Modification || T. Riddle || Completed

Chapter 45: The Final Encounter

"That will be all for today." Tom said finally, concluding the meeting.

The sound of chairs moving along the carpet filled Estela's ears as the students got up and began filing out of the dormitory. Tom and Estela were still sat at the table, sorting through the files they had just handed out to the Prefects silently - the barrier between them still very much intact.

Then, as usual, Tom got up and strode towards the door as though the room was completely empty - and Estela couldn't bear it. And she caved.

"Tom," she said, her voice barely audible.

It was a miracle he heard her, and as he did so, he stopped. His hand was still grasping the door handle as he stood very still with his back towards her.

"I'm leaving Hogwarts," she stated. "I'm moving to Norway."

He was standing as still as a statue, and his hand continued to hold onto the handle firmly, before he swung open the door and began to leave, and Estela's heart sank to the pit of her stomach and beyond.

But he hesitated. And after a moment's thought, he stepped back into the Common Room and closed the door behind him, but he wouldn't look at her.

"When?" he asked, and the sound of his voice after he hadn't spoken to her for over a month was like music to her ears - deep and smooth - the kind that set your hairs on end.

However she could sense the strain on his voice as though he was forcing himself to speak to her, and it seemed like all he wanted to do was leave and never look back.

"A week."

Silence fell between them as Tom stared into the distance and Estela played with the sleeve of her robes.

And when he turned on his heel in a swirl of his black robes, she wished she'd said more. Something, anything to make him stay a little longer. But he was gone and it was too late.

***

3 days. 72 hours. That's all she had left.

She was sat in the Ravenclaw Common Room with Cayra and Anthony, having just told them that she was leaving. She couldn't bring it upon herself to tell them before now, and as the three of them sat in silence, the shock evident on their faces as they contemplated her words, she knew why.

Cayra was staring at her with raised brows, her lips parted as a shine gradually began to blur her eyes.

Anthony gazed directly into the flames, and they mirrored a burning warmness in his coffee-coloured eyes that she'd never forget as he mulled over her announcement. He ran his hands over his face and sighed heavily before he managed to react.

"I don't know what to say," he said, shaking his head. "I just can't believe you're actually leaving."

"Neither can I," Estela replied as she wrapped her arms around her legs and pulled them tightly towards her body, resting her chin upon her knees.

"It's a bloody wonder Dippet didn't protest, you're the best damn student at Hogwarts. It wouldn't surprise me if he tied you to a chair and forced you to stay," said Anthony.

Estela gave a small laugh, but itwas forced to say the least.

"We'll still see you, won't we?" Cayra asked through watery eyes.

Estela shrugged delicately. "Grace and William have friends and family here, so I suppose we'll come back to visit every now and then."

"You could always visit us by Floo Powder," Cayra suggested hopefully. "Or we could come and visit you."