Perfidy | Tom Riddle |

33.

"How could this happen?" Headmaster spoke walking along with Slughorn and Dumbledore, "A student poisoned at this school?"

"Should we notify the Ministry ?" Slughorn shakingly asked, still remembering the image of Lyra's dead body spread onto the floor.

"There's no need for such drastic actions," Dumbledore assured, "if this was to get out parents would question the safety of their children."

"Does she have anyone we need to notify Albus?"

"She unfortunately has no family headmaster."

The three frantically spoke establishing their way to the infirmary trying to understand how events such as this occurred inside the school.

Mulciber, Nott, and Riddle stood around her body that laid on the infirmary bed. No one spoke as Riddle and Mulciber's hands were covered in her visible blood.

They looked upon her dull face, her lips still red as ever, it seemed she was merely sleeping like an angel. For the first time she felt frozen, a mere touch of her skin sent a shiver to whoever made contact with her. The air around them seemed to have shifted to a dark cold cloud, hovering around them in deep silence, with the unique sound echoing being the ticks of the clock.

"We should clean you two up," Nott spoke up.

"I'm not leaving," Mulciber responded coldly.

"Nott is right." Riddle sternly spoke for the first time. "There's no use of us standing here as if we're at a funeral."

Mulciber let out a foolish sarcastic laugh, one that Riddle did not appreciate. "Something you'd like to share Mulciber?"

"There's a lot I'd like to share but right now isn't the moment for that."

"You three must leave." Nurse Podmore appeared with vials in her hands carefully placing them on the nightstand. When no one took action upon her words, she sighed gently shaking her head, "Gentlemen do not make matters worse than it is," she glanced over to Lyra, seeing her body frightened her even more than when Dumbledore bought her in a horrid appearance, "I understand she is your friend but I need complete privacy at the moment."

Mulciber was the first to rush fiercely out aggressively pushing Riddle with his shoulder as he stood in his way. The blatant disrespect inadvertently made Riddle turn to grab onto him but Nott placed a hand over his shoulder, "He's grieving, just this time let him be."

He nodded his head and compressed his lips into a thin line while walking about with Nott. They separated the second they instantly reached the infirmary doors. Riddle kept replaying today's events over and over again as he walked to the tower, frustratingly pulling out a cigarette, strategically placing it between his teeth as it magically lit up. He took a long drag from it, trying to properly analyze her whereabouts of today.

Could she have been poisoned last night at slug club? Or sometime in the morning? They all ate the same breakfast, drank the same juice. So why was Lyra the only one poisoned? It had to have been done sometime after her run-in with him and before her arrival to the great hall. But she was in the library. It was too public to valiantly attempt anything with so many eager eyes watching. Clearwater and Adams were knocked unconscious; there was no likely possibility either tried to get back at her, they would never attempt such a foolish thing after what he and Lyra did to them.

He didn't like feeling this peculiar way, overly worrying about someone felt odd to him. When he initially carried her lifeless body to the infirmary, he wouldn't leave even when Podmore threatened to allegedly have him suspended.

Weak.

That's how he felt caring about her. She was stubborn, consistently challenged him, surrounded herself with men, the way she spoke with vulgarity towards people so openly. She was everything he despised, her kindness towards mudbloods, the constant lying and acting as if she was superior to him. The list went on and on with things he loathed about her.