The founders were having their most intense discussion yet.
To any who were watching, it was either extremely amusing or extremely horrifying to see the ghosts of the four founders of Hogwarts discuss the fate of the Slytherin line.
"Godric, if Tom stays on his current path, my line will end. The prophecies leave me no doubt of that," Salazar pleaded for an answer.
"I don't know, Sally," Godric sighed, "There are a few options. We could summon Death to put a lock on Tom's soul and prevent his eventual descent into madness that splitting his soul would bring."
"That's too risky," Helga argued. Salazar nodded his agreement.
"You think you can come up with a better idea, my little puff," Godric challenged, in a way that would have caused Helga to blush if she were still alive.
"Maybe," Helga began, "his descent into madness is triggered by having everyone in his life completely indifferent to him. It is easier to deal with pure hatred than complete indifference. Maybe, if he had people in his life who either cared for him or openly despised him, perhaps both, it would turn out differently."
"I knew there was a reason why I've always loved this woman so much," Godric declared proudly to the others.
"I think Helga's idea has merits," Salazar admitted, "Rowena, dear, what plan do you have cooking in that cute, clever little head of yours." If the founders were still alive, Rowena would have been the second to blush.
"While I agree with you, dear, that Helga's plan has merit's, you are all overlooking the most obvious solution," Rowena declared, "considering that the magical world is still extremely patriarchal, it would stand for reason that Tom would be unable to gain enough following if he was no longer a patriarch. Does Hoc est, qui natus est homo, mulier facta est in animo, animum, corpus et anima, ring any bells?"
"Now, that kind of thinking is exactly why I love you, my little raven, Salazar praised, "send your heir, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore - Merlin and Morganna, that name is a mouthful - to do the job.
"Very well," Rowena said as she vanished and reappeared in the Deputy Headmaster's quarters.
"Albus," she called, seeing the man sitting at his desk with his crooked nose in a book.
"Whaaa... oh, it's you, Grandmum," Albus said to the ghost in front of him.
"Albus, what is your opinion of Mister Tom Riddle?" Rowena asked, pleading with the universe that her grandson wouldn't be a sycophant that she would have to unprogram. Fortunately, the universe was on her side today,
"He is a cold, brilliant bastard. I had hoped that I could teach him humility, but he is already gathering political power faster than a seasoned politician. I have all but lost hope for him," Albus told her.
"Lucky for you, the solution that I came up with while meeting with the other founders will give him much humility very fast. I assume you know Latin," Rowena asked. Albus nodded, clearly curious as to what his grandmother's plan is.
"Does Hoc est, qui natus est homo, mulier facta est in animo, animum, corpus et anima,explain itself to you?" Rowena asked. This caused Albus to blush at the thought. It was perfect.
Now, to call the boy to his study, Albus fire-called Professor Slughorn and requested that he send Tom to Albus' study, by floo, immediately. Not five minutes after ending his conversation with the Slytherin Head of House, Albus watched Tom Riddle walk out of his fireplace.
"You wished to see me?" Tom asked his Transfiguration professor.
"Yes, Tom. In light of recent events, I am requiring my students to allow me to check and update the security wards on their person. Normally, the Headmaster would do this every year, but since Professor Dippet has been slacking off since the year before you came here, I feel I should make sure your wards haven't faded in these years since the day I cast them when giving you your Hogwarts letter," Dumbledore lied smoothly.
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"Ok," Tom nodded, finding nothing amiss, "Is that all?"
"I just need you to sign here and here," Dumbledore said, pointing to the lines on the contract he was holding. Tom signed where he was told without even looking at the paper. Albus realized with chagrin that if Tom had been a Ravenclaw, he would have had to compel him to ignore what was on the paper. Thank Merlin and Morganna that Slytherins don't have the Ravenclaw wits to look at what they're signing.
"Now Tom, sit and relax," Albus pointed to a chair, "this will be time-consuming." Tom did as he was told without comment.
Albus began checking his security wards, unraveling the ones that would interfere with the charm he would be attempting to cast.
"Now for the final touch, Hoc est, qui natus est homo, mulier facta est in animo, animum, corpus et anima, you should be out for an hour or two," Albus told her as the magic took hold. Tam shook as her mind, heart, body, and soul were changed by the powerful charm. She then passed out.
That was easier than I expected it to be, Albus thought, now I shall have to raise Tam as my own as she cannot return to a boy's orphanage. Perhaps being my adoptive daughter will help her as much as the charm will. Only time will tell. Albus kissed his new charge on the forehead, startling her awake.
"Tam," Albus said cheerfully, "you are awake!" Tam sighed.
"I probably should be mad at you for turning me into a girl, but since it will get me away from that prison Muggles call an orphanage, I'll thank you instead," Tam said with a smile.
"Will you be so thankful when you learn that the person you are thanking is also going to adopt you?" Albus asked. Tam's eyes grew wide. She could not believe that she would be raised by THE Albus Dumbledore. It was a dream come true for any orphaned witch, and she was no exception.
"B-but," Tam stuttered, "I thought you h-hated me." This caused Albus to tear up.
"I never hated you, I hated what you were becoming, and I tried to stop it with all of my might, but I could never hate you," Albus sobbed, with the tears of his years of emotional grief streaming out. This caused Tam to cry out as well. She finally had a family. She would never want for attention again.
"Daddy," Tam tried, testing the waters.
"Yes, my little angel?" Albus asked, thrilled that they were bonding so quickly.
"Could you carry me to bed, tuck me in, and read me a bedtime story?" Tam asked, reciting what she had been told was a routine for normal parents and their children, albeit at a younger age but she wanted to make up for lost time.
"Of course," Albus said with delight in his voice, "I would love to!" He picked the petite girl, whom once had been a teenage Dark Lord, bridal style and carried her into his spare bedroom. He laid her down on the bed, pulled up the covers, and proceeded to properly tuck her in. For a bedtime story, he told her his memory of his struggle against and eventual victory over the Dark Lord Grindewald.
After Tam Marvola Riddle was sound asleep, he took out one of his grandmother's inventions. With this, he modified the memory of everyone in the castle, save those of founder descent – who could not be affected by the object. Now, no one, save those already in the know, remembered Tom Marvolo Riddle. They knew only of Tam Marvola Riddle, the orphaned charge of the famous Albus Dumbledore.
Knowing that her mind was changed by the charm, Albus nicked the sorting hat and had her re-sorted. Albus advised, and the sorting hat agreed, that placing her back into her old house, no matter how well she fit there (as it turned out, she was more suited to Ravenclaw now anyway), would be asking for trouble.
The sorting hat placed her in Ravenclaw, and Albus modified the memory charm to make it so that she was in Ravenclaw all along, as far as everyone knew.
The tricky part was making sure that the surviving descendants of Helga Hufflepuff and Godric Gryffindor would not give them away.
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For the many surviving of the Hufflepuff line, it was rather simple for them to be persuaded to keep their lips sealed as a favour for the great Albus Dumbledore, as he found out.
For the Potters, who were the soul remaining descendants of Godric Gryffindor, it was even easier. The Potter brothers, Michael and Charlus, absolutely adored the man who defeated Grindewald, and would kill for him if he asked them to without asking so much as a single question as to why. This blind devotion usually got on Albus' nerves, but it was occasionally useful.
Tam became entirely devoted to her new father. Even so, she still retained her individuality, which came out once in a while. On a particularly rainy day, Tam pulled her father to the side.
"Daddy, I know how much you despise the dark arts," she began, "I have come to despise some of the darker magics as well, but I was wondering if you would be willing to get me some books to study so that I may pass my Dark Arts Competency exam, which comes right before O.W.L.s. The exam is required by international law for anyone who wants to practice even the tamest of dark magics."
"Of course, my dear," Albus said, "it would be rather hypocritical for one such as I, who took both the Competency and Proficiency exams for the Light Arts, to not help my daughter study for her exams. The Light Arts are just as dangerous if handled by the wrong person, so I can not complain about the Dark Arts, as much as I despise some of the more unsettling rituals. It's what we choose to do with the power, not the power itself, that makes us who we are. I could have used Light Magic to become as much of a monster as Grindewald, but I chose not to. I have more than enough books for you to study. Here are the keys to my personal library, you may read to your heart's content." He tossed the keys to his daughter, who caught them with a thankful nod.
"I may be in there for days if not weeks at a time. Make sure to send a House Elf so that I don't make the mistake of starving myself to death. Self-starvation happened to be a prominent cause of health problems in Ravenclaw before the librarian ordered House Elves to watch the library and make sure that its inhabitants don't starve to death," Tam informed him.
"I knew that," Dumbledore chuckled, "I am a Ravenclaw after all. Don't worry, I won't allow my child, or any other child for that manner, to starve to death. Now, be a good girl and give your Daddy a kiss before you get entranced by his massive library." Tam giggled and kissed her Daddy on the forehead.
"I love you, Daddy," she said aloud for the first time.
"I love you to, sweetie," Albus responded. He kissed his adoptive daughter on the cheeks. She then turned away and balanced her wand to where the handle rested on her hand vertically through the middle.
"Point me, Daddy's library," Tam incanted. She then followed her wand like a compass, soon arriving at a large, wooden door. She placed the key in the lock and twisted. The door opened.
Inside, in a massive room at least a hundred times larger than the Great Hall, was enough books to last her a lifetime on rows and rows of shelves as far as her eyes could see.
"Point me, Dark Arts section," she said, following her wand as it led her to a bookcase against the wall left of the door.
"Accio, Dark Arts spell book," Tam tried. Seven books came towards her. She sheathed her wand just in time to catch the books.
"That's a start!" she squealed in delight as she conjured a comfy armchair to read them in. She sat down, opened the first book, and proceeded to devour every word
She really was her Daddy's girl.
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(A/N) Tam: You have no idea how good it feels to finally have a family when you are without one for most of your life!
Albus: I know, you're the best family I've had in a LONG time. It's true, though I can't help but secretly hope that in her wisdom, she finds a way to bring people back from the dead, I miss my parents. I miss my sister.
Tam: legilimens On it, Daddy!
Albus: Crap, she's a legilimens. Wish I would have paid more attention when Gellert taught me Occulemency! Oh well, I at least remember some. I'm going to have to pay Gellert a visit in his cell, not exactly the most wise idea with our history the way it is, but I can't have my own daughter peeping into my head all the time.
Tam: legilimens smirks I love you too, Daddy.
Albus: Oh well, sweetie, could you please take care of business with the Wizengamot for me while I go visit an old aquaintence, my political notes are in the second drawer on the left hand side of my desk.
Tam: Sure, but, remember the readers?
Albus: Oh yeah! A one, and a two...
Tam and Albus: Read and Review!
