{𝕰𝖛𝖎𝖑 𝕋.ℝ}

Chapter 8

Why?

The snow beneath their feet crushed as Tom helped Azazel walk through the forbidden forest to the clearing where he held his meetings with the knights. His mind swirled, no thought staying for long, he couldn't think one thing and everything was just so messed up. For the first time, he felt like he was not the one in control.

When Tom confronted Azazel about everything, she insisted that it would be perfect if the others were there too. And so, Tom had called for a meeting in the middle of the night. The day had been long for him, he couldn't process anything and he almost wanted to strangle the witch while she slept so peacefully all day long.

"Watch your steps, Bellum" Riddle snapped at her as the witch tripped for the millionth time, Azazel didn't bother reacting to him and tightened her grip around his hand. "If you knew you were going to be this pathetic and weak, you shouldn't have done what you did."

Azazel didn't reply once again and they soon reached the clearing. The six figures stood ever so magnificently and watched as their lord helped the witch walk. Tom transfigured a rock into a wooden chair and let the witch sit down.

"What happened Azz?" Rosier's somber voice carried into the wind. Azazel only gestured for them to surround her. Tom being the most impatient one, stood right beside her. Soon they settled around her.

Azazel shoved her hand into her robe pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. She placed it between her colourless lips and lit it up with a snap of her fingers. The knights frowned but did not comment about it.

"What is your little club called?" Azazel motioned her hand at them and blowed smoke out. "Knights of Walpurgis" Answered Lestrange with so much pride, a smile stretched across Bellum's lips as she inhaled another breath of poison.

"It's time you know who I am. It's not like I have a choice, your lord here is losing his mind. For the record, I was the one that sent the bunny" realisation crossed their faces and they cursed themselves for being careless.

"Anyways, I am sure you all have heard of the force that has defied nature for a thousand years, the force created by the one and only founders of Hogwarts." Azazel looked at them and urged them to speak up.

"No way. It's a myth" Nott breathed out as Azazel scoffed, the smoke clouding her features.

"You are the force" Avery spoke for the first time in a while and everyone looked at him as though he had finally gone crazy from all the alcohol he consumed on daily basis.

"Voila, Adélard!" Azazel put out the cigarette and stood up, but her legs were wobbly and Tom had to come to her aid. He held her up as she spoke.

"You are telling us you are the force?" Valerie questioned, thinking about it. The group was never one to trust people and never one to be trusted either.

"What do you think I am saying?" Azazel snapped, already tired of this. "How do we believe you?" Lestrange spoke up, being defensive as always. "I don't have to prove myself to anyone. I am here because your lord couldn't think straight."

"None of that explains why you saved me" Tom did not understand it, he did not realise he had just disregarded a possible weapon he could use later and was asking about why the weapon had saved him.

"Really? You concentrate on that?" It was an understatement to say Azazel was shocked, because Tom Riddle had just dismissed the secret that most would kill to know and was asking why she had saved him.

"Why?" Tom repeated and Azazel had to look at him to see the confusion that clouded his features and the way his eyes were so distant and there was no concentration, which was very uncharacteristic for Tom Riddle. Azazel understood then, he couldn't comprehend the fact that anyone would want to save him, anyone would care enough to save him, an orphan, who was not wanted or needed by anyone.