Not Broken, Not Yet | Tom Riddle

Chapter Four

Chapter Four

Just like decided I met Riddle at 11. He was dressed in a plain grey suit and a black coat, your everyday no-maj - only he wasn't. I pulled my skirt anxiously before pulling my own coat tighter towards me. I hated feeling this uneasy and judging by Riddle's smirk he knew it.

He glanced at me. "Ready?" He asked, sparing me a smile that didn't reach his eyes and probably would have made Natasha and Alicia swoon.

"Yes." I said, a bit too sharply. "Come here, Julius!"

Julius hopped off my bed with a soft meow and joined us. His presence seemed to annoy Riddle but he didn't say anything. That thought made me feel a little better about myself. Even if Riddle was too stubborn to admit it I liked the idea of ruining his day by bringing the cat.

"I looked at my watch. Two past eleven now, Riddle." I clicked my tongue. "Shall we get going or what?"

Riddle gave me a long glance that promised death in a thousand different ways, but he simply smiled coldly and gestured for me to go first. Ever the gentleman. "After you, Green."

We barely exchanged a single word on the bus. Of course I had questioned but truth to be told I would have rather died than ask him any of them. Instead I simply sat there silently, looking out of the window, observing the people outside. There had been another bombing that night, its traces echoed in the collapsed buildings and the people sweeping away on the street. But life went on.

By some miracle it did. Even through the darkness that seemed edged into our very existence. The people around me, mostly the others at the orphanage, seemed mostly unbothered by it. But me? For every collapsed building and sleepless night I felt America slip further away.

I might have nodded off because all of a sudden Riddle prodded me. I looked up sleepily, meeting two annoyed eyes.

"This is us." He said, leading the way out of the bus and onto the crowded street. I followed drowsily, just barely paying attention to where I was going. Around me the no-majs shouted at each other - all of them occupied with whatever business today had to offer.

After walking endless streets and jumping over rubble that hadn't swept away yet we finally reached our destination. An old pub by the name of 'The Leaky Cauldron'. A place puzzling with life and smelling of beer and stew. It was dark and crowded, yet still oddly comforting. I looked around curiously before spotting Riddle, already standing amongst a group of teen boys.

I tried to hold in the deep sigh that wanted to escape and approached them cautiously, Julius trodding along. There were four of them. None looked too friendly but they gave me curious glances as I took my place next to Riddle. He still didn't look at me but nodded in my direction as he spoke to his... dare I call them friends?

"This is Amberly Green. American transfer. I was instructed to help her get her things for school." He said casually before nodding at the others. "This is Lestrange, Nott, Rosier and Avery." He looked around. "Malfoy, Dolohov and Mulciber?"

"Malfoy is still in France and Dolohov and Mulciber got their things last week." The one introduced as Lestrange said dryly, his dark eyes lingering on me for a moment before looking at Riddle.

"I see..." Riddle mumbled, an unreadable look on his face. "I'll need a word with Malfoy once the term starts."

The others looked at each other quickly. Something passed along those looks. Something that I didn't understand. Suddenly I felt the air shift around us. The only one unbothered by it was Riddle. His face remained the perfect mask. Like always.

"So... An American then." Avery said, finally breaking the silence. His green eyes fixated on me. He had the air of someone who hadn't been told no in his entire life. All of them did as a matter of fact. Their clothes and the air around screamed wealth. A wealth I would never so much as dream of.