The Price of Gold | tom riddle

Chapter 23 - The Fog Clears

Star woke in a cold sweat. Her body was shaking and her lip was quivering. She noticed the heavy layers of blankets on top of her. Then, she inhaled and smelt the fire. She wasn't with Linius anymore, her stomach dropped. She was back in the common room.

She threw the blankets off of herself, quickly, and stood from the comfort of the couch.

"No! Star! Sit!" A voice echoed as Rosier came running from around the corner. "You need rest."

"Get, away, from, me." She backed from Isidore.

"What are you doing, you stupid idiot?" he asked. "Get back on the couch, you're sick."

"What did you do to me? What did Tom do?" she asked, still standing a foot away from the Rosier boy.

"Did you inhale Gillyweed with Becker? Why are you so paranoid?" he almost laughed.

"What happened?!" she yelled, when he made another attempt to step forward.

His expression changed when he realised she was sincerely distraught. "Riddle told me you were sick and to collect you from Becker, which I did." He extended his arms slowly in attempt to calm her. He etched closer.  "When I got to Linius' he said you passed out on the couch. Which you were. I collected you and took you back here."

"I wasn't sick! Riddle hexed me!" she yelled.

"Star." He raised an eyebrow.

"Look! Look at my wr-" There was nothing on her wrist. Not a mark, not a scratch, not even any slight disfigurement. "He saw! Linius saw."

"I spoke to Linius, he said that Riddle hexed you as well. But there's no marks on you Star, and if Tom was so eager to kill you, why would he send me to collect you?"

Ostara has never been more confused in her life. Dark magic like that doesn't just fade away within a few hours. She resisted the urge to smash the window in the common room, causing the water to flood in and drown them all.

"Why don't you believe me! He hexed me! He hurt me Isidore!" Her head felt painful again, although this time, the pain wasn't as sharp and stabbing, it was a mild throb.

"I do believe that you believe that what you saw was the truth." Isidore crept closer to her and touched her shoulder.

"What?" she asked, in confusion.

"You and Becker were both drinking, Star. You both have a strong hatred for Tom, things may have become blurry in the heat of your sickness." He guided her back to the couch and sat with her.

"I had one glass Isidore! I want to speak with Tom," she huffed.

"You need rest right now. Sleep."

"I told Linius not to let Tom near me," she whispered, as she pulled the blankets back over herself.

"He didn't. He gave you to me, and I'm not going anywhere." He smiled and took her hand in his. "Rest."

She tried to fight the heavy wave of sleep that was creeping up on her, but she was exhausted. She gave in and let the world of dreams capture her. For a moment, she dreamed of a peaceful time, free from Tom, free from her father and free from her mother.

____

Star tossed, half waking from her nap. She felt the presence of someone still sitting at the top of the couch. It was a comfort to her knowing Isidore had never left, even when she was unaware how long she had slept for.

She moved further up on to the couch with her eyes still shut, resting her head on Isidore's lap. "I'm glad you're here," she whispered as she found his hand once more and took it in hers. Only to her horror, she felt cool metal and silver contact her skin as their fingers intertwined.