GOD KILLERS. Tom Riddle

12. Olive Hornby

CHAPTER TWELVE
OLIVE HORNBY

AUGUST HAD REALISED EARLY ON IN HIS SCHOOL YEAR THAT THE ACHE HE'D EXPERIENCED IN THE MIDST OF THE KILL, WAS STILL THERE NOW. Aching and rotting at his sides.

He didn't want it to, the way it gnawed at his body at night. The way he wouldn't dare close his eyes, in fear of seeing the body of Marina Sinclair spread across the floor, her blood splashed over porcelain tiles and he looms in his dreams. Looming over her like an omniscient being, basking in his maddening creation.

It was a fear that stayed with him even now, not how horrified he had been, no. How great he had felt. The adrenaline that pulsated through his body, the way the blood was warm to the touch, how he acted incredibly sorry to Madame Bobin.

It was a fear of wanting it. Of killing someone again, because in Augusts mind, he wouldn't be able to stop himself. He needs an outlet.

He realised it after the school photos.

As he sat nervously besides Tom in the stuffy History of Magic room, his hands flat against the table, careful so they would not shake.

Bimns, as usual, taking centre stage, his voice a droning thing, about their lesson on Circe. August hadn't paid much attention. He'd already learned all he needed to know about Circe, at Beauxbatons.

He was still thinking of Fleamont's sneering voice calling him Tom's pet.

Fleamont knew well enough that August wasn't as sane as he's been trying to make himself believe, neither did Tom apparently.

And Tom must've known something was wrong when he tilted his head, motioning him to speak, August complied, "what did Fleamont mean?"

"When he called you my pet?" Tom asked, just in case, he waited for a reply to which August just nodded shakily as he tried to keep his eyes on Bimns.

"If I hadn't taken you under my wing, then who's knows what would've happened, you might've been the schools freak if it weren't for me." He explained rather bored, "if you stayed friends with Juno, imagine what mess you'd be in by now," tutting like August was but an insolent child, and Tom was his teacher.

He then got up rather abruptly, August frowned.

Then, he exited out of the door, not before giving August a glance to follow. Could Tom really get away with just leaving the class because of his golden boy status? He looked towards Bimns, he didn't even look their way, apparently so then.

So, he tried to stand up as quietly as possible and followed Tom out of the classroom.

They walked down the halls in silence, for only a moment, August's curious nature got the better of him.

"So why am I your pet?"

"Easy, Fleamont told me to keep you with me, he thought you might start killing girls or whatever if you didn't have proper friends." He exclaimed bored as they passed classroom after classroom.

"You listen to Fleamont?" August asked in disbelief. The reason for August's disbelief was simple, Tom wasn't a follower.

He was a leader, he lead boys too weak to lead rather than to follow, and to follow a Gryffindor? It just didn't make sense.