Not Broken, Not Yet | Tom Riddle

Chapter Five

Chapter Five

The following days had been tolerable. At best. I hadn't talked anymore to Riddle. A relief, truth to be told. Neither of us had made any attempt to talk to the other, so we stayed quiet. Separated by one thin wall.

The few times we did meet in passing he was perfectly polite, like always. But reserved and stoic, like always. He nodded and held up doors, even greeted me if he had to. Ever the gentleman. But that was simply how Riddle was. He never said anything rude to me directly. He didn't have to, for his eyes said everything I needed to know.

A smile never seemed to be just a smile with him. Something I realised the more I observed him over the days as he interacted with the others at the orphanage, staff and children alike. For despite his perfect manners there always seemed to be something slightly off about him. Like his rendition of manners was a reflection of what he thought he should be like.

Like a wolf in sheep's clothing.

The likeness struck me more and more as the days went on. And perhaps it was Aiden's word but I slowly grew more wary of him, seeing insults behind every smile and finding hidden meanings behind every dull phrase. Riddle wasn't like us. He knew it, and now I did too.

The last day before school started I found myself sitting alone in the small garden behind the orphanage. The afternoon sky above me whispered of summer as did the great oak behind me and the mild breeze stroking my face. It was a perfect day for all intents and purposes, but I found myself feeling distressed. Worried suddenly, despite my previous confidence. A whole new world lay before me, and I still wasn't sure if I was going to be a part of it.

- Tom -

I had been watching her for a while, why I wasn't quite sure. But there was something about her that demanded my attention. Perhaps the way she held herself, guarded somehow, like a leopard ready to flee at any given moment. Always ready for an attack. Or perhaps the way her eyes wandered sometimes, how her gaze could fixate on something like she saw something entirely different.

In her I saw something, what I wasn't sure. But one foolish part of me wanted to figure out what it was. Wanted to figure out what happened to her to make her eyes look so haunted.

Suddenly I saw her rise from the bench she'd been sitting at. Quickly I backed away from the window, half hiding behind a curtain as I gazed at her as she neared the bushes. Strange.

All of a sudden her good for nothing cat stormed out of the bushes followed by a common brown snake. My gaze turned to Green, expecting a terrified expression as she ran off screaming. But I didn't see anything of the sort. Instead she simply smiled and patted the cat on the head before approaching the snake.

I took a step closer, observing as the willowy girl hunched down in front of the snake and... spoke to it. My eyes widened as I took in the scene and what it meant. I couldn't believe it but there it was, proof. Green was a parseltongue.

It was impossible to look away. Even more impossible to fully fathom what I saw. It went on for several minutes, she smiled softly speaking to the snake and saying Merlin knows what before it slithered away into the bushes again. I didn't want to believe it but I couldn't look away. Amazement and annoyance competed for my attention. Amazement for what I had seen, and annoyance that Green would take away something that was mine and mine alone. I was the heir of Slytherin and parseltongue my legacy. It was not for Green.

- Amberly -

I watched the snake slither away in silence, amazed at the beautiful creature. Oh how I wished I knew what it said. As it looked into my eyes I felt sure that it wanted to say something, convey something. But alas I was left with whispering my sweet nothings, hoping that it would at least understand the meaning of it.