Author's Note:
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Waiting in wonder at the steps expecting someone to show her the way. Isabella clung to the letter, doing her best to contain her tears. She heard what sounded like advancing footsteps in her direction after what seemed like an eternity. She sensed a pair of amused rather than loving eyes on him, as if they already knew who she was.
"What are you doing outside right now?"
Tom asked in a deadpan tone. The moment Isabella raised her head, Tom's piercing stare met hers. However, he was internally making every effort to maintain his poker face. after observing the tear brim line at the brown orbs of the brunette. Whose smooth hair makes him instantly recognisable from a distance. Irritated by the contradictory feelings the girl was conveying to him along with a memory of past doe eyes.
"I guess I am deaf because I can't hear your response", he repeated his question.
Isabella lowered her head in shame at Tom's jest, glancing at her lap and fidgeting with the letter in her hands.
"I planned to bring my little sister a note, but I got lost in the castle."
"Oh, I see. Perhaps you ought to try to bring the map that was given to you so that you can make use of it."
"I neglected to take it with me."
"And see what your loss of memory did to you, If it was not me there then who would approach you?"
"I… Simply excited, I wanted to tell her about my day."
Isabella, who was innocently looking up at Tom, said while allowing a tear to fall from the corner of her eye. She quickly dabbed it with the sleeves of her nightgown. She was certain that she caught a glimpse of Riddle's brows joining together in a sympathetic expression out of the corner of her eye. But as she gave him another look, the expression faded quickly. He growled,
"Now see what your 'Excitement' brought to you," while maintaining his poker face. "How would you want to get detention on your very first day at Hogwarts, creating a very nice trend Black, with this letter of yours," he added, bringing the term "excitement" into the conversation growled, Tom mocked again. But when he observed Isabella clutching her fists tightly, causing the letter to fall apart and turning her knuckles white, he felt a rush of guilt. She calmed herself down and gently stood up. Keeping her head low so Tom could not see her crying which Tom he already did. when he observed her face welling up with tears and falling to the ground. He shifted in his seat and gasped as a result of his mounting remorse for making the girl in front of him weep.
"I…" When Isabella stood up from the stairs where she had been seated, he was unable to finish what he had started to say. She replied, keeping her head down,
'I'm sorry for interrupting you, "Riddle," but will you kindly take me back to the "Slytherin Dorm"?"
Tom felt a beating in his chest that he didn't know had been caused by Isabella using his last name. Even though he knew she had been addressed as "Tom" the entire day, something about "Riddle" made him regret it. He regrets using such a harsh tone, which he did on purpose to keep her away from him. He was aware that it was effective, but the past lamented that "He botched up." He remained there since he was too preoccupied with his thoughts to see Isabella's teary-eyed expression. But something took place. The disgruntled Isabella stopped in her tracks when the old Tom in him spoke.
When Isabella turned around and he spoke , "I can take you," Tom Riddle orbs greeted her.
"Thank you", she said.
Tom nervously said, "No."
"Uh?" Isabella questioned with her brows furrowed together.
Tom responded, "I didn't mean the Slytherin dorm," which caused Isabella's shoulder to drop. When a voice reverberated behind her, she mutely said, "Ok," thinking Tom wouldn't assist her and turned around to find a way on her own.
"Wait Isabella, I'll take you to Owlery," Tom said.
Isabella immediately turned around when she froze, grinning widely. She could not see Tom's twitching lips because of the darkness.
"Are you certain?" In a cheerful tone, Isabella questioned.
Tom said and closed his lips with "Yes."
Isabella said happily, "Yayyy, Thank you Tom."
Tom moved quickly towards her, lightly touched her lips by putting a finger on it, and said, "Quite, you intended to get us caught and get detention?" Isabella simply smiled a stupid, childish grin in his direction. causing Tom's white-fisted hand, which he had created to keep himself together. While still grinning, Isabella mumbled, "No, I don't." Tom stood up straight and responded in his monotone voice. Isabella walked behind Tom and said, "Okay, come this way." looking around while trying to recall the route. Tom, who stood in front of her, spoke without turning and said,
"It's full dark out there, and you are sure you will memorize the whole way?"
"Yes I can" replied Isabella casually. Tom snickered and implied,
"Says the person who became lost on her very first day".
In response to Tom's insult, Isabella chose to remain silent. When Tom didn't hear back, he turned around. He had been waiting for a response. Meeting by Isabella's view was quiet and the state was once more dropped.He thought to himself, "Great. Tom, why can't you hold out for a second with your snotty self? "He approached the owlery quietly, followed by a brunette.
Tom said, "Here we are," with a sigh. Isabella silently walked past Tom while glancing up at the Owlery's entryway. who, out of the corner of his eyes, observed her bloody eyes. When she finally discovered her owl, she stroked it. She smiles at the animal in front of her as she pulls out a biscuit from her nightgown's pockets and feeds it. She delicately pressed the letter after banding it with its leg. Tom was observing the entire scenario while he stood in the doorway. felt a warmness and delicateness. Every action the brunette in front of him made was being watched by him. His developing smile was stopped by biting his inner cheeks. After taking flight, Isabella turned to face Riddle, who was already focusing on her. She maintained eye contact before lowering her gaze. She walked approached the gate and stopped in front of Tom, saying, "Thanks," with her head hung low. Riddle wanted to inspect her face—probably her eyes—for some reason. He didn't try occultism because he knew it wouldn't help. He sighed in response and said, "Let's get you back to your dorm." Isabella simply nodded without saying anything, which made Riddle more irritated. Tom broke the tense silence by silently moving toward the dorm.
"So, in order to please your sister, you put yourself last today because you were so desperate?"
Isabella questioned startled, "Excuse me". For breaking the stillness, Tom grinned to himself.
Tom mockingly remarked, "Yes, I simply declared fact."
"Tom" said Isabella sternly at which Tom gulped but hummed to let her know to continue.
"Just because you found me and helped me, it doesn't means you have any right to humiliate me which you are doing continuously" replied Isabella in a serious tone.
"Seriously? You should be thankful that I helped you, let you deliver that shitty letter of yours, taking you back to dorm and here you are standing complaining, How much an ungrateful brat are you? Black"
Isabella became enraged by Riddle's cruel insult and moved closer to him. I cast him an angry glance. And as a fresh shade of this particular brunette was unfolding in front of him, Riddle momentarily became bewildered. He nevertheless maintained his poker face. only to be taken aback by Isabella's subsequent remarks.
"How nasty a person are you, Riddle? Seriously? I appreciate you bringing me here and now bringing me back to the dorm. Thanks to you, I didn't get trapped all night. You are humiliating me for constantly being out at this time, but I could have demanded the same of you. Tell me what you are doing now that it is after curfew and you are outside in the hallways. I just started my first year here. Your second year is now. Even though you were aware of every regulation, you were still exploring the castle at this moment. Why? care to share. Your epithets and…"
Isabella was unable to finish her outburst because she could only notice that she was being firmly trapped against the wall and that a wand was being held at her throat. She tried to relax herself as her breath became laboured. She opened her eyes to find Tom Riddle staring at her with fiery eyes as he drove his wand deeper into her throat.