Tʜᴇ Dᴀʀᴋ Lᴏʀᴅ's Aɴɢᴇʟ | Tom Riddle √

41: Torn Between Curiosity and Fear

As soon as he withdrew his hand, Cassiopeia felt a slight headache, but it was bearable.

"Are you okay?" He seemed concerned, which left her somewhat bewildered. She hadn't expected him to display such worry, especially considering the reputation he held in Harry's tales.

"Why do you care?" Cassiopeia rubbed her temples, avoiding his gaze. "It's none of your concern."

"Don't be stubborn, Cassiopeia." He gently removed her hand from her forehead, making her meet his eyes. He stared at her for a moment, as she did the same. "I'm sorry about your parents."

"Huh?" Cassiopeia raised a skeptical brow, her anger rising suddenly. "Do you think your little sorry can bring my parents back? Because of you, I had to live my life without a real family."

She looked away, pushing his hand away from her. He stepped back as she stood up, indicating her intention to leave. He rose silently as well.

"I should go." Cassiopeia turned to leave, but his voice halted her.

"Are you going to fly out of here?" Amusement tinged his voice as he inquired. It didn't take her long to realize that she had no idea how to exit the Chamber. She sighed and turned to him.

"Any ideas?" She raised a brow, maintaining a neutral expression.

"I can apparate you." He offered, shrugging his shoulders.

"You have magical powers?" Cassiopeia was taken aback, as she had previously assumed he was just a soul inhabiting a physical body, capable of only minor spells.

"Yes, why not?" He replied. "I hope you'll keep the diary safe, and the locket too."

"Sure thing," Cassiopeia rolled her eyes at his apparent selfishness. It was clear he was concerned about his Horcruxes, not the person safeguarding them.

"By the way, where do you want me to apparate you? Slytherin Dungeon?" He inquired, looking at her. "apparating to the lavatory isn't a good idea. What if the Mudblood ghost is there?"

"She has a name, and it's Myrtle. She's Muggle-born, not a Mudblood," Cassiopeia corrected angrily.

"Still the same person," he chuckled, shaking his head.

"Whatever! So, are you going to apparate me right now?" She asked, surveying the area. She hadn't noticed the black stones above until now. She also wondered where the dim light was coming from.

"We have to exit through the entrance first; only then can we Apparate," he explained, stepping forward. Cassiopeia nodded and turned to head back toward the entrance.

She saw the Basilisk skeleton and a sudden thought occurred to her. She wasn't sure if it was a wise thing to do, but she pointed her wand and cast "Incendio."

"What was that for?" Tom asked, observing the fire she had ignited on the skeleton.

"What if you try something foolish and give it life?" Cassiopeia crossed her arms over her chest, eyeing him skeptically.

"I have no wand, Cassiopeia, and I cannot breathe life into the dead," he laughed, shaking his head.

"Unfortunately, I don't trust you," Cassiopeia stated, rolling her eyes, as she watched the skeleton turn to ashes. It took a few minutes, and the skeleton transformed completely into ashes. As soon as the ashes floated on the water, she quickly cast another spell, "Evanseco."

"Your trust is that poor," Tom remarked, standing behind her.

"Unfortunately, yes," Cassiopeia replied, turning around to give him an ironic smile before walking away.

"Are you angry with me?" He asked as they walked along the wet corridor opposite of the Slytherin statue.

"What did you expect? To have feelings for the murderer of my parents?" Cassiopeia's voice dripped with sarcasm.

"Both of us know you have feelings for me, but you're not ready to admit it," he chuckled, observing the change in her expression. She regretted showing her vulnerability.

"Shut up, Thomas," she groaned slightly, giving him a death glare.

"I like it when you call me Thomas," he chuckled, looking at her with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Nonsense," she rolled her eyes at him. Their footsteps echoed in the Chamber, the only sound in that damp, ancient place. Cassiopeia was still trying to make sense of her conflicted emotions. On one hand, she felt a strange comfort in the presence of a familiar person. On the other hand, she was undeniably scared.

They passed the entrance and arrived at the area where grey stones were strewn about, leading to the dark tunnel.

"Will you come again?" He asked, capturing her attention. Cassiopeia looked into Tom's pleading eyes.

"If you want me to, I'll consider it," she replied, shrugging her shoulders. A small smile appeared on his face.

"Do you think it's wise to open the Chamber frequently? What if someone discovers it?" she voiced her concerns.

"I can exit from here," he assured her, widening her eyes in surprise.

"You're planning to sneak around Hogwarts? Are you out of your mind?" Cassiopeia raised her voice, alarmed at the thought of someone seeing him.

"Why do you care?" He echoed the same question she had asked earlier, leaving her momentarily speechless.

"Uhm—" she cleared her throat awkwardly, "Just—apparate me out of here already."

He stepped forward, standing before her with only inches separating them. His height was more imposing than she had anticipated. He leaned down, locking eyes with her.

Cassiopeia swallowed thickly, feeling uncomfortable with such proximity.

"Hope to see you again, Cassiopeia," he mumbled, looking deeply into her eyes. Then, he lightly kissed her cheek and held her hand before swiftly apparating her back to the Dungeon.

"Write when you want to meet and where," he winked and, in the blink of an eye, he Disapparated, leaving her feeling flushed and bewildered. Her hand softly touched the cheek where he had kissed.

At this moment, she felt utterly insane, for she was beginning to fall for him once more.