RIDDLE. DISCONTINUED

➹ chapter five

before starting I'd just like to warn that this story isn't going to have anything to do with Grindelwald and that he will not make any type of role in this story other than being mentioned here
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5 | books and reveals

TWO WHOLE MONTHS HAD passed since that thoughtful morning. All of those days filled with endless studying due to the O.W.L's and constant bickering between herself and any Gryffindor who dared to try and set up pranks during her patrol hours. Also, there had been little to no sign of Tom Riddle. He wasn't just hidden from her view. Merope knew for a fact that he skipped countless meals, and that he frequented the library less and less.

Similar to him, she hadn't heard anything else from her mother. Not that Merope had written anything back -- she was both mad and clueless of what to say. The only thing she knew for a fact, was that her Christmas would be spent in the company of books.

Another change was the Ravenclaw Prefect -- Rupert had started to grow on her, and, similarly to Mary, she considered him something like a friend. He was fairly fun to be around, and always tried to be cheerful about everything.

At that particular Sunday morning, she had been at the library, searching for a book about advanced spells for herself. It was still pitch black outside from how early it was, even the librarian ended up falling sound asleep on her chair.

It was peaceful -- the only sound that could be heard was the harsh wind blowing through the few opened windows. Her hand-knitted blue sweater wasn't enough to warm her insides, but with the cup of tea sitting on the desk, she felt as cozy as ever. Merope had managed to sneak it up through Mrs. Clearwater's closed eyes -- it had never been allowed to bring any beverages or snacks into the library for fairly obvious reasons.

She took a sip of the dark liquid and turned a page of the spell book, settling in a chapter about curses. Merope didn't want to tell her mother about it, but she was starting to worry about Grindelwald's ascension to power. He had been recruiting wizards from all over the north and there was a chance -- even as small as it may be -- that he might try to recruit her family. Either the Potters or the Bullocks (her biological father's family) were ancient families. Merope wanted to be ready to defend herself and the ones who are dear to her.

As she got more and more indulged in the book a sudden thud made her jolt up in her chair and nearly spit the tea.

"Shit." she had heard someone mutter, coming somewhere from within the wonder that was the Restricted Session.

She opted not to ask a silly 'who is there?', instead grabbing her wand and stalking towards the source of the sound. Merope was entirely sure that it was some student and not any type of danger -- for starters, any serious criminal wouldn't make such a loud noise. Certainly not when faced with the great opportunity that was a sleeping librarian.

The Ravenclaw prefect turned around before leaving the little cubicle where she had been being completely out of sight. With a flick of her wand, the cup of tea transformed itself into a pen -- just in case Mrs. Clearwater decided to visit the area and came across the forbidden item.