𝕬 𝕯𝖆𝖗𝖐 𝕷𝖔𝖗𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝕭𝖔𝖗𝖓 | 𝑇𝑜𝑚 𝑅𝑖𝑑𝑑𝑙𝑒 |

Chapter 50- The White Rabbit

Their feet buckled onto the frosty earth a couple seconds later. The air suddenly smelled fresher, the wind suddenly blew colder, and they were surrounded by a grove of wilted skeletal trees. Dumbledore and Frankie both looked to the side to find the others had appeared only a few feet further away. Most of them looked ruffled, but for the most part unharmed. Hagrid was the only one who looked like he was going to be sick to his stomach. At least it was better than getting splinched and leaving half of his body back at the orphanage. Tom felt a wave of nausea, however, immediately chose to repress it and keep his collected expression. Surely, if he just ignored it, the feeling would eventually go away. Hagrid unfortunately was unable to simply conquer the overwhelming urge and immediately ran off towards some nearby thickets.

"I'm surprised you two aren't like Hagrid right now." Dumbledore remarked, as they let go of his arms. He looked at them expectantly. Although, they had passed all the proper tests, it was still their first real time actually Disapparating and they had come so far. Frankie didn't show any clear signs of being ill. However, she might've been trying to put on a strong face too. Tom's face seemed to be growing paler by the second, despite his best efforts.

"We aren't like him." Tom managed to say, in a tone of fine superiority. Frankie glowered at him with anger. He hurried to fix his mistake, but his head was swirling too much to think of something nice. "I mean to say, he's younger and half-giant. He's not even supposed to be Disapparating—"

The sudden urge to vomit became overcoming. All Tom could do was run and hide, so he wouldn't wretch in front of all those people. Ever since he'd created the second Horcrux, his body hadn't been quite the same. It was a lot frailer than it had been before, if anyone could believe his skeleton figure could get any weaker. There was a more lasting effect. He didn't have to go to the hospital wing every other day anymore, but sometimes he got dizzy and often felt a cold heavy weight in his chest. His body knew something was missing. However, Tom suppressed it. Today would be no different than any other.

"It appears they aren't so different after all." Dumbledore added to Frankie, with a cheeky grin. She smiled back at him, but quickly returned a worried glance in the direction Tom had run. He noticed this and continued to smile at her fondly. "I think I'll go help with the tents..."

It didn't take Tom too long to come back. He still held his hand in front of his mouth, either out of shame and embarrassment, or the fear of going all over again.

"Are you alright?" she asked, offering out a sympathetic hand. But he pushed it away. He felt utterly weak and didn't want her to see him right now in such a pathetic state.

"Honestly, I'm fine. Stop fretting so much." Tom snapped, walking past her towards the area that they were setting up the tents. She followed after him, but he didn't acknowledge her gaze. He felt too weak and tired. "It's like Dumbledore said. We're supposed to feel sick the first time. It's only natural."

"I don't." Frankie stated, plainly.

"There must be something wrong with you then." he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear him. Even though a very cruel thing to say to her, Tom knew she would not get angry with him. She could not get truly angry with him. This was a fact. So, he let his temper storm and Frankie stopped following him. Tom merely breezed past Ms. Bagshot and Dumbledore, trying desperately hard not to turn his head back to gaze at her, not to be the one who folds so immediately. However, Ms. Bagshot grabbed his collar as he sulked passed them, pulled him back towards her, and nonchalantly shoved him directly into Frankie.

"Whatever idiotic thing you just did. Apologize for it."

Tom was not about to apologize while he was still in high tempers. However, he unwillingly got caught in her magnetic gaze and realized his mistakes. He blushed slightly and gave up the fight almost instantaneously. Tom silently mouthed an apology at his rash behavior and Frankie cracked a small smile in forgiveness.