The bustling street of Diagon Alley filled the ears of Larissa Black as she stepped out into the crowds of wizards and witches. Her bags floated closely behind her as she crossed the street in the direction of Quality Quidditch Supplies. The brooms she'd flown in her own time were the best of the best made out of dark mahogany wood and could reach dangerous speeds. The broom that sat proudly on two gold stands in the window of the shop wasn't as sleek and professional as the one she had at home but it was the best the wizarding world could provide at the time she was in. Pushing the oak door open she was greeted with the strong smell of leather and wood.
The sound of her heeled shoes against the wooden floor filled the small shop, alerting the shop owner of a new customer. The blonde man standing behind the counter looked up and caught the eye of Larissa.
"Is this the only broom you have?" She questioned while motioning the the wooden broom positioned in the window.
"No Mam we have certain brooms reserved for special clients in the back."
"Well may I see them?"
"I'm sorry Miss, like I said they are reserved for special customers only, but your welcome to take a look at the other brooms we stock."
"Well..." she paused for a moment before leaning forward and placing a pouch of galleons on the counter. "Timothy is it?" He nodded tightly and his jaw clicked in anticipation as he stared up at the woman towering over his five foot four build. "Well Timothy I do hope I can have a look at them brooms now, six hundred galleons is a lot to turn down." She smiled and watched as he motioned her to follow him through one of the small doors behind the wooden counter.
Placing her white bags on the counter, she removed her black gloves and followed him through. A dark room with curved glass ceilings greeted her eyes as she stepped through the small door. The room was large and long with heavy limestone's paving the floor, dusty bricks layered the walls a quarter of the way up before bricks became glass, antique lamps hung from the glass ceiling, casting deep yellow shades over the large worktop situated in the centre of the room. As Larissa leaned in closer she noticed the large collection of different polishing solutions, speed enhancers and paints that was spread across the oak table. Letting her eyes flit around the room she bounced from the large piles of wood in the corner to the wood sculpting tools hung next to an array of black cases, as she looked closer she spotted small gold lettering in the corner of the box, moving forward Larissa lowered herself and allowed her dainty fingers to reach out and touch the textured case, the letters QQS were stamped into the velvet with gold ink. These must be the 'special clients' brooms she thought to herself, with a small roll of her eyes she stood from the crouching positing she was in by the cases and turned to face the shop assistant, who stood and watch her as she explored the room with her eyes.
'It's seems as though you have all the facilities to make me a new broom Tim.' she sent him a small smirk and watched as he began to collect the necessary tools.
'Is there any particular wood you like mam?' He replied quickly, his face suddenly flaming up to match the colour of his long red coat.
'The most powerful you have Timothy. Use your talent to make me the best bespoke broom you can offer, do whatever you like but make sure it's fast!' With that Larissa smiled and watched as the young man's cheeks inflamed with colourful flattery. Turning towards the exit she muttered one last thing to the broom maker before ducking through the exit.
'Make it green.'
*
Larissa heard Timothy shout on her way out, reminding her that it'll be ready in an hour and with that she placed her large hat back on her head, picked up her bags and left Quality Quidditch Supplies.
It must have been nearing close to five o'clock in the evening when Larissa slipped down the dingy alley leading into Knockturn Alley, liquor on her mind. If she was right then hopefully Larson's Liquor shop was still there- well yet established. Strange looking wizards and witches wearing even stranger looking hats moved slowly from one dark looking shop to another. The cobbled stone under her feet became colder as she walked further into the labyrinth that is Knockturn Alley.
Finally after two lefts and a right Larissa walked through a tall black gate that led through into a courtyard. Tall brick buildings covered in black smog towered over the small square court. Four dingy looking shops sat one by one. The August sun was soon setting, painting beautiful collages of pinks and oranges across the London sky. A singular black lamp post flickered to life as the bells from the nearest church began to chime, five bells. Five o'clock.
To her luck Larson's Liquor Shop still stood there proudly, the purple paint however looked fresh and free of cracks and weather damage. Large bottles of magical alcohol sat in the display window, Burning Firewisky, Goblin made Gins and Reptile Rums all sat in different glass bottles. Next door to the Liquor shop sat a potions supply shop, filled with all sorts of illegal potion ingredients. Larissa made a note to visit the shop before leaving. The last two shops sat directly next to each other, one was labelled- 'Borgin and Burkes' however the other gave no indication to be a shop at all but a bar although it appeared to be pretty dead.
The sound of Larissa's shoes echoed from one wall to another as she approached the drinks store. With her head held down Larissa pulled her hat down to cover one side of her face as she passed the bar next to Borgin and Burkes. As she passed Larissa turned to look into one of the large bay windows, low yellow lighting flooded through the glass and illuminated inside. Inside very much contradicted the outside, plush emerald armchairs were situated around long mahogany tables that had dark candles burning atop of them. Without lingering for too long Larissa proceeded on to the alcohol shop.
The door was large and heavy to push, but still a little bell chimed as she walked through the entrance threshold. It was apparent from the deadly silence that she was the only one in the shop beside from a much younger looking Lawrence Larson, who sat perched on a stool behind the counter. High shelves of liquor reaching the ceiling loomed over her dauntingly.
"Good Afternoon Madam, how can I help today?" A falsely plastered smile was etched on his face. Larissa had to remind herself that this Larson was a different person to who she knew, although the smile was obviously fake, Larissa was able to noticed the much lighter aura surrounding the shop keeper.
"Just here to purchase alcohol Mr. Larson, I know my way around." She flashed him a brief smile before moving to the back in the direction of the Whisky. With her wand she levitated two bottles of firewhisky over to the counter and began picking out different wines, Gins and champagnes, levitating multiple bottles at a time over. When she finished there must have been maybe fifteen or more bottles on the wooden counter. Larson didn't say much as he lightened and shrunk the bottles into one small bag, Larissa watched him work methodically as each bottle was done individually.
Before long all fifteen bottles were placed in a bag and handed over to Larissa who accepted the bag eagerly. After paying the man Larissa thanked him and stepped back out into the courtyard. The sun had began to set now and a dark cloudy fog settled on the cobbled streets. Quickly Larissa tuned and approached the small potions supply shop. This shop too had two large bay windows situated either side of the blue door. As she entered the shop Larissa was hit with the smell of burning paper. The shops ceiling was much lower than Larson's and significant more cramped. On one side of the shop there were rows of bookshelves that twisted into dark elaborate mazes of knowledge. On the other masses of shelves filled to the brim with different potion ingredients and equipment. As she entered she descended four or five steep steps that led to the long hallway that split the shop in half, an old looking man stood behind the counter a book perched in his hands. He didn't look up but simply quirked an eyebrow at the young woman.
Larissa allowed herself to wander into the maze of books, her fingers skimming the leather bindings as she looked for one book in particular that she had intended to read in her own time. Betty Bloomers book to blood curses. It was a dark book that would only be found in dark arts shops or old pureblood library's.
Larissa's stoney eyes followed the Author's names as they ascended alphabetically. .K......J.......I......H.....G....F.......E.....D......C and finally B. The letter B was found at the very end of one of the bookshelves, a large portion of the shelf was dedicated to Bagshot, Backhurst and finally Bloomers. Excited Larissa's hand flew up to the top shelf, skimming down Betty Bloomers extensive work on blood and sacrificial magic. Finally her eyes landed on the book she had been searching for. Betty Bloomers Book To Blood Curses was sat on the far left top shelf of the book case. Sighing Larissa strained to reach up to the top shelf, her hand barely touching the bottom of the book. Just as she was about to summon the book herself, a long arm reached over to pluck the book off the shelf.
Turning Larissa came face to face with a freshly pressed white shirt. The owner of the shirt was tall and towering over her small frame. The man stepped back a little and handed her the book without a word.
'I may be a woman, but I can assure you I'm capable of getting my own book." Larissa's eyes hardened into a cold stare as she took in the man stood in-front of her. He looked young. Perhaps in his early twenties. His hair was long at the front and gathered in dark curls, but the sides were cut sorter, the hairstyle it's self looked dated and allowed for small strands to get caught up in his heavy set eyebrows that were pulled into a cold scowl. Larissa became aware that the man wasn't often spoke down to from the look on his face. He was dressed well, his shirt was tucked into a pair of black trousers and hidden under a dark waistcoat. A blazer was placed on top and under a long black trench coat.
She met his eye. Cold and dark. A sinister smile pulled at his lips as he smirked at her before replying in a low sharp voice.
"It didn't look that way." She went to turn away but before she could, a large hand was extended in front of her. "I'll let the rudeness slide this time as not many young witches are interested in dark blood curses. I'm Tom. Tom Riddle" Was all he said.
Slipping her small hand into one of his big ones, she grasped it hard, before replying.
"And I'm someone who doesn't give out their name very often. Names are a powerful thing Tom, you should be careful who you dish it out to." With that said she turned on her heal immediately and walked off with an air of indifference. She felt his dark calculating eyes narrow on her back as she walked off from him, in the direction of the counter.
Larissa quickly paid for her book and departed the shop. The cool air hit her immediately and so did the darkness. Judging by the lack of light Larissa determined that it had been an hour since she left the quidditch shop and headed off in the direction to collect her broom.
She rushed quickly through the metal gate and back the way she came until she was stood in the much quieter street of Diagon Alley. The quidditch store was only a few shops away and so she headed in the correct direction.
Again the little bell chimed as she entered, and Timothy looked up from his position behind the counter. He smiled briefly at her before motioning to the back. Following, Larissa was led back into the dark room where her new broom sat proudly among emerald silk. Immediately her face lit up like a child on Christmas. The broom was a dark green wood shined with the best broom polish. The neck led smoothly into the smart looking end. The bang of the case closing alerted Larissa back to reality as she suddenly grasped the velvet handle.
"I hope this is alright Mam, I've done everything to make it one of the best brooms Quality Quiddich Supplies has ever produced. Not many customers have access to this type of broom, I hope you use it wisely" Timothy rambled on to Larissa as they made there way back towards the front of the shop where Larissa placed seven shiny galleons on the counter, offering the seventh up as a tip for the good service. Timothy thanked her greatly, before she turned and exited back into the street.
However unaware to Larissa, two dark coffee eyes followed her down the street as she made her way towards the apparition point. Intrigued the man preserved in time followed behind her, one gloved hand occasionally lifting up to part the curly waves in his hair. No one had dared to speak to him the way the woman did, and yet she did while pocketing one of the darkest books on the illegal market. That's what sparked his curiosity, the book on blood curses; see it took a very particular type of witch to perform the ritual required for blood curses, a witch he was in dire need of for the next stage of his plans. This woman he realised was essential in his plans, whether she knew it or not. Larissa didn't turn around when she felt the cold hand of legilimency crawling up the back of her neck, her fingers clenched tightly against the skin of her palm, small crescent moons began to swell with blood as her painted nails pierced the skin on her hand. The crystal walls around her mind and memories fought hard to throw out the intruder stood behind her. The smell of smoke began to flood her her nose painfully as the man behind her lit a cigarette, the smell fuelled the inching burning of addiction at the back of her throat and soon drove her to disapparate away to the cold village of Hogsmede
With a sharp pop, he watched as she disappeared into thin air, she had forcefully and successfully thrown him out of her mind and that intrigued the handsome man. Tom soon followed and disappeared with a pop. The destinations of both prodigies however were far from similar.
Tom Riddle.
1965.