Burning Obsessions; Tom Riddle

38: When We're Alone

[victoria's pov]

"I love you so much, child, don't you ever forget that," Gwendlyn said, kissing my forehead. "Make sure to keep sending posts so I know where you are."

We were standing at the doors of Featherington's orphanage. Though I was legally eighteen years old, I still had some things to pick up before Tom picked me up. The noise in the orphanage was quieter now, as much has changed since I visited around the holidays. Gwendlyn could not help but tear up at the sight of my bags.

"You're so grown now," she said, continuing her speech that had started before we had even set off the stairs. "I wish I was there for you more instead of being stuck here. I'm glad you at least had the opportunity to go to such a great school."

We heard a motor outside and she pulled me in for a hug one last time. Now that I thought about it, she had also gotten older. Her hair was thinner and she seemed to have gained weight. She had smile-wrinkles, yet she had the same smile since the day I could remember.

"I'm going to miss you so much," I said, hugging her back.

There was a knock at the entrance of the door and we broke our hug, grabbing my things to go. She walked me outside, carrying some of my bags.

"Wherever will you be staying anyway?" she asked, realising I never specified.

"Knockturn Alley."

As expected, Gwendlyn had never heard of it. And I hoped it would stay that way. My trip did not take long, as all I could imagine was where I would go from here. Did Tom really have everything planned out? His revolution?

Knockturn Alley was fully devoted to the dark arts. Left and right looked, I only saw strangers. And not a single one of them looked friendly. They all looked strange and most of all, suspicious.

Though I knew I possessed power, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable as I carried my bags through the alley.

"Building 13B," I kept thinking to myself. "We're almost there."

I suddenly lose sight of the numbers on the buildings. Knockturn Alley was not the best place to navigate as shadows casted upon many areas.

There's many people muttering to themselves and amongst their small groups. But it was more like incantations than an actual conversation. Or a recital of spell books.

"-meant to cure the life of a squib."

"Little village and fungi."

I felt a sudden grab on my right-handed wrist. I drop my bag and back up with surprise. From the shadows, a thin and boney wizard approached me slowly and pointed at me.

"What a lovely ring," he wheezed. "How much do you reckon it'll cost, eh?"

To his left, a woman also emerged from the shadows. She looked almost exactly like him as both their faces were wrinkled and scarred by the consequences of the dark arts.

"It looks familiar, donnit, Gargamel?" she said, eyeing me. "Where did you get that ring, girl?"

I slowly withdrew my wand from under my cloak and the woman lunged at me, snatching my wand. While at it, her long, sharp nails scratched deep into my forehand, leaving blood dripping from the scratches. The wind that blew against my skin.

She and the man cackle at the sight of my blood but they stop immediately after a moment. I looked down at my hands and the wounds were now gone.

I remembered the taste of the blue, silver ambrosia.

"Vampire!" the man spat.

"Demon, not a vampire!" the woman exclaimed. "Shoot her with some of your curses!"