Ayah = father
22nd June 1945
Tom first met him the summer just before his seventh year in Hogwarts. He had just started the last time he would ever have to spend in the hated orphanage. It was on the first morning that Mrs. Cole knocked on his door and told him that a young man had come to see him. Tom snorted and said he would see this man. Probably some idiot Slughorn had sent from the Ministry, determined to see him into a malleable job.
Mrs. Cole simply nodded and left. The mystery man stepped in. He was short, and wore black dress pants and a loose dark green shirt. A wizard? Definitely, yes. Tom could practically smell the magic on him. He had loose jet black hair and bright green eyes. He was rather nice looking and seemed to be about twenty five years old.
"Hello. My name is Harry. I wish to put something of a, uh, proposition to you."
Tom's eyes narrowed. "What sort of proposition?"
Harry lent against the door frame. "I understand that you only have a few months left here, but would you appreciate a different place to stay? You could always come back if you don't find it to your liking."
"You mean adoption."
"It would have to be in a muggle sense as I would take guardianship as to them you won't be of age until eighteen. But that really means nothing, and certainly nothing in the wizarding world."
Adoption? This was the first offer he had ever had. Tom hadn't expected it at all, especially not now. He was still questioning why this man would suddenly decide to adopt him. Bu the sensed that Harry wasn't tricking him.
Tom nodded. "Alright, then. I'll come and see."
Harry grinned. "You got all your things?"
As if he would spread his possessions throughout the orphanage like a common grub. He tapped the trunk beside his bed. Harry pointed his wand at the trunk which shrunk and became feather light. Tom pocketed it and stood up. The other man really was small, Tom was already a good head taller than him. Harry held out his hand and they apparated away together.
They appeared somewhere that Tom didn't recognise at all. It seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, a large ridge with a small stone cottage perched on top. Harry lead him up to the door and they stepped into a reasonably large room. The floor was wood and the walls the same stone as the outside. The room was sectioned into a basic kitchen, a dining room and a longue where a large grey sofa was. The place was not anything special, but it was certainly nice enough.
Harry was smiling. "Welcome. These are the main communal areas that we'd both be using." He pointed to a door on the far left, "that there are my rooms – bedroom, study, and I expect that you won't be spending a whole lot of time in them."
Tom nodded mutely.
"In the middle door is the library. You are free to take and use any book you wish as long as it returns and in good condition."
"What subjects do you have?"
"Oh, a bit of everything. I'm not biased when it comes to magic. Come, you can browse it later and complain. Let me show you your rooms."
Harry opened the door on the far right and Tom stepped in, followed by Harry. "The door can be keyed into a password for security. Just tap the centre of the handle with your wand so it registers you and say whatever you wish the password to be."
Huh. So this man would trust him right away to not have the door open at all times? He might just be bearable to live with.
They were in a tiny dark corridor with four doors. Harry tapped the nearest door on the right. "Bathroom. I've got my own so that's yours to use."
Harry opened the next door along which opened into a spacious, empty room. "This can be used as you wish. It's really got no particular use."
He closed the door and opened the opposite one. Inside, the walls were covered in shelves, along with a potions laboratory and work desk. "Study, potions area." Harry said with a vague wave of his hand.
"And finally." Harry pulled open the last door, "your bedroom."
The room was dark, with a comfortable four poster bed, small couch, side table and desk. It was completely plain, but the furniture seemed to be of a moderately expensive sort.
Harry shifted. "So, what do you think?"
"It's nice, thank you."
Harry nodded. "Shall I send the papers off, then?"
"Yes, as a temporary arrangement, of course." Tom hardly wanted to be tied down to some man he barely knew. But the temptation to take any opportunity to be rid of the orphanage was strong and it seemed a though he would be left along, which would benefit his summer plans.
"Alright then, I've leave you to it then." Harry disappeared, leaving Tom alone in his new bedroom.
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2nd July 1944
Tom sat in the library, reading an ancient book on torture techniques. He was well pleased with it. Harry hadn't been lying when he said that the library had everything. Even the darkest arts were covered. He had even found a source or two on horcruxes.
Harry and himself had mostly stayed out of each other's way, other than Harry insisting that Tom showed for a least one meal a day. He liked Harry – he didn't have a tendency to stick his nose where it wasn't wanted or try to get him to do things he didn't like. Though he wasn't entirely sure how far that would go in terms of his interest in dark arts. Sure, he had a house full of texts, but that didn't mean that Harry would be happy to find Tom practising them. The man was rather Gryffindor in some of his tendencies.
Tom felt a movement behind him and shifted to hide the name of book.
"Why don't you just take that to your room and read it there?"
"I was just flicking through it quickly." He smiled and went to return the book.
"You've been flicking through it for over a week now."
Tom blinked at that. He was normally much better at hiding things. "You don't mind?"
"No. I don't mind hat you take an interest in. I'll support you."
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16th August 1944
Tom was shaking. He had just murdered his muggle father and grandparents, the power was a rush. The ring on his finger was his second horcrux, further cementing his immortality. The tears hurt though, and his mind was buzzing, unable to remain still.
He was walking up to the house, having apparated to just beyond the wards. The light was on in the longue. Damn. He had hoped to avoid questions until later. Tom knew he didn't look good, and Harry would ask why.
He walked into the house and saw Harry on the couch reaching and eating soup, and made a bad attempt to sneak past. `
"Sit."
Harry never ordered. Tom must have looked worse than he thought. Surely Harry didn't suspect. He sat down beside Harry.
"You look a wreck. Honestly, you're an idiot, sometimes."
Tom frowned. "I'm just tired."
"No kidding."
"Can I go to bed, then?"
"No."
Great, just great. "Why not?"
"You're drinking these first." Harry produced two potions. He was prepared, then.
"What are they?"
"That one is just a calming draught. The other soothes the edges of soul tears."
"Soul…" Tom was screaming and swearing mentally. How, how, how did Harry know?
"I know you made a horcrux tonight."
Tom's hand was gripping his wand. If he had to murder Harry as well, he would. Nothing was more important than his life. Harry shifted closer to Tom, making him tense. However, Harry simply wrapped his arms around Tom's shoulders and gave him a brief but gentle hug.
"I said that I would support you. And I will always, no matter what."
Tom didn't know what to say to that. He had never been hugged before. But loyalty, without promises or bribing. Tom knew that Harry wasn't lying.
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16th June 1945
Tom had debated whether or not to return after the end of his final year at Hogwarts. He had finished with perfect scores in all of his NEWTs. Something he was quietly proud of. His professors as well, though not nearly so quietly. He had eventually decided to return, as it would be the best place he had to prepare. He planned to spend years travelling abroad to further his knowledge and cement his support base.
Harry answered the door with a hug, as small as ever, he looked the exact same as Tom had last seen him.
"I was wondering if you would return."
"I didn't think I would."
"No."
They stepped inside and settled onto opposite ends of the couch.
"How long do you plan to stay?"
"Only a month or so."
"You have somewhere to go?"
"I'll travel. I'm not entirely sure where yet, though Bolivia, Sudan and France are considerations."
"Ah, you will learn so much. Here," Harry held out a small velvet bag, "this is a Gringotts transfer bag. I created an account for it, under a pseudonym. Use the money as you wish."
"Thank you." Tom meant it as well.
"When you return, come visit, won't you?"
"I will."
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16th May 1955
"Tom!" The door was wrenched open and Harry engulfed him into a hug. He still hadn't changed in ten years. Tom had grown further and his features had become waxen, the effort of two more horcruxes, but a small price for being immortal.
He returned Harry's hug. The man had been the only one he had missed. Harry pulled back and studied him.
"I don't think you're still Tom, though."
"No. I fashioned myself a new name. Lord Voldemort."
"Voldemort." Harry rolled the name in his mouth as though testing it, "it suits you. Though 'lord' just makes you sound like an idiot, so I hope you can do a lot more than yabber on about how great you are."
Tom snorted. Harry never blinked an eye at anything.
"So, where did you end up going?"
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19th August 1955
Voldemort had just returned from Hogwarts. Having been effectively to politely go away by Dumbledore. He hated that man, more venomously than any other. He was pacing in the longue, ranting.
Harry was on the couch, reading. Suddenly, he snapped his book shut with a loud bang. "What the fuck did you expect to happen?" he shouted.
That paused Voldemort. Harry never shouted, or swore.
"He was never going to give someone he distrusts so much a position of power over students. He just used this as an opportunity to glean whatever information he could out of you."
"He didn't get anything." Tom snapped.
"No? He didn't see that your eyes are going red? That you've changed so much since you left school? That you are gathering a loyal base of followers?"
"None of that matters."
Harry sighed. "I don't want to see you hurt."
Tom deflated. Harry could always calm him with a few simple, honest points.
"I know."
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Thank you so much for reading!
As to how Harry is there – yes he does remember his life in the books, but I haven't got a method as to how he got to Tom's time. You can just imagine that :P
And yes, explaining things in an interesting manner really isn't my forte.