To Answer A Riddle [Tom Riddle Era / Harry Potter]

Entry #6

Elliott slowly woke up. He was extremely confused. His muscles felt sore and he felt very tired. He managed to open his eyes, even if his body wanted to go back to sleep.

He did not recognize where he was. The architecture was certainly Hogwarts', but he had never gone in this room. The walls were white or made with small grey rocks. He lifted himself up and sat. He grimaced under the effort it had taken.

Elliott noticed that he was on a white-sheeted bed, and that many beds were around him, sometimes separated from each other by white sheets. Was he in the... infirmary? But why? He hadn't been hurt, had he?

Then he remembered. The pain he had felt as soon as he had touched the Dark Curses book and his body just giving up. He looked at his hands. They were completely bandaged, but he could still move his fingers separately. He noticed that he was in some sort of pajama, but he could feel the other bandages around his torso and on his belly.

He passed a hand in his hair and saw that the tip of his blonde hair was darkened with blood. He thought that maybe the blood had come from his face, though there didn't seem to be many injuries there, except for a small patch which hid a part of his right cheek.

Elliott noticed that someone was sleeping beside him. He seemed to be sitting on a chair, but had fallen asleep on the blonde wizard's bed. The boy's upper body was lying on Elliott's bed, his head buried in his arms, near the injured wizard's feet.

Elliott smiled a little, recognizing Tom's features. The blonde sorcerer leaned towards him and shook softly his shoulder. After a short moment, Tom lifted his head.

"You're awake," stated Tom with a small smile. He seemed a bit tired. Also, a little... worried?

"Yeah."

"Good." Tom tried not to yawn. "I was worried you wouldn't make it. They said you would, but how could I be sure?"

Elliott stared at Tom in confusion.

"No-not make it..?" he stuttered. "I was going to die?"

Tom looked down and twisted his hands.

"I told the other students that you fell down the stairs of the Astronomy Tower, but I had to tell the truth to the professors."

Elliott's eyes widened in surprise. Tom had told the teachers that they had stolen restricted, cursed books? What was wrong with him?

"I told them how we had gone out to see the stars, to complete our astronomy assignment and that when we came back, you wanted to practice some spells since you're behind in some classes. And that you completely messed up a transfiguration spell and how it hit you instead."

Tom had a glint of mischief in his eyes. Elliott tried not to smile. Why had he doubted his friend? He had managed to provide a sensible lie to his severe injuries to hide what they had done. He was a genius.

"I understand... but what happened after the... spell hit me?" asked the blonde. Tom grimaced.

"I don't know. You just fell down. You were bleeding everywhere. It looked like a hundred knifes had slashed through your body. I managed to heal the shallow wounds and bandage some of the deepest wounds before I got a teacher. I was sure you were going to die, Elliott. If Slughorn hadn't been wandering around in the halls, you probably would've died."

Elliott didn't know what to say. He just remembered the pain when the curse had hit him and the visions of Tom's dark future as he lost consciousness. He hadn't realized he could've died at that moment.