ᴛᴡɪꜱᴛᴇᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ | ᴛᴏᴍ ʀɪᴅᴅʟᴇ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ᴛᴡᴏ

It was September 1, 1939 when Adia trailed through the doors of the Great Hall behind the future headmaster of Hogwarts. Exuding confidence, she strode behind the transfiguration professor. Her mysterious calculating eyes bore into that of the other students sitting at their respective house tables. She scanned the room a final time making eye contact with young Tom Riddle. Adia knew the boy rarely showed any emotions, but he stared back at her quizzically, a sense of curiosity also toyed with his facial features. Peeling her eyes from his she turned to look at the professor's table eyeing the sorting hat with disdain.

The sorting hat was very familiar with Adia; it didn't waste a second screaming out Slytherin when she was first sorted into Hogwarts in the future. Realization dawned upon her as her eyebrows scrunched together, perhaps the hat recognized her from when she was truly sorted for the first time.

Your past, present and future all mingle together to write your life. Which is why it would make sense that the hat already knew her, time just loops over and over again until those time periods merge together. That's what makes time travel so dangerous, for if she were to significantly change her life she may cease to exist in the future.

The heels of her school boots clicked on the stone floor of the Great Hall changing to a deeper tone as she stepped up to the rickety old three-legged stool. Dumbledore boomed "This is Adia Merrick, welcome her as one of your own. She has transferred from America and I expect you all to treat her kindly." Lifting the dusty old hat he placed it upon her ashy blonde hair.

Adia felt the hat sifting through her thoughts and memories prying into places she herself didn't know existed. It picked apart her core traits seeing her true purpose for being here. "Ravenclaw or Slytherin... Where to put you." It bellowed to her. Students in front of her began to look at her quizzically when it muttered this. Time ticked on so she took things into her own hands making the decision for the hat.

"Slytherin!" It screamed out to the Great Hall.

The table to her left erupted into a polite applause. She smiled brightly, she really was home again, although this version of Hogwarts had a much colder feeling than the one that encapsulated her memories from the future. The hopes of new friends lingered at the back of her mind as her mission became the most important thing in her life.

Standing up slowly she patiently waited for Dumbledore to lift the hat off of her head. Thanking him she sauntered over to the familiar table. Looking for an open space she eyed Tom Riddle sitting next to the ancestors of several death eater families. The most prominent being a Malfoy. It was almost as luck was on her side because the only open seats at the table happened to be on either side of Tom Riddle.

The boy stared her down rather angrily as she asked politely if the seat was taken; no response led her to sit down as a plate appeared in front of her and her uniform morphed into the Slytherin colors.

Oh how she loved that she was born into the magical world.

With a thick American accent she introduced herself with feigned enthusiasm, "Hi boys, Adia Merrick, I thought we could become friends." Very blunt and to the point she watched all of their eyebrows shoot to their hairlines. Making eye contact with the boy she knew was a Malfoy she stuck out her hand and waited for his response.

Sticking out his hand the boy with white hair introduces himself, "Abraxas Malfoy," he gestured to his left, "Camden Avery," and then to his right, "Arthur Nott," Smiling brightly she grabbed his hand using her peripheral vision to watch Tom eyeing her calculating his next move. This Malfoy was quite pleasant, so her job of swaying him could be easier than that of swaying Tom Riddle.

A smile cracked on the Malfoy boy's face as she took her hand back and stuck it out towards Tom, "And you are?" she questioned. Stoically, Tom lifted his hand from his lap firmly grasping her hand. He gave her a blank stare and in a monotone voice muttered "Tom Riddle," before he dropped his hand back into his lap.

Adia turned back to face the Malfoy boy sparking up conversation for the rest of the Welcome Feast. Eventually the boys decided to leave and Adia was left alone, for she had to follow the prefect to the dungeons with the first years, because for all anyone knew she'd never been in the castle. Satisfied with her meal she placed her utensils down and waited for the prefect to stand. Immediately the prefect stood and began gathering the first years, and not a moment too soon either; she had grown quite tired.

Adia made sure to walk with the prefect asking mundane questions she already knew the answer to. She had to be the class suck up, but she knew that Tom would make that a challenge for her. Knowing she would get the grades she needed was one thing, but having the approval of the whole staff was another thing.

Eventually, she wanted to be head girl. Actually, she longed for it.

Descending the last staircase a feeling of a cold peace began to envelope Adias entire body, she was home again. Shaking herself out of her thoughts of her future Hogwarts friends, Adia watched as the prefect loudly stated the password into the dormitory. "Pureblood," the older witch spoke. A slow creek resounded from the door as the curious first years funneled in after her.

Immediately she felt the feeling of being watched and turned to look into the brown quizzical eyes of the young Tom Riddle sitting with his gang by the fireplace. Turning away she stalked up to her dorm desperately waiting to fall into the comfy bed.

The other girls had the same idea, for the other second year Slytherins were already in bed asleep. Quickly getting ready for bed, Adia snuggled into her silk pajamas and quietly walked over to her bed, pulling the covers to her chin as she thought about all of the insane things that happened to her today. Allowing her mind to let go she fell into a blissful dreamless sleep excited for the coming years of her life.