Solving Riddles

Complications pt 1

DISCLAIMER: YUP, I'M STILL WRITING THESE. I DON'T OWN HP.

The cloaked man stared at Tom and Tom stared right back at him. "What're you..." Tom began with a croak, his throat was so parched and him so unused to having to speak anymore that his voice trailed off for itself.

The cloaked man looked down at Tom and smiled, Tom hated the gleam in his eyes.

"I suppose I should just tell you what I'm here for," the man sighed, and sat down opposite Tom on the grim, filthy floor. Smiling one more before beginning his long tale, there were ups and downs, ins and outs, but the proposal he was making was quite clear to Tom.

"So?"

Tom didn't waste anytime in his response, he'd do absolutely anything to get out of there, even if it meant doing, becoming what the man was asking of him. He calmed himself by telling himself that it'd lead to something greater, regardless of what he thought of him. He felt that he was similar, perhaps different in a few ways but mostly similar, to the man. He was odd and as complicated as one could ever get. Tom nodded his head, slowly and painfully, his neck was stiff, but he managed it. "Let's go."

XXX

Abraxas and Rose stopped just as Peeves swooped down in front of them. "Ooh, looky looky, what do we have here?" The poltergeist sniggered, waggling his fingers in mischievous excitement. Rose glared at him, her green eyes twinkling. "Get out of the way," she snarled.

"Why?" He giggled.

"There's something we need to take care of."

Abraxas turned to face her, "Yeah, speaking of this thing could you please tell me what it is?" He hissed in annoyance.

The poltergeist smirked and Rose swallowed before she began her sentence. "Something bad happened in the forest-"

"There's nothing in the forest." Peeves interrupted her and giggled again.

"Well of course you wouldn't know," she snapped and turned back to Abraxas. "I can't really explain it at the moment, you'll see when we get there."

Abraxas raised an eyebrow suspiciously, something wasn't right here. But he followed her as she tugged on his arm, pushed past Peeves and walked out the entrance doors into the cold dark night.

XXX

Avery waited patiently in the forest, he held his wand at his side with a firm grip, Rose would be here soon and then it'd be all over.

XXX

Peeves laughed to himself as he floated down into the dungeons, obviously he knew what was to happen to Abraxas. He decided to use it to his advantage, yes, it was a slight bit reckless of him, but there was no other way to get what he wanted. Desperate times call for desperate measures.

Hermione felt uncomfortable as she sat in the Slytherin common room. Something was off, she couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something was off. She felt that it had to do with Rose, following them wouldn't hurt. She got up from the armchair and walked out of the common room, into the cold dungeon only to be met by the smirking face of Peeves the poltergeist.

"Hello Bellouve," he said with a sigh. "Bit cold out isn't it?"
"Peeves, what do you want?"
"You promised me something-"
"I haven't had the time to ask him," a lie, she had plenty of time, she just didn't want to.

"Well, I have a secret to tell you, but only if you'll give me what I want."

"Well then, I don't want to know what it is." She walked past him.

"But it's about that friend of yours, that friend that supposedly has what I want- what's his name Abros?"

"Abraxas," she turned around with her brow furrowed, "What is it?"

"Swear on your life that you'll give me the dead girl if I tell you."

"I swear, I'll even ask him for it when I find him- wherever he is."
Peeves smirked, "Alright, he's in the forest with that girl, y'know short, brunette, g-"

"Yes I know, Rose." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot impatiently on the ground.
"Well yes, you better hurry if you want to catch them, she's wants to kill him, and she's not alone."

Hermione's face turned white as she took as step back, ingesting the news. "What?"

"Can't really blame her, he is-"
Hermione didn't hear the rest of what Peeves had to say, she was already running.

XXX

Hermione emerged from the castle just as the two walked into the forest. She ran as fast as she could, trying to stay silent in case what what Peeves said was true, that she really wasn't alone and there might be someone waiting in the woods to ambush Abraxas.

Abraxas turned to face Rose as the stepped towards a cluster of trees, "We're here, what is it?"

Rose took a small step back, flicking her fingers nervously. Abraxas stepped towards her clenching his jaw. "Rose-"

"Oh, don't be so uptight," came Avery's voice as he stepped out from behind a tree. Abraxas snapped his head towards the boy and scowled.

"What're you doing here?"

"I don't really have to have a reason, do I?"

Abraxas' scowl deepened, and he turned to face Rose who was still backing away, but with a small smirk on her face. "Rose, what is he doing here?"

She said nothing, taking another step back before stopping next to an oak. Avery sighed and twisted his wand between his fingers.

"You should really stop listening to women, Abraxas, did you know that the devil is one of them? They'll do anything to take you down, really. Even kill." Avery shrugged nonchalantly and smiled.

"What're you talking about? Kill?"

"Yeah, kill. You see you hurt Rose, you hurt her really bad. So much so that she wants you dead, gone, whoops no more Abraxas."

"You're lying, she wouldn't-"

"Yeah, well she did. Didn't you, Rose?"

Abraxas turned to face her once more to find her nodding at Avery's words.

"No." He took a step back.

"Yes," Avery took a step towards him. "I hope you understand," Avery raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra."
Hermione lunged out from a bush she'd been hiding in and smashed a rock over Avery's head, the boy fell onto the floor, unconscious. But it was too late either way, the spell had already been fired, there was another soft thud as the body fell to the floor, dead.

XXXXXX

A/N: Oooh, so close to the deadline, but I made it! Also, sorry for the shortness of the chapter.