Chapter Eighteen: The Riddle Thing
"My lord, I'd like to volunteer myself for this task. I want to kill the boy." -Bellatrix Lestrange
"You kissed, Malfoy?!"
The squeals of Ocean were echoing off the empty (besides them) dormitory's wall. "Droope will be so infuriated. It's no joke!"
"I didn't kiss him. He kissed me." Azalea had replied back defensively.
Ocean rose her hands in mock surrender. "Hey, there's no judgment here. No need to get on defence. In fact - I ship it." Azalea crinkled her nose in disgust.
"Come on, Lea," (a name Ocean had taken to calling her) "he's a sweet guy. A really sweet guy," she said, trailing off dreamily. Azalea stared at her, face still crinkled in disgust. "He is quite attractive, but it's not like that. I need something from him."
"His money?" Ocean shamelessly queried. A mischievous smirk playing on her face. "I didn't know you rolled like that, Lea." Azalea's mouth went slack with shock and offence.
"No, I don't 'roll' like that!" Brushing off her friend's sceptical look, she started up again. "If you so desperately must know, I need something from Riddle." A gasp came from Ocean. The friend went to grab Azalea's hand, her face clearly painted with concern. "I don't think that's a very good idea. I don't know, it's just - it's just, there's something just not right about him."
"I know. I can't tell you too much, but that's actually why I have to get this information from Riddle."
Ocean looked at Azalea as though a mental debate were raging through her head. " You could get hurt. And you're the only non-idiot I have to speak to."
Despite the feelings behind the words, Azalea couldn't help the snicker that escaped her lips. "What about ... Kaiden, was it?"
It was Ocean's turn to snicker. "I think you mean, Coden, but no, he's a idiot too." The two girls erupted into a fit of giggles. "I can't believe you just said that about your best friend." Azalea said, unbelievably.
"It's true!"
Not long after the exchange, the girls happily went to sleep (Ocean still feeling discomfort with the Riddle thing). Their previous memories now gone and replace with the blissful silence of sleep.
* * *
In the common room, a small congregation of boys collected themselves by the fireplace. The cracking emerald flames of the fire illuminated the room with an eerie, dark shadow.
"We've searched every book we could find on pure-blooded families, my lord and none of our families have ever re-called hearing such a name."
Riddle looked up at all of his followers, and all of them nodded as if confirming Nott's story. "Not even you, Malfoy?"
Malfoy stiffened at being called directly but offered a 'no' as a reply. "As if he would give up the information even if he did have it." Snickered out Rosier. "Yes, you have been getting quite close with, miss Rosefield haven't you?" Lestrange had joined in on the taunting. "Don't blame you though, she's not that bad looking," Lestrange continued casually, earning snickers from the rest around him. Malfoy did nothing but rolled his eyes that this.
Riddle had just been sitting on the chesterfield comfortably, watching his Knight's exchange with a stoctic expression. "What information did you get from the girl," he said in a soft voice that didn't fit well with his cold expression. "Nothing but her parents had died." Riddle's relaxed posture straightened up at this. "Her parents are dead?" He questioned Malfoy, hoping for Malfoy's sake that he answered with the response he wanted. Malfoy was clearly confused at the sudden interest but still responded with a 'yes'.
It was another inconsistency with Rosefield's story that Riddle found just too deceitful to not pass up. The story she had given Malfoy was not the same one she was telling him on the first day. If she could learn to keep her lies straight she would almost be better at playing people than he was. Almost.
A twisted smile came over Riddle's expression. One that didn't suite the attractiveness of his face at all. "It seems like I have to have another conversation with Rosefield."