To Answer A Riddle [Tom Riddle Era / Harry Potter]

Entry #1

The Great Hall was as great as its name implied. The thousands of small candles hovered over his head, slowly floating from one side of the room to another. However, their movements seemed very random, but quite calming after all. Elliott wondered what spells they had used to make sure they wouldn't drop hot wax on the students. The magic sky which over the candles showed brilliant stars slightly hidden behind clouds of pale mist.

He smiled a little. He did not know much about Hogwarts, but if it was only for its dining hall, it was better than Beaux-Bâtons. For now, at least.

He glanced around, examining the tables and the many people sitting. His fellow Slytherins weren't paying much attention to him. They talked between each other of their summers or waited for the first years to come in for the sorting ceremony. Elliott was sitting at the far, far end of the green tables. He had taking too much time looking around as he entered the school to have a place closer to the professors' table.

He didn't mind that much to be alone. He knew that arriving in another school of wizardry and witchcraft for his fifth year wasn't going to be easy. The groups and gangs were already formed, but he still hoped that one day they welcome him in. Elliott still knew that it was normal that no one paid attention to the transfer student. They didn't know him. Not yet.

The First years came in with a professor at their head. Thank God Elliott hadn't had to pass the sorting with the youngest sorcerers. Since he was too old to belong with them, the director had managed to sort him a few weeks before the first day of school. And so Slytherin had become his new home for the few years ahead of him.

The Potion (at least, that's what Elliott thought) professor started calling the first year's names. One after the other, they joined the four tables. The four houses cheered and screamed every time a new student came over to their side. In the beginning, Elliot had remained quiet but quickly found himself softly cheering with his comrades.

In less than twenty minutes, the sorting was done. The head professor made a small speech wishing all of them a great year. He clapped his hands, and suddenly food appeared on the long tables. When Elliott meant food, he meant everything possible anybody would wish to eat. It was incredible. He didn't even mind the absence of his friends and served himself some tomato soup with some fresh baguette.

"Hey there," said someone in front of him. He raised his head from his meal to see another boy his age in front of him. He almost chocked on his soup. He could've sworn no one was sitting there just a second ago.

He heard the other laugh as he tried to regain some constancy. It was a simple laugh, yet Elliott felt like the other wanted to say more than a simple laugh. The teenager didn't seem very tall or muscular. He was average, with short black hair and sharp features. But his eyes, oh, his eyes-!

They were mesmerizing. A dark, rich green of the deepest of oceans. It was the only way Elliott managed to describe them.

He considered himself as a good-looking guy, with his blue eyes and blond-golden short hair. He should've been taller than the other guy, but he immediately knew he wasn't half as important or talented as the other teenager was. It was simply the impression he gave out. That he was the prince, and that you should bow down to him.

Elliott tried not to be intimidated by the other's presence and responded with a simple "Hello".

The boy's thin lips made a playful smile and he presented Elliott his hand.

"I'm Tom Riddle. You're new, aren't you? Nice to meet you."

His tone was simple and nice, and soon Elliott lost all feeling that he was inferior. He felt like normal teenagers again. The illusion had passed. He smiled and shook Tom's hand. The other boy didn't seem to mind that Elliott was wearing white gloves and didn't ask about it.