An Otherworldly Experience (Tom Riddle Era)

Chapter Ten

The holidays were usually long, boring and tedious. She disliked the matron and the matron disliked Kelli. Because when Kelli came back from her boarding school, the younger kids were generally always happy to see Kelli. And happy kids were uncontrollable kids, in the Matron's eyes. And Kelli was always defiant beyond belief. She'd stay out late every night. She'd break out of her room even if it were locked - and not even magically, well, totally magically.

Like Sirius Black's knife, she'd charmed a pin to unlock any door so that she wouldn't have to pull her wand out at anytime. The trace hadn't been introduced yet so she needn't have bothered with being totally discreet.

Kelli would break into other younger kids rooms and read or tell them stories. Kelli didn't follow many rules but that was how she survived there at the Orphanage, being the lost cause.

The door opened to her room without so much as a knock and she looked up to see Matron Westbrook. On the brightside, her book she had was on her thighs, the cover blocked by her legs so Matron wouldn't be able to see it.

"Ah, Matron, I hear you're not locking my door anymore," commented Kelli, leaning back comfortably on her seat, wearing a pair of unsightly men's trousers that Matron had no idea where Kelli had gotten them from.

Matron Westbrook sneered at the fifteen year old and said, "Well, Watson, you'll be getting a new roommate."

Kelli raised an eyebrow before a face she wasn't expecting to see at the Orphanage. She sat up straighter but her legs didn't go down any further.

"This is Tom Riddle."

"So you finally managed out of the old place, eh, Riddle? Unfortunately, this place is not better," Kelli stated,

"Oh, I don't know, Watson. If I keep you in line, I get a lot more privileges."

Kelli's smile grew, "You think you'll keep me in line, Riddle?"

"Certainly."

Her smile was as big as the cheshire cat's.

Matron Westbrook cleared her throat and said, "I expect nothing improper."

Kelli looked at the Matron, her smile not faltering and saying, "Of course not, Matron. I'd never disobey you."

Matron glared at Kelli, gave a nod at Riddle and left. Riddle closed the door behind her and took a seat on the other bed that Kelli kept clear for others. Lord, he must have imperiused her.

Kelli's smile dropped, it only ever being show for the Matron. She snapped her book shut, and kicked her legs off the bed and onto the floor in a swift movement. "So, were you lying or weren't you?"

"You'll be kept in line this summer," Riddle said coldly. "Unless you stop calling me by my muggle father's name, instead by Lord Voldemort."

Kelli leaned back on her bed and smiled at him in amusement. "Finally figured out you're Tom Riddle Jr, then?"

"That's what you meant last year," Riddle stated.

"Of course," Kelli replied.

Riddle got to his feet and said, "If you refuse to follow that rule, then you'll have to follow the rules of Madam Westbrook." He pulled out his wand and locked the door with a muttered spell Kelli didn't quite catch.

"Well, I'll start this how I started our last argument. You are one creepy dude, locking yourself in with a girl."

"You can't say much if you're the one who thought how creepy it is," commented Riddle. "How is it creepy."

Kelli looked at Riddle, a straight a face she could manage and said, "Well, it's become apparent that you don't know how procreation works, and, as far as I am aware, we are both of age."

His face turned pink. "You're quite vile."

"You're quite attractive," Kelli retorted, now enjoying this game, then she frowned, still enjoying herself, "Are you calling me unattractive?"

"Stop this talk," he demanded of her. "I don't wish to talk about this with you."

"Oh me? What's wrong with me?" Kelli asked, false offence in her tone.

He turned on her, staring her down, now she felt like prey. But instead of letting her flight instincts take over, she forced fight to the forefront. Although, her flight instincts were being very hard to manage.

"Nothing. Nothing at all is wrong with you," he told her, "I can even look past your blood status."

"I'm flattered," she told him, meaning it but sounding sarcastic to not give herself away. What the hell have I just gotten myself into?

"Oh, you should be," he told her, holding a level look on his face. He was toying with her now, wasn't he? "I usually wouldn't be so interested in a muggle."

She narrowed her eyes as her mouth grew wider in a smile. Kelli may have been a Hufflepuff, but when she was at this Orphanage, she was in charge, she didn't tolerate the intolerance. She wasn't backing down to Riddle today. "I think you meant to say mudblood, Riddle. You're implying that I'm not your equal and we both know that's not quite true."

"You are not my equal," he spat at her. "I have magical heritage."

"Then you must be really disappointed that your academic magical equal is a muggle," replied Kelli. "That's really quite pathetic."

I'm dead.

He shot her a cold smile. "And you ask what's wrong with you. Let me tell you this, Kelli Watson. You are perfect and you will regret it."

Kelli felt a chill at his words, his intense words, the unkind smile and the coldness of his eyes. Kelli knew she would regret it in one form or another. She sat still and smiled. "I'm sure I will regret a lot of things, Riddle. But being your downfall will not be one of them."

"You'll never be my downfall," he whispered.