Turned - Tom Riddle

Chapter Thirty Eight

The ring hadn't left her finger in three weeks. Exams had ended, the school year would end as well in less than a week.

"I can't believe the year is almost over," Joshua shook his head as the large group sat underneath a tree by the lake. Elizabeth leaned against the large trunk, Matilda's head in her lap and Bonnie seated beside her.

"It was definitely the strangest year I have had so far," Bonnie reflected.

"My sentiments exactly," Henry shook his head. "But look where we are now, we wouldn't even all be friends if it were not for a certain someone," he smiled over at Elizabeth.

Walburga nodded, her head on her hands as she laid on the grass, "Who would have thought that one girl could bring two such competitive houses together."

Elizabeth sat there, twirling the ring on her finger, an artificial smile plastered on her lips, "I can't emphasize how lucky I am to have you all as friends."

"I second that," Joshua grinned.

"Beth, I really wish you were staying for the summer," Bonnie frowned.

"I've asked my parents many times, but they want me to stay. We're moving to New York this August, they think it'll be more secure since MACUSA is located there," Elizabeth explained.

Henry rolled his eyes, "MACUSA has done little to nothing to protect the city."

"They protect their own," Elizabeth explained. "They don't want to be rediscovered by non-wizarding folk."

"So, you will be protected?" Joshua clarified. There was a moment of awkward silence, for the entire group knew why he asked.

Elizabeth laughed a bit and nodded, "Yes, I will be fine."

"I just wish everything would settle down, you know?" Bonnie sighed. "This year has been so hard, and it's all because of that mustache clad goon."

A few chuckled emerged, but Elizabeth's face stayed solid, knowing he most likely hadn't visited Hogwarts at all. "Hey now, he could be listening," Henry warned in a faux-spooky voice.

"You okay?" Bonnie whispered to Elizabeth as the group continued laughing and joking. She had noticed the forlorn expression on Elizabeth's face. "Beth, is this because of... you know who?" Bonnie asked, eyeing Joshua. Elizabeth realized that boy trouble was easier than explaining what was going on with Tom.

Elizabeth nodded with sad eyes, and Bonnie wrapped her arm around her and pulled her in so that Elizabeth's head rested on her shoulder.

The group stayed there under that tree as the sun began to appear lower and lower in the sky. As they were deep into a game of hex, wed, or kill, Joshua met eyes with Elizabeth. He motioned his head in a way that asked her to go somewhere with him. She knew what he wanted to talk about.

The two stood and gave a temporary goodbye to the group as they walked along the shore of the lake together. "We haven't quite gotten to be alone in a while," Joshua said, being the one to initiate the conversation.

"Not since the tea shop," Elizabeth recalled the incident of Matilda's injury.

He nodded. "I was thinking, well, I need a job over the summer," Joshua began. "MACUSA is hiring interns, and I was going to send in my resume."

"In... New York?" she asked.

"If you were alright with it."