Star Crossed

Chapter Thirty One- Stand by me

I awoke the next morning to discover that all of the days lessons had been canceled, some of the other students took the opportunity to catch up on lost sleep but I just simply couldn't sleep. I made my way down to the common room where there were only a few other fellow Gryffindor's gathered. 
"Have you heard the latest?" Fabian asked me from behind, I jumped turning around to face him and shook my head. 
"Apparently, you know Rubeaus Hagrid the big second year animal loving kid?" I nodded my head, 
"Well he didn't come back to his dormitory last night, rumors are that he has been accused of being involved in the Myrtle's death,"
"What!?" The words spilled from my mouth before I could stop them, Fabian nodded. 
"I know," he said, "seems unbelievable doesn't it?" 
"Seems! It is unbelievable!" I replied heatedly, "How are people saying he was involved? How do they know?" Questions coming thick and fast before I could stop them. 
Fabian raised his hands defensively, "I don't know." he replied, "I'm just telling you what I do know," I nodded again, calming myself down. 
"Thanks Fabian," I muttered. I decided to leave the common room and go and get some air, hopefully I could find Wiglaf, Lazarus or Tom and tell them the ridiculous rumors. I wondered around the castle for around an hour but it was deserted no one it seemed was daring to venture out of their common rooms. 
"Grisha," I heard Wiglaf's voice call my name, I spun on the spot to see him stood at the end of one of the corridors. 
"Have you heard the rumors?" he asked me, his tone serious. 
"About Hagrid? Yes," I said, rolling my eyes. "It's ridiculous!" 
"I have more to tell you." he said, his expression grave. "but not here, come on Lazarus also needs to hear this," 
"And Tom?" I asked, Wiglaf scoffed,
"Oh Tom knows already," he said, I frowned Tom knew already? How? 
We walked in silence all the way down to the Hufflepuff common room entrance, where Wiglaf tickled the portrait of the pears. The door did not swing open as it would normally do for a member of its house but instead the portrait was opened by Charlotte who stood in the threshold looking out into the corridor to see who was trying to gain unauthorised access, her face was at first stern but softened upon seeing us. 
"Wiglaf," she beamed, "Grisha, its good to see you."
"I'm sorry that I can't talk," Wiglaf said apologetically, Charlotte's face dropped a little."I've come to see if Lazarus is here, we need to talk to him." Charlotte nodded and disappeared again behind the portrait. I wondered what was going on with Wiglaf and Charlotte now but did not feel that this was a good time to ask. 

After a couple of minutes the  portrait opened again this time revealing Lazarus stood at its entrance, he stepped out and closed the door behind him, he still looked deeply shaken and had dark rings around his eyes. All three of us did not say a word as we made our way to the Room of Requirement led by Wiglaf. Once inside, Lazarus broke the silence.
"I couldn't sleep," he breathed,

"Me either," I replied,
"I just feel so guilty..." he said quietly, tears swelling in his large chocolate eyes. 

"You have absolutely nothing to feel guilty for," I said earnestly, I took hold of him and pulled him into a hug, I felt him tense a little at my touch before hugging me back so tightly I thought I may suffocate. 
"Well, well this is cosy," I broke apart from Lazarus instantly, turning towards the large wooden doors where Tom Riddle stood, looking straight at us, he was smirking but there was something else in his eyes too... 
"Ah Riddle how opportune," Wiglaf stated coldly, I looked between the two of them feeling the atmosphere in the room thicken. 
"Lucky of me to... drop in." he smirked, "I was not aware we were meeting."
"You are always in the right place at the right time aren't you?" Wiglaf smirked, "Anyhow what I am about to discuss is old news to you Tom." Tom lowered his head and shook it with a smirk before raising it again biting lightly on his lower lip.
"You have heard the good news then I presume." 
"Oh they don't know the full of it," Wiglaf spat bitterly, 
"Ah I feel as if I may have stole your thunder Wiglaf, so don't let me stop you." Tom smiled and walked around us to take a seat lazily in his usual leather armchair, Wiglaf fixed him with a glare before addressing us.
"Rubeaus Hagrid as you know has been apprehended on the cause of Myrtle's death."
"But how? why?" Lazarus said in disbelief, "he is harmless! Stupid but harmless!"
Wiglaf nodded, "It is believed that Rubeaus had a-" 
Riddle interrupted him, "It has been confirmed Wiglaf but do carry on," he smirked. 
"It has been confirmed-" Wiglaf emphasised that "Rubeaus had been keeping an acromantula within the school."
"What!?" both me and Lazarus exclaimed in chorus,
"But those things are... are huge!" Lazarus replied, shock all across his face. 
"Fully grown they are." Riddle said in a relaxed tone, "This one was only a month or so old and  around the size of a bludger, he had been keeping it in a box in an unused broom cupboard the fool." he scoffed. 
"And so they believe the creature killed Myrtle?" I asked, hardly daring to believe my ears. 
Riddle nodded, "No-one of course believes that Rubeaus meant the beast to hurt anyone but what else can be expected when you keep monsters as pets." 
"And how do you know all this?" Lazarus asked, 
"Well that's the interesting part of the story isn't it Riddle?" Wiglaf replied stonily, "It was you who apprehended him wasn't it." 

I turned to Riddle, my heart beating in my chest, he nodded, looking quite pleased with himself. 
"I thought you would be more pleased Wiglaf? After all this will save the school." Tom replied, his face and body language still completely relaxed. 
"I wanted a complete investigation, I wanted foolproof evidence. Your solution provides neither and you do not care as long as your assets are protected. You well know that the ministry will accept anything presented to them as long as it is remotely plausible if it means finding a culprit in time for the arrival of Myrtles parents." 
"You doubt my sincerity?" Riddle asked, Lazarus stared between the two of them. I could hardly breathe, it was as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, my brain was spinning and whirling too fast for me to grasp a hold of. 
"Of course not," replied Wiglaf, his tone and scowling expression betraying his words. 
"I had thought if anyone would stand by me it would be my friends," said Tom, his voice sounded disappointed but his face looked slightly amused. 
"I will not keep you any longer Riddle, I'm sure you have many meetings to prepare for." Wiglaf took one last look towards Tom and walked towards the door and out of the room. 
"Are you coming Grisha?" Lazarus asked, holding open the door. 
"In a minute," I replied, Lazarus looked a little hurt as he left closing the door behind him, leaving me and Tom alone. 
"What is the truth Riddle," I asked, not bothering to turn around to face him. 
"The truth?" He replied, raising an eyebrow, I sighed. 
"I know you wouldn't want Hogwarts to close, I know it is your home." I said, turning to look him face to face now. 
"You are correct," he said simply.
"I know that you would do anything to keep the school open." I continued, 
"Correct again," he smirked, 
"Even if that meant framing an innocent person," I breathed, Tom stood up and walked towards me, he cupped my cheek in his hand causing my whole body to tense and my stomach to squirm, my legs felt weak as they struggled to support me. 
"You will have to trust my integrity Grisha, I know you do not want the school to close just as much I, this school is your sacred place away from home just as it is mine." his blue eyes stared deep into mine, making a shiver creep up my spine, I tried to shake my head but I was frozen.
"But I would not condemn someone for something they are not guilty of."
Tom smiled, "Is someone who is creating a deadly monster in the darkness innocent?" he whispered I shivered at his smirk, it was as if there was a double meaning to his words that only he was privy to, I wondered if a deadly monster lingered closer to us than we thought...
"No." I replied,
"Wiglaf and Lazarus will come round," he tucked some of my hair behind my ear, "Once those big, brave, clever aurors confirm his guilt they will just have to belive it." he smirked.
I removed his hand from my face,
"Perhaps but even aurors can be manipulated if they want it enough." I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Some people can't control what they want." he smirked,
"No but I can." and with that I left him stood in the middle of the room alone, my heart was beating out of my chest. What was that!?

I sat in the library a copy of Fantastic Beasts laid out in front of me, my finger tracing the words detailing the Acromantula... I had not seen the full body of Mrtyle to examine the wounds but the fatality of the creature was indisputable... I didn't know if it was the truth... But I wanted it to be... Tom was right I needed Hogwarts as much as he did.