the seven virtues [tom riddle]

chapter nine

You are all about to be really happy over this chapter, or really really mad at Varya and calling her dumb.

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CHAPTER NINE

Varya nibbled on her steak slowly, her fork stirring the peas on her plate as she glanced between the obviously distressed socialites that stood at the other end of the table. Renold Rosier Senior was sending daggers to his son, who had his eyes down on his food, absentmindedly crushing the side-dish of vegetables.

As soon as Petrov had stepped into the room, Ren's father had been arid with the girl, scrutinizing her every gesture, making small comments on her table mannerism and lack of femininity, criticizing her involvement with Grindelwald's movement. He had done it all subtlely— backhanded compliments about her "bravery", while also pointing out the number of casualties that the altercations had caused.

Regardless of his wife's constant gestures to stop, Renold Senior continued picking on the various teenagers at his table, commenting on their mysterious disappearance, and trying to get them to talk about their affiliation to Dumbledore.

"I am sorry, sir," spoke Varya, and noticed the way Ren's father scrunched his nose at her accent, "But such information is not to be divulged at a dinner table, nor to people that do not associate themselves with our cause."

A silent dig at the cowardliness of most purebloods, who, despite claiming not to support Grindelwald's fanaticism, hid behind the Ministry's overrule that Hogwarts was not to close, for the barrier of protection would hold against the attacks.

The gentleman stirred in his chair uneasily, hands grasping his cutlery, "If you expect me to let Junior attend that damned school again, then I must know that he will not be involved in some scandalous affairs."

"Are you going to attend Hogwarts this year, Varya?" questioned Rosier's mother, cerulean eyes trained on her with less scrutiny than her husband's, but still not overly kind.

The girl paused—the obvious answer should have been no. She had left Hogwarts long ago, missed a whole year while searching for the Hallows. But the Hallows were now found, so what exactly was stopping her from returning? Perhaps, it was the cold sheets of Ivy Trouche's bed, one that had never been filled after her murder, or the fact that vengeance had not yet been achieved.