Slytherin Roar: Through the Maze || Tom Riddle's Era

Chapter 12 || Long-Hidden Secrets

From the beginning of my friendship with Abraxas, one question that always lingered in the back of my mind unconsciously was how in the gods did he manage to keep being friends with me and Tom. For one, I already knew that his family regarded the idea of pureblood supremacism highly, even Abraxas himself have some problems with it even after these years—yet I never mentioned it. Either it was too awkward to get the conversation starting or truthfully, I didn't really want to know the truth.

But now, I guess I know the answer to it.

Despite the previous tiresome conversation we had with Headmaster Dippet and Professor Dumbledore, we (that being Tom and I) chose to drag Abraxas with us to the library.

I was now seated beside Tom in a secluded part of the library, Abraxas in front of us as I looked at him with a frown curling on my lips while Tom remained impassive.

"So?" I said, tilting my head to the side to look down on him. "Are you going to explain to us?"

Abraxas' eyes flickered to my face and to Tom's, his usual too-cocky smile completely demolished from his features. "You know," he started comically, "you two look awfully too much like a married old couple."

"Don't try to humour us, Abraxas." Tom's eyes narrowed and he looked like he was about to slither out a forked tongue between his lips.

"I'm just making an observation," he muttered.

I threw my head back, rolling my eyes. He was seriously getting on my nerves. Abraxas, as if sensing my displeasure towards him, looked us straight in the eyes.

"You know in our first-year we went to Tom's house for Christmas?"

I wouldn't be able to forget it even if I wanted to. It was my first time visiting a friend's family in a long time, and it ended up in one of the most chaotic visits I have ever known. Tom's blood-related uncle still gives me the shivers as I remembered his filthy room and his craze-hazed eyes.

"I honestly don't want to get reminded of it." I glanced at Tom briefly. "No offence."

"None taken." We all knew that the most disgusted by the visit was Tom himself.

"Have you ever wondered why I was somehow able to join the two of you?"

"Of course we have," Tom said without hesitation. His words were sharp as ever and I grimaced at how direct he was.

Abraxas just nodded and looked away from us nervously. "I... I lied to my parents about your blood status so that I could go on the trip with you."

"Oh, Abraxas," I said softly, but there was still an edge to my voice. I already guessed what kind of excuse he had used to tell his parents, but when he actually admitted it, it was more disastrous than I had thought. "How were you able to lie to your parents for three years without them finding out?"

He shrugged. "It seems like I'm a good liar."

"This isn't a joke, Abraxas."

Abraxas buried his palm on his face, his shoulder blades heaving as he took an uneven breath. He stayed quiet for a moment, and when he started speaking, his voice was so desperate and anguished that I felt my chest tighten.

"Then what should I do? I just can't keep on lying to my parents, can I?"

"You can," Tom said.

Abraxas' eyes snapped at him. "What?"

"You heard me."

"Tom," I sighed, giving him a chiding poke on his arm, "don't give Abraxas any ideas."