Unexpected Encounters | Tom Riddle

XIX: Between Lines and Smiles

In truth, the thought of returning to Malfoy Manor sent a cold shiver down her spine. Memories flickered unbidden: the glittering chandelier above her as she lay trembling on the living room floor, the echo of Bellatrix Lestrange's laughter mingling with her own screams, the cold stone walls of the basement where Dolohov... No. She shook her head, squeezing her hands into fists to stop the trembling. That hadn't happened yet, not in this time. She had to remind herself of that, even as her body remembered the pain all too vividly.

They would meet in the common room at 9 in the morning the following day, a Friday. Then they would take the train out of Hogwarts to the King's Cross Station. From there, they would take the floo port to the manor. For the first night, they would have dinner with Abraxas' parents. For the rest of the nights, they would be by themselves since his parents would be out at different events. The Yule ball would happen on Christmas eve and then they would have the next week to themselves.

"Gosh, Lilia. I can't wait for you to meet my boyfriend," Evangeline sighed dreamily. "Just a warning, Lils. She will jump on him and kiss him with disgusting sounds from the moment they see each other." Celeste shook her head. "That's not true!" "Ask Tiernan. Last time we met him, he hadn't been able to keep his mouth to himself. And missy Evangeline enjoyed it." Lilia chuckled, "I guess I'll just say hi to him and run away then."

Evangeline's boyfriend's name was Dimitri and Lilia was mildly curious about the man since her friend never stopped gushing about how handsome he was and how happy he always made her. "Lilia, you will also meet Angie," Celeste beamed. "Who's Angie?" "A seamstress who works exclusively for the Malfoys. She will make our dresses for the Yule ball and the boys will also get their suits tailored. I'm so excited to get another dress from her, she is so good."

"How many dresses has she made for you?" Lilia asked, her curiosity piqued. "Countless. I started attending the Yule balls at the Malfoy manor when I was 10." "How long have you known the Malfoys?" "Honestly, all my life. Because we come from similar families, we are all pretty well connected. Evangeline and I used to have tea on Sundays together when we were younger. The boys also knew each other before we started at Hogwarts." So, Lilia was an outsider in their friendship dynamic.

"But we have you and Tom, Lils. You are our friends now, friends for life!" Lilia smiled at Evangeline's warm words. She was allowed to start afresh with her new friends right? She had always thought that the people she met at Hogwarts in her time would be her friends for life. Back when she was still a naive 14 year-old girl, she thought that she would get married to Theo and she would still meet her friends despite their future busy jobs.

But then, the war had happened and all those idealistic dreams faded.

She could focus on her friends here and take it easy on herself. Cherish her memories and move on with her life, like Tom had said.

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

The next morning, Lilia woke up earlier than usual. She had found it hard to fall asleep while her mind conjured up images of her time at the Malfoy manor with Bellatrix Lestrange and Antonin Dolohov. When she went to the bathroom to clean up, she looked terrible with dark circles and tired eyes. She brushed her teeth, drank a vial of calming draught with shaky hands then did some makeup.

She had always disliked the way she seemed naturally devoid of life and colour. Makeup filled in those gaps in her appearance. She applied some red lipstick on her finger and dabbed it on her lips to give a more natural appearance. She did the same with her cheeks. Her brows were naturally thick and dark, so she just ended with powder.

She stared at her hands for a minute, wondering how long it would take for the tremors to go away. Exposure for a few minutes took months to recover. She would obviously need more time, but how long exactly? Every time she remembered the fates of Frank and Alice Longbottom, it sent chills down her spine. She had to be grateful for the fact that she had somehow still made it out alive.