Sacred Silence | A Tom Riddle Story

40: The beauty of violence P.1 (Tom's POV)

Tom tried really hard not to go too hard on Paul Sprout, but it was difficult. He had caught the boy right after their prefects meeting had ended. The smug look on his face when he thought he had gotten away with his comment to Shiv, made Tom react in physical violence; something he rarely did.

So when Paul was walking towards the great hall, Tom grabbed a fist full of the boys' blonde hair and smashed his head against the nearest wall. There were a few students who saw, but none of them stepped in. All they did was look over at the commotion, turning away quickly once they saw it was Tom.

When Paul was effectively knocked out, Tom crouched down next to him and took out a small vile from his pocket. Draught of living death.
He couldn't get away with murder in broad daylight, but the correct dose would make sure he'd come to regret his choice of words earlier. It was the only reason the boy would stay alive. No one was allowed to call Siobhan something like that. No one except Tom himself, of course.

See, Paul had made one big mistake. Tom loved collecting things, and once something was part of his collection, it became sacred. Siobhan had become his most prized possession very quickly, which meant the hufflepuf boy had moved into dangerous territory. You didn't insult anything that was Tom's, unless you were willing to pay with your life, or pain.

'That's for her,' he hissed in Paul's ear as he let a few droplets fall into the unconscious boys mouth.

With disgust, Tom realized some of the boys' blood that was seeping from the wound on his head had gotten onto his shoes.
He straightened his back and wiped his shoes on Paul's robe, making sure to not at all be gentle in his actions.

He was glad when he heard Abraxas and Anthony had already taken care of Percival. Not because he didn't want to hurt him himself, but because he wasn't sure if he would be able to stop once he started. To use a term so dumb and ordinary as 'girlfriend' had to be beaten out of him.
It implied that Tom kept himself busy with things like that, when in reality, his plans were far bigger.

Tom watched as he saw Abraxas cross the hall with Shiv by his side. It was the first time he got to have a good look at her after he had pulled her onto his lap.
Wearing her usual black robes with silver and blue details, she looked a little pale and unsteady. She had her hands in her pockets and seemed to procrastinate the moment of eye contact with Tom for as long as possible.
It made him grin, remembering the way she had been too flustered and overwhelmed to look at him or answer his questions when he had his hand between her legs.

'Somehow you always end up in our company lately, don't you?' Anthony smirked sarcasticly. He pushed a glass of water towards her, showing her his hostility wasn't genuine.

Shiv sat down in front of Tom, still looking anywhere but his eyes, and picked up the glass. 'Thanks,' she mumbled.

Tom leaned back into his chair. He gave a small nod to the others, implying they could go.
He watched as his group of followers got up and left the great hall to go to their next classes. He knew Shiv had a free period, which she usually used for studying.
He didn't feel guilty interrupting her day. He couldn't see how there could be anything different on her mind than revenge.

When they were finally alone, she still didn't look at him. She stared down at her glass of water like she was expecting a fish to appear in it at any moment.
Tom leaned forward and placed his elbows on the table, folding his hands together.

'He will live,' he finally broke the silence between them. 'So will the Weasley boy. Not because of my mercy, but because I'm already in enough shit with the chamber and Myrtle.'
He wanted her to know that he didn't have a change of heart or was going easy on them.
Most of all, he didn't want her to think he was able to change. She had to fall for the most fucked up parts of him if he wanted her to stay where he liked her.