Tom took a moment to compose himself within his room, before stepping out into the Slytherin Common room. The last month at Hogwarts had been both exceptionally enlightening and stressful, to say the least. Oddly enough, the classes themselves hardly ever caused the latter. If anything, the assignments this year had been far easier than the obes from the year prior, though Tom could readily admit that he had been far more stressed out last year by having barely survived a bombing more than anything else, with the new classes only presenting a minor complication at the time. This year, despite the chaos and upheaval in Slytherin House caused by Rosier's fall from grace, the classes had been relatively pleasant, with Tom spending more time covering the material he had read during the summer after he had received his textbook list, though there had been an air of familiarity about many of the recent examinations that left him feeling…odd. No, the stress itself stemmed from his continued attempts at searching for the Slytherin legacy in the Castle being impared by the Deputy Headmaster. Lilith had warned him that any attempts at uncovering the truth would likely have to start outside the Castle, promising him that she was securing both the funds and the means at Gringotts to get the Blood Inheritance Test quietly, away from any goblins who could have ties to other factions who would try to profit from his lineage at his expense.
The other source of stress was Valerio Rosier himself. Tom was certain that the seventh year was planning something, some form of retaliation for his losses over the year. He had spent many hours under the cover of disillusionment, which resulted in him stumbling upon several of the older years discussing in hushed tones with Valerio. Often enough, the students seemed to give Valerio less than pleasant news, as was evident from his fiery language as he stormed away from them all on his own. Lilith had taken the warnings to heart and had apparently doubled down on the wards around the dorm rooms of the younger years, with her spending more time with the students while in the common room itself, believing that Valerio would target her or the younger students within the Slytherin Dorms, as attacks in the wider Castle would be far too dangerous, especially after the incident behind Valerio's fall had led to the Professors and Ghosts being more cautious. Tom had been drawn into a few tutoring sessions for the children as well, which he could admit wasn't as bad as dealing with the older students and their expectations. While there was no great monetary gain from helping the younger students, the children were trusting in him more, asking for advice or reading material outside of the tutoring sessions, with Lilith looking at him with a smug smile. Tom could readily admit that having the trust of the younger years was… pleasant in its own unique way.
Seeing neither youngsters nor anyone else but a few students preparing for the OWLs exams in the Common Room, Tom made his way up to the Great Hall for breakfast, dropping his disillusionment charm after reaching the Ground Floor landing. Though the charm was still unstable over long periods of time, it was certainly far better than when he had started testing it out at the beginning of the year, though Dumbledore seemed effectively well trained to see through it, regardless of the effort and concentration he continued to refine. Entering the Great Hall, Tom frowned as he watched a few owls flying over Lilith's head, waiting for her attention, though he could see similar circumstances repeated all over the Hall, especially among the older female students. As he sat down in front of Lilith, he did find some comfort in the irritated expression on her face. "I wasn't aware that fourth years were popular targets for Beltane celebrations." Tom did feel an odd reaction in his heart at the flash of anger in Lilith's eyes. There was some fear, sure, as he had seen how devastating she could be when angered… yet there was something quite appealing to her fiery temper. Tom shook his head, blaming the subject matter for Beltane for having entertained… certain thoughts in his mind. There was definitely something about this time of year that made all the students a bit more affectionate, which made Tom wonder if it was purely a cultural effect or if there was some magic at work.
Lilith pulled the envelope off the next owl's leg with her gloved hands and quickly deposited it in a grown stack of letters next to her plate of food, a few enchanted ones struggling against their own envelopes, which suggested to him that Lilith had sealed them up further. "Ordinarily I would share your sentiment, Herr Riddle. Unfortunately, it seems that no one of these senders agrees with us. I can only blame it on the natural and poor state of the wizarding kind's collective ego and their family's unnatural expectations for this farce. I even read a few of the first letters and found some had been sent by first years, supposedly seeking my company on this "auspicious" day." Tom physically shuddered. "Right. You might… no, you have a point." Tom had quickly corrected his statement at the narrowing of Lilith's eyes. Clearing his throat, Tom proceeded to eat his breakfast of scrambled eggs, ham and toast until eventually the owl infestation around Lilith ceased altogether. After looking over all the letters, probably making sure none were actual missives from her contacts, he watched as Lilith placed them in a box that she produced from her bag, doused the stack in a familiar smelling liquid, before tossing a lit match into it. The flaming stack of letters vanished below a lid before she returned to her meal. Tom looked at the box with curiosity. "I am guessing it's enchanted so as to make sure the fire completes its intended purpose before going out?"
The redhead's silent nod made Tom shake his head, as he looked and spotted quite a few surprised looking students staring at said box. The two continued their meal in silence, before Lilith checked the now ash-filled box, vanishing the contents within and returned it to her bag. Tom followed after her as she left the Great Hall. "Would it not have been advantageous to… entertain some of the offers?" Lilith shrugged her shoulders. "I did. I checked the names against everyone one that I knew personally through class or introduction. None were appealing, politically or otherwise." Lilith then turned and gave a cheeky smile to Tom. "And I wouldn't be enjoying this too much, Herr Riddle. If you do obtain the expected Heirship, you will be next on the lists of the witches of the Castle. I am sure Alphard might be convinced to entertain the thought of courting you as well. Not that it would be difficult for him to do so." Tom's mind crashed at the thought, his steps halting completely. "Ah. Yes. That would present a problem." Lilith waited patiently by his side as he fell into deep thought, before speaking up. "As distressing as this might be to you, there is the benefit of not having to worry about it for now. We are both only fifteen- oh, when is your birthday? I never got to ask." Tom narrowed his eyes on her. "December 31st. Why?" Lilith smiled back at him. "So you are older than me by a day. Curious. I was asking because you need to be fifteen to get the Heir Ring in the first place."
Tom blushed slightly in embarrassment. His mind was very much a jumble of thoughts and he hadn't considered the way that his age might affect his position as an Heir. "I am sorry if my tone was unpleasant. I have never had cause to celebrate my birth in any way so I have never had a need to offer it to anyone for anything. The drops of blood the Goblins used for my school fund vault provided the information without my having to elaborate further. None of the students or staff have bothered to ask, let alone involve me regarding any celebrations of the sort." Lilith was quiet for a second. "Believe me, I understand… there is very little point to mark the passage of time, when there is no one there to celebrate it with you." Her face turned sad for a brief moment and Tom realized that she too probably didn't have a reason to celebrate her birthday this previous year either. The two continued on through the rest of their classes, with Lilith looking somewhat distant, as if remembering something pleasant. The odd mix of melancholy and some measure of joy on her face at least told Tom it was probably best not to ask. Still, the chances that she would be harassed tomorrow were high. Feeling oddly possessive, Tom did finally bring up an alternative to avoid the predatory behaviour of some of the students tomorrow. "Would you be alright with me as your escort for tomorrow?" Lilith seemed to snap out of her thoughtful state with a start.
"Could you repeat that?" Tom blushed softly, unsure what the warm feeling that seemed to spread across his body was all about. Was he getting a bout of spring fever? "With all the letters, I assume that several people will attempt to persuade you to be their companion for the day tomorrow. If you would be willing, I would be able to assist you as your escort. We would, of course, not be participating in any of the rites but my presence should dissuade any other requests. Still, my presence alone should keep the vultures at bay, and while I might not be under the same level of scrutiny currently, you would also be sparing me from having to entertain any other offers." Lilith stared at him for a solid minute, possibly going through all the benefits and drawbacks of the offered arrangement, before she gave him a soft smile. "Very well, Herr Riddle. You may escort me through the day of Beltane. It would be my honor." Tom swallowed a sudden lump in his throat and bowed his head slightly, raising his hand against his heart. "The honor is mine, Frau von Schwarzwald." The smile from earlier seemed nothing compared to the one she gave him after he addressed her with her full title and name. The two discussed times for meeting up in the morning as they neared their upcoming class, with Tom wondering what exactly he had gotten himself into.
-✦-
Lillian breathed deeply as she dropped onto the bed, her skin flushed and her black hair glistening with sweat. The entire night had been the best Beltane she had ever had but, as she closed her eyes, the link she had hoped to find simply didn't materialize. She cursed under her breath before a sweet voice giggled next to her. "You don't need to feel so bad, Lily." Turning onto her side, Lillian looked at the angelic face of her best friend. "But it didn't work." Luna turned towards her, her pale skin making Lillian consider kissing her all over her body again in the night, when Luna poked her on the forehead. "Sure, but it was still nice, right?" Lillian nodded, pulling her seventeen year old girlfriend against her and enjoying how Luna seemed to purr in her arms. While Luna's patronus was a rabbit, Lillian was certain her animagus form was a cat, if she ever completed the ritual. Her girlfriend was, after all, eternally curious, distant from strangers, but deeply committed to those she cared for. If it hadn't been for her, Lillian was certain that she would have gone insane with grief in the months after Sirius' passing. What had started as an odd but pleasant friendship during Luna's first year as a student at Hogwarts had only turned truly physical after Lillian's sixth year, and even then they had both resisted going all the way. Until tonight.
Luna reached up and gently caressed Lillian's cheek. "You knew it might not have worked. Not everyone who does the Beltane ritual is bound to the person they do it with. Finding a soulmate is meant to be difficult, after all." Lillian sighed but nodded, pressing her forehead against her girlfriend's. "I just… we have been dating on and off since the Yule Ball. With the way the country is right now and how the Death Eaters, the Ministry and the Order are fighting and treating each other…, especially after that scare with your dad… I just wanted to keep you safe." Luna took Lillian's left hand into her own, rubbing the ring that currently sat on one of the fingers. "Like the way you kept yourself safe?" Lillian nodded silently. When she went to check after her seventeenth birthday what her full inheritance was, she was surprised by what she found. Beyond her natural claim to the Potter family wealth, well, what remained of it after James Potter squandered most of it into the Order of the Phoenix, she had found that she also had the right to claim the Slytherin and Peverell inheritances. Except there was a catch. Apparently, after a few Heirs tried to claim a multitude of Seats on the Wizard's Council, the ensuing conflict left the many Families in chaos. In order to avoid another war over inheritance, the Ancient Families created a magic that restricted every Heir to one claim. Only one.
Of the three families, the Slytherin option was the most controversial one. Had Lillian claimed it, there was a good chance that Voldemort would target her for stealing his supposed birthright. The Potter legacy, however, was equally as unpleasant. The Light Faction equated the Potters and Longbottoms with the defenders of the country, while the Dark called them the most hated Blood Traitors. Lillian's behaviour in Slytherin over the last six and a half years had gone a long way to ease the tensions of the Darks and Neutrals towards her, but the Potter Family had made many oaths of allegiance with families of the Order, with Blood Feuds potentially being raised against them by the people she had befriended and made peace with. Both the Slytherin and Potter names would only serve to draw her into a war she had no desire to ever participate in. Taking everything into account, the Peverell name had been the safest option. According to the Goblins at Gringotts, no Peverell had been born to the name for centuries , meaning that the animosity that might have existed towards the once infamous family should have died out, There were no outstanding oaths or Blood Feuds, a few well hidden properties, one of which she had visited, and a decently sized Vault full of gold, books and artefacts. Lillian had taken the Peverell Lordship quietly, the only proof of it being the ring on her finger.
Lillian squeezed Luna's hand, bringing it up to her lips to brush them against her skin. "What… what do you want to do now? Since this didn't work?" Luna rubbed her fingers across Lillian's face. "Nothing. I will be fine, Lily. As for you…" Luna's eyes seemed to lose focus before whatever she saw passed on. She smiled at her friend. "Trust me, Lily. You will find the person that will mean the world to you, who will love for who you really are. It's just going to take a bit for you two to find each other, that's all." Lillian searched Luna's eyes and saw the truth in them. She smiled back. "Fine, I will wait for that day. Still…" Lillian turned herself over, putting herself atop the petite blonde before bending down and nuzzling her neck. Luna shuddered. "It's… not going to change anything, Lily! I am not your soulmate." Lillian pulled back, licking her lips. "No, it won't. But you are my best friend and someone that I love, even if it isn't eternal. Tonight is our first Beltane and probably our only Beltane as a couple." Luna gasped as Lillian pressed both of their bodies together, their lower halves hidden under a blanket. Lillian leaned down and kissed Luna's cheek, right at the edge of her lips. "Why shouldn't we enjoy it, while we can?" Luna blushed but wrapped her arms around Lillian's back, before they kissed, their lips pressed passionately against each other. Neither were willing to leave the bed in the next morning, both from exhaustion and from the marks they left on each other across their fair skin. Lillian may not have found her soulmate, but she made sure that what she and Luna had together wasn't meaningless.
-✦-
"Damn it, Madam Prewett, why didn't you tell me she had a chronic condition? As a Prefect, it's my duty to watch over her and everyone else from my House." A familiar voice responded as Lilith struggled to wake up, her body feeling heavy and stiff, her skin flushed either from the dream or some other reason. "The patient didn't want to make it public and she had a right not to. Besides, my brother was a Slytherin, Miss Black. He told me all about how your "court" works. If Rosier had been informed about her condition, what do you think would have happened? She is my patient and I accepted her wishes because they made sure to limit the chances of her showing up harmed by her fellow students." A voice that Lilith now recognized as being from Lucretia yelled back. "Do you think I don't know that? All you had to do was tell me. As a fifth year, I have a closer schedule to hers and I could have helped her out during these incidents. Now all of Slytherin knows that something happened to her because another student and I had to levitate her all the way here from the Slytherin Common Room." Lilith blinked in confusion, as she tried to piece together what Lucretia was talking about.
She distinctly remembered waking up and getting dressed, trying to get her unruly hair to have some semblance of care, before reaching for the door. Then… Lilith's eyes widened before she groaned. Madam Prewett came to her side quickly. "How are you feeling?" Lillith rolled her shoulders and stretched out her extremities. "Fine now. What happened? I thought I was in the clear after Imbolc was a bust." Teresa sighed but shook her head. "It seems we were wrong. For whatever reason, Beltane had a stronger effect on your magic than Imbolc should have had, based on the date and timing when compared to Samhain. Prefect Black here found you in the corridors for the dorms and brought you here, along with Mr Riddle." Lilith blinked for a second as she absorbed all that information before the mention of Tom reminded her of their plans for today. The clock on the far wall made it clear that they were now in the evening, well after dinner. Teresa noticed what Lilith was staring at. "Not to worry, dear. The elves will have a meal for you to eat ready, as soon as I check you over one last time." A few scans later and Lilith was allowed to sit at a table in the Hospital Wing, eating her dinner as she tried to avoid letting her lack of food for twelve hours add another complication to her night.
One new complication was already staring at her from across the table, enjoying a cup of tea. "You should've told me you had a condition, Lilith. I could have been helping you out with getting to and from the Hospital Wing safely." Lilith stared back at Lucretia, lowering her bowl of stew. "I didn't want Lord Black hearing about this at all. From what I understand, he is already making a fuss over my refusal to adhere to "British sensibilities." I didn't need him looking at me as someone barely above a Squib, which is a terrible term in English, as an added complication." Lucretia bristled. "I wouldn't have told him or dad a damn thing. Not like it matters, as half of Slytherin watched me and Riddle get you here in the first place." Lilith sighed. "I suppose that is a mute point now. Still, I didn't want to put you in a position where Lord Black could have used your proximity to me against you." Lucretia blinked a few times. "Wait, is that why you have kept me at arms length all year? Because you were worried about my grandfather and what he could do to me?" After Lilith nodded Lucretia cursed. "There was no bloody point to that then, because he could have asked me to do anything and I would have told him to shove it." Lilith looked at Lucretia over. "But, you could get punished, even disowned!"
Lucretia waved her hand dismissively. "And I wouldn't care. I know what the old man has done and I am not as driven by loyalty to the Head of House as Cygnus and Walburga are. I may be a Black, but I will never let people tell me who I should or shouldn't love or care for." Lilith blushed slightly. "Still, you hardly know me." Lucretia raised an eyebrow. "I know that Orion likes you. Pretty sure he has a small crush on you, though I doubt he knows it or that he will act upon it. Since he arrived at the school, you have been nothing but kind and caring to him and his friends, never asking for anything in return for your aid. Alphard has also talked well about you which, if you know Alphard, it's really impressive that he can actually spend more than ten minutes talking about a girl without lying out of his ass or contemplating whether their grooming practices would work for him." Lilith blushed as Lucretia stood up, walked around the table and wrapped Lilith in a hug. "I know that it's hard for you to accept, since you strike me as quite the independent young lady, but you don't have to go it alone, Lilith. Whatever Old Man Sirius says, you are family to me, Orion and Alphard. That will never change. So, can you at least trust me to look after you, especially now?" Lilith closed her eyes, trying her best to control her tears as she nodded against Lucretia's chest. It was odd. Stepping back in time had forced her into a life not her own, yet… yet somehow she had found something she had longed for as Lillian for as long as she could remember. Family.
-✦-
Lilith sighed to herself as she stowed away a few herbs into the basket at her side, before rubbing her arm over her forehead, leaving a small trail of dirt across her face. After dusting off her knees, she took up the basket and made her way through the Forest. Had she known that Beltane would have incapacitate her throughout the entire day, she would have done her Herbology assignment earlier in the week, instead of being forced to take some of her weekend time to gather the Herbs that she should have found and collected during the class' excursion. Which was why she elected to wake up just at the crack of dawn to do the herb gathering in the forest, in the hopes that she would be done and could finish her other missing assignments during the day, so as not to be behind by the next class. Feeling a little bit stiff, Lilith rolled her shoulders as she made her way closer to the Black Lake, before stopping when she heard a tree branch snap. There, not twenty feet away from Lilith, stood a Barguest. Lilith's breath caught in her throat as the creature's red eyes stared into her, its body primed to pounce on her even as its nose flared as it took in her scent. Eventually the creature's slick black form relaxed and its face became almost playful, before another snapping branch drew its attention back into the trees, the creature darting away to find its new prey. Lilith released a sigh of relief, though she felt conflicted by the urge to touch its pelt.
Burying away the ache of the body's memories tied to the schattenwolf cubs from the forests that surrounded the von Schwarzwald Estate, Lilith made her way to the shore of the Black Lake, following the shoreline to the nearby dock. Though much of the school year saw Hogwarts as a cold and somewhat dreary place, which made Lilith wonder if the Founders could have found a more comfortable location to erect their fortified school, the few months of May onward tended to be comfortably warm. Today was not so comfortably warm, but somewhat stifling hot out here by the lake as the air filled up with humidity. Still, it wasn't as unbearable as the winters tended to be. Lilith sighed to herself, feeling a little bit of disappointment about missing out on yesterday. While she had no intention of interacting with anyone else, there was a part of her that was deeply interested in how the day would have gone with Tom at her side. So far, Tom had been very much as she remembered from their interactions through the Diary; thoughtful, reserved, calculating but entirely uncomfortable in the more social aspects of interacting with people. Getting his Diary self to dance with Lillian had been one of her most treasured memories, as Tom's stubbornness came out in full swing as he stumbled his way through the steps of the waltz. Still, his perseverance served him well, as he managed to learn the dance from her eventually, before the book vanished from her possession. That day had been the second time she had felt as if someone had carved out her heart since arriving at Hogwarts, second only to the passing of her Familiar.
Soon enough, the trees gave way and just at the edge of the forest stood the docks that led out over the water. The school had made the dock as a way for the Herbology class to have better access to the kelp, though because of that, the dock itself stretched far into deep water, as it wasn't necessary for the students to use boats, as small, submerged platforms allowed the children to reach down and pull out kelp as it grew its way up to the surface. As Lilith placed the basket down and was checking how cold the water was and debating the need for a warming charm, a bright red flash of light lit up the dock. Lilith felt her body go limp, yet for some reason her mind felt perfectly alert as her eyes stared at the wooden planks of the dock as she crumpled forward, just barely avoiding falling into the water. Her view shifted slightly as someone turned her over onto her back. "Well, that's new. Never heard of a stunner leaving the victim awake. Then again, you were recently released from the Hospital Wing, so who knows what potions are still in your system." Lilith tried her best to glare at the form of Valerio Rosier, as he leaned down, his hands wandering across her body. Lilith tried to summon her magic as rage built up inside of her from the indignation, as Valerio sighed. "It really is a shame. You have quite the nice body, though a bit more muscular than is tasteful for a young lady. I would have liked to have a taste of it myself, but I simply don't have the time, especially with how your body responded to the stunner. What a waste. Incarcerous ."
As thick ropes wrapped around her body, Lilith tried to focus on the Finite Incantation, repeating it over and over in her head. Her magic was just beneath her skin, yet she couldn't get it to take effect and release her. She started to focus harder and harder as she found herself being levitated and moved out over the edge of the far end of the dock, where there were no submerged platforms. "I hope you had your fun, girl. You certainly made a mess out of my last year at Hogwarts. Your death will at least give me a month of peace and a commendation from Lord Grindelwald. When he takes over Britain, everyone here will rue the day they ever listened to you over me. Have a nice swim, Blood Traitor." Lilith cursed in her head as the levitation spell was replaced with a heavyweight spell, sending her crashing into the water. As the water began to fill Lilith's mouth and nose with her being unable to do anything about it, she found herself screaming on the inside. Some of her magic seemed to leak through, but it wasn't enough to set her free. As her vision grew blurry and darkness seemed to envelop her, Lilith cursed her own idiocy. She had been too complacent in the last few months, enjoying her time at school as she had once done as Lillian, while believing that the Slytherin code of conduct would keep her safe out of the dorms. If she survived, she swore she would do better, starting with avenging herself on Rosier. Eventually Lilith's lungs ceased to struggle against the water and her mind went dark.
-✦-
Tom's eyes wandered over the students currently gathered in the Courtyard as many were preparing to head to the Great Hall for Breakfast, his eyes looking for a familiar head of red hair and black streaks. He hadn't exactly been looking forward to Beltane yesterday as he was woefully unprepared for what many students took as a serious couple's day. He knew, of course, of how several magical families treated it as the day when children were to be conceived. Whether the rituals succeeded or not was up for debate, but Beltane children born nine months later were considered a blessing by magic. That was, at least as far as he knew, not something that students had to worry about while at Hogwarts. Similarly, there were those who believed that Beltane was the day when bonds were forged or even strengthened, potentially even the best time for lovers to become soulmates. There was surprisingly little information on soulmates beyond the faith that they could, in fact, exist. The famous immortal pair of Alchemists, Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel, were considered by all as the perfect example of soulmates and even Tom couldn't disagree with that assessment. Six hundred years of being married to the same person was no easy feat and Tom often wondered how the two didn't kill each other. Then again, he mostly wondered how they managed to stay in love that long in the first place.
Setting aside his long term plans of searching for a means to achieving immortality, his thoughts returned to the missing Slytherin girl. Seeing Lucretia levitate her out of the Girl's Dorm made it clear to Tom what had delayed her in her arrival when he was supposed to be her escort for Beltane. Lilith had taken him aside after the Spring Equinox and explained that after her near death, her magic had undergone an odd transformation that impeded her ability to cast freely. The greater complication, however, came on days of strong magical influence. The Solstices, the Equinoxes and even Samhain were days and nights that caused her magic to act out and physically tear at Lilith's body, the sight of her plight during the Spring Equinox still fresh in his mind. After aiding the unconscious, but still in pain, Lilith to the Hospital Wing on Beltane, both he and Lucretia were forced to leave, with the Slytherin Prefect vowing to return to check on her. Tom had to reevaluate his assessment of Lucretia. Despite having no apparent political inclinations, the Slytherin held a strong sense of responsibility and willingness to aid Lilith. He doubted he could gain her favor through his usual means but perhaps it wouldn't be necessary. Now that he had a partner for the coming school year, the need to handle every little detail was no longer as important. Though he would still check on that when he could speak to Lilith. Just in case.
Not finding said partner anywhere in the Castle, Tom frowned and made for the Great Hall. As he walked down one of the few hidden and usually empty corridors he had uncovered, a head of blonde hair popped out of one of the entrances and looked around, before focusing on him. The Ravenclaw fourth year rushed to him quickly. "Riddle is it? Lilith needs help. You have to help her!" Tom blinked at her in confusion, which only grew as the blonde took his hand and seemed to freeze in place. She dropped it quickly but he could still see traces of shock on her face. Those traces vanished as her fear seemed to build. "No, no, no, no! It's happening now. Please, Riddle, you need to get to Lilith. She's outside on the Herbology dock." Tom frowned. "Why would she be there?" Cassandra shook her head. "That's not important! Rosier is there and he is going to drown her in the Lake. You have to help me save her. I can't do it alone!" Tom blinked in further confusion. "I just saw Rosier in the Courtyard with his cousin." Cassandra shook her head and started punching his chest. "Damn it, it's not him. Lilith is in danger. I know you aren't sure, that you don't understand, but Lilith does. Lilith trusts me. Please, trust me now. If we take too long, she will die! She can't keep cheating death for much longer! Death won't let her!"
Filling that particular bit of information away, Tom allowed Cassandra to guide him out of the Castle and onto the path leading to the dock. There, just on the edge of the wooden structure, stood a massive black dog growling out towards the trees, though it showed no intention to attack him or Cassandra as they drew near. Though he couldn't see anyone in said trees, Tom drew his wand and waved it in the direction the creature was growling at. " Depulso ." His banishing charm launched something just at the edge of his spells range away deeper into the tree line. He thought about doing it again, but if Lilith was in the water, every second counted against her. Still, getting attacked from behind wouldn't help matters either. He looked at Cassandra, who had her wand out as well, though she was clearly rattled from earlier. "Riddle! What's going on?" Turning back towards the castle, Tom breathed a sigh of relief as Alphard rushed down the path, the boy stumbling a bit at the sight of the dog. "Black, I need you to watch my back. Someone is in the treeline under an Invisibility Cloak. I need to get in the water to get Lilith out." Alphard looked him over before looking at Cassandra as she rushed towards the end of the dock. Alphard shook his head. "I can cast most spells silently, which will probably be needed if she's deep under water. You hold guard out here and I will pull her out. Trust me, she is my blood and I will save her. Besides, that thing doesn't seem to mind you at all and I would rather not become a chew toy." Tom barely had a chance to respond as Alphard raced towards the dock, stripping off his robes. Tom took a second to look at the beast at his side, feeling his nerves building up slightly.
Barghests were notoriously dangerous creatures, known for leaving little to no trace of their victims. Some incidents even described how they could knock a person clean out of their shoes, before killing the unfortunate souls and disappearing with the body without a trace into the woods. The broken bits of bones and clothes would be found weeks, if not months later, in regions that had at the time been searched repeatedly with no success. Tom thought he should feel some form of fear at the side of the deadly creature, yet the beast never took its eyes off the woods. A few times, Tom would even cast a Banisher in the direction that the creature growled at, catching another glimpse of an Invisibility Cloak failing to adjust to the sudden change, before eventually the creature grew calm and even seemed to whine in worry, its eyes focused down the dock. Seeing Alphard pulling Lilith's still body out of the Lake, Tom rushed to their side, as Alphard looked her over. "She's not breathing and her pulse is low or fading. If we don't get the water out of her lungs and get her breathing again, she won't make it to the castle." Tom thought for a second about what spells might do to save her before pointing his wand at Lilith. He hoped this worked, as he had no medical knowledge to pull from. " Crucio! " The red light of the curse struck and, before Alphard could yell at him, the three watched as Lilith shuddered violently before she turned over and started expelling water out of her mouth.
Cassandra sat on the ground with her, taping Lilith on the back as Alphard turned on Tom. "Are you bloody mad? That curse is for torturing people!" Tom nodded. "It is, but Merrythought told us it was initially a medical procedure that caused every muscle to spasm and retract. That includes the heart and lungs." Alphard rubbed his face in exasperation. "And what if she was still under a spell or curse? It could have reacted poorly and caused her to die. Did you think about that?" Tom blinked at him. "Right. As if you would drag her on to the dock without clearing her of any foreign magic first." Alphard raised his voice. "That's not the point!" A weak sounding voice spoke up, her words being interrupted by coughs. "Could you two… not fight right now? Tom… had the right idea,... not knowing… Healing Magic. Also… take it easy on him, Alphard… It didn't hurt at all." Both Tom and Alphard turned to the now conscious Lilith, before Alphard bent down and helped Lilith stand, with Cassandra helping her from the other side. Tom turned his attention to the forest as the three students led Lilith off the dock and towards the Castle, noticing that the Barghest was nowhere to be seen, though he swore he spotted red eyes in the shadows, staring back at him, before vanishing. Alphard and Cassandra stopped for a second as Tom looked over the empty fields, the former speaking up. "Still think someone is out there?" Tom shook his head as they moved past the Castle's back gate. "Not anymore."