Everything Is Green•Tom Riddle

Five.

When you feel my heat, look into my eyes. It's where my demons hide.

Tom tossed and turned in his sleep. He had thrashed around for hours before finally giving up, his breathing heavy. Nightmares had plagued him.

"Tom?" Alia's voice rang through the silent library. It was now nine o'clock, and after a long day of lessons both Alia and Tom were almost falling asleep with their heads in the books they were reading. "Yes, Alia." "I was wondering, why do you want to know about the Gaunt family, and where did you get that ring, and why does it have the Gaunt family emblem, a snake, on it. And why did you ask me to-" a hand raised in front of her made her stop. "So many questions for one person. Tell me, how can you fit so much curiosity into one tiny body?" Tom's deep and clear voice questioned. "It's a talent."

"Anyway, my questions." Some five minutes after her sass, Alia spoke again. "Ah Yes. I want to know about the Gaunt family because that was my mother's family. I got the ring from my mother when she died, it was given to me shortly before I left for Hogwarts. It has a snake on it because everyone in the Gaunt family was in Slytherin."

"Oh."

The pair stayed in the library for another hour. In that time, neither found anything. Tom was ready to give up. Until, Alia yelled out, "I found something Tom! I really did!" Tom rushed over to the girl, his robes flowing behind him. "What, What is it?" "Listen to this." Alia murmured. "Gaunt, found originally in Flanders, the name of Gaunt is an unusual name. In the wizarding world, the name of Gaunt is extremely uncommon. The last known living wizard by the name of Gaunt is Marvolo Gaunt." Tom swallowed at the mention of his grandfather. "Gaunt wizards or witches tend to be rather powerful, even if they don't know it." Alia's voice cracked at the end. "Are you not well?" Tom asked. "Oh no I'm fine, long day, that's all."

In the space of a week Tom and Alia's searches found them no more. They had been through every book on wizarding names from all over the world, and found nothing more. Tom felt deflated. Constantly he played with his mother's ring. Every day he told himself that he could do this. He had to finish what Salazar Slytherin had started. And anyone who tried to stop him would be killed.

Alia too felt deflated. She felt that she had let herself down by not being able to find anything more on the Gaunt family. She had even researched Salazar Slytherin, just to see if the two names were connected some how. Much to Alia's dismay, they were not. Alia and Tom still did their best, going through every book in the library, just in case. Finally, one night Tom threw his hands up. "Blast, blasted books why in God's name can we not find anything?" He roughly threw a book onto the table beside him. Alia stood up. "Tom please do not be disheartened. We shall find something. We just have to keep looking." Tom's eyebrows creased. "We have looked! Don't you see, there's no point!" "Come on, let's just start patrolling." Alia shrugged. "If you insist."

Truth be told, Alia did enjoy pouring through books in search of Tom's distant relatives. She had also enjoyed learning more about Salazar Slytherin and his part in the school. Moreover, Alia felt like she had swallowed at least five textbooks. Most Ravenclaws would be grateful of that, but not Alia. As the weeks had gone on she had spent less and less time with her friends, and more time with Tom Riddle. She had even forgotten to write to her mother, who would surely be worrying. Tom's followers had not bothered her again. Well, they had constantly knocked her books over in the halls, but that was not the meanest they had ever been. Alia was sure that one day they would grow out of these childish habits. Well, she told herself they would.

In all fairness, some of Tom's followers were not that bad. Megan Black, in particular was not as bad as the others. She and Alia were partnered together for History Of Magic and Charms, and she was very smart. Very smart indeed. She had told Alia that she was only really in Tom's group because she was dating Avery Mars, who also seemed to be sweet. They made a good pair, and seemed to have formed an extremely deep attachment to each other. Or so Alia thought.

Word Count: 782.
A/N: Okay so I'm aware that I stopped this at a really weird place, and I'm very sorry. Also I thought that I'd let you know that "It's a talent," is an Alice Cullen quote because I love her more than life and her actress (Ashley Greene) is portraying Malia Herring in this book. The header image is Ben Barnes as Charles Lestrange because we can all find it in our hearts to say that he's attractive. Have a great day!
-Indie xo