The Beginning of the End • Tom Riddle

Prologue

"I got you." A deep voice spoke, giving me goosebumps and only adding to the frantic state my heart was in from running to catch the Hogwarts Express. Leave it to me to nearly miss it despite being a fifth year.

After another moment to collect myself, my eyes wandered until they meet the boy who had saved me the ultimate scolding from my mother. My voice caught in my throat before I could utter a polite 'thank you'.

Tom Riddle. Merlin you're joking.

I stared at him, eyes wide with obvious shock and confusion as my eyebrows furrowed. His Egyptian Azure eyes held my gaze.

There's no way Tom Riddle was the same person who just reached an arm out, hooked it around my waist, and swiftly lifted me onto the train. That'd be like Satan planting some little sunflowers for the 'happy aesthetic'.

" If you're done gawking I'd like to go find my seat." His harsh voice lashed out at me, pulling me from my psycho analyzing. I rolled my eyes and meet his again.

" By all means, begone." I spoke back with an edge, earning a death glare I had to work to keep myself from shifting under.

With that he aggressively swiveled on his heels and set off through the train cars, cloaks billowing like a dark cloud as it followed his movements. My eyes followed his form until it was out of my line of sight. Shaking myself from the daze I tightened my grip on my trunk and set off to find my friends.

A/N: Tom Riddle was the og cloak billower and no one can change my mind.

It wasn't long until I found my beloved rowdy bunch. Comprised of my two best friends on one side, Raidon Suzuki, Gryffindor like myself, and Matilda (Mae) Yaxley, my Slytherin sister from another mister.

Opposite them sat fellow Gryffindor and Quidditch Captain Killian Thompson, Sean Trelawney and Nagini Ningrum, both Hufflepuffs. It was quite the mix, each person uniquely themselves. Despite all the variety, we made for the best of friends.

" Isla!! We were worried you hadn't made it!" Nagini exclaimed upon seeing me enter the train car. I smiled at her and the others as I lifted my trunk onto the luggage rack before sitting beside Raidon. They even saved me the window seat.

" I barely did. You guys wouldn't believe what happened." I began to tune out as I stared out the window, remaining completely and utterly confused at my interaction with Tom Riddle.

The group shared a look.

" Girl you look lost, what happened?" Mae spoke with slight worry and urgency. I smiled at her as reassurance.

" Don't worry, it was nothing..." I trailed off trying to find the right words for the situation.

" Bad, per say. Just... unordinary." I concluded, turning back to the window.

"Isla, stop being cryptic and tell us what happened." Raidon voiced, his protectiveness clearly emerging. Before he could add something else that'd most likely come off as too overbearing, Sean added:

" We just want to hear the full story, it looks like it impacted you a bit and we're just worried." He added in a gentle voice with a pure smile. I couldn't help but return one back.

" As I'm sure it's not to hard to imagine, I woke up late, being the night owl I am. I was rushing around packing the rest of my things and zipped out of the house with such haste I realized I forgot Leo completely." I recounted how I left my orange maincoon cat at home that morning.

" So I had to turn around, get Leo in his cage, and run back to the train station in time to put him  in the pets train car. I figured I had a minute to spare so I went to fetch a newspaper from the stand but I heard the final train whistle, which nearly gave me a heart attack I might add." I pouted as my friends chuckled.

" The train was pulling away as I was still on the platform, I essentially accepted my fate. The outburst from my mother would've been terrible." I shuddered at the thought.

" But I gave it a last ditch effort and ran as fast as I could, hoping to grab onto the train and swing myself in..." I stalled as I got to the part I knew my friends would blow up at.

" Well go on!" Killian exclaimed impatiently, the others nodding in agreement with him.

" An arm reached out and slipped around my waist, pulling me and my trunk right up onto the train. And he said ' I got you.' while I stood there in shock still encased in his arm." I continued.

" Ok but that's kind of hot." Mae commented as Raidon smacked her on the arm and I giggled, expression quickly falling solemn as I remembered the context.

" We're not going to like this are we." Raidon's eyes narrowed, as he read my features. I brushed any emotion off my face as to hold a blank facade.

" The boy in question was Tom Riddle." I responded with more speed and less volume than my normal voice contained. I breathed in a half breath before the inevitable chaos ruptured the silence.

" WHAT?!" each person chorused. Some with more rage, but all with pure shock.

" Bloody hell your joking Isla, right?" Sean asked wide eyed. My response, or lack their of, set off another wave of voices flooding the air.

" I can't believe this."

"There's no way."

" Of all people?"

" He could have some ulterior motive, what's he plotting?"

" We have to keep our eyes peeled. And keep Isla safe." Raidon spoke with determination.

" Agreed." Mae and Killian responded simultaneously.

" Guys, guys. I'm as perplexed as you are. We're talking about Tom Riddle for Godrics sake. And even though he's sketchy as hell, I don't think it's anything serious. He's not going to Avada me in my sleep!" I spoke up above the voices of my concerned friends, temporarily silencing the lot.

But I noticed their eyes had wandered from my face, and following their line of sight, I saw the problem.

In the compartment just across from ours, sat three of Toms goons. Hergualdus Avery, Lennox Selwyn, and Alexander Rosier. Each stalking us with a piercing glare. Hergualdus' was one of sheer manipulation, as if he knew all your secrets. Lennox's was still cold, but filled with curiosity, and Alexander's burned with fierce protectiveness for his companions, matching his ever guarded front.

Before a war could break out between glares, Mae stood up, and with an eye roll pulled the shades over our windows, blocking her fellow Slytherins views.

" Ignore that lot, they're always causing trouble for Tom. That boy always escapes any blame or repercussions." Mae spoke with distaste about this mornings hot topic. I sighed.

" Lets just put this down ok? Nothings going to happen. There's no domino effect. It's fine. Now I'm going to go change into my robes." I concluded the conversation, before stepping out of the compartment.

I mean honestly, there couldn't be any reason to worry over something so insignificant.