The Good Tom Riddle
"Avada Kedavra!" Those were the last words that Merope Gaunt ever heard. Those were not the last words that she wanted to hear. Her very soul cried for the noise of her son Tom. She wanted to be in the arms of his father. But she could not stand by and watch this Gellert Grindlewald slaughter so many. She was a proud auror from Slytherin and a descendant of Salazar himself. But the Elder wand was too powerful and she fell to the ground, asleep.
Tom Riddle Sr. heard the news. He knew very little of the Wizarding World and if this was the way it treated his love, then neither he nor his son would have anything to do with the Wizarding World. As he prepared to send the four-year-old Tom to an orphanage to make him disappear, he felt the heartache for his sweet, lovely Merope. He died soon after, but not without making sure that the Gaunt family ring was on his boy's finger.
The years passed by in the orphanage but when Tom reached the age of eleven, a strange man walked into the orphanage. His gray hair was somewhat long, going down to his shoulder. His beard was of average length. His eyes stared into the young boy, frightening him and interesting him at the same time. The head lady Mrs. Cole spoke to him: "He is quite likely the strangest child in this whole orphanage, Mr. Dumbledore. He never plays with the other children. He just sits in his room and he reads and draws." "What does he draw?" asked Dumbledore. "He draws gryphons and dragons." answered Mrs. Cole. "Would you mind if I spoke with him?" " That is what you came for, is it not?". The Hogwarts professor walked towards Tom and said, "Hello, Tom, I am Mr. Dumbledore. I am a schoolteacher." Tom looked up from his picture and greeted Dumbledore: "Hi, Mr. Dumbledore. I hope you aren't like the others" "What do you mean?" "Everyone finds it so odd that I prefer to be left alone. The worst of it is that they force me to play with the other kids. The other kids hate me. They call me names too and I just hate it." "Well, Tom, I think I know the place for you. You know those amazing creatures you love to draw?" "Gryphons and dragons? I love reading about them too." "What if I could take you to a place where you could see them for real?" "You are crazy to think that would ever happen." "Your parents could see them for real, so why should it not happen?" "Take me." relented Tom. "Pack everything that you wish to take with you and grab my arm." said Dumbledore. Then, the two arrived at Diagon Alley. With a good sum of money from Dumbledore, Riddle purchased a fine yew wand with a phoenix feather as its core, several textbooks, and his school robes.
Finally, Tom arrived at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He was sorted into Gryffindor House. Tom proved to be a magnificent wizard and a natural talent in every class. He finished his semester with outstanding grades in every class but he won the most acclaim in Charms and Defense against the Dark Arts. His friends were few in number but he was always great intelligent company for every teacher. He spent the most time with Dumbledore and always stayed untill closing hour at the library, devouring books like scraps of bread. Hogwarts was bliss to the young Tom and he never returned to that orphanage that he despised so much. When Christmas came around, he received more books to read. His drawings were the work of a true artist. But one question annoyed him to no end. Who were his parents? Finally he thought, "Dumbledore is the best wizard I know. I'll just ask him."
So, Riddle finally went to Dumbledore's office and asked, "Professor, may I ask you something." "Tom you may ask me anything." "Who were my parents?" "Your parents were Merope Gaunt and Tom Riddle. You were named for him and he was a very kind man. Your mother was one of the finest aurors in the ministry's history. Sadly, she died at the hands of Gellert Grindlewald. Your father did not take kindly to this. He sent you to Mrs. Cole to protect you from the Wizarding World. You have your mother's eyes and your father's warm smile. I was a close friend of Merope's. It was so good to find another reminder of your mother. Of course, I believe you know that I defeated Grindlewald. I wonder how you will shape this world." "I want to be an auror just like her." "Nothing would make her prouder, Tom."
After many years of study, Tom Riddle graduated Hogwarts with his brilliant grades. Elated at his graduation, Tom immediately applied to the department of magical law enforcement. He was accepted and for four years he dutifully served the Wizarding World as one of its best aurors. Sadly, some terrible news soon reached him.
Dumbledore died under some very suspicious circumstances. Riddle was one of the major inspectors on the case. As he scanned the headmaster's body he found something very strange: traces of demonic activity. The other inspectors found nothing. Riddle's findings were dismissed as nothing more than sheer tomfoolery. The headmaster died of natural causes. Of that, the ministry was sure. Frustrated, Riddle decided that he would find the answers alone.
Three years passed. Riddle searched tirelessly for this demon. He rarely slept and his body became gaunt and thin. Then, he saw a shadow with no body as he was drinking at a cafe. He quickly finished his drink and stepped outside. He went to a dark alley and drew his wand. "I have waited for three years for this. Why did you kill him?" "Unready fool. He and his friend killed me long ago. I simply came to claim their heads." With that, the demon charged him. Riddle fought long and hard. He threw out spell after spell to no avail. The demon's claws dug into his legs and back. Riddle fell to the ground as the demon closed in. "I have no use in killing you. I have claimed what I wanted. Ask that foolish old headmaster if he remembers a little Arianna." she said before she vanished. Riddle looked around and he saw a sign. It read, "Welcome to Godric's hollow". "Hello. Who do you happen to be?" "Tom Riddle." "Fleamont Potter. You look quite wounded. You should stay at my house tonight and recover." "Thank you."
Riddle slowly recovered at the Potter house. He told Fleamont of his encounter with the demon. He asked Fleamont, "How do I contact Dumbledore? He's been dead for three years." "I'm not entirely sure but you should take a look at the stone on that ring of yours." "Thank you." Riddle slowly pried the stone and turned it thrice in his hand. Instantly, the old headmaster appeared to the surprise of the auror. "Professor? How?" "Yes, but now is not the time to ask how, is it?" "Who is this Arianna that the demon spoke of?" "Sadly, she was my sister. Apparently she could not tell between me and Grindlewald and killed us both." "Wait. Grindlewald was your friend? Didn't you see the monster he was?" "Yes, but only many years after we separated." "How did she die?" "In my friendship with Grindlewald, I began neglecting her in favor of finding the Deathly Hallows. We had formulated a plan to take over as the rulers of both the Muggle and Wizarding Worlds. My brother Aberforth implored me to stay and take care of Arianna. In the vicious duel that erupted between me, Aberforth, and Grindlewald, Arianna got caught in the crossfire. I still do not know who fired at her. I implore you to help Arianna find peace." "But how? she defeated me effortlessly." "Tom. You do not know that your greatest gift is her worst nightmare. I saw that gift in you when when you were drawing. You were tapping into your power to create almost any spell. Here is my wand. The Elder Wand shall become a renown instrument of justice again. Your mind will know what to do." "Thank you, Professor."
Reinvigorated by Dumbledore's words, Tom searched tirelessly for the demon. Months passed but as he was walking through the Forbidden Forest, he saw her again. He drew the Elder Wand and fired a spell. "You fool. You should not have challenged me again." "You are mistaken." Arianna charged Tom with her claws ready to kill. Riddle stepped back slowly. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and fired. The demon was caught in a blaze of golden fire and distenagrated. Arianna's spirit flew close to Tom and whispered in his ear, "I am free. Thank you." Then, she disappeared.
Tom looked at the Elder Wand and then looked at himself. The talent that Dumbledore had revealed was too powerful. If he could create any spell he wanted, then he could take control of the ministry and his power could soar. He did not want power but his talent was too tempting. He needed to disappear. He quickly wrote down a name on some paper: Samuel Granger. He pointed the Elder wand at himself and took a deep breath. The memories of everything that he had known came out in streams, flashing for one brief moment and then vanishing before him. He was Samuel Granger. Tom Riddle was gone.
He moved to the countryside. Soon enough, he married and had several children. They too had children and one seemed to call him back to a life he may have once known. Her name was Hermione. Finally the memories of being Tom Riddle began coming back but it was too late. He was old and died in his sleep. Hermione looked at the last page in his diary. It read: I am a wizard.