》Oath ⇔ Tom Riddle《

Chapter 1: Never the same again

[Edited ✔️]

Cold and emptiness.

That's how she currently felt, after being robbed off her once warm house. If she could call it that. She understood that it was necessary for a child to live at an orphanage after its parents passed, but it all happened too fast. She had no chance to actually adjust to her new lifestyle.

She was aware of the fact that she would never be able to turn back time and fix the things she's done, which brought her into that situation. So she told herself over and over again to push those memories aside and start from zero. From there on she will live her life how she wants it, and won't let anyone tell her otherwise.

Starting at the orphanage.

The children ran up to her and talked all at the same time, making it harder for her to understand a word, so she simply decided to flee and return to her room. Mrs Cole had showed her the way to her room earlier, so she found it right away.

However, she noticed another boy who was walking several steps ahead of her, their footsteps being the only thing that echoed in the empty hallway. He, too, was on his way to his room, glancing back to see who had been following him. She kept her straight face and kept on walking when he halted to open his door. The small glare on his face disappeared once he'd watched her step into her own room, that was located right next to his.

In her room, she sat down on her bed, feeling the soft mattress underneath her while her fingers traced the bedsheets. The bed was actually quite comfortable. She laid down and stared at the ceiling, losing herself in her thoughts until she had fallen asleep.

———————

"(Y/n), play with us! All you've been doing the past weeks is staring out of the window."

"Yeah, why won't you just go outside with us?"

"Let her be. She's just like Tommy over there."

"Riiight. Come on, let's go without her."

Some children gathered around the girl and asked her if she wanted to play with them, since the weather had become better over the last months. Two had months passed already, and nothing had changed. She continued to be the quiet mouse, who would sit right behind the same window and look out of it, something inside her telling her to not leave the safety of the building.

A hunch maybe?

Tom sat in the corner of the common room, minding his own business until two of the boys decided to make fun of his name, even going as far as to mock him with the pathetic nickname they had given him over the years. Said boy got up from his seat and made his way towards her and the two boys. The other children long gone.

"Well, the weather is quite warm today. Why don't we go and explore a hidden cave." Tom suggested in a monotone voice. It was clear to her that he was planning something just by listening to him, but the boys didn't notice that.

"We aren't allowed to leave the house."

"Are you trying to get us in trouble?"

"Not at all." Tom turned around before speaking once again. "I've read about the cave in a book and therefore know where it is. - But if you two don't want to see it, then I'll go there by myself." He explained, causing the two boys to exchange curious looks.