"So what is with this place?" the woman asked, walking in. The man stopped shuffling his papers, turning to her, then frowned.
"You must be new here," he remarked. The woman nodded in assent, looking around the stone building. The man scrutinised her for a few moments, before she spoke again.
"Why is this place so dark? And how old is this building, even? It looks almost...gothic."
The man shrugged. "Been around for a few centuries. It's seen some strange sights. Here, let me show you around. None of the others will have noticed you're here."
"Thank you," she replied, following him through the dark corridor. Most of the doors lining the hallway were closed and bolted, making it look dimmer than it already was. She shuddered slightly as they kept walking. She wondered how children could be expected to live here.
A sliver of light suddenly caught her eye. One of the doors was slightly open, and it irked her curiosity. She was no longer listening to the man drone on. Instead, she went towards the doors with the intention of opening it, but she was stopped by the man suddenly calling out.
"Not that door," he told her, gesturing for her to step back. The woman frowned, peeking in through the crack. A boy of about eighteen sat inside on his bed, rocking back and forth. The room was decorated in shades of an eerie black, and it sent chills down her spine.
"Why not?" she asked, quietly. The man nodded towards the office nearby before heading there. She followed.
The man spoke once they were seated. "That room belongs to Tom Riddle," he began. The woman was confused. "He's...dangerous," the man continued. "He was dropped off at our doorstep when he was a baby. In the beginning, he was a very bright boy. Among the cleverest we ever saw. But then, he started losing his mind." The man's expression changed. "He became obsessed, with being special. Soon, he started calling everyone cruel names, claiming he was above them. Other children began to complain that he called them " stupid Muggles"and "filthy Mudbloods". Then, he began to convince himself he was a wizard, the greatest wizard of his time."
"A wizard? Like with magic?" the woman asked. The man nodded. "He talked about how he had a croup called the Death Eaters and they would rid the world of those Mudbloods. He drew symbols on his arm to represent them, and called himself Lord Voldemort."
"I don't understand," she said. "Why didn't you send him to a madhouse?"
The man sighed. "One of the previous directors, a man named Slughorn, took a liking to his boy. He would not let him be shifted, and made sure his successors wouldn't, either."
The woman frowned. "Why? The boy is clearly mad!"
He lowered his voice. "Rumour has it Dr Slughorn was a chemist before he came here. No one even knows how he was appointed. But the staff have reported seeing him slip powders into Tom's food."
The woman leaned into her chair in shock. "But...experimenting on a child? Surely not..."
The man shrugged. "If he did, the damage is done now. The boy has truly lost his mind."
This did not sit right with her. She wondered if she could help the boy. She would try, anyhow.
"Well, thank you for the tour."
"You start tomorrow, don't you? Be sure to be here on time, Ms McGonagall," he reminded
"Of course," she replied, looking at the name on his desk before adding, "Mr Dumbledore."
Notes: This is AU, of course.
For the British Literature event at the Golden Snitch. Prompts: Eerie black (colour), gothic (word), madness (theme) and "a character being left at an orphanage" (situation)
Also for the Through the Universe Challenge. Prompt: Tom Riddle Jr.
I'm sure almost everyone has seen the "All of it is just in Harry's mind" theory. Here's my twist on it!
Word Count: 598 (google docs) + A/N