The Barrier - Tom Marvolo Riddle

17

Silver woke up the next morning, feeling troubled for no reason. She took a shower and went back inside her room to get her wand. She was walking out the room to the Hufflepuffs all gathered together. Wondering what was going on, Silver walked down the stairs and approached the Hufflepuffs. From the back she can see Sophie sitting in the middle, her face in her hands with Leona beside her. Silver forced herself in.

"Sophie! What happened?" Sophie looked up to her, with tears in her face. She opened her mouth but quickly closed it and gestured for Leona to answer. "She saw Melanie a few hours ago, in a corridor." Silver raised her eyebrows and waited for Leona to continue. "Sh-she was petrified, Silver." Silver tensed and the Hufflepuffs gasped. One of them spoke up. "What do you mean petrified?" the Hufflepuffs whispered to each other all panicking. Sophie groaned and snapped, "I don't know why! When I found her, she was standing there, all frozen!!" Sophie sobbed, Melanie was Sophie's first friend in Hogwarts, they now looked at her in sympathy. Meanwhile, Silver hasn't said anything. It has started, and she's the only one who can stop this mess. She was the only one here who knew everything.

All of the students were told to go to the great hall. Breakfast was still served, and everyone, except for the Hufflepuffs looked confused to why they were gathered here. Professor Dippet silenced them. "You are all gathered here this morning because of an unpleasant news." The students were whispering with each other, wondering what was going on. They all wondered if it was a ball, a tournament of some sort. But it was only the beginning of a dreadful time.

Silver looked to the Slytherin table, and saw Tom, surrounded by the knights. He sat there, like it was a throne, looking graceful as always. Tom caught her staring at him, but she wasn't embarrassed that he did. Why should she be embarrassed after all? She kept staring at him, and Tom looked at her amusedly. She kept her face stoic and blank. It was hard to know things and not be able tell anyone about it.

After Dippet told them about the petrified Melanie Banks, everyone talked about it. Down the halls and in classes, students whispered about it. A lot of them even suspected Sophie of petrifying Melanie. It was horrible, people stared at Sophie in anger and in fear. Ridiculous. Sophie wouldn't hurt anyone. So when they were walking or doing anything, Leona and Silver were always with Sophie, and telling people off when they wouldn't stop staring, and whispering, and even yelling at poor Sophie. Meanwhile the actual perpetrator was still being looked up to in awe. Sophie cried a lot that day, Silver felt so bad.

That night, Abraxas walked up to her when no one was looking, and informed her of a meeting. Silver was grateful of this, because she must talk to Tom about what happened just a few hours ago in the morning. It was hard for her to sneak out because teachers were patrolling, keeping an eye for more dangers. Little did they know that the evil they've been looking for had always been here, inside the castle, being praised for everything he does.

Silver used an invisible charm on herself and as fast as possible walked to the room of requirement. She opened the door and walked in. Everyone was already there, looking at her judgingly, because she was late. She got rid of the charm and sat down.

Tom stared her down. "You're late." Silver huffed. "Yeah, because the teachers were patrolling." He sat down on his big chair and lit the fireplace. "That's no excuse, Prennington." She wanted to tell him off, but it's no use, she'd just be in trouble. Tom sighed and twirled his wand in his fingers. "You all have heard about the poor Melanie, and her current state." He turned to face all of them. "It was the outcome of letting him out. I didn't mean for that to happen yet, but it's all alright."

Mulciber gulped. "T-the basilisk?" Tom narrowed his eyes at him. "Yes."

Everybody tensed up, the boys knew there were a basilisk in the castle and that Tom controlled it, but they didn't expect him to let it out just like that. Tom rolled his eyes. "You don't expect her to stay in there forever with no food, do you?" they all shook their heads. Silver just stayed still in her seat. He turned to her. She blinked.