Chapter 1: Smiles
Tom Riddle was sitting by himself on the Hogwarts Express. He was glad he wasn't going to be spending his schooling days at the orphanage. Anywhere was better than there. He could just taste that little bit of leash on the way to Hogwarts. He was ready for something different. Actually, he had been ready for something new.
Just then there was a knock on the compartment door. A girl around his age was standing there with a small but gentle smile on her face.
"Pardon me," she said with a mellifluous voice, "but is it all right if I sit in here as well? Everywhere else is full."
Tom motioned for her to sit down. He didn't mind having someone ride along with him.
The girl had red hair tied in braids with purple ribbons. Her skin displayed no sign of a freckle, and her eyes were like sparkling green emeralds. She wore a green day dress with a purple floral design on it, and the sleeves were short but puffy. The skirt went down to her knees, and on her feet were snow white socks and black Mary Janes.
She sat in the seat right across from Tom in lady-like way with friendly smile marking her sweet face.
"I'm Elizabeth, by the way," she said, holding out her hand for him to shake it. "Elizabeth Ruth Clue."
"Tom Marvolo Riddle," he said after a pause. He took her hand and shook it.
Elizabeth giggled. "That's funny. Our last names are a bit similar."
Tom nodded with a forced smile. He wasn't sure what to say next. Elizabeth also seemed unsure of what to say.
"Anything from the trolley, dears?" a woman pushing a cart filled with candy broke the silence.
"Do you want anything?" Tom asked as he pulled his money out of his pocket.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, please," she said so quickly that Tom almost didn't catch what came out of her mouth.
Tom made his way to the cart and told the old woman what Elizabeth wanted, then asked for four chocolate frogs: two for him and two for her. He thanked the woman then settled back down in his seat.
"Thanks," Elizabeth smiled as Tom handed her the candy.
"No problem," Tom replied.
Elizabeth laughed after a moment of silence.
"What's so funny?" he asked with an arched eyebrow.
"I find it funny that some people have good luck with Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans and some people don't," she explained. "There are also people who have both good and bad luck. I must say I'm one of the lucky ones."
"What do you mean?"
"'Every Flavor' means 'Every Flavor,'" Elizabeth chuckled. "There are the typical flavors like strawberry, chocolate, peppermint, and orange. Then, there are other flavors such as sardines, liver, dirt, and even gravel."
Out of curiosity, Tom reached out his hand. He didn't really want one, but he wanted to know if she was joking or telling the truth. Elizabeth gladly handed him a brown colored bean, and he popped it into his mouth. The moment it touched his tongue was the moment he thought he ate fresh mud made from a spring rain. His throat started to burn so much that he almost vomited.
"Spit it out!" Elizabeth gasped as she almost jumped from her seat.
Tom did as he was told, and threw it out of the window.
"Forgive me for not telling you sooner," she said with a nervous smile, "but you don't always have to swallow it. I'm so sorry."
"It's fine," he coughed. "May I have another?"
She handed him a maroon-and-white marble looking bean, and when he put it in his mouth it was like eating breakfast again. It was bacon flavored. Tom felt himself smiling.
"Bacon flavored?" Elizabeth asked with a slight smirk.
"How'd you know?"
"My father used to share Bertie Bott's with my mother when they were first married, even though she's a Muggle."
"You're a Half-Blood?"
Elizabeth nodded as she popped in a white bean with red speckles on it. "Dad's a wizard. What about you?"
"Same as you, but…"
"What's the matter?" she asked.
"At least you have parents."
"You're an orphan? As in, you live in an orphanage?"
Tom nodded. "I was born there, you might say."
Elizabeth looked as if she was about to cry, until a knock on their compartment interrupted the silence. Another first year with dirty-blonde hair was standing there, already in her uniform.
"I'm sorry for interrupting," the girl said, "but we're almost to Hogwarts. Everyone's changing into their uniforms."
"Oh, thank you…" Elizabeth started.
"Isabelle," the girl said with a smile. "Isabelle Albright."
"Isabelle," Elizabeth repeated. "Oh, do you mind if I change in your compartment?"
"Absolutely," the other girl said with enthusiasm and led her down to another compartment.
Tom didn't hesitate to change into his uniform after she left. He changed pretty quickly, making him wait awhile before she returned with her day clothes rolled up in her arms.
"You look nice," Tom complimented her.
"You as well," she smiled as she sat back down.
Tom and Elizabeth walked together off the train and onto the boats. They settled in the middle of the boat, and Tom received a long stick with a bright, glowing lantern at the other end. The boat rocked gently as they were being carried to the beautiful castle on the cliff that was ahead of them. Once they arrived at the castle, Tom helped Elizabeth out of the boat and two other kids that were with them. Everyone stayed together in one big group as if they were a flock of sheep. They entered the beautiful building through a gigantic, wooden doorway. Soon, they were led to a large staircase by a smiling wizard in green robes.
At the top of the staircase, an elderly wizard in silver robes and a short grey beard was waiting for them in front of another large wooden door. Immediately, Tom recognized this man as no other than Dumbledoor, the man who visited him at the orphanage.
"Good evening, students," Dumbledoor greeted them. "Welcome to your first year here at Hogwarts. I am Professor Dumbledoor. In a few moments we shall bring you in to feast for dinner. But first, you have to be sorted."
Tom felt Elizabeth smile.
"The four houses," Dumbledoor continued, "are Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin."
"Which house do you think you'll be in?" Isabelle asked.
"I don't know," Elizabeth replied.
The wooden doors were then opened to a great dining hall with four long tables. On each table were colors that represented each house. Students older than them were sitting down, but there was no food on their plates. Tom tried to guess which house was which, but decided to wait until he was sorted.
At the front of the dining hall, the students stopped in front of a chair. Sitting on that chair was an old, brown wizard hat. Dumbledoor stood next to the chair, picked up the hat, and held a roll of paper.
"When I call your name," said Dumbledoor, "you will come up to be sorted."
There seemed to be a sudden energy of excitement among them.
"Addington, Regina," Dumbledoor called. A little girl with brown hair and a round face was called to the Hat.
For a while there was silence until the Sorting Hat bellowed "SLYTHERIN!" All of the students at the green and silver table roared with excitement for their new classmate.
"Albright, Isabelle." Elizabeth's new friend was called to be sorted.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Applause from the yellow and black table were heard.
"Alden, Carolyn."
"GRYFFINDOR!" The first Gryffindor had been sorted.
"Avery, Riordan."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Bourne, Clayton."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Bradley, Marcia."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Connelly, Seth," a little boy with strawberry-blonde hair and blue eyes made his way to the seat.
"RAVENCLAW!" Cheers came from the blue and silver table.
"Clue, Elizabeth."
"Go on," Tom whispered to his new friend.
Elizabeth sat in a lady-like way, and in a matter of seconds the Hat shouted "RAVENCLAW!" She smiled, hopped off the chair and joined Seth at the Ravenclaw table.
"Dolohov, Antonin."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Dunn, Cordelia."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Edwards, Adele."
"HUFFLEPUFF!" By this point, Tom thought there would mostly be Hufflepuffs or Ravenclaws.
"Forbey, Tillman."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Fortune, Andrew."
"GRYFFINDOR!" Finally, another Gryffindor!
"Giddens, Rachel."
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Gordon, Alan."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Hilton, Michael."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Johnson, Emily," a little girl with short blonde hair heard her name.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Lee, Martin," a tall dark-haired boy was called up.
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Linden, Richard," Dumbledoor called a square-jawed boy with light brown hair.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Malmay, Emmaline," a girl with curly, white-blonde hair plopped down on the seat.
"RAVENCLAW!" Tom figured she would get Ravenclaw.
"Martin, Rubina."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Merritt, Isaac," a boy with brown hair heard his name.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Merritt, Joy," a girl walked up who appeared to be Isaac's twin sister. She had the same brown hair as her brother.
"GRYFFINDOR!"
"Middleton, Beverly."
"RAVENCLAW!"
"Mulciber, Roger."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Netherton, Nathaniel."
"GRYFFIDOR!"
"Nott, Bartholomew."
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Reeves, Patrick," a boy with sandy blonde hair.
"GRYFFINDOR!" Surely this was the Gryffindor.
"Riddle, Tom," he heard his name called. His heart started beating faster, his back stiffened up, and looked at Elizabeth. She gave him a small but encouraging smile. Her red curls at the end of her braids bounced a little as her head nodded as way of saying, "Go ahead."
Tom took in a breath, released it, and began to approach the chair. Dumbledoor gave him a smile as Tom sat down on the wooden chair.
When the hat was placed on his head an instant voice came into his ears.
"Yes. Such talent! Such determination! Such a mind!" the hat said. "Bright things in your future. There's no doubt the perfect house in store for you. SLYTHERIN!"
He was put in Slytherin. Tom stood up from the chair and made his way to table at the far right of the Hall. He sat down as he shook hands with his fellow Slytherins. Tom was happy, but he was also disappointed he and Elizabeth weren't in the same house.
Looking over at the Ravenclaw table he saw Elizabeth applauding for him. Actually, she was the only one applauding for him. Tom gave her a little smile and mouthed "Thanks" to her.
Dumbledoor was almost done calling names to be sorted. Six children remained to be sorted, and of those six a boy by the name of "Rosier, Evan" was called up.
"SLYTHERIN!"
"Taylor, Georgiana," another red-headed girl was called up. Her hair was more fiery than Elizabeth's.
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Tom realized there hadn't a Hufflepuff in a matter of minutes.
"Thomas, Josafina," a Hispanic girl made her way to the chair.
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Thompson, Yvonne."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Wylett, Margaret."
"HUFFLEPUFF!"
"Many Hufflepuffs today," Dumbledoor chuckled before calling "White, Deborah."
"RAVENCLAW!"
Everyone was sorted and sitting where they belonged.
Tom smiled, looked over at Elizabeth, and she smiled, too.