Marked • Tom Riddle

His Ways

   "How wonderful," I smiled, but Ruth did not seem to match my excitement. No, her face was laced in a deep concern that dug a deep pit in my stomach. She was exceptionally talented in the art of divination, she could sense things other wizards and witches could not. When I had asked her about Matilda at the Winter's ball, she had told me she had sensed their distaste for her before I'd even left the group. She was a very empathic witch; it was hard to lie to her, it was even harder to hide things from her, so when she looked at me with eyes filled with terror, I could not help but grow scared myself.

   Madame Eglentyne led us through the corridors, reciting facts about the building and going into great detail about how the Dark Lord's money was being put to use. "What is it?" I whispered to Ruth when Madame Eglentyne's back was turned to us.

   "I don't know, Karina, but there's something really wrong here," Ruth whispered back, her eyes inspecting the building. The building was quiet, eerily quiet. The other two had been filled with the wild energy of children running around and playing, their laughter ringing off the walls, whereas this one sat dead, void of any life or joyous noise.

   Madame Eglentyne suddenly stopped and turned towards us. Surprised, Ruth and I stopped dead in our tracks, the Aurors behind us nearly bumping into us. "Here we are, the performance hall," Madame Eglentyne's lip turned up in a horrific smile, transgressing every frown line on her face. This woman did not smile often and I hated to say it, but she shouldn't. Definitely not in front of children. I could've sworn I felt the Auror behind me shudder.

   We were sat in the front row before a stage where a handful of children sang to provide a lovely choir performance, while another handful of much younger children, closer to the ages of 3-5, performed a very adorable dance. I could not help but smile, but the feeling of concern from Ruth's warning still lingered. Suddenly, one of the younger children, a boy, fell on stage during the performance. The auror beside me gasped but quickly covered it up with a cough.

   "Oh no," Ruth said, watching as the boy began to cry while the children around him stopped their dance, unsure of what to do.

   Madame Eglentyne quickly entered the scene, "Ah children, they're prone to such simple mistakes. Apologies for the disaster."

   "No, it was great," I assured her and then looked at the children. "You all were great." They seemed nervous and the boy continued to cry. "I've brought gifts for you all," I said, hoping that would ease their nerves. The children all turned their attention to Madame Eglentyne.

   "Yes... gifts," she said. With the snap of her fingers, a worker at the orphanage came to her side. "Take little Tommy into the other room to calm down, while I lead our guests into the rec room to distribute the gifts." The worker nodded, following the headmistress' orders by stepping on stage and leading the crying boy, Tommy, out of the room. The boy's cries only worsened as he was led out, a firm hand placed on his shoulder by the worker. I watched them go.

   Ruth pulled at my arm in worry, "Karina."

   "I know," I said.

   Madame Eglentyne clapped her hands together, "This way everyone, please!" She led everyone, including the children to a different room, but I stayed back with Ruth and the Aurors.

   "Stall for me," I told Ruth. "Tell her I went to the ladies' room."

   "Where are you going?" one of the Aurors said, the one that had gasped when the boy had fallen.

   "I have to go check on something."

   "We can't let you go alone," he said.

   I narrowed my eyes at him. "What if I actually had to use the ladies' room. Would you accompany me then?"