The Last Drop |Tom Riddle|

Chapter Five: The Meeting

Returning to the Auror Headquarters was not easy.

Eleanor rushed through the department and to her own office, passing by the cubicles and shutting her door before anyone could catch her. No one noticed her disappearance at the crime scene except for a few. Colin would surely be shouting his head off for doing so. But she didn't care.

She sat behind her desk, leaning in her chair and didn't move because she had felt too nauseous to even breathe.

Tom had gone too far. She should have fought harder. She should have even killed if she had to. But now she was trapped in an unbreakable vow in which she'd have to help him tear down the Wizarding World. Of course he couldn't do it overnight. He'd have a long way to go which gave her the hope that she could arrest him before he could or stop him in any way possible. It didn't help her sink in the fact that she was going against the Ministry still with an immense amount of treason.

Even her cousins fell to his side!

The entire situation was ludicrous, running around her thoughts and leaving her sick to her stomach. Absolutely nothing could ease her but the fact that this was going to be in her favor one way or another no matter what tied her down.

Suddenly, the door opened and only her eyes moved to see Colin standing there, shutting the door behind him.

"You have work to do, Eleanor. You can't actually run away from it this time." Colin said in a stern tone, dropping the file on her desk. "The Minister wants to call an international meeting possibly by tomorrow. Are you going to be able to come to that maybe and actually sit there?"

Eleanor sat up in her chair, glaring at Colin.

"You can leave now." she muttered through clenched teeth.

If only she could tell him how much trouble she was in and how there was no escaping it. Then he'd understand her seemingly uncalled for anger and unsettled manner. But in a way, he didn't deserve to know any truth. Perhaps she was emotional? Was this the reaction she would accept anyway?

Colin threw his arms up. "You can talk to me, you know? I asked you back at the scene if you wanted to leave and instead you pretend everything is alright but run away under my watch. I can't cover you if you're going to not let me help you."

"Who said I need your help, Colin? The only reason I need your help in times is because you put your nose in my business and then I have no choice but to rely on you!" Eleanor said, raising her voice as she stood up.

The stinging of her words was all that was left as they rolled off her tongue before they even reached Colin who sighed defeated.

"I didn't mean that." Eleanor added, sounding softer now.

"Oh, you did." Colin nodded, a sour look to his face that still held a somber smile. "I won't take any offense because you're right. But I do it because believe it or not, I care about you Eleanor and I know you're stubborn and don't want anyone to know what's wrong."

It seemed like despite the games he played with her when they first met, he had a soft spot in his heart for her. She hated how everywhere she went there needed to be a man she couldn't just remain friends with. Of course, she fell for it at first but soon realized Colin was incapable of a relationship and in a way, she was incapable too.

Sometimes though he was able to change her perspective on him and this was one of those times.

"I know. I'm sorry." Eleanor said, collecting herself again. She couldn't erase the uneasiness that came with Tom's actions though. "I'll get on it and I'll be at the meeting, alright?"