Chasing Infinity

Orphanage

26 vials
And one memory to keep
Her hands shake as she works
The small bottles click against each other.

How much time?
She has no idea
How long before someone comes in?
Before they notice she's missing?
Before they can't find her body among the dead?

A memory of Harry's face when he falls almost stops her.
The image of Ron's expression when the green light hit him in the stomach.
The halo of a crunch human flesh makes when fangs of a giant snake penetrate it.

Tears leak through
But she can't stop
This is her only chance
The only hope for the world she knows and loves.
Everything else is already destroyed.

With still shaking hands
Covered in dried blood
She takes the vials
And runs for it.

The corridors are mercifully empty
All the aftermath is downstairs
They hopefully still have no idea she has escaped.

The Room of Requirement is in ashes
But she goes in anyway.
As deep as she dares to the burned ruins of once great All mighty magic
Buries the vials into the rubble.
And then plants the memory in her head.

That's all she can do
And then wish it works
That's the one last final hope
Not only for her
But for everyone she ever loved
Would have ever loved
Everyone like her
And the magic in general.

The small hourglass she fetches from her pocket feels like nothing at all in her hand.
For a fleeting moment she lets herself marvel the delicate item.

Last of its kind
Like her.

The last hope
Like her

Then she throws it to the ground
And the world around her drowns into thick blue smoke.

.
.
.

The front doors of the Orphanage feel like a gate to something dark and dangerous.
She's standing there with white frill socks, black shiny shoes and a grey skirt.
Trying to look older than her six years.
Looking up in fearful awe.

She has no idea how she got there
Where she had come from?
Who had sent her?
Where were her parents?

There was only one thought clear in her brain: this is where she needs to be.
This will take her somewhere.
This road will fill her dreams
Lead her to her fate
And give her what she desperately yearns.
Even though she has no idea what it is even herself.

They take her in.
Give her a home
Emotionally cold
And strict
And full of rules she finds at least a little questionable.
But a home nevertheless.

And there she meets Tom Riddle.

He isn't like the other children.
Her age
But far from what kids Her age usually are.
Other kids fear him
And he stays mostly by himself.

Doesn't even greet her when she arrives.
She detests him for that.

Does he not have common courtesy?!
Has no one told him it's rude not to greet new people?
Or is he just one stubborn imbecile?

Turns out he is the least imbecile out there. Stubborn yes, but not stupid.

Tom - even at the age of six - has this dark aura around him.
He might be charming and persuasive and collected
But it's an act.
A facade he keeps on to get what he wants.

Others do things for him
Follow him, kind of
And she has to say he's a natural-born leader.
But he's not close to anyone
He doesn't respect anyone
Not even the adults