The Golden Age of Hollywood . Tom Riddle

Chapter 9

            Watching Norma get ready was the most unusual experience Tom had ever had in his life. In Hogwarts, Norma always emerged from girl dormitories dressed impeccably, and while he was living with her in Santa Monica, every time Tom would leave Norma's room to give her privacy and avoid get caught by Priscilla. However, this time Norma opened her room doors immediately after putting on a dress, still barefoot, and invited him to finish getting dressed in her room.

Tom was combing his hair in front of full-length mirror, while Norma was doing her makeup at her vanity. Tom really liked the pomade that Priscila provided for him- it must be some kind made specifically for the film industry, since it smoothed hair down extremely well and held longer than anything he had tried before. Regular muggles likely couldn't get their hands on it, and wizards didn't bother to invent cosmetics or spells, which Tom found odd. He didn't consider himself a beauty-obsessed person but considered public image to be very important for a great wizard.

Norma was filling in her eyebrows. Priscilla had severely plucked them few years ago and they had never recovered- all for the beauty standard of past years. At least now Norma had freedom to change the shape from sloping downwards, which her mother preferred, to angular and arched- the latest trend.

"Are you ready?" asked Norma, standing up from the vanity.

Tom thought that she looked better than ever before- Norma was dressed up to the nines for the movie premiere, but for the Malfoy Ball, she looked ethereal. Her lips were scarlet red, lashes were long, like in the movies, and her hair were coiffed to perfection and sat curled on her shoulders.

Norma held her arm in the crook of his elbow as they descended the stairs, where Priscilla was waiting to apparate them. John was out of the house for the evening. Tom noticed Priscilla was holding a small camera.

"Alright, you two, strike a pose, I'll take a picture," she said while simultaneously fiddling with the device.

Before Norma could react, Tom swiftly hugged her from behind, pressing her back to his chest.

"Smile big," he murmured in her ear, and he saw goosebumps rise on her neck.

Bright flash blinded Tom for a moment and he blinked thrice to get his vision back, all while Norma seemed completely unaffected.

The Malfoy manor was an example of magical pride and grandeur. It would look ominous standing in the white snow if not for lights in every window. Priscilla had dropped off Norma and Tom by the gates, they made their way down wide path through the front garden and into the drawing room of the manor, where many guests where already chatting, drinking, and dancing. The light from chandeliers and a giant Christmas tree, rivaling Hogwarts', reflected from guests' glasses and jewelry, while the chatter competed with live music from hired musicians.

After attending Norma's movie premiere and Malfoy Yule Ball, Tom could confidently say that he hated public events. He had no trouble talking to as many people as needed, or even gathering a crowd around him, but a loud party was difficult to endure. He swore to himself that once he's in the power, he will make all his meetings seated and keep graveyard silence.

He and Norma were just handed their glasses of champagne when Abraxas Malfoy came up to them.

"You're just in time," he murmured to Tom, who watched Norma take a sip of her champagne. She was scanning the crowd of guests absentmindedly. "My father is about to give a welcome speech- we should move closer."

Tom took Norma by the elbow, and they waited right by a low platform, where the musicians have moved to make space for Malfoy senior. Avery, Lestrange, Black and Rosier were already there.