However, much to their dismay, apparently they could…
"Don't look so down hearted you two, you can always write." Dippet, dully, suggested. Rosonda could see Tom growing more and more pale, from what Dippet had previously said.
"Yes I am afraid Dumbledore was unable to get permission from your orphanage Tom. It seems muggle's are quite cautious on the matter, of child safety. If I quote Dumbledore correctly the orphanage workers said "He's too young and we're unauthorised to let orphans stay with households that have not been examined."
"It's unfortunate my boy but regulations are regulations," But Tom had spaced out by this point. "Now you two, get to class." He hushed them away, patronisingly.
"Now Mr Dippet, Sir, surely Dumbledore could've just charmed them to say yes." Rosonda questioned in frustration. She could see Tom was clearly devastated and it upset her to see him so distressed.
"Yes he could have... but Dumbledore believes strongly about muggle rights and so as much as he likes you Tom, it's just not in his nature to use that sort of power to control muggles. If everyone used the power they have to control other beings, things would get very messy, very quickly and we wouldn't want that would we Miss Excalibur?"
"No sir." Rosonda grovelled, suppressing her irritation.
As soon as the got out of the room, Dippet slammed his office door shut.
"Merlin's beard! Mr Dippet is hands down one of the best headmasters but does he really have to be such a patronising, spineless, old man sometimes. Gee if I could just slap some sense into him Tom…Tom?"
However, Tom was staring into the distance, with a blank expression. Rosonda noticed it had began to rain outside and a chill ran through the corridor. She looked at Tom who was as white as snow at this point and had his head bent down, like he had just come out from a battle, defeated. And just like that all her anger flew out of her, to be replaced with only remorse. For the rest of that day neither said a word to another, neither could.
Although the Summer holiday was torturous for Tom and Rosonda, due to the fact they were unable to spend any time together, the second year did come quicker than expected and the term started on a usual high. Everything was back to normal and although it took some time Tom felt happy again.
"Hmm Lorotamay where is she?" Tom said to the tiny snake, whilst lounging lazily on the common sofa. "Well I can't wait for her, potions is in 3 minute."
"Okay I tell her you waited." The snake hissed as she glided back into her cage.
However there was no need because as Tom rounded the corner to his potion lesson, he spotted Rosonda with no other than the school caretaker Filch, laughing and chattering like they were close friends. Confused Tom waited till they were done talking and as soon as Rosonda began to walk into the lesson, Tom quickly approached his friend.
"Why are you talking to moody Filch?" Tom teased.
"Huh! Oh Tom. Argus is my friend." Tom looked at Rosonda trying to keep a smirk from creeping up his face, sometimes he really couldn't take this girl seriously.
"Oi…oi whats so funny, he is!" She moaned, as they sat down in their seats.
"Rosonda you can't honestly be serious." Tom laughed.
"No I'm not lying! Ever since we got back, I've made it a rule to speak to him when ever I see him. At first, I think he was slightly frightened of me interacting with him but now's he's warmed to me and we talk all the time…well mostly he just rants and complains about something or the other but it's still all good banter." Tom raised his eyebrows at her to question why she even bothers to be nice. Like she could read his thoughts she answered.
"Oh Tom don't look at me like that. I feel sad for the guy, he's quite lonely you know. I guess I feel sorry for him because he's a squib."
"Class settle down, settle down." Madam Dermly ordered loudly.
"What's a squib?" Tom whispered.
"You don't know? Well it's a person who has magical parents but posses no power themselves. Opposite of a muggle-born really."
"I'd hate that!" Tom said appalled by the prospect.
"Same. To be honest that's why mother and father are not keen on muggle-borns. Apparently, the reason squibs don't possess magical abilities is because the magic is transferred into a muggle-born instead. Mother calls it full-moon robbery."
"Now quieten down class. Today we are going to learn how to create a simple…."
Astonished by this appalling discovery Tom kept quiet for the rest of the lesson. It was true he never much paid attention to muggle-borns' being any different, to normal wizard but this fact changed a lot of things, a lot.
That winter break, in order to keep Tom company, Rosonda stayed with Tom at Hogwarts, rather than travel home. Although she did miss her parents greatly.
It was a warm winters morning, the snow that had been blistering had died down considerably. The two children, sat beside each other in the empty school library. Almost all the students in Hogwarts that year, had gone home for Christmas, apart Rosonda and Tom and one other excitable lad… Donny.
"Hiya Tom! Hiya Rosonda!" The short, round bellied boy cheered, waving enthusiastically at them, with an eager smile on his face. "I didn't see you in the hall today for breakfast, you must have not been hungry."
"Yes that's definitely the reason." Tom yawned. Rosonda gave him an aggressive nudge to say 'don't be so rude!' but Tom just rolled his eyes, lazily.
"So what you guys up to? Can I join?" The curly blonde haired, Hufflepuff, sat down next to them eagerly.
"Well actually Donny we were thinking of making this potion, Dormila elixir, I think they call it but we need a few ingredients. Why don't you collect them for us and we'll get the cauldron" Tom took out a list of different herbs and substances they would need to make the concoction and gave it to the Donny.
"Yes I'll do my best and be as quick as possible I wont let you down Tom!" The red-faced boy beamed and hastily dashed away.
"Tom." Rosonda said in a judgemental tone.
"Well I don't know why you're looking at me like that Rosonda! I wasn't lying to him, just to get him to leave us alone, we are actually going to make that potion."
"Really?" she questioned
"Really." He replied
When the lad came back they began the potion, mixing all these different ingredients together in a small cauldron they borrowed from the potion lab. Like a chef in the kitchen, Tom ordered them all around making sure everything went perfect. As soon as everything was done, Tom flicked his wand, recited some unrecognisable words from the book and the potion was complete.
"Okay Donny. Want first try?" Tom said smoothly.
"Oh yes please. Thank you Tom." The boy got out a silver spoon and took a large sip.
"Mmm taste wonderrrrfulll…" The boys word began to slur, as he flopped to the floor in a deep sleep, already snoring his face off.
"Galloping gargoyles Tom!"
"Oh Rosonda don't look so appalled he was getting on both of our nerves, I only did us a favour and now we have enough to give him every time he bothers us."
"Even so, Tom this is madness!"
"Pfft no use crying over spilt potion! Lets get back to the common room... come on." Rosonda just stared at the sleeping boy as they stepped around his plump body and out the library doors. Tom could be cruel sometimes.
The year carried on much the same, the two were still inseparable and acing every class, people still sucked up to Tom, which he used a lot to his advantage and Slytherins would still ostracised Rosonda, for being a slight odd ball. However, overall being a wizard at Hogwarts was still an enchanting and mesmerizing experience for Tom. Which is why when he came back to the orphanage, the dramatic difference between the two settings, left Tom more miserable than ever.
"Thomas, Thomas its 9 o'clock dear time to get up." A soft old voice echoed from the door, the ironic thing was Tom was awake and had been all night, he couldn't get to sleep.
Tom got out of the bed and got dressed into his black knee-length trousers and grey shirt, the same as every other boy had to wear, the orphanage couldn't waste money you see. He walked down the long corridor from his small, enclosed room into a large room, with a stone floor and dingy grey walls, brick walls. There were 12 metal tables all lined up in rows and on them was a plate, full of food and a spoon at each chair, like in a primary school canteen.
"Not going to sit with us then Riddle? You think boarding school makes you better than us."
The boy from the other table spat, whilst making mocking faces of posh boys at boarding schools, people began to snicker.
"No. Its just I'd rather sit on my own than with a bunch of cowardly idiots." Shocked by his reply the group responded with a glares but Tom glared just as intensely back. Thoughts raced into Toms mind, as he considered what could he do to indirectly inflict pain, if one of them went for him. Could he jog the bowl, Billy was eating from, so that all his food went down his shirt, or could he jolt the spoon in Billy's hand just as he was about to take a mouthful, causing him to choke on his porridge, or maybe he could just make him trip up as he was walking away. Tom smiled, conniving. Billy grew increasingly more angry, so much so he stood up.
"Hey Billy there's no point, your just get in trouble with Mrs Cole or worse Mr Wool, leave the weirdo to himself." A girl said, grabbing Billy back down on to his seat. Tom then turned around and carried on eating, clenching his fist.
The day lingered on, there was nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to talk to, so Tom just placed himself on a bench, in the courtyard, outside. He watched, the other children play, he could never understand how such a tenuous game, as football, was able to bring about joy and laughter. All of a sudden, a hand placed itself on Toms shoulder, he jolted round, ready to take up defence, in case it happened to be Billy's hand
"Thomas." Tom recognised the voice of his long time carer Mrs Cole instantly. Tom turned back round, annoyed she had disturbed him.
"What?" He said harshly, not e bothering to look at her.
"Oh you shouldn't be so blunt, not at your age," The old woman sighed, more out of exhaustion than disappointment, exhaustion from continuously trying to get the boy to interact with the other orphans but having it always back fire. Mrs Cole looked intensely, at the boy who was purposely ignoring her. 20 long years had she worked with children, twelve of them she had done raising Tom and yet she still asks herself why can't I figure you out. "All these years and you still find it hard here don't you?"
"Its not me, it's them!" Tom yelled "all they can do is pick on me, tease me, so why should I try to be nice to them. I don't need them anyway, they're worthless, oxygen wasters" Tom erupted. Mrs Cole sighed again, she was so used to Tom referring to his peers in such a derogatory fashion. Truly he is a hopeless case, she thought.
"Well its my duty to make sure everyone in this orphanage feels happy and safe so I've brought you something, all the way from Lincolnshire." Mrs Cole smiled proudly, Tom didn't know what on earth the old, lady was going on about now, so he just ignored her and turned round, only to turn back around when he heard a second voice.
"Hello Tom, did you miss me?"
Hope your still enjoying, I know this chapters filled with a lot of different sections. Anyway like I said keep and eye on little things metioned because it all links.