Serpentine [T.M. Riddle]

Rumor/Truth

Evan is his first visitor. When Tom turns his head after waking up, he sees him sitting beside his bed, reading a golden book. There's a small package of what he assumes to be sweets on the table next to them.

"You look terrible."

"Thank you, Evan, it's good to see you too."

The book is closed and settled down on his lap, Tom can't read the title, "Did my cousin do that to you?"

The bandages feel fused to his wounds, and even though they cover said wounds, he knows they must look impressive, "He took me by surprise."

Evan sneers, "Ian has always been a sniveling milksop, even when we were children."

Maybe it's the heavy medicine still lingering, but Tom speaks before thinking, "Are you not children now?"

He purses his lips, sucks his teeth, "All purebloods grow up when they turn eleven."

Tom has nothing to say to that.

"You're not here to avenge him, then?"

"Don't be stupid, Tom, it doesn't suit you." Well excuse him, Evan, "Read the atmosphere."

It's a little hard with the potion Madam Belfast gave him. His head feels heavy, and his dream hasn't completely left his conscious yet, "You're picking sides."

"Merlin, Tom, you don't need to state it so clearly, you're speaking like a Gryffindor." He crosses his legs and stands up straighter, "Your head must have been struck harder than I thought."

Any other time, his impudence would have made Tom put Evan on his shortlist for reprisal, but now it only amuses him, "Well he cut into my head, so you're not incorrect."

"Circe." Evan swears, rolling his eyes, "We're lucky Lane adopted her mother hen persona after you told her what happened in Dueling Club. Or else we might be attending your wake."

He seizes up, stiff at the thought. Dead. Cold in the ground in a pauper's grave. Insects crawling in his hair and jaw and rib cage. Rotting. Unnatural. Horrible. He pushes that idea away. Far away. Forgotten.

Evan doesn't notice. He continues talking, "Didn't think she had it in her." He makes purposeful eye contact, "Of course, all I know is her last spell used."

He opens his mouth to ask how he knows, but then he remembers who his family is.

"Auntie and Uncle were furious. I think Ian would have been better off getting punished by Lane."

"...They're not angry at her?"

Evan shrugs, "As angry as they would be at a wild redcap attacking their provoking son. Their words, not mine." Figures. Evan is an ass, but wouldn't refer to Lane as a creature. "Sure, they'll probably demand some sort of punishment, but Ian will get the worst of it for starting a fight he couldn't finish." He tilts his head at Tom, "Why didn't you join the fight?"

Duel laws, Dumbledore, incrimination, Dumbledore, his rising anxiety, Dumbledore, he's never been in a real fight, Dumbledore, he wanted to see Ximena duel for real, Dumbledore, "Because I'm not stupid."

"Hn." His shoulders shake with amusement, "At least someone in our year isn't."

Tom knows he's only counting the boys. Girls don't count with wizards like him.

"I know how you know what happened, but..."

"Oh, all of Slytherin house knows what happened." Evan announces casually, "Lane is a celebrity, and you are mythical."