𝒏𝒐 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆 | 𝑻.𝑹.

𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒆𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕: 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒚𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏

Lyssandra

As I walked through the echoing hallways of Hogwarts, my heart raced, not just from the excitement of the bustling school life around me, but from the weight of the conversation that lay ahead. Abraxas had asked to speak with me, and the seriousness of his tone lingered in my mind like a storm cloud.

I turned the corner, catching a glimpse of him waiting by the entrance hall, his expression a mix of determination and concern. The way he carried himself was striking; he exuded confidence, but there was an underlying tension that hinted at something more troubling. I approached, offering him a soft smile, but his gaze remained serious.

"Hey, Abraxas," I greeted, trying to lighten the mood. "What's going on?"

He took a deep breath, his eyes flickering to the floor before meeting mine again. "We need to talk. It's about Evelyn."

My stomach sank. I had suspected this conversation would go in that direction. "What about her?" I asked, maintaining a calm facade even as anxiety bubbled beneath.

"Tom's not happy," he said, his voice low and steady. "He's made it clear that if she keeps pushing, it won't end well for her."

I frowned, a mix of confusion and anger rising within me. "What do you mean by 'not ending well'? Is he threatening her?"

Abraxas ran a hand through his slicked-back hair, frustration evident in his movements. "It's not just him. It's his marvelous fangirls. They're all gunning for her, Lyssandra. They see her as a threat to their non-existent future relationship with Riddle."

I could feel the tension in my shoulders, the familiar fire of protectiveness igniting in my chest. "She's just standing up for herself. You know how he is—he can't handle anyone challenging his image."

"Exactly," Abraxas replied, urgency threading through his words. "But you have to understand that they don't see it that way. They see her as a problem. If you care about her, you need to talk to her. Tell her to back off, or it could get ugly."

I blinked, processing his words. "You want me to just... what? Tell her to stay quiet? To let Tom Riddle walk all over her?"

""No, not like that. But I'm saying that if she keeps poking the bear, he's going to retaliate. You know how he operates." Abraxas glanced around, lowering his voice even more. His eyes softened as he squeezed my hand, grounding me in the moment. "He won't just come after her directly. He'll use others. You really think Rosier would pass up a chance to hurt someone?—and that includes you too, Lyss. You're her best friend."

I felt a knot form in my stomach. It was one thing to be aware of Tom Riddle's reputation; it was another to consider how far he might go to maintain his power. "What are you saying? That she should just be afraid? That she should let him intimidate her?"

But as I stood there, my mind drifted back to a conversation I had with Evelyn last year. She had confided in me, her voice trembling as she recounted the night she had followed Riddle through the darkened halls. "I swear, Lyss, I saw him," she had said, her eyes wide with fear. "He used the Cruciatus Curse on someone—right there in the shadows."

The memory sent a chill down my spine. I had tried to dismiss her story as an overreaction, a figment of her imagination fueled by her own anxiety. But even then, I couldn't shake the feeling that she had been right to be afraid.

"Evelyn is strong," I muttered, trying to convince myself. "But Riddle... he's dangerous."

Abraxas stepped closer, his tone softening. "I'm saying you have to be smart about this. Evelyn's strong, I know that. But she's also got a target on her back now. I really don't want her to end up in a situation she can't control."