Rose & The Riddle || Tom Riddle Story

Prologue - Year One

Rose Davies watched as her fellow classmates stepped forward and sat on the tiny, rickety stool and stared bemused as Professor Merrythought placed an old tattered looking hat on their heads. She glanced around the Great Hall and looked at all of the students watching the first years get sorted into their Houses. Rose had absolutely no idea where she would be sorted, nonetheless where she wanted to be sorted. Both of her parents were Gryffindor alums, so she felt a bit of an obligation to get sorted there, but to be honest, she did not feel brave, or felt she had courage... she didn't feel that the Gryffindor traits matched hers.

"Davies, Rose," called Professor Merrythought. Rose's breath hitched in her throat. This was it, the moment that would define her future. She knew her parents would still love her, no matter her house, but she still felt very nervous.

Rose stepped forward and as she sat on the stool, she purposely avoided the gaze of hundreds of students watching intently. The Sorting Hat dropped over her head and was so large that it covered her eyes.

"Not to worry," broke out the soft voice of the Sorting Hat. "You can be sure that I will put you in the proper house."

Rose couldn't see anything, which she was grateful for. She just listened to the voice.

"Plenty of loyalty, I see... Hufflepuff could be a good match. Yes, but what's this? A desire burning deep inside your soul. A family history of powerful and greatness... your ambition and your drive is what fuels you... only one clear choice I think... SLYTHERIN!"

An overwhelming sense of relief flooded through Rose's body as the hat was pulled from her head and she pranced over towards the table of cheering Slytherins. People were clapping and shaking her hand as she took an empty seat next to a sixth year boy.

She struggled to pay attention to the rest of the sorting, as she couldn't help but feel a sense of guilt as she watched the first year Gryffindor students sit at the table her parents once sat at.

"Bunch of prats, don't you think?"

Rose looked across from her as a fellow first year grabbed a piece of chicken. She hadn't even realized the feast had started. She recognized the girl from the train. She was also a first year. She had dark hair with bright blue eyes.

"What?" asked Rose.

"Gryffindor," said the girl. "Think they're the rulers of the school, they do. At least that's what my brother told me."

"My parents were in Gryffindor," said Rose, defending them.

"I'm sorry to hear that," answered the girl. "My name's Mary. Mary Nott. And you're Davies right?"

"Uh, yes. Rose."

"Nice to meet you. Pure-blood?"

"Yes," she answered, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

"Of course. You probably wouldn't be sorted here if anything else. My family have been in Slytherin for centuries. My dad says we're descendants of Salazar Slytherin himself. Well...distantly I think. Isn't that wicked?"

"I'm just not sure how my parents would feel about me being in Slytherin," said Rose. "Aren't Gryffindor and Slytherin rivals?"

"Yeah, but not to worry... it's all friendly competition."

Rose helped herself to some food and piled it on her plate. She glanced down the table, trying to familiarize herself with a few faces. She was a Slytherin, and she felt a sense of pride. She wasn't destined to follow in her parent's footsteps, she would write her own story at Hogwarts, and she knew deep down her parents would be proud of her no matter what.

Her eyes landed on a boy sitting at the end of her table. She wasn't sure why, but this boy stood out amongst everyone else. He sat with a sense of confidence and a bit of arrogance. He didn't look much older than she was, so she assumed he was a second or a third year. His friends were laughing beside him, but he sat there with a stone cold expression... it scared her a bit. He must have felt her eyes on him, because he looked right back at her with his dark brown eyes. Rose averted her eyes quickly to her plate.

Mary followed her gaze and smiled when she saw the boy.

"That's Tom," said Mary. "He's friends with my brother, Cadmus. Bit of an odd one, he is."

"How so?" asked Rose.

"I dunno," she answered. "He's only a second year, but he doesn't act like it. He doesn't play around much... but I think he had a rough upbringing."

"He looks scary," said Rose.

"He's harmless," said Mary as she shoveled a forkful of mashed potatoes into her mouth.

Rose tried to sneak another look at the mysterious boy, Tom, but as she looked up his eyes were still locked with hers. Her heart jumped in her chest but she couldn't look away. Her gaze was trapped on his. It was as if he could look directly into her soul. Only seconds passed, but it felt like days. He looked away from her with a smirk on his face.

Unfortunately for Rose, Tom Riddle had taken an instant liking to her.