Chapter Nineteen: Rumour Has It
"Perhaps those best suited for power are the ones who never sought it."
Today was one of the rare days when Azalea had woken up late. A blissful sleep after days of nightmares could do that to one.
Her body had woken her up with a violent jolt, causing her to dash out of bed and hurry to put her robes on. "In Merlin's name," she cursed exasperatedly, her fingers fumbling to get her tie tied. "I'm late for class!" As she successfully got herself organized, Azalea bulleted down the halls to potions class. A class she was already thirty minutes late to.
The hallways were completely voided of students, except Azalea, who was now outside of the doors of Potions class. Calming her panting breaths down, she casually strolled in as if she wasn't a half-an-hour late. "Ms. Rosefield. So nice of you to finally join us." A pink hue dusted over Azalea's cheeks when Professor Slughorn had brought up her absence. She muttered him a quick, "my apologies professor, I overslept."
Professor Slugorn brushed off her apology with a wave of his hand and a jovial laugh. "Don't worry my child, It happens to the best of us. Just take a seat and I will resume with the lesson." Azalea took no time to scan around the room in search for an empty chair, and she did find one - beside Riddle. Slowly and reluctantly, she made her way over to the chair and sat herself down. Riddle didn't bother to acknowledge her, though she didn't mind that too much. What she did mind was the harsh whispers she heard directly behind her. She snuck a quick glance behind her to see Droope and the rest whispering to one another, with occasional glances at her.
"They have been at it all class," Riddle almost pleasantly commented, which caused Azalea is raise her brows in mistrust. "And what is it they're whispering about?" Riddle turned his head to meet her stare and a small smirk curled onto his lips. "You seem like a some what intelligent lady Rosefield, surly you can figure it out."
Taking another quick glance over her shoulder, she saw them still whispering and sending sharp glares over at her. She gave a huff and turned away from them.
After the encounters in class with Droope, Azalea hadn't thought anything meaningful would come of it. She had definitely been mistaken.
* * *
Class ended and Azalea was thankful for that. Between the dreadful silence she endured with sitting beside Riddle and the mocking whispers she heard coming from behind her, she didn't think she would've been able to handle it much longer. Though she wasn't completely off the hook considering she still had to endure Riddle for one last class.
Surviving Riddle for their final class didn't bother her since it would be Dumbledore teaching it.
Azalea made her way to the class. Strangely under the watchful eyes of all the students in the hallway. She awkwardly walked passed them all, not sparing them a glance, though wondering why they were all staring in the first place. Maybe it could all be explained by Ocean, she was in Azalea's next class after all.
Safety out of sight from the other students, Azalea was in the Transfigurations class room. When she entered, the only other person in the room was Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore acknowledged her presence with a nod of his head and a warm smile on his face. His eyes glinting with their usually mischievousness. He then went back to writing on the chalk board.
Soon students had begun to trickle in one by one, filling the class. She was glad when she noticed Riddle and his group were sitting on the other side of the class and when Ocean took the seat beside her.
Ocean had barely sat down before Azalea was bombarding her with questions. "What is happening to the students? Why are they all looking at me like I sprouted a unicorn horn? Does it have something do with Droope?" Azalea stopped abruptly in her questioning when she noticed Ocean scanning her cautiously.
"What's going on?!" Azalea asked irritably. Ocean looked around as if up make sure no one was listening in. "Someone said they caught you and Riddle snogging. While you were with Malfoy," she paused, but reluctantly went on. "It's not true, is it? I told you he was bad news!"
Thoughts seemed to be jumbled in Azalea's mind as she tried to reply to Ocean's question.