Pick Your Poison | Tom Riddle |

Chapter Eleven: The Things We Don't Understand

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"People have a hard time letting go of their suffering. Out of a fear of the unknown, they prefer suffering that is familiar."
-Thich Nhat Hanh

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October 31, 1943

Today was the day champions would be picked.

It was an exciting event for just about everyone. Sitting at Ravenclaw table, Eleanor was beside Julius and among other friends. The death of Myrtle was still in the back of her mind, making sure to double check on all of the younger students these past few days. Even focusing on her school work more intently has distracted her a bit and brought her back to herself.

The other day, Tom was awarded with a plaque for his "Special Services to Hogwarts".

Eleanor was still suspicious of the whole thing but with everything back on track and the award already given, how much could she really do? She just went along with it is what she did. It made sense she supposed though. She hasn't heard of what would come of Hagrid, but there was clearly not a 6 foot third year student in the Great Hall this week.

Sitting under the night stars and candles glowing around the carved pumpkins, Eleanor enjoyed her meal and was in a pleasant mood that evening.

"Julius will surely be the Champion." Lillian said, causing Eleanor to raise her eyes from the book in her lap.

It was an American Muggle book from the twenties sent as a gift from her father who had just came back from a trip from New York.

"I hope so. Everyone thinks of us as stuck up kids with our heads in the books! We need to prove something." Cormac exclaimed, sitting across from Julius who was clearly nervous. "Eleanor tarnished our sturdy reputation when she took that nasty hit."

Eleanor looked him up and down as he sat with open legs, one on either side of the bench. She listened in on his thoughts, hearing how nervous he was and feeling it herself. Then she shut her book and gave him an assuring smile.

"Don't be rude you Irish bastard." Eleanor snapped, tossing the Daily Prophet

That accident was truly frightening and she still had hardly any memory of it. But Cormac laughed anyway as he hid behind Lillian for coverage.

"I still caught the Snitch, did I not?" Eleanor mocked, the two of them both wearing a falsely shocked look. 

"You caught the Snitch but then you danced with a snake, my dear."

Why did a smile immediately creep on her face? Eleanor wish she knew as she bowed her head and shook it, trying to rid herself of whatever joy seemed to rise from that. But the others were looking at her quite seriously, and she was only slightly worried at what other rumors could have been spread since that evening. Marcella would have immediately dropped dead if she knew about what happened with Hagrid.

"Ohhhh right. I knew I was missing something!" Julius pointed at her.

"Will you all let it be? It was nothing more than a dance because both of our friend groups were preoccupied. It took about two minutes before I had to get out of it because he wouldn't stop talking nonsense." Eleanor said, eyes remaining on her plate as she waved them all off.

"Won't say a word more." Marcella quipped, a taught smile on her lips.

But everyone seemed to avert their eyes from her overall, and what Eleanor thought was harmless teasing had suddenly turned into a true cold shoulder from them.

"Are you actually all being serious?" Eleanor scoffed.

Lillian, to kind to ignore her, popped her head up and smiled sadly at Eleanor.