Save the girl ... Save Tom Riddle

Chapter 21

Just gonna stand there and watch me burn
But that's alright because I like the way it hurts
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry
But that's alright because I love the was you lie
I love the way you lie
Oh I love the way you lie

"But then, if he had been able to understand, he could not be Lord Voldemort, and might never have murdered at all."

______

Susan was updating on what she missed. Something easy, since she had been away just for one day.

The last lesson in the afternoon ended and Susan readied for her patrolling.
She found Gatlin Fawley sitting in a dark corner with a sad expression, when she was used to be the most lively one.
"You're not feeling well?" Susan asked catching her by surprise.
Gatlin jumped up, patting her robes to straighten them and shook her head.
"What's wrong?" Susan insisted trying to cross her eyes in vain.
The Ravenclaw girl hesitated, then said in a low voice "It's him. He reunited us and showed us what he planned for our future. I agree that we wizards deserve more privileges and I can understand that we might be on the way of extinction. But I felt like we are just breeding beasts".
"What are you talking about?".
Gatlin looked remorseful for that confidence "I guess.. You are not involved. And maybe I shouldn't tell this because it's his duty".
"Just tell. I won't tell him" Susan promised.
Gatlin inhaled deeply then whispered with worry and annoyance "He paired us. And he wants me to breed with Wil. I love him as a friend, I never will as a lover nor for making children. And I know that he..well, he likes you".
Susan stared at her in disbelief, but reading her mind proved she was sincere "Tom paired you off?".
"Yeah. And of course his favourites could choose. But he never asked our opinions. But don't tell him. He's colder lately. He's scary" Gatlin grabbed her arm with an imploring stare.
Susan nodded.
She knew that Gatlin liked Mulciber and he liked her back, but Susan never cared to interfere.
And she didn't know about that new game of Tom.

Susan watched the blood covering the tip of the knife she was using and dripping into a small crystal phial.
She liked the salamanders as much as Tom liked snakes.
Salamanders dwell in fire and have such an ephemeral life.
Someone behind her whispered a spell and the salamander she wounded recovered in a blink of an eye.
"I've been waiting for you" Tom said taking the reptile and placing it back into its fire.
"Slughorn asked me to extract some blood for him" she murmured focusing on the fragile phial.
"Couldn't he wait?".
"He's a professor".
She felt he didn't like that answer without checking his reaction.
Tom removed the phial from her fingers "I'll take this to him. I have to meet him anyway".
"Are you going to interrogate him again about horcruxes?".
He blinked at her "What?".
She watched him sideways "You can be good at hiding things from me, but not your Knights. And I'm good enough to guess what's up into your mind".
He shrugged "I was just curious. I'm not planning to make anything for at least the next two years. And I know you disagree about this, that's why I didn't want to talk about this to you. Not to mention we had some fights then. And I'm going to find out who dared to eavesdrop".
"There's no need. And what would be wrong in trying to find more about their boss when their boss knows everything about them?".
"There's that they can't do anything against my will" he hissed icily.
"So are you ruling their lives too now?" She snapped raising her voice.
Tom stared at her but her mind was closed. He sighed irritated "What are you talking about?".
"There was a reunion while I was away".
"Yeah, nothing of important. I preferred save you from that, since the loss..".
"And what did you talk about?".
He inhaled attacking back "You tell me. What do you think we talked about?".
"Is it true that you're planning the marriages of your followers?" She asked impatiently.
He rolled his eyes "They'll have to graduate first, then I suggest them my way of order".
"So you'll do this to me too? I'll have to..be with someone you choose for me?" She snapped with disgust.
He frowned, then scoffed stepping towards her "Don't be silly. You're mine. Only mine".
"Because you say so?".
He inhaled replying calmly "Because that's what we want. The others know that I can choose for their best, they trust me and agree. If they don't, I'm open to hear their complains. Is it so disgusting?".
Susan hated his easy way of winning the argument. But she didn't want to be manipulated "The disgusting thing is that you matches us like we're just breeding meat".
"All I care about is to keep wizards' blood pure. That's been also your family's main task. Toujours pur. Do you want to reject your family traditions too?".
She snorted "It's not that. It's that you didn't care for all your followers' wills".
"You mean Stark? Yeah, I know his wishes but I can't help him. I'm not gonna share you with anyone" he smirked stepping closer.
"Maybe not just him. Maybe you satisfied just your Knights' desires, not all your other followers".
"There's still time for that. So is that your worry? That what I choose for you is not right? Did you really think that I could match you with someone else? After all the stuff we did together?".
She stepped back to find herself trapped against the wall and the boy in front of her. She cursed herself but didn't give up "I want to be free to choose what I want. My life belongs to me, not to you".
He slightly shook his head placing his hands on the wall to force her to focus just on him "I know what you want more than you do. What you want is me. All you ever wanted is myself".
She felt her mouth dry. He was right, of course. She tried to remind the words she heard against him from her cousin, Stark, Fawley.. But she couldn't remember and use them, not while Tom was scanning her with those eyes of a predator.
"Maybe that's what you want to see. It doesn't mean it's the reality".
He arched an eyebrow, whispering "Are you telling me I'm wrong?".
"No" she surrendered with a sigh.
He smiled leaning closer and tickled her neck with his lips "I don't regret anything of what I did and said. And you have nothing to complain about".
"You believe it's so easy to know what I really want?".
He scoffed lowering his hands to pull her closer "You girls just want to feel desired".
She tilted her head then tried to push him away hissing maliciously "And we just like to make you boys desire us".
Tom blocked her and caught her lips with his, making her feel dizzy so she had to hold on him instead of fight.
When they had to catch their breath, she tried to sneak away from him.
"You once said that kissing me is a torture. Stop torturing yourself".
He frowned but didn't let her go "That's not what I meant. Why you don't want to understand? I willingly accept this and I enjoy it" he smirked mischievously "You should do the same".