Hi everybody !
I want to introduce myself quickly. I'm French so it's the first time i publish in english. So don't worry if my english is bad^^ This fanfic has already been published in French, but i think it's good to publish it in english too, so that more people will be able to read it!
This is possible only thanks to my nice translator who offered me her services ! Even if a translation is not always easy i know she will do the best to translate it as faithfully as possible.
I hope you will like this fanfic. Don''t hesistate to share it or review (whether for compliments or criticism, i always answer)
Harry ran. He did not know where, but he was determined not to stop. It was stupid, indeed the dumbest thing he had ever done. He could not help himself, he panicked. He knew that what happened was the straw that broke the camel's back. He knew that this time, his uncle would never forgive him. I mean after all, his cousin was still locked up in that pen with the snake...realizing what he had done, he found no other option than to flee.
He had wanted to leave for a long time. He could not stand this life. He could not stand to live under the same roof as his uncle, aunt, and cousin...it was unbearable. As for taking action...that was another story. He had no money, and besides he was eleven years old after all.
Harry was worried. The Dursleys would eventually find him, probably. Unless...they did not try to find him..they were always saying that he was to much. Well they finally have a reason to get rid of him. On the other hand, after what he had done to their son, they would want to punish him. Harry tried not to think about it.
When he left the zoo he had kept an extremely fast pace but after a few intense minutes, he began to lose steam and slowed down. He seemed to be out of his family's reach, but he could not help looking around to see if they were coming. He did not slow down but he continued to advance.
It was only once night began to fall and the streets became empty, did he stop for a moment. He settled behind a bush. Even though he was convinced that his family couldn't find him, there was a strong possibility that a policeman would see him and ask what an eleven year old was doing by himself on the streets at this hour.
He was starting to get really hungry, so he walked quietly to the nearest garbage can hoping to find something to put in his mouth. It was at this point, that everything started to happen really quickly.
He heard voices and hurried for cover. He had the impression of seeing a flash of red light as someone shouted. Then he heard the sounds of hurried footsteps walking away. He remained where he was for more than a minute, not daring to move in the slightest. Silence had once again fallen on the park. Stepping on the path through the park, he stumbled against something.
A body. There was a dead body on the ground. Harry stooped. The man, who was wearing a strange black dress, was not breathing. He began to panic. What should he do? He could not call the police, they would take him back to the Dursleys...but he stood there like an idiot. Someone would find the body and he would be accused.
Though it pained him, he had no choice...he had to get out of there. As he stood up, he noticed a golden glow. The man had a gold chain around his neck, from which hung a strange hourglass. The chain was broken so Harry picked it up for a closer inspection. The hourglass was hooked rotatably. On a flick, Harry twirled. He began to turn quickly, very quickly making an incredible amount of turns. Harry did not care because everything around him began to act strangely. Everything seemed to accelerate. Night turned into day and back into night. Trees would lose, and regain, their leaves shrinking as they did so. And suddenly, everything stopped.
Harry looked around. He was still in the park, but everything had changed. There was a bench there but the tree was not next to Harry. And the body was gone. Only the chain and hourglass were still in Harry's hand. Trembling, he stood up. It was daylight, the park was full, and bystanders were watching him strangely. He decided to leave
Leaving the park, he stared at the hourglass. What had just happened? Had this object done this? He held it gingerly in his hands, as though fearing the strange phenomenon would occur again. He just couldn't understand it. The streets of London, usually full, were nearly empty. There were only one or two very old vehicles that passed by quietly from time to time. The people seemed to be dressed in the fashions of fifty years ago. He saw a stand and decided to stop and look at the daily newspaper.
"The mutual defense agreement finally signed by the USSR."
Harry did not understand. According to the front page the country was at war. He was doubtful and looked at the date. " 13 July 1941."
He stood speechless. He was unable to move. Did he really travel back in time? He glanced at the hourglass. Was it really capable of such things?
"Are you going to buy the newspaper or not?"
He mumbled as he set the paper down. He had no money, and besides he had seen what he had wanted to see. Without realizing it, he wandered aimlessly for more than an hour, and found himself alone in a deserted street.
"May I ask what you are doing here all alone?"
Harry spun around, and saw a gaunt woman standing in front of a gloomy building. H3 shrugged.
"Where are your parents?"
"They are dead." Harry breathed.
"You have no other family?"
"They do not want me."
The woman sighed.
" You could say you're lucky. I am Mrs Cole. I am the director of this orphanage, which you see behind me. I should be able to find a place for you. We do not ask many questions here. We just collect children, who like you, have nowhere else to go."
She motioned for him to enter. The building was gloomy inside and out. After crossing the hall, she climbed the stairs. They came to a long corridor that had dozens of doors. At the far end was a door, and this is where Mrs Cole entered. She motioned for Harry to enter.
They were in an office containing mismatched furniture. After settling in on opposite sides of the desk, she asked questions to finish his file. He obviously lied about his birthday so as not to raise suspicion. To her amusement, he was good at mental arithmetic. After half an hour she assured him they had enough for his file. Standing up, she showed him to his room.
Back in the hallway, she stopped in front of one of the doors and knocked. She received no answer but entered anyway.
"Tom?"
Harry saw a boy of his age sitting on a chair by the window. He looked out dreamily, not even turning his head when they entered his room. The room contained two iron beds, two wardrobes, and another chair.
"You'll have to share your room, Tom. We have a new boarder. Be nice to him, okay? Harry I will come back. I am going to get your uniform. "The director left leaving Harry alone with Tom.
"Hi? " Harry tried.
He received no answer. Tom had still not turned his head.
"That idiot has still not understood."
"Understood what? " Harry questioned.
"They should not put anyone else in this room."
"Why?"
"Ask the others. No one has stayed Here over two days. They begged to exchange rooms."
"What made them so afraid?"
"Me."
Harry held back a laugh.
"You are not so scaring."
Tom finally turned and looked at Harry. His dark eyes were piercing, and Harry had to admit that though the boy was small he was scary.
"What did you just say?"
"It's just my cousin is bigger than you. So..."
"I can reduce your cousin to mush if I wanted."
"That would not displease me"
Tom stood up abruptly, knocking over his chair.
"Stop kidding me!"
At that moment it was as if an invisble fist had hit Harry in the face. He collapsed on the ground. He looked up and saw Tom approaching with a victorious smile on his face. Harry was unable to stand up so he tried to retreat but the door was blocking from behind. Fear seized him. He knew Tom was going to attack again. Harry closed his eyes and heard a shock. Opening his eyes he saw Tom on the ground. He received a shock from behind. This time it was just the door.
"Oh! What are you both doing on the ground? Have you been fighting?"
Tom was the first one up, obviously ashamed of being found in this position.
"No. I am fine."
Mrs. Cole could not help watching every angle to see if they were injured. She had to go with the obvious, there were no scratches. Before leaving, she tells Harry to put on his uniform. The latter complies.
"How did you do that?"
"Do what?"
"Return the blow?"
"And you, how did you do that? Hitting without touching?"
" I have always been different, Tom confessed. I hurt people I do not like. "
"You do not love me then?"
Tom shrugged. Harry remained thoughtful. He also could do inexplicable things. It had happened many times...but He had never thought to use it for evil, even on Dudley.
"I too can do things." Harry replied.
" You're like me?"
Harry nodded. He did not know if this news comforted Tom or annoyed him.
"You've already attacked people?"
Harry hesitated.
"I set a snake on my cousin."
Tom looked at him with big eyes. Harry laughed.
"So you can talk to snakes?"
Harry nodded his head in confirmation.
" I think we will get along Tom said with a smirk."
Harry who had just finished putting on his uniform, regretted there was no mirror in the room.
"Have you been here long?"
"Since my birth. My mother gave birth to me here, and she died. "He said this with no hint of sadness.
" I'm sorry...I did not know my parents either. They died when I was one year in a car accident."
"Do you not remember them?"
"No I only remember the accident. There was a kind of of green flash."
"You were there during the accident? You survived?"
"Yes I just kept this scar. "Harry confessed pushing a lock of black hair aside.
He saw that Tom watched him with some fascination. He approached slowly and brushed the scar. At that moment Harry felt a searing pain. Taking a leap back he screamed. When he regained his senses he saw that Tom had shaken the air.
"What...I felt like...it was weird. Does it still hurt after all this time?"
"No...well I do not understand. That is the first time it has hurt me. "
"It is strange. But where were you before here if your parents have been dead so long?"
"At my aunt and uncles. "
"And you left? To come here?"
"I came here by chance, but yes I left. It is better to have no family than to have one like that...they are hateful people. I could not live under the same roof."
"You know the will do research on members of your family? She will find them."
" No, she will never find them."
"How can you be sure?"
"It's a long story. "Harry sighed
He told him about how he escaped the zoo, how he found the lifeless body. This seemed to please Tom. He preferred to not mention the hourglass. He did not know Tom very and did not totally trust him. He did not want this mysterious object to become the object of list. Besides he wanted it for himself. So he related how everything moved and he ended up here...fifty years in the past.
"You mean you just come from...1991", exclaimed Tom.
"Yes"
"That's how the future is then? Tell me people are less stupid then. "
"My aunt and uncle are proof that no"Harry said. "You know it's not so exceptional that it's the future. Technology has advanced. There's so many more cars...and faster too."
This did not seem to interest Tom who seemed lost in thought.
"Maybe you have met me in the future then?"
" um yes it's possible but not likely anyways."
"I hope to become someone famous. You could have heard of me."
"I'm sorry but I never heard the name Tom Riddle before."
"Anyway I prefer that name is not known. I hate it. It is the name of my father, the one who abandoned us. My mother and I. If I ever became famous I guess I would change my name."
"Yes, maybe." Harry breathed.
