Chapter 10
Tonight, he finished his prefect rounds and took quite a bit of time in what he thought would be a quick run to the library which made it quite late by the time he decided to visit Bellatrix's office. At this point, she may be asleep but he still decided to visit her anyways. He entered her office and he could feel the wards not being hostile against him, this would make it even easier for him to put spellwork in her office when he knows she isn't there. She wasn't in her desk so he decided to go to her adjacent chambers. The light was still on and she was reading a book that she quickly put down when she saw him. She put her blanket aside and got up from her bed, Tom noticed that she was wearing a black victorian nightgown that had flowy sleeves. Curiously, she always wore tight sleeves since she came to Hogwarts.
"Tom, what are you doing here at night?"
Tom didn't answer and decided to sit on the bed, this made her visibly uncomfortable but Tom was very sure it was due to his young age coupled with his apparent similarity to that person.
"How about we go down to my office? I will ask the elves to prepare tea and snacks "
Tom decided to oblige and they both went down to her office, there were sudden pops and as she said tea and snacks did appear on the table but what didn't escape his notice was how they were all perfectly to his taste, another information he didn't remember sharing with her.
"So what is it Tom? Why are you still awake at this hour? You must not tire yourself"
"I just wanted to visit you Bellatrix, hope I am not a bother" He could have waited tomorrow but he decided against it
"You are never a bother Tom"
"Hmmm, thank you. I must say however that there was another reason I decided to visit, you see I forgot to give you something" This got her attention and she looked at him. He very carefully took the bracelet out and her eyes were looking at him emotionally
"I made this bracelet for you, it's not really expensive as I am lacking in funds you see. I hope you like it..." Her whole demeanor changed and she looked at him with terribly affectionate emotional pitying eyes while interrupting him
"Of course I like it, Tom. You shouldn't have. You are a bright boy" Tom was a great wizard indeed, the greatest he would argue but he did see in her jewelry chest many pretty pieces that would be worth a lot more in value.
"Well, can I put it on for you?" Tom approached her as she looked at him fondly. He took her arm and brought up her sleeve to get it out of the way and it's then that he saw it. A tattoo with heavy dark magic in the form of a skull and a snake, some sort of branding. Bellatrix seemed to understand that in the moment she let him see something she was trying very hard to hide from her previous choice of clothing, she quickly yanked her arm out of his reach and pulled her sleeve down.
"It's ok, Tom. I would put it on by myself later on. Thank you for your gift, you should head back to your dormitory, it's already very late" She said while putting the bracelet in her gown pocket and getting up from the table.
"What was that?" Tom didn't give her an opportunity to skip the subject or to try to avoid this conversation this time. He was angry, no, he was enraged. That was a form branding, powerful sort of magic and Tom absolutely hated the idea of somebody branding something that he thought belonged to him.
"Answer me" She stopped in her tracks before tyrning to look at him seriously, none of the previous coddling behavior displayed.
"Something you have no business knowing and that you would do well to forget for your own good" Tom's eyes turned red and the things in her office started to shake from pure raw magic. He couldn't believe what she said, he couldn't believe that for whoever it was that left that mark, she was threatening him. No, in fact, he would believe it, afterall the only logical reason for her affection up to now has been his similarity with whoever she thought of.
"Is that a threat?" His voice came out harsh and he let go of any semblance of a benelovent pretence he had before. However, what further irritated him is that throughout all of this, she looked like he was throwing a mere tantrum. However, something at last managed to get her attention and her features turned into outraged incredulity as if he said something truly propesterous.
"I would never threaten you..." She said it with extreme conviction and Tom knew that she believed it herself but that wasn't the end of her sentence as she stopped herself midway before looking at him in the eye and saying honestly" ....and if I do, it must be for your own good." Tom absolutely hated hearing that.
"I don't need you to tell me what's good or not for me, it's not up to you to decide and I would advise you to not dare to try, you wouldn't like the consequences."
"And it's not up to you to ask personal information out of your professors, now I advise you to go back to your dormitory" Now...now, she decided to wave this teacher card to his face to get him to comply while never before did she bother to maintain it, almost to the point that he forgot that she was his professor and held such power over him. He glared at her and decided to endure for now, it was no matter. Soon enough, he would get his answers and he would have to make her pay...at least a little for the way she treated him tonight.
Just as he was reaching for the handle of the door, he felt a hand on his shoulder. His ego was still bruised by the way she treated him and he didn't bother to turn to look at her but he stilled in his tracks, wondering what she wanted.
"Tom, listen to me. In your case, ignorance is bliss" Nothing she had said could have irritated him more, knowledge is power and no matter how bad a truth is, it was power and he wouldn't be so weak as to not seek it.
"I know what you think" No, she didn't.
"You must think that knowledge is power but listen to me...." Tom decided to turn and look at her. Her face was tired and she was sighing.
"There are some things I am doing ....for your own good. You getting involved with them may just as well complicate them for you and even compromise your safety. Can't you trust me?" This only made Tom more paranoid, protecting him from what exactly? At the beginnig, he has just been angry with the tattoo but her half baked explanation only managed to concern him some more. Did she really expect him to be alright with her hiding things that actually concerned him? What exactly was she doing behind his back that she claimed to be for his sake? Fortunately, this sobered him up and he reigned in his emotions deciding to pretend that he is moved by her ravings and attempt to manipulate her along the way.
"Bellatrix, of course I trust you. I am just very sad that you do not feel the same way about me and you keep hiding things from me" This seemed to terribly affect her, tears almost flowing from her eyes, she seemed shattered by the fake sad expression he put on his face. Great. It seems she is still as brainless when it comes to him faking misery. Guilt and regret were on her face
"Oh Tom...I do, I do trust you. You have no idea how important you are to me...." Tom knew she wasn't lying, he was a natural legilimens and even if she was a good occlumens, such a display of emotion would be hard to fake as compared to a lie told through a stoic face. However, that didn't soothe his worry about what he gleaned from what she said. This time, he decided not to stop her emotional outburst as she always let information slide during those. She put a strong hand on his arm and looked at him pleadingly
" Believe me, had I thought you could handle it, just a few years more....I would have told you, told you everything. This is too much for you to bear in so many ways, you are still a child. Just leave it to me to pave a smooth road for you." She continued to babble. Could handle it? Did she think him too weak ? or from what she said, too young to handle the truth? A child? Leave her to pave a smooth road for him? He tried hard to not let his expression shift before her and pretended to be moved. However, she seemed to not be that gone on her head as she finally stopped talking probably realizing that she sounded like a raving lunatic. She took a moment before wishing him goodnight and almost throwing him out the door.
Once outside, Tom looked back at the closed door. He would absolutely investigate this matter.