I staggered down the halls with all the coordination of a blast ended skrewt, haphazardly knocking into people left right and centre.

"Hey! Watch it!"

"Do you mind?"

I hauled myself forward, propelled by the thought of putting distance between myself and Tom Riddle and most importantly finding Corbin. Of course, I was still struggling with my leg and the sheer dose of sedatives in my system so I was a lot slower than I'd have liked. And finding Corbin was turning into a mission all in itself. I had no idea where he was. Where would Tom have hidden him? In that secret dungeon room of his behind his bookshelf? In the Room of Requirement? If so, then where the hell was I going?

Deciding on the spot try the Room of Requirement, I spun on my heel to begin the long trek back and collided with someone.

"Hey!"

"Can you just get out of my way-?" I flared, finally losing my temper.

"Hermione? Oh my God! It's me! Shit, it's been a while since I saw you."

Isabella Rey stood before me in the Hall, her green eyes wide, her expression confused. "Hold on. What the hell are you doing?" She demanded.

Isabella Rey was a Ravenclaw who I knew was in a somewhat difficult relationship with Daniel Dolohov, one of Tom's more estranged acquaintances from Slytherin House who had inadvertently proven himself to be a decent person.

"I'm... Look, I can't explain." I looked around warily. I couldn't stop to chat, I had to get out of here. "Now really isn't a good time-"

Isabella rolled her green eyes.

"Look. I know what you-"

"I'll catch up later, I really can't talk right now-"

"Hermione." Isabella snapped. "Listen!"

I paused, momentarily at a loss for words.

"Can you just let me talk? I know what is happening. Corbin told me everything." She explained in a rush.

"Corbin? Where is he? Is he ok? How do you know him?"

"One question at a time, woman!"

"Fine. But first can we just get out of here? It isn't safe out in the open like this."

"Follow me." Isabella lead the way back down the Hall.

"Wait! Let's go this way."

I turned in the opposite direction again but stopped dead in my tracks upon seeing the white blond head of Xavier Malfoy walking my way. He looked up, almost catching my eye but then turned to a friend on his left.

"Do you still think that's a good idea?" Isabella hissed in my ear. "Xavier has probably been told by Tom what's happened. Follow me! Hurry!"

We quickly wove our way back through the crowds of students, keeping as inconspicuous as we could while making our way over to the west side of the castle to Ravenclaw Tower. We stumbled up the spiral staircase finally stopping to catch our breath just outside the door.

"What the hell happened to you?" She gave me a sharp look which reminded me with a sudden jolt of Shalini. "Like I know Tom is after you but why are you walking weirdly?"

"It's the drugs." I sighed.

Isabella's eyebrows shot up. "The drugs? The hell is wrong with you?"

"Not those types of drugs!" I snapped. "You really think I would-"

But Isabella waved me down frantically. Raised voices could be heard from the other side of the Ravenclaw tower door. We crept closer to the door.

"Not too close." Isabella whispered. "The door can sense people and will ask for the Tower password." Standing a fair distance away from the door we eavesdropped. Luckily for us, the voices were loud and floated down the staircase with ease.

"Corbin, I know you would've seen her. Now tell me where she is."

My blood ran cold. Tom Riddle was mere feet from me, separately only by a robust wooden door. If he found me, I was dead.

"She hasn't come up yet." Corbin was saying in a resigned voice. "And I've told you I haven't seen her. She told me she was going to go to the Slytherin Common Room."

"You lie." Tom said in such a soft voice I had to crane my neck to hear it. "I have several people situated in the Slytherin Common Room in wait. They have informed she hasn't been sighted."

"Well maybe she's finally made it and you're not aware. You know, since you've been up here interrogating me on her whereabouts for the past ten minutes."

There was a silence. I heard Tom speak in such a low voice I struggled to understand him. "You better make sure you..."

You what? I learnt closer to the door, my foot falling on the step ahead of me.

"Hermione!" Isabella hissed. "The door-"

I stumbled back, but not before the damage had been done.

What belongs to you, but other people use it more than you?

The ringing bell chime voice issued from the door, the voices of Tom and Corbin paused, the unanswered question hanging dormant in the air like a sudden warning.

"Let's get out of here!" Isabella grabbed my arm and dragged me back down the spiral staircase.

"Slow- down." I gasped.

"Are you kidding?" Isabella continued hauling me ahead, but I was slowly feeling sicker by the minute. I wasn't used to running after being in the Hospital for so long, and this leg was still not right just yet.

We were halfway down the stairs when we heard the door open.

"Hermione I know you're there." Tom's voice carried down the stairs.

"Hurry!" Isabella tugged me along behind her, I was struggling to keep pace. "You go!" I heaved, doubling over. "Go! If he finds you've helped me..."

But Isabella didn't leave. I stared at her, momentarily lost for words. She'd rather risk her life than abandon me to Tom Riddle?

"Well look who it is." Tom descended the stairs, a rather satisfied look on his pale face. "Caught in the act again, Hermione. Did I not tell you that I would find you if you tried to run?" He stepped closer, his dark eyes resting on me and then finally Isabella.

"And yes, of course. The filthy blood traitor Isabella was helping you. No surprises there." He said on a mirthless laugh. He turned to look at her, his eyes filled with bitter hate.

"Leave. Now." He told her in a commanding voice. Goosebumps tricked down my spine.

"No." Isabella said indignantly. "I'm not leaving without Hermione."

"Do you really think you two little girls are going to stop me from getting what I want?" Tom stepped closer, his intimidating aura and height easily making me feel small and uneasy.

"Yes." Isabella said boldly.

"I agree with Isabella." I felt the old, weathered flame of defiance spark inside me again. When I looked up Tom's eyes were already on me. And on his face, no sign of humanity, no emotions, nothing.

"After everything I have told you, do you really think that choice of words was the wisest?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Well, no." I said honestly. "But this isn't about what you think, Tom. It's about doing what's right."

"You couldnt be further from the truth." Tom told me in a chilling tone. "What I want and what is right are one of the same thing." He examined one of his pale hands idly.

"What do you want with us?" I said, eager to get whatever horror he had in mind over and done with.

"I like to consider anything I do to you both from this point onward is equal repayment for what troubles you have brought to me. So how about you both consider how you've offended me, and you'll soon get an understanding for what I'm going to do."

"I'm going to get a teacher." Isabella said shrilly.

"Are you?" Tom said softly. "Go on, then. But I assure you that every one of Hogwarts staff combined is no match for my power. Let's put in in simpler terms for you two idiots... I am simply beyond magical normality. I have surpassed even great Magic. But if you'd like to put your panicked minds to rest, by all means."

He stretched out a pale arm, a gesture of invitation.

"No?" After a few moments of him staring us down Tom put his arm back down. "What a shame." He said as if he actually felt disappointed. I of course knew better.

"Why did you let Corbin go?" I demanded.

"I'd prefer not to leave a trail of corpses and injured fools in my wake." Tom explained almost carelessly. "After a bit of time, even the most moronic of people in this School catch on to discrepancies, patterns of misconduct and odd events. And my time is valuable, perhaps more so than either of you will ever realise. Do you honestly think I want to have to constantly deal with every single person who defies me, personally?"

"Corbin is fine, don't worry." Isabella told me in a rush. "I mean, he's a little shaken but otherwise ok."

"Well this is precious." Tom said with a laugh. "Corbin is a friend of yours, is he?"

"No, we just care a lot about a random stranger we've never met." Isabella snapped.

"How then could you consider Corbin a friend?" Tom asked, obviously enjoying the air of discomfort surrounding him, "How can you possibly say that when you do not know what I've done to him? Have not noticed anything unusual about him? Have you not been paying attention to his behaviour?"

I paused, what Tom was implying was sitting heavy in my mind like a haze, like a heavy weight. I didn't want to think, afraid that when I did a new vista of horror would open.

"How about," Tom said, now looking at me and smiling broadly, "You both go back up that staircase and reconsider your evaluation."

Wasting no time, I bolted up the staircase, apparently forgetting about everything else.

The door of course was locked fast as it always was, I stepped forward just in time to hear the new riddle.

Marking mortal privation, when firmly in place.

An enduring summation, inscribed in my face.

What am I?

The voice issued from the door in a clear, ringing voice again. I thought for barely a moment, and then Isabella was behind me answering at the exact same time.

"A tombstone." We said in unison.

"Correct. I commend you for your timely answer. You may enter." The voice praised us, the door opening to let us both burst through.

"Corbin?" I said shrilly. I didn't notice but the storm was back, the windows in Ravenclaw Tower were shaking, being rattled by the sheer force of the wind. Rain hit the glass, the eerie howl of the wind whipping past the tower was enough to make the horrible situation seem like something from a hellish novel.

"Corbin? Where are you?" Isabella darted ahead of me.

"I'm here! What are you two panicking about?" Corbin emerged from his spot deep in a sofa, dropping his book upon seeing us. "Are you ok?" I raced over, looking up at him for any sign of injury.

"It's always nice when a couple of pretty girls want to ask you if you're alright." He joked.

Isabella and I shot each other a meaningful look.

"Do you know who I am?" I asked him.

"No, should I?" I stepped back, the howling wind outside the only thing I could hear.

"Do you know who I am?" Isabella asked him.

"No. But I wouldn't mind, if you'd let me. How about we go for a drink at The 3 Broomsticks next week?" Corbin offered, obviously thrilled to see a pretty girl like Isabella interested in him.

I stepped backwards, further and further until-

"Shocked?" Tom Riddle said in my ear.

I jumped, too deep in my own mind to have heard him enter the room.

"What the fuck have you done?" I screamed. My voice was loud, sharp and sudden - uncontrolled. The deep well of pain and despair had opened up again, and this time the madness of my internal afflictions consumed me, finally surfacing in a torrent of anguish.

"Did you lose another friend, Hermione? Aw." Tom said sadistically. His voice was quiet, but I could hear him easily over the howling winds and rain that was hammering against the windows.

"You're a monster." Isabella screamed.

"He's not a monster!" Corbin defended loudly. "Leave him alone! He's just come up here to have a look around, he's not harming anyone!"

"Hold on, Tom. I heard you talking to Corbin before and he-"

"Has it ever crossed your mind," Tom said impatiently, "That I had commanded Corbin to play along?"

I froze.

"What are you guys talking about?" Corbin looked around in confusion. "What game are we playing?"

"Take him out of the room." Tom ordered, and Isabella walked over to him and guided him away. I felt tears spark in my eyes.

Oh hell I thought. Don't cry.

"Look at that!" Tom said, walking over to me and lifting my chin up with a single pale finger. "I've broken you. So much for Miss Emotionless."

"I'm not crying because I'm broken!" I said angrily. "I'm..." I thought for a split second. "I'm enraged."

I had no real explanation for why I had formed this sudden, strong attachment to Corbin. I had barely known him for very long. But it was so easy to like him and his easy manner. And he helped me so much, and the entire time expected nothing in return. He was selfless, and had only my best interests in mind.

"Reverse the Curse." I snarled.

"No." Tom said. "You need to learn that any form of resistance against me is going to be disbanded from the very roots. I will seek out every single one of you who is opposed to me, and crush you like ants. Maybe then you will learn a lesson, Hermione."

"No." I told him. "I will never listen to anything you say to me ever again. Get away from me."

Before I even knew what I was doing, I was running again. Back down the staircase, away from Tom. And then I froze. What the hell was I doing? Isabella stuck by me when I was in danger, and now I was just going to run away from her? What type of person did that make me? I turned around slowly to come back, only to find the door was already being held open by Tom. Behind him, I could see the windows and the black skies beyond them.

"I knew you would come back to me." He said. "You always do."

"I'm not coming back for you." I answered him, with more truth that he'd ever realise. "I'm coming back for my friend. I'm not going to forsake myself simply because you exist."

I was going to find a way to save Corbin, once and for all. And as for Tom, I had to get smarter. I had to beat him, somehow. I was playing this game with the wrong cards. I needed tactics, advanced magic I could apply against him to alter his crash course lifestyle.

I had to find Dumbledore again.