The Barrier - Tom Marvolo Riddle

35

Tomorrow was Tom's birthday. 

Silver wanted to gift him something, but she didn't know what to give the young Dark Lord. She walked around Hogsmeade, staring at each store. The book store caught her eye, she remembered how Tom seemed to like going into that store. Silver walked into the store, what book should she buy? She scanned the shelves and grabbed 2 good-looking books. One about snakes and another about the mythologies of the wizarding world. Silver was sure Tom would love the books about dark arts more, but she would never buy it for him. She checked out and walked back to the castle.

An hour before 12, Silver went to the Room of Requirement with her gifts. Silver thought of Tom and the door appeared, she walked in and saw Tom sitting on his chair, staring at the fireplace. Silver put the bag where her gifts was behind the couch and sat on the couch. He turned to her and sneered. "You look gloomier than usual." Tom rolled his eyes and didn't answer her. Silver stretched her legs on the couch. "Went here because I'm bored, the year's ending in like a day, you know." It was weird because Silver was from 2020 but here she is, in a place where the new year's going to be 1944. Freaky.

Tom blinked. "I'm aware of that." Silver laid on the couch. She sighed. "How do you feel about that? I feel quite sad to be honest." Tom crossed his arms and stood straighter. He thought for a few seconds. "I'm not sad, just... frustrated, that each second, each day, each year, we are closer to death." Silver sat up and looked at him. "Well, for you maybe. I will not let myself succumb to such things like death."

Silver didn't know what to reply with. "But-" Tom stopped her. "I know what you saw, you told me already. I won't be that crazy person you somehow see in your vision. I'll be different, and careful, now that I know." Silver winced a bit, will she make the future worse than it already is? I mean, at least in the future Harry Potter will beat Voldemort, but what if because of her Voldemort will not make any mistakes and he will actually be unstoppable? Fuck.

Tom looked at her and chuckled darkly. "Scared, Silver?" Silver's expression didn't turn angry or fearful, just sad, and worried.

"I guess so." Tom leaned back on his chair. He smirked and was in deep thought again. Silver slowly got up and got her gift. She walked over to Tom and offered him the paper bag. He turned to look at Silver, he raised an eyebrow when he sees the bag. He took it from her hands and opened it. He got out the two new books and inspected the cover.

"Happy Birthday, I guess." 

Tom snapped his head to her. "How'd you know?" She shrugged. Tom looked back at the books and flipped through the snakes one. He looked back at her. "Why'd you got me this?" Silver thought but shrugged again. "I don't know? I guess I'd love a gift on my birthday, so I got you one." Tom stopped flipping through the books. What a weakness, he thought. Tom closed the book harshly.

"I am not you, Prennington."

Silver sighed. "Then what? Does that mean I can't give you anything when I want to?" Tom snapped his head at her. She pities him, he hates pity. All Tom can see when he looks at her are weaknesses and naivety. She thinks he's like her? Tom clenched his jaw. "Come on, just appreciate a good deed from me." Silver's face was crumpled down, he hated her gift, the fuck? Tom scoffed. Good deed? She's just like the others, she wants to cheer others, want to make others feel loved. Tom doesn't need love, he's way better off without it.

He gripped the book in his hand and threw it to the floor, he threw the other one too. Silver froze and stared at it, quite in shock. She then let out a sad laugh. She kneeled on the floor and picked up the two books. "What the fuck is wrong with you, Tom?" Tom stood up and looked down. "Nothing is wrong with me, but there's definitely something wrong with people like you." Silver's eyes watered. She stood up. "People like me? You mean people who aren't out of their minds!?"

Tom's eyes were filled with rage. How dare she say such disrespectful words to him? He shoved her to the floor. Silver fell on her butt. Tom kneeled in front of her and took the book in her hands. He turned it around, looking at it, and laughed. Tom stood up and faced away from her, still holding the book.

"I am not out of my mind, Silver Prennington, this book does not mean anything to me." Silver bit her cheek. "Nothing matters to you, not even your soul. You went out and split it into a bunch of meaningless pieces, you fool."

An angry scoff came out of his mouth. He felt like he was on fire. He glanced at her angrily and threw the book very roughly. It hit Silver's head, hard. Silver let out a cry of pain. His eyes widened, he was trying to throw it to the wall, not to Silver. Silver closed her eyes. Tom looked at her head and there was blood on it. He tensed. It was slowly dripping down to her face. Tom inhaled slowly. She opened her eyes, showing nothing but resentment at Tom. She touched the side of her head and looked at her hand. She saw blood and clenched her fists.

Silver stood up, she got out her wand and pointed it to the book. She turned it into ashes, she did so too with the other book. Tom was quite taken aback, he still hasn't spoken a word. Silver's body was shaking. She slowly raised her head to look at Tom. A forced smile crept up on her face.

"Happy Birthday Tom." 

She left.