The Golden Age of Hollywood . Tom Riddle

Chapter 18

Norma was standing in her dorm room, watching the flames dance in the fireplace and biting her nails, a nervous habit that had never occurred before. She was alone, because at first she had been pacing back and forth in silence, until her dormmates couldn't take it anymore and left.

The blonde pulled her fingers away from her mouth and sighed deeply, then rubbed her thighs and stood up. She dug her nails in her blond hair, ruffled them viciously, huffed and stormed out of the room. Norma marched few steps down the corridor, quickly reaching the head boy dormitory. She immediately knocked twice, to make sure her courage doesn't have time to leave. When no one answered, she knocked again, louder, and waited some more. Still nothing. Norma placed her hands on her hips and exhaled sharply. She could only rejoice in the fact that no one was around to witness her distress: it was Tuesday morning, and the only reason she was in the dorms during class time was because she had a free period that day. But so did Tom, and he was not in his room.

Norma spun around and ran down the stairs, then marched across the common room and burst through the door into the corridor. Merlin knows where Tom is, but she will find him, she still knew all his spots.

Norma went to the library, then even passed by Slughorn's office, but he was having a lesson, so Tom couldn't be there. Norma stopped to think for a moment. That left only two options: the Room of Requirement or the Chamber of Secrets. There was no need for him to visit the Chamber, Norma was sure, so that left only the Room of Requirement. Norma sighed and prepared to take the long way from the dungeons to the seventh-floor corridor. Getting into the room will be a challenge of its own.

Norma stood in front of a blank wall, the Troll Tapestry behind her, focused on thinking "I need to see Tom Riddle". After more than a minute, she realized the room won't let her in. What else could she ask for? "I must help Voldemort", she thought, over and over again. she didn't have to try long: almost immediately, the door appeared. Norma raised an eyebrow in suspicion: the Room rarely reacted this quick, unless someone from inside decided to let her in- the user of the Room could feel when another person was trying to get in.

Norma shook her head to get rid of distracting thoughts and pushed the door open. The sight that greeted her was familiar: the dark wood panels on the walls, a fancy chandelier and the large, ornate rug. This room was the same one they used for their meetings with the Knights of Walpurgis, only this time, instead of a long table, there was a chaise-longue near the fireplace, a desk and a bookshelf. Norma took a look around, ignoring Tom Riddle lazily splayed on the chaise-longue, who was watching her with poorly hidden malevolence in his eyes.

"Looking for something?" he asked. Tom's voice was clipped, like he was trying too hard to sound unconcerned.

Norma turned to him. Under the dim yellow light, her features looked waxy and lacking the usual liveliness that Tom always associated with Norma. The red lipstick and long lashes did nothing to fix the uncanny image, the loved woman's face unexpectedly turning foreign and distant.

"I came to help," Norma replied, crossing her arms on her chest. "But now I wonder if you want my help."

Tom's breath hitched. He wanted Norma, he longed for her. Despite their public screaming match the day before, once he calmed down, Tom quickly realized he wasn't angry on Norma. Or at least the urge to have her speak to him was overwhelming. Now, she was talking to him. But she's about to leave again! Tom thought with a start and sat up straight on the chaise-longue.

"You're a smart woman," he said stiffly and watched Norma roll her eyes. "Of course, I value your input."

"Sure you do," she said quietly.

Tom struggled to catch the meaning of her comment but decided not to inquire further. Norma went to sit down on the top of the desk. Tom hated that she was now further from him. Norma focused on her feet and swung her legs a little before speaking.