Tom was strolling in the corridors. He still had some time before actual curfew started. However, he was having some free time and he really needed to analyze the situation at hand. A small smile graced his lips as he recalled how Ahina had petrified a muggle-born witch. Well! He was planning to attack Penelope Johnsson, but it was okay. However, he was happy with the buzz it created. Now Salazar would be happy with him. At least one ancestor of his would be proud of his accomplishments. And he was the only one who mattered. Others were just for the show anyway. Tom had always been alone. All he had done was always for himself. Other students had families to gush about their deeds, even if what they were able to accomplish was insignificant to what he had achieved. But now that he knew his origins, he wanted to make his ancestor proud. Let him, Salazar Slytherin, know that his legacy was not abandoned. That there was actually a successor who was capable enough to go through his noble plans.
He came across the turn which lead to that abandoned corridor. It was the same corridor where he was woken up by the Transfiguration master himself. (He shuddered as he recalled the embarrassment of that day.) The same one from where he had followed Alexa into the forest. A shiver ran through his spine as he reminisced his experience in the forest. It was frightening yet thrilling. Frightening because he was attacked by a vampire and thrilling because of - well - Alexa. He had finally discovered a part of her mystery. And he couldn't be more thrilled.
After that incidence, Tom took it upon himself to pay extra attention to that corridor. He made sure that he was the only person who would do that. He always had been fluent in his way with sugar-coated words and irresistible Riddle charm. He had no idea when Alexa would decide to take that path again. And so, he decided to be cautious. Her secret was his to keep. His to look after. She was his to possess. He looked around himself. Surprisingly enough, the corridor even lacked the frames. Was this Dumbledore's doing? He wondered. He had a strong suspicion. The older man had his hands full with sources, so it wouldn't be astonishing.
He was just rounding when his eyes fell on the girl who homed his mind. She was there. Right there in the stone corridor. And to him, she looked deep in thoughts.
Standing in the corridor during the curfew was not something Alexa thought she would be doing. One moment she was in her common room with Avanti Rathi and Logan McLaggen, her fellow house-mates, and the next moment she found herself leaving the warmth to join the chilly airs outside. A sigh escaped her lips. She knew she was doing a shitty job at consoling the girl anyway. Alexa was a compassionate girl. Usually, an act of consoling anyone came naturally to her, but that night was different. Rathi girl was too upset to handle. The girl herself had frozen seeing an immobile body of her practical sister. For which reason? Not known. And apparently, Logan was doing a better job than her. So, she left. The sadness in the usual warm common-room was unbearable. Insufferable. Suffocating.
Alexa took in a heavy breath. Her back was turned to the corridor she stood in, while the front of her anatomy was directed towards the forbidden forest. She didn't know why but the black lake and forbidden forest had a weird way of soothing her dilemmas. She was not foolish enough to actually think of evading either of them, but they had the charm of their own. Her eyes fixated on the moon. That day it had a hint of red on the edges. The chilly air of night kissed the bare skin of her hands. Unlike other times, though, it didn't soothe her. She knew it was risky to roam around the castle when a student was found petrified, but she really couldn't bear one more second in her house. Besides all the thoughts that occupied every inch of her brain didn't allow her to actually contemplate the consequence of her actions.
Perhaps she should have.
"Flipendo!"
A sudden force from her right caught the girl off guard. A shriek of surprise left her parted mouth. Her left side hit the stone pillar in the corridor. An impact elicited a cry of pain as her dexterous hand took most of the impact. The girl winced as she heard a small sound from the wrist.
"Finally. Finally, you are where you belong."
Alexa looked up as a familiar set of blue eyes caught her attention. Unlike their last meeting, however, this time they were blood-shot. Just like how her robes were wrinkled and her hairs dishevelled. It was Odelia Flint. The petite owner with high pitch voice was not exactly on friendly terms with Alexa. The infamous member or rather ex-member of the green trio of their school shared a really bad history of conflicts with the female badger. It took a few moments of wincing and shuddering for Alexa to get back to normal. She was a hybrid, so she was healing faster than the average human. However, no way was she going to let this girl sniff around her secrets. So she pretended to look at the ground and continue her act. Meanwhile, she stealthily took out her wand from her left sock.
The other girl who was currently facing the wrath of the girl she betrayed was standing tall and proud.
For a moment, Alexa did feel bad for the female Slytherin. She knew if she hadn't blurted out the truth in the face of Sabrina Parkinson the trio would still have been strong. However, the moment ended as she realized that it was not her who actually betrayed a friend. Everyone has to pay for the actions they committed.
"This is where you belong. On the ground. Bowing your head. Getting what you deserve for meddling into my business. Taking my friends away." The girl continued as she raised her wand again, ready to strike.
"Petrificus-"
For a tiny moment again, Alexa contemplated. One small and crazy part of her wondered if she should let this girl have her way. Maybe that way she would leave the girl alone. But she knew this was too good to fathom. She knew if she allowed for that to happen, it would continue from then on. And perhaps, she would be targeted forever. So, she looked up.
"Protego!"
Her shield protected her from being petrified. Her wand clutched in her right hand.
Alexa stood up from her place. This time wincing for real as she realized that her left leg was broken as well. Her werewolf genes usually healed her broken bones when she shifted, but her current injuries were artificial. This was the reason why she had to switch the hand to hold her wand.
The scene infuriated the Flint girl. She thought she had done enough damage.
"SERPENSORTIA," Odelia yelled.
The white light emerged from the tip of the wand. Once it faded Alexa could see that it had left a small slithery black snake on the floor just a four feet away. Odelia gave a sinister smirk as she saw the droplets gathered on Alexa's forehead. "This is what you get filth, for taking away my Tom from me."
"Aquilorma," Alexa struck back.
The serpent looked frozen as a beautiful eagle emerged from a tip of her wand with a yellow light made its way toward its target. Before anyone could move the eagle picked the serpent in its claws and soared in the night sky.
The girls turned back to one another. This time Alexa was making direct eye contact with the brunette beauty. Her nostrils flared. She was done being just a defender.
"Tom was never yours. He is mine. Always will be." She gritted her teeth. Her muscles were itching to relocate, to reveal what a beast she had hidden within. Her vibrant violet eyes challenged her opponent to contradict just once. One more defiance and she would unleash the beast off its chains. Gladly.
Had Alexa been in a normal state of mind she would have wondered when had she actually claimed Tom. But she was not. She was far from that. The wolves are said to guard what is theirs. And in her unstable mind, he was hers.
The sudden transformation, however, left the opponent horrified. Her wand dropped from her hand as she tried to make a sense out of the situation. She had no idea what was happening to this girl.
"WHO - NO - WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU?" She screeched terrified. Her body covered in sweat as she looked at how Alexa's bare hands suddenly looked hairier than before.
"Why? You are not scared, are you?" Alexa tutted. "I remember telling you to keep distance, but you don't listen, do you?"
Her voice sounded so different to her ears. She was not digging the hole and hiding there badger anymore. She was ferocious, a territorial badger who protected its possession passionately. Her wolfish tendencies only emphasizing her possessiveness. She was a wolverine on a hunt.
And it was made clear in those mocked questions as the recipient cowered to the ground with their blue eyes still wide open.
"W-What are you doing?" Her voice quivered.
Oh! Alexa loved this new turn of events. She loved how the snitch was in her reach suddenly.
"Making sure that you will remember only the bits," She replied. "Obliviate!"
A green light emerged from the tip of Alexa's wand as she modified the memory of the female snake.
Standing there, Tom never felt more pride in his life. He wanted to test Alexa's ability. He was happy that he didn't interfere. He was happy that he got to witness what he had. In his opinion, a woman who takes care of her own is the most attractive of all. Nothing made them more tempting. More desirable. Sexier. However, he couldn't pinpoint what made him the happiest, her proving that she was capable enough to protect herself or her claiming him as hers. Never did he imagine that he would love being possessed. Claimed. With that thought, he took firm strides in his girl's direction.
~*~*~
Okay, so the spell for casting eagle is out of imagination since I couldn't find anything related to that in the fandom.
I forgot to mention this in chapter 69, the picture mentioned there is a copy of the one mentioned in chapter 22. Do you remember Alexa's family photograph? That one.
If you want to refresh your memory, chapter 50 has the incidence of Alexa and Odelia. And then in chapter 62, it is mentioned how the green trio had their fall.
Anyway, I am not sure how far it is, I finally figured how I want to end the adventure of ATom. And I hope it would make sense to us all. The further chapters will be built on that. I will leave the possibility of sequel up to you and my motivation level. Don't worry this is not the end and I am not giving my acknowledgement speech.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the little duel. It isn't much, but I tried. And I really hope that you liked how Alexa claimed Tom and took control of her own. Did you? Let me know what do you predict should happen next. You never know how your suggestion might help me in improvement.
Me: Eagle saves the day!!!
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Thank you all!!!