Pick Your Poison | Tom Riddle |

Chapter Four: Potions and Conversations

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"Do you think the universe fights for souls to be together?
Some things are too strange and strong to be coincidences."
-Emery Allen

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The following week dragged on slowly and by Wednesday, Eleanor was nearly burnt out, especially after her weekend of Quidditch.

When the sun had broke through the clouds for the first time in the past rainy days, Eleanor's spirits were lifted as she walked down the corridor with a brighter smile than usual and her friends at her side.

"This is how it should always be" she thought to herself.

Marcella and Eleanor chatted about their upcoming weekend and their plans to go to Hogsmeade.

"Don't drink too much butterbeer. We have a lot of work do to before next Friday. You bet I'll have you lot running laps for the entire practice if you start slacking." Julius said, his input pausing their conversation.

"Shut it and go eat your highly caloric breakfast so I can scold you on a poor diet that may interfere with our practices." Eleanor said teasingly, turning into the Great Hall as Julius had parted from them.

Eleanor walked in, her finger waves bouncing with each step she took. Regardless of the slow week she felt a bit more perkier and even felt more of herself today. When she walked down the isle to her usual section, she skimmed over the Slytherin table beside them.

Tom sat with his chin in his hand and a book in the other, food absent from his plate. She could try and see what he was thinking about. But she knew it'd be a dead end. While his supposed friends conversed around him, Eleanor wondered how he could read with such ruckus. She could barely pay attention in her class with that crowd always being so chatty.

Suddenly, Eleanor noticed his eyes avert from the pages and the split second he made the slightest turn of his head, she turned away and hurried to her seat, hoping not to get caught.

"Have you two talked yet?" Marcella asked, careful not to reveal who she was referring to now that they were among friends.

Since the incident after the Prefect meeting Friday night, her classes were quieter.

Eleanor thought she wouldn't mind. She thought she established a peaceful fate for herself for the remainder of the year.
But something was bugging her about it all and she couldn't place her finger on it.

"Nope. Just angsty glances and trying to get called on first to answer the question." Eleanor sighed, skimming over her charms book, a class she would have with Marcella soon.

"Adis and Druella haven't shut up about you. They kept complaining about you to Abraxas in my Arithmancy class." Marcella said. "I think they're jealous about you and Tom being around each other more."

Deep down, her chest caved at the thought of that Slytherin crowd who tormented her for years on end. But she looked up to place food on her plate.

"You can see for yourself if you'd like." Marcella said, offering for her to use her Legilimency.
An exasperated smile spread across Eleanor's lips.

"You know I can never resist the offer."

Staring into Marcella's eyes, she began to sift through her recent memories until she found herself staring at the same potions textbook Marcella had. Faint whispers came to her attention and Eleanor closed her eyes trying to listen.

"That spoiled, good for nothing Ravenclaw girl has been all I've been hearing about. I'm sick of it." Druella Black groaned.

"All because she made a fool out of Malfoy. Now you got your whole crew looking like ants that she's walking over." Adis spat.