Motivation ⌁ Tom Riddle ✔

46

"Today, we acknowledge the terrible, terrible loss of Olly Prescott," Headmaster Dippet announced a week later, his eyes scanning the crowd of students seated before him in the Great Hall. "As you all know, he was found late yesterday afternoon. Or, what was left of him at least. For now his death is ruled a homicide, as only his ashes were found by the lake thanks to Mr Hagrid."

A few teachers held hankercheifs to their face, dabbing away at their wet cheeks. Colette was a wreck, sobbing all alone with no one to comfort her. Abigail did feel a little bad for her; no one liked Colette. Even though no one liked the twins, a lot of them still had their heads down in sadness.

But...a lake? Tom burnt his body and then dumped him in the lake? He was bound to be found at some point, and, once again, Abigail's hands were shaking, face sweating, and guilt creeping up on her face. Her leg was bobbing up and down and breaths became heavier. At first she thought she was having a panic attack. A hand creeped over and slipped itself around Abigail's hand, Tom giving it a slight squeeze to calm her down. Tom was staring straight ahead expressionless when Abigail looked up at him, her lips trembling. She didn't really want Olly to have died.

"A young man of seventeen was taken and burnt, then dumped into the lake. This is no way to die. So I ask you, all of you, if any of you know anything, or heard anything suspicious, please, come and tell one of your teachers - preferably me, if you will. There will be no classes this week. I'll considerably give you teachers and students the time to mourn the loss of Oliver Prescott."

After the 'memorial,' the students sombered out of the Great Hall, having lost their appetite. Not many of them knew or liked Olly very much, but it was still devastating to have known that a Hogwarts student had died. A hand pressed down on Abigail's shoulder, almost making her jump out of her underwear.

Chris smiled sadly at her. "Told you we'd find him. Just not in the way I expected."

Abigail smiled back and nodded, walking alongside him without further comment. She didn't mind that Tom and Avery were sort of stalking her for the time being; she missed her Ravenclaw friends and was tired of having to worry about the Slytherin's pulling something on her. The two, with two others following behind them, made their way into the courtyard, where it wasn't as swarmed as it usually was. It seemed half the school went into their Houses to let the fact that a murder had occurred sink in.

Alison, Billy and Caitlyn were sitting beside each other on a bench in the corner of the courtyard, Billy and Alison conversing, and Caitlyn reading a novel, scoffing occasionally at the comments Alison was making. Caitlyn was the first to notice the pair making their way over to them.

"Ah," she said, closing her novel. "She lives."

Abigail didn't reply.

Tom and Avery made their way onto the opposite bench on the other side of the courtyard.

"Abby," Billy stated, standing up and giving Abigail a weak hug. "I'm sorry. I know you knew him."

"Thanks," Abigail mumbled.

Billy pulled back, smiled, and then scooted over for her to squeeze in beside him. Chris swung on the branch of the nearest tree that hovered over them.

"We get our exam results back at the end of this week," Alison said, being the only thing that brightened Abigail's mood. "I think I did exceptionally well."

"Exceptionally well for someone so stupid," Caitlyn snickered, putting her novel in her bag.

Alison didn't respond, only huffed and glared at Caitlyn's shoes. Billy only grinned and patted Alison on the back.