Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

32

Animo crept down the corridor, her bare feet thankful for the cover of the thick rug beneath her toes. She shivered as she passed what looked to be a collection of medieval torture devices, recognizing the chilling rack to her right from the books she had read as a child. It was strange because she had thought the Malfoys hated anything muggle, but she supposed if there was enough pain involved, they would overlook the devices' origins.

She sighed as she hit another dead end, nothing but another layer of stone and marble to greet her at the end of the walkway. Over the last few days, Animo had passed the time attempting to map out Malfoy Manor, but there were so many hidden rooms and crevices that the task seemed impossible. Adjusting the golden plate in her hand, Animo lowered her voice to a whisper.

"Hello?"

Finally, a sharp crack distorted the heavy silence that smothered the corridor. An old house-elf stood hunched in front of her, his dark blue eyes somber.

"You should not be in this wing, miss," for his old age, the elf's voice was rather high-pitched and he cast a wary look at the dirtied plate in her hand. "Toddy can take that."

Animo retracted immediately, making sure the plate was just out of reach, "No!" Toddy looked startled and she felt a flash of guilt. "Sorry, it's just—" she chewed on the edge of her lip, hoping that she would be able to word her request strongly enough, "I'm dreadfully bored and I wondered if I could perhaps help you in the kitchens?"

To say that Toddy was mortified was an understatement. Stuttering, the house elf shook his head furiously, making it seem as though his eyes were about to pop from their sockets. "Miss should never do the work for elves! Master Malfoy would not be pleased."

"I would never tell him!" Animo insisted, leaning closer towards Toddy. "Please, I only want for something to do."

"There has been vile business in this house," Toddy insisted, eyeing her suspiciously, "Toddy's duty is to oversee his elves and he don't want any evils being stirred up for his family."

Slowly, Animo handed over the plate and the elf took it immediately, making it disappear the moment the golden surface made contact with his fingertips. "I mean no harm. It's just this place is terribly lonely," Animo shivered, casting a furtive glance in the shadows beyond the curtain beside them. "I've not been allowed from my room in days."

Toddy peered up at her, his ears folded back in caution. They were rather large for a house-elf, reminding Animo strongly of some sort of overgrown bat. "Well, Toddy trusts missus' word." The creature gave a great sigh, his chest trembling with the effort. "If you too are held captive in this place, then you are welcome among my family."

Then, Toddy reached over and pinched himself harshly, causing his pale skin to blossom a brilliant purple. "Toddy should not speak ill of his master!"

Animo winced, accepting the house-elf's hand as she tried to avert her eyes from the painful looking bruise. How wizards ever permitted something as barbaric as self-punishment, she would never know.

There was a sharp tugging sensation in her stomach as Toddy apparated, pulling them away from the ominous corridor and into a bright kitchen. Animo blinked her eyes, trying to adjust to the light.

The kitchen looked to be out of a fairytale storybook, with pots and pans hanging of their own accord in the air above her head. Two large islands were set on either side of the room, bearing several sinks filled with soapy water that sent spirals of steam into the air. A few house-elves were hard at work, bent over the bubbles as they scrubbed at a wide array of silver platters, their hands covered in yellow rubber gloves. Towards the back of the kitchen sat a line of stoves, from which each billowed their own aroma, which ranged from garlic to apple pie. The inside of the ovens glowed with an orange hue that lit the room.