Hierarchy of Need [t.r]

Chapter Twenty Five

"Then I suggest Malfoy, you wear a hat... Olive isn't coming along is she?" Aleksander asked, he looked worried and Delilah furrowed her brows. "No, but I can ask her?"

"No, no. I don't want her coming."

The boys shared glances and Tom looked bored out of his mind, not seeing why an important meeting had turned into such mundane conversation.

Aleksander flushed and scratched at the back of his neck, "if we by chance get caught I don't want her to, y'know."

"But you're okay with the rest of us taking the fall?" Pyrrhus said after downing his third glass. Aleksander's face fell and he shook his head, "What? No, I-"

Pyrrhus clapped him on the back and offered him his own glass of whiskey, "I'm only joking, mate. Besides, prison sounds quite exciting, no? Think of the adventure, what a story to tell the kids. I got locked up for assisting a break in into the Ministry!" He laughed and looked at them all, who by which were trying to contain their own laughter.

He waved his glass at them, his face suddenly serious and he clicked his tongue, "you'd all be my bitches."

Delilah choked out a small laugh before grabbing his glass, "alright enough of that, go sit down."

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After the meeting, no one was ready to leave quite yet so they had dispersed into their own little groups. But Tom of course separated himself and took to leaning against a column.

However, when he saw Aleksander make to leave, he pushed away from the wall and easily caught up with him. "A minute of your time, Eques?"

"Well, actually-"

"Splendid." Tom gave him his tight lipped smile and led him off towards the back mirror, well away from anyone else. He looked around for a second before settling his eyes on the boy he despised, "what are you getting out of all this?"

Aleksander furrowed his brows, "what do you mean?"

And Tom just stared at him, his gaze unwavering. His eyes were so dark that one couldn't even see his pupils, so they appeared to be bottomless pits that leeched onto anyone who dared make direct contact. Aleksander felt the hair at the back of his neck prick up, how did he do that?

Tom ticked his jaw, his eyes then becoming like a black liquid pooling into an abyss. "Don't lie to me," his voice was calm, echoing loudly inside Aleksander's mind to the point where his ears felt like they were ringing.

"Don't ever think you're capable of that."

Straightening himself, Aleksander raised his chin to show he wasn't scared of him. After all, he was only an eighteen year old. What could he possibly do? "Tom-"

"Riddle." He corrected. Aleksander didn't have the jurisdiction to call him by his first name. No one did. Well with the exception of... no. He blinked once to clear his thoughts. Why must she pop into his head at the most inopportune of times.

He then laughed dryly, taking Aleksander even more off guard. "What I can't seem to grasp is why you're even here. There was no need for you to come to Hogwarts. I know your family, Eques. You could've found asylum from Grindelwald anywhere. But here you are, you just dropped out of the sky."

Aleksander was silent for a moment, but he wasn't backing down. He was annoyingly resilient, Tom thought. "And what about you, eh?" He went to straighten Tom's tie but he caught his wrist, his grip abnormally strong. A dull ache shot up Aleksander's arm and restrained himself from wincing.

"What are you getting out of this? It has to be something." His eyes trailed to the mirror and landed on Delilah's reflection, "you certainly aren't doing it for her, at least not solely. I know you, Tom, you don't do anything unless it's for your own gain so tell me, what is it?"

"That doesn't concern you," there was a shift in Aleksander's wrist that was rather painful and he couldn't help but let out a hiss.

"And Eques, word of advice, don't parade yourself around like you know everything. Because you don't, and it's a tad embarrassing to watch."

Tom dropped his wrist and began to walk away, but turned and stopped so he was shoulder to shoulder with Aleksander, who eyed him warily.

He leaned in towards his ear while his eyes were stuck on the reflection of a particular golden haired witch. "Don't bother trying to convince Pontmercy that I have an ulterior motive." He dragged his eyes away and raised a hand, restraining a smirk as the boy flinched.

Tom straightened Aleksander's tie before shoving his hands in his pockets and began to back away, "she already knows everything, unlike yourself."

Aleksander swallowed dryly as he watched Tom walk off. He watched as his demeanor changed around Delilah, it wasn't too visible, but it was there.

Delilah didn't know everything, she may think she does, but she doesn't. Even now she was blind to what was now standing right in front of her, in the form of a six foot two eighteen year old with dark eyes and brown hair.

Aleksander shook his head and looked away, god help her when she finds out. "Lestrange, I'll take that drink."

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VOTE & COMMENT if you enjoyed!!!

Sorry this took so long, I'm not dead I promise lol. But for real, I'm so excited to get to the Ministry chapters but sadly we must be patient.

In the mean time I made character studies!! I'll be posting those next.