Solving Riddles

Complications (pt 2)

DISCLAIMER: ....

Hermione let out a small gasp as her wand dropped to the side, and ran over to Rose's dead body, carefully stepping over Alexander's unconscious one. She pushed the girls auburn hair out of her face and stared down at her empty green eyes. "Rose," she breathed. She picked up the girls hand and felt desperately for a pulse. There was none.

"Hermione," Abraxas spoke from behind her. She didn't turn around to face him. "Hermione," he said louder, and she turned around to face him with an unreadable look on her face.

"She's dead," she whispered. Abraxas nodded and Hermione let go of Rose's hand. "Why is she dead?"

"Don't ask me, I thought I was the one he was going for." Abraxas frowned and crossed his arms. Hermione let out a small huff and got off the ground, not once taking her eyes off of the dead girl.

"We need to go." Abraxas muttered from behind her.

Hermione raised an eyebrow, finally turning to face Abraxas.

"Go? Abraxas, we have to help-"

"There's nothing we can do, we could tie Avery up and leave him them here- the grounds-keeper will find them in the morning, I'll make sure of that. He'll have to come up with his own story-"

"And let him get away with it?"

"Hermione, if we report this Avery's going to find a way to put the blame on me-"

"We'll figure something out, we need to report this, now."

Abraxas frowned, he ran a hand through his hair as he pondered over it. "Alright, but he'll never admit to this."

"We'll worry about that later." Hermione sighed and turned around; she walked back to the castle carefully, calculating all the way.

XXX

Alexander Darnaeus was tired of the old hag that was supposedly his caretaker. All she'd ever do was nag him about his hair, how little he ate, the spells he couldn't do, and how his father didn't pay her enough for having to take care of his- how'd she put it? "Wretched arse".

He constantly fantasized on the different ways he could kill her, he wouldn't use the killing spell, no, he wanted to see her suffer. He wanted to see her shake as she died, blood splatter, screa-

"Alexander, get your feet off the table," a hoarse voice came from behind him, it was her. He swung his long legs of the table, there was a soft swishing sound as the fabric of his trousers brushed against the oak wood, and a clack as his shoes landed on the white tile floor. He turned around to glare at her and scowled as his eyes landed on her wrinkled face. Her cloudy grey eyes were filled with the usual dissatisfaction with life that an old hag like her always carried around. A small smirk danced upon her thin lips, she enjoyed interrupting him.

"They're off, leave," he sneered at her. She gave him a sweet smile, dripping with mockery. "I'm sorry, but you need to do your assignments."

Alexander's scowl deepened. He'd had enough with the damned assignments- he didn't even have to do them, technically. "No."

"Excuse me, I didn't quite catch that- did you say no?"

Alexander swore under his breath and looked back up at her, clenching his fist under the table. "Yes, Dorothy, I said no."

"Well," she taped the four remaining fingers on her right hand on her fat scar infested arm, "you are going to."

He crossed his arms and nodded. "Oh re-"

His arms were forcefully uncrossed with the help of the unforgivable imperio by wandless magic. He'd forgotten she could do that. He groaned as he he was forced to sit back down and face the table.

The witch held him there and walked over to the large black cupboard opposite the two, she pulled out a skeleton key from her robe pocket and proceeded to unlock a drawer. She proceeded to pull out a stack of papers and walked back over to the table, dropping them with a certain cat like ferocity. Alexander- still under the imperio- managed to resist the hex and scowl up at her.

"You're a bitch," he hissed and shortly after slammed his face onto the table.

"And you're and overgrown child that couldn't cast a curse to save his life, now we're over with that let's begin."

XXX

Abraxas turned to Hermione as she spoke to Headmaster Dippet- she's lying. She's lying about everything and he believes her-

"Abraxas," Dippet's voice broke him out of his thoughts, the old man and Hermione turned to face him. She had fake tears in her eyes.

"Yes?" He answered, still slightly bewildered at how realistic her facade was.

"Did you witness this event?"

"Uh," he hesitated and Hermione kicked his foot. "I can't remember much, it was all such a blur, one minute they were arguing and then, bam, she died."

"Alright, you two go back to your dormitories, it's been a long night."

They both nodded and got up, once outside the office Abraxas turned to her. "What the hell was that?"

Hermione smirked, "That was me keeping you out of trouble and saving our asses."

"Alexander's never going to agree to that story."

Hermione's smirk widened, "Well," she looked down and fumbled with her fingers, "after you left the infirmary I may or may not have obliviated him-"
"You what?!"
"Hush, it's for the greater good. And besides, it fits the story, he hit his head on a rock and forgot everything."

Abraxas threw his hands up in exasperation, "Who are you?!"

She laughed and pushed him playfully, he pushed her back and the two started laughing again when all of a sudden Peeves swooped down upon them with a hand outstretched.

"Give it to me," he hissed. "Or I swear on Merlin's grave I'll go to Dippet and tell him that you're lying- might even throw in a story of my own-"

"Alright!" Hermione scowled and turned to a confused looking Abraxas. She took a deep breath and scratched the side of her head. "Abraxas," she turned to look at Peeves who nodded at her, still glaring. "What did you do to the ghost after I gave it to you?"

Abraxas raised an eyebrow, "Why?"
"This thing," Hermione pointed at Peeves, "wants it- I promised it to him for information on Tom."

"You're an idiot," he hissed. Hermione clicked her tongue and sighed-

"Tick tock goes the clock, hurry up lovebirds."

Hermione growled, "Do you have it or not?"

Abraxas scratched the back of his neck and sighed. "Uh, I do actually."
"You do? Thought we agree-"
"Do you want the damned thing or not?"

"Yes, Merlin let's get this over with."

Peeves giggled, "Let's."

XXX

Tom glared at the cloaked man. "Why?"

"You must," the man tapped his foot on the ground, the sound echoed throughout the room.

"I understand that, but why?" Tom tapped his fingers on the table- with clean fingernails. He was clean, finally.

"To prove your loyalty," the man sighed and his hair fell into his face.

"Haven't I already proved it by joining you?"

"Not at all. Now give me your arm."

Tom hesitantly stuck out his arm and the man wrapped his long fingers around it, squeezing the flesh and gently placed the needle onto it. He began to carve and Tom fought desperately to keep back the shouts of pain, it was almost as bad as the horcrux, almost. His blood dripped onto the floor, staining the white tile and seeping into the hidden crevices.

XXXXX

A/N: I'm so sorry. I know this is crap and I know I didn't stick to the schedule but I've been feeling really down about everything I've been writing and just didn't think this was good enough to post, but I had to eventually...