01:27 am

Those were the last words Johnny said before you stormed off. He paced the room, unable to figure out how this petty fight started in the first place until you returned moments later.

“y/n, look, I’m sorr-”

A stool thuds at his feet. He watches in bewilderment as you step on it, putting each other at face level. Johnny purses his lips, growing more amused when you cross your arms in all seriousness.

“Okay. Now, tell me why you think Captain America is better than Iron Man because that is ridiculous!”

“Really?” He motions to you and the stool. ”That’s what’s ridiculous?”

“You told me to say it your face but you’re too tall so…” 

You slowly began to trail into silence when your mind wandered off, questioning why Tom Riddle!Renjun wanted to show this to you.

“Fascinated, aren’t you?” He taps on the book, Secrets of the Darkest Arts. How he acquired such a wicked book bothered you, but not as much as why he searched for it in the first place.

“We shouldn’t be reading this,” you begin to say, closing the book, but Renjun stops you.

“Don’t worry, I didn’t steal it. I got it from the back of the Hogwarts library. Even Mr. Slughorn spoke with me about it.”

Mr. Slughorn was a well renowned and experienced potions professor. Surely he would be wise enough to know the dangerous nature of such a book, especially one speaking of a subject so evil it was barely spoken of even in the Magick Moste Evile, a common book on the advanced dark arts.

“This is evil magic,” you rigidly state, unable to read any further on the subject.

“Power. That’s what it is.”

“No one should have that kind of power,” you rebute and a slight frown ghosts over Renjun’s smile.

“Wouldn’t you want to live forever? Think about it. You’d be able to read and study everything and simply learn everything you ever wanted to know. You’d be the brightest witch of our age!”

You gravely shook your head. Renjun knows how much you worked for your top marks. You were as bright as many professors praised about so it was easy to see how delirious your best friend’s proposal was and how serious he was about it.

“Your parents would be proud of you,” Renjun adds, turnt back to the book and misses the way you grimace at the casual jab at your insecurities. “You’d honor your family name out of disgrace.”

Not wanting to hear any more, you throw your bag over your shoulder and rise from your chair, murmuring an excuse before you could be question.

Exiting the library, you were about to turn a corner when a hand clasps your shoulder back to face your best friend, frown deepened and the sacred book tucked under his other arm.

Renjun scans the hallway for any bystanders before pulling you into a vacant room. It was long-abandoned by the look of rusty desks and chairs and an old dusty smell swirling the room when the door shuts behind you two.

“I don’t want to talk about this anymore,” you say, averting to stare at the cobblestone flooring .

“I’m sorry y/n. I didn’t mean to be insensitive,” he begins to explain and you look up to be met with sincere eyes downcast on your glossy ones.

Renjun reaches for you and you comply, tension released into his embrace as he gently speaks against your hair.

“You’re y/n. The sole daughter of the most outstanding Aurors this world will ever know of,” he says but you knew the truth.

Your parents were once well-loved and one of the most exceptional Aurors known in The Wizarding World. The day they were cursed, driven to madness and, eventually, committed their own death tainted your family name and left you to suffer in alienation and pity.

“I’m just saying, you could be so much more than you are now, more than what your parents once were, and I want to be here when you do.”

You lightly push back from his chest and peer at him in concern. “Do you know what you’re saying to me right now?”

Any wizard who creates a Horcrux would have to deliberately commit murder. It’s been said to be the most supreme act of evil. It would result in the murderer metaphysically damaging their own soul. This was worse than the curse casted against your parents will. 

Renjun straightened. “I’m saying this may be the answer to our problems.”

“Murder,” you propose.

“Immortality,” he corrects.

Renjun knew you better than anyone else. He knew your hopes and dreams as well as your fears and nightmares. You wanted to be the best. You thought you could be something your parents once were: a legend. Not a poor, parentless child. No brother or sister. No one at all. Just you, alone.

‘Just like me’ you remember Renjun had said that first day you met at Hogwarts, taking your hands into his with a sincere look in his eyes just like the one he’s giving you right now.

“You wouldn’t have to be alone. I’ll be by your side forever,” he promises.

“You and me?”