Disclaimer: Not mine, just playing with the characters created by JK Rowlling.

London 1810

Tom Riddle, Earl of Slytherin and Duke of Hogwarts looked at his cards in disgust. This was his third straight hand with nothing. Luck was not on his side this night.

"I win again Riddle" came the voice of his companion, Mr. Snape the heir of Godric, or at least until the current Earl, his cousin, had a son to pass the title to.

"I think you have taken enough of my money tonight Severus" Riddle said as he tossed his cards onto the table.

"Are you sure," Snape asked with a gleam in his eyes. "How about a wager of 50 on a race? We can meet back in an hour at the tavern near my cousin's townhouse. That should give you enough time to get your horses."

With an arched brow, Riddle looked at his friend curiously. It seemed a little odd that his friend suggested a wager, but Riddle was young, only twenty-two. He could use the excitement that a horserace could induce. With a nod to his friend, he exited the club to gather his team.

Lady Lily Potter look at her crying daughter. "I'm sorry sweet one, but mama and pa need to leave at once. My sister has need of me. We will be home in less than a week, I promise."

"No mama, don't go. I dreamt that you and pa left me forever" cried eight year old Elizabeth Potter. While still having the roundness of a child, anyone who saw her knew she would grow to become a great beauty like her mother. At this moment though, her face with streaked with tears that poured from her bright green eyes.

"You are just being silly now. Your pa and I will be home soon enough. Now be a good girl for Jane". Lady Potter bent down to kiss her daughter goodbye. Straightening up, she observed her husband standing in the doorway.

Lord James Potter, the 7th Earl of Godric looked as handsome as ever and made his wife's heart flutter as he looked at her. Walking into the room, he ruffled his daughter's hair.

"Come my darling, we need to leave now if you want to sup with your sister."

The lord and lady left the nursey wishing their child well as they prepared for their short trip.

Exiting his townhouse, Lord Potter assisted his wife into the carriage. "Pettigrew, make haste, we got a later start than I desired".

"Of course my Lord." Looking at the sun, the coachman noticed how late it was getting. He brought the horses to a quick pace. Rounding the corner, a commotion could be heard and he jumped from his seat and into a ditch. The carriage crashed into the racing curricle driven by Lord Riddle.

The carriage carrying Lord and Lady Potter flipped, sending Lady Potter's body into the street. Her body twisted in a way that there was no way she survived.

Lord Riddle gathered himself and checked to see where he was injured. Somehow luck was with him after all, since it felt like he had only separated his shoulder. Although in pain, he checked first on Lady Potter to see if she was alive. Realizing she was not, he turned to see if anyone else had been in the carriage.

"My daughter" he heard someone say. Looking at the carriage, Riddle noticed that Lord Potter was trapped beneath it. He tried to lift it to free the man, but Lord Potter gasped, "please, stop."

"I need to get this off of you or you will die."

"I am dying with or without the carriage. I need you to help my daughter."

"Is she trapped in the carriage as well?"

"No, she is at home, but I fear my bastard of a cousin will toss her out once I am dead. Promise me you'll make sure she is taken care of. Take her to Lord Black. And please look out for her. And let her know she is loved always by her mama and pa." Lord Potter struggled with his words, pausing at time to compose himself and catch his breath.

"My Lord, I promise you, no harm will come to her. Please be at peace." Tom promised as the older man took his final breath.

Little did Tom know how difficult it would be to keep his promise. When he went to inform Lord Black about his friend's death it was only to find out that he had recently left for America.

While trying to find someone else to take the child, his friend Severus Snape had already made preparations to take his cousin's seat and left the child in the care of one of his tenants. The child, Lady Elizabeth Potter, was treated poorly by the family she was in the care of. The wife was jealous of the child's beauty and tried to make her ugly by running her ragged. The husband and son looked at her with lust, looking forward to when she was older.

Tom wondered why his friend tossed the child aside so quickly, not even waiting to see if someone else could take her. A small voice inside wondered if Snape intended for the accident to occur. It seemed preposterous, how could he have known that their carriage would be driving by as he raced his horses. But yet, he could not shrugged his concern off. Instead, he did what any man of 22 would do. He traveled, threw his money away of extravagant gifts for his mistress, and soon forgot about his promise to the dying Lord Potter.