Sparks -Tom Riddle

Chapter Three

Marilyn

The following day, I gave Professor Slughorn the list. I made the decision to sneak to Hogsmeade with my friends. We hadn't gotten together to spend time in a while. I headed to One-Eyed Witch Passage where my friends were waiting for me. It was a secret tunnel that led us to Honeydukes Sweetshop.

"Finally, you're here." I rolled my eyes at Seamus' exaggerated tone. He fluffed my hair as I hugged him. "I never see you anymore." He said. I've been best friends with Septimus Weasley for almost six years. We met in out first year on the train to Hogwarts. We were both shy to speak to each other until Seamus handed me a chocolate frog. We once dated in Year 4 but decided we were better off as friends.

"Are you two done?" My friend Edwina said while smiling at us. She still ships to this day, no matter how many times I told her that our relationship will always be platonic.

We entered the passage, leading us to the celler of the Honeydukes. Septimus helped me get out of the celler. I dusted my coat before heading to the door. I then remembered I finished my favourite candy, sherbet lemon. "Wait, I have to buy sherbet lemon." I said.

Edwina looked at the clock in the shop. "It is ussually very crowded at Three Broomstick at this time, how about you get your candies and I see whether there is any tables left." I nodded, and I asked Septimus to accompany her. I filled the bag with the sherbet lemon and filled some other candies Septimus and Edwina liked. I took it to the counter and paid for it.

I stepped outside, the chill in the air was biting, I closed the buttons of my coat. I looked around to see the people on the streets were bundled up in layers of clothing, gloves, scarves, and hats to keep themselves warm. The first few snowflakes started to fall from the sky. I loved it when it snowed so I sat on a bench and watch the snowflakes. They were glistening like diamonds, floating down slowly, landing softly on the ground, and soon enough, the entire Hogsmeade was covered in a thick blanket of white.

After a while, I got up and walked to the Three Broomsticks, but I couldn't see my friends inside. I walked outside, and the further I walked, the fewer people I saw. I was still unfamiliar with the directions as I don't come to Hogsmeade often and everytime I came here, my friends were able to guide the way."Hey, are you lost?" I turn around to see a man standing in front of me. I couldn't see him clearly, but I could see the sign behind him written in a bold words 'Knockturn Alley'.

I remember my mother straightly warned me not to wander around Knockturn Alley. Knockturn Alley was an alley devoted to Dark Arts. I was told wizards and witches hanging around here were dangerous and acted fairly suspicious. I didn't respond to the man. I drew out my wand subtly, keeping it close in case something happened. "I simply want to offer you my help," he said when he noticed I am holding my wand.

As he came closer to me, I backed away until my back hit the wall. "Thank you, sir, but I am not lost, and I don't need your help," I said. Despite my words, he continued to come closer, so I pointed my wand and shouted, "Everte statum." The force of the spell caused the man to fly backward, and he groaned in agony as he fell. He quickly got up and took his wand out of his coat, pointing it at me.

The man shouted a spell, "Lacurnum Inflamare!" I recognized it and quickly used the "Protego" spell to shield myself. The ball of fire rebounded and the man dodged it, slipping on the snow. I tried to run away, but he hit me with a spell that caused me to lose my grip on my wand. Despite the pain in my leg, I got up and tried to reach for my wand, which was now too far away.

"I just wanted to help, we didn't need wand here, now did we?" He said while smirking, coming closer to me. He was way stronger than I am. I couldn't push him.

"And I said I don't need your help." I said while glaring at him. I tried to walk away but he held my wrist. "Leave me." I tried to free my wrist but I couldn't.

"She said to leave her." The man turned, allowing me to see who just spoke. Riddle stood there pointing his wand to the man. "Expelliarmus." He flew backward, hitting the wall. Riddle ran towards me, helping me to get up. He took the wand from the ground and gave it to me. He placed me behind himself, once he was sure the man was unconscious. "Are you okay?" He asked, looking for any signs of injury.

"Yes, but I hurt my leg." I said while pointing to the injury. Riddle helped me out of Knockturn Alley, supporting me as we walked to a nearby bench. Once we were seated, he used the spell "Brakium Emendo" to heal my leg and checked to ensure it was okay.

"Thank you!" I said. He nodded and sat next to me.

"What were you doing in Knockturn Alley? Do you have any idea how dangerous that place is? Especially at night." He questioned with a scowl.

"I am aware of the danger that exists there. My friends were supposed to be waiting for me in Three Broomstick, and I was finding them. I don't come here often, I am not familiar with the directions here. I should have just stayed in one direction instead of wandering around." I confessed to him, ashamed of my lack of thorough direction knowledge.

Because of the cold, Tom's hand was trembling and his cheeks were red. He wasn't wearing gloves or a scarf, and the coat he was wearing was clearly insufficient to keep him warm. "Please give me your hands." I inquired.

He gave me a puzzled look and said, "I'm sorry, what?" I took his hands in mine and put the gloves on him. "You don't have to." He mumbled. I also took my scarf and covered it around his neck. "Stop! What are you doing?" I didn't respond. "What about you, don't you feel cold?" He asked. "I'm wearing turtleneck to keep me warm and my sleeves are very long, it's covering my hand." I answered.

Tom

"I'm not thanking you." I wanted to but I didn't know how to thank her. "I didn't expect you to." She gazed up at the sky in awe. She sighed, mesmerized at the beauty unfolding in front of her.

I watched her quietly, she looked so peaceful and content. I couldn't help but notice how the colors of the sky perfectly complemented her features. Lost in thought, she turned to me and asked me, "Is breath-taking, isn't it?"

"Without a doubt," I replied. But I wasn't looking at the sky anymore, my eyes were fully trained on her. She didn't listen to what I said.

"You really have a problem with staring." She looked at me weirdly. "I do not." She chuckles at my response. "Liar!" I let out a genuine smile.

"Can I ask you a question?" She asked me and I nodded. "What were you doing in Knockturn Alley?" I went to a Dark Arts book shop there, acquiring information regarding the possiblity of making more than one horcrux. The books had no information about making multiple horcrux. The shop didn't have any books reagrding it. I noticed Hudson on the ground as I was exiting the store. But I wasn't going to tell her that.

To save me from the question, someone called me. I turned around to see Amelia calling me. She was running toward me and Hudson. I looked at Hudson and she was panicking. "She can't see me and you together. I'm apparating." She said. Amelia could only see me from where we were sitting, Hudson was blocked from the tree in front of her. As she was about to leave, I held her wrist. "Stay," She looksed at me like I was a madman.

Amelia reached us, "Tom, what are you doing here?" She asked then her gaze turned from me to our hands clasp, she furrowed her brows when she saw Hudson. "What are you doing here with Tom?" She demanded from Hudson. She clenched her jaw and let go of my hand.

"Amelia, firstly, I would appreciate if you don't talk to her in that tone and secondly, who I'm with is none of your business." Her mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"Let's go, Marilyn!" Before she could say anything, I held her hand once again and start walking away from Amelia. When we stopped, she removed her hand from mine. "Are you mad?" She yelled at me, the locals stopped and looked at us. Hudson noticed and took a breath to calm herself down. "You just made me a target of Amelia." She whispered-yelled at me.

"How so?" I questioned. "I can't believe you are a topper, isn't it obvious that she is obsessed with you. She doesn't like it when other girls are near you. She is going to make my life a living hell." She shouted at me.

"Date me then," I suggested.