Avalon woke up the next morning to the feeling of the sunlight hitting her cheeks. Xavier was already awake, his forehead close to hers as he watched her shift in his arms, a smile painting its way onto his lips before he whispered a greeting to her, his voice still raspy from the night's sleep. A part of her was anxious about how much of the night he recalled. He seemed rather calm, but did he truly not remember her entering his mind? She wasn't too sure. So, she made sure to ask him about his night.
It didn't take long for her to conclude that he didn't remember anything past Madam Bardot giving him the pain-relieving potion-- it appeared as though her prying had, indeed, been erased entirely from his memory
He was in quite good spirits as he pulled her in for several short-lived kisses, whispering sweet nothings into her lips as he held her closer and closer until Madam Bardot finally came over and cleared her throat behind them, lifting the silencing charm that had remained over Xavier's bed during the night before she told Avalon it would be best if she went back to her own room for the time being, so the Healer could do a couple of final check-ins with Xavier before discharging him from the Hospital Wing.
The cheeky boy stole one last kiss from Avalon's lips, earning a pointed glare from Madam Bardot, before he told his new girlfriend to be ready for the Quidditch game later that day. Avalon laughed, agreed, thanked the Healer, and began making her way out of the Hospital Wing.
She mulled over how being in a relationship with Xavier could undoubtedly be the perfect opportunity for her to find a home within his heart and perhaps earn access into the Slytherins' inner circle. She needed to truly be a part of their group to ensure that she could be fully trusted and sworn into their secrecy. If dating one of the boys was her best way in, then so be it.
Obviously, Xavier knew more about Tom's plans than he let on, and she was determined to find out everything that he held stored within that mind of his.
Two Horcruxes. Only two Horcruxes stood in the way of her and completing her mission. Between her and saving the wizarding world that she knew and loved.
As she made her way out of the room, her eyes landed on Nott, who was sitting up in Rosalie's bed with a wide grin on his face. His blonde girlfriend was now wide awake, her cheeks flushed a soft pink and her laughter echoing through the room. Avalon couldn't help but smile at how much happier Nott looked now that Rosalie was awake and seemingly doing well. As she looked around the Hospital Wing, she noticed that most everyone was awake and in much better spirits this morning. A couple of Healers were making rounds and checking up on the students, but it appeared nearly all the injuries had been healed overnight. Thankfully, the new day seemed to have brought a new sense of life back into the Hospital Wing that had been riddled with nerves and grief only the night prior.
On her walk back to Ravenclaw Tower, Avalon noticed that something had shifted. Things were different-- the people that she passed by in the halls no longer avoided her eyes. They didn't turn to their friends and whisper to each other. They didn't move quickly to get out of her way.
A couple of students smiled at her. One even waved.
It was as if her reputation around the school had changed overnight. She was no longer Avalon Hendrix, the violent Durmstrang transfer. She was Avalon Hendrix, the girl who fought bravely against members of the Alliance... and won.
----
Several hours passed, most of them spent napping as Avalon realized she hadn't had a good night's sleep at all while cramped in Xavier's hospital bed, before it was time to start getting ready for the Quidditch game.
The room was oddly quiet, and Avalon found herself humming a soft tune to herself as she tossed on a black dress, coat, and shoes before brushing her hair in the mirror. Zelda was still nowhere to be found, which was strange for her.
It felt odd to be getting ready for a Quidditch match without her friends. Usually, the hours before games would be spent giving pep talks to Ron in an attempt to ease his nerves, making posters while painting their faces in house colors, and exchanging friendly banter with her friends whenever Ravenclaw was playing against Gryffindor.
She had never been too keen on sports, but Quidditch games grew to be some of her favorite memories. She wondered if this match could possibly make her feel that same euphoric feeling, but she doubted that it was possible in the absence of her friends. While she may have still been a student at Hogwarts, she was painfully aware of how she would always be an outsider in this time.
The sound of the door unlocking pulled her from her thoughts and she turned in time to see Zelda walking into their room, her curls unruly and her robes disheveled as she smugly plopped onto her bed.
"Zelda Shacklebolt, have you just done a walk of shame?" Avalon asked, trying to bite back her grin as she looked at her flushed roommate who rolled her eyes before hiding her face in her hands.
"Oh, hush," she said, her cheeks glowing red as Avalon giggled. "I came back to our room last night to grab some things and I noticed your bed was awfully empty, too, Miss Hendrix!"
"I spent the night by Xavier's side. Madam Bardot had to give him Skele-Gro," Avalon replied with a sigh.
Zelda's face contorted into a look of pity. "I've heard that stuff is bloody awful."
"I think he would agree," Avalon said before taking a quick pause. "Also, a slight update..."
"Do tell," Zelda said, propping herself up on her elbows.
"He asked me to be his girlfriend last night...and I said yes."
Zelda's jaw dropped near a meter to the floor before she burst into laughter and said, "Funny thing is, Jane asked me the same thing."
"Z, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you two," Avalon exclaimed, clapping her hands together before a pout washed over her face. "Wait. Does that mean you'll be leaving me alone on Slytherin's side to sit with Jane and Gryffindor today at the match?"
"Oh my," Zelda said, laughing. "Even if I weren't dating a Gryffindor, I still wouldn't sit on Slytherin's side. It's alright, though, you'll still have your boyfriend. Merlin, I never thought the day would come when Xavier Lestrange goes steady with anyone. I always knew you were something special, but you've outdone yourself this time." Avalon rolled her eyes, but her smile lingered on her lips as she went back to getting ready. Zelda watched her closely before asking, "Is that what you're wearing to the game?"
"I was planning on it," Avalon replied, a sudden wave of uncertainty hitting her. "Why?"
"Last I checked, black is not a house color for Slytherin," Zelda pointed out.
"Need I remind you that I'm not a Slytherin?"
"Today you are," her roommate said matter-of-factly, taking out her wand and pointing it at Avalon. Her black dress turned emerald, a stripe of green painted its way into her hair, and silver stars speckled across her cheeks. Zelda let out a small chirp of satisfaction, smiling at her own work. "Much better."
"And what of yourself?" Avalon asked, crossing her arms.
"I was getting there!" Zelda replied before flicking her wand in her own direction, painting her face with a stripe of bright red and morphing her jumper into Gryffindor's colors. "Satisfied?"
Avalon grinned and nodded, "Very much so. You look-"
The abrupt sound of a knock cut her off. Both girls narrowed their eyes on their door, shrugging at each other, before Avalon strode over and cracked it open.
"Hello, darl-"
She slammed the door shut in Xavier's face, turning swiftly to speak to Zelda. "It's Xavier."
Zelda raised an eyebrow incredulously. "How in Merlin's name did he get in here?"
"I don't bloody know!" Avalon grumbled, opening the door again.
"Not a very nice way to greet your boyfr-" he said, his words once again cut off as she yanked him into the room by his arm. He chuckled as he looked around, nodding at Zelda. "Hey, Shacks."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Avalon asked, rolling her eyes as Xavier walked towards her bed and plopped down onto it. He was wearing a green jumper and silver scarf, his eyes curiously examining their room as he ran a hand through his perfectly tousled hair.
"It's nice to see you, too, love," he grinned.
"No, honestly, how are you even in here?" she grumbled.
"It's incredible how many First Years will sneak you into the Common Room for a couple of galleons," he said, shrugging.
"Lestrange, you truly are despicable," Zelda said, holding back her own laughter.
"How's our project coming along?" he asked slyly, earning a glare in return.
"The chalice can grow a tail and four paws now," Zelda replied.
"Good to see we are making progress. Let's keep it up, shall we?" he said with a wink.
"Why you're dating him, I will never understand," Zelda said to Avalon.
He began to speak once more, "Might have something to do with my incredible good looks, charming personality-"
"I don't understand either, Z. I don't," Avalon said, causing her roommate to laugh and her boyfriend to pout. He patted the area beside him on her bed and she sighed before making her way over to him. He wasted no time to wrap his arms around her waist and pull her down onto his lap, stealing a quick kiss to her lips before he turned back to Zelda.
"Hey, Shacklebolt, can we get some privacy for a bit?" he asked.
"Mind you, this is my room, too," Zelda said, glaring at him.
He stuck a hand into his pockets, pulling out a galleon and tossing it towards her. "Does this change anything?"
Zelda watched as the golden coin landed on her bed and picked it up hesitantly, staring at it for a moment before saying, "Maybe if you doubled it." He rolled his eyes and pulled another one out, throwing it in her direction once more. She caught it in mid-air and grinned, stuffing the two of them in her own pocket before shrugging. "I was off to meet Jane anyway. But, thanks for the tip," she said, standing up and walking to the door. "See you two from the winning side of the match." She waved at them before heading out, closing the door behind her and leaving them trapped in their own isolation.
Xavier wasted no time, tangling his fingers in Avalon's dark hair and pulling her towards him. His lips lingered over hers for a moment, the smell of cologne and wine once again tickling her nose as he stared into her eyes. "You know," he said before closing the gap between them and placing a soft kiss on her lips. "We could skip the match," he muttered into her skin, his lips trailing onto her cheeks. "And just stay here," he said, moving down and scattering a trail of feather-light kisses along her neck. "They'd never know."
She pulled away, rolling her eyes as he flashed his lazy smirk at her and leaned backward, propping himself up on his elbows as he watched her. It came as no surprise to her, but he was an incredibly physical lover. It was as though he became a thousand times more forward-- if that was even possible-- when they made their relationship official. "You mean you'd skip out on your Euphoria tradition with Rosier?"
"Trust me, darling, it doesn't get much more euphoric than this," he said with a wink.
She ignored his comment and noted, "I see you're feeling all better."
"Better than ever," he said, stretching out both of his arms. "Everyone was discharged from the infirmary around the same time I was. I don't think anyone was left."
"So Rosalie was released, too?"
"Yeah. Nott was over the moon about it. Good thing, too. Imagine if our Seeker wasn't in high spirits today."
"Xavier, there are more important things in life than making sure you win a Quidditch game."
"Easy for you to say," he said, leaning forward and pulling her towards him once more. "You're not the one who paid for all the booze for the after-partying assuming your team would win."
"Merlin, you need to learn to be more responsible with your money."
He let out a light laugh before moving her hair to the side, his hot breath tickling her skin as he spoke. "I've learned life is a lot more fun when you live irresponsibly," he said a moment before placing another kiss on her neck.
"Xavier-"
"Avalon," he muttered into her skin.
"We have to go," she said insistently, gently pushing him away.
"Must we, though?" he whined, taking her hand into his own.
"Yes," she laughed, standing up and pulling him with her, receiving an annoyed groan from him as he reluctantly stood.
"Alright, alright. Whatever you say, love," he said, giving her a tight-lipped smile as he walked over to the door and motioned towards the exit. "After you."
----
The crowd was already buzzing as Xavier and Avalon made their way through the bleachers, their eyes scanning the area for their friends. Students were already cheering, some were blowing horns, and it seemed as though there was a world of difference between the energy that loomed over the student body at that moment versus the day prior. Apparently, there were few things in life that could not be mended by the excitement that came along with the first Quidditch match of the year: especially one between the two most rival houses.
They wove their way through a sea of green, though the opposite end of the Quidditch pitch was populated with an impenetrable block of red and gold. Xavier spotted Adonis and Tom sitting not too far away with Kyra and Rosalie beside them and he waved in their direction before leading Avalon over, holding her hand in his own as they scooted their way past other students and towards them.
"Make way," Xavier said to his friends as he plopped himself down beside Tom, dragging Avalon down into his own lap with a grin.
"Tell me you brought it," Adonis said, poking his head forward to look at Lestrange.
Xavier reached into his pocket and pulled out the bright yellow vial of the Euphoria Elixir, tossing it over to his roommate. "Bottoms up, mate."
Rosier grinned, twisting off the cap and grinning as he drank half of the liquid before handing it back to Xavier, who drank the remainder of the potion before casually discarding of the empty vial by throwing it forward into the bleachers, quickly looking away when it hit a younger Slytherin in the back of the head.
The two of them shared a look before bursting into laughter, the effects of the potion kicking in nearly instantly as their smiles grew as wide as humanly possible. Rosalie looked between the two of them and shook her head. "You two are absolute idiots."
"And here I was thinking we bonded after our shared night in the hospital," Xavier said, pouting at Nott's girlfriend, who responded with a roll of her eyes.
The crowd erupted into a loud chorus of hoots and cheers as the announcer introduced the two teams, and Xavier nearly forgot Avalon was sitting on his lap as he bolted to his feet and hollered out as his friends flew onto the pitch on their brooms. She stumbled to her feet, sighing as she stood beside him, a small smile reaching her lips when she caught sight of Orion zooming by in his emerald uniform.
Rosier clumsily pushed past Tom and Avalon, shoving her out of the way and slinging his arm around Xavier's shoulder as Mulciber and Nott flew past them. "Those are our boys!" he shouted, his eyes glossed over with pure bliss.
Avalon struggled to keep her balance as the two boys jumped up and down together, cheering on their friends as if they were the only two people in the bleachers. She found herself pushed to the side, closer to where Riddle was sitting, and reluctantly took the seat beside him as her 'boyfriend' danced atop his seat with his roommate attached at his hip.
The effects of the elixir was painfully evident as the two boys cheered for their friends at the top of their lungs. They were so loud that people several rows in front of them turned to send pointed glares their way, though neither one was conscious enough to truly notice.
Rosalie was busy cheering on Axel and Kyra kept stealing glances towards Tom, though his attention was elsewhere. Avalon wondered where Kyra's boyfriend was before remembering that the Head Boy typically sat with the Professors in a special section of the crowd for the first game.
The game began as the referee blew a whistle and tossed the Quaffle into the air, quickly followed by the Snitch and Bludgers. The players on both teams took off instantly, the crowd roaring with excitement at every move.
Avalon looked towards Riddle, who could not possibly look more disinterested in the game if he tried. "I didn't pin you as the type to come to sporting events," she said, making him turn towards her.
"Prefects have to attend," he said dryly. "To make sure students in the crowd don't break any rules."
She glanced over at Xavier and Adonis, who were busy being the greatest nuisances in the entire stadium, before raising an eyebrow at Tom. "Looks like you're doing a bloody terrific job at that," she said.
"If I wrote up your boyfriend for every rule that he broke, he would have been expelled in Year Two," he replied. It felt strange to hear Xavier be referred to as her boyfriend by someone else, especially that person being Tom. The words seemed unnatural rolling off his tongue. Something about the way his lips tugged downwards after saying the words made her think that it felt just as strange for him to say it as it did for her to hear it.
As if on cue, Xavier and Adonis once again began singing at the top of their lungs, belting out a Slytherin fight song as Mulciber managed to score 10 points for their team when he threw the Quaffle through the center hoop, bypassing Gryffindor's Keeper. The two boys wrapped their arms around one another and jumped up and down on the bleachers, shaking the entire row as they chanted, "Mulciber! Mulciber!"
Avalon stared at Xavier with her jaw hanging slightly agape. A smug smile found its way onto Riddle's lips as he said, "You sure know how to pick them."
She rolled her eyes and muttered, "At least he's having fun. I'm surprised you didn't show up with a textbook."
He ignored her comment and instead turned his attention back to the two boys to their side. Adonis had bent down as Xavier climbed atop their seats and put his hands on his roommate's shoulders. Before Avalon could even register what the two were attempting to do, Lestrange jumped onto Rosier's shoulders, ending catastrophically as he lost his balance and the two of them went tumbling down into the row in front of them, knocking out four Second Years in the process. A chorus of grunts and groans came out of the poor kids who got swept up into their mayhem as Xavier tried to prop himself back up, using one of the younger boy's heads as leverage as he hoisted himself back to a standing position.
"What do you see in him?" Riddle's words caught Avalon off guard. She turned back towards Riddle, staring at him for a moment. His tone was curious more than anything else, and his gaze was searching, as though trying to read her before she even answered.
Xavier was many things, she thought to herself. He was, at times, arrogant, perhaps a little too full of himself, and lived with the self-righteousness of someone who had never had to work a day in his life. But, he was also charming-- more so than at times she would like to admit. He was funny, too, and served as a distraction for her from the reality that she had found herself in. Almost like a breath of fresh air in an atmosphere made of poison, he was able to give her some sort of comfort after endless uncertainty because if nothing else, she knew that at least he was infatuated by her.
He wasn't horrifically complex. Perhaps, what she liked most about him was that he was an open book: he didn't hide his flaws nor did he act better than he was. What she saw was what he was: a cocky yet redeemable boy who could take her out of her head-- someone who simplified the things around her as everything grew increasingly complex.
But, none of that mattered much. Because, truthfully, the answer to his question was that she saw a pathway to Riddle through Xavier. He was a means to an end. And since he was an open book, she intended to use him as a resource to learn more about what she needed to know: Tom Riddle and his two Horcruxes.
She knew that she could never fully trust Xavier, though. He was, after all, still one of Riddle's most loyal companions. Whether he was just naive or genuinely agreed with Tom's values, she didn't know, but it was irrelevant. As much as she wanted to let herself believe that Xavier was kind-hearted, she had to remind herself that he was-- despite his charm, despite his humor, despite his likability-- still following a future Dark Wizard.
But, still, if throughout her mission to defeat Voldemort she had to spend time with anyone, she could picture far worse options than Xavier.
She noticed that she had paused for too long, so she quickly said, "Why do you care?"
"I'm only curious," he replied. "I hadn't pinned you as one to chase cheap thrills."
She dropped her voice, making sure nobody else could hear their conversation. "Believe it or not, Riddle, some people get in relationships just because they like the other person."
His gaze was unnervingly steady as he watched her. "And most of those people are much better than you at acting as if they like their partner."
"Just because I didn't fall into his bed on the first night like the others did, doesn't mean I don't care for him."
"Ah, yes. You waited until the second night," he said, a smirk on his lips as he watched her expression turn to one of annoyance. She was ready to argue with him, but her voice was cut off by an eruption of cheers from the students around them as Slytherin earned another 10 points.
Xavier sauntered towards her, pulling a flask out of his back pocket and twisting off the cap before downing several long gulps and offering it to her, his eyes still completely entranced as he stared at her adoringly.
She shook her head, laughing. "Wouldn't want to drain your supply."
"Nonsense," he scoffed. "If you haven't noticed by now, it's charmed to never run out," he said with a wink, taking another sip before locking eyes with Riddle and saying, "It's butterbeer, promise."
The Prefect rolled his eyes and looked towards the game, ignoring Lestrange's blatant rule-breaking once more. Avalon let out a small laugh before taking the silver flask from his hands and drinking from it, the warm sting of the firewhiskey traveling down her throat a welcomed distraction from the dragging match.
And drag it did. Over an hour passed, the time ticking by rather slowly as Slytherin and Gryffindor continuously scored against one another. On several occasions, Nott got exceedingly close to catching the Golden Snitch, but it escaped from his fingertips time and time again. Rosalie cheered her boyfriend every time, regardless. Avalon was glad Rosalie had made a full recovery-- seeing the way Axel had reacted to his girlfriend's injury had been a much-needed reminder of how much love people can harbor deep down. Perhaps spending so much time with Riddle was turning Avalon into a cynic, she had nearly forgotten that love like that existed.
Throughout the game, Avalon continued taking sips from Xavier's flask, finding it tough to watch the game while fully sober. As much as she wanted to enjoy herself, it was painful to sit there and pretend as though every single Gryffindor player didn't remind her of her lost friends. Sitting there surrounded by the acquaintances of the person she was here to kill admittedly did not feel nearly as joyous as the times she had been cheering on her friends from the bleachers, Luna and Hermione by her side as they laughed their hearts out.
Still, she found glimpses of joy when she watched Orion dart by on his broom, saving Nott from a Bludger on several occasions. His blond hair was a mess as the wind blew it every which way, but she could see his pearly smile even from the stands. His gaze kept straying towards the Hufflepuff section, and following his line of sight, Avalon spotted Clara in the crowd, a bright grin sprawled across her face as she watched the game with her friends surrounding her.
And, of course, the firewhiskey didn't hurt, either. Her vision grew blurrier as the game went on and she found herself more capable of having fun the more sips she took from Xavier's handy flask. At one point, a Gryffindor grabbed the back of Avery's broom, an obvious foul, and the referee still didn't stop the match. She, Xavier, and Adonis all screamed out at the top of their lungs, "Bullshit!"
Tom looked at the three of them with a mixture of annoyance and amusement on his features, shaking his head a little before watching as Avalon once again grabbed the flask from Lestrange and took another drink. Her movements were becoming choppier, and he noticed how her hazel eyes were becoming almost as clouded as her boyfriend's, so he swiftly stole the flask from her hands, earning an angry grunt as she tried to reach for it.
She was feisty-- her hands grappling for the confiscated flask with such a fiery annoyance that Tom had to stand up and hold the silver object over his head, which only aggravated her more as his towering figure made it near impossible for her to reach what she wanted.
"I think you've had enough, Hendrix," he said sternly, still holding the flask up in the air.
"I swear on Merlin's grave I'll hex you if you don't hand it over," she grumbled, though her voice lacked the usual poison it was tainted with. A pout replaced her smile and she jumped up and down, trying to grab it back out of his reach, muttering a string of quiet profanities under her breath every time she hopped and missed.
He reckoned this was the first time she was looking at him with even a trace of humor in her eyes. A part of him wanted to thank Lestrange for giving her the drink-- at least when she was intoxicated, she became less angry. He didn't think she'd ever lose her attitude, but for the time being, it seemed as though her constant fury had subdued to a more careless normalcy.
It was a welcomed break from her usual intolerable self.
"Tom," she said, earning a raised brow as he heard her call him by his first name for a change, "you fucking-"
Her voice was drowned out in a sea of cheers, however, as Nott finally succeeded in catching the Snitch, ending the match and naming Slytherin as the victors. Tom watched as her face lit up, her attention quickly shifting back to the pitch just a moment before Xavier snaked his arm around her waist and pulled her towards him, locking their lips in a celebratory snog. Lestrange's wand shot up into the air behind them as he sent out a slew of emerald fireworks into the air, causing the younger students around them to jump up at the sounds.
It seemed as though the drinks had worn away at Hendrix's usual inhibitions as she buried her fingers into her boyfriend's hair. Tom looked away, feeling inexplicably irritated before turning to Kyra and giving her a subtle look, which she quickly noticed and returned with a smirk.
He felt the flask suddenly fly out of his fingertips as it sped into Hendrix's grasp. She smiled into her kiss the moment she felt the cool silver container enclose amid her palm, breaking away from Xavier for a second to take another sip, her eyes locked on Riddle as she drank with a cheeky grin plastered onto her lips.
The opposing teams began to descend back to the ground and the Slytherins ran to Nott, applauding him for his match-winning play. The beaming captain looked over at his team and held the Snitch into the air, the crowd hooting in celebration as the team basked in their victory. The students were roaring in pure elation, the energy in the crowd unmatched as everyone jumped up and down, shaking the seats in a mass of happiness and excitement.
Slytherin's team slowly made their way over to Gryffindor's team and they shook each other's hands as the game came to an official close. The crowd began to clear out shortly after-- the cheering continued from Slytherin's side while the sea of red opposing them had grown awfully quiet. The lot of them began to make their way over to Slytherin's Common Room, singing and prancing the entire way, all of them high off of the first win of the season.
Avalon wasn't sure if the effects of the Euphoria Elixir had worn off of Xavier, yet, but it seemed as though he had returned to his usual baseline of pure intoxication as he abruptly stopped before her and bent down, motioning for her to hop onto his back. She let out a light laugh before obliging, and held onto him as he carried her piggyback-style until they arrived back at the Common Room and he finally set her back down.
She had never seen the room quite so crowded. Hoards of Slytherins and a handful of students from other houses, all of them masquerading in emerald clothes just like Avalon, were gathered in the expansive room.
Xavier slung his arm around Avalon's shoulders and looked around at the mass of students before shouting, "I didn't buy all this booze just for you lot to stand there and not drink!"
A chorus of cheers once again echoed through the room as students quickly descended upon the countless bottles that were scattered around the room. Music flooded their senses, shaking the frames on the walls as the song bellowed loudly in the air.
Xavier took hold of her hand, placing a soft kiss atop her fingers before spinning her around to the tune that was playing and grinning before he dipped her down, stealing a kiss as he kept her hovering in his arms for a moment. "I'm going to grab us drinks, alright, darling?"
She nodded and he smiled, pressing a kiss to her nose before he let her go and left to go towards a table of alcohol. Her eyes scanned the party, taking in the sights before her. Countless students were drinking out of the bottles, cheering one another on as the celebration commenced. Spirits were high, everyone riding the wave of their win.
Riddle was standing in a corner, surrounded by several students she didn't recognize, all of them laughing as he spoke to them. His lips were twisted into a flawlessly crafted smile as he split his attention perfectly among the group, making sure none of them felt left out of the conversation. It felt unnatural to see him look so calm and collected. He even held a drink in his hands that he would sip every few moments. If she didn't know any better, she would think he looked just like any other student-- normal, happy, and even perhaps charming.
There were times when she forgot that Riddle was so well-liked among his peers. She was so used to seeing him only in the confines of their own relationship that it slipped her mind that others still viewed him with an unrequited sense of adoration.
His eyes landed on her, catching her lingering gaze, and a small smirk painted its way onto his lips as he took a sip from his cup. Her attention was diverted, though, when Kyra and Rosalie approached her, a cup in each of their hands as they stood on either side of Avalon.
"Hi, love," Rosalie said. The smile on her lips seemed a lot more genuine than the first time they had met-- Avalon wondered if making things official with Xavier made the girl realize Avalon wasn't any sort of threat to her and Axel.
"Hello," Avalon politely said, offering a smile in return. The alcohol in her system was still heavily hindering her thoughts, but she made sure not to let it show as she stood before the two girls.
"Quite a game, wasn't it?" Rosalie said, making small talk.
"Yeah. The boys put on a great match," she replied. "Props to Axel for catching the Snitch."
"I know, he's a phenomenal player," the blond said, beaming.
"I'm glad to see you've made a full recovery after your night in the Hospital Wing," Avalon said.
"Me too. Thankfully, Madam Bardot works wonders. I noticed you spent the night, too. Are you alright?"
"Yeah, I was only there to be with Xavier."
Rosalie nodded before she carefully chose her next words. "You and Xavier seemed quite smitten with each other at the game."
Avalon laughed before she shrugged. "We made things official between us yesterday."
The two girls shared a quick look before Rosalie spoke again. "I thought so! Aw, that's quite lovely."
Kyra was smiling, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. She looked at Avalon as she took a sip from her drink then said, "So happy for you, love." Her grey eyes were cold and her voice lacked emotion. It wasn't hard to understand why she and Tom seemed to get along. "It's amazing that Lestrange finally settled down with someone. I swear, he's been with nearly every girl at Hogwarts."
Avalon bit the inside of her cheek, trying to hide her irritation as Kyra's smile grew a little wider, awaiting Avalon's response. "Yes, we're quite happy," she said. "How is Travers?"
Kyra's smile faltered a little bit, but she quickly regained her composure and offered a tight-lipped smile as she replied, "Renley is doing well."
It was at this moment that Xavier sauntered back over, a drink in either one of his hands as he swerved between Avalon and the two girls and said, "Sorry, stealing my girlfriend back," before he handed the drink to her and used his newly freed hand to guide her away from the others. He put his own cup to his lips and took a sip, his eyes lingering towards Rosalie and Kyra, who were now whispering among each other. A moment passed before he returned his attention to Avalon and smiled. "Drink up, darling."
Both of their eyes were still glossed from their intoxication, but they continued drinking nonetheless. A few moments later, the doors to the Common Room burst open and everyone exploded into roaring cheers as the Quidditch team finally arrived.
Avalon spotted Avery almost instantly and smiled at him, waving excitedly as he rushed over, a wide grin on his face. His hair was still wet from his post-match shower and his green jumper clung to his chest as he came and wrapped her in a hug. "You did it!" she exclaimed, returning his hug happily.
"Merlin, I'd missed playing so much. Haven't felt a rush like that in ages," he said, letting her go and looking around. "This is wicked."
Xavier held his drink out to Orion and grinned. "Bottoms up, mate. Congrats on the win." Avery gladly took the cup from his friend's hands and downed it in one go, shaking his head as he absentmindedly put his cup on a side-table. Avalon quickly drained her own cup before turning to Xavier and asking, "Could you get me another drink?"
"Anything for you, love," he said, taking her cup and walking off to refill it.
Finally alone with Orion, she grinned and nudged his shoulder. "Enjoying your victory?"
He shrugged, his eyes trailing wistfully around the room. "Kind of. I mean, obviously winning is great, but I wish I could celebrate with Clara." He sighed, but then his eyes widened and he added, "Not that celebrating with you isn't great-"
"I get it," she laughed. "Is she here? I saw her at the game."
He nodded and she was able to follow his eyes until she saw Clara in the crowd, surrounded by a couple of other Hufflepuff girls and one of the boys from the Quidditch team. "She came with her roommate, Isabella. She's dating one of the Chasers on the team. She's a pureblood, though, so it's a lot easier for them, I guess," he said, chuckling bitterly.
"Well, lucky for you, you're well-experienced at sneaking around. I'm sure you'll be able to celebrate with her tonight," she said, trying to cheer him up.
"To be fair, you have caught me about four times now," he said with a grin.
"I never said you were good at it," she replied, earning a laugh from him.
"So word around the castle is that you're dating Lestrange now?" he said, wiggling his eyebrows at her as she rolled her eyes. "After we won, I saw the two of you getting... pretty cozy together."
"Oh, shut it," she laughed, lightly punching his arm. "I've already stumbled upon you and Clara with your tongues down each other's throats, now we're even."
"Touché," he said, clearly amused.
Out of the corner of her eyes, Avalon noticed Riddle making his way towards Kyra. She watched as he whispered something into the girl's ear, and Kyra held his gaze for a moment before excusing herself from the group and walking away. Avalon's eyes followed the girl as she made her way out of the party and towards the boys' dorms, disappearing into the shadows of the hallway completely.
Avalon then returned her attention to Riddle, who lifted his cup back to his lips and finished his drink before he noticed her gaze. A smirk wrote its way onto his lips as he held her gaze for a moment before he set his empty cup down and made his way over to his dorm, as well.
"Can you do me a favor?" said Avery, breaking her out of her thoughts.
"What do you need?"
"Could you tell Clara to meet me at our usual spot in an hour?" he asked. "She'll know where it is."
"You got it, Romeo," she grinned before walking over towards Clara.
When the doe-eyed girl saw her approaching, a bright smile beamed onto her face. "Avalon, it's lovely to see you!"
"Good to see you too," she smiled. "I come bearing a message."
"How fun."
She lowered her voice so the people around them wouldn't hear her when she said, "A certain someone wants you to meet him at your 'usual spot' in an hour."
Clara's eyes darted around until they finally landed on Avery, and she shot him a shy smile. Avalon suddenly felt as though she were being watched, and she turned around just in time to see Xavier walk over and snake his arm around her, pulling her away from Clara and into a corner before she had a chance to say a proper goodbye to Avery's girlfriend.
She sensed slight irritation sprawled across his face, but it quickly disappeared when he handed her the refilled cup and smiled. "For you, darling."
"Thank you," she said, taking a sip. For once, it wasn't firewhiskey that she tasted, but rather spiked butterbeer-- a much-welcomed change. He took her hand and led her over to a couch in the corner of the room. Rosier, Mulciber, and Avery were already sitting there on nearby chairs, chatting amidst themselves as Xavier and Avalon approached. She noticed Nott's absence, but it seemed as though the Quidditch captain had a tendency to leave the boys to be with his girlfriend, anyway. She wished that Avery could do the same.
They spent a decent amount of time sitting on the couches with the boys, all of them lazily knocking back drink after drink until their vision was going blurry. Their laughter echoed through the room, though it was drowned out by the music and sounds of the party raging around them. Avery left an hour later to sneak off with Clara, leaving her with Rosier, Mulciber, and Lestrange. She learned that the three of them were arguably the heaviest drinkers in all of Hogwarts and she struggled to keep up with the rate at which they kept downing their cups.
By the end of the night, she had lost count of how many drinks she had. Spending so much time with Fred and George had, however, built up her tolerance-- she thanked their numerous nights of debauchery for her ability to drink like a sailor. Though, even her mind was hazed as she laughed the night away with her legs sprawled across Xavier's lap as Mulciber told the same story over and over again, making them laugh more with each forgotten repetition.
Most people had cleared out of the Common Room, leaving only a handful of intoxicated Slytherins. The vast majority of partygoers had either gone back to their own Common Rooms, gone to bed, or left to hook up with someone.
Eventually, Mulciber and Rosier both got up and left, each of them chasing after a girl and heading back to their dorms, leaving Xavier and Avalon alone together.
They spent a decent amount of time whispering sweet nothings back and forth, Xavier making her smile as he made sure to remind her of how happy she made him. The dark-haired boy wrapped his arms around her from behind, pulling her into his lap. When she turned her head to look at him, his eyes were nearly closed, and his words were slurred as he grinned and said, "How did I get so lucky with you?"
"I don't know," she said, a cheeky smile on her lips. "How did you?"
"I sure as hell won't question it," he replied before putting a hand on her cheek and pulling her towards him until their lips met. She didn't object, her hands quickly finding their way into his curly hair, tugging at the strands and earning a low groan from him. His kiss was more feverish than usual, his hands running up alongside her body as he took her bottom lip between his teeth and lightly tugged.
The rest of the students in the room seemed to fade away for a moment as he held her close, kissing her with every ounce of fire burning within him. His lips strayed from hers and made contact with her neck, leaving a trail of kisses alongside her skin. She felt his teeth graze her neck and pulled on his hair, making him look up at her with a dark lust in his eyes. He put his hands behind her neck and pulled her towards him, whispering into her ear, "My room."
She immediately found herself searching for an excuse to get herself out of there as quickly as possible. As much as she was enjoying herself, the bottom line was that she was still using Xavier to get information, and she didn't want to sleep with him for knowledge. That was the line she refused to cross.
"Xavier, we have class tomorrow," she said, starting to pull away.
"I don't care," he said, holding back a laugh as he began to lean forward for another kiss, which she dodged, much to his disappointment.
"And that's why I'm in Ravenclaw and you're not," she said lightly, removing herself from his lap to stand.
"Darling, wait," he grumbled, scrambling to his feet and taking a hold of her hand. "Just spend the night here. We'll get to class in the morning."
"I can't, Xavier," she said tiredly before tugging at the collar of his shirt. The gesture made him lean down and he let her plant a goodnight kiss on his lips before she took a step back and smiled. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
He forced a smile and nodded, watching as she scurried off towards the exit and slipped out of the Common Room without another word. As the door closed behind her, he rolled his eyes and buried his head in his hands before he angrily grabbed a bottle off a nearby table and took a drink. He began making his way towards his room, his footsteps sloppy as he walked over to the open door and stood at the entrance, glaring at Rosier and Mulciber inside.
Rosier raised an eyebrow at him. "Someone's in a bad mood."
"Piss off," he grumbled, walking over towards his bed and plopping down, putting the bottle to his lips as he sunk into his mattress.
A familiar head of blond walked in through their door, a bounce in his step as he sat down on Xavier's desk chair. Mulciber looked towards Avery and said, "Where have you been?"
"Went out for some fresh air and got caught up having to walk some sloshed Fourth Years back to Ravenclaw Tower," Orion answered, shrugging. "Where's Nott?"
"Probably asleep after shagging his girlfriend in your room," Mulciber replied, making Avery groan. "I'm surprised you still bother to ask."
"Every time I just hope they use her room instead," Avery sighed. "What about Riddle?"
"Speak of the devil," Mulciber announced, nodding towards the door as Tom walked in. "Have fun with Patil?" Riddle rolled his eyes, ignoring the comment, but the other boys shared grins among themselves. "So, basically, everyone got laid tonight except Avery and Lestrange?"
Avery sighed, standing up and walking towards the door. "And that's my cue to go to bed. Night, boys," he said before leaving the room, leaving them bellowing in laughter.
"And then there was one," Rosier said smugly, their attention turning towards Lestrange who was sitting with a permanent scowl on his lips. "Quit pouting, will you?"
"You really have lost your touch," Mulciber remarked, holding back his grin as Xavier launched a pillow at his head, only narrowly missing. "I'm honestly surprised she didn't sleep with you after you took that jinx in the back for her in Hogsmeade."
"I have to admit, landing yourself in the hospital to gain a girl's favor is new... even for you," Tom said.
"I don't know what more she bloody wants," Xavier muttered. "I thought maybe she refused because we weren't dating. Clearly, that's not the damn issue."
"I'm not going to lie, I didn't think she'd be a prude," Mulciber said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"I didn't either," Xavier scoffed, irritation littered in his tone.
"Did you see her talking to that mudblood, Bell, earlier?" Rosier asked. The disgust in his tone was more than evident, and Lestrange sighed.
"It's bad enough that she runs any time I invite her to spend the night, and she has to go off and embarrass me by hanging out with that lot, too," Xavier said. "It's like she wants nothing more than to smear my name."
"Is she worth it, mate?" Rosier inquired. "At what point are you going to give up?"
Xavier began to speak, "I-"
But, Riddle swiftly cut him off, "The knowledge she possesses is far more important than your incessant need to get laid. Stick to it."
Lestrange didn't dare object, and rather just shook his head before sinking back into his bed, running a hand through his hair as he closed his eyes. He grumbled, "I swear this girl is going to be the death of me."
Mulciber cackled before saying, "If only we were so lucky," earning another pillow thrown at his head, this one successfully colliding with its target.
~~Author's Note~~
Hello, loves! Wanted to give you an update as a little holiday treat. Hope you all stay safe and have a wonderful day! As usual, thank you for the love you show this story! Several people have posted TikToks about this story or commented on other TikToks saying they recommend this story and I see them all and appreciate it so much! You're all the best and I adore each and every one of you. Thank you for every vote, comment, read, and follow! Until next time xoxo Daffy