Losing (Tom Riddle X Reader)

▕⃝⃤ 03 | The Witch

"He must not succeed, Y/N, It's your destiny! You must succeed where your forefathers could not! You must stop him, Y/N. Find Albus Dumbledore. Aid him. Keep Hogwarts... the world... safe from... him!"

Lightning cracks across the sky, illuminating the darkness with flashes of green and red bursts. In the midst of the chaos, two familiar incantations ring out with deadly intent.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Expelliarmus!"

Your eyes snap open abruptly, and you jolt upright, the world spinning around you in a dizzying whirl. Sweat beads on your forehead, and your breath comes in ragged gasps, your chest heaving with each labored inhale and exhale. Black dots dance at the edges of your vision, threatening to consume your senses.

You struggle to steady yourself, blinking rapidly as you try to regain your focus. The room spins, the walls seeming to sway and shift around you as if caught in a tempestuous storm. Your head pounds with each heartbeat, and a wave of nausea washes over you, threatening to engulf you entirely.

With trembling hands, you reach out to grip the edge of the cot, clinging to it for support as you fight against the overwhelming sensation of vertigo. Your vision blurs, and you feel as though you might collapse at any moment.

Desperately, you glance around, taking in the familiar surroundings of the nurse's office at Wool's Orphanage. The sterile scent of antiseptic fills the air, mingling with the musty aroma of old linens.

How did you get here? You were in the cave with Tom, Amy, and Denis. You and Tom started fighting, and then... You wince as a migraine grips your temples, the phantom voice repeating that prophecy over and over again in your head.

You squeeze your eyes shut, trying to banish the unsettling images from your mind. The sight of Tom Riddle, the boy you've known for six years and for most of your life, looking like a complete stranger in those dark robes with the snake coiled around him, his eyes glowing red, sends shivers down your spine. It's as if the person you once knew has been consumed by darkness, transformed into something unrecognizable and sinister.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!"

You almost jump when you hear the scream, and it takes you several moments to recognize that the voice is Tom's. You've never heard his low, sultry voice take on such a frantic tone before.

"YOU CAN'T TAKE ME THERE!! YOU CAN'T TAKE ME THERE!!!" His cries echo through the orphanage, filled with desperation and fear.

You rub your eyes and look around the room to see Amy and Denis in deep slumber on either side of you. What happened to the three of you? Did Tom do something? Is that why Tom is in trouble now?

With cautious steps, you navigate the cold floor, holding onto the wall for support as you approach the source of Tom's screams—his room. Peeking around the corner, you spot Mrs. Cole standing outside Tom's door, engaged in conversation with a man you don't recognize.

"He scares the other children," Mrs. Cole complains to the man.

"You mean he's a bully?" the man asks calmly, his voice resonating with authority.

"Yes," Mrs. Cole nods, her expression troubled. "I suppose he must be, but it's very hard to catch him at it. I've favored him too much, I'm afraid. He's a bright boy, after all. I believed him over Y/N, but after he came back to the orphanage yesterday with a traumatized Amy and Denis and an unconscious Y/N..." She shudders, the memory evidently unsettling.

"Y/N, is it?" The man nods thoughtfully. "Would I be correct in assuming that she is Ms. Y/L/N?"

"Yes, Sir, she is," Mrs. Cole confirms, her voice carrying a touch of fondness. "Just as bright as Tom. Quite the little hero, that girl is. Always stepping in to stop bullying and help the other orphans. She's liked by everyone... Well, everyone except..."