Home and the boy

They drove home in silence, neither saying a word. Anya stared out of the window watching the rain pour down. She had almost forgotten what her home village looked like, it hadn't changed but then again she hadn't expected it to.

Mr Riddle stopped the car outside of the large manor house. Anya had always thought the place was huge but compared to Hogwarts... she stopped the thought, not wanting to think about the place that she wouldn't see all summer. She sighed then picking up Eclipse walked into the entrance hall. She heard her father coming in beside her.

Anya looked around her and couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips. The furniture had been rearranged into different positions and there was a new pink rug upon the floor. Penelope, this was obviously her step-mothers handiwork. Her father walked into the living room signalling her to follow. Anya did so confused as to why he was acting so strangely and distant towards her. A ha speak of the devil, her father and stepmother sat in the armchairs in front of the fire, both looking apprehensive as though she was going to do something unexpected or strange.

"What's going on?" Anya asked becoming slightly scared at their expressions. Was this because of her going to Hogwarts? Did they think her a monster now?

"Nothing's the matter, how was your school?" her father asked her, but he asked in his haughty and snobbish voice as though talking to a stranger or someone in the village, not a father to his daughter.

"It was brilliant, I've learnt so much. It's amazing the things you see...what?" she stopped seeing the now look of terror on Mrs Riddles face, her father on the other hand seemed more concerned than frightened.

"Ah, that's what we want to talk to you about. You are not to do magic hear or tell anyone where you have been. The tale in the village is that you go to a boarding school in London. Is that clear?" Mr. Riddle said almost forcefully. Anya just nodded; tears were welling in her eyes at her father's cold manner.

"Good, that being said...it's good to have you home" finally her father's face broke into a smile, however small. "Dinner will be in an hour or so, I guess you want to unpack." Anya smiled at him, glad that he was finally warming up, yet her stepmothers face still seemed weary, Anya couldn't help but feel slightly smug at her reaction. She walked out of the sitting room and up the stairs to her room.

Thank god nothing here had been touched by Miss Pink a lot. She started unpacking her trunk but kept most of her school stuff in it, she didn't need to have an argument with her father about any of her school things. Besides it would raise unnecessary questions with the staff. Going through the stacks of paper she spotted a letter, she recognised the untidy scrawl on it.

Dear Anya

Hope everything is ok with your dad and step-mum. I'm really gonna miss you over the holidays but if you're not grounded or locked up in a cage (lol) do you think you can come to Diagon Alley at all? I'll send an owl – seeing as I don't think Eclipse will be willing to carry it to my house – for your reply. Cya soon, hopefully.

Naria

Anya smiled at her friend's letter. Naria was so thoughtful; she wondered when this owl would arrive and whether her father would allow her to go to Diagon Alley without an adult or even with an adult.

O well, not gonna find out until you ask.

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Anya left the mansion with Jenkins (the butler) and made her way to the station where she'd get a train to London with Naria. However it was much later on in the holidays than she expected. She was to be with Naria at all times and not go wandering of on her own for any reason. She was only allowed to go because Naria's parents were going to be there with them. Yet what her father didn't know was that they weren't going to be shopping with them, thank god, instead Zarian was going to meet them at Gringots.

"Anya over here", came the friendly and bubbly voice of her best friend. Naria walked over accompanied by two very serious looking adults.

"Hey Naria…Mr and Mrs Jones"

"It's nice to finally meet you Miss Riddle, Naria hear hasn't shut up about you since she got home." Miss Jones said with a friendly smile and shaking Anya's hand.

"Mum!" Naria complained and looked at her father for support. Mr Jones was a very quiet man and Anya got the impression that he was a banker or lawyer, despite the fact that he was a wizard. "Don't look at me Naria, she has a point." He consulted his pocket watch "And if we want to get to Diagon Alley In order to meet your friend we had better get a move on. They all made there way into the pub and through to the entrance to Diagon Alley. Once again Anya was meet with the smells and colours that was the busy wizard street. Gringots was the biggest building in Diagon Alley and near the entrance she could see an anxious looking Zarian consulting his watch.

"Zarian!" Anya called to him. Missing the happiness that she felt to be near him again. He looked towards them his hair messed up from his journey. He gave them a small smile and walked over.

"Right children I want you to stay together and we will meet you back here at 1 o clock." Mrs Jones told the three of them. Looking back she added "and try to stay out of trouble." Naria gave a sigh of relief as her parents left and they moved off towards Flourish and Blotts.

The three had been shopping for about and hour when Anya noticed a young boy walking around on his own. He seemed to be a little lost but didn't seem the type to want to ask for directions. There was something familiar about him. She regarded him a moment. He was average height for about an 11 year old, dressed simply in muggle clothing and had tidy black hair. Anya couldn't see his eyes however just his figure which was slim but strong. They walked past him; Anya still couldn't see his eyes. As they walked past the crowd pushed them into one and other.

"Hey watch where you're going" came the strong voice of the boy. He bent down to pick up his books but Anya had already got there before him. She handed them to him.

"Why don't you watch where you're going" the Slytherin side of her replied. The boy looked up at her and a frown formed on his face.

"And who are you exactly?" he asked. Finally Anya could see the boy's eyes. They were a deep green that Anya was sure she had seen before somewhere, his face was long and thin which matched the rest of his body. She knew him, but from where? Especially those eyes.

"Anya, what's going on? Who's your friend?" Zarian asked coming over to where the pair stood facing each other. He regarded the boy before him, first year.

"He's not my friend; we just bumped into each other literally." Anya replied, looking at the boy before her. "You looked lost boy, trying to find somewhere in particular?"

"I'm fine, I can look after myself." The boy replied sneeringly as though threatening her to say otherwise. "And its Tom not Boy. If you'll excuse me" He walked off mumbling under his breath.

Anya laughed and shook her head. That boy had serious problems. Zarian looked at her before saying "Anya come on, we nearly have to go back, and I wanna look round Knockturn Alley before we go. It's meant to be pretty cool and creepy." Anya allowed herself to be pulled through the crowd to an annoyed looking Naria who stood outside the ice cream parlour.

"Where did you two go?" she demanded. "I thought we were meant to be looking round Knockturn Alley."

"We are, Anya got lost in the crowd" Zarian laughed not mentioning the boy with whom they had spoken.

"I knew exactly where I was, are we going or not." Anya replied sourly glaring at Zarian.

The three walked in silence into a dim-lighted alleyway, you could tell the difference between the two distinctly, whereas Diagon was brightly coloured and crowded Knockturn Alley was dark and dull with only a handful of creatures walking around.

"Cool" she heard Zarian mutter beside her. She must admit herself that it did have a kind of charm about it. They walked past the shops, most of them looked empty and nearly all were covered with cobwebs and other things she didn't want to know about. They kept walking until something caught Anya's eye. It was in the window of a shop called Borgin and Brukes. The shop was dark and dingy but the item in the window was not. It was a small pendant on a silver chain; a serpent was coiled on the pendant on a green background. She had seen it before she knew it and it seemed to be calling to her. She was about to go in when a voice stopped her.

"Anya come on we have to get back. If were late my parents will kill me." Naria's voiced broke whatever spell Anya was under. Anya checked her watch and saw with horror that they had only five minutes till they had to be back.

Anya took one last look at the necklace before running to catch up with her friends. She would find out about that pendant.