the devil's redemption [tom r.]

30|| Appalling Revelations.

Rosalind stuck to Riddle's side as he made his way to the furthest compartment, where his peers might later join him.

It was this way until they passed a compartment, in which a familiar redhead sat, along with a well-known Ravenclaw couple— Fionna Green and Malcolm Urquhart.

Rosalind almost took a step back, but decided to talk to Willow later. She really wasn't in the mood to act all cheerful as if nothing had happened during that holiday.

So she entered the furthest compartment with Tom, the only person who understood her at that moment.

They sat in silence for a few moments, Tom reading a mysterious book, and Rosalind uncharacteristically staring outside the window, instead of having her face buried in a tome as usual.

Tom decided to break the silence. "I like your shirt," He looked up from his book to smirk at her, getting an eye roll in response.

"Well, it was the only one I could wear, thanks to you."

"You didn't object at all last night," He mused, a taunting twinkle dancing in his eyes.

Rosalind huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Tom never seemed to be bored of teasing her. She didn't exactly hate it, but it was just the wrong timing.

"What really happened to Myrtle, Tom?" She asked cautiously, fiddling with one of her sleeves. Her voice was so low he barely heard her, although no one could really be eavesdropping through the thick walls of the compartment.

"We can't speak of that right now," Tom answered abruptly, flipping to the next page. He didn't even bother looking at her as he spoke.

"Then when can we speak about it?" She snapped a bit too harshly, only to realise that nothing was too harsh on Tom Riddle.

He sighed exasperatedly, looking up from his book. "Meet me tonight in the Girls' lavatory on the first floor after dinner, and you'll know what happened."

"But isn't that. . Where she was found?"

"Yes. And don't tell a soul about it." Tom threatened through gritted teeth, before going back to his silent reading.

***

The feast wasn't nearly as joyful as Rosalind found it when she first came to this school. She was pretty sure that the problem was with her, as everyone else seemed cheerful and happy after spending time with their families.

Willow plopped down on the bench next to her. "What's wrong?"

She definitely noticed that Rosalind wasn't herself, she was very distant. But Willow wasn't any better.

Rosalind turned to look at her, her face devoid of any emotions.

"Nothing's wrong. How was your holiday?" She said the only thing on her mind to change the subject, while she stirred the soup in her bowl absent-mindedly.

Willow sighed tiredly, and it was then that Rosalind noticed the dark circles under her eyes that were dull and lifeless.

"I spent it with my grandparents, as usual, and my younger brother," Willow explained, munching on a cornish pasty.

Rosalind had always thought that Willow lived normally with her parents, not expecting that someone so close to her went through pretty much the same things. She was always so selfish to ignore Willow's feelings and wellbeing. She seemed to always think that she was the only one going through troubles. What kind of best friend had she been?

"What about your parents?" Her voice was low and cautious, as if just the mention of family would trigger the both of them.

"My dad passed away a few years ago. And my mum. ." Willow trailed off, almost choking on the food she was eating.

"What about her?"

"Sh-she's missing, Rosalind," The redhead confessed in a whisper, her eyes darting around with paranoia.

"Wha- How?" Rosalind's brain was way too exhausted to comprehend her friend's words.

Turns out Willow was struggling just as much as Rosalind was.

Willow sighed, "She's a healer, and she went back to work late last night. She promised that she would send us a letter when she arrives, or even speak with us through Floo Powder."

Rosalind's head was spinning as the redhead continued on. Suddenly, the red hair looked way too familiar, the face structure, the eyes. The similarities were plainly obvious.

"She never did, and we were very worried. My granddad even went to the adress today- no one was even in the house!"

The blonde's spoon splattered in her bowl, getting soup all around her. Rosalind gulped nervously, and her world came crashing before her eyes.

"I-I'm sorry, I really have to. . Uh, leave," Rosalind rambled, getting up and leaving the Great Hall with a record speed.

She ran and ran, until she reached her destination. The place she always went to after a painful discovery, when she really felt like crying her eyes out- The Astronomy Tower.

Rosalind leaned against the railing, gazing at the few constellations that were visible above the clouds. She allowed herself to break.

She vented to the moon, only because it never told her how bad of a person she was, how wrong she was about him, how much of a bad influence he was on her, and how much she loathed him, yet loved him so deeply.

She just needed someone to listen.

She lost her mum.

She was a murderer.

She killed her best friend's mother.

And she was in love with him.