Unexpected Encounters | Tom Riddle

IV: A Second Chance at Life

Trembling hands reached out to a body lotion and she applied it to her skin, chest aching as she went over all her scars with gentle movements. Her scars had become part of who she was now, and she was ashamed of her appearance. She made sure to cover up all the time, just like the others who carried scars.

Lilia Potter had always been a romantic at heart and she had always wanted to find a lifelong partner.

But that was before the war, before her mind and body were ruined. Now, she didn't see the point of being alive when there was nothing to look forward to. It did feel nice, however, to take care of herself in a way that she hadn't been able to do in a long time. She did her skincare and got dressed in her new uniform. The green looked strange on her but she didn't mind it as much as she anticipated.

"Oh Lilia!" Celeste exclaimed when she came out of the bathroom. "Let me style your hair, it is absolutely stunning!" Lilia chuckled lightly. "Sure."

The brunette immediately took out her wand and dried her hair, styling it with subtle flicks of her wrist. "And let's add some colour to your beautiful face." Evangeline chimed in, applying blush and lipstick on her face. They guided her to the bathroom mirror to show her how she looked and she gasped.

Her hair had been styled into loose curls and she looked so much more alive with the makeup. "This is amazing!" She exclaimed, "Thank you!" "Of course, darling. Girls need to look good to make a good first impression." Lilia gave them a strained smile when Evangeline spoke. How had she forgotten? This was the forties, where feminism had barely started out. A girl was supposed to sit pretty and a boy was supposed to earn for the two.

While her two roommates were freshening up, she noticed a note on her bedside table and picked it up curiously.

It is considered bad manners to fall asleep when someone is tending to you. -TR

Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment.

Right, she did remember that he was talking about meal times when she lied down on her new bed. She must have fallen asleep instantly; she hadn't slept in such a comfortable bed in so long.

Tom Riddle's handwriting was very elegant and she couldn't help but stare at how nice the cursive looked. How did someone who would become so rotten be excellent at everything, be it appearance or education? She couldn't believe how menial the encounter with him had been, he was just like a regular boy . Nothing about him indicated that he was the next Dark Lord.

She headed to the Great Hall with Celeste and Evangeline gushing about how happy they were to meet her and how they couldn't wait for her to meet their other friends. She would have to make new friends here, build a new social support system until she found a way back. She had to prove that she was still alive, that she hadn't failed.

That was the right thing to do, right?

Lilia sat down at the Slytherin table, getting a few curious glances as she was the only face the students didn't recognise. Her breath halted momentarily when Tom Riddle sat right in front of her. "Rousseau." He acknowledged her with a small nod which she mirrored. She would have to keep their encounters to a minimum. If he found out that she came from the future, she could not imagine what he would do to her. Holding such power was a burden and other than Dumbledore, she couldn't trust anyone. Especially not in Slytherin.

"Did you give her a tour of the school?" Celeste asked Tom and he nodded. "Awesome! Well Lilia, this is Tom Riddle as you already know. And these are our other friends!" She turned to look at the two other boys who sat next to Tom.

"Abraxas Malfoy." Celeste pointed to a tall platinum blonde guy who sat on Tom's right.

"And Tiernan Nott."