In too deep
Give up and run
No fire rides
Oh, bitch, you've got it wrong
In too deep
I have become my darkest dream,
which I'm running from
~Fire Rides by MØ
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"WHAT IS IT NOW, Tom?" Tom got up from his throne-like armchair and stood across from where she sat on the couch. His hands were behind his back formally, as he paced back and forth, seeming in deep thoughts.
"Believe me I could curse you so bad right now you'd forget your own name." He suddenly threatened, standing dead in his tracks.
"I usually don't accept such idiocracy in my presence," he leaned down slowly towards her, a loathsome scowl aimed at her, "but this time I'll let it slip."
He stood straight again, still glowering at her before he spat, "I will punish those who defy me."
She would actually admit that he looked particularly menacing, especially while uttering these words. So she nodded her head, not bothering to argue with him all over again.
"I want you to look into my future," Tom spoke suddenly, making her jaw drop as she fumbled for the right words.
"What?! You've waited all this month, can't you just wait for tomorrow for Merlin's sake! I really need some rest right now," She almost shouted, standing up in her seat.
Tom grabbed her wrist immediately, but his grip was surprisingly soft, as if stroking her skin.
No, she didn't feel fireworks or butterflies, she didn't feel electricity or whatsoever.
In reality, the feeling was something she couldn't quite describe, something foreign and unfamiliar. She felt warmth just at the strangely soft touch of Riddle.
"Don't be weak and pathetic. If you think that you can easily avoid this, then you're incredibly wrong," He tugged at her wrist, motioning for her to sit again.
She sighed, sitting back next to him. They were way too close, almost pressed against eachother.
For some reason, she felt her heart being squeezed in her chest, so painfully, yet still excitedly. She had no idea why she felt such way, but she tried to bury it deep within her nonetheless.
"You know I can't just look into your future whenever I want, Tom. I am not an advanced Seer." She said hastily, fiddling with her hands in her lap. For some reason, she felt really unsettled by their close proximity. Who wouldn't when it comes to Tom Riddle?
"What happened to the oh-so-outstanding know-it-all?" He knew very well what words to choose, for he was well aware that Rosalind would do anything to show him that she is capable of exceeding his expectations.
She sighed, before turning her position to face him. "Fine, you have to look straight into my eyes." She ordered. A playful smirk appeared on Tom's face, as he tilted his head slightly and the waves of his midnight hair fell over his forehead. If it was possible, he looked even more enticing and intimidating.
"If you wanted to stare at me so bad, Bonaccord, you could've just asked," He murmured, a dark chuckle escaping his lips when she scowled at him.
"If you want me to see anything, you have to shut up. Let me concentrate." Her words seemed to amuse him even more, but he sobered up and stared into her eyes.
They stared at eachother for a few moments, and she took advantage of the moment to study his electrifying blue eyes, how innocent they looked but how much darkness they held.
"It's not working." He sighed in frustration at her words, running a hand through his hair.
"Then try something else." He spat somehow desperately.
Rosalind didn't think before holding both of his hands in hers. She had read that in a book before, if eye contact didn't work, then physical contact would do.
And well, the warmth she felt at his touch just a few minutes ago was nothing compared to the electricity she was feeling now.
"Now you want to hold my hands-" Tom purred, but he was interrupted when Rosalind dug her nails into his skin.
"Just shut up Riddle," She said through gritted teeth.
"Oh, and must I warn you, I might faint here for all you know. Expect anything," She continued tauntingly, taking a deep breath and looking into his eyes.
It took a few moments, but then, just like a week ago, his eyes turned into a frightening dark color, nearly unrealistic. Images flashed before her eyes, and strange voices and sounds sneaked into her ears.
A grand manor was the first thing that came into view. The image twirled and dissolved in front of her as hundreds of serpents slithered around her.
Strange hissing noises creeped to her ears, somehow rhythmic like any other language. Then all she could see was water.
The images were almost indistinguishable and the voices sounded like a buzz, except for the heart-wrenching screams every now and then.
The same objects appeared in front of her. A diary, a locket, a cup, a diadem, a ring, a snake, and something else too..
She saw a baby. A baby that had a pair of grass green eyes and an innocent face. But before she could even look at him very well, a lightning bolt flashed right before her eyes.
And what was the most unsettling thing that she ever saw in a vision, was herself. She saw herself, by Tom's side, her wand -as well as his- held readily.
Suddenly, she started shaking violently, her eyes rolling to the back of her head. All of the candles that lit the room were extinguished, leaving them in absolute darkness. Tom could feel the strange and extremely powerful aura radiating around him.
"The only threat, he thrives to destroy
He will regret, although of emotions devoid.
Love is an aspect, he wishes to avoid
But forth will Death attempt, to enlighten his void.
Death will try, to smother the flame
Of his own storm, that in his depths lay.
Death shall reign, the kingdom of his own
Though the realm shall not fall down.
Death might be a cadence from fate,
A chance of salvation, to the unworthy made."
And with these words that she wasn't even aware of saying, Rosalind slumped into Riddle's lap, drifting out of consciousness.
***
Rosalind shot up of sleep with a heaving chest, and a cold sweat breaking on her forehead and neck.
She regarded her surroundings, and she realized that she was still in the Room of Requirement. She was on one of the couches, a light blanket covering her.
Tom was seated in the opposite couch, Magick Moste Evile held in his hand. Upon noticing that Rosalind was up and staring at him, he snapped the book shut and tucked it between the mattresses of the couch.
"I almost thought you were hibernating," Tom smirked, watching as Rosalind got up and stretched in her place.
"What happened last night?" She muttered, almost falling back onto the couch as she swayed, losing balance.
His chuckle was throaty and faint, but it still felt graceful to her ears.
"What do you think happened last night?" Tom smirked, winking at her teasingly.
Rosalind shoved a pillow at him, which he caught so easily.
"I'm supposed to ask that question. What did you see? Besides the complete nonsense that you said," Tom's expression seemed to morph into a much darker one just at the mention of her vision.
Rosalind winced at the memories of the previous night, and the horrible images she witnessed. But the thing was, she wasn't aware that she'd said anything at all.
"What are you talking about? What did I say?" She questioned, Tom glaring at her in return.
"Don't be ridiculous Bonaccord, it was a prophecy that you said. One that I will try my best to decipher," He spat through his teeth.
"What is the prophecy?" She took a step forward, nervous about all the various things she could've said.
Tom pulled out a crumpled piece of parchment from the pocket of his trousers. He handed it to her, and she struggled not to blush at the slight contact of their skin.
She straightened the piece of parchment and observed the emerald, cursive words written. It was no doubt Tom's handwriting.
And as she read the prophecy, her jaw dropped at the words written. She wasn't quite sure of the meaning of her words, but she tried to associate her vision with it.
What if this prophecy involved her?
"Uh, um- dear Rowena! Shouldn't we be heading to class? It's almost noon." Rosalind tried to avoid telling him of her seeing, but she knew nonetheless that there was no way out of it. Tom was not dumb at all.
"Seriously? It's Sunday," He snarled, a scowl deforming his fine features. He blocked her way as she attempted to escape and go to the door.
"You looked into my future. It is my right to know what you saw." With every word, the dark boy moved a step forward, making Rosalind take a step back.
"Are you going to tell me or shall I persuade you to? You'll find I can be very persuasive." Tom smirked, still leaning closer to her.
She remained absolutely silent, just because she liked to challenge Tom so much. Her back was slightly arched backwards when Tom cornered her between himself and the couch. It was a struggle for her to remain balanced and not fall backwards pathetically, or to hold on Tom to gain balance.
"No? Nothing?" He whured, now inches away from her face.
"If you think that in this way you're persuading me, then you're incredibly wrong," She spat back, straightening her back as much as she could.
"Oh really?" Tom murmured, tilting his head to the side. She watched the prodigy that took place right before her eyes: Tom Riddle grinned.
He grinned as he pushed her -with a slight poke of his pointing finger on her shoulder - and she fell so pathetically backwards onto the couch.
Tom was laughing darkly -literally laughing - while Rosalind scowled at him. If it was anyone other than him, they would've definitely been intimidated by her scowl and her angry aura.
"You're so evil," She spat, getting up once again.
Tom just laughed even harder. This time, he didn't stop her when she headed to the exit of the room.
"You're going to tell me eventually, even if I have to use Veritaserum on you," His hands were crossed neatly and politely behind his back.
"Oh and for the record," Tom added, and Rosalind spun around to glare at him, "We have an important task on Christmas break. Don't expect to visit your mother. You'll be with me."
She gaped at him, almost mistaking his words for a joke.
"I beg your pardon?" She replied calmly despite the raging storm within.
"You heard me clearly. Did you expect that spoony fools are recruited into my order? You will always have a task to achieve. Now off you go."
Rosalind obeyed, leaving the Room of Requirement, not before slamming the door behind her with a loud thud. She struggled to hold back her angry tears all the way back to the common room. The fact that the only chance to spend some time with her mother was taken away from her hurt her greatly.
She knew that it was pointless to argue with Tom, for she was well acquainted with what he was capable of. After last night's events, he would certainly not hesitate to torture her.
She muttered the answer to the riddle and walked in to the Ravenclaw common room, only to come across Willow and Oliver seated in one of the couches.
"Oh, looks like the brilliant Rosalind Bonaccord finally decides to come back to her modest common room," Oliver snapped, glaring heatedly at her.
"Where have you been? I've waited all night for you. You never showed up," Willow was kinder with her words, while Oliver was completely hostile.
"You've been with Riddle again, haven't you? God knows what you were doing with him! Well, it's not the first time you spend the night with that horrible boy," He spat, infuriating her with his prejudice and rudeness.
She gaped at him before exclaiming a "How dare you?!" at the same time Willow scolded an "Oliver!"
"What are you implying Oliver?" She spat, glaring at the guy that was supposedly her best friend.
"We're only worried about you Rosalind. You know that Riddle's no good," Willow explained calmly, her grass green eyes holding sadness and disappointment.
"That doesn't give you the right to interfere into my private life, nor make previous assumptions about me!" Rosalind retaliated, now finding it extremely difficult to hold back her tears.
She was fed up with everyone being so bossy around her, so rude and mean. She was extremely hurt by the way her own friends were treating her. If they were actually worried about her, then that was the wrong way to portray it.
"You don't understand, Rosalind! There are plenty of guys here at Hogwarts. Maybe not as charming and attractive as Riddle," Oliver said mockingly, "but definitely better than him."
"We're going back to that again! There is absolutely nothing between Riddle and I! Oh dear, I don't even have to explain myself to you. It's your own choice whether you believe me or not." She answered furiously, missing the disappointed look on Oliver and Willow's faces as she stomped off to her dormitory.