Not About Angels (A Tom Riddle Story)

Chapter 16

The months passed by, slipping through their bruised fingers. Thomas Lind still plagued them, yet they were stronger now.

Tom Riddle taught her, how to move things, to play with water and fire, to make flowers bloom. She never mastered them as well as he did, but she was starting to control it. 

Then the man came and changed their lives forever. His name was Albus Dumbledore, and he came to whisk Tom Riddle away. 

Away from the ordinary world, away from her. 

They celebrated his eleventh birthday in an empty wing of the orphanage, blowing out single candle they found in the kitchen. 

"I'll come back for you, Abi, I promise." He said, catching her eyes with his dark ones. 

"I believe you." She whispered. 

"Believe in me, Abi." 

"I'll miss you." She said, unable to hold back the hot tears rolling out of her tear ducts. 

"Promise me you won't be stupid, Abi. They'll come for you. You're one of us."  

"I promise. I'll wait." 

................................................... 

The months that followed were hell. Without him-the one anchor she held on to-she was lost, drowning in an ocean of pain and misery.  

Thomas Lind put scars on her body, but more so on her soul. 

He tortured her, now with Riddle gone, he was free to do what he wished. 

The pain from the needles he stuck in her flesh, the blood samples collected, the electric shocks given, were all a reminder that she was still alive.  

Penny teased her, Billy scorned her. 

But she held on, because she knew that day would come. She bit her lip and went on, the tears held tight in her eyes.    

and it did. 

......................................... 

Hogwarts was a different world. As the train whistled into the Hogshead station, Abigail peered out the window in pure awe. 

The bustling station, warm, cozy, beautiful and full of people. Friendly, smiling faces, as opposed to the cold and miserable ones she faced each day at the orphanage.  

She had ridden the train with a curly-haired girl. She had extraordianryly large eyes that protruded from her thin cheeks.   

The doors opened, and she rushed out, as all the others did. The first years had arrived in their own train, as the other students were already in the great hall. 

So many strange faces, yet she searched for his. 

The castled awed her, yet her heart beat not for the scenery. 

But for him. She would see him again, after a whole year.  

"Hello, Abigail." a familiar voice called behind her. 

She turned around, it was Penny. 

"Didn't think you were the only one, were ya?" Penny asked, laughing.

Abigail only smiled and shook her head. That didn't matter anymore. Now that he was here. he would never let Penny get to her again.  

"What house do you think you'll be in?" The boy next to her asked. 

"I'm Sam, by the way." He said, holding out a hand for her to shake. 

"Abigail." She said. 

"What about the houses?" 

"Oh, you don't know? well, we all get sorted into one of four houses, you see." 

"Four houses?" 

"yeah. Slytherin, for the ambitious. Grinffindor, for the brave ones. Ravenclaw, you know, the smart people. And oh yeah, Hufflepuff, for the, I don't know. They're the nice ones, I guess." 

What house is he in? Slytherin, for sure. 

As they entered the great hall, she searched the crowd for his face. 

There he was. At the center of the Slytherin table, there he was. He was beautiful as ever, perhaps taller now. He held a goblet to his lips, and laughed at something the blonde boy next to him said. The others around immediately laughed with him. 

He was the youngest of the group, but already the most important member. 

Maybe this was where he truly belonged. 

He looked up as her name was called, and briefly nodded at her, acknowledging her.   

She sat down on the stool. 

Please be Slytherin. She thought to herself. 

"Slytherin, you say?" a voice said. 

"whys is this?" she asked out loud. 

The hat laughed. 

"But I'm afraid you're not quite a Slytherin. You would be better in......." 

"Please put me in Slytherin." She begged the hat. 

"I'm afraid I can't. You see, you would be great in......ah, yes. GRYFFINDOR!"  

Her heart sank. But they will still see each other, right? 

His eyes were no longer on her, but focused on the pretty brunette girl sitting across from him.  

Abigail bit back the tears. Now that she was at Hogwarts, she would not cry anymore. He'll find her, maybe tomorrow, and things will go back to the way they once were.  

She sat down with Sam, who was also a Gryffindor, and was greeted by a round of applause from her house.  

She smiled. It was the first time any one had clapped for her.  

"I'm glad we're in the same house." Sam said. 

"yeah, so am I." Abigail said, and meant it. Among the sea of strangers, maybe Sam will be the first friend she makes at Hogwarts.