Captured In The Night || Tom Riddle

02 - Patient

This chapter was edited on 5/30/20

Sofia sat up in bed as moonlight filtered through the curtains; the only light in the darkened room. Where was she? What day was it? Had he drugged her or given her a sleeping potion? It felt like days, but she couldn't be sure. Looking around she realized she was alone. The bedroom was sparse with a simple twin bed and no decorations. 

Her sluggish memory refused to surface but the murder of her brother hit her like a ton of bricks. Grief overwhelmed her. She grabbed her arms, digging her nails into her flesh. She tried not to make any noise and forced herself to calm down. Riddle popped into her head, invading her thoughts like a plague. The thought of him made her stomach turn sour.

She had to find a way out, but why wasn't she tied up? This seemed too easy. If Riddle woke up, she would say she was looking for the bathroom.

Sofia felt old thin carpet below her feet and tiptoed down the dark hallway. She found Riddle's sleeping form in a separate bedroom with the door open. She paused, feeling an overwhelming desire to end his life but she didn't have her wand. Maybe she could put a pillow over his face and suffocate him. The memory of his strong grip as his arms held her firmly from behind made her pause, feeling nauseous. There would be a time to stop him, but right now she had to escape. She carefully made her way down the hall and past some spare rooms whose doors were closed. Didn't he have any followers? If so, why weren't they guarding the place? She reached the end of the hallway and cringed as one of the floorboards squeaked. Sofia held her breath and stopped motionless in case someone came out, but no one did. She continued until she was at the front door and grabbed the doorknob.

It would not open. 

Her heart pounded harder as she turned the knob again and yanked harder, cringing at the loud noise it made. This was not happening! There was no bolt or anything, just a keyhole. 

Sofia sighed into the palm of her hands, trying to come up with a new plan.

"Lumos."

Sofia nearly screamed as Riddle suddenly appeared behind her. 

"What are you doing up this late darling?" He asked.

Sofia stiffened with a gasp. She looked over her shoulder as Riddle looked down at her with a sleepy yet calm expression.

Her mind was blank as the reply she had prepared suddenly seemed lame.  She looked at the door helplessly and he seemed to follow her gaze.

"Were you trying to go outside?" He asked calmly.

Sofia remained silent and gazed at the dark blue carpet.

"It's freezing outside anyway and about a foot of snow out there. What are you going to do, go out in your pajamas and bare feet?" He scoffed.

She looked up at Riddle sharply. "No, it's not. It's summer. The heat was sweltering the night you broke in and attacked my family."

Riddle tilted his head in thought. "Are you having another episode?"

Sofia frowned deeper at him. She had left the window open because of the summer heat. She had just graduated from Hogwarts and was looking for a job. 

"An episode? Am I having an episode?" She asked sharply.

Riddle sighed and turned the porch light on. "Look out the window."

Sure enough, snow was falling. Sofia hugged herself tightly. 

"What's the date? What's going on?" She whispered.

Riddle only answered her with a sigh and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned as far away from him as physically possible, but his grip was strong. 

Don't touch me.  She thought.

"I thought you were getting better," Riddle whispered in her ear. "Just when you got out of St. Mungo's."

Sofia yanked herself out of his grip. "Liar! I was never at St. Mungos! Why can't I remember anything? What did you do to me?"

"Is everything all right?" A man's voice asked from behind Riddle. 

Sofia could see an outline, but it was too dark to see his face.

I know that voice. She thought. 

"Yes. She's having a bad night is all." Riddle said a bit testily.

"Do you want me to get another potion?" The man's voice asked.

Why does that voice sound so familiar? She thought.

"Yes," Riddle answered.

The man vanished back down the hall into one of the spare rooms.

An image of a boy with a scar popped into her head. Flashes of a battle. Hogwarts. Memories she had forgotten came back. 

"I attended Hogwarts after they defeated you. I learned of it in school." Sofia said, shaking her head.

Tom Riddle took a step closer.

"You're dead! This isn't possible." Sofia's voice shook.

Riddle's voice dripped with harshness, "Now, now my love. If you keep talking nonsense like that, I'll have to put you in St. Mungo's."

Voldemort looked to be about her age. The pictures of him in the books had been twisted and monstrous. He now looked like the handsome Tom Riddle from his youth. He stood watching her with a smirk on his face.

Then the memory of the voice clicked. An image of a man in a frame in the headmaster's office of Hogwarts looked down at her with a scowl. 

The voice belonged to Severus Snape.

Snape returned holding up the potion.

"Come into the light," Sofia said.

A boy of about 16 with black greasy hair lit up his wand and stepped forward.

Sofia's eyes widened. "What year is this?"

"Give her the potion," Riddle demanded. "Careful, don't let her choke."

Sofia tried to run but didn't get very far.

"Stupefy." Snape's voice rang out.

Sofia collapsed and hit the ground. Young Severus Snape squatted down and lifted her limp head and poured the potion down her throat.

Sofia glared with hate at Riddle. 

You changed it. I don't know how, but you changed history. I'm going to kill you. I promise you that. Sofia thought at Riddle.

The last thing Sofia saw before sleep took her was Riddle's smile widening. Everything went black as she heard him chuckle.