Serpentine [T.M. Riddle]

When One Person Is Cursed, Two Graves Are Dug (Part III)

Tom walks in.

"She's what. Since when?"

"--Since forever, Evan, why do you think I was allowed over all the time as a child?"

The two notice him.

Evan looks annoyed, though not at being interrupted. Nemesis looks uneasy, and upon making eye contact with her, that uneasiness grows.

"Something amiss, you two?"

Instantly both of their postures relax. As if he had activated a switch.

"No, Tom, nothing at all—Why do you ask?"

What are you hiding from me? He ponders over this for the next week, filtering through past conversations and what they wrote in their letters (all meticulously filed and organized by him using his own system). He concludes at the end of the week that it was something that happened at the famed engagement party over the summer before realizing that that would mean that they successfully hid whatever it was from him for four entire months. And somehow this angers him more than the knowledge that they were withholding something from him. Why don't they trust him? Is it that personal? That out of his range of control? He's their leader because they know he can do it—Protect and influence. If there's something he can't do, it's only a matter of time before he's able to conquer it.

Even if it takes an absurd amount of time.

Evan's already spoken to him about Ian. Took him long enough. All the information he wanted wasn't drawn out of Evan, but not for lack of loyalty on Evan's part (Tom would have tortured the information right out of him if needed), but because he had a geas[1] on him to not speak or write about it. Communicating with him was frustratingly difficult, but it showed off how clever Evan can be. How much more careful Tom has to be if he ever has to bind Evan's tongue to keep his secrets. A perfect learning opportunity.

Whatever the two were speaking about definitely isn't as important or intense as that. So then...

He doesn't have time to worry over it. The two couldn't possibly be planning to do something against him, they're not...Well, Evan isn't bright enough and Nemesis isn't gutsy enough, but together...No. Absurd. It makes little sense, it's best to simply forget about it and move on and

Tom ends up mentioning it to Hedwig.

In fairness, he's not sure what he was expecting, but her subdued reaction isn't it. At first, she looks at him like he's being paranoid, but then she listens. Listens to the words he overheard. Probably thinks about what she knows of Evan and Nemesis. There's little making fun of him, in the end, which pleases and uneases him: a Hedwig who does not take the piss out of him is like idle hands to the Devil. Instead, she offers to take care of it for him. Find things out—Though he knows she has some kind of personal stake in it, the knowledge that he can just hand things over to someone is good. He feels...secure.

Besides, if Hedwig betrays his trust, he's certain he can find a way to punish her. He hopes he won't have to. Sincerely.

Druella is a different story. He confides in her on the subject of being worried for Nemesis, because he suspects that she and Evan are still having a bit of a row...And if it has anything to do with her family, she's probably not allowed to speak on it either. Nemesis, though? No such loyalties. They might get along, if only because Druella ignores Nemesis' tolerance for Muggleborns and Nemesis ignores Druella's blatant prejudice towards them. But they're definitely not close enough friends to keep secrets.

Druella's loyalty isn't to Tom. Not really. It wouldn't be as upsetting to subjugate her should she betray him. Besides, she's been making excellent strides in Ravenclaw house. Many falcons know him by face and name and are starting to be comfortable enough to socialize.