Solving Riddles

Torn

Maximus raised an eyebrow at Abraxas. "You what?"

Abraxas sighed. "Listen, I can't get into the details right n-"
"No, no you will be getting into the detail because I want to know why you would do such a thing."

"Look, I'm trying to find Ridd-"
"I fully understand that part, it's the rest that I don't. Why do you need that dolt Darnaeus?"
"I don't have the time."
"You do. Now expl-"
Abraxas placed a hand over his mouth, "Listen, I can't talk here because they," he nodded towards Avery, Goyle and Nott leaning against a tree not too far away, "might be listening, so, if you want to know you'll come with me." Abraxas dropped his hand and Maximus nodded.

"Okay."

Abraxas nodded and began walking away, gesturing at Maximus to follow him. The two walked back to the Slytherin dorms in silence.

Hermione looked up as Abraxas and Maximus walked in. Abraxas mumbled a small "hey" at her and Maximus nodded in greeting. Hermione nodded back before turning to Abraxas and raising an eyebrow at him.

"Don't look at me like that, he asked to come," said Abraxas, sitting down in an armchair opposite Hermione, Maximus did the same.

"Why?" She asked, turning to Maximus. "Sorry, I just don't understand why you'd want to know."

Maximus nodded in understanding. "Yeah no problem, and no offence but what exactly do you have to do with any of this?" Maximus' eyes switched from Hermione to Abraxas.

"She came up with the bloody idea, that's what," Abraxas snapped impatiently.

"Okay, now my main problem, what the hell is this plan and why, in Merlin's name, do you need Darnaeus?"

"The plan is to find Tom and Darnaeus is the key to all this, so will you give us the damned address or no-"

Hermione cleared her throat loudly, cutting him off. "I believe it'd be best of we explained thoroughly and from the start, Abraxas."

Maximus nodded, "It truly would be." Abraxas shrugged, running a hand through his hair and leaned back in his chair, "Whatever, you explain."

Hermione nodded and began. She explained their mission to find Tom Riddle, the obstacles they were facing and why. It was thorough but messy and agonisingly long, but Maximus listened intently. He mused over whether it would be a good idea to help them, although he wanted to, was it worth having the others nip at his back for the rest of his life?

"...and that's why we need Darnaeus, that's why we need you to help us get to him," Hermione finished, leaning back in her chair and sighing softly.

Maximus sighed and rubbed his face, before looking up at her and raising an eyebrow. "So, you're fine with all of this? You're fine with bringing Riddle back although you know what he's done, what he's capable of doing?"

Hermione swung her head back and let out a wry chuckle before looking at Maximus once again, "Yes, Merlin something must be wrong with me but yes. He doesn't deserve it."

Maximus blinked at her, she was a mudblood. Practical dirt. Filth through the eyes of anyone else, yet she managed to grab the attention of two of the people that hated her kind the most. It was odd indeed, but that's besides the point. Helping her- but then again it really wasn't for her, was it? They were bringing back Tom, Tom Marvolo Riddle, potential anarchy but equal greatness. A boy who'd somehow managed to charm his way into everything without showing anyone his dark side until it was too late to break away from his grasp. A boy who'd managed to take crude beliefs that had forcefully been passed on in the pureblood society and turn them into dreams of sunshine and flowers, hiding away the disease under the dirt from those who weren't his own. Brilliance in an inferno, he was conflicted for a moment, but a second thought was all it took to make his mind up.

"So?" Hermione looked at him almost pleadingly.

"I'm in."

XXX

Rose started as Abraxas wrote profusely on a foot long piece of parchment. The scratching of the quill echoing through the empty library annoyed her, she exhaled exasperatedly.

"What're yo-" she began, but was cut off.

Abraxas held up his index finger without looking up at her. "Shh, I'm almost done," he whispered.

She sighed, huffing lightly, and leaned back in her chair. Her eyes roamed over the library shelves, she wondered what exactly she was doing there with a boy that refused to pay her any attention whatsoever. Part of her screamed at her to get up and leave but an even larger part forced her to stay seated and wait for him. And so she sat, listening to the scratching of his damned quill against the parchment. She swung her legs back and forth beneath the table and turned to look out of the dusty window two tables away from them.

Abraxas finally put his quill down, rolled up the parchment and placed it securely in his bag before finally looking up at her.

"You were saying?" He asked.

Rose smiled at him, "What were you writing?"

"A letter," he shrugged.

She raised an eyebrow at him, tapping her fingers gently on the table. "To whom?"

"No one you know," he sighed. "Could you skip the questions, Rose, what do you want?"

"Oh I, I want to know why you've been ignoring me!"

Abraxas frowned at her small outburst, he didn't understand her emotions.

"Ignoring you, when have I-"

"You haven't talked to me for a week, Abraxas."

"Well forgive me, I've been busy. I honestly don't think our- well, whatever this is- was relevant enough to set aside my affairs for."

She was hurt, Abraxas understood that much, what he didn't understand was why. Had she grown attached to him, was that what this was?

"Okay," she said slowly as if testing the word. "Who have you been spending your supposed "busy" time with?"

Abraxas sighed in annoyance, this was never going to end, was it? "Listen, that, just like why I've been busy, is none of your business. Now please for sanity's sake, just go if all you're going to do is question me."

"I-" Rose shook her head and got up, "I don't even know why I'm so bothered, you're a complete arse anyway."

Abraxas nodded, "Good to know."

Rose huffed and walked away.

Rose blinked back the tears that were in her eyes as she walked out of the library, he wasn't worth her tears. She hated the fact that she was crying over him, him! She turned a corner wiping her eyes, she was walking fast and wasn't looking where she was going. She soon bumped into someone and fell onto the ground, she looked up at the person she'd bumped into, but she couldn't see clearly. They held out a hand to her, and she took it, pulling herself up, and found herself staring into the brown orbs of Alexander Avery.

"Hello Rose."

XXXX