboard.

Looking at her with wide eyes were Darius Lestrange, and her best friend, Ivy Willows. They were half naked, both just in their undergarments.

"What the bloody hell?!" Ariel whisper/shouted, her hands on her hips.

"A-Ariel, I can exp-" Ivy started, but didn't get to finish once the broom cupboard was unlocked with a spell. Standing their, at the door, was none other than Tom Riddle.

"Well, well, well." He looked at Darius and Ivy in disgust, before his gaze trailed to Ariel. "I never expected you, Ms. Verde, to participate in a threesome." His eyes raked Ariel's clothes, and then the couples lack of clothing, a chuckle sounded out of his mouth, though it was void of all amusement, "although, they seem to be leaving you out."

Ariel face turned to a deep maroon, and she reached for her wand - before forgetting that she left it in her dorm.

"We- I was not a part of this little shag session Riddle!" If looks could kill, Tom would be dead.

Tom ignored her. "Lestrange, Willows, detention for a month for disobeying the curfew and for exhibiting such heinous acts. I would take away house points but that would just be doing my own house injustice." With that, he dismissed them, not even allowing them to put on their clothes.

Once they were gone, Tom looked back at Ariel, who was still glaring at him with all the hate in the world. He smirked, and gestured her to follow him.

She didn't know why, but she complied, feeling as if he would embarrass her even more if she didn't listen. He led her up to the seventh floor, to in front of a blank stretch of wall. It was bear of all painting or artifacts.

"Tom."

"Shh."

"But Tom."

"Shut up Verde."

"Where are we."

"Hogwarts."

Ariel looked at the boy, who, found his joke rather amusing. Ariel cracked a smile, the Tom that she used to know was beginning to show himself from under the mask he built.

Suddenly, a door showed itself to the two teenagers. It was grand, intricate patterns made of copper decorated the wooden door.

"What..?" Ariel breathed in awe.

"This, Ariel, is the come and go room." Ariel felt a giddy feeling stirring in her heart when he called her by her first name without the intention of teasing her. This Tom was the Tom she knew and loved.

Once they were all comfortable in the couches, Ariel had a good look around. It was almost an exact replica of the Slytherin common room, save for a few details. One, their were no windows, obviously. Two, the roof seemed to stretch out higher than the naked eye could see. Three, several among several bookshelf were aligned up against the wall, all filled to the brim with books. As she turned back around to face Tom, she noticed Tom had been staring at her thoughtful. His cobalt blue eyes darted to every feature on her face and body, and she felt violated. It almost looked as if he was doing a very complicated puzzle that he somehow managed to find the secret to.

After a good 10 minutes, Riddle spoke up.

"I know you're an elemental, Ariel."