GOD KILLERS. Tom Riddle

06. A return to normalcy

CHAPTER SIX
A RETURN TO NORMALCY

AUGUSTINE NEVER HAD THE PLEASURE OF ENTERING DUMBLEDORES OFFICE BEFORE. It wasn't exactly huge like Headmaster Dippets (who's office Augustine had been in the moment he'd entered the school way back in September to talk classes and the obvious shadow that hung to his back) but it was larger than Professor Mcgonagalls. 

He entered just after Bunny, who's bloody face still had his characteristic smile grinning from ear to ear. He had to give it to him, he gave a good fight. He turned his attention to Fleamont; his pristine hair had been ruffled up during the fight, and his nose was bleeding, apart from that, it looked as if Bunny had lost this fight. Though he wouldn't tell him this, Merlins beard no, he'd tell him how well he'd done instead.

He couldn't damage his ego.

"Lawrence stand outside, I'll talk to you alone," Dumbledore ordered sweeping his cloak towards his desk.

Augustine frowned, before Bunny looked to him, "see you later, yeah?"

....

So, standing outside of the office, Augustine watched as students passed by, occasionally giving him a glance before turning away, whispering of gossip that surrounded him. Sometimes, Augustine would wave to them, a small teasing wave, other times he would glare at them. He wanted to understand the different emotions people had for him; fear and disgust were the main ones. However, one did wave back, blush forming at her high cheekbones.

That one was surprising.

"There you are!" A voice broke him out of his daze, forcing him to look at where the voice came from. "Are you done looking miserable? Tom needs you," Abraxas spoke, a hand on his hip inspecting him with a look of disgust.

"Riddle?" Augustine questioned, he hadn't seen Tom in some time, always hidden away somewhere Augustine couldn't reach.

"No, Tom Burrows. . . Of course Tom Riddle!" Abraxas exclaimed, eyes almost bulging out from anger. "Now let's move it! He's waiting for you!"

"But what about Dumbledore?" He nodded towards the office, Dumbledore wanted to see him, it would look bad on Augustine if he suddenly disappeared.

"I'll let him we have a healing exam to prepare for, don't worry about that daft old man," Abraxas reassured.

He thought for a minute, on one hand, he was meant to be waiting to tell his side of the story, the side of the story that would put Bunny in a good light, on the other hand, he hadn't seen Tom in ages. He'd missed seeing him.

"Fine," Augustine gave up, following as Abraxas started to walk. Bunny would be fine, he thought.

They found Tom in the common room, surprisingly, since every time Augustine had been in the common room, Tom would be nowhere to be seen. It was as if he was avoiding him, and it had pained him horribly.

But here he was, sitting at the table.

"Tom," Augustine greeted, taking his time to slowly walk towards the table, hands behind his back, clasping them tightly. He thought if he had them loose, he'd strangle Tom for discarding him like Reinhardt did to his many clothes he sought to be out of fashion, even if he did just buy them.

"Augustine, sit will you?"

He obliged, taking a seat opposite him. "Where've you been?" He questioned, his eyes finding Toms own blue ones.

"Here," Tom replied unhelpfully, causing Augustine to roll his eyes and to drop the subject completely.

"I need your help," he added before starting to unclasp the large book that Augustine hadn't noticed, sitting besides him on the table.

"With what exactly? I'm awfully busy at the moment," Augustine joked dryly, "big healers exam soon, wouldn't want to afford ruining my chances of saving lives and whatnot."

Tom cracked a smile, taking a glance at him, "you'd make a terrible healer,"

"Tell that to Mcgonagall,"

A laugh escaped Tom, oh that laugh. The sweetest laugh Augustine had heard in a long time, it rattled around his brain for a moment, he let it sink into his brittle bones, warming him. he wasn't mad at Augustine, he realised with a start.

That smiling face only lasted a moment, before Tom got to business once more. "As I said, I need your help,"

He stood up from his seat, spreading the large book he'd been unclasping moments before, across the table.

"Horcuxes," Augustine understood, eyes on the words written across the page in Tom's signature scrawl. He'd remembered in the winter months when Tom had told him of these things; he'd needed seven of them, only getting one of them through his fathers ring.

In all honesty, Augustine thought he'd dropped it.

"Correct, I need your help in making one of them,"

"Why?"

"Isn't it obvious? You helped me with the first one, you'll help me with this one," he explained simply, standing above Augustine like this, Tom loomed over him, like those gothic cathedrals he'd seen throughout the muggle world.

Ancient and unearthly.

"You'll always help me, you can't say no." He added.

Tom was right. Augustine could never say no. Even if his heart did ache so badly at this very moment, aching for something more than this. He wished Tom would just drop it for a single moment just to wrap his arms around him and crush him.

Crush his lungs, stop his breathing as he dug his nails into his back, causing blood to erupt from the cuts.

But no. Tom would stay on this track for longer than anyone would expect; Augustine knew this. He knew this in a weird way, in his gut he knew Tom would carry on this Horcux plan for as long as he could.

"Am I wrong?" His voice was teasing, but it reminded Augustine of Bunny's teasing tone. It had a hint of malice, slicing Augustine in half.

"No, no you're not." Augustine replied simply.

And so Tom told him of his plan.

To open the chamber of secrets, and to kill a simple muggleborn.

an: We're backkkkkkkk !!!! So sorry for the slow updates I've been at uni lmao 💔 also we're almost at 70k ????? THANK U TO EVERYONE WHOSE EVER READ MY SILLY LITTLE BOOK !!!! thank u for sticking with Augustine throughout his insane little story ,, I love reading all ur comments ,, they make me laugh lol ily guys 💖