Hogwarts: a school of Witchcraft and Love (Tom Marvolo Riddle x F!reader)

Chapter 4-01

Somewhere in the cracks of your heart there had still been the expectation that professor McGonagall might have had a change of mind. She wouldn't just want to be rid of one of her own away so easily?

That was what you naively thought up until swallowing the bitter pill of reality.

Your trunk, your owl, and every other necessety paid for you by the school, were piled high and unceremoniously on top of each other without care-not in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. They were no longer worthy enough. Reserved only for the Gryffindors, that opening was off-limits for you.

McGonagall's suspicions of you having anything to do with someone's demise was a baseless accusation, if there ever was one. She was unbudging, but also pitied you, as she sent you out with the map to your abode for the remaining three years.

Not even Alyssa with her never ending supply of optimism, was smiling. She held the handlebar of your trunk, like that could physically prevent you from leaving her behind.

"I'm so sorry, (Y/N), I really am." What was she apologizing for? "Gryffindor won't be the same without you..."

Alyssa was distraught, like any of this was her fault. Like any of this was on her for Gryffindor losing one of its members.

"Gryffindor's gonna be fine." You tried to push past her into your new home, but she barred the entrance to it with her T-posing body.

She pleaded for another chance, begging for an opportunity that already passed. "Please, (Y/N). Just give it another day. Maybe McGonagall will rethink it!"

"Ali! She's had months!" Your retort came out hot enough to burn the bridge between you and your former House. "I want to be somewhere where I'm not... Where I'm not..."

Alyssa winced at the force behind your anger but didn't back down. "Listen to me. McGonagall made a mistake-we all know it!"

But did they? The professor herself didn't. If she did, you wouldn't be wearing a colourless tie. You wouldn't have been forced to give her your Gryffindor themed attires.

McGonagall made her decision based on what she believed was right, but this wasn't right. If the school suspected you that much, then why were you still here and not being taken away by the Ministry?

Truthful or not, nobody wanted anything to do with someone accused of such horrible crimes. But tomorrow was a new day. Tomorrow, you would have a new tie.

And maybe it was for the better that you could get a fresh start. The green and silver lining was that Slytherin was already known for facing prejudices and false assumptions, so where better could you find acceptance as someone wrongly accused?

You were going to prove that not everyone here was wicked and evil, or bullies. This was all the motivation you needed to squirm past Alyssa.

"Pureblood!"

Easy enough of a password to remember when pureblood prince himself was also a snake.

Tom didn't even need to be a prefect to smuggle you inside. You got access all by yourself. Unintentionally, but who cared about the 'how'. You could hardly wait to see his face when noticing that you were house buddies, three years after the Gryffindor verdict fell. It had to surprise even him.

The stone wall pushed inwards, welcoming you. Today you wouldn't be left standing here as an outsider.

First things first. You had to find a prefect to transport your things to the bedrooms so that would be organized. But before you went on your search for one, you hugged Alyssa.