Chapter 2: Confluence (Part 2)
The ride was silent; chatters from other compartments barely audible as the loud, constant rumbling of the train echoed throughout, overpowering all other noises. However, it did not do well to hide the conspicuous whispers between Eris' brothers.
"Your eyes will roll out of your sockets if you continue staring at me." She said without taking her eyes off the scenery before her. Greens and browns and blues, why did they look mundane?
She felt a soft nudge on her arm and immediately knew it was Eddy. Eddy the oldest; Eddy the overprotective; Eddy the goody two-shoes; Eddy the stern. Eddy couldn't just leave his siblings or anyone for that matter be.
"Eris," She knows this tone from Eddy all too well. "Look at me."
Hands turn her around gently as if she was some porcelain, breakable and with extra care needed.
"I don't regret what I said." She said casually, but her stubbornness absolutely dripping.
The trio each wore solemn faces. How unlike them, Eris thought. For her days at the manor, she had only seen them with smiles plastered on their faces, she could only deduce they must be permanent.
"We know."
"We hate that bitch too."
"We absolutely do."
Now, the trio were back to normal. Almost as if gloom had never come their way. Even Eddy, always the placating one, had joined in.
Eris stared at them, "You're all bipolar freaks—"
Laughter resonated from her brothers. Malton almost had tears in his eyes, John was doubling over the floor and Eddy was cupping a hand over his mouth. Eris could only look at them blandly with a mix of incredulousness.
"—and exaggerating masochists." She added with an afterthought.
Soon, her brothers were narrating stories about Hogwarts. Of ghosts, secret passages, magical creatures, teachers and girls.
Girls and balls.
Magic and girls.
Even the talk of classes included girls in them.
Eris was ready to turn her back again and indulge in the silence and the lack of stupidity the window had to offer, when wary glances pass from brother to brother.
Malton starts, "Now, we know you.. You are.." and looked to his brothers for words.
"Uninterested in affairs like these!" Eddy supplied.
Eris was starting to lose interest, eyes pointedly glued to anything but their faces, "What affairs?"
The boys are in a panic. Malton looking at Eddy and Eddy glaring at John who was busying himself on counting the trees they pass by. Merlin knows how he counted the trees when the train was moving at a pace people wouldn't be able to count trees.
Of course they were stalling. Who would want to breach an awkward topic(but to Eris it wasn't anything awkward, more like dull and stupid) on anything about the talk to a little sister? Not to mention they wouldn't be able to look after her in the crucial years when the.. hormones start kicking.
"AVOID BOYS!" The trio said simultaneously. In the light of their outburst, they nodded proudly. 'This is the only way' their faces said to one another.
Eris was already looking back at the window. "Very well, I'll start with the three of you."
The trio slumped against their seats and the ride passes in silence once again.
On the other end of the train, where a single boy occupied the compartment, there was silence and Tom Riddle was pensive.
The sun had gone out to be replaced with the inky night. Stars then, were starting to appear slowly on the horizon: One, in twos, then in numbers the naked eye wouldn't be able to count. The moon was full and surrounded by the stars. Yet, it still engulfed all the waters and lands below with its light. A lone moon against a multitude of stars.
Riddle knows he is destined for great things. He refused to think he is not. To be a star is average, to be the moon is one thing, and Hogwarts will offer that opportunity to him.
Riddle knows a lot of things. But he did not know, he couldn't comprehend, how his mother had been so weak so as to die with childbirth when she had magic.
He did not know how how a family worked. What was a family? Did it meant leaving your own flesh and blood to a stranger? Did it entail his father, the proud Tom Riddle, not seeing his son, Tom Riddle?
Disgust and anger were the only emotions he associated with the senior. He was even named after that man — how bloody pathetic, stupid and desperate could his mother be?
Tom could only see red.
Tom. Tom. Tom. Tom. Tom.
He despised that name with all the blood boiling in his veins. The only thing good out of his parents was the magic he had inherited from them.
If his magic hadn't lashed out the day he was being harassed in the courtyard with other orphans, he would have killed himself.
Such a pitying existence should not live.
Yet he had retaliated; he had hurt those who had hurt him. And he thrived on it. Tom Riddle was reborn and magic became his only guardian. The day he would see the Gaunts and Riddles would be the day he would kill them.
He would kill them and he wouldn't feel the tiniest bit of remorse, or mercy.
He would kill them and he would live through it.
He would kill them and he would be satisfied.
Suddenly, Dumbledore's wary face flash through the red.
Yes, he shouldn't be overpowered with his bloodlust. Even within his self, Tom Riddle was fighting a war.
Tom figured he must win the trust of that man, for he knew he would and likely pose as a threat sooner or later. He had seen it in his eyes, the way they had twinkled, giving the convincing facade of just some harmless magic wielder. A feebleness in his stature. The softness in his face.
If Tom wasn't a manipulator in the first place, he wouldn't know he was looking into the eyes of someone dangerous.
Dumbledore was quite the conniving man.
However, it was too late. The moment he had seen his eyes after that, Merlin forbid, immature outburst about using magic to hurt other children was lamentable. It was downright regrettable. For one, he knew he wouldn't be able to earn Albus Dumbledore's trust. Not on any day, not once, not ever. Now Tom would be under scrutiny from the him. This was a bad case in itself. Sooner or later, he would have to eliminate those who oppose him. That would, at least, require the effort and planning, and would meant complicating already complicated things up.
The train whistled, a loud, obnoxious sound that piqued the interest of every passenger onboard. Hogwarts was near, and Tom Riddle had never felt so riveted.
Eliminating Dumbledore was not a choice yet. Perhaps he should start by being charismatic and winning the trust of the school?
"Moves in the right time, Riddle. Moves in the right time."
The moonlight was a ghostly presence, and the light from the lanterns was the only force combating against the dark. Though it did not calm overexcited and anxious youngsters.
"Move!" The first year caretaker shrieked. For caretakers, first years are always a handful. With their imploring faces, feet that wouldn't still and eyes that would burst into fireworks any moment.
Eris donned the cloak and uniform the school had required them to wear for the sorting later on. Her brothers bid her good bye as they begin to separate; first years were to ride a boat across the river while the higher years were to ride carriages. Her brothers had told her it was a school tradition.
"A tradition but actually more of an initiation." Malton looked at her, pulling a face that was supposed to look ghastly.
John subdued his voice, playing the part where whispers meant impending doom. "We'll tell you this, they'll try to make you as baits for the giant squid lurking beneath the dark waters of the lake."
Malton, being the intelligent one among the three, decided to spare himself from the humiliation by keeping his mouth shut. This was the best move under the circumstances, seeing Eris' face couldn't be more possibly blank.
"Let's get going, you half-brains." He said, giving his two brothers a good slap to the head each.
As they were about to begin walking towards the opposite side, Eddy, against his better judgment, turned around and said, "They weren't joking you know."
Silence pass between the siblings.
Finally, Malton and John patted Eddy on each side of his back.
"You now obtain the privilege to be ostracized by our little sister." Malton nodded as if he couldn't be more proud.
By the time Eddy could feel regret, Eris was already out of earshot and with the other first years.
"Welcome to the brotherhood." John added solemnly as they continued their walk towards the carriages.
The caretaker inferred that the trip through the lake would be the best time to repress the energetic students by the good, old giant squid and bait story. Soon, first years were huddled against one another and clinging to friends as the boats ventured. Other than that, they were quiet and behaved throughout the duration of the ride.
Tom Riddle resisted the urge to roll his eyes at the absolute amateurishness before him. To think they would be in the school for seven years with him was enough to make his head throb.
Maybe he should also start being patient with dimwits.
Eris, on the other hand, was oblivious. She couldn't care less of other people's business.
Hogwarts began to loom on the horizon. A majestic, medieval aged castle which covered a large area of the highlands. Squinting, you could barely see the light shining out from tiny windows situated around the castle. The first years are in awe, giggling excitedly and nattering between one another.
Upon closely reaching the school, Riddle could feel the reverberations of ancient magic. Sharpening his concentration and paying more attention to the signs of magic around him, a bluish-white sheen begin to form around the school before his eyes.
A protective barrier, the castle must be magic itself. Riddle thought. How very curious.
How fascinating magic was turning out to be.
After reaching land and a quick attendance to make sure the first years are all present, the students are then shuffled beyond large, double oak doors that lead inside the great hall.
The magic inside Hogwarts was exemplary. It was as if it had a life of its own. Bewitched ceilings held floating candles and the illusion of the sky at night. What made it commendable to Eris' eyes was the feel: the richness of its detail and similarity to its real counterpart. More so on the resemblance to the surface of a brewing Wolfsbane potion; a myriad of blues clashing and swirling, it was definitely enticing.
A great number of people were already inside, with her brothers seated near the front. Playing it safe, she positioned herself on the other side of the throng, the place farthest from her brothers.
A few students near the trio laugh.
"Blimey, your sister hates you lot!" One cackled.
"Shut up." Malton said, kicking him below the table.
Eddy raises a hand to silence the teens. "Shut up, the sorting's about to start."
"Does anyone in the table know a phrase other than shut up?" Eddy and Malton pinched John, garnering a loud grunt from the victim. Nevertheless, Eris was still drifting farther and farther away from their sight. Was it on purpose or due to circumstance, the trio, of course knew.
"Start acting gallantly, you fools." Eddy whispered.
John and Malton reflexively straighten their backs and attentively turned their heads to the headmaster, Mr. Dippet, giving his welcome speech. But of course, they were looking rather than listening.
Although the trio were placed in Gryffindor by the sorting hat with no second's hesitation - their father also a Gryffindor and their late mother a Ravenclaw, the triplets couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding.
Malton coughed, skin pale and slightly sweating. "Why do I feel like hell is about to break lose?"
"Eris Dimwood!" Dippet's voice echoed and the trio jolted. Surprise turning to anxiety, they weren't expecting Eris to be called first. However, the problem gnawing on their minds most was not the question of what house Eris would be sorted to, but rather the house Eris was going to be sorted to. And they actually had a very fine guess.
Eris stepped forward, finding the situation of being called first most profiting because it would mean less standing and more sitting.
Gingerly sitting on the stool, a worn-out hat is carefully perched on her head. Eris could immediately feel that the hat was alive.
And it could talk.
Hello there, this won't take be long. The hat's voice echoed, or was it a thought procured by her mind, she didn't know.
Ambitious! I see you are thirsty?
Eris thought it wouldn't be dangerous to talk to the hat. Yes, I am. Where can I drink some juice?
The hat snorted amusingly before speaking, Oh don't worry, there will be a great feast after this! However, I must warn you child. The one responsible for your downfall will only be yourself.
A sorting hat has premonitions?
Clever girl, the hat almost whispered. Stay clear of the prince of Slytherin for your death will be in his hands.
"SLYTHERIN!" The hat screamed. The headmaster took the hat off her head as cheers erupted from the Slytherin table. The triplets, on the other hand, looked like they would faint any moment.
"Welcome to Hogwarts, Miss Dimwood." Dippet smiled as he helped her down the stool.
Eris nodded and walked towards the farthest table to the right, where green colored and a silver snake adorned the insignia. Giving one glance behind, the hat winked at her mischievously.
What a silly hat, Eris thought facing the table once again.
Riddle regarded the four tables. He had heard, from chitchats on the boat, each house represented a specific character, and students were sorted based on their personality streaks. He couldn't help but think how terribly organized the school's student system is. Though, Tom does agree that the arrangement was suiting to ensure unity between students, at the same time ensuring rivalry with other houses to raise the competitive spirit in each person.
The sorting ceremony had already commenced. However, In lieu of the moment at hand, Tom Riddle is more fixated on the table where the professors and heads where sitting.
Dumbledore caught his gaze and gave him a smile. All too warm and casual, but eyes far too lifeless.
"Tom Riddle!"
Tom stepped forward earnestly. His senses were on fire, magic buzzing.
As he sat on the stool at the front spanning all the school's students before him, he knew immediately in this moment that he wanted to be supreme.
Beyond anything else, above anyone else.
Tom Riddle. An omnious voice echoed in his mind. His name an answer or a question or just a phrase bearing everything the hat has to know and knows about him. A name that utters little but echoes further.
I know my place, hat. Riddle answered simply.
Of course, you will be one of the greatest wizards in history.
Riddle smirked at this.
However, I warn you. Beware of blondes.
Before Riddle could ask the hat about the puzzling caution it had given, it had shouted: "SLYTHERIN!"
Headmaster Dippet mechanically lifted the hat off him, muttering a well-versed welcoming greeting before calling out to the next student.
Walking towards the table with the loudest cheer, Tom thought his charismatic endeavors should best start now. Sitting casually, he gives a disarming smile to fellow students, and the effect is instantaneous.
Within minutes Tom Riddle had already garnered the admiration of females, stirred some jealousy in men, but most of all, he had learned the simplicity of earning each individual's favor. Though he wasn't the conversationalist back at the orphanage, he found it easy for words to flow out of his mouth.
He resisted snorting. People only become lenient when they hear what they want to hear.
The duration of the night passes without accident.
Although, not the same can be said for the years to follow.
A/N: Hello, please feel free to point out errors. Reviews are also appreciated!