Prologue
Wool’s Orphanage, London
8-year-old Tom Marvolo Riddle had always been alone. No mother, no father, no friends. He was all alone. It’s alright, though. Tom wanted to be alone. He didn’t need the company of those snivelling idiots at the orphanage; they either hated him or feared him anyway. Tom didn’t share a room with another person as the other kids did, Mrs Cole feared he would ‘corrupt’ the children. That’s alright, Tom liked the comforting silence in his room anyway. The other children were too loud and all too prying, Tom enjoyed his personal space.
That was until Mrs Cole rudely barged into his room, holding someone’s hand. Somebody had probably complained about his ‘freakishness’ again, Tom internally prepared himself for the earful Mrs Cole would give him, he just hoped he wouldn’t get locked in the broom cupboard again. Tom put his book down, ready to glare at whoever had dared to complain about him. However, he was met by an unfamiliar face, a newcomer. He was to be Tom’s roommate, he deduced from Mrs. Cole’s ramblings. Great, somebody new for him to deal with.
The boy wasn’t tall like Anthony or big like Billy, he looked to be Tom’s age as well. He was bound to scare the poor thing off. Tom scowled as Mrs Cole pushed his new roommate closer to him before leaving and slamming the door shut behind her. The taller boy rolled his eyes, that’s the end of his peace and quiet, though his new roommate didn’t look like the talkative type. Tom picked his book back up and continued reading.
...
” H-hullo.”
The deafening silence was broken by the shorter boy. Tom looked up from his book, nodding slightly in acknowledgement but not bothering to return the greeting. Instead, Tom took the time to study the other boy. Green, was the first thing Tom’s brain picked up on. The boy had striking green eyes. Not green like the worn down cover of Tom’s favourite literature book, nor the dull green of the grass in the yard; dead and fading from the lack of water, under the the scorching heat of the blazing sun, but green like the rarest emeralds, brilliant and expensive.
Tom looked away from those eyes, now shining with confusion as to why his new roommate was silently staring at him. Tom noticed his awkward fidgeting and gave the boy a once-over before looking away. He noted a few details. The boy had sun-kissed skin, though he appeared paler under the orphanage’s terrible lighting, and platinum, messy hair that undoubtedly hadn’t been cut in a long time, or brushed, by the looks of it. The boy, who Tom hadn’t yet gotten the name of, fidgeted with the hem of his long-sleeved and worn-down shirt, purposely trying to avoid Tom’s gaze. Tom sighed.
“What’s your name?”
“Anastasius”