To Revive a Soul || Tom Riddle

12. The Cup and the Locket

November rolled around faster than Eleanor had expected it to. Trees in the Forbidden Forest were shedding their leaves, beckoning a cold winter season, but the Hogwarts students were perfectly content in their warm common rooms as they mingled over the upcoming trip to Hogsmeade.

Reinhard sat next to Eleanor, who was looking out one of the large windows of the Slytherin common room into the sea as she sipped on a cup of coffee. "Are you ready?"

"To stay here with the first and second years? Sure am," she answered downheartedly, trying to mask her disappointment. "Dumbledore is still refusing to sign my papers."

"Your parents back home won't?" She shook her head.

"I... don't have the best relationship with them." Eleanor wondered how long she would have to keep the secrets of her past hidden from Reinhard. After all, he was perhaps the closest friend she'd ever had, and it scared her to death thinking that he'd turn his back on her if he knew the truth. But at the same time, she had convinced herself that anyone who knew was in danger. She couldn't have him going after her friends.

A slamming door from the Prefect hall grabbed their attention, and Eleanor and Reinhard turned their heads to see Abraxas Malfoy walking out of his room with a stiff grin. He approached them, passing a small note to Eleanor. "Report this. It's about Smith," he said quietly, glancing around to make sure no one else had heard. And then he walked away, gone as quickly as he appeared.

Reinhard was on her in a heartbeat. "You hang out with Malfoy now?" he asked incredulously, putting a hand over his mouth to stop himself from laughing.

She could feel her face heat up at the accusation. "It's a long story, okay? I don't want to explain it." Truth be told, the Knights of Walpurgis—that was what Riddle had begun calling his "loyal followers"—weren't too concerned about Reinhard Lestrange's being around their inner workings. Months ago, Eleanor had been tasked with recruiting him, but she didn't have the heart to drag such a good person into the group's bad deeds. Still, she thought that having a friend on her side may help in the long run, so she, along with the rest of the group, had decided to just be lax with their secrets toward the boy. It was easier that way.

"Hey." Eleanor jumped out of her skin at the voice behind her, coupled with a soft pounding on the sofa fabric. "I need you for a minute."

"What is it?" she asked him, straining herself to sound polite.

"I need to scope a place out later today. Cover for me," Tom ordered, staring her down like a hawk.

"I'm not going to Hogsmeade, Riddle. Get someone else to do it."

"What do you mean, you aren't going?" He pressed a finger to the bridge of his nose, sighing in irritation. "Fine. I'll just have to sneak you in. Get packed."

He started away, but Eleanor stopped him. "Wait," she called, standing from the sofa and approaching him as he turned. She held out the small paper that Abraxas had given her. "Malfoy told me to report this. I assume it's about her whereabouts."

Tom looked down at the folded paper in her hand and pushed it back toward her body. "Get packed," he said in a more hushed tone. "We'll talk later." He turned on his heel, making his way to the Prefect hallway.

Reinhard snickered. "What was all that about?"

She shrugged. "Who knows?" She broke out in a grin, starting towards the girls' dormitories. "But I guess I'm going to Hogsmeade."

~•~

"So I'm not going," she deadpanned, staring at Tom with narrowed eyes as she tightened her grip on the small bag slung over her shoulder.