cold as you ||t. riddle||

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒙𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

She wandered around the corridors until she got to the seventh floor with the cloak in her hand, trying to figure out what to do with it. It wouldn't be safe at the orphanage and she could lose the one thing she had to bargain with Grindelwald. She could give it to Dumbledore, but the question of how she got it would remain. She didn't want to relive what had happened before. She needed to find somewhere in the castle to hide it, somewhere only she could find...

Suddenly a door appeared on one of the walls, one she had never seen before. It was ornate and large, unlike any others in the castle. She approached it... Could it be? She had heard of the Come and Go Room before, but she never thought she'd run into it. She held onto the handle and opened the door. It was a small room, lit up with one gas lamp in the middle. There was a cupboard with one single hanger in it. She smiled to herself, thanking the castle. She hung the cloak up and left the room, she knew she'd find the cloak again if she really needed it.

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19 June 1943

"Are you sure you don't want to come? I'll pressure my parents until they accept it." Orion said after spending the whole day trying to convince Elena to spend the holidays at her house. It was the last day and they would soon board the Hogwarts Express back to London.

"I'll be fine really," she refused once again. She normally would think about it, but this time it was best to stay away from Orion. Something in her told her that this summer would be more eventful than the others.

"I just don't want you to be alone."

"I won't be. You don't have to worry."

"Elena be careful."

"Careful? Are you talking about Tom? Orion we had this conversation before. He's fine."

"I know, I'm sorry."

"What does Rax think about you wanting me to come?" Elena was curious, the boy had been distant ever since they returned from winter break. She knew he was hiding something, something other than the fact that he had made Nott break up with Orion. It had something to do with her mother, and Elena needed to find out what, sooner or later.

"He doesn't want you to." Orion sighed. "Elena, is why you don't want to come the fact that you're afraid of..." Elena looked at Orion sharply and Orion started to regret ever starting that sentence.

"Afraid of what?"

"Afraid of seeing your mother there?"

Elena froze in place, was she really afraid of that? No, she wasn't. She just didn't want to have another thing to deal with. "No, I'm just.. I don't want to."

Orion didn't say another word until they were on the Hogwarts Express, sitting with Tom and Abraxas as usual. The journey back to the orphanage had begun and as much as Elena wanted to stay at Hogwarts she had to return. At least this time she wouldn't be alone, Tom was with her.

•❅────✧❅✦❅✧────❅•

Elena walked into her room at the orphanage, her heart beating rapidly. This moment, every year she was a bird returning to her cage. Soon, she'd get used to her dull and uneventful life, the only thing keeping her entertained being studying for the next year. She didn't bother opening her suitcase, she walked over and sat at her desk, which now had a mirror on it. It was nice, seeing the orphanage's conditions improve but it didn't change the fact that she'd be stuck there for three more months.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she thought about all the things that had happened that year at Hogwarts. It was by far the most interesting year she had but she couldn't decide if it was bad or good. She now had Tom as an ally and despite their disagreements from time to time Orion was still there for her. But Abraxas, oh how he had changed. He was one of her best friends but he just wasn't the same. He had become hostile towards her and she didn't know why. Elena sighed as she threw herself onto her bed and closed her eyes. It was peaceful, being back. She didn't feel the need to do anything, she could relax. Without realising she fell asleep.