Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Summary: Tom Riddle was the one who was manipulated.

Warning: This story contains slash between Tom Riddle and an Other Character.

Note: If you're going to read this story, don't expect me to explain everything at once. I'm by no means an excellent writer. I never claimed to be. I have a general plotline but nothing excruciatingly detailed, so if you spot any holes, please inform me.

Note 2: I've run my OC's through the Sue litmus tests and they're not Sue. Please cease your accusations.

It was a cold winter night. The wind raged against the buildings, pelting it with snow. As snow turned to hail, no one noticed the tiny figure huddled under the slide in the park.

Tom Marvolo Riddle rubbed his hands together in a futile attempt to warm them up. He whimpered softly. He had lost all feeling in his toes a few hours ago. The matron had thrown him out again. This time, she accused him of mouthing off to her and not being grateful. What had he done to deserve this? It wasn't his fault that Bryan spilt his milk. It wasn't his fault that Dick had fallen into the rubbish bin. It wasn't his fault at all! Why did people blame him and him alone? All he had done was to tell the matron politely that he was in the bathroom when Donald broke the china tea set. Tom supposed it was his diminutive size that made him an easy target. The forlorn child doubted he was even two stone. He was shorter than any of the other children his age and much weaker physically.

The small child looked out at the snow that was piling up rapidly from beneath the slide. He knew he wouldn't last long. It was impossible to survive in this weather. The hail battered away at the slide. Tom was grateful that he at least, had the slide to shield him from the icy rocks. The child's eyes drooped as the snow built up around him. Maybe someone would find him in the morning, blue lipped and blue skinned. He felt sleepy, oh so sleepy. Maybe he could just take a short nap…. With that, Tom closed his eyes and let darkness claim him.

Hmm? Tom shifted his body into a more comfortable position. The sheets that covered his small frame rustled slightly. The child felt surprisingly warm. Was he in heaven? Tom opened his eyes slowly. He blinked a few times before focusing on the bronze haired man in his line of vision.

"You're awake then." The stranger said, reaching out to stroke Tom's hair. The red eyed boy was too mesmerized by the stranger to pull away. The stranger's hair shone in the soft light. His bronze coloured eyes gazed upon the younger male's small frame with utmost concern.

Tom took in his surroundings. He was lying on a small bed in a small room. There was a good fire burning in the grate and a small window on the opposite wall. Seeing as he was not dead, he concluded that the stranger had saved him from nature's cold fury.

The rescued child reached out a small hand to trace the stranger's features. His small digits lightly danced across the stranger's forehead, sliding down to run over his sharp nose, rounded cheekbones and angular jaw. It was a peculiar combination that oddly enough, seemed to fit his saviour really well.

"Who are you?" Tom asked timidly. His benefactor smiled tenderly.

"My name is Kairyn Kenessen. I found you in the park." Tom let out a breath that he hadn't even been aware he had been holding.

"Kairyn." He whispered, testing out the feel of the name on his tongue. "Sir." He added quickly, remembering his manners. Kairyn smiled.

"What's your name, boy?"

"Tom, sir. My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. Thank you for saving me, sir." Tom shifted again. The sheets rubbed up against his bare skin, letting him know that he was unclothed underneath. The eight year old blushed at the implications. Kairyn must have undressed him. He wrapped the sheets around himself then sat up properly. Swinging his legs out of the bed, he made to get up.

"What do you think you're doing, boy?" His benefactor asked sternly, taking hold of his shoulders and pushing him firmly back down on to the soft bed.

"I have to get back to the orphanage." Tom replied. "The matron… she'll be angry if I don't return, sir." Kairyn frowned at the youngster.

"Not until you've fully recovered little one." The older male said severely. "You've just awakened from nearly being frozen to death in that…." He gestured to the window where the storm could be seen still raging. "I'm not letting you out of bed till tomorrow at the very least."

Tom was at a loss. He watched as the young adult exited the room briefly to bring back a bowl of hot soup. Kairyn placed the soup on the small bedside table. It was clear that he expected Tom to finish it. Tom took the bowl into his hands, savouring the warmth that spread throughout his fingers. The soup smelt heavenly. Tentatively, he sipped a small spoonful. The soup burnt his tongue in a pleasant way. Tom raised his head to look at Kairyn.

"Thank you, sir." He said softly, his voice overflowing with gratitude. Kairyn smiled tenderly at him.

"Are you ready?" Kairyn smiled at Tom. It had been two days since Kairyn had found the youngster in the park. The older male had provided some fitting clothes for the child. Today was the day that he would bring the child back to the orphanage. Tom had spent one blissful day exploring the large house that Kairyn called home. It was larger than most of the houses Tom had seen before. It could classify as a mansion in the child's opinion. There were eight bedrooms, a huge dining room, a beautiful kitchen and a wondrous library. Tom hadn't managed to finish exploring before Kairyn told him to get into bed.

There was something inherently wrong with what had happened. Somehow, Tom just couldn't place his finger on it. He smiled back at Kairyn, slipping his tiny hand into the other's larger one. He nodded shyly. The bronze haired man lead the child out into the street. Slowly, the both of them trudged through the snow towards their destination.

Tom watched from the stairs as Kairyn exchanged words with the matron. The matron seemed angry yet pleased at the same time. The red eyed child suspected that they were talking about him. He could only hear parts of their conversation.

"… can't throw a child out… died… snowstorm…" Kairyn was saying in a politely agitated way.

"… his own fault… cheeky… disrespectful…." The matron huffed and straightened her apron again.

"…misunderstood... word… take care… properly… money… clothes…" The other adult said in a soothing tone. The matron seemed to calm down a little. She most probably had agreed to do whatever Kairyn wanted her to do. Said man looked directly at the spot Tom was standing and smiled. Tom smiled back hesitantly.

"Get down here boy!" Tom quickly rinsed out his mouth at the dirty sink then rushed downstairs. He wondered what the matron was going to yell at him for this time. It had barely been a day and he was already missing his benefactor. He stood at attention in front of the matron. The matron towered over him and glowered menacingly. Then she made a face and shoved an armful of clothes into the little boy's arms.

"Here you go." She said gruffly. "That Mr. Kenessen had these delivered today." Tom stared in wonder at the comfortable clothes in his arms. They were by no means made from expensive material or clothes of the latest fashion. But he could tell they were meant for comfort and warmth.

"Thank you, mam." He choked out. The matron drew herself up to her full height and shook her fat finger in his face.

"You better take good care of them you hear me? If anything happens to them clothes, I'm not going to be responsible." She said in a threatening manner. Tom could feel the eyes of his roommates boring holes into his back.

"Yes, mam." He replied happily.

Tom's life improved after that. The matron no longer threw him out, but the older boys still bullied him and blamed him for everything that went wrong. Tom didn't mind the bullying very much as the matron allowed him to visit Kairyn once a week if he behaved. As it was, not retaliating to the other's bullying counted as good behaviour in the matron's eyes so Tom had many a chance to visit the older male.

When not at Kairyn's house, Tom sought solace at the local library. Reading was a favourite pastime of his. Kairyn gave him a new book every fortnight. Tom was careful not to let the older boys find out as they would not hesitate to destroy his belongings. Some of the bullies still managed to get a hold of some of his books though.

All in all, Kairyn had made life better for Tom. Tom's life continued in a slow but sure routine of waking, eating and sleeping with bouts of bullying and learning in between.

Three years later…

"Riddle! There's a letter for you!" The newly turned eleven year old Tom Marvolo Riddle, descended the stairs two at a time. He forced a smile at the matron and took the letter from her hand with a polite "thank you". He quickly tore open the bulky envelope and pulled the contents out.

The eleven year old scanned the letter and frowned. If this was a joke, it was a rather stupid idea albeit a well thought out one. If this was not a joke…well, Tom snorted, they wouldn't mind sending along a person to prove it. The only problem lay in how he was to get his reply to them. He didn't have an owl. Who uses owls anyway? The preteen wondered. He shrugged to himself and stuffed the letter into his pocket for future reference.

Tom headed back upstairs to gather his coat and hat. Today was his visit day and he would be dammed if he didn't make the best of it. He said goodbye to the matron and left. The chilly autumn wind nipped at him, making him pull his coat closer around him. The red eyed boy set off in the direction of Kairyn's house, muttering to himself along the way.

"Owls indeed, nutters." Tom said rather amicably to no one in particular. "I bet Kairyn is pulling my leg. Magic. What a load of tosh." Tom chuckled, shaking his head. Without his noticing, he had already arrived in front of the familiar oak doors. Tom raised his hand and was about to knock when Kairyn pulled the door open.

"Hello Tom!" Kairyn said happily. He pulled the preteen into the house and ushered him to the dining room.

"Surprise!" The eccentric man crowed in delight. Tom gaped. On the table sat the largest cake he had ever seen.

"Is that… for me?" Dare he believe it? Was he important enough to Kairyn that he would spend so much on a mere orphan? Tom's eyes stung. He turned to see Kairyn looking at him with utmost concern.

"What's wrong? Don't you like it? Wait… Oh no… don't cry!" Kairyn pleaded with the boy. Tom couldn't help himself. He wasn't used to being lavished with this kind of attention. Kairyn always treated him like a little brother, a kid friend, but this was bordering on extremely close friends.

"B…Bu…But I didn't get you anything for your birthday!" Tom sputtered through his tears, he was thoroughly moved by the gesture. The older male engulfed him in a tight hug.

"Aw… don't cry, I don't mind. If you really want to pay me back, you can start by saying yes to the letter I know you received this morning." Tom's head snapped up immediately. Kairyn's expression was laughing, but his eyes seemed calculating.

"How do you know about that?" the preteen asked suspiciously. The bronze-head smiled knowingly and pulled something out from a pocket.

"I'm one of them."

Tom stared in disbelief at the stick in Kairyn's hand.

"You do magic with a stick? Do you need to say things like abracadabra?" Tom asked skeptically. The older male laughed, pointing the stick at a vase nearby.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he said, the vase rose a few inches into the air. The red eyed boy blinked a few times then fell back in a dead faint.

"Wake up. Come on Tom, wake up."

The boy in question opened his eyes and blinked.

"Kairyn, I just had a dream where I was accepted into a magic school that had to do with pigs and you were one of them." Tom said as he sat up. Noting his audience's expression, Tom stopped short of getting out of the large bed.

"It was real, wasn't it?" Kairyn nodded. Tom flopped back onto the bed. Kairyn climbed onto the bed to look at him properly.

"I can't pay for any of it." Tom said at last, looking up at the adult.

"Does it matter? The school, which by the way does not deal with pigs, will provide for your basic necessities. Anything else, you can write to me."

"I guess that's it then, I'll be going to Pigwarts." Tom said, a grin spreading on his face.

"Does that mean I'll be able to perform magic and defend myself against the bullies?" Tom asked hopefully. Kairyn chuckled at the boy's expression.

"Well, not exactly. Why don't we discuss this over a nice slice of cake?"

"Sounds great!"

"And for the record, it's Hogwarts, not Pigwarts."

"Are you sure it isn't Sowwarts either?"

"No."

"Porcinewarts?"

"No. Wait, have you been reading the dictionary again?"

Author's note:

I decided to rewrite this. :P I hope to explain things better this time around.