This is my interpretation of what happened with young Tom Riddle in the cave with the two orphan children. One shot.
All characters belong to JK Rowling. Enjoy!
"Tom!"
No answer.
"Tom, this isn't funny!"
Amy Benson grasped hold of Dennis Bishop's hand and shivered. "TOM!" She screamed again, only to hear her own voice echo and rebound off the cave walls.
"Do you think he's left us here?" Dennis whispered. Amy wasn't sure...he had said he was going to show them something and he had had such a queer look in his eye when he told them that Amy had felt compelled to follow him. Just as she felt compelled to stay now.
"We shouldn't have left Mrs Cole and the others." Mumbled Dennis. His palms were all sweaty and she could see his breath turn to mist in the damp air.
"Why?" Said a voice from behind them. "Where would be the fun in that?" They turned around and there stood Tom, he was a small boy with delicate, handsome features. He looked regal somehow, even in his drab, grey uniform.
"What's going on Tom?" Said Amy quietly. "Why are we here?"
"I wanted to show you something." His voice was monotone, emotionless...but there was a sinister smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Follow me."
Amy looked sideways at Dennis, and against both of their better judgements, they followed the curious boy deeper into the cave.
It was clear that Tom had been here before, he knew exactly what rocks to avoid, which steps to miss, several times there was a large gap between rocks and Amy was certain that they wouldn't be able to step over it without falling down, but somehow they always managed - as if the gap would shrink upon their arrival. Each time she held more tightly to Dennis's hand. Finally they reached their destination, the cave had reached an end and they stood in what could almost be described as a large, circular room, in the middle of which was a deep pool of dark, foggy water. Amy heard Dennis whimper next to her.
"I wanted to show you something I can do." Said Tom simply. "I want to show you that I am different...and not in the way Mrs Cole thinks." He said the Matron's name with disdain and definitely wasn't taking any notice of them any more, just staring with unblinking eyes into the water. "I don't need any friends." He continued. "They are my friends."
Tom then did something that Amy was not prepared for, he opened his mouth and a strange hissing sound came from the back of his throat. The sound made the hairs on her neck stand up. She desperately wanted to leave now, she even tried tugging Dennis's hand so that they could run out together but her feet remained firmly fixed to the floor. Her whole body seemed paralysed. The hissing sound grew louder around her, only now it wasn't Tom making the noise, Amy screamed as she watched as hundreds of snakes came slithering out of the water and towards them. Dennis was sobbing next to her and still Tom paid them no attention.
"Tom..." She pleaded, "Tom... please make them stop!" She knew it made no sense but she also knew that whatever the snakes were doing, it was because Tom Riddle had asked them too.
At last Tom pulled his eyes away from the water and faced them, his eyes were cold as he gazed at them...unfeeling.
A snake was wrapping itself round her leg now, squeezing hard as it did so, she could feel hot tears pouring down her cheeks.
"Tom...Tom please stop-"
Tom held up his thin, pale hand. "Silence."
She tried to continue speaking but no sound came out and she could no longer hear Dennis's sobs. She gasped and tried to force the words out but still no sound came. Tears ran freely now, as six or seven snakes wound themselves around her legs, hissing all the while. She and Dennis were both being pulled down onto the hard, wet floor. Until snakes covered them both and then...then they pulled the two children towards the green pool. Still Amy couldn't fight back, couldn't move and couldn't scream. When the icy cold touched her feet Amy was certain that she and Dennis Bishop were going to die. She watched Tom Riddle as her whole body was immersed into the water. He stood motionless, unsmiling. He murmured something else in the strange snake-language and she felt herself being pulled further into the pools depths, she briefly saw Dennis open-mouthed, terrified face though the green murk before she fell into darkness...
When she woke she was laying on the cave floor, Dennis lying wide-eyed next to her. There was not one snake to be seen. Tom stood over them both and helped them off the floor. Amy could say nothing still, although she had a feeling that she could now, if she wanted too. Tom Riddle's wide eyes observed them both before he reached out his small, childish hand and took a red ribbon from Amy's hair. Without saying a word he pocketed it. Then he walked past them.
"Come on." He said quietly. "We don't want Mrs Cole and the others to be worried about us."
Wordlessly the two children followed him from the cave. They were never quite the same again.
Riddle woke from his dream, a small smile playing on his lips. He sat up and saw that the other Slytherin boys were asleep. Quietly, he climbed out of bed and went over to his trunk. Inside there were all the usual things a fifth year student would need...books, potion ingredients, class notes... there was also a small, tattered cardboard box. Carefully, he lifted it out of his trunk as though it was a prized possession. He took off the lid and examined the contents inside. Yes...everything was still there. The yo-yo, the sketchbook, the bracelet, the broken fountain pen and in the corner a small red ribbon.
Still taking care to be quiet, he closed the lid on the box and placed it delicately back into his trunk. He got back into bed and closed his eyes, an ugly smile etched on his otherwise handsome face.
I hope you enjoyed :) I don't know why but I just feel certain that whatever Tom did to them had something to do with snakes... although we will probably never know! Please let me know what you liked a didn't like, feedback is always appreciated!