Crimson || Tom Riddle [1]

𝖋𝖎𝖛𝖊

There was no sun shining through the windows. There was only the depths of the Black Lake.

Arabella had not slept at all that night. She couldn't. She never did. Even before she was a vampire, sleep wasn't something that came easily to her. It was hard to sleep in her small village where Little Hangelton now stood. The humans were loud, ruthless, cruel.

Her mother often told stories to Arabella and Finn when they couldn't fall asleep, creating fantasy dreams about princesses and knights. Arabella used to wish every night she could be a princess and have everything from her hearts desire handed straight to her.

That ended when she met Lilith and doomed herself to an eternity of bloodshed.

She learnt that they really were just stories because now, Arabella didn't need anyone giving anything to her - she would take it herself. She had learnt people never really cared about anyone other than themselves. Anyone who seemed like they'd care - didn't. When it truly came down to it, people would choose themselves every time, anyone else be damned.

She had learnt that the hard way - the human way.

She turned in her bed and saw that none of the other girls were awake. Valerie, Arabella had learnt, was a sleep-talker. Colette was a snorer. So, she concluded that it was both impractical and unsettling to remain in her dorm and watch these girls sleep for the remainder of the year.

She got out, and with a flick of her wrist, her bed was made. Scarlett was already up and wandering around the castle, but Arabella didn't mind. She was a smart cat.

She quickly changed into her new uniform and replaced those revolting black flats with her normal heels. Arabella applied some makeup and pulled her hair back.

Though she couldn't see herself in the mirror, getting reading was a general and mindless skill she had learned to master over the years. One thousand years on this earth, and Arabella still couldn't find a spell that would show her how she looked. The magic of vampirism was almost impossible to alter - and Albus Dumbledore had done exactly that.

She hated him for what he did. The continuous cycle of deer and bunny and whatever other animal she could find, it was sick and Arabella was fed up. It took her 39 years after the curse to finally give up in finding a way to reverse it and deem all efforts useless. The last 5 years, Arabella had been peacefully living in her cottage and planning ways to end the life of Albus. And now, she had met Tom and her plans had changed.

•••

Breakfast was dull. Arabella sat at the end of the Slytherin table and eyed the students eating. Studying them. She often did that. It was fun, people watching. She liked to guess their lives based off of the speed of their hearts and the call of their sweet blood.

The Great Hall buzzed with life as students sat at the tables of their respective houses. The aroma of pastries and maple syrup wafted through the air and the sun spilled in through the windows, casting a warm glow over the students.