Not Broken, Not Yet | Tom Riddle

Chapter Twenty-Four

Chapter Twenty-Four

"What?" I asked incredulously, staring down at the smaller boy with wide eyes. The boy gave me an inquisitive look and opened his mouth but Riddle didn't give him the time to answer my question, his impatience getting the better of him.

"Scurry off." He growled at him, ushering the boy away as he looked around the packed corridor. His eyes wandered over the excited faces, a strange look flickering over his face as he did so. His adam's apple moved as he swallowed.

"It's finally over." I whispered and let out a breath, at that moment not paying much attention to Riddle's strange behaviour. For a weight had suddenly been lifted from my shoulders. A weight I had carried ever since Agnes' death and had haunted me every night.

"Perhaps..." Riddle mumbled and looked down on me, eyes flickering over my face.

"Perhaps?" I asked, confused.

He didn't bother answering my question before he started elbowing his way through the crowd, going the exact opposite direction of the stream of students. I hesitated for a moment. Then I followed him, apologising to the small first and second year students who had the unfortunate fate of being at the receiving end of Riddle's sharp elbows. Their eyes burned into the back of his head, but he didn't seem to mind the daggers being thrown at him. I had to hurry to keep up with him and as we finally managed to escape most of the crowds I managed to stop him, getting in his way as he was about to start climbing the stairs. In the distance we could hear the crowds moving away from the stairs deeper into the castle.

"Where are you going?" I demanded to know, standing two steps above him so that we were the same height. A few stragglers ran past us from the floors above. Riddle waited for their steps to die off before answering me. By that point I had started to feel a tad bit ridiculous for following him.

"To find out who it is." He merely said, meeting my eyes calmly.

"I'm sure we will find out soon either way." I told him. "They can't expect people to not want to know. Why not wait?"

He snorted. "You expect me to wait, Green? Move out of my way." He attempted to move past me but once more I blocked him, actually putting a hand out on his shoulder. Riddle tenses. His eyes darted to my hand on his shoulder. "Remove your hand."

I raised my chin, not budging for a moment despite my mind screaming at me to do so.

Riddle studied me for a moment, seemingly appraising me. Then he squared his jaw and leaned forward, his scent surrounding me once more as he spoke slowly, pronouncing every word clearly. "The Wayland girl, you knew her, didn't you?"

"Her name was June." I hissed.

Riddle flashed a very fake smile that dripped with honey mixed venom. "Oh yes, June, you knew her?" He waited for my nod. "Don't you want to find out who her killer is? See the murderer who took the life of your friend in the eye? If you let me go I will make sure you can." He almost whispered the last words. "My treat."

I saw June's smile in my mind. Her kind genuine smile lighting up those cheeks still flushed with life. Life that that thing, that... person, stole from her, along with my friendship with Ruth. I felt myself slowly removing the hand from Riddle's shoulder, I swallowed, lowering it to my side before nodding. "Show me."

Riddle's eyes flashed then he too nodded shortly. "Follow me and keep quiet." He said slowly and started climbing the stairs, not slowing down for me in the slightest. The sound of his footsteps were for a moment the only sound in the hall except for that of my beating heart. I hesitated for a moment, then I followed.