Limelight

iii. mad black

"But they'll catch him, won't he?" Evelyn asked, worriedly looking at everyone.

"Maybe he's trying to apparate inside!" Someone concluded, making a lot of students shiver in fear.

"Don't be daft!" Naomi voiced out, "No one can apparate inside Hogwarts or to get inside Hogwarts." She reminded everyone, "You'll know that it you read Hogwarts A History."

Hermione looked pleased at someone other than her who read Hogwarts a History. She should've expected that the girl on the top of their year in academic read the known book.

"But he is Sirius Black." Someone interjected, as if that specific and known information defended their argument.

"And we have Albus Dumbledore as the one who manages Hogwarts, Hogwarts' Headmaster, the wizard who defeated Gillert Grindelwald." Naomi reminded everyone.

"No one can enter Hogwarts through apparition, you can only enter through the gates of Hogwarts." She added, her eyes pointed and sharp.

Naomi looked around, Evelyn looked pleased just like everyone else. However, those who doesn't really have a brain to begin with ("What a rubbish information! Black's a dark wizard with dark magic." Cormac Mclaggen said) spoke about their own beliefs and force their perceptions to somebody else.

"Let's go." Matt whispered to her. Having enough with all the drama that happened on the first day of their third year.

Naomi nodded and let her best friend drag her away from the silent crowd. The others following behind them, glaring at those who insisted otherwise at their friend's factual information.

"What a day." Chris whistled, strutting as he walk.

Naomi sat beside Jaspier in the library, both of them decided to advance study in their subject, transfiguration. Having Mcgonagall as their teacher, known to be strict. However, she was Naomi's most favorite of all, acing the subject.

"We'll get to learn big stuffs now in Transfiguration." Jaspier said, face frowning. The subject was hard for him. He doesn't understand a thing, resulting on him getting a P last year before Naomi tutors him, getting an A last minute. He remembered begging for a re-take in the exam. 

"Oh, goodie!" Naomi squealed, clapping her hands in excitement. Jaspier looked at her weirdly.

"Oh, come on! Don't be like that." Naomi said after catching a glimpse of uneasiness on his face, "I'll help you as much as I can." She said.

"Thanks." Jaspier said, smiling slightly.

"Just don't be shy asking for help. You are too skilled in hiding something." Naomi reminded after remembering how Jaspier hid his problems about re-taking second year transfiguration in his third year.

"Got it." Jaspier chuckled.

"Alright." Naomi smiled before standing up and searching for a book in the aisle of transfiguration.

She skimmed the books with her fingers, looking at something that'll attract her attention. She scanned the books, picked them up, flicking to the pages, and after finding the book uninteresting, she put the book back on its original place. She was too afraid with Ms. Pince to actually place the books on a different shelf.

"Nice show." A low husky voice said. Naomi turned around, eyes wide and a hand on her chest.

"Oh, Rowena!" She exclaimed. Her heart pounding loudly because of fright. She saw Mattheo Riddle leaning on a shelf with a book on his hands, flicking to the pages and not looking up at her. He smirked at her reaction but did not bother to look up at her.

"Pardon?" She asked politely yet cautiously. This boy in front of her has a reputation of being evil. With his father being the dark lord and all, the same dark lord who killed Potter's parents and half of the student's family.

There was a rumour last year about him being the real Heir of Slytherin, the actual person who opened the Chamber of Secrets and dragging poor Ginny Weasley with him. In addition, her friend, Evelyn, was also one of the victims of the incidents last year. Leaving her other muggleborn friend, Jaspier, with anxiety and fear.

"In the great hall." He answered, closing his book and standing straight. The band-aid on his nose now clear in her eyes. Naomi's forehead creased in confusion. She did not see him in the great hall this lunch, then again, he's always been quiet and mastered the art of blending in the crowds. Maybe he was one of the people who circled Malfoy, who was talking about his experience with the chicken.

"Have you always been this slow?" He taunted, chuckling as if he said something funny.

"Excuse me?" Naomi's forehead creased in annoyance, "You are the one who's talking incomplete sentences, yet you expect me to know what is going on in your mind as if I am a mind reader or a... a clairvoyant!" She said, annoyed at him. This was their first interaction and she found out that she did not want to interact with him again.

"About Sirius Black, what you said about Dumbledore and being able to not apparate inside Hogwarts. What a show." He said, now in complete sentence. Naomi could now grasp the context of their conversation. She wanted to asked how hard that was but stopped herself after seeing the amusement in his eyes.

"I only told them the truth." Naomi said. She walked away from Mattheo Riddle, ignoring him. She thought maybe, that maybe he'll get the hint, yet again, boys being boys can't seem to grasp the concept of girl math.

"Sirius Black is a criminal and a bloody determined one at that." He said, following her.

"What makes you say so?" She asked, curious, stopping at her tracks. Riddle also stopped in his tracks and placed himself in front of the ravenclaw.

Naomi couldn't help but look up at him. He was tall for his age, like every boy is. She was not short, she was in an average height for the girls in her age. It just seems like he was stretched to make his legs long.

"Well," he said, looking down at her. His robes swaying with the wind as he looked at her deep blue eyes. It is in a deep shade of blue, like the waves in a stormy ocean and the lightning in the strong wind. A real ravenclaw in his opinion.

"He's trying to get into Hogwarts to finish Potter isn't he?" He said, still looking at her eyes, as if its hypnotizing him.

"You're not so sure about that. Maybe he is trying to get into Hogwarts to get you." She said, tilting her head in a taunt, a pout on her rosy lips and doe eyes looking up at him. Knowing full well that he understood the hidden message in her answer, letting him know that she knows something.

Mattheo Riddle smirked at her attitude.

"Maybe, maybe not." He whispered huskily with a smirk, taunting her.

Naomi rolled her eyes at him with a scoff and walked away. Not noticing how the boy she left behind followed her with a gaze, even when she dragged her hufflepuff friend with her, until she's out of his sight.

"Mattheo." Lorenzo Berkshire called him. Theodore Nott stood boredly beside him, obvious to everyone that he was dragged forcedly in the library. Mattheo looked at their direction, a book in his hand while the other stuffed inside his pocket.

"Is that the book that your looking for?" Lorenzo asked. Mattheo looked at the book in his hands, not exactly the book that he needs at the moment but... maybe he does.

The Fine Art of Charming

"Yeah," he nodded, "It is." He answered.

"Well, let's go then." Theodore said, walking away, not bothering to turn around to wait for his friends.

Lorenzo looked at Mattheo and nod his head in Theodore's direction, "Let's go."

Mattheo followed them, clutching the book in his hands.