Catharsis [Tom Riddle]

Chapter Five

"Avalon, you have to wake up," Zelda said, tugging the covers off of her roommate's bed. "You're going to be late for class!"

"I don't care," she grumbled, trying to pull the sheets back over her head with an annoyed huff. She had only slept for a total of four hours after coming back to her room after her night with Lestrange and she was desperate to stay in the comfort of her blankets for every second she could.

Avalon Hendrix was anything but a morning person.

"It's only the second day of classes, don't make me pour water on you this early on."

"Alright, alright," Avalon grumbled, rolling over to face Zelda, who was already fully dressed in her robes. "I'm getting up. Happy?"

"Very much so, yes," she said as she watched Avalon crawl out of bed. Judging by the sheer amount of effort she exerted pulling herself onto her feet, you'd think Avalon was a corpse prying herself out of her own grave. Zelda made a mental note to remember that her roommate definitely lacked her usual poise and dignity in the mornings. "You got home late last night." Avalon nodded. "Where were you?"

"I was given a tour of the campus."

Zelda's eyes narrowed. "Did this tour by chance include the Greenhouse?" She took Avalon's silence as a clear answer and sighed. "Darling, I only say this because I care for you. Lestrange pulls that stunt on every girl at this school."

"I'm not going to fall for it, don't worry," she said, Zelda's face relaxing at the confession.

"Just be careful, okay? That whole lot...they're...." Her voice trailed off and she just stared at the wall before her.

"They're what?"

Zelda took in a deep breath and Avalon could see her struggling to come up with the right words. "Perhaps I shouldn't judge people without knowing them well enough."

"No, I want to hear what you were going to say. I won't judge you for speaking your mind."

It took a moment for her to speak again. "They're dangerous. And I don't mean 'mean,' or 'rude,' or... no, no. I mean dangerous in the most savage, vicious sense. And I can't truly describe why. Some of them are better than the others... but they all hide this darkness within them. It frightens me."

"Why do you think that?"

"They're only friends because they're all purebloods. I doubt there's a single one of them that believes muggle-borns deserve to breathe the same air as them. And I don't know. I see it. I sense it. And maybe I'm wrong and I'm being terribly harsh to these boys on a baseless accusation, but I just... I look at Riddle and Lestrange and I don't see even a semblance of a soul behind their eyes." Avalon knew Tom Riddle was a half-blood and she wondered if his own posse would still follow him if they knew the truth, too. Zelda sighed. "They follow Riddle around like he's a god, too. He's a terribly bright wizard, there's no denying that, but it's like he has them under his own spell." She shook her head, feeling guilty for talking down on her peers. Avalon couldn't help but think her roommate's heart was too pure for her own good. "Like I said, maybe I'm wrong. I don't want you to feel like you can't be their friend, but I just want you to be careful. I trust your own judgement, I'm sure you'll make the right decision." She clapped her hands. "Sorry, I rambled. Get dressed! We have to head to class."

Avalon offered Zelda a smile, which was graciously returned, before she walked to her dresser to pick out her uniform and robes. She quickly changed, making sure her back was facing the wall to hide the scar on her back. Zelda had seen the discolored tissue alongside Avalon's arms and legs and chose to not press her roommate about them, though the large 'TRAITOR' engraved into her back was still a hidden secret that Avalon did not intend to show anytime soon. She finished changing hastily and they bolted out of Ravenclaw Tower to make it to their classes.