Broken Wings / tom riddle

Chapter 28 - Caring

Dear Cordelia,

This is the 4th letter I've sent since school's return. Why won't you write to me? Where are you? What are you doing? Who are you doing it with? There's rumours you went to America to accept Greengrass' proposal.

Why?

That is not what you want. Or at least I thought it wasn't. Don't marry him. Please. Write back to me, that is all I ask.

Abraxas

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Dear Abraxas,

Stop sending letters please. Do not contact me. I wish I could explain but I cannot.

Cordelia

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"You okay?" Avery said placing a hand on Abraxas' shoulder.

"I'm fine." He pushed Aleks' hand off and scrunched up the letter from Delia. How could she? She never wanted this marriage, why all of a sudden was abiding by her parents rules? He wanted answers, and it pained him that he couldn't have them.

If she was off with another man, he knew he had no other option than to put her out of his mind for good. He was done with Cordelia Nott. 

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Potions class was dull. Slughorn blabbed on about Valerian root and it's properties, Briar zoned out. She knew she should be paying attention, especially with her new commitment to her schooling, but it was so hard to listen to the man ramble on.

Tom sat beside her stiffly. He hadn't spoken to her since last night. She was scared that Dumbledore witnessing them kiss had scared the boy off for good.

After Tom had left, Dumbledore gave her a talk about falling for the wrong people because we think we have the ability to fix them. He sounded like he knew a little too much what it felt like to fall for the devil. Briar said nothing in response to the man. She let him talk then excused herself once he had finished.

Slughorn finally stopped his ranting and instructed them all to start brewing an antidote. Aleks paired with Genevieve as they were seated next to each other, which naturally meant she was stuck being partnered with Tom.

"Riddle, how many claws was it again?" Aleks asked staring at the wizard with a vacant expression.

"I'm not your potions textbook Avery. Look it up yourself," Tom hissed. Aleks glanced at Genevieve.

"Don't worry about him. He's just in a mood because he lost Slytherin 20 points last night," Genevieve said. Tom looked up from the cauldron he was working on and shot her a piercing look.

"How did the Slytherin prince manage to lose us 20 points?" Aleks asked.

"Shut it Avery or i'll burn your hair off." Tom waved his wand and a large flame burst out from his and Genevieve's cauldron, almost setting the boys hair on fire.

Genevieve grunted. "Great, now our ingredients are burnt, we'll have to start again." She tipped out the charred contents of their cauldron. "He won't tell me how he lost them. But Ravenclaw is in the lead now," she said dropping some fresh herbs in.

Briar glanced at Tom. His hand was gripping the vial of herbs tightly in anger. "Calm down Riddle! You're going to break the glass," she said leaning over and touching his hand trying to remove the bottle from his grip. He pulled away at her touch. Briar froze, she didn't know why she felt hurt at him not being comfortable with her touch anymore. She receded back and gazed down at her book, sadness evident on her pale face.