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𝖗𝖊𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓 𝖙𝖔 𝖍𝖔𝖌𝖜𝖆𝖗𝖙𝖘
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23 August 1942
Elena never would've guessed that on that unsuspecting august evening she'd be standing helpless in the darkest part of the orphanage's garden with the caretaker just a few steps away from her. There was a dark glimmer in his eyes that made Elena shiver. Her wand was back in her room and the man had her cornered.
She should've seen it coming really, the man had been giving her extra food for the past few days and had asked her to help with some paperwork. She had refrained from going into his mind, a mistake on her part. She wished Dumbledore had never taught her to control it. Though, she didn't need to read his mind to know what the caretaker was thinking now, his thoughts were reflected clearly in his eyes.
"Come on now, Elena. You know you won't get out of here any time soon." His lips curled up into a sickening grin that made her want to throw up. "Why don't you take this as an opportunity," he reached out a hand, "and stop recoiling."
Elena looked around. She needed to get out of there and get out without magic at that. Her eyes landed on a broken shovel not too far off to her right, she took small steps towards it keeping her eyes still on the man.
"I could put you up in the system, I could get you a job at one of the pubs downtown." He just kept going, his insufferable tone made Elena wish she had her wand. "Now, now, play along."
His eyes found the shovel and before Elena could move he grabbed her hair pulling her head backwards. Elena cried out in pain. Once she got her wand... then this man would see, but until then she was left at his mercy.
As his hand reached for her skirt she felt the grip on her hair loosen and the man fell down before her. She tried to catch her breath, tears falling down her eyes involuntarily. She backed into the stone wall as a standing silhouette approached her. She could hear them ask if she was okay, she just shook her head. The silhouette kicked the man on the ground as his cry filled the now silent night.
"Elena," the voice had started to become clearer, Elena closed her eyes leaning on the wall. It was Tojo Rin, a boy one year older than her that had just arrived at the orphanage. They had never spoken before but she'd seen him around, usually alone. He gently took her arm and pulled her away from the scene. When they got to a place with light he let go of her hand and apologised. Elena's puffy eyes were now visible and his look shifted to one of concern. "Are you okay? I wasn't too late, was I?"
She shook her head. She had never felt so vulnerable. She needed help from a guy she had never even met in order to free herself of the man. If Rin wasn't there... She figured she needed to thank him, nobody at the orphanage had ever even attempted to help her. She had obviously been silent for too long that Rin put his hands on her shoulders and tried to reassure her. "I'll make sure the administration knows about this. He won't get away-"
Elena laughed, she laughed for an abnormally long duration that Rin grew more and more concerned. She stopped abruptly and sighed. "They won't do anything. I am not the first, but I can assure you I will be the last."
"Don't go out alone at night," he sighed. Elena laughed to herself, this muggle was caring too much about a random person he had just met. "Will you be able to go to your room?"
"Yeah, thank you." She gave him a small smile and rushed away.
•❅────✧❅✦❅✧────❅•
24 August 1942
Elena buried her head into the pillow and rolled in her bed for the millionth time that night. If she had foreseen that killing the caretaker would cost her her night's sleep she would've waited until morning. Shortly after she was done with him someone saw the body and decided to wake everyone up to tell them there was a dead person in the garden. The staff were terrified that the little children would see it, so the man's body was left in the garden until the afternoon when he was taken for an autopsy.
She knew they wouldn't be able to trace it back to her, she had found a way around the Trace a few months ago and could freely do magic, even though she didn't choose to. At the orphanage anything she did could reach Dumbledore's ears, so she hadn't let her guard down- the day before was an exception. She had been careless enough to let that man get close to her, but she was glad to have been able to protect herself when she had to.
This is why she was more confident than ever returning to Hogwarts for her fifth year. Tom Riddle wouldn't be a bother to her, despite sharing the same friend group they had managed to interact as little as possible. To Elena he was nothing more than the stuck-up know-it-all who often challenged her for the top spot, and she hoped to keep it that way.
The morning came like it did every day and Elena found herself in the way of a tsunami of thoughts, she had learned to control it fairly well, but at times like this it got too loud. Now, in the dining hall everyone was thinking the same thing.
Are we in danger?
They say it was a heart attack but I heard screaming last night.
Why was she back there?
That last one caught her attention, she tried to focus on it.
If she had killed him then the Ministry would know, no... it can't be her.
Ministry... He was a wizard, so it could only be one person... Elena's knees almost gave out, she looked around for him but in the crowd she couldn't find anyone. This was bad, really really bad. If he knew Dumbledore could know, and so could the Ministry. She had to find him and make him believe it was just a heart attack, or she could do what she had done six years ago.
"Hey," she heard a voice behind her say. "I'm glad to see you made it out safely."
It was Rin. Elena turned around, avoiding looking in his eyes. "Thanks to you."
"I heard the man got what he deserved." He shrugged.
"You didn't have anything to do with it, did you?" Playing dumb, that was her best card. She couldn't give herself away.
"Are you accusing me of murder?" Rin laughed. His laugh brought a smile onto her lips and she felt her cheeks burn. Why was he so calm talking about a murder? "I might have, I might have not. Aren't you glad he's gone?"
"I am." She looked in his brown eyes that were hidden behind his fringe, it was odd seeing such warmth in one's eyes, especially someone at the orphanage. Being one year older than her he was taller also. She couldn't help but want to know what he was thinking.
I should've taken her back to her room.
She laughed lightly and shook her head. Hopefully the people here wouldn't change him, he wasn't too bad for a muggle. "I'll see you around."
•❅────✧❅✦❅✧────❅•
1 September 1942
King's Cross Station was as crowded as ever when Elena walked in through the gates. She was early, though the Malfoys always came earlier than she did. She wandered around the station looking for them, keeping one eye on the clock. Times like these, when she was all alone, didn't really happen at Hogwarts, they belonged to the orphanage.
Someone called out her name from behind and the sound of a bag dropping followed. Elena found herself trapped tightly between the arms of the blonde haired girl. Orion Malfoy, Abraxas' younger sister, was adamant on not letting her go.
"Oh, I've missed you so much," she squeezed her further, if that was even possible.
Elena struggled to untangle herself, "You know I'm not a hugger." Orion finally let her go. "But I've missed you too," she said with a warm smile.
She then turned to Abraxas, with the same smile on her face. He was the brother she never had, she wouldn't have survived her first year without him. "Hello to you too, Abraxas."
He scoffed trying to hide his smile and rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go or we'll have to sit with some first year."
Abraxas hurried away, leaving the girls behind. "Aren't you going to wait for Tom?" Elena shouted after him.
"Well, I believe he can find his way around here."
Now the only thing standing between her and the magical world she so longed for was the wall between platforms 9 and 10. She would never get used to it, she loved closing her eyes then opening them to a dream.
First the two Malfoys ran to the wall, then Elena followed them. She smiled as she opened her eyes to the red steam. She didn't feel the absence of a parent anymore, her first two years the Malfoys were there but then they stuck to just dropping them off at the station. Elena felt like they wanted to see her as little as possible but she had spent every break, apart from summer holidays at the Malfoy Manor for the last four years per Abraxas and Orion's request.
"Isn't Riddle coming?" Orion asked once they were on the train. Abraxas looked at Elena expecting an answer.
"How am I supposed to know?" Elena scoffed, "It's not like he cares what I do at all, why should I?"
"I just don't get why you two come here separately." Abraxas shrugged. He slid open a door and let the girls in.
"I don't get why we shouldn't." said Elena, "Anyways, Orion... How was your holiday?"
"It's always the same," she pouted. "Mom and dad never let me leave the house-"
Abraxas cut in, "It's cause you wander around in the woods-"
"I don't."
"Even I know you do." Tom Riddle appeared at the door. Suddenly everyone sat straighter, their smiles faded ever so slightly. Tom sat down next to Abraxas, ignoring or flat out not noticing their change in behaviour. Everyone waited for him to take out his book but he didn't. He sat staring at Elena like he was trying to figure something out, a curious glimmer in his eyes.
"So, how was your holiday?" Orion asked Elena, trying to lighten the mood.
"Nothing much," she shrugged.
"Nothing much? Please, there was a murder at the orphanage." Tom cut in, Elena held her breath.
"It wasn't murder... He had a heart attack."
"A man in his forties mysteriously dies in the middle of the night in the garden," he leaned forward, eyes locked in Elena's. "There is no proof of murder, none at all. The perfect crime the muggles would call it, the killing curse."
"Interesting theory," it was definitely his thoughts she had heard back at the orphanage, "Do you have any proof?"
Tom shrugged, "I don't need proof. That was an awful man, he deserved what he got."
After a long silence of Elena and Tom staring at each other Orion reached into her bag and took out Chocolate Frogs, handing them out. "I hate when you all get like this, come on there's still a long way to school. Eat."
Tom took the piece of chocolate rather jollily and brought it firmly to his mouth. His relaxedness was in stark contrast with Elena, whose mind was all over the place as she did little to stop the frog from jumping on the window.
"Oh, look how you ruined it!" said Orion grabbing the frog and putting it back in the box. "Anyways, I heard you two are the Prefects this year. Congrats!"
Abraxas shifted in his seat, "What's it like being Dippet's favourite, Riddle?"
"I have yet to test its limits," Tom said, "He's not going to be the principal in a few years is all I know. Dumbledore is in the talks to replace him."
"Does it matter?" Orion asked.
Elena shrugged, "Well, Dumbledore is the only professor not enchanted by his charisma."
"So you find me charismatic," Tom raised a brow.
"I admit you have the talent of persuasion bestowed upon you."
"Just stop it," Abraxas cut in.
Tom shot one sly glance at Elena and turned to his bag. Elena took notice of the book he was reading. It wasn't a muggle book he stole from the orphanage, it was a magical one. Secrets of the Darkest Art it read.
Elena sighed, "This is going to be one long ride."