Always || Tom Riddle

Yes I have changed pain does that to people...

Albert charged at Malfoy and reared,kicking out at him in the process.Abraxas fell to the ground in pain,Hagrid walked over and calmly picked up the platinum blonde and taking him towards the hospital.

"Class dismissed!"Hagrid called out over his shoulder leaving the class muttering things to each other.Penelope came to stand beside me as we watched Hagrid go up the steps.

"Do you think he will be alright?"I heard Penelope ask beside me causing me to look away from the retreating form of Hagrid to her.

"Who cares?He is such a git I don't think anyone would mind if he died in a hole"I replied stroking Albert who came up and nudged me.

"Clara!"Penelope exclaimed and I rolled my eyes.

"How can you say such a thing and not even care!"She continued as I walked over to my bag and put it on my shoulder.

"Because I don't"I replied as a matter of factly and continued on walking through the forest up to the school with Penelope huffing and puffing behind me.

"You've changed!"I heard her yell behind me and stopped,turning round to look at my best friend who was no longer pregnant

"Yes I have changed,I had to in order to survive,pain does that to people! I didn't even get to celebrate my 17th birthday because I was spending it locked up in Azkaban for something that I didn't do,or did you all forget me while I was away,barely eating a thing,hardly sleeping!Living in a nightmare that I couldn't wake from!"I shouted my reply and her confidence seemed to lower as I walked back down the steps towards her.

"I-I forgot...Clara I am sorry"Penelope barely managed to whisper and I frowned.

"How could you?!"I replied and walked away from her back up the steps,crossing over the bridge and getting to the middle when I heard my name being called.

"Clara"

"Clara please just listen to me!"I heard Penelope call out and stopped turning back around once more to look at her.

"I lost the baby, I know you noticed that I was no longer pregnant...and James is dead,Charlus has been really affected by it so ever since you left I have been comforting him...but he doesn't like me,he likes you."

"Why should I care if he likes me at all?"I frowned just wanting to be left alone.

"Because Tom isn't here,hes turning more like a monster by the second,and what makes you think he is ever coming back?"Penelope seemed distraught as she stood there with the wind ruffling her hair as we stood in silence on the bridge.

"Whoever said he wasn't coming back?"I replied and continued crossing the bridge and going inside,through the halls towards the great hall where dinner was being served.I noticed Fran sat quietly reading as I took my place on the bench opposite her.Fran looked up from her book and at the sight of me smiled sadly.

"Alright?"

"Yeah"I muttered picking at the food in front of me not feeling very hungry.Her eyes seemed to follow the food on my plate not being eaten and she tutted.

"You need your food,now more than ever your looking really underweight,it looks like your so fragile you will break if anyone touches you."With that I managed to eat half of it before pushing it away from me.Penelope walked in looking like she had been crying and sat next to me.She was about to speak but the head master ordered silence as he stood before the podium.

"I would like you all to have a very safe and happy christmas,due to recent events none will be staying at Hogwarts over the holidays,thank you"Headmaster Dippet finished off the final term of sixth year and everyone clapped.I walked back to the common room in silence with Penelope who was looking at the floor.

"Whats wrong?"I asked her as we walked into the common room,she waited to speak until everyone else had gone to their dorms before answering.

"I was wrong about Tom not coming back...I'm sorry"

"What made you decide to tell me now?"I replied sitting down on the green sofa in front of the fire.

"Uh I kind of spoke to Tom..."

"What?!"I stood up abruptly and Penelope put a finger to her lips.

"He has been watching you,you know,he just told me to tell you to be safe and go back to the orphanage and pack your things he has found somewhere that you both can go and hide"She replied and I sat back down and huffed looking into the crackling flames which every so often would release sparks.

"I should have known that this would happen,did he say anything else?"

"No but he gave me this and told me to give it to you"Penelope took out a golden time turner from her pocket and handed it to me.

"It was part of his reward to services to the school,hes only ever used it once,he didn't say what for but knowing him...nothing good."

"So why were you crying when you came into dinner?"I asked after looking at the timer turner and studying it closely.

"Because it was wrong of me to give up hope,he is after all a friend of mine"Penelope replied and smiled,standing up and hugging her.

"I am glad you think so,now we need to go pack otherwise we will never be able to leave tomorrow with the amount of stuff we have"