Chapter 10: A New Beginning

Every parting gives a foretaste of death - Arthur Schopenhauer

Joelle and Tom made their way back to the orphanage a bit later. While Joelle was still beyond amazed, Tom's excitement reduced to as little as zero, something Joelle couldn't understand at all.

"You're not that overly happy, are you?" She had asked before walking back. Tom merely shrugged, saying that it was about time something great happened and that it did not surprise him as much as somebody like Eric would have been surprised.

"Now that you mention it", said Joelle, "I'll check how they're doing, Eric and Billy I mean. Chickenpox hit them hard."

"Stay here" said Tom then, frowning. "Stop breaking the rules now that you think you can!"

"Marvolo", frowned Joelle, "I've spent half of my day with you, and Eric and Billy don't feel good, I just want to check on them to see if they're alright. That's all."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Okay." Said Tom. "Then I'll allow you to see them. Just see them! Don't go near them, they're all disgusting." He said, snarling up his nose. Joelle chuckled to herself but patted Tom's head before walking off, knocking on Eric's and Billy's door.

"Hey you two."

"Joelle!" Croaked Billy. "Have you had chickenpox already?"

"Yes, dear." She smiled, then frowned at Eric.

"Stop picking them, Eric!" She scolded when he squeezed and scratched on his skin.

"But they itch so much!" He groaned when Martha shoved past Joelle, rolling her eyes while throwing her arms up theatrically.

"Eric! What did I tell you?!" She growled in frustration, walking over to the stained bedsheets to change them.

"Time to go." Said a voice behind Joelle then. She glanced down and sighed at Tom.

"You said you just wanted to see them. You've seen more than enough. Urgh. Come, I don't want you near those..." He wrinkled his nose in disgust looking at the red-dotted boys, starting to pull Joelle away and upstairs, into his room.

"I've been reading a little." Said Tom, sighing. "These books appear to be fairly easy. It's a shame students can't practice while away from school. I would like to try out some things. Maybe I can get an exception if I just show them how ambitious I am..." He murmured under his breath, almost absentmindedly.

"What's on your mind." He then asked Joelle.

"Just listening to what you're saying." She said, then paused. "I'm so proud of you."

Tom glanced at her for a while, his expression not changing the least during the first couple of seconds, but a grin slowly crept up face.

"You are?" He asked. Joelle nodded, though lowering her head the next moment. "I will miss you. You will be gone for almost a year."

"No, not quite." Said Tom. "I can come back during Christmas and I have to for I think more than eight weeks during summer break." He then rolled his eyes. "Which is sad, I thought I'd never have to come back to this place again."

"But then you wouldn't see me anymore" said Joelle softly.

"Wrong." Said Tom. "I told you, you're coming with me. We will leave this world behind. We don't belong here!"

"Marvolo, quit it. I don't even want to come with you, I mean, where am I supposed to stay? In your suitcase?" She chuckled but Tom's eyes widened in a thought and gave him a horrifying look before he cleared his throat, inhaling deeply.

"You're right. How silly of me...I should know you have your own plans. I'm sorry, Joelle. I understand if you don't wish to come with me." He said, taking her hand. "We should spend all the time together that we still have."

Joelle looked into his eyes, sighing with a soft nod. "You're right..." She lowered her head again.

"You will write to me, won't you?" She then asked.

"Everyday." He said without hesitating, causing Joelle to smile again.

"I'm sorry for being so sulky. Your life is going to change and I'm just a miserable dumpling." She chuckled gently and Tom shook his head.

"If there were a man appearing in this orphanage telling you you'd go to a school and would only see me during Christmas and a couple of weeks during summer, I would, by all means, have tried to prevent it." Said Tom dryly. Joelle chuckled and rested her head against the wall, closing her eyes.

"You'll grow up to be a great wizard, I don't doubt it."

"Me neither..." Smirked Tom, staring off into the distance.

And how sure he was. Dumbledore left him the clue to the final missing piece of the puzzle, of course, of course, he has been waiting. Not particularly on a man telling him that he was a wizard, no, Tom Riddle waited for the absolution that assured him his future, that lit up a path towards the ever glowing light in which he was supposed to shine until he became the light himself. He was ready.

Tom Marvolo Riddle was ready.

A few days passed. Joelle lay in her bed, feeling dizzy and horrible. When Tom visited her in the morning, his eyebrows perked up; he has rarely seen her this shade of pale.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, sitting down by the edge of her bed, then stretched out his hand to feel her forehead and frowned a little.

"You have a fever." He said, then grinned, glancing to her legs but Joelle glared, daring him to try. "Don't you."

Tom threw his head back, croaking out a mischievous cackle but then sighed, shaking his head.

"I'm not your level of mean. Those towels were brutal." He murmured, pausing a little. "But you took care of me." He said, glancing at her when Joelle tried to laugh but just coughed instead.

"It's summer! How did you even end up catching a cold? Was it when it rained outside that day Professor Dumbledore came here and you were outside doing the shopping?"

"I think that could be right." Said Joelle, sighing softly. She tried to sit up but Tom pushed her back down.

"Don't move around too much. You'll only feel dizzy." He rolled his eyes as if he was annoyed that he had to even say something this obvious. His lips pursed a little before he smirked.

"You're all helpless." He suddenly stated, causing Joelle to cough during an attempt to chuckle.

"And you find that to be funny?" She asked dryly.

"Hm. I think funny is the wrong word." He rubbed his chin. "I sort of like it" he then murmured.

"Like it? Geez, Marvolo..." Joelle laughed but ended up coughing again, causing Tom to smirk even more as he watched her pale self sinking lower down the bed, curling up due to the weakness. "You should go, I don't want you to catch a cold, too." She said softly.

"I will stay here." He said, getting up to open the window. "The most common mistake is to hide under the blankets in a room without oxygen. But that's just what bacteria want - heat. Fresh air can cause wonders...it's not even magic." He sighed while Joelle smiled proudly at him and Tom couldn't help but to soak it up like a sponge.

"Joelle, I never asked you." He then started while sitting back down. She glanced at him.

"Your mother...How?" He looked at her intensively.

"Cancer." Said Joelle. "She tried to fight it for two years but...you see...at some point, your body will give up. It...wasn't a sudden death, we knew she would go...but one is never ready, no matter how many chances you have to say goodbye..." Joelle gulped, turning her face away. "And then daddy fell for Marianne...Marianne was my mother's best friend, tsk." She shook her head with a bitter smile. "She used to live in Bristol close to us in her youth, that's where my mother met her, then she moved to London and occasionally visited us. She didn't strike me as all too sad seeing her best friend closing her eyes forever."

"If I didn't know that cancer is a natural cause, I would think she planned your mother's death" said Tom, then asked

"do you know anything about John's father?"

"He left Marianne when she was pregnant, I think. I don't know, I didn't try all too hard to get to know her. I mean...I wasn't impolite. I just wasn't there. They didn't miss me much so it was a win-win for all of us. Aside from John, of course." Joelle glanced to the side, coughing a little.

"Where were you, then? Where have you gone? Whom did you visit?" Tom asked almost a tad too eagerly.

"Friends." Said Joelle.

"Who are they? Where do they live?" Tom asked again. Joelle chuckled.

"In Bristol." She said.

"So you can't actually just hop there and meet them...good..." Murmured Tom to himself, then back up to her. "So. You're also visiting the friends you have here, don't you?" He asked.

"Of course." Smiled Joelle, not yet understanding where he aimed at.

"Tell me their names." Said Tom. Joelle raised an eyebrow.

"Why does that matter?" She asked.

"I want to know where you're going." Said Tom with a simple shrug. "You know I will find out anyway, let's make it quicker this time, shall we?"

"Marvolo. Enough." Said Joelle, coughing. She did not sound as strict as usual, then again, she was probably too weak for that.

"Do you have any male friends?" Asked Tom, still fixing her with his eyes. Joelle inhaled deeply as if to indicate some level of annoyance before she answered.

"Again, why does it matter?" She asked.

"I don't want you to meet any men." Shrugged Tom, causing Joelle to laugh as much as it was possible before her throat paid her back.

"You know, you can't control that once you're not here anymore." She croaked in amusement but Tom narrowed his eyes.

"Is that your belief, yes?" He asked. Joelle nodded with a grin that Tom would've loved to slap off of her all too happily, but he just glanced away. Why getting worked up over a case that is never going to happen anyway?

"So. I know your school schedule. Your Monday's consisted of six hours, Tuesday eight, Wednesday eight, Thursday six and Friday six. I thought it was quite strange that even though you could be home much earlier, you sometimes happened to be here three hours after your scheduled time. Now, forgive me Joelle, I know you're quite slow when it comes to walking...but not even a slug would need three hours after school to come here." He stared at her. "So I tell myself that Joelle must have met some of those friends after school. Is that true?"

"Yes." Said Joelle with a raised brow.

"And even though you're on summer break...you still see them at the exact same time." Said Tom, fixing her with his eyes still.

"Y-yes, sometimes?" Said Joelle insecurely, frowning now. "What is it you're-"

"You think I didn't notice, right?" Asked Tom, chuckling bitterly.

"What do you mean?" Asked Joelle.

Tom frowned, sighing. "Are all of your friends doctors?" He asked her then. Joelle said nothing, instead, she looked away.

"You didn't see friends after school. You're visiting one of those...those whatever people that look into your mind!" Tom frowned. "But...Why?!"

Joelle shook her head. "It was suggested to me after the trial...and I wanted to give it a chance, I just needed someone professional to talk to after the things with John, dear. That's all."

"You can talk to me!" Hissed Tom, glaring. "I don't want you to see that Doctor anymore. Whoever it is, he can't help you." He frowned.

"Marvolo, you don't understand. Just let that be my-"

"I don't understand?! Stop treating me like a child!" He hissed yet again.

"No, you stop treating me like a child." Said Joelle softly, but firmly. "I will go see that "Doctor" as long as I deem it necessary. I hope I have made myself clear."

Tom glared at her, his nostrils started to flare again. He felt the heat rising in his chest, the anger growing in his stomach but he inhaled deeply and closed his eyes; he couldn't lose it now, not now that he could be expelled from school. He stared at her for a little longer, wanting to get out of the room, but decided against it. He couldn't help but notice something.

"How did John even get a headstrong person like you to obey?" Tom asked. Joelle raised an eyebrow.

"He knew how to talk" she sighed, turning her face away. "Don't forget what I said about words."

"I won't forget." Said Tom, mentally making a note of trying to understand what exactly it was that gave John so much power over Joelle.

"I've been talking about me so much. It makes me feel uncomfortable to speak about these things to you. Maybe we don't want to mention it again. You must have your own sad story." She said gently.

"I'm sure your aunt told you everything about my family." Said Tom then. Joelle shook her head. "She wanted to, but I refused. I never wanted to take away your decision of telling me yourself."

Tom glanced at her, he couldn't help but frown in some sort of surprise. "You decided to wait until I would personally tell you?" He asked. Joelle smiled and nodded.

"If you want to tell me you know I'll listen."

"I know", said Tom, "I just don't know much myself. All I know is that my mother died after giving birth to me. I don't know anything about my father other than his name being Tom Riddle, too. I don't know if he's still alive. I tried finding out but I didn't get far. Now that I know what I am...I believe he could be a wizard. Maybe that's why I never found out."

Joelle nodded. "That actually makes a lot of sense. I'm sure you will find out the truth. But Marvolo...please know that not all truths are convenient. I just don't want you to get hurt. Because that would hurt me, too."

"It would hurt you if I got hurt?" He asked. Joelle nodded.

"Of course." She said, closing her eyes.

"I feel different about that. I'm not...hurt when you get hurt, but it angers me, infuriates me. I feel like nobody is allowed to hurt you but me." He murmured. Joelle chuckled in a cough.

"So you're allowed to hurt me?" She asked amused. Tom nodded.

"Of course I am. How else are you supposed to learn?" He asked, raising an eyebrow as if that reason was the most logical.

"Then why aren't others allowed to make me learn?" Asked Joelle.

"Because I say so." Grumbled Tom. "I've already claimed you. I'll teach you everything. They have to look for somebody else." He shrugged; Joelle laughed again, this time she wasn't interrupted by a cough but her voice sounded oddly raspy and squeaky due to the dryness.

"You're just so cute, Marvolo." Chuckled Joelle, and again Tom had to be confronted with the fact that she did not take it seriously. To her, he was just an eleven year old, despite all his attempts to make her see that he was about as much of a child as she was. Maybe he was even less than her, too.

"You know...I know you don't like the concept of friendship. But you've even done more for me than anyone of my family." Joelle chuckled.

"Don't be so sentimental, Joelle." Sighed Tom, but a grin crept up his lips.

From this day forth, Tom Riddle and Joelle Cole did not spend more than an hour without the other. What turbulent times lay behind them, but little did they know what awaited them in the future.

Very, very little did they know.

And then the day had to come. Joelle was oddly quiet on the first of September, her mouth did not twitch up for the slightest of smiles around anyone; but as soon as Tom looked her way, she forced herself to be happy. She helped him packing everything the other day and Tom was sure that he caught her turning away every so often to wipe away something from her face, but she did not mention anything as soon as he tried to see through her.

The morning was pleasant. Tom had to get up earlier than anyone and when he had walked downstairs into the kitchen, Joelle was already there, preparing food for him. She had somewhen gotten behind the fact that he liked waffles quite a lot; at least he always ate more of them than of anything else, and Tom really was a bad eater. So when he had stepped into the kitchen, he could again see her wrist wiping along her eyes but she smiled as soon as she noticed him.

"Good morning!" She cheered and put down the plate in front of Tom, whose eyes lit up the tiniest of bits upon the view.

"How long have you been up?" He asked when Joelle sat down and shrugged.

"Aren't you eating anything?" He asked along. Joelle shook her head. "No, I'm not too hungry." She smiled and sighed, ruffling through his hair.

"Your bangs are all messy, Marvolo. You should comb your hair again before we leave." She snickered when Tom merely huffed and shoved some bits of the waffle into his mouth.

"By the way." She then smiled. "You know Bryan got his driving license a while ago. He will drive us to King's Cross. Ellie is the one to have a cold now. It really went through the orphanage."

Tom stared at Joelle with the least bit of amusement he could manage, even his chewing slowed down at once.

"I don't want him with us!" He hissed, glaring.

"But Marvolo, he will wait in the car, I will come with you and stay with you until the very end." She smiled. Tom's narrowed eyes softened a little and he gave it some thoughts. Fine, why not, Bryan was enough to be used as a mean of transport. As long as he wouldn't stand next to Joelle, probably having his arm wrapped around her shoulder while she'd wave with a white handkerchief - no. That would be too much of a nightmare.

He wanted Joelle to be the last thing he sees.

"Okay, so repeat what I've been telling you, Joelle." Said Tom, helping himself to another waffle.

"I'll write to you everyday to tell you about what I've been doing." She chuckled. "And you told me to remember that you will trace the letter for any lies, believing there's a spell to make it visible."

"There surely is!" Grumbled Tom.

"Right." Sighed Joelle.

"Go on, go on." Urged Tom.

"I'm not allowed to move out of the orphanage. Not meeting any men." She chuckled at that, as if she found the whole concept silly and just repeated it for his satisfaction and her amusement.

"Good." Said Tom with a nod of approval. "It won't be so long, Joelle. I'll see you during Christmas. I'll come here. Even though I know I could sign up to stay there...I will come here for you. So I expect you to be here then." He frowned, as if daring her to be elsewhere.

"We've gone through this so many times." Sighed Joelle. "I'll be here, of course I will."

Tom looked at her, but his expression did not change. He seemed even sterner than before, the scowl on his face did not soften. Quite in fact, anger welled up in his chest. What if Joelle found somebody she oh so loved and would spend her Christmas with them? It wasn't an unlikely event.

Tom and Joelle have often gone to the pool to swim during summer; she could barely exchange a sentence with Tom each time she tried, for how many guys have wanted to win over her attention. And with the cheesiest of things, too. One plucked flowers from the grass, handing them over, another one bought ice cream for them, another one offered to rub the sun blocked on her back. Joelle merely ignored them, she probably forgot, but Tom remembers. One of them had come up to Joelle and simply embraced her out of nowhere, saying he had never seen something so beautiful and that it was love at first sight. What a complete pile of bullshit. Love. Love at first sight.

"Three months..." Murmured Tom absentmindedly, but Joelle did not understand.

"Pardon?" She asked, but Tom merely shook his head.

"Are we ready to go?" He asked. Joelle nodded, checking the time, then smiled when her aunt walked downstairs, wrapping the dressing gown around her slim body with a yawn.

"I thought I had overslept." She smiled, then turned her face away while coughing into her fist.

"We are just waiting on Bryan. He will be here soon." Smiled Joelle while Tom finished eating. Mrs. Cole nodded gently, then glanced over to the door when it rang; opening it. Bryan walked in, tossing his hand up at everyone with that ever so disgusting smile that Tom despised so much.

"Well then..." Sighed Mrs. Cole, clearing her throat when Tom had gotten up. The both of them kind of glanced at each other awkwardly - what should the both of them say after a long time of mutual avoidance?

"Err. Well, Tom, I...wish you all the best at school. Be a good boy and erm... see you during Christmas, hmm?" She smiled gently and Tom nodded, however, he did not pay her a single glance. His eyes rested on Bryan and Joelle, observing their body language towards each other, but found nothing suspicious.

"Alright then. Let's go, shall we? When is the train going to leave?" Asked Bryan.

"Eleven." Said Joelle. "But we should be going, just in case." She added and Tom nodded, walking over to his suitcase, picking it up. Mrs. Cole watched from the window, exhaling deeply, her face lit up significantly as the car drove off. Relieved at last.

"What kind of school is that again?" Asked Bryan, glancing into the mirror to look at Tom, but Tom did not feel obliged to answer. His eyes merely followed the scenery as they drove by.

"A school for gifted children." Smiled Joelle and Bryan nodded, seeming to understand but of course he understood nothing at all. They pulled over to King's Cross. "Okay then. I will wait here." He said.

Was this really how it should end? The time seemed to stop when they sat in the car for about a minute without saying a single word, but Joelle then got out with Tom following.

"What kind of track is that supposed to be?" She frowned at Tom's ticket. "9 3/4? Like what?"

"There." Said Tom, pointing ahead to a boy with a caged owl that vanished into a wall. Joelle blinked but then smiled.

"Together?" She asked and Tom nodded. They linked their arms and together they ran through the wall - but poor Joelle accidentally crashed into a young wizard about her age wanting to hiss at her; until his scowl turned into a soft grin.

"I'm sorry!" Yelped Joelle, but he shook his head.

"Don't worry. Are you okay?" He asked, glancing at Tom who observed him closely. A tall young man, maybe eighteen, with dark brown hair, light eyes and a healthy tan. He was wearing a green and silver striped tie and an emblem on his dark cloak that was embellished with an embroidered serpent.

"Oh yes." Smiled Joelle, rubbing Tom's shoulder - but Tom's eyes widened when his eyes drifted off to the left - there it was, glowing in its steely red glory. The Hogwarts Express. A swift glance up to the clock told him that even though they still had plenty of time the place was rather crowded.

"Is that your brother?" Asked the man again. Joelle chuckled softly, her hand still on Tom's shoulder.

"He as good as is." She smiled. Tom glanced at her then, raising an eyebrow at the man who offered out his hand to Joelle. And of course Joelle shook it at once. Infuriating.

"Excuse my manners. My name is Sylus Farley."

Farley. What a stupid name.

"And I'm Joelle."

You're my Joelle.

"So, Joelle, this is the first year for him, hm?" Sylus smiled and offered his hand out to Tom. Tom merely stared into his eyes, not all too impressed, especially seeing Sylus's toothy and smug grin, but what especially got Tom to glare was how Joelle shifted from one leg to the other, but not in discomfort.

"Well, Sylus, you may want to keep an eye on Marvolo here. He's very excited."

"Not nearly as excited as you." Murmured Tom, glaring up to her a little and Sylus chuckled.

"Don't worry. I'm headboy and prefect of Slytherin. He will be under the best care."

"Slytherin?" Asked Joelle, tucking some hair behind her ear. Sylus raised an eyebrow, then straightened his back.

"You...are not a witch?" He asked, some distance was audible in his voice.

"I..."

"She is." Said Tom firmly, trying to pull Joelle away but she did not seem to notice his attempts.

"Oh. Then I take it you have merely received your education elsewhere." Sylus smiled.

"One could say that, yes." Said Joelle then.

"Well, Miss Joelle. It was my pleasure to meet you." Said Sylus gently, taking Joelle's hand, brushing it with his lips as he stared into her eyes. Tom almost exploded.

"I hope we shall meet again." Sylus said softly. Joelle smiled back, a slight blush started to show on her cheeks when Sylus stepped backwards and winked at Tom. "I hope to see you in my house, boy."

"I hope, too." Whispered Tom in a glare, still looking up to Joelle - who seemed absolutely amazed by the appearance of Sylus. Tom felt challenged. He could be so much better than that.

He was so much better than that.

"Marvolo, it's almost time to board the train..." Sighed Joelle when they walked closer. Tom nodded, having his arms crossed, still fairly agitated over Sylus, but steadily calmed down while Joelle rubbed his shoulder up and down, then suddenly pulled him into a tight hug. Tom frowned, his arms uncrossed and he glanced up to the clock, then down to her.

"Joelle..." He said gently. And something in him did not want her to stop, did not want her to let him go. His eyes widened, his hand went to his pocket, pulling out his wand, he aimed it at her, thinking, thinking so hard, hoping, hoping so hard, trying, trying so hard to make magic find a way to get her to come with him - but it did not work. His heart speeded up, another glimpse up to the clock told him that it was time to go. His arms embraced her at last, he hugged her back and sighed when she let go, her face stained with tears.

"Promise me, Marvolo. Promise me you won't give up."

"I won't." He said gently, closing his eyes when Joelle kissed his forehead.

"I'll come back, Joelle. I will learn loads. For the both of us. This is not goodbye because I will be back before you can miss me." He said. Joelle wiped away some tears, then nodded with a smile.

"You almost forgot this." She said gently, pulling out something from her bag. Tom frowned widely when he saw it; the black piece of fabric. Joelle's scarf.

"I've been looking everywhere, I couldn't find it!" Groaned Tom, but Joelle snickered. "I sneaked it out of your room. I think it needed a little spotlight again." She then wrapped the scarf around Tom.

"Take care. We will build another snowman when you come back." She said. Tom looked at her, nodding - and for the first time, the slightest of sincere smiles was blown on his face.

"We will, Joelle." He said, stepping backwards upon a loud whistle of the train. And then he was gone.