Modification || T. Riddle || Completed

Chapter 29: A Ghostly Past

"I've got my first Advanced Arithmancy class," she said unenthusiastically. Cayra made a gagging sound from where she sat at the thought of Advanced Arithmancy classes and Anthony gave her a smile.

"Oh lucky you!" He said jokingly.

"Tell me about it." she said whilst rolling her eyes. "I'll see you two later, then!" She said as she began to leave. In truth, she was holding multiple heavy textbooks in her arms and they were making her arms sore, which is why she was in a bit of a rush.

"Wait, Slughorn's been looking for you - says there's a Slugclub dinner coming up soon." Anthony added as he placed his arm back around Cayra who seemed to be dying to get back to reading her Witch Weekly magazine.

"Ah yes, I thought it had been awhile since I'd heard about that. Are you going?"

"I've been invited."

"Great, at least I'll have someone interesting there." She said, smiling at him. "I've got to go, but I'll see you later for dinner!" She said as she went off to her lesson.

The castle was cold compared to the warm air outside and was cool against her skin. Her mind was full of different thoughts and emotions. She was beginning to feel as though she was taking on too much. Things just seemed to be piling up and up. She had more and more homework with each day, exams were almost starting, and she had to deal with Tom Riddle. And now, she was adding another Advanced class to her list. More pressure. She had heard some seventh years talking about Advanced Arithmancy, they said it was the worst out of all the Advanced classed, Estela just hoped they were exaggerating.

With everything that was going on in her mind she wasn't quite paying attention to her surroundings as she bumped into a tall, thin boy and all her books went flying to the ground.

"Sorry!" she muttered as she went to pick up her books before she saw his eye-catching blonde hair out of the corner of her eye and noticed it was Abraxas Malfoy and some of his Slytherin gang. Tom's gang.

"Watch where you're going, Markorp," he sneered.

Estela tried to pick up her books more quickly and reached for the last one when it was picked up by a pale white hand.

"Advanced Arithmancy," said Malfoy as he turned the book around in his hand lazily, "What a load of nonsense." He said, a teasing grin growing on his thin lips. The three boys behind him, Lestrange, Avery and Rosier sniggered.

"Give it here, Malfoy." she said, holding out her hand.

"Or what, Markorp?" he said taking a step closer to her with an arrogant smile. She didn't reply, she just looked up at him with eyes like daggers, her hand still outstretched. Malfoy grasped her wrist as he passed the book to Lestrange behind his back who took it with a leer.

He pulled her hand towards him. "What an interesting ring you have..." he said examining the gold ring with the black stone on her finger - Gaunt's ring. She tried to pull back her hand but his grip tightened. He sneered, and began to pull the ring off her finger.

"I wouldn't do that, Malfoy," she warned.

"Oh really, and why not?" he said as though it was some sort of game. She shook her head and scoffed at him. "If you have no reason then...." he said as he began to slip it off her finger once more.

"If Tom knew..." she said with a hint of a smile as they locked eyes and she felt his grip weaken. "Well I hate to think what he'd do... Unless, of course, you're willing to find out..." she said in a low voice. She saw the three other Slytherin boys' faces harden too and she revelled in their fear. It would seem that in times like these Tom was an advantage. At least he was good for that.