White Blood ↣ T.Riddle

8, DAMN YOU, DUMBLEDORE

CHAPTER EIGHT • DAMN YOU, DUMBLEDORE

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"I CAN'T DO THIS! I just bloody can't!" Georgia whispered to Eddie, gripping a quill in her hand so tightly her knuckles were turning a yellowish white.

"Shut up Georgie, you're amazing at potions!" Eddie exclaimed, rolling his eyes.

"SHH!" the librarian viciously went, slamming a book on her desk. The room snapped into silence, quills scratching into it.

Georgia widened her eyes and looked at the piece of parchment in front of her. She slumped over, dropping her quill. This is painful. With a heavy head and tired eyes, she picked up her quill again and continued with her homework.

Easter had come and gone, and had brought with it the smell of spring and fresh rain. Leaves were sprouting once more, as were the flowers and other plants in the common room. Many trips to hogsmeade and dismal Slug Slub meetings had passed, and the fourth years were now beginning to prepare for their OWLS next year. Everything had grown, evolved and developed, except Georgia's relationship with Tom. She still hated him, and he was indifferent. But now Georgia was losing sleep; how do I help him? she'd asked, and Dumbledore had replied, that's for you to decide. But she still had no idea, other than the fact that she must talk to him, or else wizardkind would suffer... Damn you, Dumbledore.

"Do you mind if I leave you now? I promised Carrie I'd have dinner with her, but you're welcome to come if you would like," Eddie asked, packing away his parchment.

"No, no, it's fine. I need to get this finished by tomorrow, or Slughorn will have my head. Thanks though," she smiled, glancing up at him before glueing her eyes back to the page.

Eddie nodded and went as silently as he could. The only sounds to be heard were the gentle scratches of Georgia's quill on her parchment and the steady breathing of the students surrounding her; there were many. The tables were full, yet everyone was silent, making Georgia want to scream. Silence was deafening.

The library door opened and shut, but Georgia kept her head down, tearing at her brain, trying to think of something. Her page was already full, but nowhere near complete. The other side was empty, and Georgia was desperately trying to fill it with something. What that something was, she did not know. She'd always thought it was quality over quantity, but no, teachers here expected at least ten inches, or it was a detention.

Fed up (and willing to procrastinate while looking like she was working), Georgia got up and made her way over to the shelves, inserting herself deep between two columns. Scanning along the rows, she finally found the M section. Monksblood... Marine Life! Georgia slipped the book out and started to read, holding it in her palm.

Gillyweed is found... What the hell is a gillyweed? Her brain was already so foggy, heavy and full that she could not think to save her life. Frustrated, she sat down in the chair situated to help shorter students to reach the top shelves, with her eyes glued to the pages.

Someone made their way over to her, a shadow in the dim light. They were searching through the shelves, just as she had. Georgia already knew who it was. She could see his face in the reflection of the polished shelf as if it were a pond. He was looking right at her. It took all her will to not look at him, to keep eye contact as far away as possible.

Gillyweed thrives off of seaworms especial- oh no. Not that again.

Infection in her brain, once more. A writhing worm, a parasite pounding against her skull. Couldn't he just leave her alone? What was it that he was so interested in?

He'd gotten close before. Memories had flashed in front of her eyes, memories of the two of them together, memories of her actual friends, memories of the lake... Then, of Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore's face, Dumbledore-

But this time, Tom knew where he was going. He headed straight for Dumbledore, and Georgia felt it coming. Dumbledore's office lead to Dumbledore's desk, and then Dumbledore's eyes - those Merlin-forbidden, twinkling, all-knowing eyes, that seemed to watch everyone, every single person - and then Dumbledore speaking, "Georgia, I'm afraid," with sad, sad, sad eyes...

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Georgia yelled and stood up panting, emotionally drained. She scrunched her face up, trying to lay bricks between her and Tom. How in Merlin's name can he do Occlumency without eye contact?

"SILENCE!" the librarian yelled back. Georgia slowly sat back down and glanced at the end of the alley made by the two shelves, to be met with the glares of the other students in the library. She cowered away from them, because their stares were needles and she was an almost deflated balloon. Almost. Not quite.

Damn you, Dumbledore, again.

If it wasn't for him, Georgia wouldn't have to go through this. She wouldn't have to endure this pressure, this obsession with Tom. She'd not be thinking of it every day, and the anxiety to fulfil the task wouldn't exist. And even though she knew it was wrong, she couldn't help thinking that it was impossible. But Dumbledore was always right, wasn't he? He would'n've set her this... task... if it was illogical.

"Calm down, Georgia," Tom said loudly, smirking. Georgia's face het up and she balled her hands into fists by her sides. But, she did calm down. She wouldn't make herself look like an idiot in front of everyone.

"Oh, Tom," she said dangerously quietly, "I'm always calm."

Tom raised an eyebrow. "If you say so." He pulled out a book and began reading it intently. Georgia squinted her eyes to read the title.

"What's so interesting about snakes?" Georgia asked with her brows furrowed, looking at him.

"I don't see why that's any of your business," Tom replied snootily.

"Calm down, Tom," mimicked Georgia. Tom glowered at her. "Oh, come on, now I'm assuming they're part of your plan to take over the world."

"Excuse me?" Tom enquired.

Georgia froze. "Um - well, I wouldn't be surprised -" she dropped her voice to an even lower whisper - "considering you can talk to them."

Tom - almost unnoticeably - widened his eyes; he'd seemed to forget that she knew almost everything about him. Almost everything, clearly.

"Don't say that," he said dangerously.

Georgia shrugged. "No one here cares, Tom. Look," she said, glancing around, "everyone's sitting at tables, and most people have left."

"Still I - it's not something I really want people to know," he admitted, to Georgia's surprise.

"Seems like you don't want anyone to know anything," Georgia whispered, her gaze hard. "Whether that be why you're hiding in your room all day doing Merlin knows what, or keeping up this perfect student façade, hiding everything."

Tom lifted his chin with superiority and looked at her with amusement. Georgia straightened her back, and said, "Especially when you seem to want to know everything about me."

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sooooooo sorry for the short chapter - I liked how it ended and I didn't want to write more so expect a long chapter next with everything else that was meant to be in this 😂