Metanoia~ Tom Riddle

Chapter 31

Veruca swallowed nervously. She stood in front of Wool's Orphanage, she had been for about twenty minutes now. Never in her whole life had she wanted to be here, and the inconceivable part was that she was here of her own accord right now.

She shook herself of her nerves and knocked on the double doors. A few moments passed before a woman, looking to be in her forties, opened the doors.

"How can I help you, young lady?"

Veruca was immediately set on edge by the woman, but she didn't let her discomfort show, instead, she smiled and said, "I was hoping I could speak with one of your children?"

The woman scowled, "Who was it this time?"

Veruca's smile faltered, "I'm sorry?"

The woman opened the doors wider and ushered Veruca inside, "Was it, Tom? He's been an awful little boy lately-"

"Oh!" Veruca shook her head, "No, no one's caused any trouble, ma'am."

The woman stopped walking, turning to Veruca with a suspicious gaze, "Then what on earth would you want to talk to a bunch of orphans about?"

Veruca hesitated, she hadn't thought she'd make it this far. She blurted out the first lie that came to her, "My little brother went missing a few days ago and I was told that he was last seen playing with a little boy named Tom Riddle."

The woman's gaze didn't falter, "Why aren't the authorities on this?"

Veruca shrugged, "My mother said she did everything she could at the police station, I'm not sure what's going on but we haven't heard anything."

The woman hesitated before nodding slowly, "Well, Tom's room is just this way."

The walk to Tom's room was short, and when they arrived the woman barely knocked before she barged inside, "Tom, you've got a visitor!"

She nudged Veruca inside, "I'll be back for you in a bit."

Veruca nodded, "Thank you, ma'am."

The woman didn't respond as she left the room, shutting the door behind her. Veruca started at the door, she couldn't decide if she was too scared to turn around or too excited.

"Who're you?"

Veruca flinched as the harsh voice of a much younger Tom broke her out of her trance. She turned and tried her best to smile kindly, "Hello."

Tom didn't smile back at her, but he nodded, "Hello, who are you?"

"My name is Veruca," she said, as she looked around the room a moment, before nodding to the desk chair, "Mind if I sit?"

Tom shook his head. After Veruca had situated herself she looked up at Tom with a curious gaze, "What's your name, darling?"

Tom seemed taken aback by the nickname but he answered her nonetheless, "Tom, Tom Riddle."

Veruca nodded, "It's nice to meet you, Tom."

"What do you want?"

Veruca hesitated. What did she want? To see if she could affect his life better if she started earlier, that was why she came here. She smiled, "I wanted to meet you, my little brother said he once played with you?"

Tom's cautious gaze turned cold, "I don't play with other kids, they're mean and I have a higher purpose anyway. They're beneath me."

Veruca's smile dropped slightly, she wasn't sure if her second plan was going to work out after all. She had hoped that his heart would've been less obscured by darkness in his earlier years. Maybe she was wrong though, maybe she had to go back even further?

"What higher purpose?"

Tom shook his head, "I'm not sure, yet. But, I'm special, I just know it. Can you keep a secret?"

Veruca was becoming increasingly more uncomfortable the longer she sat and listened to him, she nodded slightly not wanting to give up on the boy. But her nerves were slowly getting the best of her.

"I can talk to snakes, I can make them do what I want."

Veruca's smile vanished as she came to a realization. If she wanted to make any real impact on Tom Riddle's life, she would need to stop him from ever reaching the orphanage.

"Veruca?"

The girl blinked, her smile slowly returning, "Yes... I have to go, I'm late for.. something."

She gathered her bag and stood, rushing to the door. She stopped, with the door open, and turned back to Tom who looked angry and confused. She smiled, "I'll see you again, Tom. I'll help you."

And with that, the girl left.