Warning: this chapter is a little darker than all the others!
also, yay i reached 100k+ words! ^^
A chilling breeze coursed through the halls, windows creaking and clanking shut and open. Beyond them, a beautiful, sparkly sky shone, juxtaposed against the black sky and purple-tinted hills far away in the landscape at midnight. Myrtle wrapped her black robes tightly around herself, seeking warmth in the midst of the suffocating cold. Looking out of a window, her senses became filled with the refreshing scent of melting snow, eagerly watching the outside as the spring was being welcomed.
Just then, she appeared to catch a glimpse of an old book with a silvery cover, the shining flash drawing her in. Coming closer and picking it up, she read the title... a potions textbook for fourth years... then a charms guide... she knew she had to get going... it would be bad to be late to their meeting, but she just couldn't help herself. What odd finds near the caretaker's office... The books were simply to colourful to ignore, to miss out on, to-
"You...", she heard a voice whisper, making her gasp and stand up, eyes darting around herself.
"YOU!", it growled out, full of rage.
Footsteps echoed across the hallways, making her now fully alert, desperately searching for the source of the noise. It wasn't long before she was met by a familiar figure right before her eyes.
"You... you sly bint, gazing at those books as if you were completely innocent! Oh, but I know why you specifically chose to come here, Warren.", Hornby seethed, her face twitching.
Myrtle raised her brow out of frustration and confusion, her breath hitching.
"What are you even talking about, Hornby? And what are you even doing here? Following me, aren't you?", Myrtle sneered.
"Oh, don't play dumb, Warren. You know what you are doing very well.", Hornby said.
Myrtle scoffed at her.
"What? Admiring the view before your silly, little expulsion? Must be so hard for you, Olive.", Myrtle said, baby-talking to her with an innocent expression.
Hornby clenched her fists.
"You ruined my life!", she screamed, her eyes tearing up.
"All of this was just because of you, you brat! And you still dare talk to me in that way!", she shouted.
Her words lingered in the cold air, as if awaiting for a response. Before anything, Hornby let out a laugh.
"Class topper Warren. Perfect Myrtle Elizabeth Warren. Bet you think highly of yourself now, but all of it is as fake as can be, Warren. Without your little beau, you're nothing! Absolutely nothing! Deep down, you are still that scared, slobby little ugly girl I met five years ago.", she said, her voice laced with venom.
"All that magic you have learned won't help you at all if you don't have a backbone.", she said, clenching her teeth.
What she didn't expect was for Hornby to suddenly snap, running up to her and grabbing her by her tie. Myrtle's eyes widened.
"Are you scared, Warren? Scared of what I'd do to you?", she said, smiling.
"Come on, use your magic... try to defend yourself! It won't do a thing! Is Riddle going to come and save you from me now, Warren, huh!? Is he!?", she taunted, shouting at her.
Myrtle desperately looked around herself, eyes wide from fear, for any semblance of green robes, pale face, dark eyes... but found nothing in the darkness. Hornby smiled at her, full of satisfaction.
"Looks like he isn't coming, Warren.", she said quietly, looking at her eyes.
"It's because he knows there is nothing valuable within you. No bravery, no brains, no brawn, as we found out today, and especially no beauty, you little foul, fat girl.", she finished.
Myrtle's eyes began to sting, impending tears forming within her eyes. Suddenly, a sharp, burning sensation to her very bones tinged on her cheek, making her let out a yelp. With a loud thud, Myrtle fell onto the bitter, icy and unforgiving stone floor, broken and cracked glasses sliding across the floor. Not a moment later, Hornby ran up to her once again, crouching next to her.
"Go on.", she said, gazing into her eyes.
Myrtle timidly tried to raise her body to a sitting position, clutching her burning cheek with a hand while tears streamed down her face.
"Just that.", Hornby remarked, her narrow eyes gazing hungrily into her eyes. She began laughing.
"Do it! I want to see you cry, I want to witness the pain you feel, those disgusting, weak brown eyes shedding tears, full of fear and misery!", she exclaimed, full of satisfaction.
Myrtle hopelessly clutched her head, muffled cries escaping from her mouth. Her eyes gazed into Hornby's, growing darker, and darker, and darker... until they reached a deep, ominous black. Helpless cries slowly blurred into quiet laughs, a wide, eerie grin spreading across her face, contorting in a way Hornby thought was impossible from Myrtle. Suddenly, Myrtle stood up sharply, still laughing, making Hornby recoil.
With a nauseating crack, Myrtle straightened her spine, eyes still boring into Hornby's, deep and unblinking. Hornby could only watch, petrified in place, as the girl in front of her continued to grotesquely contort. Quiet high giggles starting to crack, dropping lower and lower and settling at a deep, cold laugh. Skin becoming paler and paler, fingers elongating, hair darkening... her smaller stature catching up to hers to towering over her, facial features going from soft to sharp.
With what felt like an eternity, the figure in front breathed in a sigh. It raised its head, draped in the signature Slytherin robes and once again looking at her directly in the eyes, revealing the completed form of Tom Marvolo Riddle.
"Greetings, Olive.", he said, dark eyes narrowing.
"Missed me?", he inquired, stepping closer.
Her eyes lingered emptily, her mouth agape and at a loss for words. What was this? How did this happen? The magical world contained all sorts of secrets and spells, but this felt too unreal, too fantastical even for such a world.
"What's wrong, Olive?", he asked, severing the silence of her thoughts like a sharp dagger.
"You seemed very adamant about talking about Myrtle just now... what made you stop?", he continued, smiling. With a swift motion to the side, his spine cracked, still adjusting to his regular form.
The fear was overwhelming, her mind urged her to do something... anything... she needed to get away... run. Her breathed hitched in her dry throat as she made a run for it... getting away... somewhere safe... her legs gave out as she felt something hit her on her back, letting out a scream as she was knocked to the ground. The walls started going backwards as she could only watch, suddenly getting lifted up and back on her legs once again, meeting his gaze.
He laughed.
"Oh, Olive. Why so soon? I didn't even get to say what the backstory behind this grand plan was.", he said lightly.
"I must say, you certainly know how to hit hard, Olive... too bad that's all you're good for.", he mused, stepping away and tauntingly placing his hand on his cheek.
"But it makes me worried, dare I say angry that you would use such methods on Myrtle? Without any seconds thoughts?", his tone darkened, voice dropping.
"I'm not the best student Hogwarts has ever seen without merit, Olive Hornby. You should know what I'm capable of doing. Every possible spell, be it in the school curriculum, generally, or something no one would dare to lay their eyes upon. If you dare try to run away again, I won't hesitate.", he hissed darkly.
She visibly recoiled, swallowing dryly. Suddenly, his expression and demeanour changed in an instant, becoming lighter and cheerier as if it were nothing.
"But worry not, Olive.", he said casually, twirling his wand with his long fingers. Her eyes became fixed on it, not daring to look away.
"I am merciful and will not stoop so low as to retaliate in the same way you did against me.", he said kindly.
"Now, Olive, to make myself clear... the only thing I want is to talk to you. That is entirely the reason I planned all of this out.", he said to her, awaiting her response. She winced at the request.
"Why... why talk? Talk about what?", she croaked out quietly.
He came closer to her, looking at her intensely.
"Everything.", he snapped.
"Everything, Olive. Tell me absolutely everything.", he commanded hungrily.
"What everything?", she replied, irritated.
"What made you the person you are today? What made you do the things you did? Your choices simply fascinate me. I need to know.", he said, unblinking.
She looked away in the distant dark abyss of a hallway, clenching her teeth and unsure how to respond.
"I'll give you something to start on, if you can't sort your thoughts.", he said, smiling.
"Tell me, Olive... how did you meet Myrtle? How did your feelings towards her spiral into what they are today?", he gently inquired.
Her amber eyes bore into the floor, trying to think of something... anything...
"It... it was the first day... of first year... I saw her near the shore... and the boats... she...", Hornby said, her face tensing up.
Tom raised a brow.
"Go on.", he said.
"She pushed me into the water! I-I didn't even see it coming or even her for that matter! I plunged into the deep waters, thinking I was going to die when no one came to help me!", she shouted, stressed.
"And then you wonder why I hate her... this is why!", she said, clutching her head.
Tom cocked his head to the side.
"How interesting, Olive. Do tell me more.", he said calmly.
She shook her head out of annoyance.
"No! I'm done with your stupid questions! Why should I-", she began, but was silenced soon after.
"Need I remind you who is in control here, Olive?", he interrupted, casting a foreboding glare at her.
"You will talk, Olive, for as long as I want you to. You will do as I say, or else there will be consequences.", he added calmly, smiling.
Breathing heavily, she briefly looked directly at him, her gaze diverting to the floor in an instant as she let out an irritated snarl.
"Then she went away to tell all her findings about me to my wretched brother... as if wanting to put met down even more!", she shouted, her voice strained.
"All of them then started attacking me for no reason... I never had any friends, anyone to talk to... they all hated me! You don't understand how it... how...", she lamented.
A perverse grin spread across his face, his eyes narrowing.
"Liar."
The word plunged into the recess of her mind, crushing all the hopes she had as tears began to prick at her eyes. He came closer to her, emitting a high laugh.
"Stupid girl.", he snarled venomously.
"Do you really expect me to believe in such blatant lies? What exactly do you take me as?", he said.
A pitiful gasp came from her mouth as she tried her best to suppress the tears.
"I know a lot more than you think, Olive.", he said.
"I was hoping to hear some unique aspects of your life that only you could tell me... something that could perhaps alter my views on you.", he said, almost fondly.
"But, instead, you have disappointed me greatly.", he finished.
He carefully observed her every move, every gesture with a detached expression, getting annoyed when she didn't give him an interesting response. As usual, he put on a smile and continued the conversation.
"You know, Olive.", he began.
Despite his efforts, she still didn't lift up her head to face him, eyes unyieldingly fixed on the floor. His lips contorted into a frown, overwhemling rage slowly beginning to simmer within him and disrupt his calm demeanour. He loathed it.
"Look at me.", he hissed, yanking out his wand out and twirling it. Within a fraction of a second, her head snapped upwards, revealing her wide eyes. He grinned at her response, satisfied.
Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a very long rolled up parchment, tied together with a red ribbon.
"See this, Olive?", he asked casually.
A faint glimmer of unsettlement in her eyes appeared, confirming to him that what he showed her was familiar.
"Do you recognise it?", he asked her despite knowing the answer, just for his own pleasure.
Her eyes trailed the parchment in his hands, looking at it in disbelief.
"You... you took it. It wasn't...", she croaked out.
His grin widened.
"Exactly, Olive. Very perceptive of you.", he said casually, glancing to his side.
"I've witnessed it all... your little meltdown in the Gryffindor in the common room... your barbaric attempts at stopping the professor... and, of course... the bottled veritaserum.", he mused.
"Funny, isn't it? All those theories about how it came there were in vain.", he said sweetly.
"It was me who ravaged the caretaker's office, destroying everything in my path and taking your little list of wrong-doings along with me. If the whole office was destroyed, no one would deem it suspicious that only your files were truly missing. Besides, it would make you and your little company look even more suspicious.", he mused.
"And as for your dear friend, Audaxius Lueur, it just so happened that he got in my way at the wrong place and at the wrong time and I had to... take care of him, should I say.", he said, letting out a laugh.
Hornby clenched her teeth.
"He's not my friend... and y-you're sick!", she shouted.
Tom was mildly taken by surprise at her blatant and barren response, but quickly adjust back to his unbothered and relaxed state.
"Sick? Such a strong word, Olive, wouldn't you agree? Especially considering you directed it at me.", he said to her lightly.
Before she got a chance to reply, he once again began talking.
"Well, with this parchment right here, we can undisputedly say who is sick from the two of us.", he said, looking down at the parchment as two of his long and slender fingers grasped the strand of the ribbon, pulling it and letting the parchment fall lightly and gracefully to the ground. As it reached the floor, his dark eyes began trailing all over the parchment.
"Let us see what activities you have been up to these last few years, Olive.", he said, briefly glancing at her.
Within a few moments, he appeared to have stopped, grinning.
"Starting more mildly...", he said.
"February 18th, 1940... Olive Hornby declined to show up to a lesson of defence against the dark arts.", he finished.
"Such a silly thing, Olive. Were you bored, or perhaps you had ulterior motives? A sign of early rebellion?", he asked curiously.
"Tell me.", he commanded.
"I don't... I don't remember.", she replied.
His grin waned. Though, soon after, he returned to his original expression, laughing it off internally.
"What about... this one.", he said to her, putting a finger on the text he was about to read.
"November 29th, 1942... Olive Hornby stole personal belongings from Sylvia Blackwood and verbally berated her.", he said, letting out a cold laugh. She recoiled further, her face falling.
"Now, this is more like the Olive Hornby I know. Prideful, solipsistic and remorseless.", he said, the words bitterly sliding off his tongue.
"But we're not done Olive... In fact, I've saved the best for last.", he said slyly.
His gaze slowly went back to the parchment, calmly searching for some... highlights.
"September 21th, 1939, Olive Hornby broke Myrtle Elizabeth Warren's musical instrument.", he said, calmly. Though, his smile slowly started to drop.
"December 5th, 1941... Olive Hornby threw cold water on Myrtle Elizabeth Warren. Noted: Myrtle Warren didn't attend classes for two weeks.", he said, his voice growing lower and dripping with disdain.
"January 13th, 1944. Olive Hornby berated Myrtle Elizabeth Warren along with Ruth Bryce, encouraging her to end her life.", he said venomously, raising his head to look at her.
A dip pit in her stomach formed as she looked back at him, her heart sinking.
"You foolish girl. Just who do you think you are?", he asked angrily.
"Tell me, Olive, how can a person, such as yourself, be so utterly depraved... so vengeful... tormenting a single person for years?", he asked.
"Akin to a dirty, repugnant and decrepit leech, sucking all the blood from the victim even as the the rancid taste overwhelms your senses?", he snarled.
"But, no... you don't stop there. Instead, your thirst knows no bounds... your repulsive lust for misery never seeming to get satiated, even as the victim is left a hollow husk, lifeless.", he finished, voice full of hatred.
A sense of dread overtook her, her breath uneasy.
"Tell me why, Olive. I need to know.", he demanded hungrily.
She faced away from, not bearing to look at him anymore.
"Don't you dare try to lie to me, otherwise there will be consequences.", he said.
"Tell me now.", he continued, approaching her.
"No... I won't... I won't...", she bitterly repeated, swallowing dryly.
Upon those words, his demeanour suddenly shifted, the rage visible on his face turning into an eerie calm.
"No?", he breathed out.
As a sinister smile spread across his face, she felt like she made a grave mistake by saying those words.
"Then you leave me with no choice, Olive.", he said.
Slowly reaching into his pocket, he took out his wand, watching as terror seized her eyes.
"No... w-what... what are you doing?", she asked, her voice hoarse and strained as she recoiled against the cold wall.
His smile broadened.
"If you won't answer my questions, Olive...", he began.
"I suppose I'll just have to answer them for myself.", he finished.
A sudden realisation dawned on her, her breath hitching in her throat.
"You... you wouldn't!", she said, raising her voice.
"I would.", came the sinister reply.
"You won't!"
"I will."
Her entire world was crashing down on her, desperation and hopelessness overtaking her.
"But...", she began, wincing.
"You can't... nobody can know... discover... my memories... the-they are private!", she shrieked.
"Oh, but I can Olive.", he refuted, scoffing at her.
"From what I gathered, the word private has no merit to you, just as mine and Myrtle's relationship doesn't.", he said to her.
"Now, if you will be so kind...", he said, drawing out his wand.
"I want my questions answered."
"NO! You can't, I-"
"Legilimens!"
.
.
.
In a warm summer evening, crickets chirped in the distance, bringing light to the darkness that seemed to envelop the cracks of the trees in a distant forest. A brunette girl absently tapped her wooden sword on a tree stump her yard, her expression bored and unfocused. As a creak emanated from behind her, a yellowish light enveloping her, she turned her head around.
"Olive!", a voice called out.
"What is it?", she answered grumpily.
"Mum and dad want you back inside the house. You've had more than enough time outside today, it's getting cold.", he said.
"No, I don't want to go inside!", she replied, crossing her arms.
"Come on, if you don't come, I'll be blamed for it.", he said.
"Don't be such a petty liar! They always praise you for even the littlest tasks! And I don't see how this is any-"
She felt something grab the collar of the shirt under her dress, flinching.
"Sebastian!", she screamed out of annoyance.
"I told you, Olive. Mum and dad insist.", he said, practically dragging her inside.
The girl let out agitated sighs, squirming out of displeasure and groaning. Inside, a cozy atmosphere replaced the humid, but warm summer evening, lights gently reflecting on the walls. In a larger, decorated room, two people sat, one knitting and one reading the newspaper. Noticing them and sitting up, a woman approached them.
"Oh, goodness Sebastian!", she said, kissing him on the cheek.
"Thank you so much! I knew I could count on you, my sweet boy..."
The brunette rolled over her eyes.
"Come on now, I've prepared you your favourite snack! Go dig in!", she said enthusiastically.
"Oh, um... I've got to study, mum. Catch up for the next year...", he quietly said, distancing himself.
"Nonsense, my boy! You've got to eat up in order to-"
"Marjorie, you heard him, honey. Let the boy go and study... you know how well he does and makes the family proud. Besides, it's his last year now...", a man said, sitting on an armchair and flipping a page of the newspaper.
The woman stood in place, looking back at him.
"Oh, John...", she sighed.
"Alright, but I'll make sure to call him in an hour or two...", she said.
Without a word, the boy went upstairs, never looking back. Immediately after, the woman turned her gaze to face the brunette girl.
"Oh, Olive. What have you been doing?", she reprimanded, coming closer to her.
"Didn't I buy you those Mary Janes a mere two weeks ago? They're already dirtied up and full of mud!", she scolded, her hands on her hips.
"Take them off... I have to clean them... go to your room upstairs. I saw it's quite unruly and I'd like you to tidy it up. You're already a little lady, you know?", she said, dismissing her and picking up the shoes.
"What's that supposed to mean?", she asked, raising a brow.
"I don't want to go... there.", she said, a hint of unease audible in her voice.
"No questions, Olive, dear. I'm expecting a tidy room by eleven today. And look at you, waving your sword around as if you're already a courageous Gryffindor! You'd best return that sword to the neighbour's-"
"It's my sword.", she interrupted.
"Either way, it's not fitting for you...", she cooed, heading outside.
With a disappointed groan, she turned around and began making her way to her room, climbing the staircase. As she grasped the rusty handle, the light from the hallway creeped into the dark room. Stepping inside, she flipped on the lights and looked around. Grumpily, she began grabbing the scattered toys and clothes inside the room, putting them in multiple boxes, folding the clothes and putting them on her bed. Though, as the time for setting aside the clothes came, a sense of dread overtook her being as she looked at the closet before her.
At first, she approached it, but quickly decided against it. Soon after, she picked up her sword and put on a brave stance, but once again gave up. After a period of deep thoughts and restlessness, she reluctantly decided to exit her room and open the door across hers.
"Sebastian?", she called out.
The boy didn't budge, engrossed in his studies with all his being.
"Sebastian!", she repeated.
"What is it?", he replied sharply.
"Come, it's... that again.", she said, hesitating.
"I've already told you, Olive. There is no monster inside that closet. If you said something like a boggart or banshee, I'd maybe have the slightest belief in your claims. Now, I'll appreciate it if-"
"No! I'm not lying! It's right there!"
He sighed, opening a drawer from his table and reaching in.
"You won't leave me alone unless I tend to your meaningless matter for probably the fifth time, won't you?", he remarked, clutching a flashlight in his hand and entering her room.
Though, as he stepped closer to the closet, a sudden shout stopped him.
"Be careful! It can sense your movement!", she shouted frantically.
He rolled over his eyes.
"Olive, please. I'm telling you, there is nothing in that closet of yours.", he said.
She watched in breathless anticipation as he swung the door open, juxtaposed against his calm and unbothered demeanour. The closet was still dark, not a single detail visible within it, filling her up with more unease than she initially had.
"Well...?", he said.
"It has black eyes! Use the light!", she said, her voice strained.
"Black eyes? Come on... alright, if that'll get you to stop bothering me.", he said.
With a sudden flash of light, her eyes widened, glancing at the clear and eerie standing figure within, which... wasn't there.
"See? Nothing to worry about.", he scoffed.
"There aren't any monsters with black eyes going around and hunting you down. Not in the past, present and let alone the future.", he said to her.
"Can't lose anymore time..."
The brunette girl stood petrified before the closet, mouth agape as she continued looking at it. With a careful fetch, she clutched the flashlight in her hands, flickering it on and off to make sure that there was nothing there.
Eventually, her doubts were cleared after a few minutes, with her then settling down on her bed.
The world around him twisted and swirled, darkening until there was none left.
.
.
.
It was a nice day. The air was cool and fresh, the Sun was sinking into the glistening Black Lake, casting bright ripples across the smooth, glass-like water. Excitement bustled around the muddy shore, countless little students cheering and awaiting their arrival at the mysterious castle perched on the top of a distant mountain. With an exclamation of the caretaker, they eagerly ran up to the boats.
A brunette girl, her hair tied into a side ponytail, spoke to the nervous, pigtailed girl.
"Are you going to get in or not?", she asked briskly.
"Uh... yes?", she replied in a confused tone.
"Well then, get on with it.", she said.
"Alright, alright!"
With a timid step forward, the pigtailed girl set foot in the small boat, eyes darting around herself with a mixture of anxiousness and excitement. Soon after, the brunette followed. Lastly, another girl joined them.
Watching over the pigtailed girl, he sat beside her in the boat, following the events that transpired.
As the boats glided across the large body of water, a sense of calm washed over the students, including the four in this boat. The castle was becoming larger and larger as they neared towards it, the water calmly rippling below them. A sudden gust of wind flew by them, the brunette girl's head following in it's direction. Behind her, the pigtailed girl recoiled slightly, clutching the seat she was sitting on. By habit, he embraced the small girl, trying to keep her safe. Though, his arms passed right through her, reminding him that he was just a spectator.
The brunette girl leaned to the side, eagerly watching the water and the waves.
"Wow, so mysterious... and deep. See this?", she called out to the girl next to her, who seemed equally entranced by the sight.
"Yeah! I've never seen anything like this before, have you?", the brown-haired girl answered.
"Well, come on then! Let's get a closer look! The adventures will only continue after this!", the brunette exclaimed.
"By the way, I forgot to ask... what's your name?"
"Oh, it's no big deal. The name's Ru-"
Both of their eyes widened as the boat slowly toppled to the right. Screams erupted from their throats, hands grasping empty air, any semblance of safety. The pigtailed girl crashed into the brunette, holding onto her, visibly scared. With a sudden swing of the boat, the two girls fell in, harshly splashing the water and slowly sinking into the depths.
The world around him twisted and swirled, darkening until there was none left.
.
.
.
The candles hovered above, twinkling like stars on night sky. Below, four tables stood in the great hall, bustling with chatter. Between two of the tables, a brunette girl walked, beside her another girl. But, unlike the rest of the myriad of students, she had no colour on her robes... no greens, blues... only a blank slate that was yet to be sorted.
And so, looking up confidently, she sat on a stool, concentrating deeply as the sorting hat was placed on her head. The space around her slowly blurred, even the girl beside her, as a rush of unease, but at the same time anticipation, coursed through her.
"Now, they will look at me and see that I am my own person.", she said internally.
The chatter in the great hall continued, the students being focused on their plates.
"Hmm...", a voice in her ear said.
"I see a great need to prove yourself in the eyes of others. But... also a deeply suppressed habit of weaponizing your wit against your foes. You know, Ravenclaw could aid you in those things-"
"No! I don't want to go to that house!", she internally exclaimed, scowling as she crossed her arms.
"A brash and assertive type then, eh? It appears that you also have a lot of courage and bravery which refuses to be extinguished... as well as a slight slyness in your nature. Gryffindor, Slytherin... you're a difficult one."
Furrowing her brow, she went over the Slytherin table. Knowing her heritage, they wouldn't accept her easily... apart from that, their stuck-up nature and fakeness seemed undesirable to her. But then, as she glanced at the Ravenclaw table this time, an even worse feeling sprouted within her... especially as she looked at the nerdy and somewhat scrawny head boy with glasses sitting at it, a feeling of disgust rising within her.
"...G-Gryffidnor."
"Gryffindor, huh? Are you sure?"
With a final glance at him, she looked at the floor and closed her eyes.
"Yes."
"So be it, then."
At that moment, she triumphantly looked up at the Ravenclaw table once again, a smirk slowly spreading across her face.
"GRYFFINDOR!", the hat shouted.
It finally happened. With this, everyone would divert their glance at her, to see how she had become detached from her brother's legacy, to see that she had truly something special within... But, as she continued to gaze forward, a great feeling of disappointment overtook her, making her eyes sting. The students never did so much as glance at her and simply ate, chatted, whatever... it wasn't important.
"Hey, are you alright?", she heard a voice behind her.
"Yes, yes, it's nothing.", she replied, visibly angry but suppressing it.
"Whatever you say... what was it again, sorry?", the girl asked.
"Olive.", she replied quickly.
"Oh, right. Well, you know we're now in the same house, right?", she enthusiastically said.
"With how you've been looking at nothing for at least five minutes, I thought you didn't notice, so that's why I'm telling you that."
The brunette girl turned around in surprise.
"Already?", she asked.
"Yeah! Where have you been all this time?", she asked her.
"You know what, never mind. It must be the dizziness from the earlier boat trip we both experienced.", she said.
"Sure...", the brunette girl replied, looking around with her hands on her hips.
"Well then, let's get going... now we finally have a house we belong in.", she said, smirking.
The two of them turned to go to the Gryffindor table. Though, on the way there, the brunette girl couldn't help but hear the quiet, yet overbearing whispers around her.
"Look, the head boy's little sister!"
"I didn't even know he had one... now they're even in different houses..."
"Eh, she probably won't even live up to the expectations..."
The brunette girl clenched her fists as she sat down near the end of the bench of the Gryffindor table, seething.
"Ugh, can they stop doing this already?", she muttered under hear breath.
"Do what? What are you talking about?", the girl beside her asked.
"Nothing, Ruth. It's nothing.", she replied brashly.
"Oh, come on! This is the second time this happened and you still tell me nothing!", she exclaimed.
"Fine! Fine...", she said in response.
"It's just that... they are whispering about... and associating me with that one Ravenclaw student... yes, see him?", she said, pointing with her finger.
"I thought so. Stands out like a sore thumb. And is never seen without a book in his hands!", she finished.
"Oh, right... you're right, he looks a little... boring to say the least.", she replied.
Then, she seemingly lost her focus of the Ravenclaw boy, squinting her eyes and looking at the small girl beside him.
"That girl... looks like an identical copy of him.", she said.
"What girl?", the brunette asked.
"Just beside him! See?", she replied.
"I mean, if you weren't his sister, I'd honestly believe it if someone said that she was his sister. Practically identical... how they look, how they act, and those glasses.", she finished.
The brunette girl stumbled before replying.
"You... wait... you're actually right, now that I think about it.", she replied, looking at the girl.
"Hah, I'm betting that she will actually want to be like him, too! Looks like she also never leaves her books alone."
"Besides that...", the girl beside her said.
"Isn't she... isn't she the girl that we went on the boat with?", she pondered.
The brunette girl's eye lit up.
"You're right!", she beamed.
"Oh, that one... a coward, isn't she? While we both fell in, she just... stood still from the fear and did... nothing! The amount of luck she has...", she scoffed.
"On top of that, isn't she the girl that brought her violin to school? With that over the top dress? Talk about being privileged..."
"A true, spoiled brat... we'll see how much she can take.", the brunette girl said, grinning.
Later, as the crowd began to dissipate, the two girls carefully navigated their way in the great and large, although unfamiliar, hallways of the castle. Fragments of small talk continued to echo around them as they trailed behind a certain, small, pigtailed girl.
Upon reaching a somewhat clear and quiet hallway, they stopped.
"Hey, you!", the brunette called out.
The pigtailed girl turned around warily.
"Yes?", she asked quietly.
"Who are you?"
The girl beside the brunette let out a chuckle.
"Come on, you remember us... the two girls you were in the boat with and didn't help as they fell into the dark waters? You know...", she asked with a grin, placing her hand on the girl's shoulder.
The pigtailed girl shuddered, the discomfort visible on her face as she clutched the pile of books tighter to her chest.
"No? I don't believe we know each other?", she replied.
"Ah, silly girl!", the brunette exclaimed.
"A little impolite of you to forget about us so easily... didn't mummy teach you some manners?", she taunted.
The pigtailed girl watched helplessly as they both laughed.
"How about you introduce yourself first and then we'll think about introducing ourselves yet again to you?", the brunette asked.
The pigtailed girl's eyes darted towards the ground.
"I'm... Myrtle.", she said quietly.
Both of them looked at her with a foreboding glare.
"Sorry, we didn't quite catch that... mind repeating it?", the brunette asked.
"I'm Myrtle.", she repeated, the annoyance now audible in her voice.
"Myrtle! Ah, but surely you have a surname! Or are you just Myrtle?", the girl beside the brunette exclaimed.
The pigtailed girl clenched her books tighter.
"You're... you're trying to trick me with this, aren't you?", she asked angrily.
"Why of course not! We just wanted to...", the brunette said, getting closer to her.
With a sudden motion, she snatched away the glasses from her face, running a little away from her.
"Hey! What are you-"
"Uh-oh! It appears four-eyes has lost her sight!", the brunette cooed.
"Now, Ruth!"
Just as the pigtailed girl reached in her pocket for her wand, her books falling to the floor, it appeared to have been snatched away.
"Not so fast!", the other girl exclaimed.
"No! Give it back!", the pigtailed girl exclaimed.
"You know... if you thought about defending yourself with your wand...", the brunette girl began, swiftly avoiding the desperate girl's attempts at retrieving her glasses.
"Magic will get you nowhere. No matter how hard you try, you will never, ever succeed with it. It is just a worthless waste of time, Myrtle."
The two girls chuckled. Not long after, the brunette girl pulled the flailing girl by one of her pigtails, knocking her off her feet and making her stumble to the floor.
"Had enough, roly-poly?", the brunette girl taunted.
Both of the girls' eyes gleamed when seeing what appeared to be a tear running down the pigtailed girl's cheek, upon which they both grinned.
"Aw... is this too much for a little girl like you? Are you going to become a crybaby, Myrtle?", the brunette cooed.
"Are you going to cry for mummy?", she continued.
The pigtailed girl began to sob.
"I... I don't...", she croaked out.
With a quick, yet flimsy motion of her body, she darted away from the scene, her cries echoing across the hallways.
The world around him twisted and swirled, darkening until there was none left.
.
.
With a nauseating sickness coursing through her veins, choking her entire being, she breathed in a gust of cold air, strained and desperate. Her body felt grounded to the bitter and frigid floor beneath her, exhausted and wide eyes looking above. A great feeling of dread and hatred consumed her as she once again saw the dark figure, cursing under her breath.
But, oddly enough, he seemed to be staring at the wall above her, his dark and cold eyes now seemingly... warm and softer?
"Oh, I didn't know...", he said, his voice noticeably strained.
He glanced down in order to look at her.
"I didn't... I'm so sorry.", he said, the remorse audible.
Taking a step forward, he went ahead and extended his hand to help her stand back up. Though, instead of what he expected, she slapped his hand away, making his eyes widen.
"What... what are you playing at? What is this!?", she angrily spat out at him.
His worried expression slowly turned into a soft smile.
"Hornby, please... let me explain.", he calmly said.
She eyed him suspiciously.
"There is no explanation to this! You planned all of this out, didn't you? Well, because of you, I'm going to be expelled!", she screamed, her voice cracking.
What she didn't expect was for a tear to run down her cheek. His eyes caught that detail immediately.
"Listen, Hornby. What I wanted to say was... that I am sorry for all of this.", he began, examining her reaction.
"As you know, Myrtle and me have a very close bond, which is why I did all of this in the first place. But, only now do I truly see how wrong my approach was.", he said in a relaxed tone.
"All those memories, those horrid associations... they perfectly explain your character. Why didn't you simply tell me about this, Olive? It would have been so much easier.", he said with a concerned look on his face.
"You... you don't understand...", she said, her voice strained.
"Oh, but now I do, Olive.", he said sweetly, smiling and crouching down next to her.
"What I see, is a lost girl who is misunderstood by everyone around her. Often times, even her very own closest friends. Her actions are an illustration of her strong-willed character, even in the face of adversity.", he mused.
"A mother and father that didn't care enough, a brother that was meant to serve as a role model, but was instead the cause of great turmoil. Surely, you understand, Olive.", he said.
"I don't... I can't trust... you...", she said, her voice trembling.
He let out a quiet, warm laugh.
"Oh, Olive... can't you see that I just want to help you?", he asked gently.
"Now that I know exactly why the way you are, all I need to do is tell the professors about it. I see no possible reason for them to not believe me.", he said.
"You know, with this... I could even hinder their procedures about you and your friends' expulsions.", he finished.
"...Please, Olive?", he said softly and quietly.
"You... would?", she asked warily.
"Of course!", he exclaimed.
"As your head of house professor Dumbledore put it, everyone deserves a second chance.", he said, brightly smiling.
Her eyes were now looking at the pale hand reaching out towards her.
But... what was this? Surely, he couldn't, no... wouldn't even consider even such an option. Just a few moments prior, he was threatening her, probing into her memories, and was now seemingly friendly and even... remorseful? But on second thought... the thing he said about people changing... it was a direct teaching from professor Dumbledore himself. As much as she hated admitting it, the old man was wise, eccentric and weird as he was... Maybe, just maybe... he could have had a change of heart, even if it was this quick? Could she... really trust him? It was her only chance at not being expelled... showing that brother of hers who was the better person... proving everyone wrong... She had to do it.
With her hand greatly trembling, she reached out for his. The means of salvation... means of hope... of a new beginning.
...But, all her hopeful thoughts were hastily decimated upon hearing a high, cold laughter. It reverberated off the walls for what felt like an eternity, leaving her mind muddled.
"You naive, foolish girl.", he hissed, slowly drawing his hand away from hers.
All the previous warmth from his eyes had faded, as if it were never even there. His mouth contorted into a sinister smile as he stared at her.
"You? Being forgiven?", he said, scoffing.
"Oh, Olive... You don't even deserve the privilege of using your magic. Being near this school. Being near Myrtle.", he said angrily, stepping closer to her.
Slowly, but steadily, the crescendo was rising. Just a few more pokes, pinches and stabs before the dull girl would lose it and lash out.
"Such a brave girl, aren't you, Olive? With that temperament of yours... where did it all go, Olive?", he asked, coming closer.
"Give me some of that flair, Olive, will you? You've always had quite the reactions..."
Oh, now was the time... her fury and anger must be unimaginable, and the poor, petty girl must be at the brink of collapsing entirely. He had to see this... savour it.
"You are like a toy that can be torn apart and discarded based only on my whims... a puppet without strings which I can leave to rot away... a vase I can break after which it can never truly be put back together.", he said with a twisted smile, reveling in her discomfort and fear.
"So close... just a little more. Come on... snap... snap... snap!"
Suddenly, he recoiled slightly when seeing her briefly jolt. But, instead of standing up abruptly... she collapsed back onto the cold floor. Instead of letting out a livid scream of pure hatred, she completely lost it and put her hands on her mouth, letting out muffled sobs. He stood still and watched her frail form tremble, wracked from the rapid onslaught of emotions clawing within her.
Why... why was she... crying? It was all so disappointing. Setting up the perfect moments for her light to die out, to be consumed by the darkness, only to be greeted by this sight.
But... the way the pure agony just... ravaged through her entire being, even if in a completely opposite way than expected. He wondered... what was really left of her now that she could only weep and cry? What was left of her former temper, her being... A knot formed in the pit of his stomach as he took in the sight with a strange and bizarre sense of satisfaction. Now... now, only one word could precisely describe her:
Broken.
"Aw... don't cry...", he cooed with a twisted smile on his face, crouching down to her level.
She didn't respond, her face fully obscured by her hands.
"As I said, you needn't worry about others, Olive. They underestimate you, they misunderstand you... but I know you have bravery unlike anyone else I know.", he said.
"Bravery, assertiveness... and most of all, creativity.", he finished.
He let out a laugh.
"Tell me, Olive... where did you happen to get the brilliant idea of... the heir of Slytherin?", he calmly asked.
He calmly waited for a response, the smile on his face never faltering in the slightest.
"You ought to tell me, Olive... Sebastian would be so proud of you.", he said.
"Have you ever stopped to think about it... if it was real, or just a legend?", he asked quietly.
She gave him no response.
"Of course you didn't, meddling with things you have no knowledge of...", he scoffed.
"But I will enlighten you regardless, Olive.", he said with a grin.
He stepped closer to her.
"I assure you that it is very real... I am very, very real.", he whispered.
Her eyes widened.
"No, no! Oh... I just want to go home... please...", she croaked out through her sobs.
His composure momentarily faltered at her words.
"Go home?", he asked. After that, he let out a laugh.
"Oh, but why would you want to go home, Olive?", he said with a grin.
"Look at you, so pathetic and weak... where is your bravery now, Olive? Where is it?", he hissed.
"Don't make me laugh, Olive... who would you return to now, exactly? Such a broken person is unfit for even their friends, their family... apart from that, they already have what they are looking for, all in a single person called Sebastian Hornby.", he finished sweetly.
A few more tears ran down her cheeks along with pathetic sniffles.
"Besides, Olive...", he said, pausing.
"I believe it's all over for you now."
Her frail body shuddered at those words.
"Why... what do you mean?", she asked, exhausted, the fear creeping up on her so much so that she began standing up.
He smiled. She watched with a pale face as he raised his arm in the air, looking in the distance and opening his mouth.
Though, instead of regular speech coming out of it, there was a low, hissing sound that horrified her to her core.
"N-No... I don't...", she croaked out with wide eyes.
He turned to face her, a manic grin plastered on his face.
"Someone... HELP! PLEASE!", she screamed.
"HELP! I BEG-"
The air was knocked out of her lungs by a harsh force that bound her in place. Her weak form flailed and writhed in place, her eyes being forcefully open by a force too strong to resist.
"Do not move.", came a low hiss.
"The more you squirm, the more it'll hurt."
"NO! PLEASE! I DON'T WANT TO-"
She briefly managed to unbind herself and run away before once again being bound in place and dragged back.
"SEBASTIAN, PLEASE! I'M SO SORRY! I NEVER WANTED THIS-"
"I am the bane of your existence."
"I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
"I am the heir of Slytherin."
"I DON'T-"
With a sudden jolt, she faced the dark corner of a hallway, upon which her weak form instantly became limp and dropped onto the cold floor.
"I am Tom Marvolo Riddle."
guys i know this is a lot to process but please trust me
ill be back with an update and everything will work out in the end