Gypsy

Chapter Seven

I had forgotten how magnificent Hogwarts was, Beauxbatons had an undeniable beauty, but the towering battlements of the French school couldn't compare to what I was seeing. Great spires made of stone reached towards the sky, higher than I remembered, while the Lake reflected the night's sky in an eerie but romantic way. Fog was flittering down from the mountains, obscuring each carriage if it got too far in front.

"I'm sorry we had to come back here," said a forlorn Jenny. She was speaking as much for herself as for me, leaving Francesca had been a difficult moment for her.

I didn't bother replying, we both already knew I was dreading the return. Thankfully the fact that we were 'nobody' Hufflepuffs should protect us from any questions; we would simply slink back into the everyday life of Hogwarts.

"I wish Jeremy were here." I sounded like a love sick fool, but it didn't matter. Jeremy and I had a wonderful year in France; our relationship had only blossomed with the romance of the countryside.

"He will visit as often as he can," consoled Jenny. The Ministry of Magic in France seemed reluctant to allow him to transfer back over to England, so for the moment he was far further away from me then I would have liked.

Smiling I looked around, this year I was shocked to see that the carriages were being pulled by Thestrals. Unsurprisingly most of the students hadn't even realized, I only told Jenny when she asked what I was staring at.

As we neared the castle I tried to stifle the butterflies in my stomach, I was excited for my classes like Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology, but many of the others I dreaded. Beauxbatons was a school that prided itself mainly upon the creation of skilled and dutiful witches, Jenny and I both knew it was so they could marry them off and produce more of magical blood, but it wasn't really an issue. The Headmistress Cara had been delighted at my aptitude for taming creatures and recognizing plants and their correct uses, she likened me to a 'Nymph'. Unlike the Muggle versions of sultry females who required sex as a source of energy, which is a total farce; the legends of Nymphs were that they could calm and control any animal they wished, using their knowledge of plants and wildlife to hide themselves from the outside world.

"Come on Tony," grabbing my hand, and breaking me from my thoughts, Jenny dragged me from the carriage and into the castle. We were momentarily held up when Malfoy noticed us; absently I noticed that he had somehow grown into the pointy face, he looked every inch the elitist racist. He seemed to freeze in shock at the sight of me, blocking our way for only a moment and opening his mouth as if to speak, then hurrying off without saying a word.

"That was weird." We watched his blond head move through the throngs of people, but I didn't stay interested enough to watch where it stopped.

Jenny nodded, but we were quickly hustled into the Great Hall and our chairs, eager for the feast that Beauxbatons just didn't provide.

There were a few surprised faces at seeing us, apparently there had been a rumour going around that we had been kidnapped by Muggleborn haters and tortured to death. Jenny seemed almost proud of the rumour, I was a little more sedate as I was reminded of one of the reasons I left.

Next to me Jenny was distracted recalling all the 'adventures' we had while in France, so I turned my head quickly to get a glance at the Slytherin table.

Black eyes met mine, set in a face that was so darkly beautiful that I gaped for a moment. Over time I was in France, I had somehow forgotten how truly stunning Tom Riddle was. I didn't have to look around to know that most of the female population of Hogwarts was staring dreamily at him. He wasn't looking at them though; he seemed almost stuck in a staring contest with me. If not for a flicker in his eyes, turning them red for a split second, I might have forgotten how disgustingly evil he was.