cold as you ||t. riddle||

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒓

Elena gave him a cold stare. "What do you mean?"

He stood up, "I'll see you tonight, midnight."

•❅────✧❅✦❅✧────❅•

Elena spent the whole night studying the prophecy in the library. She still didn't understand what the professor had meant, nor how Tom could do it so effortlessly. Magic had rules, it had to follow them. Yet, now... No rules to follow. A few hours later she finally gave up, packed her things and left the library. On her way back to the common room she looked at the clock, it was almost midnight. She changed her route and carefully exited the castle.

The cold still hadn't taken over the warm summer breeze but Elena felt herself shaking. She didn't want to go to the forest, especially not with Tom. She had spent years trying to bury her memories, and despite all, they were still banging on the gates of her mind. She feared if she got too close to Tom, they would fling open. Yet there she was, with every step getting closer to the darkness. She reached a trail not so well hidden, obviously set up by students. She followed it to find ten silhouettes who were gathered around a fire.

"Mortem, I'm glad you could make it," Tom said turning to her. She walked to him, taking her time looking at everyone she passed. Yaxley, Lestrange, Nott, Avery, Rosier... To Tom's right she could see Abraxas, with a stern expression on his face. She saw another silhouette behind Nott and squinted to figure out who it was.

"Why is she here?" She whispered to Abraxas, standing next to him.

"Nott brought her," he said between his teeth. "You said you'd take care of her. Didn't you see her sneak out?"

"I was at the library." She didn't take her eyes off of Orion.

"I'll take care of it." Abraxas said, angrier than Elena had ever seen him. Once thing about Abraxas was that when it came to Orion, he was prepared to do anything.

"I had asked you to gather information on how to counter Malfoy's potion," said Tom. "Does any of you have anything to share?"

Yaxley stepped forward, "I searched the restricted section, the only thing I could find was the Elixir of Life."

"The Elixir of Life wouldn't reverse it," said Orion, prompting Yaxley to scoff. "It makes the soul immortal, not reverse the aging of the vessel."

"You can't know that without trying," said Yaxley rather loudly.

"I can make reasonable assessments using the information I have." Orion said proudly. "And do not raise your voice at me, it makes you more insufferable."

Yaxley walked up to Orion and tilted his head. He was a little too close to her, "Who do you think you are?"

Elena saw Abraxas squeezing his fists, but he didn't move. Everyone was looking at Tom to see what he would do, but he too stood there watching the scene. Elena ran forward, pushing Yaxley away from Orion and drawing her wand, "Who do you think you are?"

Yaxley looked back at Orion and then at Elena, smirking, "What? Is today girl's night? Are we going to braid our hair and sing lullabies as well? Now lower that wand, dear. We wouldn't want you to hurt someone."

"Elena, it's fine," said Orion, but she was silenced by Nott, who pulled her a few steps back, seeing it she was okay.

"It is not fine," Elena could feel her anger building up. She shot a glance at Tom who was watching with fascination.

Yaxley took advantage of the moment and shouted "Expelliarmus!"

Elena's wand flew away. She found herself with Yaxley's wand pointed at her throat. She laughed, "I see how it is. You don't want to fight fair. Let me tell you, it wasn't a fair fight to begin with." She closed her eyes and let herself into Yaxley's mind with ease. The boy could use some Occlumency training to say the least. She made sure to resurface every painful memory, from his mom's death to his house burning down.

When she opened her eyes, he was on the floor, clenching his knees and shaking. She looked around, everyone was looking at Tom for instructions. He nodded and they rushed to get Yaxley off the floor and ran away towards the castle. Elena turned to Orion who was looking at her, eyes wide open. Elena turned to Tom, rolling her eyes. "Thank you, this was very educational."

"I don't know about you, but I just learnt a great deal," said Tom.

"Orion, let's go," said Elena. Orion nodded and followed her onto the trail.

Once they were out of sight Abraxas turned to Tom, "Did you know she could do this? Is that why you asked Yaxley to make a scene?"

"I knew she could do something," said Tom, satisfied. "I just had to find out what."