the seven devils [completed]

chapter forty-four

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

They had their own wagon in the train, and Varya stood in the seat by the window, eyes dawdling over the moving trees as their transportation soared through the mountains. The ride itself would take more than a day, and Lestrange had gotten them a compartment with bunk beds to rest through the night. Tom was currently on the top one, legs dangling from the edge as he flipped the pages of his volume of philosophy.

He looked rational, sane, not like a man that had murdered a woman less than twelve hours ago, and it made Varya wonder how many others were in his state— polished beings that paraded themselves with an impression of spotless behavior and yet had their minds plagued with devilry beyond Hell's recognition. Tom Riddle was a piranha in a tank full of goldfish, and he feasted on every weak soul around him with formidable sinister desire.

As if sensing her mystified eyes, he placed his volume by his side and leaned over the railing to give her the raise of an eyebrow, "Yes?".

She parted lips in response but found herself to lack words, and instead just shook her head in distress, "Nothing." Her voice quivered— it irritated the boy beyond wits, and his eyes turned turbulent.

"Do not lie to me," his timbre was barbed, and it scratched her ears. "Is this about that Carrow woman? Did it upset you that you were not the one to kill her?"

Varya huffed in surprise, her hair falling in her face as she snapped her head toward him, "No! How could you even say that? I do not understand why you killed her in the first place— torture, yes, perhaps even her death was deserved. But you did it in such a grotesque manner."

"I see no reason to explain myself to you. She should not have doubted my power if—"

"So you killed her because of a temper tantrum? Merlin, Riddle!"

"She threatened you as well; I felt it was only fair I put her out of her miserable stupidity. Carrow was an old, lewd woman who thought too much of herself— she never stood any chance in front of the two of us, and it was not very intelligent of her to talk as such. She had it coming."