The Girl from Azkaban ~ Tom Riddle (18+)

𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖕𝖙𝖊𝖗 𝕱𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖞-𝕿𝖜𝖔

~✧~

Saying goodbye had been painful, but at least Taraphina could console herself with the fact that only a week had to pass before she would see Tom again.

The Christmas holidays were upon us again and despite the long and tiring journey back on the Hogwarts Express, Taraphina was immensely happy to be coming home again. Hogwarts was her home too, but it didn't feel the same without Tom, her brother and the rest. Her home didn't seem to be a place, according to her latest musings, but much more the people she loved and cherished above all else.

With quick steps, she stumbled along the narrow stairs of the train car with her owl cage and took one last big step across the slightly larger gap to the platform. With a grin on her face, she got to the two people she missed so much as soon as the cage would allow her to.

With a clang, the cage fell to the ground and her owl began to flutter in anger, apologetically looking down at the white bird of prey but unable to help but throw herself into the arms of her beloved brother for now. It had been far too long since she had seen him.

"Someone missed me," he murmured smugly over her head, under his chin, and gave her a smug grin as she looked up at him.

"How could I not miss my favourite stupid brother," she said wryly, standing on tiptoe. With an outstretched arm, she tried to tousle his platinum blonde hair, but before she could destroy his hairstyle, he grabbed her outstretched hand and ruffled hers with the other.

"I hate you," Taraphina complained, slapping his upper arm. Annoyed, she blew a strand of hair out of her face and turned her attention instead to the second person on the platform, who merely grinned at her with amusement from the sibling reunion. Tara raised a brow critically.

"I missed you too," Tom took the floor before Taraphina would say something that would make him go straight to white heat. Warmly, he pulled her into a hug, which Taraphina happily returned.

"You can only miss me too," the witch agreed with amusement, which only made Tom roll his eyes. Confident that the two boys would follow her, Taraphina walked off towards the exit.

"She's your friend," Abraxas sighed, reaching for the owl cage left behind.

"And your sister," Tom replied.

"Means I didn't choose her but simply had no choice."

"And you're both idiots, because I can still hear you five metres away."

~✧~

Tara was happy to be reunited with her beloved. She had been looking forward to the annual Christmas ball of the Nott family all year and finally it was here again. Even though Christmas was always stressful because of all the planning, gift-giving and so much more, Taraphina still found it a pleasant stress. She loved the tradition and as a result there was a time of year when she could see all her family and friends.

She especially looked forward to seeing Nick, it had been ages since she had last seen him and he was always a lot of fun to be with no matter what the circumstances.

The large group quickly dispersed around the large room. Abraxas and Leo disappeared into two girls who had graduated from Hogwarts with them and the rest of the group were able to quickly spot Nick in the ballroom and engage in an excited conversation with him. Only Taraphina had to stay by his side at Tom's request and hold conversations with the older generations of wizards.

She was glad that Tom navigated her to Theodore and his mother first. The boy, seemed as unenthusiastic as she and Taraphina had to admit that pleased her somewhat