my riddle to solve (tom riddle)

twelve

By the third week of November, I was incredibly relieved that I had never taken a liking to Quidditch. After Gryffindor lost to Slytherin, another massive party was thrown by the Slytherins. I saw more physical fights break out that night then I'd ever seen in an entire term before. I left early with Corrina, (who was in a drunken and angry state, and decided to try and hex Evan Rosier.) I had to practically drag her back to her dormitory, seeing as she had been hit with about ten Jelly-Leg Jinxes.

Cindy and Raymond split-up, deciding that neither of them really harbored any true feelings for the other. They ended on decent terms, until Cindy started seeing the seventh-year captain of the Hufflepuff team. Raymond decided that she was a traitor, and he no longer had any desire to speak with her.

Corrina had started spending long hours in my common room, helping Raymond and Adelaide conceive a strategy that would allow them to beat Slytherin in the next match. I liked having my cousin around, so I frequently sat with them as they discussed plays and broomsticks.

Tensions between our houses were incredibly high the week before the game. Adelaide told me that she had started having sex with Lestrange every chance possible, hoping that he would be tired out by the time the match rolled around. Raymond was all for this; he no longer whispered jokes to me anytime that they came out of a broom closet, with their ties undone and their foreheads sweaty.

Riddle had kept up his end of our bargain; Abraxas was now allowed to be within ten feet of me. Him and I spent most of our time together working on Ancient Runes. The workload from that class had increased drastically from last year, and we were constantly being overworked.

Riddle and I now spoke to each other in Potion's class, which made completing our assignments much easier. He had started to act a bit nicer around me. I figured he must've felt bad that I got kidnapped while running errands for him.

I still hadn't been able to discover a work-around the whole marriage thing. Raymond had suggested asking our parents if him and I could wed, leaving Sarah and Riddle for each other. Even though I had no romantic feelings towards Raymond, I would much prefer him as a husband to Riddle. He had written a letter home, and now we were patiently waiting for a response.

The Friday before the big game, we were brewing Pepperup potions in class. Riddle and I were waiting for our cauldron to heat up when he asked me if I planned on attending the match tomorrow.

"I pretty much have to. Joslyn and I promised Corrina we'd sit in the Gryffindor section with her; it's the closest to the pitch, and she likes being able to yell at the players," I told him as I fiddled with the bicorn horn.

"Corrina. That's your cousin, correct?"

"Yeah, on my father's side. Do you have any cousins?" I was almost-positive that he didn't, but I asked anyway.

"No, I don't. I'm the last of the Gaunt bloodline, besides my Uncle Morfin." I shuddered at the mention of him, remembering the awful way he taunted me at the dinner party all those months ago. This would further explain his family's desperation for him to marry, if he truly was the last of them. The Sterling line definitely wasn't dying out soon, seeing as I had six cousins and two siblings.

"Hey, what's your opinion on Sarah Yaxley?" I asked, changing the subject. He gave me an inquisitive look.

"Not very high. I slept with her once in our fourth year, and she kept trying to talk to me the entire time. Why do you ask?"

"No reason. Have you fucked all of Slytherin house?" For a splint second, I thought Riddle was going to choke me again. But he let out a dark chuckle and turned to look at me.