Tom Riddle | Short Stories

Ophelia Marigold - What if...

Ophelia's parents were caught and Tom's father had kept him.

"The girl can't stay here." Said Tom Riddle Senior, staring down his nose at the nine year old blonde girl before him.

"The girl has a name, Ophelia Marigold," said Ophelia narrowing her eyes up at the older man, the woman to her right gave her a nudge "I mean sir. You have a lovely home."

"And she has a tongue."

"Well if I didn't that sure would make conversation difficult, and I do so like to converse." Said Ophelia and the older woman gave her another shove, "With you of course, sir, it's quite stimulating."

"Your family is scum, do you understand that girl. Common criminals, the lot of them and you want to step foot into my home." Said the older man,

"I want to work, sir, I can clean stuff with the best of them." Said Ophelia, The woman to the right, a woman from the staff named Eve, who had taken pity on the poor girl after she had nicked her pocket book.

"She's quite resourceful, you won't even have to pay her just room and board." Said Eve, parting the girls back,

"Father." Said Tom Riddle Junior walking out his front door, spotting a blonde haired girl with just the most beautiful set of golden eyes. "What is happening?"

"Tom, go back inside. I'm merely dealing with the help." Said Tom Riddle Sr not even sparing a glance at his nine year old son.

"The help? So I got the job?" Asked Ophelia smiling brightly, so brightly in fact that Tom Riddle Jr cocked his head to the side to look at the little Irish girl.

She looked about his age, with honey blonde hair and gold in her eyes. She carried a battered brief case that certainly did not belong to her. No child owned a briefcase.

"Give her a chance, really she'll be good help around the house, what about your boy?" Asked Eve, looking at the Riddle heir who was only a child supposedly care free and happy but had no friends, "She could keep him company."

"I'm such good company, sir, I am like the radio." Said Ophelia and Tom Riddle Sr who frankly was tired of dealing with his son, turned to the boy in the doorway and gestured for him to come closer.

"Yes, father?" He asked and he turned his gaze to the older Riddle who held such disdain for him. He couldn't even remember the last time he'd been hugged by his father.

"Would you like to keep her?" Asked Tom Riddle Sr, "Apparently she's like the radio."

"It's true." Said Eve, "Talked my ear off the entire way here."

"Don't act like I didn't make you laugh." Said Ophelia, clutching the briefcase in her hands, "Please." She muttered,

Tom Jr considered her for a moment. She was shifting in her posture but she seemed quick witted enough and he could do with a friend.

"I suppose you already have a radio," drawled his father at how quiet his son was being.

"It's broken." Said Tom quickly, "I would like to keep her." Said Tom and the girl dropped the briefcase and hugged him.

"Thank you." She muttered hugging him tightly.

Tom didn't know how to react, he was so rarely hugged, he looked to his father who seemed to be disgusted by the action, Christ the girl even smelt like honey.

"This is where you hug back." She muttered and Tom put his arms around her.

She pulled away and Tom found himself longing for the contact once more. It was a luxury for him to feel like a kid. He was never hugged.