—TOM LOOKED AT HIM, SIGHING. "Trust me on this, Rigel. You wouldn't understand." He repeated, earning a glare from the boy. "I said— try me." Rigel also repeated.

Tom was on the verge of.. admitting it. And he knew it.

Oh, how he wished he could just shout it in Rigel's face, or maybe to the whole world.

..but Rigel didn't love him back.

He never will.

He deserved better, anyways.

Tom was only a dark lord, after all. Rigel, however, was.. everything anyone would want.

If you'd ignore his witty remarks and mean glares, you'd realize his kind heart and stupidly beautiful smile. The one Tom fell for.

The one that drove Tom mad.

Sighing again, Tom looked at Rigel, who had his jaw clenched and tried to hide the hurt he was feeling. "Look, I— I'm sorry for ignoring you. I really am. However.. I think it's for the best."

Rigel stilled. Trying not to let his emotions show, he nodded. "So.. you're ending our friendship for a reason that I do not even know about?"

"We had a friendship?" asked Tom in shock.

"Not anymore." scoffed Rigel, walking to the door.

"Ri— wait."

Rigel stopped and turned around, glaring at him. "What do you want, Riddle?"

Tom's face fell. "...I'm sorry for doing this."

"Don't apologize."

"What?"

"..Apologize when your hurtful words actually mean something to someone."

Feeling pleased about the fact that Tom's face fell, Rigel walked out of his room and slammed the door shut.

••

That night, Rigel was laying in bed, but couldn't fall asleep, even though it was 3 A.M.

He emotionlessly looked at the ceiling, deep in thought.

He felt hopeless.

He felt... alone.

What would happen if he.. died?

Would Remus and Sirius even miss him? Or Tom.. would he even care?

Rigel stopped, his lips parting in shock.

That was his first ever thought about death.

It was getting worse day by day, and it didn't look like it was stopping anytime soon.

Feeling like the world was spinning, Rigel stood up and clutched his head tightly, trying to calm his breathing down.

It was just a thought, anyways. It wasn't like it would be happening anytime soon..

••

About an hour later, Rigel was certain he wouldn't be able to fall asleep anytime soon, so he stood up, grabbed a pack of cigarettes, and walked to the rooftop of the manor.

When he reached there, he looked at the stars, starting to relax a bit.

Pulling out a cigarette, he lit it up and started to smoke.

Gosh, he was alone.

••

"What?" Rigel finally asked when Draco was done talking.

His cousin had visited with his parents, since Narcissa missed her sister and the dark lord needed Draco for something Rigel didn't know, but he did now.

Draco tried not looking as anxious as he felt, pulling up his sleeve, revealing his dark mark.

Rigel's lips parted in shock. "Did you even want this?"

Draco nervously shook his head, not talking, afraid that he would burst into tears.

His cousin stood up and walked over to him, shockingly— pulling him into a hug.

Rigel didn't even look shocked when Draco started crying.

Honestly, what the fuck was Tom thinking?

Draco is only 16, after all.

"What's your task, Draco?" asked Rigel softly, rubbing Draco's back comfortingly.

"...K—kill Dumbledore."

Rigel let out a shocked gasp. "What?" He asked, voice dangerously calm.

"I can't-.. can't do it.. Rigel.."

The Black heir frowned at the pain in his cousin's voice.

How could Tom— Voldemort do this?

Rigel pulled away, while Draco tried to wipe his tears. "I'll be back, Draco."

••

Tom, who was planning a raid, looked up when his bedroom door slammed open.

Looking angry— no, angry was an understatement— looking furious, Rigel Black walked in.

Tom tried not to flinch at the glare he was receiving from the boy.

It didn't scare him.

It broke him.

"How dare you!" fumed Rigel.

"What have I done?"

"He's 16!" Rigel glared at him. "And aren't you supposed to kill Dumbledore yourself? Are you such a coward that you're making a 16-year-old do this?!"

"I am not a coward—!"

"Really? Because it sure as hell seems like it."

"..Don't call me a coward."

"Alright then, egoistical bastard."

Tom flinched, but tried to keep calm. "What did you just call me?"

"Oh, please, Riddle." scoffed Rigel. "Your cowardice is showing. Maybe keep it to a minimum so the death eaters don't find out how much of a coward their lord is."

"I. Am. Not. A. Coward."

"You're sending a 16-year-old to do your job, Riddle." Rigel stepped up, their faces now inches from each other's. "There's your answer."

Tom tried not to show how much this affected him. "Fine." He said. "I'll change his task. Tell him he has to fix a vanishing cabinet instead of killing Dumbledore."

Rigel looked confused on how Tom had just agreed so quickly, but stepped back again and nodded.

Not looking back, he walked out of Tom's room and slammed the door shut, because he wanted to. And because he wanted to anger Tom.