Tom riddle sat in bed staring out a window, he hated the orphanage, it was dull and sad there. As he looked outside into the dark storm clouds that poured rain down onto the earth he thought for a moment, that he heard something. He shook his head, nothing would be stupid enough to be outside in that weather. But then he heard it again, a frightened struggled mew. He heard it once more, and for some reason he couldn't help but feel sorry for that poor creature, Tom got out of bed hopping that he wouldn't wake anyone, and went outside in the wet rain , suddenly lightning flashed, and thunder exploded around him, he looked around to find the source of the struggled mewing, by now he recognized it as a kitted. He took one more look before spotting a small creature huddled against the side of the orphanage. Tom looked at it, and for a moment he felt compassion. That poor creature sitting there in the pouring rain, all by itself, reminded him of someone. And he couldn't ignore it. The dejected kitten reminded him of himself.
An eleven year old Tom riddle reentered the orphanage carrying a small wet bundle in his soaking arms. He walked into his room still noticing that no one had awakened. He took an piece of clothing and began to dry the poor creature with it, before changing his cloths into a dry pair, and he couldn't help but notice that the kitten turned away, refusing to look in his direction as he changed. it struck him as odd, but didn't bother him.
After he had changed he lay on his bed, just looking at the wide eyed tabby kitten that looked at him. He did not know why, but it felt as if he was with another person. It wasn't like normal though, he didn't feel the need to shy away, he wanted to know the cat, he wanted. . . . A friend.
That morning tom awoke with something warm cuddled up to him, but it was rather large to be the kitten he had found that night. To his surprise, when he turned around, he saw a young girl, with scraggly brown hair spread around her olive toned skin she wore nothing but a small white sleeping gown that was obviously too big for her as it fell far below her feet. As he watched her she lifted her head, reveling saddened dark brown eyes, if Tom hadn't been so observant he would have thought they were black.
The girl yawned opening her mouth, wide. She stretched in a very catlike way before staring at tom. "who are you?" she asked.
"I am tom" he replied. He looked her in awe. "Who are you?"
She looked at him wide eyed. "I-I don't know. . . . Do you know?" she asked.
"No". said tom. "do you have a family?" he asked. The girl shook her head, "I remember mom saying that she didn't like me because of what I was, and daddy pushed me out the door, saying weird things."
"do you have a family?" she asked.
Tom shook his head, but before he could put his reply into words there was a knock on his door and an elderly woman came in.
She yelped in surprise. She had came to wake all the children, and when she opened toms door he was already awake, soaking wet cloths on his floor, and another person in his room. A girl! The elder woman rushed the girl out of toms room, and he could hear her sternly telling the girl not to go anywhere near him. Tom frowned. He wanted a friend, he wanted that girl to be that friend. But nobody else wanted him to have a friend. He sat down on his bed, he hadn't noticed, but in a fit of anger he had stood up. His eyes diverted downward to the floor, and sat thinking about that girl. She had been nice as far as he could tell sweet, she had a tragic past, even if it was recent. That didn't mean it wasn't tragic. Tom thought of his coming birthday. He would be starting his second year at Hogwarts soon. He briefly thought of the girl and wondered for a moment. Could she be a witch?