Riddle's Heir

Half Blood Prince

The train ride was cheerful for everyone but Athena and Draco.

It was like the students of Hogwarts couldn't sense the upcoming doom they would be facing like the two Slytherins.

Athena sat in a compartment with the Slytherin group, Draco next to her trying to massage tremors out of her hands.

She had been cursed by a hex that nearly tore her limbs apart when she had sent Dolohov back with a curse.

The tremors shook through her hands, and Draco tried to get them back to normal.

—

Hermione was staring at Harry, eyes blown wide as Ron was clueless to whatever was going on.

"I just — I don't trust her Hermione. What if her father threatened something so serious she turned sides completely? And Malfoy? Why are we trusting him?" Harry was talking with his hands, something he did when he was upset.

"Harry, you've got to be mad! Athena has been by our side defeating her father for almost 6 years. How can you not trust her?" Hermione was speechless, but found the words nonetheless.

Ron - still confused - spoke up, "Wait, what are you two going on about?"

Hermione's back straightened, "Harry is under the impression that Athena is going to betray us, and Draco is going to hurt us too."

"Your barking, mate!" Ron was staring at his best friend.

Yes — Ron may have disliked the raven haired Slytherin because of her snarky retorts, but she was as loyal as they come.

"I need air," Harry got up and left the compartment, heading towards the Slytherin train cart.

Using the darkness powder he bought from Wizarding Wheezes, he snuck into the compartment easily.

~

Athena was staring up at the bags, noticing they were moving every couple of seconds since the darkness powder invaded their compartments.

The train stopped and hauled, signaling for students to head towards the carriages.

Athena told everyone to go ahead while she stayed back.

Using a freezing spell, Athena sent Harry flying down from the bag storage and onto the ground in a heap.

"What the bloody hell are you doing here, Harry?" Athena was standing over him, disappointed.

"Well, it's not that I don't trust you— but—," Harry started but was soon cut off.

"Don't even, Harry, you haven't looked at me like a good person since I told you I had to kill Dumbledore." Harry stiffened when Athena spat the words out like venom.

"I don't-," Harry tried to explain himself, but was once again cut off.

"Why don't you just trust me?" Athena said.

"I can't let you kill him, Athena," Harry was up now, standing face to face with her.

"I have no choice, Harry. We kill Dumbledore, or else my father kills us."

Athena left without another word, genuinely disgusted at the fact that Harry didn't trust her.

~

The Great Hall speech was nothing short of terrifying and assuring at once. Athena's eye caught the darkness lingering on Dumbledore's left hand when he waved it, initiating the feast.

Professor Slughorn was announced as the new Potions teacher, and Snape was moved to DADA.

The Gryffindors weren't too fond of this, but most Slytherins uproared.