A/N: A potential wealthy benefactor pays a visit to Wool's Orphanage. Riddle Era.
Submission for:
Race through Hogwarts: Wool's Orphanage, hat, and Mary Riddle
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
"You'll find that all the children here at Wool's Orphanage are very well behaved, Mrs. Riddle," Eugenia said as she guided the elderly woman through the bright, clean halls of the main building. Every corner and crevice had been scrubbed thoroughly prior to the woman's arrival, in hopes of making a good impression.
"I should hope so, Mrs. Cole," Mrs Riddle said, her mouth stretching into a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "I wouldn't want to be donating my money to a bunch of hooligans and ne'er-do-wells."
Eugenia let out a polite laugh. "I can assure you, there are none of those here." Then she cleared her throat and asked, "Would you like to meet the children?"
Mrs Riddle looked about her with a bored expression before she adjusted the grey hat on her head and said, "Very well then."
Eugenia led the way until they came to a pair of double doors. "It is almost supper, so they will all be here in the dining hall," she said as she pushed it open for her guest to walk through.
The dining hall was a small room with four long tables which seated all the children as they waited for supper. At the women's entrance, the children turned towards them with curious eyes. Eugenia announced, "Children, I would like you to give a warm welcome to Mrs. Mary Riddle."
"Good evening, Mrs Riddle," the children chorused, the different voices raising in a cacophony of noise, all except one.
"Who is that boy over there?" she asked, pointing to lone figure sitting at the end of the furthest table. His head hung down towards the wooden surface, but his eyes warned away any child who dared sit closer.
Eugenia laughed nervously, "Oh, don't mind Tom. He's just very shy."
"Tom?" Mrs Riddle asked, just loud enough to catch the boy's attention. He looked up from his table towards the two women, as if just noticing their presence, and his eyes locked with those of the one who had called his name.
Mrs Riddle let out a soft gasp, stepping back slightly. Eugenia placed a hand on the woman's shoulder to steady her. "Mrs. Riddle, is something wrong?" she asked.
She looked towards the matron, her eyes wide before she said, "I- I- I need to go now." She turned on her heel and quickly strode out of the room.
Eugenia frowned as she looked back at the sullen boy, who was staring at the table once more, before she followed after the frightened woman. She had hoped something like this wouldn't have happened. Strange things happened around the orphanage and they always seemed to revolve around Tom. She just prayed he hadn't cost them their donation.