This boy that Elizabeth had been so irritated by earlier was now the boy her and Walburga faced.
"What are you two doing up here so late?" Tom Riddle asked the two girls. Elizabeth didn't know what to say, but was prompted by Walburga gently elbowing her waist.
"Oh, I was coming to get a drink of water and Walburga is showing me where the fountain is," Elizabeth explained, thanking the gods she was a good liar.
Walburga seemed impressed by her new friend's ability to lie; she figured this may come in handy for her. "Yes, so the fountain is back there," Walburga sloppily pointed to a corner of the Common Room, not taking her eyes off of Tom.
Elizabeth shrugged and walked that way, actually craving some water at that point. She looked back and saw Walburga with a piece of her hair around her finger, twirling it every few seconds. Elizabeth had no idea how Walburga could be that confident wearing that little sliver of a night dress. Tom and Walburga were making small conversation and he seemed to like her. When she filled up the nearby glass with the water, she waited for Walburga's signal until she walked back to them.
"So, Tom, I'll see you tomorrow in Charms," Walburga walked off, cueing Elizabeth to follow her.
Elizabeth looked over her shoulder to see Tom's eyes had been fixed on her. She continued walking and soon disappeared down the stairs. Walburga let out a huge sigh.
"That went terrible," she groaned and Elizabeth furrowed her brows.
"I thought that went well," Elizabeth claimed, thinking back on Walburga's playful laughs mixed with Tom's soft chuckles.
"He didn't even look at my outfit, I swear to Merlin, he's into guys," Walburga rolled her green eyes as they walked back into the dormitory.
They were met with Matilda and Melissa who basically pounced on them to hear the details. Walburga explained how nothing had happened.
"Hey Melissa, what time is it?" Matilda asked.
"Late," Melissa laid down on her bed and put a sleeping mask on.
Matilda grabbed her Hogwarts robe and buttoned it over her nightdress, "Shoot! That's why Tom is awake! I have to monitor the stupid prefects. I hate Dippet for making me Prefect. You just know Elena Transton would take it within a heart beat."
"At least you get to run around with Tom after hours," Walburga flopped down onto her bed.
"I don't get to run around, I have to make sure the prefects aren't screwing up," Matilda slipped on her small heels.
"Or literally screwing," Melissa mumbled under her breath.
"One time! That happened one time!" Matilda yelled at Melissa.
Matilda waved goodbye to the other three girls and walked out. Walburga put on her sleeping mask as well and pulled the green quilted blankets over her.
Elizabeth did the same with her blankets, saying goodnight to the girls. She pulled the curtains around her bed, engulfing her in a green darkness.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep to the sound of a wolf howling in the distance.
-
Elizabeth was woken up almost immediately when a scream of a girl was heard from another room. She opened the curtains to see the sun almost rising and the other girls still sound asleep. She decided to get dressed, as breakfast would be starting in a while and she could be early.
After Elizabeth was ready with her bag slung over her shoulder, she walked to the area where she thought the screaming had come from. She hesitated before knocking on the door slightly. "Hello? Are you okay in there?"
A young blonde girl opened the door, "It is fine, just a nightmare," she said, dismissing Elizabeth with a close of the door.
"To think I missed out on an hours extra of sleep for this," Elizabeth huffed and walked up the stairs. The Common Room was empty, but she heard noise coming from upstairs, meaning people were awake.
She opened the door and walked down the hallway where she had first spoken to Tom Riddle. Elizabeth walked up the spiral staircase and through the now, more lightly-lit hallway. She greeted the portrait of the lady with the bread who had directed her the previous night.
The long hall that she had seen the day before as a grand dining hall, was now a simple breakfast area with pastries and fruits laid out on the tables. A few students were already sitting down and enjoying their breakfast.
She sat down at the same table as she had during the dinner feast and began munching on a croissant. Elizabeth noticed that Tom was the only other one sitting at her table besides a few younger children. He was sitting at the complete other end and was chatting with a professor about something inaudible to Elizabeth. She saw his lips curve up into a smile that she could tell was the most fake thing in the world. On the contrary to being an exceptional liar, she could tell when others lied or weren't genuine.
Elizabeth poured herself a cup of pumpkin juice and reviewed her time table that had been given to her last night. As Walburga had said to Tom, Charms was first for the Slytherins. Apparently, two houses shared classes was extremely odd in Elizabeth's opinion.
The professor walked away from where Tom was sitting, walking past Elizabeth out the doors of the Great Hall. Tom's gaze followed the professor when his eyes landed on Elizabeth. He studied her as she looked over the timetable and took an occasional bite out of her croissant.
"Beth!" Walburga's shrill voice tore Tom's eyes away from Elizabeth and back to his book.
Elizabeth set the timetable on her lap and greeted the three girls. By now, she had accepted her fate as being called Beth. The four girls all talked about their classes, the gossip, and Walburga would occasionally throw in a comment about her and Tom.
"Matilda, how did last night go? You know, with your Head Girl duties," Melissa poured herself a cup of pumpkin juice.
"Did he ask about me?" Walburga questioned, trying to sound like she couldn't care less for the subject.
Matilda laughed with an absence minded smile, "Hate to burst your bubble Walburga, but he barely said two words to me."
"Whatever, he probably would get expelled for saying what really thought about me," Walburga took a bite of her toast, grinning in a suggestive manner as Matilda and Elizabeth grimaced, and Melissa hit her on the shoulder.
"You're disgusting," Melissa rolled her eyes, "I am going to use the lavatory." She stood up and walked off.
"Hey Walburga," Matilda said to her after a moment of silence, "There's one slice of almond butter bread at the Hufflepuff table, can you go grab it for me?"
Walburga narrowed her eyes, "Why?"
"I'm on my ladies days," Matilda grabbed her small abdomen and pouted. "Please?"
"Fine," Walburga stood up and walked off mumbling.
Matilda leaned close to Elizabeth, "What I'm about to say does not leave this table." Elizabeth's eyes widened as she nodded. Matilda quickly whispered, "Tom couldn't stop asking about you all night. He usually never talks to me, let alone anybody, but he wanted to know all I knew about you. I think you might be the girl to prove he isn't gay."
Elizabeth didn't know what to say, "But how? Why me?"
"I don't know. It was weird; he didn't seem like he was into you but they weren't casual questions. He asked me if you talked in your sleep, what your blood type is. Completely insane."
Walburga began walking over with a plate of pastries in her hand. Matilda leaned back and Walburga sat down, plopping the plate in front of her, "Matilda, I have no idea what the hell almond butter bread is so you'll have to deal with this."
"You know, I'm not really hungry anymore," Matilda pushed the plate away. Walburga scowled in annoyance and threw a napkin ring at her.
Melissa came back and sat down, "You'll never believe what I saw in the hallway." She continued talking about some Gryffindor named Olive that was supposedly snogging an unknown boy. Elizabeth's gaze was fixed on Tom Riddle, who was chatting with a bright blond haired boy. For a second, Tom's eyes flicked over to Elizabeth and their brief eye contact felt unnatural and confusing to her. His eyes went back to his conversation and Elizabeth's went back to hers.
"So in conclusion, they're practically dating. What do you think, Beth?" Melissa asked Elizabeth with hopeful eyes.
"Oh yeah, I can hear the wedding bells ringing," Elizabeth lied, not had listening to a single word of Melissa's.
"Guys Tom's coming," Walburga whispered as Tom made his way over to the doors. As he passed their table, Walburga called out to him, "Tom!"
He stopped and turned around. Elizabeth sensed a hint of irritation from being interrupted, but was soon masked by his ever so present, charming smile. "Hello, ladies."
"Hi Tom," Walburga said, trying to sound sexy, which gave Elizabeth a shiver. Tom stood right behind her, and she hadn't bothered turning around to face him.
"Looking forward to midterms?" Tom asked the girls.
Matilda and Melissa nodded with contained smiles. Walburga smiled flirtatiously, "I've been studying all week."
"You have?" Melissa whispered and Walburga discreetly elbowed her in the gut.
Tom noticed Elizabeth hadn't bothered to reply and he grew annoyed, not letting his face show it. There was something odd about her that he couldn't put his finger on.
"I'd imagine you girls are catching Miss Maryn up on her studies," he said in a smooth voice.
Walburga's eye twitched as a sign of annoyance, followed by her face softening, "Within a few weeks, she'll be all caught up."
Matilda and Melissa exchanged a glance at the awkward tension. In a swift motion, Elizabeth pocketed the timetable and stood up. Tom backed away so she could leave. "I am going to go, up to Charms," Elizabeth told them.
"Do you know where it is?" Melissa asked her.
Elizabeth shook her head. Walburga wiped off her mouth, "I can show her up," she offered.
"No, no, you've just started eating, wouldn't want you to go to class on an empty stomach, would we?" Tom said, a cheeky grin tugging at his lips. "I can show her the way, after all, it's where I'm headed."
Elizabeth, still with her back to Tom, widened her eyes and ever so slightly shook her head. Walburga's face suddenly had an expression of jealousy, "Of course."
"Come along then, Miss Maryn, we mustn't have you late on your first day," Tom urged her, trying to maintain his charming demeanor as he desperately wanted nothing to do with Walburga Black.
Elizabeth's face tensed up and then she relaxed before turning to face Tom Riddle for the third time. Without another word, he gave a curt nod towards the three girls and walked off, with Elizabeth following quickly behind.
Her stomach twisted as she thought back to the night Tom had told her the password. His face was different then, it was dark and mysterious. Now as she snuck a sideways glance at him, his face was held high with a confident smirk on it.
"Why did you come to Hogwarts? You live in America, if I'm not mistaken," Tom asked Elizabeth, unfocusing her from her thoughts.
Elizabeth nodded, "Well, uhm, there was a school in America-"
"Baxtart's School for the Independent Wizard and Witch," he interrupted. "I'm familiar with it."
"It shut down recently. Not enough students had attended and the magic they taught there was ahead of us. Due to those purposes, the Ministry decided it shouldn't be allowed as a school," Elizabeth explained.
"When you say the magic they taught was ahead of you, what do you mean?" Tom inquired as they went up a flight of stairs.
Elizabeth thought back to her various lessons taught by her mentally ill professors. "Dark magic, not meant for any student my age to be learning."
"Dark magic?" his eyes lit up as though he was ill and those words were his only cure.
"Yes," Elizabeth replied, finding it extremely eerie on how he was so fascinated with dark magic.
He stopped walking and Elizabeth did the same. "Do you remember any of the spells?" he looked into her eyes as if he was reading her mind.
Elizabeth's mind flashed over the multiple spells her deranged professors had wanted them to practice on mice. All of a sudden, her mind felt invaded as she looked up and saw Tom's face extremely focused.
"Are you trying to penetrate my thoughts?" Elizabeth questioned and Tom's face relaxed once again and he started walking. She shook her head and ran to catch up with him, "I don't appreciate you doing that."
"I wasn't doing anything," he retorted, emotionless. Tom rolled his eyes and began talking again, "You still haven't answered me."
"Why would I tell you about dark magic?" Elizabeth countered.
He stopped again and looked at her in the eyes, "Can you still perform these spells?"
"I think so," Elizabeth told him.
A smirk formed on Tom's arrogant face and he continued walking, leaving Elizabeth to run after him and his long strides.
"Here's charms," Tom told her as he walked into the classroom on the third floor. It was a small room with three rows of desks that faced the teacher.
It was Elizabeth's first class at Hogwarts. Tom went to sit down and cooly whispered in her ear, "Good luck, Miss Maryn."