Slytherin Roar || Tom Riddle's Era

Chapter 16 || Discovery is Great... Or Not

It was hard to leave the comfort and safety of the house in London, however, the Holidays have ended and now I was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Jasmine and Emily seated opposite from me. The crisp and cool morning air surrounding the atmosphere helped me get to the reality of school work and also smack the harsh responsibility of the quest right onto my face.

"So you really stayed at Riddle's house?" Emily asked incredulously after I recapped the events during the Holiday.

"I did," I confirmed with a single nod, my face firm from the memories.

Jasmine tilted her head and pursed her lips in suspicion."I thought you three were only Potion partners."

"We became friends, I guess." I cringed at the weirdness of referring the word 'friends' to Tom and Abraxas out loud. "Is that a problem?"

They shook their heads nonchalantly and continued to eat their breakfast, but was broken once more by another question.

"But how are you able to cope with them?" Emily crossed her arms while narrowing her eyes towards what I presume the said people.

Shrugging my shoulders, I searched through my bag for an item I received at home. "They're not that bad as you guys think," I defended. "Actually, Abraxas changed quite a bit after we started to hang out—he's nicer to muggle-borns and half-bloods than before."

I saw Jasmine tap her chin thoughtfully as if to recall something then started to nod. "That's kind of true."

"I still don't exactly like them," Emily said distastefully. "But I do wonder how Riddle and Malfoy befriended each other—after all, Riddle's a half-blood."

"Well, they are in the same economic class," Jasmine said, playfully elbowing the Ravenclaw with a cheeky smile.

I sniggered slightly at the comment. Finding the letter, I smiled in satisfaction and opened the envelope to check the time and location to meet up with the people that are currently mentioned. Peeking towards the Slytherin table, I already saw my companion watching me from across the room. I raised a brow questioningly, which earned a small smirk from each of them.

Scoffing, I looked away and once more faced my other two friends. "Well, they do work quite well with each other," I said, casting one last glimpse through the heads of the students.

Jasmine and Emily did the same and observed the two interact. "True."

Packing up my things, I checked the timetable of the day and winced when I saw the first class—Herbology. Professor Tryphena Vassy was a nice person, however, just the thought of staying outside in the cold, falling snow gave me shivers.

"What'd you got?" Emily asked with an amused smirk.

"Flying lessons."

"Aww, poor thing." Jasmine, being the Hufflepuff she is, cooed in genuine pity. "It's freezing outside."

"Well at least she has us," someone said from behind me, obnoxiousness literally pouring out of the person.

Jasmine and Emily's figures tensed at the voice.

Without turning to the source, I retorted, "How lucky of me."

"How rude, Vivienne," Tom chided, the tip coated in a sneer.

Slinging the strap of my bag, I stood up from the bench and faced them with a false expression of sympathy, my lower lip formed into a pout. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't realize I hurt your feelings."

The two of them narrowed their eyes while my mouth formed into a wide smile. I saw Emily raise her eyebrows in doubt and I just shrugged my shoulders with a cheeky smile.