riddle ▷ Tom Riddle Era

B E N C H E D

Jaelyn's nimble fingers tapped against the wooden table quickly. She chewed her lip as her toast and eggs lay cold on her untouched plate.

"Maybe you should approach him first?" Arabella asked, looking down the Great Hall to where Jaelyn's keen eyes were staring. A tall, beefy boy with crooked teeth and mischievous eyes sat at the end of the Slytherin table, dressed head-to-toe in the emerald quidditch uniform.

Jaelyn shook her head. "No. I have to wait for him." She wrung her hands together nervously and Arabella could feel her leg tapping the floor underneath the table. "'Gallopin' Gorgons'," Jaelyn cursed again underneath her breath.

Arabella saw why.

Jake Carson, the Slytherin's quidditch team Captain was thundering towards the two girls, fists curled tightly by his sides. "What in the name of Merlin do you think you're doing? Are you an idiot, Marigold?" Jake towered over Jaelyn, as he spat his words violently. "Getting a detention from Slughorn of all people is indeed a stupid thing to do!"

Jaelyn flinched and Arabella saw tears gather in her friend's eyes. "Hey, cut her some slack, Jake!" Arabella pushed at Jake's chest but the stocky seventh year didn't move and inch.

Jake's head whipped to Arabella and his mouth turned down sourly. "I'm not talking to you, bitch."

Jake turned back to Jaelyn, who had moved backwards on the bench subtly- probably without meaning to. "You know the rules, you miss training, you're benched for the game."

Jaelyn's face crumpled and she looked down, defeated but Jake was not finished. He bent down and glared daggers into Jaelyn. "I hope you blame yourself when we lose."

Arabella had heard enough. She clambered up and rounded on the senior Slytherin. "You have no right!" Arabella said. "No right to say that! If Slytherin loses, it's you're fault, Jake, for being such a despicable person!"

Jake's eyes narrowed and he stood up to face Arabella properly. His warm, revolting breath fanned across Arabella's face and she blanched. "Careful, Caerwyn," Jake said softly, "you wouldn't want to end up like dead old Jacob and Candace, would you?"

His words hit Arabella like a heavy truck and she stumbled back, stunned. Her stomach churned at the mention of the two dead students, and suddenly anger filled Arabella's mind. Lifting her arm into the air, Arabella brought her palm against Jake Carson's cheek. The sound of the slap echoed through the hall and everyone went silent.

Tom Riddle looked up from his conversation with his lackeys at the sound and narrowed his eyes at the sight that was unfolding in front of him. He pushed himself up from the bench and swung his legs over.

Jake began trembling. He curled his fingers into fists and Arabella saw his whole body tense up. "Wait-" She raised her arms too late.

Jake brought his fist up, slamming into Arabella's stomach. The hit propelled Arabella onto and over the Slytherin breakfast table. She rolled over the plates and barrled through the silver goblets. She crashed onto the cold floor, moaning. She felt a strange feeling rush through her stomach then in her throat. Arabella retched and then felt her breakfast rush back through her body. She vomited onto the floor.

Tom Riddle was running now. He grimaced at the pool of sick and knelt by Arabella's side and pulled her hair onto her shoulder and off the floor. He waved his wand and the sick was siphoned away.

At some point in the chaos, Jaelyn had screamed and Professors had rushed forward. Jake had walked off with Dumbledore and Pomfrey had been summoned.

Slughorn stood at the head . of the Great Hall and waved his wand. The breakfast foods disappeared. "Everyone!" He boomed. "Back to your dorms!"

Every student in the hall hesitated, wanting to watch the drama unfold but with another stern message, the Great Hall emptied. What once was festive, was now sombre. The house banners seemed to hang limp and sad, the candles had stopped burning.

Arabella stirred and she wrapped her arms around her stomach, groaning. When she felt a pair of warm hands holding her, she glanced up.

Tom's beautiful green eyes were looking across the room at something at the entrance to the Great Hall. He shook his head ever so slightly before glancing back down to Arabella. I wonder what that was all about? Arabella thought. But then Tom's long fingers danced over her skin as he moved slightly and her cheeks flamed red, memories of the two flashing back. Uncomfortable, Arabella tried to move away.

The fingers holding her gently, tightened around her waist as Arabella wiggled. Tom glanced down and his eyes flashed dangerously. Don't move. The message was clear. The sound was fuzzy, but Arabella was regaining her hearing.

"Professor, I expect something will be done about Carson?" Tom was staring intensely ahead.

Professor Dippet's voice appeared. "Do not fret, Tom m'boy. We will deal with Mr. Carson accordingly. However, I do believe that Miss. Caerwyn is our first priority at this minute."

Arabella saw Tom glance down before her vision began swirling and dipping in flashes of light. "Yes, I do believe she is."

Jaelyn sniffled and wiped her cheeks with the sleeve of her cloak. Today was shaping up to be the worst day in a long time.

Suddenly, Jaelyn felt a gentle hand land on the small of her back. She spun around to see a mirror image of herself, but this girl was dressed in the ruby reds of Godric Gryffindor.

"Caroline!" Jaelyn gasped and felt the sudden urge to wrap her arms around her younger sister.

Caroline Marigold looked at Jaelyn cautiously, "are you alright?"

Jaelyn was surprised Caroline was even acknowledging her. It had been years since the two had acted like sisters together. In the holidays, Jaelyn did her best to avoid Caroline like the rest of her family did- and because of this, Caroline was more often than not, at a friend's home for the summer. However, now, as Arabella was being carried to the imfirmary and Jaelyn felt as if she would break, seeing her sister felt as if it was the first time.

Pushing her blonde hair away from her eyes, Jaelyn shrugged. "Not really."

Caroline tilted her head and Jaelyn saw tears gather in her eyes. "Oh, Jae," Caroline flung her arms around her older sister's shoulers and Jaelyn let her head fall. She began to cry and wrapped her arms around Caroline's waist.

"I'm so sorry, Caroline."

Meanwhile, Tom Riddle had left the infirmary, deep in thought. He still lacked the answers he so deeply desired. He did not understand the way his chest ached when he saw Arabella's limp body fly over the table and hit the floor. He did not understand why his legs began running down the space between the tables.

He did not understand Arabella Caerwyn at all. Not one bit.

And he hated it.