It's kind of hard having a demonic killer for a twin brother. You get judged, no doubt about it, and it kind of stinks when everyone expects you to be awful too. My brother was always smart, handsome, and perfect, just with a mean sort of edge to him. It all started when Dumbledore came to tell us we were wizards.
"TOM, TOM, TOM, TOM!" I shouted down the hall. "There's a man here to see us! And he is dressed weirdly!" I regarded the long white beard, odd swishing robes, and the pointed boots he wore. My brother peaked his head out of our room, his hair rumpled and looking small in his baggy uniform.
"What does he want?" he asked in his smooth voice, taking in the tall man before him.
"I would like to tell you and your brother about a special opportunity." Dumbledore said in a deep, crinkly voice, like he was on the verge of laughter. "Would you let me in?"
Tom swung open the door grudgingly, allowing him to enter. "What do you want with David and me?" he asked, glaring at Dumbledore.
"My name is Albus Dumbledore, and I am a teacher at a school here in Britain." He said. "The school is not for normal people. It is for wizards."
"Wizards?" I scoffed. "This is just someone playing a joke on us, isn't it Tom?"
"Shut up!" Tom yelled at me, his eyes flashing red. "I knew it." He said, turning back to Dumbledore. "I always knew I was special. Different than everyone else. I can do things the others can't. Control things I shouldn't be able to."
"like what?" Dumbledore said slowly. He seemed surprised at how Tom had responded.
"I can talk to snakes. Are there others who can do that?" Tom said, always eager to please.
"It's not unheard of. What about you David? Can you talk to snakes?" asked Dumbledore.
"Well, yes, but that doesn't mean wizards are real! Can you prove that wizards are real?"
"Yes. PROVE IT!" Tom commanded. Dumbledore flashed him a hard glare, and he slipped back into his golden boy act. "Could you show us, please?"
Dumbledore took a long wand from his boot, and pointed it at Tom's wardrobe. It burst into flame and started rattling. I shouted, being the closest one to it. The flames were licking my hand, but I could feel nothing. When the flames had died down, I opened the wardrobe and pulled out Tom's box that held things he had stolen from the other children in our orphanage.
"Return those, Tom" was all Dumbledore said. "I will take the both of you to Diagon Alley and you will buy your school things there. Now, here is a list of the things you will need . . ."
"No!" Tom said. "Please, Dumbledore . . ."
"Professor Dumbledore," he corrected lightly. "I take it you will be coming to Hogwarts?"
"yes, yes. Please, Professor Dumbledore, David and I can do it ourselves!"
"Very well." The professor said. It was like I wasn't even in the room. That's how it has been my entire life.
