A Little Trip Through a Diary / TOMIONE (COMPLETE)

Chapter Twenty-Five: Malfoy's Mistake

"It is the unknown we fear when we look upon death and darkness, nothing more."

_Professor Dumbledore, Half-Blood Prince_

Ginevra didn't think she'd been happier in this alternate universe than currently. She, Tom and Abraxas were all, mercifully, talking to each other again, and Tom giving in and complimenting Abraxas allowed her some sense of satisfaction even as she had sat alone during the Hallowe'en Feast.

"Ginevra!"

She turned to see a smiling Abraxas hurrying towards her in the corridor.

"Abraxas. Late for Potions as usual."

"Yep," the Slytherin laughingly replied, catching up with her. "I'm sure Sluggy won't mind."

"Hopefully he'll care more than Dumbledore will."

He shrugged.

"Well old Dumby-door likes you, doesn't he?"

"Slughorn likes you, too," she reassured, trying not to laugh at Abraxas' nickname for Dumbledore.

"So, do you have another careers consultation with him?" He questioned interestedly. "That makes three!"

"Well, we seem to have a lot to talk about."

That, at least, was true. While Ginevra had given up hope of ever finding her way back to the 1990s, Dumbledore still harboured a delusional dream of discovering (or inventing) a spell that would send her back. The Transfiguration teacher hadn't stopped warning her about Tom and, while she appreciated the gesture, she was losing patience, especially given that Tom hadn't really demonstrated his evil side yet.

"Strange that he would want to see you; isn't he meant to interview the Gryffindors? Oh well - that man is an enigma. Good luck with old Dumby-door!" Abraxas called, running off towards the dungeons.

Ginevra simply gave a small wave in return and continued to make her way up to Dumbledore's office, more than content to ignore Abraxas' rambling.

*

Abraxas managed to get to Potions in time for a short, but by no means strict, telling off and had soon sat down next to Tom, reminded once again of how unfortunate it was that they sat at the front. Why would they want to pretend to pay attention for a whole hour and a half? More the point, why would Tom want to pretend, especially when he already knew most of this stuff?

"Abraxas, pay attention!" Tom hissed without looking his way.

"I am trying," he answered, annoyed and rolling his eyes.

"Stop rolling your eyes."

"He's so boring."

"That's unfortunate. What would you prefer to discuss?"

"I don't know. What about the morality of murder?"

Tom sent him an icy look. Abraxas felt his stomach turn.

"That wasn't meant to come out like that," he promised, praying to Merlin that Tom wouldn't decide to lose all pretence and Crucio him in front of Slughorn. "No context, I assure you. Just sort of slipped out."

"I'll say," Tom muttered, but his gaze eventually returned to the board.

Abraxas quickly wiped a bead of sweat off his brow, a movement that didn't go unnoticed by his partner who eyed him curiously but said nothing more. Tom simply left Abraxas to stew, letting the poor boy contemplate all the possible scenarios of what Tom could possibly do to him after the lesson.

*

Ginevra's consultation had been far from useful. Dumbledore maintained all the same sickening hope he'd had the previous week and reduced her to near-tears of frustration. By the end of it she was more than happy to return to the bustling corridors of school life and blend in with her fellow classmates on the way to Charms.

"How was Potions?" She heard Emily Fawley ask Olive Hornby.

Olive had been pretty glum since the whole Myrtle incident and was lucky to still have friends, however idiotic they were.

"Rubbish as usual," Olive sighed. "The only thing that made it vaguely interesting was Tom Riddle sitting in front of me."

"Ooh," several girls chorused.

Ginevra found herself listening in more intently.

"Abraxas was bored, Tom noticed and then asked what Abraxas would prefer to discuss in the lesson. Abraxas just, out of the blue, said 'the morality of murder'."

"Oh, I saw that!" Cried another girl. "Tom gave him such a queer look. I thought Tom's glare would make Abraxas drop dead on the floor."

Ginevra's breath hitched in her throat.

"Don't be so silly, Macdonald," Olive snapped. "As if Tom would kill anyone."

She stopped dead in the middle of the corridor, causing a few Gryffindors to huff loudly and swear quietly as they had to swerve to avoid her. She paid no attention to it or to the movements of anybody else.

Tom. He had killed someone, hadn't he? Myrtle aside, he'd already killed his parents. That's why he gave Abraxas a strange look, like he could kill him. Because he was capable of killing people; he'd done it before. Nothing and no-one could stop Tom if he decided to cast Avada Kedavra that very night in the Slytherin common room...

*****

A.N. Ooh, cliffhanger! That wasn't intended, I promise. This chapter was meant to be a 'goodbye, see you soon' kind of chapter as, after my already unplanned previous absence, I will now be taking several months off Wattpad to revise for my GCSEs. So... y'all have to stew like Abraxas and wait to find out what will be the repercussions of Malfoy's mistake.

Thank you for reading and PLEASE COMMENT, guys - you know the drill. :)