Crimson || Tom Riddle [1]

𝖙𝖍𝖗𝖊𝖊

Friends were a mundane thing, Arabella concluded. They were too much effort and a pointless waste of time. Friends made one feel they had a burden on their shoulders, always trying to be perfect around them so they won't criticise.

So, as she walked down the corridor of the train, looking at the people laughing in compartments with their friends, she glared. Three hours had passed and Arabella realised that going back to Hogwarts was the worst decision she had ever made.

Her heels clicked with the soft carpet of the train as she walked up and down the corridor multiple times. A few minutes later, the door of a compartment slid open and a voice interrupted her. "Would you stop?"

Arabella turned around glaring. "What did you say?"

"Would you stop?" The girl seemed annoyed. She had her head sticking out of her compartment. She was already wearing her robes, but Arabella couldn't identify what house the girl was in - it also reminded her that she did not have robes.

"Who are you?" Arabella asked. The girl stepped out of her compartment and held out her hand. Slytherin, Arabella realised from the crest on her robes.

"Colette Swan," she introduced with a warm smile. She seemed annoyed just a few seconds ago. Arabella denied her extended hand and watched her eyes widen with surprise. Criticism. "You're new," she said, her green eyes darkening after Arabella's informal gesture. "What's your name?"

"That is none of your concern," Arabella said. And with that, she turned around and left.

•••

Another hour passed and Arabella thought that the train ride made her want to die more than being a vampire did. It seemed as though the train had been moving for more years than Arabella's lifetime.

When the train finally stopped, Arabella quickly grabbed her cat, got off and searched for the boy. The quicker she found him and got her wand, the quicker she could leave this horrid place and not meet the eyes of the man who had cursed her years ago. She did not want to be recognised.

Arabella searched the Hogsmeade Station but could not seem to find the boy anywhere, so she followed the rest of the students to carriages pulled by the thestrals - winged, horse-like creatures with a skeleton appearance only visible to people who had witnessed death. She was annoyed at herself for coming this far. Her plan was to compel the boy as soon as she could, though he was nowhere to be seen.

The first years boarded boats that took them to the magnificent castle of Hogwarts. By then, it was nightfall and some students seemed tired. Most seemed excited to finally return home, to Hogwarts.

Arabella got into one of the carriages and sighed, happy to be away from human life. A moment later the door opened and a girl walked in. She had a black hair, black eyes and smooth white skin. Arabella noticed the crest on her robes they read Hufflepuff.