Adronitis {t.r.}

Chapter 68

Tom entered the Great Hall, noticing how quiet the Slytherin table had seemed.

He had woken up due to a nightmare he had. It was of Eve, her body being torn up into pieces. He had woken up right when she screamed, beads of sweat covering his forehead. The panic only settled more deeply within when he realized that Eve wasn't beside him.

Tom walked towards the table, hoping that he would see Eve. But he didn't. That's when he noticed that Rhea was shaking awfully, Abraxas's arm wrapped around her as he tried to comfort her.

"What's happened to you?" Tom asked as he sat down across from them. Abraxas looked up, his eyes filled with something of pure horror.

"It's Eve", he muttered. "She was found bleeding in a bathroom".

Tom furrowed his brows in confusion as he began to pour water, only realizing that he had been pouring it into his lap instead of his goblet. Shock slowly filled his system, composure still stoic as he glared down at his lap.

"What?" Tom asked as he began to wipe away at his lap. "How did that happen?".

"Marion from Hufflepuff said she found her bleeding", Rhea sobbed. "Then Caspian came in and helped take her to the hospital wing, he told me everything!".

Tom looked over to the Hufflepuff table, spotting the chocolate-skinned girl that sat with her friends, laughing happily. From what he knew, she was Muggleborn. He then eyed Caspian, who had also happened to be a Muggleborn as well. He sat at the Ravenclaw table, his brown hair flowing freely as he sharply turned his head to his friend.

"Prefects?" Tom asked. The two of them nodded as Atticus sat down, the silence between them swallowing up Tom whole.

"Did you do it?" Atticus asked.

"Are you daft?" Tom asked. "She was found bleeding you fool. And it's all your fault".

Atticus looked down at the table, his cheeks red.

"I was only reminding you", he whispered. "I didn't actually tell you to kill her".

Tom exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple with his fingers.

"What time did they find her?" Tom asked.

"They say she had been there for an hour so perhaps five or six in the morning", Rhea sniffled. Tom looked at Abraxas, spotting the white powder under his nose. Not you too Brax.

"I'm sorry to hear about Eve", Jude said as he sat down beside Tom. "We're visiting her after breakfast, come with us Riddle".

Tom sighed, staring at his plate filled with food.

"I can't", Tom said. "Slughorn needs me for one of his assignments he's given me".

Of course this was a lie but Tom knew better. They didn't know that Tom tried to kill Eve. None of them knew that he'd been violent with her, destroying a piece of her soul. He felt deeply guilty for it - wanting to make it up.

But he knew that Eve was resilient, she wouldn't even get near him after it was all over.

"Bummer", Jude muttered. "Do you think she's still alive?".

Tom gripped his fork tightly, breath hitching as he heard this. He looked over to Jude, the boy eating his food without any hesitation.

"No", Tom spat out. "She must be alive- she can't die".

"Well Caspian said he felt her move around in his arms when he carried her...".

Tom had began to zone out of the conversation, hearing the words that Abraxas said. I should've been the one to hold her- I should've been the one that was holding her while telling her that she'll be okay.