Not Broken, Not Yet | Tom Riddle

Chapter Twenty-Four

"Charming." Riddle mumbled and looked over to the table and the sculpture of the school. "Why aren't you out?"

Her expression soured. "Migraine." She muttered and twirled a piece of golden hair around her long sharp nailed finger.

Riddle looked back at her. "Migraine?" He asked mockingly. "Really, Cyrille, is that the best excuse you have? I'd thought that Johansson had trained you on better excuses than that."

Ashley's expression didn't change. But at that moment I remembered something. "Aiden!" I let out and walked over to the couch. "Where is he, Ashley?" I asked her, looking at her pleadingly. Only then I realised that clothes lay hidden underneath a pillow and a pair of stray shoes lay under a table that hosted two cups. Strange.

She looked over to me tiredly. "Probably looking for you somewhere." She said dryly and eyed Riddle. "I'm sure he'll be happy to know you're in good company."

I blushed. "He will understand."

"Uh huh." Ashley mumbled and closed her eyes, showing quite clearly that she couldn't give less of a fuck. Lucinda was purring loudly on her chest, nuzzling her nose into the girl's blonde hair, demanding more pets.

"Let's go." Riddle said shortly to me. "Tell Enora that I'm in the dungeons if she returns." He said without so much as glancing at Ashley.

"Whatever." Was the only reply he got.

"Oh and." Riddle said, stopping in front of the exit, eyeing the room with a smirk. "You may come out of hiding now, Miss Johansson."

Ashley sat up straight and I could hear a gasp from behind a curtain, but Riddle had already turned around and left. My eyes widened. Kate peeped out from behind the curtain, and gave me a sheepish smile. I found myself blushing before hurriedly following Riddle out of the room and leaving the two to whatever they had been doing. I had a feeling that I had just seen something I was not supposed to have seen.

I was disappointed to see that Riddle hadn't waited for me, although I suppose it was to be expected. Why would he have waited for me? Ridiculous. Instead I heard his footsteps disappearing behind a corner and I had to hurry to keep even steps with the much taller man. He barely glanced in my direction when I managed to get up to him.

"We have thirteen minutes to get to him before the next change of guard." He informed me as we started climbing the stairs up to a tower. It had started to darken, the crimson December sky already making room for the night despite it being just after four in the afternoon. The tower was dark and chilly, seemingly abandoned. The only light was that from the outside. Riddle was but a shadow in front of me.

"Did your friend Slughorn tell you that?" I asked as I climbed just steps behind him. "Must be nice having friends in high places."

"As a matter of fact he did." Riddle said coolly. "And, why, yes, it is quite nice."

I rolled my eyes. His arrogance had started to surprise me less and less. By that point it was to be expected, despite it driving me crazy. Some things never change.

We exited the tower onto a big platform fully exposed to the elements. In the middle stood a smaller stone structure, old steel bars providing windows along with a steel bar door. It was completely exposed to the December cold, a chilly breeze making its way through the little cell and a stone bench, the only furniture. It was empty except for the willowy man standing in the middle. My eyes widened.

"Tom, who is that?" I whispered, hand still on the door into the castle.

He didn't answer me, instead he focused his gaze on the frail man and walked forward. The man in the cell didn't so much as move, his eyes looking into the distance with a dreamy expression. He didn't look like a killer. In fact I wasn't sure that I would have paid any attention to him whatsoever usually.