Solving Riddle (Harry Potter Fan Fic)

17. Aftermath

So I assume you are wondering about Ruth... this should wrap things up ;)

A flash of green blinded my vision followed by a white light, I couldn't tell what exactly was happening, I felt nothing as I fell back, but I did feel my heart stopping. My eyes grew heavy and closed. I was dead.

******

A horrible taste woke me, a liquid was being forced down my throat. The taste was terrible, like all of the worst things, black licorice, a handful of all the wrong Bertie botts every flavor beans, and acid. I sputtered and coughed until the liquid ceased to pour into my mouth, the nurse tore away the bottle and grinned, "she's awake!"

"What was that awful liquid you were forcing down my throat?" Madame Louden shot me an incredulous glance and turned away.

"Just water, to keep you hydrated!" everyone crowded around the bed, Cassidy, Leonard, Lucas, Mary, even Potter and Diggory. "We missed you, Ruth! We thought you were gone," Mary's eyes were red and puffy and her cheeks blotchy as if she'd been crying, Cassidy just looked dead, her hair (which was normally in a side braid) was down and tangled, ruffled up in some places. Leonard was the biggest mess of them all, his tie was untucked and loose, shirt as well. His robes lay on my bed beside me, his hair appeared as if he ran his hand through it a couple of times.

"What happened exactly? Why am I still alive- how?" the lot bit their lip and shuffled their feet sheepishly and muttered quietly to each other.

"Perhaps Tom could explain it, we don't really want to," as they motioned over to him, I noticed the other person in the room gazing out the window. He didn't move, his expression stern, mouth shaped into a thin line and eyebrows furrowed. His dark hair wasn't neatly combed to the side as it normally was.

"Riddle? What are you doing in here?" I sat up in the bed, knocking the robe onto the ground, "shouldn't you be in the library?"

"Ha. Ha," he said dryly, he turned to me and broke the crowd around my bed.

"You can't use the killing curse on yourself, Ruth, why did you even try?" there was a hidden humor on his face, one that the others couldn't sense, however I could. I thought it was possible, I thought it'd end it quickly and painlessly without any more thought, I guess I was wrong. "Why did you try to use the killing curse on yourself?"

I held my tongue and forced myself out of the bed, past the group surrounding the hospital bed and out the door. The door to the common room was crowded around, not opening, "what's the riddle?"

"You cannot keep it until you give it," Vince Taylor, a fourth year mudblood sneered, acting as if I wouldn't be able to solve it, however, I had gotten this one in my first year and a kind seventh year solved it for me. Every year I get the same one again.

I approached the eagle and placed a hand on its golden wing, "your word," my whisper was barely audible to anything but the eagle and I, it opened instantly and I stormed in, running up the stairs to grab a towel for a bath and a change of clothes and running back down, all the way to the prefects bathroom. This one was different though, all that was in it was a large tub, the size of a swimming pool. It didn't seem like a bad place to bathe, in fact, a rather pleasant one.

Once in the bubbly bathtub, I felt empty and worn out, I resolved to sleeping once the warm bath was over. A black book caught my eye from the other side of the tub, I swam towards it to pick it up. It was a very nice book, leather bound, there was a name in gold on the back, Tom Marvolo Riddle. So the book belonged to Tom. Smirking, I threw it next to the pile of clothes next to the tub.

I was barely able to relax in the tub, the thought of the book kept popping back into my mind, what type of book was it? Did it have any secrets in it? I was dying to know the contents of the book. I finished my bath quickly and dressed in the fresh robes, not even bothering to put my bra on or put on my tie, I ran out with the book safely concealed in my robe pocket.

Once I was in the safety of my four poster, I opened the book, "Ruth Avi Evans! What the hell?" I slammed the book shut and stuffed it under my pillow as quickly as possible. Mary, Cassidy and Leo all appeared in front of me, worried, "you can't scare us like that, we all need to talk,"

"Why? I'm fine!" Leo's lip quivered, the one time I've ever seen him so close to breaking, Leo was a very strong guy, he hasn't cried ever as far as I know, my heart wrenched at the sight of him so close to tears. "Leonard, don't cry, it's okay, I'm okay!"

"No you're not, Ruth. You think you are but you're not," Mary glanced at Leo sympathetically and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ruth, just come with us, I want to see Professor Dippet," reluctantly, I put my tie on and my robes, stalking after them with Mary on my side. She was sort of a protector in a way, always saw her as that, I guess Cassidy was sort of a lover of the trio, she didn't ever seem to hate anything, I guess that made a the ruler, even if I hadn't really figured out who I am besides Ruth Evans.

"Come in, Ruth, are you feeling alright?" Professor Dippet adjusted a few items on his desk and motioned for me to sit down at the large oak desk. I nodded and sat in the plush chair, "why did you try and use the killing curse on yourself?"

"I don't know, it was a spur of the moment thing I guess, I don't really remember most of it,"

"I want to show you something, Ruth," he pulled out a ring with an engraving of Fudge on the silver band, "it's a family ring, we found it in his old office at the ministry, they are cleaning it out for you," I smiled lightly, taking it, feeling its smooth edges.

"Do you think I'm- insane?" Dippet looked at me wide eyed.

"Of course not, Ruth, I would never think you're insane. Although, I do caution you to stay happy and not get frustrated. Are you about to do you prefect duties tonight?" I nodded, "okay then, you may go,"

"Leonard, come here," Leo looked sick and still about to cry, I held his hand all the way to the common room, Cassidy answered the riddle and we all went into the room, it was empty because of it being dinner time.

"I think we should go down with Marry and Cassidy to get food, you haven't eaten in a while," he tried to lead me out of the room but I wouldn't budge.

"No, the food will still be there in ten minuets. Leo, what's wrong? You heard him, I'm fine," and he broke, Leonard, the great big tough Ravenclaw who never cried or anything, broke down and began to sob at my feet.

"You just tried to kill yourself and you say you're fine! You're not! There is something wrong! I can't loose you, Ruth, you are the most important thing to me, I can't loose you!"

"You won't loose me, I won't let you loose me, Leo! I," I paused, taking a breath and prepared myself for it, "I love you, Leo! I love you so much!" Leo looked at me, his eyes wandering all over my face, searching for something. Suddenly, he smashed his lips against mine and grabbed my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"I love you too, Ruth, I never thought you'd say that," I grinned and brought his face to mine again and kissed him until it was time to grab some dinner.