antebellum [t. riddle]

xi.

november 1944

in the early morning hours of the day after halloween, sicaria and the boys finally made it back to the common room. the clock struck two as the six people helped each other stumble drunkenly through the dungeon door after sicaria muttered the password. 

unlike their companions, riddle and sicaria looked mostly normal, aside from her eyes. riddle did not drink enough to make him act unusually, and sicaria was well practiced in hiding her intoxication. in fact, nothing would seem wrong with her unless you looked too hard, or asked too many questions.

she was on the comedown of her high, and she felt waves of tiredness and irritation washing over her. she wanted to get back to her room and do another few lines, but here she was, postponing that to talk to the five boys who had accompanied her.

"well edwards," rosier said as he plopped himself on a couch. "how was that for your first slug club party, eh?"

"it was honestly terrible. i don't understand why you all put up with it." she answered honestly. the party was hell to get through, even while she was conducting interrogations. 

"free liquor," lestrange shrugged and malfoy laughed.

riddle stood listening to the five people behind him as he stared at the fire. he left the party with many more questions about edwards than answers, and he had originally hoped to get some information about her, but his four friends seemed far too intoxicated to be able to hold a conversation. he wanted to curse them for their childishness. it'll just have to wait until tomorrow.

"oh dear sicaria," rosier started in a singsong voice.

"yes dear adonis?" she responded in an equally cheery tone.

"we're friends right?"

"the very best." riddle's ears zeroed in on this conversation. my friends, i guess, she had responded when he asked what she cared about most.

"and friends do each other favors, yes?"

"that depends on if the friend stops beating around the bush and asks for what he wants." she replied. she did not enjoy stalling and wished he would just ask for what he wanted. 

"so sicaria, may i ask you a favor?" rosier slurred.

"you may ask, adonis, but i cannot guarantee you an answer you'll like." she misarticulated.

"that's fair. the favor is-" he stopped. "are you alright? your nose is bleeding." she quickly got her wand and did the healing charm to stop the bleeding, and then banished the blood from her nose. she slumped back in her chair, hoping that they'd forget by tomorrow. 

"anyway," he continued. "i fancy your friend, davidson. i hoped you'd ask her to come eat with us during mealtimes." he lied. riddle smiled at the fire. rosier you bloody genius, you never cease to surprise me. even while intoxicated, he managed to do his job, meanwhile nott was staring out the window into the lake, and malfoy and lestrange were arguing over a painting that hung  on the dungeon wall.

"you like venus? why? she nothing but an opportunistic gossip. i mean, she's very pretty but she isn't kind. what is it you see in my dearest female friend?" she wrinkled her nose at the thought of the girl she had desperately tried to befriend, but venus' personality was just too unlikable. 

"she fancies me too?" rosier said.

"was that all you got from my speech?" she looked incredulously at him, but all he returned was a pleading smile. she sighed. "fine, if it'll make your little heart happy."