The Dark Dyad (Tom Riddle & ofc)

Chapter 14. Deprivation

August 31, 1938

Wednesday

We returned to the orphanage in the late afternoon. I couldn't believe it was the last day and the last night here. Tomorrow we'd be heading to Hogwarts together. The slight excitement of what was to come wouldn't leave me.

"Are you coming to me tonight?" I asked about Irene's plans, straightening the bundles of robes. The step under my foot creaked disgustingly, probably because of the weight of all these bags filled with scales, pots and textbooks I was carrying.

"Right after dinner. We'll look through the textbooks together," she said, as if she could read my mind. I couldn't see her face, because her entire upper body was hidden behind the purchased goods.

"When we grow up, we'll have a big library."

"And all the books will be mine."

"Ours," I said. Well, look at that.

I felt Irene roll her eyes defiantly. Realizing that I couldn't see her pale face, she clicked her tongue loudly to make sure that I could see her indignation. But I said nothing to that either, then she snorted:

"Pfft! No way!"

"Don't forget, you already have my last name," I grinned and turned to the second floor.

"Let's split up before lights out. We need to get some sleep!" I heard Irene's voice going up to the third floor.

We went to our rooms to pack our suitcases. I packed mine pretty quickly, probably because there was nothing to pack. I only had two plain suits of Muggle clothes, so I figured, with the school uniform available, I'd take one just in case. I carefully put my wand in the bottom of the suitcase and packed my textbooks, robes, and the diary Irene had given me. Martha's voice was heard in the corridor, calling out to the kids for dinner. The footsteps were approaching my room, and a moment later there was a knock on the door. I liked Martha! She was always respectful of privacy, not like Mrs. Cole, who apparently hadn't been taught to knock.

"Tom," she had a warm smile on her face, "it's time for dinner."

"Yes, Martha," I nodded indifferently, closing my suitcase. In case someone comes into my room and comes up with the idea of going through my things. Of course, that idea is unlikely to occur to anyone, but it's better to be on the safe side.

I took my time going down to the first floor and headed to the dining room, where I sat down at the familiar table. I couldn't even believe it was the last time I had sat here. A deep breath. There were a lot of kids around, swarming like an anthill. They were rumbling and moving around like some kind of bugs. Ugh.

But my attention quickly shifted. Irene appeared at the entrance in a light-colored dress, the same one she'd worn when she'd shown up here at the beginning of summer. Her hair was loose. Small black sandals stomped tinklingly toward me.

"Do you think," she said as she sat down in her seat, tossing her hair back, "that the food at Hogwarts will be as bad?"

"I hope it's much better." I shrugged indifferently. "Maybe then you wouldn't be so thin and pale..."

"Then you wouldn't be so thin, either, and your hollow cheeks would be gone," Irene interrupted me, and then looked intently at me. "I wonder how much taller you'll get because now you're already a head taller than I am."

I shrugged again.

"I guess you, dear Irene, won't grow much."

She mumbled something inarticulate as she took the copper spoon in her thin fingers. I couldn't stand it, so I said something that was always on the tip of my tongue, "Dwarf."