"Stop it Briar!" Tom scolded her as he gripped her wrists trying to stop the faerie from ruffling his hair. "How much further?"
"Not far she lives just up here." She pointed to a rundown house on the hill. "That's where I'd go for our lessons."
"And this lady was familiar with all the children at the orphanage?" he questioned as they walked.
"She would often come and donate many things, she took a particular interest in me."
They stepped up onto the rickety floorboards outside of her house. Briar folded her fingers into a fist and knocked three times. There was no answer. "Mrs Palmland?"
"Go away. I'm not interested in joining you lot."
"Mrs Palmland, it's me, Briar Emeralds." There was a silence. The door creaked open just slightly, enough for them to see the old women's eye peeking at them through the crack.
"It really is you." She stared at Briar in shock as she opened the door fully. "Alright," she huffed. "Come in."
They were seated on her couch as she boiled the kettle. Her frail hands shaking as she lifted the heavy thing. "If you don't mind me asking, who did you think we were?" Tom said leaning back into the couch, legs crossed elegantly.
"You ask too many questions boy. I don't even know your name."
"Tom Riddle. Now care to answer?" Briar slapped the side of his leg.
"Ignore him. He's a twat."
"A dangerous one," the old lady said, pouring the hot water into the cups. "Grindelwald's men have been around her a few times. Trying to convince me to join them. I'm a sensor. I sense magic. When you came knocking I could sense dark magic, dark magic that's similar to theirs." She eyed Tom harshly as she handed him his cup of tea.
"Well I can assure you I'm not working with Grindelwald." Tom gave her a charming smile.
She ignored him. "I thought they sent you off to that magic school," she said said looking at Briar.
"They did, I'm on holidays. We actually came back here to search for something. You don't happen to know anything about protective stones, do you?"
The old lady sighed. "No."
"Tell me Miss Palmland, do you know what Briar is?"
"It's Mrs," she said harshly to Tom. "Like I said, I'm a sensor, I can sense all different types of magic. When I first met Briar at the orphanage I could tell straight away what she was."
"How come you didn't turn her in?" Tom asked.
"She was a child! A child that deserved a chance at a normal life." Briar smiled at the lady, she gave a comforting smile back. "He's too powerful though. You children need to listen to me when I tell you to drop this quest. No good will come of it."
"What do you mean?" Briar asked leaning forward slightly.
"If he knows you exist, which I'm assuming he does. You have no chance girl. Your best hope is to disappear somewhere far away from here."
"So you know nothing that could help us?" Briar asked.
"I'm not helping you kill yourself." Briar was about to respond, but Tom butted in again.
"That's a lonely piano Mrs Palmland, do you play?" He was turning on the charm.
"No. But my husband did, he was very musical," her face softened into a small smile at the mention of her husband.
"Do you mind if I play?" Tom asked standing up and walking over to the piano.
"Only if you can play me one of his favourites."
"And what would that be?"
"Für Elise," she said. Tom laughed. "What? I know it's common, but he played it so beautifully."
"As you wish." He sat down and his long fingers began to crash down upon the old tiles. A melody constructed quickly and penetrated their ears. Palmland closed her eyes and smile as she listened to Tom play. Tom was skilled, but not as skilled as Casper. She thought he could play melodies around Riddle.
He finished. The lady still had a prominent smile upon her face. "How common are sensors Mrs Palmland?" Briar asked.
"Not very common. Why do you ask girl?" Briar missed hearing her never call her by her real name. She was a strict old lady with a hidden sweet side, she never addressed her as Briar, only girl.
"I think I met one back in Hogsmeade, he was blind." The old lady turned pale, she placed down her teacup and began to breathe quickly, blinking her eyes rapidly. "Are you okay Mrs Palmland?"
"Did he tell you his name?" she asked pleadingly.
"No but he ran a small musi-" Briar stopped speaking. Everyone in the room had realised. "Was he your husband?" she finally asked.
"We met when we were young. We understood each other, two sensors. I loved him deeply, but I fear he did not love me half as much. Because when I woke up one morning he was gone." Briar sat next to the old lady and placed her hand on her shoulder. She knew she shouldn't ask what she was about to. She didn't want to take advantage of the old lady, but Tom was looking at her with a calculating smirk.
"I'll ask you once more Mrs Palmland, do you know anything that could help us? Anything that may help you reunite with your husband one day?" Tom exhaled and popped a pleased smile. Briar felt repulsed.
"I don't know much Briar, but the day before the extinction, I saw a couple sneaking out of the castle in black cloaks. It was dark, I couldn't see their faces. But I do remember seeing a wave of king red hair glow in the moonlight, similar to yours. I couldn't make out what they were holding, but I did see a bright white beam coming from inside the lady's cupped hands."
Briar gave Tom a look. And he understood it perfectly.
"Thank you Mrs Palmland. I hope our paths shall cross again in the future." He bowed. She rolled her eyes and said nothing to Tom. Briar said goodbye, holding the elderly lady's hands in her's and whispering something about love and how it always comes back to us.
They breathed in the cool morning air as the walked back towards the pub to collect their bags.
____
The public train rattled and made loud noises that prevented Briar from falling asleep. They were heading back to Hogwarts early which meant no Hogwarts Express.
"So my parents did take the stone. I wonder where they hid it? Do you think it's in 'HP' wherever that is?" Briar asked.
"Quite possibly, yes." Tom flicked the page of his book. "Casper is returning early from his holidays to meet with us. He will help us decipher the note." Briar hummed not really saying much. "That was impressive back there. At the old bat's house. Pretending to know her husband. You're becoming quite the manipulator."
"I wasn't lying! The man owned the place where I bought Casper's violin! I swear!"
"There is no music shop in. Hogsmeade Briar we've been over this a thousand times."
"There was. I know what I saw. I didn't lie to Mrs Palmland. I did edge her into telling us what she knows, but that's harmless."
"Ah well, a bit of manipulation here and there, and soon you'll be as wicked as me."
"No one can be as wicked as you Tom." He smiled as if it was a compliment. "Read to me," she said shuffling down onto the seat and lying her head in his lap.
"Absolutely not! Get up!" he yelled.
"You're lying to yourself. You know you like this." She began to trace circles on his knee. He grabbed her hand and moved it back towards her own body and away from his knee. She manoeuvred her fingers in between his before he had the chance to pull away. He cocked his head up and let out a small laugh. "Now read," she said still holding his hand.
"I cannot flip the page if you continue to hold my hand hostage." Sadly, she let go and allowed him to move the thin paper. He took a breath, "Horcruxes are an ancient form of dark magic," he continued to read on. As he read, he found his free hand moving down to Briar's head, slender fingers playing with and lightly brushing through her curls. The pattern of flipping the page and playing with her silky locks continued on for several chapters.
She shifted from her side onto her back, staring up at Tom as he read. It took him a few moments to realise where her gaze lay. "What?" he questioned stopping halfway through his sentence, looking down at her.
"Nothing."
"Why are you looking at me like that?" He looked puzzled. She laughed. "What?!" he demanded again. Briar rose from his lap and pulled him in close. She ran her fingers through the back of his hair as she kissed him.
"You are so bad for me Tom Riddle."
"That's why you're laughing?" He furrowed his brows. "You made me stop halfway through a chapter for a pathetic kiss?"
"I'm laughing because it's so blatantly obvious we will destroy each other."
"Who's to say we stop at each other? What if we destroyed everything?" He smirked.
"Oh Riddle," she looked at the chapter he had open about horcruxes. "I think we already are." Their lips met once more.
____
She struggled with her suitcase, dragging it up the hill towards the castle. Tom waked effortlessly ahead, not even bothering to lend a hand.
When they reached the common room, they slumped down onto the comfort of the couch. "When's Casper arriving?" Briar asked.
"Tomorrow," Tom replied. She buried her face in her palms and let out an exhausted sigh. Tom scoffed to Briar's surprise.
"What?" she asked slightly annoyed.
"If you're exhausted now Emeralds, you have another thing coming. Things are only going to get harder."
"Nice words of encouragement."
"Would you prefer me to whisper sweet nothings in your ear?" He etched closer and let out a soft breath near her ear. "Everything will be fine my darling." His elegant voice travelled down to her eardrum, causing her body to cover in chills. She closed her eyes. Tom's hand moved towards the front of her neck and gripped it tightly. With his long fingers still curved around her neck, he kissed her. He kissed her again, and again. With each kiss, his grip tightened, until she let out a small gargling noise from the lack of air.
Truth be told though, even if she was on the brink of passing out, Tom Riddle's kisses were worth it all. It was as if the air that escaped her grasp was repaid with his soft lips. He was killing her but at the same time providing her with what felt like the elixir of life. She didn't tell him to stop. Even when her face paled and her eyes fluttered, even when the soft sounds of the crackling fire were drained out, even when his hands had left a purple mark. She still said nothing.
"Good girl," he rasped, finally releasing his hold on her neck. She gasped, taking deep breaths to fill out the entire capacity of her lungs. She coughed, hunched over, still looking pale and sickly.
He pulled at her waist, urging her to lie down. Her head fitted comfortably in his lap as he stroked her face and she drifted off into a deep slumber. His fingers were lightly tracing her lips when the portrait rattled and opened. It was Professor Slughorn.
Tom glanced at him, Slughorn was about to speak when his gaze shifted to Briar sleeping soundly in Tom's lap. The professor nodded slowly, well, it wasn't exactly a nod. More of a head movement. He looked slightly confused or perhaps delighted. It was not easy to tell. "Professor Dumbledore has requested to see Miss Emeralds," Slughorn whispered in the softest voice possible for an elderly man.
"With all do respect Professor. It has been a long few days. I will not wake her just because Professor Dumbledore wishes to speak with her. It will wait till tomorrow."
Slughorn hesitated, unsure of whether he should reprimanded the boy for his refusal to obey orders. But with a glance once more at the young faerie, her messy red hair sprawled across Tom's legs, his expression softened. "Very well," he said with a nod. He was about to exit the common room. "Tom," he paused for a moment. "It's nice to see you finally getting close to somebody. Even for a brilliant boy like you, the company of our thoughts is sometimes not enough." And with that, the door closed.
Tom stared ahead, nodding to himself at the words spoken by the professor.
A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a while!! The last few weeks of term have been crazy for me with online learning throughout my city's lockdown. But holidays start in a few days so you can expect more regular updates! As always, thanks for the support.
- Lilith <3