"Well, you've got your diamonds and you've got your pretty clothes
And the chauffeur drives your car
You let everybody know
But don't play with me, 'cause you're playing with fire."
-- The Rolling Stones
---
"Just kill her, Colin. She's on their side."
"I'm not going to do that. Remember, you're all under my command and my command only. I can easily turn you all in if I must."
"Spare me. You know the consequences would exceed your imagination if you turned us in."
"You took this all too far."
Eleanor blinked slowly, her body aching yet unable to move all the same. The stiffness was painful even and as her eyes adjusted to the dreary basement, it all came back to her.
She looked at the warm lighting over the bar, sleek wood and golden trims with a wall of liquor and here she sat, in a quite uncomfortable chair on the small stage. When she looked around, all she could imagine was a crowd of ordinary people dancing.
Eleanor's been here before.
The voices came from two figures hiding in the shadows of the musty bar and she narrowed her eyes.
It was Colin Ludwick and Ruby.
A fire rushed through her blood and as she tried everything in her power to move, not only was she bound to the chair but some stunning spell was keeping her immobilized. She grew angrier the more she looked at them.
"Glad to see you're awake." Ruby chimed, striding over to her. "You and your fiance have caused quite a lot of trouble for us, dearie."
Eleanor glared at Ruby who's short hair was tucked behind her ears, revealing her small and sharp face that looked down at her deviously. The more Eleanor wanted to pull and rip the girl to shreds, the more she could feel the weak points of the spell they placed on her.
"You underestimate me, dearie, and you underestimate the fact that your life will one to nothing but a long, slow, and painful death if anymore harm comes to me." Eleanor seethed, her eyes darting over to Colin who stood back against the wall.
"And you!" Eleanor laughed absurdly. "You don't even have the balls to make an appearance while you stand back there letting her do all your dirty work. If you're going to kill me, Colin, be a man and look me in the eye!"
As she yelled, she couldn't rid herself of the underlying hurt she felt as she looked at Colin. The day she knew would come was here and it stung more than she would have known.
For the first time since this mess started, the line between them felt real, as they stood on opposing sides as obviously as they did now. Even now, part of her didn't want to admit that he was truly gone to this side.
"Actually, Eleanor, we don't want you dead. Not yet entirely." Ruby said, roughly grabbing her jaw to turn her face back to hers. "If you want to live, by Ludwick's request, you will play by our rules."
Eleanor scowled and jerked her head away.
"The only rules I play by are the ones that end up with you rotting in Azkaban."
Colin sighed, coming from the wall he leaned upon and appearing from the shadows of the bar to approach her as he uncrossed his arms.
"Everyone they've brought down from the ranks of the Ministy was another family saved from whatever they were going to do. It may not be your way, but it was the right thing to do. The Minister sympathizes with both sides too much. She'd never take the necessary action."
"So you murder people?!" Eleanor roared. "Colin, believe me, I see your endgoal here but the means by which you obtain it make you no better than them!"
Ruby scoffed, laughing even, as she turned away.
"For someone who's rounded up criminals without batting an eye you sure have a soft spot for the criminals that reside in your own government." she murmured, then glancing at Colin. "Feeney was right, we should have killed her."
Colin sharply turned towards her, pointing a finger at her face.
"You know we can't kill her. He wouldn't allow it and you would all fall immediately." he hissed.
Eleanor raised a brow.
"Who wouldn't allow it?"
The pair exchanged a glance, Ruby looking more worried than him.
"You're telling me someone else is running this little party you two have been parading around the Ministry?"
"You'll find out soon enough, I'm sure." Colin muttered, turning away. "We brought you here to talk not to fight. You need to understand why I'm apart of this."
Eleanor shook her head, looking down in momentary defeat. She was exhausted, pained even, but she had to bargain her way out of this. It frustrated her beyond belief and as she glanced at her ring, she could only hope Tom would arrive soon.
"Your fiance, Eleanor, is not who you think he is." Colin pressed.
Eleanor's head shot up. Every vile thing Tom Riddle did appeared in her mind and yet, she wasn't phased, because when another man dare threaten either of them, there was a sense of loyalty that grew stronger above all. At the end of the day, she still had a family that fought for her.
"You think I don't know everything about him!?" Eleanor laughed. "I know, Colin! I also know that he's stronger than any army you have hidden here and its safer for you to let me go. For fucks sake I don't want to see you get hurt and even Ruby should not fall victim to it either!"
Colin shook his head, smirking, as he kneeled down to her.
"You're on the wrong side, Eleanor. The purebloods want to wipe us out and we've been silent for too long. This is only the beginning and you have tonight to decide which side you want to be on. Too much as it stake and the rest of the Department is going to begin arresting suspects involved."
As she stared into his eyes, Eleanor believed that Colin had been planning this for years. He always wanted this; for the purebloods to fall after years of repression and fighting. Of course she understood and once upon a time, Eleanor believed she would have been helping him with it all. But as she delved into his mind, Eleanor got the impression that this his beliefs were stronger than anything and blinded him entirely.
"Did you ever love me?" Eleanor asked.
Colin's face faltered. Even Ruby did a double take.
"What?"
"I'm asking if you ever actually even loved me? Or was I only of use to you for the sake of this mission you have?"
Colin stood up and looked down at her, his face still riddled with confusion. Beside him, Ruby held a grimace on her face as she turned away.
"I-I- of course, Eleanor. I never stopped. But things are different now." he stammered. "You're getting married. You changed. Too many things happened all at once."
Eleanor shook her head, smiling, mainly in awe of how stupid he was and how stupid she was once. They were very close once and she wondered now what would have happened if they still were.
"There was a time where we would spend nights together drinking and talking. There would be very intimate nights. There would be nights where you would paint me in your stupid little living room in London or take me to coffee before work. But like you said, things changed and that is the difference between my loyalties to you and my loyalties to Tom Riddle; he would never stop loving me. You lost me the second you thought I was some toy for your entertainment."
Colin's face became gnarled as he looked down at her. She wasn't sure if he was hurt or angry, or even both, but what she wasn't expecting was his hand to come swiping across her face in a motion that made her neck nearly snap. At first, she was numb, but the tingling pain quickly came. Nonetheless, Eleanors head turned back to face Colin and she smirked through the blood tricking from her mouth.
"Did I break your heart, Colin? That's ashame. You only broke mine a few dozen before I gave up on you."
Colin turned away and looked at Ruby.
"Don't stop until she gives us what we want; her loyalty and when she's weak enough, we're going to make her take our side whether she chooses willingly or not."
Eleanor tried to lean forward, eyebrows furrowed.
"Why do you need me?!"
As Colin's went to walk from the room, he glanced back at her and smirked.
"Because we're going to need you to make the necessary change. For some reason, everyone in the Ministry supports you so we need you to comply." Colin said, turning out of the room. "And what happens here today, you will realize just how capable we are of making that happen."
Ruby came into view, a sicking smile on her lips as she twirled her wand between her fingers.
"We're going to have so much fun, Eleanor."
---
"How do you know where she is?" Lemus Parkinson asked.
Tom sat on the sofa of Eleanor's living room, the lights all turned on as her entire family and Auror companions filled the room. His elbows sat on his knees, chin resting in his palms as he tried to establish a plan to compromise with her family. His leg was nearly bouncing with anticipation, wishing to just storm the place on his own, because he very well knew he could.
"I don't necessarily know. It's an idea. Eleanor always suspected Colin was keeping his army there because it's easily covered by the Daily Prohpet." Tom calmly answered.
"We must call the rest of the Aurors and make this an official investigation. Especially if Colin is involved!" James argued.
While Tom Riddle and his own band of misfits stood by in the room, he could see the obvious differences between them and Eleanor's family. As Abraxas, Adis, Orion, Dolohov, and the few others who remained all stood behind him he couldn't help but feel the strangeness emitting from it all.
"We've called our families. They're on their way." Walburga said quietly from behind Tom, returning to Orion's side.
"We need to keep this among ourselves. If we have to play by the rules, it will take too long and we will have had no idea where they've taken her." Abraxas commented. "Plus, Colin's hands are too clean. We don't know if he's there and even if he is, I'm sure he's just operating under the table which means we should too."
Julius looked at him from across the room and nodded, as the other Aurors who were close friends of Eleanor's stood by. They all nodded in agreeance.
"So we keep this off the books?" Lemus asked, the distress clear in the gleaming sweat forming on his forehead.
James and Evelyn came to his side and Tom watched curiously as their mere presence relieved him in the slightest. Evelyn grabbed her fathers hand, nodding, while James kept his hands in his pockets but shared the same tortured look in his fathers eyes but they were all standing together. Everyone in this room stood for Eleanor.
"That might be a problem." Eddie sighed, his red beard more curly than usual as he kept rummaging his hands through it.
Everyone turned to him and Tom straightened a little. The room silenced as they watched Lemus warily glance back at an old friend.
"What could possibly be the problem? What is more of a problem than the fact that every second we waste here, Eleanor is still in the hold of our enemies?" Tom snapped.
Lemus nodded.
"You're right. But it isn't just Colin Ludwick and a couple of his rebellion lackeys from the Prophet." James intervened, stepping forward as he looked at all the boys. "Someone else has been able to prove their alibis for them and I don't think any of us are going to like it if he makes an appearance."
Tom had an inkling of a thought of who it might be, but as he glanced around the room, he knew that they were ready for what they were going to face.
"Who?" Abraxas asked.
James sighed and stepped forward, looking more drained in his eyes by the second.
"According to my father, there is a rumor that Albus Dumbledore has been approached by this organization for help. I've personally heard he has been trying to steer them away from murdering and start an order of his own."
Tom grinned to himself.
That man never trusted him, never allowed him an inch of breathing room before Tom ever expressed his desires for the dark arts and now, it made perfect sense.
"Let's get Eleanor."
—-
Eleanor wanted to believe the chair took a beating more than she did, but as she slumped over it and watched the blood from her face stain her dress, she knew it was only a matter of time before she gave up entirely.
"Where is Colin?" Eleanor growled.
"He won't save you, Eleanor." Ruby chuckled. "Colin is the only reason you're alive though. You should have been taken out ages ago but we're going to have to work with what we got."
Eleanor finally lifted her head, her aching body barely able to support it. The light gave way to her bruised cheek and bleeding lips. She's endured worse, so the spells being cast her way were nothing but just simply exhausting. She kept scanning the room for a sign of anyone but there was nothing but dust.
"Smart." Eleanor observed. "You're little group you have here is smart, whether I like to admit it or not. Picking Colin as a leader was a good idea." she added through her deep and ragged breaths.
Colin wasn't their leader though, she learned, and her body was too weak to try and sink into Ruby's mind.
"Flattery won't get you out of this. Agreeing to our terms will."
Those terms.
Eleanor smirked, even chuckled despite the pain in her lungs.
"You want me to take the seats of those above me. You want me to be a pawn and move legislation in favor of your movement." Eleanor repeated. "Why not Colin, again?"
Anna raised her wand, tightening the rope around her raw wrists and ankles, making her wince.
"Because the Minister trusts you the most to take her place when it came down to it, not him. Everyone in the Ministry has unfortunately taken a liking to you as Colin said and unfortunately, they are the people who matter."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, Ruby." Eleanor mocked. "Perhaps had you asked me ages ago before you started murdering people, we could have had an arrangement."
Suddenly, with a bright flash emitted from the woman's wand, Eleanor's blood began to burn and she couldn't withhold the cry that spurred from her lips to Ruby's satisfaction.
"We've tried to reach out to you. We tried to seek help. We protested for years since the war against Grindelwald left us muggle borns for scraps. None of you ever listened."
Immediately, she shook her head, but as her weary mind thought back on things she might have missed, she realized as an Auror she was truly blind to their plights. But it didn't excuse much.
"So you turn to senseless murders that only make you all look like the rats you are?" she laughed dryly, spitting out a wad of blood that accumulated with her saliva. "What was I to do? Tell me, why did you ever think I would have listened in my position?"
Ruby sighed heavily.
"That's exactly why we wanted to move you up. Colin expressed your passion to us and told us your desires to make more of a difference." she said, rolling her eyes, waving her hands like it was a load of nonsense. But then her demeanor changed. "And then when we grew tired of waiting, tired of Colin trying to play both sides, your lover returned and you opened up all the cases against us."
Eleanor scoffed and shook her head.
"What do you know of him? Even if he hadn't returned, why couldn't you have simply came to me after Steven's murder?"
The painful memories of that night never failed to bring a certain chill to your bones.
Ruby took a seat at a barstool that she dragged across the dusty wooden floor to sit before you.
"Colin gave you too much confidence. He kept us waiting and waiting until it was too late." she chimed. "Also, it was his idea to take Steven out by the way."
"Stop blaming this all on him!" Eleanor roared, nearly thrashing in her seat. "I was in the dark! You put all your blame on Colin yet fail to realize that you are the vile ones who took the extremes!"
Eleanor was too stunned to allow that truth to sink in, the insurmountable hurt that would have crippled her knowing it was him all along.
Ruby laughed, "and what does that make your fiancé?"
"He wasn't—he's not—." Eleanor shook her head, stumbling on her words.
Ruby raised her brows with amusement.
"He wasn't what? A cold blooded killer across Europe? A man who traveled the shadows to lure out what hid within them to rally against people like us? There was whispers of the infamous Lord Voldemort and his aspirations and we find out that you're marrying that man."
Ruby walked behind the bar, searching for something and Eleanor was choking on her words, biting her tongue to keep out the darkest thoughts she wanted to spew at the woman. When she arose with a bottle of red wine, Eleanor sunk in her seat. She would kill for a drink right now.
"So you see the position you put us in—or perhaps, Colin has put us in? The man held out hope for your alliance for too long and now you've become the enemy. But if you swear to clear the names of all those accused and vouch for our cause, we will stop the murders. In due time when you take charge in ways Colin has not, you will be hailed a hero, Eleanor."
Ruby's words felt laced with disdain for her and after hearing it all unfold before her, Eleanor stared at the woman blankly as it all absorbed.
"If not, you'll create an enemy you could only imagine if the others allow you to walk out of here alive. I don't think I need to warn you that you'll be sorry if you don't choose wisely."
Finally, Eleanor laughed.
All the years of rage she put down for the sake of trying to do what's right, all the betrayal she faced, all the roadblocks she hit, and everything in between were finally rising to the top. It was boiling.
"You have no idea the enemy you will create if you think I will ever side with you after what you've done. Don't forget, you killed someone near and dear to me and I will be damned if I ever let someone get away with that again."
From outside, the rush of air from a dozen bodies apparating to the hidden and run down bar could be heard inside. Ruby went still and for a moment, Eleanor did too but the ring on her finger was pulsing deep into her bone. It was like her very soul knew that Tom would find her in no time, no matter how broken and battered she was now.
But above it all a wicked grin crossed her face.
"Now, who will be sorry again?" Eleanor asked, tilting her head at the panicked woman before her.
—-
The entirety of them landed in the abandoned working town, lights flickering above them as they marched down the aisle of old coal factories that lingered with a gritty air. The water could not be seen but it could be smelled from where they arrived, a mix of trash and salt lingering in the air from the littered canals.
It was the perfect place to remain hidden and in the dark of the night, the seemingly abandoned pub was a mere shadow except for the dim lights that could be seen flickering behind the glass windows.
Tom was wasting no time as he stormed towards the pub, undoing the buttons upon his suit jacket to give him more mobility. His heart was racing, the fragile pieces of his soul— or what was left of it, yearning for Eleanor and feeling her presence nearby as she wore a piece of him. He didn't want to imagine the pain she was enduring with every scratch and bruise because it drove him mad, but it was the one thing keeping him motivated.
At his sides through the eerie late night fog that rolled in from the harbor was Abraxas, the Black and Lestrange families, sprinkled with other members of the Death Eaters who have been around long enough to know Eleanors value. They all stormed down the gravel path in tailored suits and looks that could kill.
It was her father and brother who rushed in front with Tom though.
"We need a better plan than to just storm the place, don't you think?" Lemus asked warily, glancing at Tom.
But that boys mind was clouded with a blind rage and his pace didn't falter as he strode forward.
"In this particular case, there is no strategy here. We have the numbers and the strongest Wizards in the country, if not the world, on our side. We get Eleanor and we burn the place to the ground." Tom said through his clenched jaw.
However, he spoke too soon when his eyes caught the silhouette of two men appearing on the roof and wands lighting in preparation of being fired in their direction.
"I'm surprised they're prepared." James observed, a crooked grin on his lips. "Say, Tom, how did you come up with all these men?"
Abraxas grinned as he withdrew his wand and took charge and casting a jinx to the men on the roof.
"Can't underestimate the extremists I suppose." The blonde spoke, referring to the men on the roof but Tom knew exactly what he meant.
Had Eleanor's family not been there, he would have hit Abraxas across the head.
Dolohov creeped up behind him. "Oi, what do you know about extremists mate?" he chuckled.
Tom came to a halt, their conversations like a muffled voice in his ear as his brain was wired to his Eleanor, but now focused on the group of men and women alike that came from the shadows and as they came to light he was pleased to see that they were made of nothing but scraps.
At the front of them, one tailored gentlemen took the lead and Tom's breath caught in his throat as his eyes narrowed at Colin Ludwick.
The hate he had for Colin outmatched his passion for Eleanor and he stood for everything that went against his life's purpose.
If tonight were the night, Tom was looking forward to watching him burn alive.
Tom took a deep breath.
"They're about to find out."
—-
Eleanor could hear shuffling upstairs— urgent steps, hushed and demanding voices, and by the looks of it, Ruby was ready to jump out of her skin.
The thrill of knowing Tom was here, instilling such fear into those who held her captive now, made her find the strength she had an already weak grasp on.
"Don't move." Ruby seethed, pointing her wand at her before rushing up the stairs.
"I don't think I have much of a choice." Eleanor quipped, maintaining her defeated face.
But the moment Ruby rushed upstairs to the loft above the bar, Eleanor took a deep breath and relaxed, feeling her very blood and bones pulsing with an ache much stronger now. There was one thing she could focus on as she channeled her wand less magic, something buried behind it that could be pulled from her ring as easy as plucking a sheet from a clothesline.
It was a dark sheet though, only stronger knowing Tom was near. It clouded her eyes and despite them being shut for concentration, she was almost convinced things grew darker as she summoned Tom's horcrux.
She focused on the complicated spell responsible for her bounds and there was a damn near euphoric relief when they loosened and the brisk air rushed against the raw skin. Letting out a breath of relief, she stood up from the wooden chair and shook out her arms and legs, the adrenaline picking up now.
Beyond the stain glass windows by the doors, flashes of white, blues and greens were whizzing by and as she was about to rush outside, the floorboards above her head were creaking with footsteps that were getting closer.
In an instant, Eleanor hid herself behind the wall the narrow staircase wrapped around and was completely hidden. Without her wand she was nearly defenseless.
Nearly.
When Ruby came down the stairs, Eleanor waited until she stepped further into the room and her back was turned.
"Eleanor!" Ruby shouted.
Now was her cue.
As Ruby spun around, Eleanor had met her halfway with her balled fist already lunging forward to her jaw. The collision of her knuckles to the bones in her face send a shockwave up her arm but it did the job, and when she watched Ruby collapse to the floor having gone out like a light.
"Perfect." Eleanor said under her breath, leaning down to snatch her wand from Ruby's coat pocket.
The commotion outside was growing louder by the moment, making her wonder who all could have shown up. To answer her question, her wand waved over the door to undo the spell meant to bar it shut and when she opened it, her bare feet stepped out onto the damp gravel beneath her and her eyes widened.
It was dark, her eyes adjusting to the brawl that unraveled before her. She was able to catch glances of faces when the various spells being thrown across the playing field and was in awe at the lack of Auror reinforcements but instead family here.
Even in her moment of distraction, she was still a target and she was able to dodge the fiery spell with the wave of her arm, drawing it into her own possession and firing it back at the woman who fired it her way.
"Get Eleanor before they take her!" Colin shouted.
Eleanor stood a little straighter and she stepped forward from the pub, her ears preying on any familiar voices whether it be her father or Tom or anyone she knew. She was more on her toes for Colin, knowing he wouldn't hesitate to find her immediately, but Eleanors wrath would be unmatched on this pier tonight.
"Eleanor, get out of here!" someone yelled.
As she weaves in out of the fire, having to defend herself several times, her head was still on a swivel as her brothers voice rang through the air. But just beyond the crowd of apparating and murderous figures, there was only one face that stood out to her as the man flung Colin's body yards away.
"Tom!" Eleanor screamed.
Her legs carried her before her mind could register it, and all memory of their fight prior to her getting tied up in this was gone.
When Tom turned around, the sound of her voice brought a peace to his mind he never knew existed but when he saw her bruised and bloody body, part of him fell apart at the same time. She ran towards him through the fire of spells still in her emerald dress, barefoot and smiling like a maniac. It was a smile that told him she was alive though. Before he could even register the ghastly appearance that didn't feel real, Eleanor threw her arms around him.
There was very little soul left to rip apart in his body, but when she was embracing him and the piece of himself he gave her in the ring was at his side, he felt strangely whole again.
Tom was still frantically keeping his eye out, but his arms wrapped around her briefly and his hand found itself on her knotted head of hear.
"You should really learn to listen to me, love." Tom said, looking down at her for a moment.
It made his blood boil to see her split lip and bruised cheekbone, but she looked at him with the same arrogance she always had when she stool her nose up to him.
"You should learn not to pick fights with me at the wrong time."
In an instant, they were standing together defensively scoping out the playing field but Eleanor's eyes were mostly scanning for the familiar faces of their enemies.
Together, their strength bonded and the mere aura of their power could be felt as they fired spells at approaching targets. No one stood a chance and despite her trembling bones, Eleanor wasn't missing a beat. They covered each other, they bounced different hexes off of each other, and were enveloped in the chaos that seemingly only revolves around the balance they shared.
At the sight of James and her father though, Eleanor's heart skipped as Feeney was approaching them at full speed.
"Avada kedavra! Eleanor shouted, the raw and deadly energy rolling deep from her chest and to the tip of her wand in a green burst of light.
It was only the second time she's ever used that spell in her life.
Both times she did it to protect her family.
But this time, she didn't feel so awful about it as several heads in the space around her turned in horror.
Even James and her father were momentarily stunned, but as she ran towards them, she found herself unable to look at Feeney's body.
"Eleanor—" her father started, looking at her sadly.
"Don't. I saved your lives." she assured, trying to ignore their wary looks.
Before anything else could be said, more people apparated to the fight and by the looks of it, they were Aurors and Julius was leading them. There were only six on scene and while Eleanor was ready to jump in and make it seven, she realized she was in no position to lead.
"They're retreating! We need to get in there!" James shouted, brushing past Eleanor to run towards the Aurors.
Eleanor swiftly followed, the rocky ground damp beneath her bare feet and she first ran to Julius.
"Took you long enough." she chuckled.
Julius's jaw dropped when he looked at her though, her ruined dress and marked up skin. As the other Aurors ran past him into the pub, he did a double take before putting his hands on her shoulders.
"You did good. Let us handle this just this one time, Eleanor."
Eleanor glanced around at Tom and the others, and as her blood pumped and was eager for more, she knew it was best that she had to sit this one out for their sake or all of this would have been for nothing.
"Right." she exhaled, nodding at him.
But then, a wailing cry came from a woman and her eyes followed the sound to Ruby who was slumped over Feeney's body. For a moment, the shrillness of her voice made her freeze up, but she swallowed past the thickening lump in her throat and tore herself away.
"You can start with her. She was Colin's right hand it seemed."
All seemed to slow down as quickly as it started, the cold air finally digging into her bones like nails. Every wound stung now and her muscles ached— it felt like she had been fighting for days. Looking around, her father came to her side and offered a comforting hand to her back that only made her tense. Between Ruby's cries, cursing her til her last breath as Julius apprehended her and the sight of her brother and the Auror's storming the pub, her mind begun to spin.
That was until Tom came into view and he had an indifferent look upon his face, one that she hated because she could never figure out what was on his mind.
Nodding at her father, she slowly parted from him and met Tom halfway.
"You should go, the Aurors will catch on any moment now and I don't want you roped up in this investigation."
Tom looked down at her and now that she was closer, she could see his chest rise and fall and even notice the rugged look to his face that looked hungry for more.
"I'm fine." Eleanor pressed. "I don't want to hold you back."
Tom rolled his eyes and almost turned away from her, but he played it off by simply nodding at Abraxas and the others to leave.
"I didn't mean that." Tom frowned, his eyes studying every bruise and scrape left upon her.
"It doesn't matter. You said it and you were right." Eleanor snapped, taking a deep breath after to regain herself. "But that's what we do, we fight and say awful things and you're not used to that. We're adults and we have things to do now." she sighed, impatiently glancing at the pub.
"When did you become to rational?" Tom asked, the corner of his lip quirking up again.
"I've always been rational, Tom, you just came back into my life again and made it a little bit harder to be." she grinned.
It quickly left her face though when she saw Julius having to drag Ruby away who's cries already faded to the background.
"I don't know if you'd call that rational though."
The shame started to sit uncomfortably in her stomach as she stared, only to be pulled back by Tom's gently grip on her jaw and tilting her chin up to face him.
"You're stronger, Eleanor."
To hear those words come from him made her heart melt, but she knew what her strength meant to him behind the admirable look in his eyes.
"That may be true, but your days of speaking to me like you did tonight before I left are over, Tom Riddle."
Tom's grin fell from his face, and she would be lying if she said she didn't love the way he stiffened when she used his full name. But as his hand fell, she watched as the Auror's left the building with any evidence they could find. That shame she thought was creeping up her spine was something else though, and her stomach was beginning to churn.
"Something feels off." Eleanor said, mainly out loud to herself. "Where's my brother?"
Eleanor walked cautiously around Tom, and she waited for a moment, hanging on her bated breath as she waited for James to come out.
But out of the corner of her eye, the sound of flames barreling through the air could be heard shooting from a wand before she could see it, and then it whizzed by her vision to engulf the entire pub in a bright, orange light with a heat that could be felt from yards away. Every ounce of her being stiffened, the horror written across her eyes that glowed from the fiery sight before her, and she wanted to crumble to pieces right then and there.
"No!" Eleanor screamed, not wasting any time as she took off in a run towards the building, the cackling of the wood as it the flames tore it apart not enough to stop her.
The only thing that tried to stop her was Tom's hand, but she jerked it away, summoning her wand to cast a spell that brought up all the water the atmosphere had to offer. Tears blurred her eyes but she directed the water towards the building, even as she hung on a thread.
"James!" she screamed. Her voice raw.
The other Aurors joined, trying to extinguish the fire and it took everything in her not to run into the fire herself.
As she glanced around, calling for more help, her father joined her side with tears in his own eyes and together, their hearts broke.
But for a moment, everything went silent in her mind as she caught a figure slipping into the next building over. She almost missed it and had to stare into the darkness just a little bit longer, but whoever she thought she saw it had to have been the one who did this.
Without a moments waste, Eleanor clenched her wand and took off on a run, having to hike up her dress just a little to catch up in time.
The voices that cried out to her calling her name might has well have been for the stars in the sky for not a single sound could stop her from running.
No one could stop Eleanor from the blood she was so ready to spill.