His Equal [Tom Riddle]

eight

Kepi's eyes flashed toward the door as it swung open. Cicely walked through, a small carry-on trunk floating behind her.

"Hello, Kepi." Cicely sighed with exhaustion. "How are you?"

"I'm well, thank you," Kepi adjusted her position on her bed, setting her book down. "How was your holiday?"

"Oh, splendid." Cicely yawned, bending down to remove her shoes. "And yours?"

Kepi reflected on her time in the near-empty castle. "Well, I was forced to interact with new people thanks to your absence."

"Don't leave Walburga and I!" Cicely jokingly begged. "We've only just gotten you to warm up to us." 

She was speaking the truth. Seeing as they shared a dormitory, Kepi initially spent time with Cicely (and in turn, Walburga) as a side effect of proximity. She and Walburga would bump heads a lot, for Walburga's hot-headed nature had gone unchecked her entire life. Kepi slowly learned how to deal with this in ways that were not irrational and painful, but both Walburga and Cicely had some modified memories as a result of her learning curve.

Cicely was by far Kepi's favorite. When they were alone and not in the company of Walburga, they had actual conversations of significance. Cicely was well-read in dark magic and artefacts thanks to her father's inheritance of Borgin and Burke's. She was also interested in international affairs, and so the two girls had plenty to talk about whenever they found themselves together. The cherry on top was that she was respectful of Kepi's privacy, and never pried despite the storm of questions she had for the transfer student.

"Well, I've been eating meals with Tom Riddle and Dean Rosier." Kepi revealed, watching Cicely's reaction closely.

In truth, Cicely wasn't shocked. Kepi was an intelligent, beautiful girl with a mysterious past and a well-preserved bloodline. The boys had asked she and Walburga plenty of questions about the new girl (not that they could answer many of them), and Cicely figured it'd only be a matter of time until they established contact with her.

She was surprised that Tom Riddle was one of her friend's new acquaintances, though. He tended to steer clear of the fairer sex, and she knew that his charming exterior was a ruse for the masses. They had been running in the same social circles for the past six years, after all. He was a good friend to the boys, but she knew that he had a temperament that rivaled Walburga's. It may have been worse, actually, but she hadn't seen enough evidence to make such claims; only the nerves that her childhood friends seemed to express whenever one of them said something out of line.

"Samantha Yaxley has also joined me in the library a couple of times. We spent a day in Diagon Alley together."

"Oh, lord," Cicely groaned. "She speaks to you, of all people?"

Kepi gave her a warning glare, and Cicely quickly corrected herself. "Not that you wouldn't be someone worth speaking to, but she is such a . . . a rude, pretentious, recluse! She was Walburga's roommate for six years, and ever since her mother died she's been a downright sourpuss." Cicely tilted her head slightly. "Is she nice to you?"

"That is a loaded question," Kepi scoffed. "She's a lot like Walburga in the sense that she seems to forget her manners - more often than not."

Cicely hummed in agreement, unzipping her dress to change into her sleepwear. "Is she trying to do her father's bidding then? I truly can't imagine her willingly spending time with someone."

"Yes, that did seem to be her original intent. I told her off for it, yet she continues to spend time with me." Kepi frowned. "Her thoughts of gaining information from me are fleeting, now. It seems she just wants a friend."