Serpentine [T.M. Riddle]

Justice/Corruption

Cw: Casual, but lowkey serious, brief suicide mention.

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The students walking past him in the halls begin to blur together the more he tries to differentiate their identities. They look at him and smile. Tell him hello. Expect something from him. It's eerie. Irritating. But powerful. His sudden flare of popularity help cushion the fact that he hasn't been allowed his wand back. More of the boys turn to look at him when he speaks. They do not interrupt him or roll their eyes anymore. They stop talking when he talks. They listen. When he walks down the corridors, they follow. It's wonderful. Brings him a beautiful rush of blood to the head and heart. Tingles down his spine.

All this from just a year's work? Where will he be at seventeen? Hopefully he'll have his wand back by then.

The morning of Ximena's court date is chilly. Petrichor surrounds him and Nemesis as they walk together across the cloister. She holds a dragonskinbound notebook to her chest, trying to chat about arbitrary things like the weather or classroom assignments. There's a few wandering eyes around them both, so it's not like she can really discuss what's on both their minds. Nemesis is smarter than that. She has to be, otherwise, what is he doing pretending to be her friend?

"Have you ever used floo, Tom?"

"I've only read about it." Quite recently, in fact.

"Oh it's easy, I'll explain it," Nemesis teaches him like he were a lost child, and he supposes, in some sick way, that he is. But it's no reason to think him stupid. Calling out the same of a place before dropping some magic powder is not exactly a science (in fact, nothing about magic is a science.) But he still listens. Nods his head and thanks her for her lesson.

Headmaster Dippet has the only fireplace authorized for floo use in Hogwarts. Safe and easy to regulate, but not very convenient for anyone having to leave the school in a hurry. Tom had inquired about possibly leaving using a side-along apparation, just to experience it, but the wards around the school would not allow it. Again, a reasonable, safe and secure decision, but one that inconveniences him, so he doesn't like it. Upon hearing what apparition was from Elle, he has been very eager to try his hand at it--Or at least know what it was like by proxy. The only people around him that he could reliably have that experience with were teachers (he doesn't trust any of those clown seventh years as far as he could throw them), and naturally, none of the teachers have any reason to apparate anywhere with him.

Everything would be much easier if people would just do as he says.

"Would you like me to go first?"

No. "Yes, please."

Nemesis smiles and soon disappears in a green flare within the abnormally large fireplace. It's strange, he thinks, to see someone go up in flame without screaming. She had told him to not fear the floo fire, and he figures he holds as much trust in her as Moses probably did when first encountering that burning bush, which is to say: none.

He steps forward anyways. Adjusts the new hat given to him by Evan's parents: a statement. He's supported. Has powerful people on his side. He can play the role of a grateful boy, he can be sweet. This entire day could go his way.

Flames engulf him, and he feels ashy. Fragile, a light breeze could spirit him away if it came. When the flames subside, he steps out of a cool, black fireplace and stands alongside a waiting Nemesis, looking prim.

The shiny interior of the Ministry building makes Tom take back all previous thoughts he had first had about Hogwarts being ostentatious. The obsidian floors and walls, polished to the point of perfect reflection, make it appear as if there are thousands of wizards in the hall rather than only dozens. In fact, he spends the first two minutes of his walk trying to figure out how wide the corridor is to fit so many people, it's dizzying. He doesn't notice until he catches his own blue-eyed reflection, (and half startles himself) that the Ministry is not, in fact, infinite in space. This place was made to intimidate. Be a statement of power. The opposite of Hogwarts. His eyes linger on the stalwart [1] statues of imposing wizards whose eyes seem to follow him as he walks past them. As if they knew he didn't belong. It's worse than the bustling adults brushing by him and paying him absolutely no mind.