𝐀 𝐑𝐢𝐝𝐝𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐞 ║Tom Riddle ✔ [EDITING]

Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Parent Killed

Cease to hope and you will cease to fear.
-Hecato

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We had landed straight in the middle of Hog's Head Inn.

I thanked the lord that Aberforth's Inn wasn't a very popular place in Hogsmeade because it was only Aberforth that was gaping at us.

"I think I need to sit down." I gasp and almost fall flat on my face, but Tom hauls me to my feet only to shove me on one of the couches with a look of indifference.

"Val?!" Aberforth yells and rushes to check on me. "Val, are you alright?" He asks me. "Yup. Yup." I breathe and watch as Tom himself sits down to glare at me.

"I told you, you attract danger." He scoffs, making me sneer at him.

"It could be you!!!" I snap back. He shakes his head, leaning back in his chair to give me a look.

"No. No. Most definitely you."

"Valentine Dumbledore!" Aberforth booms at me, and I wince.

"Well... we were kind of attacked by Grindelwald and his Aurors again.... and then we were attacked by a werewolf," I say blunt and straight to the point. Aberforth blinks.

"Who apparated you two here?" He asks, and I raise my hand.

"That'd be me... " I raise my head and decide to lie on the couch like it was a bed. Aberforth just sighs and shakes his head.

"I'm just going to act like I didn't hear you tell me you were capable of illegally apparating." He scolds me indirectly. "Were any of you two bitten or scratched by the werewolf?" He demands, and Tom sits up to stare at me. He gives me a once-over with his eyes.

"Dumbledore, were you scratched?" Tom hisses at me, making me shake my head, my eyes closed in exhaustion.

"No scratches," I confirm. "Bruises, however? Yes."

I open my eyes to see Aberforth staring at us in relief, Tom was scowling even more than usual.

"I'm going to make you both some hot chocolate," Aberforth demands suddenly. "More for my sanity than yours." He grumbles under his breath, leaving to his kitchen.