[victoria's pov]

"I'm dying?" I exclaim, feeling the ground around me shake.

I look in his mirror, seeing my hideous reflection quiver with disbelief. In the heat of the moment, my hair begins to turn more grey. I think of nothing more but of what I'm going to lose.

Riddle quickly approaches me, grabbing me by the shoulder.

"Have I not told you to learn to tether or control your abilities?" he demanded. "Your emotions are tied to your magic. Enough with the panic and strong emotions."

I couldn't find myself to meet his eyes, as I was ashamed of my appearance. Confusion flooded my head.

"What could have triggered this?" I wondered aloud.

"Calm down before any questions are answered," Riddle soothed, caressing my arm. "You can't let this consume you."

In all confessions, it was unusual for Riddle to be this caring. The last time he was like this was after Serenity died–when I felt like a prisoner. But this time, it was different. I didn't feel like one.

But all I could think about was being next and dying. My body being one with the Earth and my story disappearing like a speck in this vast universe.

"I don't want to die," I confessed to Riddle.

His intense eyes met mine. "I know. Neither do I."

His face was stern yet understanding. It was like we shared the same rhythm of the world, empathising with what we feared most. It was not yet something I could understand in the heat of the moment though, as I only thought about what could have caused my magic to do this to me.

Once my breath slowed, he sat me on his bed, sitting beside me.

"What triggered this?" I asked Riddle, cowering in my palms.

Riddle only shushed me and stood up.

"Perhaps Laval has got some soothing tea for you," he said. "In all honesty, that's what her family's known for anyway. I'll be back and I'll lock the door behind me."

I didn't respond or move. I was devastated about my youth being drained.

"Stay quiet," Riddle commands. "And most importantly, calm."

He stands and makes way for the door. Just like he said, the door clicks with a lock. The room falls silent and only my breath creates an unsteady ripple in the silence. Then a few books fall off Riddle's nightstand, the pile of notes scattering. I look up, groaning as I reach to pick them up.

His diary is buried under the mess, I notice. Remembering what sins Riddle had committed made me sicker, but I quickly buried the things together before he got back. I'm collecting his parchments when something catches my eye.

Underlined with Slughorn's previous lesson is titled,

A Cursed Life

It is no matter if the being is destined to an early end or an inch from death. It is said that the innocent creature's blood can save you from the hands of death but at a horrible price. The consequence of the unarmed creature's lustrous blood will burden you with a half-life from the moment its blood touches your lips. Unicorn blood.

My eyes seemed to have flashed when they skimmed the parchment. A neediness grew and I slowly stood up, thinking of nothing but my own selfish desire. In that moment, all that mattered was keeping my youth.

Whispers, voices grew audible. More cunning than the last, tempting me to sneak out of the school grounds and taunting me with my sudden ageing.

"Old witch!"

"Theodore's sure to move on after one glance at you!"

"Perhaps Riddle's hiding the cure behind this mischief."

"It's all his fault!"

"The glass."

"The glass?" I wondered aloud.

The whispering shot only audible to my right ear and I whipped my head in that direction, seeing Riddle's dormitory window. On the other side of the window was the Black Lake. It was a terrifying sight to see as it was dark and I couldn't see anything on my side. I drew the curtains more, placing my hand on the window that stood before me. Its sea glass would've created a beautiful ray of light in the morning.

"There's no latch," I said to the voices. "And besides, opening it would be a mad-man move. It'll flood the entire common room!"

The voices were quiet, as they were gone.

"I don't understand," I said. "Are you helping me or killing me?"

No response.

Whether the plague or voices were working against me or not, it was better than laying in Riddle's dormitory and having Laval's tea over this situation. It was not a sitting matter.

"Okay, focus," I thought to myself.

My hand caressed the art on the glass. I examined the stained window. It was seven heads of serpents. Or rather, seven heads of a serpent. From ages before, I recalled the creature called the Lernean Hydra. A rather horrifying monster that was said to be raised by Hera in care with a purpose of defeating Hercules.

Despite its destiny to a dark greatness, it fell–losing its purpose in death.

No matter how many heads he could have created.

My thoughts were disturbed when a black wisp flew around my head. Its darkness circled me, growing more severe. I closed my eyes, focusing on where I wanted to be: the other side of the glass. I felt my body shake, slightly being shoved by the dark plague around me. The same familiar surge of wind I felt when I escaped Riddle's chamber at the beginning of the school year.

I then felt my feet become wet. The wetness travelled up to my legs... my torso... and finally my neck. Once I felt fully submerged, I opened my eyes. I could see Riddle's dormitory from the other side of the window. Yet my body slowly began to sink to the bottom and in a panic, I kicked my feet to swim to the surface.

Then a small gold light catches my eye and I look down. Riddle's ring falls into the darkness. I feel my neck to see if I had really just lost Riddle's ring. My collar is bare and without hesitation, I dive deeper to retrieve it. After all it had to have some meaning more than just being an heirloom. Once the chain of my necklace entwines with my fingers, I pull it harshly and grasp the ring, swimming toward the surface hurriedly.

The swim feels deeper than imagined as my sore legs weaken, tired to kick against the water. It was dark, but I was more scared of not being alone. The thought of something chasing after me encouraged me to swim faster for the surface. My lungs gasp for air as my fingers touch the open space and water enters my lungs. I cough severely, starving for air. My throat aches and my body swims toward the edge, my arms finally resting on a patch of sand.

I force my body out of the water and collapse on the sand. My hand levitates over my head to see the ring. Its golden band and green gem still looks untouched.

"Even in your absence, you still manage to cause me trouble," I say.

I cough and under the moonlight, I notice that my entire head has grown more grey than before now–white perhaps. Remembering what my mission was, I scatter up my energy to run into the forbidden forest. My legs didn't carry me as fast as before and my barefootedness doesn't make it easier. My soaked clothes tightly kiss my body and the cold night pierces my skin. I feel the side of my hips ache and my panting grows heavy.

I soon hear the voice guiding me again and I follow it. The black wisp flies fast and away from me as I stumble, following it desperately. I step on something sharp and fall to the ground, feeling a pain shoot up my entire leg. I fall on my back, against the ground in ache and anger

"Why do I have to fight for my life?" I cry to the sky above. "Am I not to live just like any other being?"

My breath slows as I struggle for air. My hands fall over my chest. A twig snaps in the distance and I quickly look ahead, my breath stopping abruptly at the sight.

Its beauty was beyond comparison in the scrolls. Its pure white skin seemed to glow under the moon and its long mane danced in the wind gracefully. The unicorn's horn was the colour of a tooth. It wasn't the horn that made it a rather mythical creature, but its radiant aura of power and light. This one was rather young, I noticed. As its physique was smaller and delicate with a smaller stomach as well. Yet it was still bigger than me.

As the four legged creature approaches carefully, I'm limped on the ground, weaponless. I close my eyes, not daring to meet its eyes. My breath slowed and I felt its mane touch my right forearm as its living breath brushed against my face. Naturally, curiosity was a common trait in the young.

Its muzzle nudged my cheek, perhaps checking if I was still alive. I dared not to move. I didn't know what else I was to do. Was the death of an innocent creature worth my life?

"Yes," the familiar voice echoed in my head.

My breath quivered and as the unicorn began to examine my greying hair.

"Do it!" the voice spat. "Before it senses me! It's now or never!"

I felt my heart pound.

I heard it too, nothing else.

My head twitched, feeling the plague control my body faster than before. I opened my eyes, frightening the unicorn and it galloped a few feet away. I see that my arms have begun to wither, my skin becoming bruised and my veins become more visible. The unicorn sees my helplessness and finds itself comfortable to approach once again.

I cradle myself in a ball, hugging my legs. I don't say a word nor move. I only let my tears fall, not knowing what fate stood in front of me despite my two options. The unicorn nudges me softly and I don't move. It's fallen for my need of companionship and in that moment, its head rests softly above mine. It senses nothing but my sadness, only seeing the old helpless woman, nearing death. I could hear its heartbeat and mine was slowing down.

"Every being on this earth dies," I whisper, my body shaking from the cold and my weakened state.

"But I still have some unfinished business."

My left arm swings for the centre of the unicorn's upper belly. My magic tears through its flesh, dislocating its insides. Its once graceful voice cries in panic and pain. Its forearms fall to the ground and its unexpecting weight pushes me against the ground, its blood gushing out, leaking down my arm that was still inside and grasping its heart. I tug harshly, trying to make it a quick death while ripping its life source from its ties. It completely collapses over my body and I throw the heart aside, screaming in fear and slight disbelief at my sudden actions.

Had it been fully matured, it would have seen through my charade and known that a stranger meant danger.

"It had to be done," I console myself as I crawl out backwards from under its weight. My chest is soaked in its glistening blue blood and I pant heavily, guilt crawling everywhere inside of me. It was nothing compared to what I was to do next though.

The blue blood on my white dress was fresh. But it wouldn't be for long. My finger dips into it and I bring it near my lips with a pause. From this moment on, there would be no turning back.

"I've come this far," I thought.

My lips touch the blood before my tongue does. It tastes of life. It was a mortal ambrosia. I feel my scalp soothe with less density and my brittle bones grow stronger. My hair falls over my shoulders, revealing to be even healthier than before. I feel my breath adjust better in the cold wind and I watch as my skin ripens to be smooth just as then. Not an ounce of regret disturbs me as I quickly stand, realising how long I've been gone. Realising that it wasn't just the two of our existence in the Forbidden Forest, as I knew centaurs also reside.

I shuffle to my bare feet, sprinting back to the lake. Still in the forest, I see the light ahead and run towards it. I hear snapping twigs following behind me, making me yelp and run as fast as my legs could carry me. I leap out of the forest, rolling on the sand–feet away from the forest. But it wasn't far enough and I scurried back to the lake like a coward.

Once I made it back to the lake near the Slytherin chambers, I fell on the sand, rinsing my arms from the blood that stained my arms like a tattoo. I scrubbed harshly with the sand as well, deciding to just dive into the lake to cleanse my entire body.

It wasn't that deep, as my feet touched the bottom of the lake's edge. The water reached to my neck and I bent my knees, allowing myself to be fully submerged under the water. Under the water, the echo of the unicorn's cry rings loudly in my ear. I almost feel the ripple of the cries and in a panic, I reach for the surface again. Once so, the adrenaline falls flat.

I throw my head back with relief when I see that I'm alone in the lake. The sun begins to rise, shining down on the lake, creating a beautiful scenery of a new beginning. The radiant heat feeds my skin and I throw back my head in pleasure. I rest my head on the edge of the sand, slowly kicking my feet in the water and thinking of nothing but my extended life. There was so much I was going to do.

"What have you done?" a voice asks behind me.

I recognise it and slowly turn, my face meeting Riddle's shoes. My eyes travel up his legs and I meet his eyes.

"Tom..."

I rest my hands on the edge of the land and he crouches down on a knee to meet my level. We don't break our eye contact as I manage to respond.

"I found a cure," I said.

He raises his brow in question. "At what cost?"

"I don't know yet..."

He sighs and massages his temples in disappointment. It was clear I had made a mistake.

"You never act without knowing the consequences," he scolded me angrily. "Think before you act, woman! On the brink of death or not, what have you done?"

His tone turns to demanding and I grow defensive.

"It's none of your business," I snapped. "Scold me all you want but for as long as I live, you're not getting a taste of my magic!"

Riddle's brows arches and he nears me, his face meeting inches from mine.

"What makes you think I care about obtaining your magic when I have my own plans?" he asks.

"I don't know what you think, Tom!" I exclaim. "I know nothing about you except your fear: death. And that's why you killed all those helpless people!"

"That makes us no different," Tom grins. "We both fear death, it's as simple as that. I see we're beginning to understand each other."

I scoff and back away more, letting the water cool me down as my feet dug into the sand below.

"You've always believed you could read between the lines," I muttered.

Riddle watched me carefully as I stared at him with a burning passion to have him in a chokehold. He knew exactly what to say to pull my patience apart.

"You're right but at least I can see what you can't about yourself," he teased.

I cocked my head, nearing him for the answer.

"Right, and what would that be?" I asked him.

He grinned with cunning eyes that lured me to him. He neared my ear and paused inches away from my face, making me pause abruptly as well.

Without another wasted moment, his lips were over mine. I lose my senses, giving into his tender touch as his hands grab the back of my neck as he forces my tongue to entwine with his. His movements are rough yet careful as he pulls me out of the water, breaking our kisses.

He drops me onto the sand, removing his robe and tossing it aside as he kneels down, arching over me. Desperate, I grab him by the collar and taste his tongue again.

My wet skin makes it easy for him to taste my neck and down to my collar. He grins as he notices the chain around my neck with his ring and he smashes his lips against mine, rougher than before.

One of my knees is bent, between his legs and my lower thigh touching his groin. The same leg is being caressed by his hand as mine travel through his hair, gripping it when he bites my lips too harshly.

His other hand strokes my cheek. His cold hands slip under my dress then I pause abruptly.

In the heat of the moment, I realise his actions were to prove a point.

"Enough," I mumble, forcing him to stop. He obeys right away, yet slowly–still towering over me as I lay defenceless and breathless. His eyes meet mine with a satisfied twinkle and I'm not able to read his intentions. But knowing how he was with every other girl, it had made me realise I'd just fallen into his trap.

I shove him off of me and grab his robe, putting it on as the cold air blows. He lays on the sand, chuckling at my behaviour. I quickly brushed the sand off of me, staring down at him as he rested with his two elbows into the sand.

"I will not be one of your slaves," I spat angrily.

Riddle shrugs, pulling himself from the ground. "No, of course not."

I storm off, making my way back to the castle, angered at Riddle.

Most especially at myself.

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December 29th, 2023.