Tom Riddle X Reader - Chapter 6: Chapter 6

On the way to the garden for lunch, Lily mentioned Flitwick's class and how she saw you briefly talk to Tom Riddle.
"Well it was more like shouting" - you told her "He got angry at me for spilling wine on his uniform. Kept being bitter afterwards."
"I guess he won't be trying to deceive you with his charm then" - Lily replied "Not a lot of people can see through him, <___>."
"You really dislike him, huh?"
"He called me a mudblood once. Thought I wouldn't hear it."
"I see. That's reasonable then."
"I saw him in the library once try to slip into the forbidden section before he was caught by Apollyon." - she whispered as she squeezed past some students "And I think he's having a terrible influence on Severus"
"Severus Snape?"
She nodded "He became a lot more quiet. But I think that's also because this one douch-- I mean -- James Potter guy can't stop bullying him."
"James Potter" - you repeated, thinking: Her future husband "He must be really annoying then."
"I mean he's rude to someone I've known since I was little."
"Sounds like this school has more issues than daily prophet" - you bluntly said
You both met up with Mary and Molly in the garden, just behind Hogwarts. There were groups of students scattered across the green grass, chattering and enjoying the faint kisses of the shimmering sun.
You all picked a spot before settling and preparing your packed food. This time, since you didn't have any, your new friends were happy to share theirs with you.
In a distant corner, in-between heaps of flowers, you could see a girl with two ponytails and glasses hanging above the bridge of her nose, reading a book. Her face looked familiar.
Then you noticed Tom Riddle enter the garden alongside two of his companions. Those people currently by his side were the ones who served him as death eaters in the future.
On Riddle's left, walked a boy with white-blonde hair, pale skin and grey eyes - Malfoy. Meanwhile, on Riddle's right, trailed a boy with caramel blonde hair, tanned skin and green eyes - going by the name of Avery.
Whilst in the middle we had our handsome leader himself - Tom Marvolo Riddle.
When the trio stopped, Riddle appeared to be saying something to them before they all parted ways. Tom clenched onto his black-covered book and walked deeper into the garden.
He sat and leaned against a significantly larger tree before flicking open a book. For a moment he appeared innocent; a strong contradiction compared to what he was really like on the inside. Who knew what rotten thoughts have already gone through his head. His appearance was mysterious, attractive and thrilling on the surface but he had utterly decayed within.
As you had your eyes on him, you watched a pair of insanely pretty girls from house Hufflepuff approach Tom. One stood still, a little further, as she grinned at her black-haired friend stepping just in front of Riddle.
"I'm busy." - Riddle said, feeling the shadow linger and block the sun. When he glimpsed up, noticing her whimper as if she was about to burst into tears, Marvolo sighed "I must have forgotten about my manners." - he told her "I apologize."
"I-it's okay" - the girl stuttered, brushing back her hair "I shouldn't have bothered you. I'll catch you later I suppose" - she waved 'bye' at him and he waved back, but as they walked away, Riddle rolled his eyes, fixing his gaze back towards the inked pages.
Tom clearly wanted to be left alone.
As the Hufflepuff girls left, they were being watched by a couple of other girl groups, flocking just to eye Tom like he was the finest piece of art in the whole wide world. They were eyeing him like a pack of hungry tigers who had found a prey. Little did they know he was the predator.
As you were in thought, your eyes suddenly locked with Riddle, who had glanced your way.
In panic, you immediately looked away, pretending nothing had happened.
If Riddle didn't care enough to even briefly speak to a beautiful girl, surely you were not ready to interact with him properly either. He would shoot you down just like that as well and you didn't want to blow your chance at growing close.
Dumbledore instructed you to be careful and not make yourself a tool. But if Tom, without absorbing the potion, doesn't find a use for you, why would he even talk to you? On some parts you just had to disobey Albus and at least pretend to be a tool. For the sake of the mission.
Everything seemed peaceful around you and your friends until a quiet, young man passed the garden. James, who was standing nearby with his friends, noticed that boy and started following him.
"Hey! Snivellus! Remember yesterday? You mocked me!" - every student around glared at Snape and Potter, some Gryffindors ran to encircle Snape so he could not escape.
This certainly captured your groups attention, especially Lily's, who sneered at the sight of James.
"I did no such thing..." - Severus explained
"Are you saying I'm making it up?" - James proceeded to ridicule the boy
"No, I-" - Snape uttered
With every spoken word by James, and every shared laugh between the group, you could sense Lily's hidden anger grow stronger.
You, as well, knew that this was not right. Nobody deserved to be bullied.
Unable to hold it any longer, Lily rushed over to Severus and you ran after her.
"What's this about being mocked, Potter?" - Lily shouted at James, who was now looking towards her
"Your friend here knows all about it, Evans" - he spat back
As Lily pushed her way into the circle, you stood nearby to support her.
"So you're all such great sorcerers that you feel the need to bully people? Is it because you know they're smarter than you?"
"Look! Our dear Slytherin potion master is being guarded by a couple Gryffindor girls!" - Potter laughed, noticing something was peeking out of Snape's robe pocket "Well, well, well!" - he quickly snatched it, revealing a small notesbook.
"Give that back!" - Severus flinched, reaching out for the book that was flicked open by James
Potter read out the words "Half-blood prince? Prince?" - James's eyes bulged behind his glasses as he quickly burst into laughter, tossing the book at Snape's embarrased face.
"You find this pleasurable, you conceited toerag?!" - Lily yelled
Observers 'ooo'-ed as if encouraging the feud.
James smirked "Someone must teach Snivellus to respect others"
You intervened, addressing Potter "That's rich coming from you."
James tilted his head "Who the heck are you?"
You could see Sirius stand by Potter's side, wearing a doting smile as he checked you out "She's new" - he told him
Lily grabbed Snape's arm and squeezed through the crowd, brushing against shoulders as she wanted to leave the yard.
As you followed them, you glanced back at James, who received a few high fives from some Gryffindor boys - as if he was being praised for bullying.
And of course, when you turned your head back forwards, your face bumped into a figure.
You felt your head strike their jaw before you both looked at each other, yelping in pain.
"Agh-- it's you.." - you said, massaging the stinging area
"Do take notice where your large head is going" - Tom sneered as he rubbed his jaw with his thumb
"Sorry, I don't speak slytherin" - you took a few footsteps towards the direction where Lily and Severus were at, then glanced over your shoulder at Tom's cold, usual stare and added "Except for that guy" - you pointed at Severus's back.
Unamused, Tom left.
Later, in the evening, after you attended two other lessons - Defence against dark arts taught by Galatea Merrythought and History of Magic taught by Cuthbert Binns, you were back in Gryffindor's common room, where you and your friends were having a great time, chatting.
"So." - Lily looked at you "I can't help but notice that you're unprepared. And I don't mean to be nosy but isn't every Hogwarts student obligated to have a pet? And our own books? Quills? I noticed you had to borrow almost everything today."
"Yeah, I was supposed to bring them" - you answered "But I didn't have enough time since it was all last notice. I'm going shopping for it this Saturday though so I'm just gonna have to burden someone else about borrowing again for tomorrow."
"I see" - She replied, smiling "If you want I can accompany you to help you with your shopping. I know all the best places."
"That would be really nice of you, thanks" - you smiled back at her.
That evening you got to know Molly, Mary and Lily better. Found out about their heritages, and overall lives. Molly told everyone she was a pure-blooded witch and had two brothers - Gideon and Fabian, who were protective over her.
Lily mentioned how proud her parents were when they found out about her abilities but how envious her sister - Petunia was. Jealous enough to beg professor Dumbledore to accept her into Hogwarts.
Mary mentioned she is a part of quidditch team alongside James Potter. She also has a fair amount of knowledge on which students were good, which ones were michievous, which were considered popular and which were not.
And you found yourself happy among this new group.
Your Friday was ordinary too. You didn't approach Marvolo, hoping he'd ease down and maybe forget a little about what happened between you two.
So you spent your whole day with your friends, mostly with Molly and Lily as Mary had quidditch practice. You quickly found yourself becoming a part of it - A part of their friendship circle.
Friday night you were ready for tomorrow as tomorrow was an important day of shopping ;)