GOD KILLERS. Tom Riddle

05. Brother in arms

CHAPTER FIVE
BROTHERS IN ARMS

ON MONDAY MORNING, AUGUSTINE WAS SITUATED IN THE BATHROOM, IN A SITTING POSITION WITH HIS HEAD IN HIS HANDS AS HE STRUGGLED TO BREATH. This was what many people called, a panic attack.

One which Augustine hated. He didn't know why he had to be like this, it was just his brother. Breathing heavily, he regained control over himself. The crippling fear had come the moment he opened his eyes and had decided on locking himself away inside the bathroom just before anyone else had decided to wake up.

When he finally got up from his sitting position, looking into the mirror, he frowned.

"I can do this," he mumbled determinedly wiping his face with water.

....

I can't do this.

He thought suddenly as they entered the great hall. Standing besides Tom, he clutched his hands together to stop them from shaking.

He sat opposite Bunny again, like usual now they werent speaking to each other. He dug his nails deep into the palm of his hand, waiting for the moment blood drips free.

However, it didn't come, his hand loosened quickly once the grand doors opened. Too interested in his arrival to hurt himself too severely.

"Beauxbatons!" Dippet announced, but they needed no introduction.

A group of students, all decked out in their finest blue uniforms walked inside, accompanied by Madame DuPont — the headmistress.

He craned his neck just in time to catch Vincent walking in besides one of his friends. Immediately, Vincent's eyes were flickering back and fourth down the tables to find him.

Finally, having spotting him, he gave him a small smile. Instantly, Augustine ducked his head.

There were only minor differences between the two of them. Being twins, they were never going to look too different. Cut from the same rib of Adam, birthed from the same womb as Eve.

For example, Vincent was always the better looking one out of the two, always having the girls flock to him with his smiling face. Being the oldest by two minutes, Augustine wondered if they were the best two minutes of Vincent's life, coming out smiling and giggling. Being the only one, not having to share the spotlight with his freak of a brother.

But then Augustine came out, wailing and screaming, bloodied and cowering away from the light. Even then they were different, not having been effected by outward sources, just from their first meeting with the world, their souls bare for all to see.

And Augustine had ruined it the moment he opened that damned mouth of his.

And when the next group of students came in, Augustine didn't listen, instead he looked to the Gryffindor table, where Vincent now sat grinning, making friends already, and he felt it. The thing he hated so much — a vile jealousy only reserved for Tom.

....

He was already trying to hurry off to the common room before Vincent called to him, causing himself to wince as he spun around to see his smiling face.

"Augustine!" He called for the last time once Augustine finally turned back round to him.

Augustine gave him a tight lipped smile, "Vincent,"

Then surprisingly, Vincent brought him into a hug. Hugging him tightly, Augustine didn't even notice that the Knights had congregated to where they stood.