*~*~*~Special Thanks to Gilana1 for being totally amazing and being my beta and always *kicking* me to keep on this!*~*~*~
It was dreary, cold and wet on the final day of 1937 in London, England. If one was looking close enough, they'd notice a man, dressed slightly oddly with long flowing auburn hair walking into Wool's Orphanage. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore. He is a teacher for a most prestigious school. This school has an invitation for a child by the name of Tom Marvolo Riddle, one of the numerous children residing at the declining underfunded orphanage. Tom is a quiet child, who generally kept to himself. None of the other children in the orphanage seemed to like poor Tom, leaving him to be his own friend in solitude. Perhaps this is when he learned of his special gift. Tom is a wizard and a bloody powerful one at that…
"Good Day, my Madame Cole. I'm here to discuss the possibility of one of your children, a child by the name of Tom Riddle attending a special school," Albus Dumbledore stated with a twinkle in his eye and a subtle flick of his wand up his sleeve.
stumbled in her speech slightly "Good Day….Sir. I don't recall ever putting the boys name down for a scholarship or any sort of school. How could you know of him being here?" Dumbledore pushed a sheet of blank parchment towards her stating that all the necessary information will be contained. Once Mrs. Cole grasped the thick sheet of paper from him, her eyes became somewhat dilated and dull. "Well, everything seems to be in order. Would you like to meet the boy now?" Mrs. Cole stated a few moments later.
"That would be splendid, my dear lady. Lead the way," Dumbledore stated as he began to rise from the chair and desk in 's office.
As all this was happening young Tom had just stalked into his room, tempted to act out and slam the door. However, he held his emotions in check and simply shut the door and proceeded to the desk to write. His emotions were in turmoil, and he couldn't stop the shaking in his left hand. He had just had another run-in with Billy, Dennis and Amy. Again they taunted him for what they believed were abnormalities. He'd been thinking since their first trip to the sea back in August, what could he do to prove to them and everybody else that he wasn't a nobody, that one day he'll be the one in their place - showing them first hand how it feels to be belittled, teased and abused. Tom knows that he can't trust adults. God knows has never believed a thing he's said about the other children. By the time young Tom was 11 years old, he'd learned how to fend for himself and not to be reliant on any other person. Because in Tom's mind, to do that, show's your weaknesses and weaknesses can be easily manipulated.
Tom turns away from his desk at the sound of a knock to his room, curious as to whom it could be. The children of the orphanage would never knock, and Mrs. Cole doesn't just come up to see him without reason. He takes a moment to steal himself, make sure that his mask is up, determined to not let a thing slip.
"May I help you, sir?" Tom asked in what some may consider a polite tone. He was curious as to whom this elderly gentleman is and why it is he is standing at his door.
"Are you Tom Riddle?" Dumbledore asked. Dumbledore's gaze flickered around the room, taking everything in. Noticing the lack of much color in the room, much like the rest of the orphanage. Instead of asking for a seat, Dumbledore practically floated across the room to the desk with the only available chair.
"Yes, sir. Did she send you to see me?" Tom questioned, frustration evident in his voice. This isn't the first time that somebody has stopped by to speak with young Tom, most of the time they were fishing for an excuse to label him as mad and ship him off to the closest psychiatric ward.
"Actually, Tom, Mrs. Cole did not. You see, I am a Professor of a school for special children. A school that you've been accepted into it. I've come here today to give you your acceptance letter, to speak with you regarding the school rules and to take you shopping for your school supplies in London," Dumbledore stated without pausing for breath.
"A School? How could I have been accepted to a school when I haven't been told of going anywhere different from the rest of the children next year?" Tom had a calculative look in his eyes. There was something off and different about this Mr. Dumbledore and the thought of a being accepted to a school for ispecial/i children without even knowing about it beforehand set all of his senses on high alert.
"Actually, Tom, your name has been down since birth -" Dumbledore began but, was soon cut off by Tom
"I'm sorry, Sir, but, how could my name have been put down at birth when I was born here in this very orphanage and my mother died within minutes afterwards?" Tom had his eyes squinted slightly and he had taken up a defensive tone. Something about this didn't seem quite right to him.
"That's what I'm here to speak with you about, Tom. Has anything ever happened around or to you that seems unexplainable? There are people that are special and have magic - you, dear Tom, are one of them," Dumbledore calmly stated all the while his full blown twinkle is shining in his bright blue eyes.
"What I can do is magic?" Tom asked "I always knew there was something about me, that there was a reason as to why I could do what I could do and why I felt so different from the rest of those staying in the orphanage." Tom's face held a slight smirk and his dark blue eyes were shining the brightest yet. "Can you show me something?"
At this Dumbledore flicks the wand out of his sleeve and into his hand, with a flick of his wrist Tom's wardrobe is suddenly up in flames. Tom is shocked, not to mention infuriated! iHow dare this man set fire to the only things he possesses? Amidst his shock and fury, Tom's magic kicks in and he douses the fire before Dumbledore could flick his wand again.
As Dumbledore turns to look at Tom in the face, he is doing everything he can to understand how a child of this age was able to control his magic so well to douse the flame and only the flame. After shaking the stupor off he asks Tom, "How long have you had control of your magic, Tom?"
"Why does it matter? Surely, magical people use their magic constantly throughout the day. Why is it such a big deal? More importantly, iSir/i, why'd you feel it necessary to burn my wardrobe down? Couldn't you have conjured something instead?" Tom rapidly asked these questions, his emotions boiling just beneath the surface. His dark blue eyes were burning with such intensity that Dumbledore was at a loss for how to reply.
"Well, Tom, it's just that most children your age do not have that much control over their magic, generally magic done before school is termed iaccidental magic/i and rarely shows that much control. Secondly, I wouldn't have burnt down your wardrobe I had plenty control over what appeared to be flames. In fact, they weren't real flames, I didn't expect you to react in the way in which you did," Dumbledore informed Tom. Although all muggle-raised and Muggle-born students have questions regarding their magic. But, rarely do they hold themselves in the style in which young Tom was.
"Do most children not have control of their magic once they are accepted into your school? You seem slightly shocked by what I just exhibited, Sir." Tom said, sounding conflicted. It was at this time that he decided not to inform for professor of the other special skills - such as talking to snakes - he recognized that perhaps the professor wasn't being as truthful with him as he had first been lead to believe.
Dumbledore had a sense of unease come over him. This child isn't reacting at all in the way that was anticipated. "I have here your acceptance letter that is generally mailed out via Owl Post to incoming students. Seeing as you live in Muggle London, it was my duty today to bring it to you and explain whatever you don't understand," Dumbledore stated has he pulled a thick yellowed envelope out of his pocket and handed it over to Tom.
Hogwarts School
Of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Headmaster: Armando Dippet
Dear Mr. Riddle,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts
School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary
books and supplies.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31st.
Yours Sincerely
Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore
Deputy Headmaster
Tom read through the letter feeling elation build up in him. He really was something special - a iwizard/i. Before looking up at Dumbledore again Tom blanked his face to hide his feelings. After all, he knew that it was best not to let them show. "Thank You, Sir, for bringing this to me." He then flipped to the second sheet of parchment which happened to be a list of all necessary school supplies that had to be purchased before September first before folding both sheets of parchment and placing them back in the envelope.
"I'm sorry, Sir. But, I don't think I will have the funds to attend the school. You see, obviously I don't have Parents to pay for this and I don't see Mrs. Cole or the orphanage willing to put out so much for just me," Tom stated with downcast eyes. He had conflicting emotions welling up inside him. A part of him desperately wanted to attend, being able to finally be with other like-minded individuals and away from his fellow children at the orphanage was like every birthday and Christmas rolled into one.
"You misunderstand, Mr. Riddle. The school has a specific fund set aside to purchase the necessary supplies for students such as yourself. You aren't the first student accepted that didn't have the funds available," Dumbledore said. Then he pulled out a second smaller envelope that contained information about a bank called Gringotts, which will be filled with the necessary funds every year to procure all supplies for attendance.
Tom looked at the parchment within the second envelope, elated that there is now nothing in his way to rid him of this hell that he's been forced to endure the past 11 years.
"All of these things may be procured in London, in a place called Diagon Alley. Would you like me to chaperon and give you a hand this first year, Tom?" Dumbledore inquired.
"No thank you, Sir," Tom said, shortly. Noticing his slip, he doubled back "I'm sorry, Sir. Thank you, but, no, Thank You. That won't be necessary," Tom amended with a slight smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. Not long after that Dumbledore left Tom to himself and said that he will see him on September 1st, and if he had any questions not to hesitate to send an owl - although, he didn't inform young Tom of how to do that - if any questions or problems arose. Meanwhile, Tom sat there on his bed and contemplated the wondrous news he had just been given and going over his life thus far wondering how it could change now with proper training and the possibility of real friends in the future.
A/N:
I can't promise how often I'm going to update. But, I will try and do it at least once every week or two. Life can be a bit intense at times, that's for damn sure. I've got several chapters already pre-written, so i should be able to stay on top of this. I'll post an A/N if i feel that i wont make my self-imposed deadlines. Thanks for Reading! ~*Tetecia*~
