Into The Past | Tom Marvolo Riddle

The Triwizards and The Captivating Ring

" She told me to turn off the light, but I was only hanging on by a thread. But, it was her so I turned it off along with my emotions"
-Anonymous

It was a week later and a  quiet Flora sat in the Great Hall. Coincidently, Tom sat beside her with a knowing smirk. His group was situated on the other side of the bench, except Abraxas who sat on the other side of Tom. She felt like moving due to it being uncomfortable and Tom's group was chasing everyone away... except their stares. She held onto her hand, running her finger over a ring that she had found in the 'Room of Hidden Things'. She knew not to go snooping around there, but she couldn't stop herself and the ring seemed oddly... captivating.

"Students," Headmaster Dippet spoke, authoritive in his voice. Everyone eyed the old man in a robe as he made hand gestures whilst speaking. "As you all are aware... the Triwizard cup will be held in 3 days. We will be welcoming 2 other wizarding schools to accompany us on this competition," Dippet smiled before looking towards the Grand Hall's doors. "Only 28 students were allowed to attend, Resulting in 4 of each grade. 2 girls and 2 boys. How it was decided? Simply the best of the best," Dippet informed.

"Firstly! Beauxbatons Academy of Magic!" he called out.

The doors softly opened as women in blue entered the room, their heels clicking in sync. The door shut behind them as they made their ways to the middle of the walkway with soft smiles. They waved their wands fluently, making blue butterflies swarm around everywhere before forming behind the group. Resulting in their Headmistress to appear magically behind them. Claps were heard around the room before the Beauxbaton students sat down quietly at the front of the Hufflepuff table. Whilst the Headmistress headed towards the front of the hall alongside Dippet, being welcomed by him in with a short handshake

"Last, but certainly not least," Dippets voice boomed throughout the Hall. "Durmstrang Institute!" He called out.

The door flew open as men  ranging from first years to seven years entered with staffs, their wands in their cloaks. The staffs rebounded off the ground as they walked in the hall, radiating power. Flora eyed the boys who came in, seeming to remember Harry's troubles in the Triwizard Cup. Flora stilled as she remembered Cedric... Voldemort and then... Tom.

"Now that we are all seated I'd like to address everyone who has been chosen from each year to write their names on the piece of paper," Dippet ordered, before snapping his fingers. Flora eyed the piece of paper in front of Tom and eyed his familiar handwriting. He was chosen, it was simply already known. "But remember, the chosen students face 3 dangerous tasks which will be of great importance. It'll test your limits and if you pass, you may endeavor in pride. If the specific people who were chosen don't feel like they are up to the task, they may put their hands up," Dippet added looking around. He nodded in acceptance as no one had ran cowardly away from the task and had kept their hands down.

Flora frowned as she eyed the paper in front of Tom. It seemed weird how odd it was that you had to get chosen to be entered, when simply in the future you had to be of age and anyone could put their names in it. Although it made sense to let 28 people from each school who were up to the standard to put their name in. It still rattled Flora at the differences.

Flora raised her head back up again as Dippet raised his wand before flicking it. A large stone sat at the front of the room, a blue flame igniting in a second, the blue seeming to catch Flora's eyes. Reminding her of a certain pair of familiar blues.

Dippet ordered the grades one by one to place their pieces of papers into the bowl, approximately 12 students went up. 6 girls and 6 boys. Before long it was the 7th grades.  4 from Beauxbatons stood up, 2 girls and 2 boys as they made their way up, Durmstrang following their lead. Tom stood up with a smirk as he left the table as another boy from Gryffindor followed him. 2 girls, 1 from Hufflepuff and the other, Ravenclaw placed their papers in the Triwizard Cup's blue flame. Claps around the room filled the place before Dippet spoke.

"May these meals be a welcoming offer!" Dippet proudly spoke, food appearing onto the table. New comers gasping in surprise. Flora ate some chicken with peas before moving onto dessert.

Flora ate a couple of spoonful's of her dessert before placing her spoon down. She couldn't eat when a certain someone eyed every move she made. She felt nervous... so nervous. At the corner of her eye she could see Tom smirking and she felt like stabbing a fork in his hand. The endless rants of his teasing swam around in her head from a week ago when Tom caught her in the bathroom. She once again ran her finger over her new found ring and her face went red.

"What?" Flora questioned, slightly aggravated. He gave her a blatant look and kept staring. She rolled her eyes and looked  around the room to occupy her mind. But, it seemed the very confusing Tom Riddle had been drifting around in her thoughts as she eyed the different people. Her eyes soon stopped at a certain raven haired from Durmstrang. Her eyes furrowed at his dark glare and she got up quickly.

She walked out of the room, catching a certain pair of blue, that simply belonged to Tom.

Flora bit her lip, the Triwizard cup irking her. Harry Potter swam in her mind before she remembered Cedric. He killed him... Tom had killed her best-friend. Losing him was hard on her, but Hermione's company had healed her broken wing. Flora looked down at her wrist to see a bracelet that he had given her for her 13th birthday. Flora bit back her tears as her feet went faster towards the dark Gallows of Slytherin.

"Flora!" Tom called out, his robe flowing beside him as he strode to her. Flora turned around quickly to find him slowly approaching. She felt like banging her head on the wall due to his calm façade. How could she be mad at him when he hadn't even killed Cedric yet? Flora was normally not angry, but something was stirring inside of her and it only grew as she eyed the ring on her right hand.

Captivating....

But she was angry and she didn't know what to do except one thing. She felt like placing a curse on him. Oddly, her right hand grabbed her wand out of her robe, her fingings grasping onto it for life.

"Avada Kedavra!" Flora  yelled, flicking her wand towards Tom. Her eyes grew wide as the unforgivable spell left her lips. Tom blocked it just in time, shock ridden on his face. He quickly swiped his wand, knocking her wand out of her hand. Flora looked at her hands shocked, before eyeing the ring on her finger.

Captivating...

"Tell me how you know that spell," Tom ordered, his voice filled with rage. It was his spell and he didn't want her running around with it. It was his. Not hers...His steps heavy as he dug his wand into her neck. Flora didn't pay no attention as her view was on her finger. She wanted to take it off, but she couldn't.

Even though Tom Riddle was enraged, he took every detail of her face. From the one beauty mark on her left cheek or her baby face, her small cupids bow, her small nose or to her small, but plump lips he noticed her eyes that were set on her hand. He took a step back with a frown before grabbing her hand. His gaze fell to the ring. He shook his head irritably, ripping off the Piece of jewellery.

Flora slowly became level-headed, her heavy breathing softening. He wondered how she got the ring out of the one room that he thought he only knew apart from the Headmaster. But, the girl in front of him was filled with secrets. But,

So was he...