It is October 31st, 1981. The night is silent and slightly chilly. A breeze lifts dried yellow and red leaves into the air and swirls them around under a lamppost, which is flickering. All the houses on the street are quiet and there are no lights on. The lamppost that is flickering goes out and leaning on it suddenly is a tall man. He looks around himself for a moment and then glances down at a piece of crumpled paper.
1988 Diamond Avenue
The tall man walks away from the dead lamppost and down the road. He pauses by the last house on the block and glances at the paper again. He has found the house he wants and shoves the paper into his long black robes and begins to make his way up the drive.
~* ~* ~* ~*
James and Lily had gone to bed a long time before the man showed up at their house. It had been a long night for them, what with all the little trick-or-treaters. Lily had spent the entire night in the kitchen, trying not to notice all the children waiting by the door. James had stayed upstairs with the baby. They could not answer the door to the children. It was too risky. The doorbell rang at 1:39 that night.
Lily was jolted from sleep instantly, as was James. She looked at him fearfully, her eyes glinting in the dark. He shook his head and put a finger to her lips. "It's just some jokers out late. I'll bet they've done it to the whole block. Lets go back to sleep."
"Yeah." Lily said in a not-so-sure voice. She lay back down on her pillow looking at the ceiling, listening intently. 15 minutes went by without a noise.
"They've gone." James said. "It's okay, it's okay." Lily nodded and shut her eyes. They were fast asleep in a matter of minutes. So tired, were they, that they didn't hear their own door click open.
The tall man slid inside the house, making next to no noise. The Potters were foolish. They hadn't even locked their door magically. He began to search the house quietly. He passed the room where James and Lily were sleeping and smirked. Like stealing candy from a baby.
And speaking of babies…
The man had found what he was looking for. A small boy was in a crib, sleeping soundly. He awoke momentarily when the man picked him up and held him in his arms. But the baby seemed not to sense the danger he was in and fell asleep again, without a single cry.
Voldemort looked at the young child in his arms. Asleep and innocent, he'd done nothing to prove him anything less than perfect. A cruel grin twisted onto his face and he shifted the sleeping baby onto his right arm. He held up a wand with his free hand and began to mutter the killing curse. But halfway through the first word, the baby yawned and made a small noise. Voldemort found he could not kill the boy now. He gulped and instead of 'Avada Kedavra', a different curse came out. "Obliviate!" And the tall man suddenly disappeared with a small pop.
~* ~* ~* ~*
It couldn't Thomas Harold Riddle woke up suddenly, breathing hard. His room was pitch dark and the only thing he could see through the darkness was his clock, hanging on the opposite wall. It was glinting in the moonlight at the boy as he read 4:30. The dream he had just had was still perfectly fresh in his mind and he stared out the window as he reviewed it again. It couldn't possibly be true, of course. He didn't worry about that. But something about the dream haunted him. He fell asleep again, very slowly.
The same morning, hours later, he was woken again by gentle shaking. His eyes didn't want to adjust to the harsh light of morning, but they did. And when they did, they were looking at a blonde man, in his mid forties.
"Malfoy." He groaned and turned over. "Go away."
"As much as I'd like to, Young Master Thomas," Lucious hissed, "Your father gave me orders. You are getting schooled today. Up!"
Thomas Harold found he had no choice in this matter. Lucious gave up with being nice and yanked him up and out of bed. He threw robes at him and left, saying he'd be back in 5 minutes. Thomas Harold looked at the robes for a few seconds and then began peeling off his pajamas. When Lucious came back in he found him going through a drawer in his dresser.
"What are you doing, boy?" Lucious asked.
"Getting my wand." Thomas Harold snapped. He turned around and brandished it at him. "What's for breakfast today, Lucious?"
"How should I know?" Lucious asked. "Whatever you want, the house elves will make for you."
"I suppose." He sniffed. "Well let's get on with it then."
Lucious nodded and led the way out of Thomas Harold's room. They didn't talk as they made their way through the many halls of Dell Manor. Paintings of sinister men with black eyes, sculptures of goblins and suits of black armor decorated the halls. Thomas Harold barely even looked at them any more. Lucious stopped walking as soon as they came to the breakfast room. Thomas Harold said nothing to him as he walked passed. Lucious would stay there all through the meal without saying a word, as he was expected. Lucious was not allowed in this room. It was for the family only.
Lord Voldemort was already sitting at the table, reading a paper. When Thomas Harold entered he put it down. "Ah, you're up." He said.
"Yes." Thomas Harold said. "Why do I have to be 'schooled' today, My Lord?" He glanced behind him at Lucious, who was probably listening to every word spoken.
"Because Thomas, if you aren't 'schooled' you'll be a freak of society. I'll never be able to use you in a battle if you don't know all your spells."
"I know all my spells, Father." Thomas Harold hissed quietly. "I'll bet I'm smarter than him anyway." He gestured at Lucious.
"No." His father said sternly. "Not yet. You don't know everything. I won't hear any more of your nonsense. Anyways, I have to talk to you now. So be quiet."
Thomas Harold crossed his arms and slouched back in his chair. "What's going on then?"
"There is going to be an attack tonight so-"
"Can I come?"
"Don't interrupt me, Thomas. And no." Voldemort warned. "I don't tolerate that well and you know it."
"Oh come on." Thomas Harold said. "What are you going to do to me? Put the cruciatus curse on me? Honestly. I've been able to throw that one since I was 10."
"There are worse things I could do to you, boy, never doubt that." Voldemort said. Thomas Harold swallowed heavily and met his fathers red eyes.
"Like what?"
"I could kill you, you stupid boy." Voldemort snapped. "I brought you into this world; I can take you out just as easily."
Thomas Harold snorted. "You always say that, but you never do it. You're getting awfully predictable father."
A house elf appeared by Thomas Harold. "What can Dobby get you, Master Thomas?"
"I don't know." Harry said. "What do you have around the kitchens?"
Voldemort looked at Harry sharply. "That doesn't matter, Thomas. Get what you want."
"What do you have around the kitchens?" Harry repeated, looking at Dobby. Voldemort snorted.
"Well, we have scrambled eggs and pancakes left over-"
"That's fine." Thomas Harold said. "I'll have that."
"I'll be back with it soon, Master Thomas." Dobby said and disappeared.
"You're too nice to them." Voldemort said. "They are here to work. Work them Thomas."
"They shouldn't have to go out of their way if they don't have too." Thomas Harold said rationally. "They work hard enough."
"You're a silly boy." Voldemort said. "You'll learn, one of these days. You're inheriting all your power from me Thomas Harold. One of these days, you'll wise up and you'll use it."
Dobby had returned with Thomas Harold's eggs and pancakes. Harry thanked him in many, many words without breaking eye contact with his father. The color rose in his face, but he said nothing. They ate breakfast in silence and as soon as Harry was done he stood up and left without saying a word.
"Report his progress at the end of the day, Lucious." Voldemort said as Harry walked out.
Harry was out of eye shot, but not out of ear shot when he heard Lucious say quietly. "My Lord, he gets more like his father every day."