SERPENT HEART° TOM RIDDLE

035. DULCE PUELLA MALUM EST

Rhea slipped away from them, her disappearance going completely unnoticed by Davina. A grin stretched across Delphine's face when Rhea approached her.

"You did it. Pandora's in the infirmary now, apparently she's having very vivid hallucinations and someone overheard Silas saying her parents were talking about shipping her off to St. Mungo's before too many people notice." Delphine said. Rhea shrugged.

"She'll be fine in a day or two." 

"Nevertheless, you delivered on your promise. You have a friend in me and my family, Rhea." Delphine assured with a nod of her head, her dark eyes twinkling in a way that told Rhea that she might prove to be a more valuable ally than Rhea thought she would be. 

News of Pandora Parkinson's condition spread through the castle by the next day and everyone was busy trying to figure out who could have done something so horrible to her. But, everything was going according to Rhea's plan and she felt confident when she entered Ravenclaw tower and knocked on the door to Lorelei Spencer-Moon's dormitory.

The door swung open, revealing the daughter of their Minister. She blinked, not at all expecting to see Rhea Hel standing at her door but she quickly recovered and put a polite smile on her face.

"Rhea," Lorelei greeted, her voice falsely bright in a way that wasn't very convincing. "What are you doing here?"

"Can I come in? I think we need to talk." Rhea said. She decided to skip the pleasantries and get straight to the point. Lorelei blinked slowly at her before stepping aside, opening her door wide so that Rhea could enter the room. 

"Is this about Tom? Because, honestly, you don't have anything to worry about on that front. I'm not interested in half-bloods." 

Rhea narrowed her eyes at Lorelei.

"No," She said sharply. "This isn't about Tom."

"Oh." Lorelei frowned, walking to sit on her bed. She stared up at Rhea with a confused expression. "Then, I really don't know what you and I have to talk about."

"I saw what you did to Avery." Rhea said. Lorelei's shoulders tensed at the mention of Cassius and her jaw tightened, but she didn't speak. She merely continued to stare at Rhea as though she was merely speaking about the weather. "That kind of dark magic is quite similar to the one that was used on Parkinson last night."

"I think you and I both know I wasn't the one who messed with Pandora Parkinson last night, Hel." Lorelei said, her voice calm as she stared at Rhea with an expression of the utmost dislike. Rhea smiled.

"Tell me, how would your father react if word got to him that his precious daughter was going around performing dark spells on fellow students."

Lorelei snorted.

"As if anyone would believe you."

"They wouldn't?" Rhea challenged. Lorelei rose to her feet, pointing her wand threateningly at Rhea.

"Don't threaten me, Hel."

Rhea flicked her finger lazily and Lorelei's wand shot out of her hand and into Rhea's. Rhea twirled it in between her fingers while Lorelei glared at her angrily.

"What do you want?" Lorelei asked.

"A favor." Rhea said before she tossed Lorelei her wand back. The girl caught it and stared at Rhea impatiently. "I want to be a Hit Witch after we graduate and your father can make that happen."

"What makes you think you won't be able to get it on your own? Why do you need me to ask him?"

"Don't play dumb, Lorelei. You and I both know your father would never let another Hel step foot in the Ministry as long as he is Minister and my father is still working with Grindelwald. I'm not taking any chances."