-Chapter One-

A career after school

Tom Riddle was a wizard, a very exceptional and powerful wizard despite his young age. He was currently eighteen years old, and after graduating near the top of his class from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was searching for a job. He looked in the mirror for the umpteenth time that morning, to recheck that he was well presented. His black hair was brushed back fashionably and tidily, his attractive and well built body was dressed in a dark grey suit, with a grey silk tie and a grey shirt with a black vest. He was not, he was ashamed to admit, a rich boy, he did not have a pureblood family that looked after him and showered him, instead he was an orphan, and a half blood to boot. He hated the foul muggle blood that tainted his own and was glad that his heritage was a rather unknown fact. Whilst at school he had been the Slytherin Head Boy, a house that prided itself on pureblood strength, and due to his silence and skill, almost all believed Tom was born of two magical parents.

It was to his old school, the school that had rescued him from his desolate life in the orphanage that he hated so very much, that Tom was returning to today, for a job interview. He forced a smile onto his face despite his nerves and nodded, happy with his appearance as he apparated to Hogsmeade and began the leisurely, comfortable and familiar walk to the castle where he was quite confident he would secure a job teaching. He had no great preference what it was that he would teach he enjoyed all his subjects and he was good at them all, though his favourites were no doubt defence against the dark arts and potions. Today he was applying for the Transfiguration Teaching position to take over from Albus Dumbledore, who was being promoted to Headmaster.

As Tom walked he looked around at the rolling snow covered hills and slopes that surrounded the walk and an all too rare smile touched his face as he relaxed into the only home that he had ever known, the only place where he had fitted in, felt happy and felt like he had a family. Here he had friends that loved him, admired him, looked up to him and treated him with great respect. Here there had always been teachers that looked out for him and wanted him to become something great, to achieve all the greatness that he could achieve and to have a good and happy life, these people had taken the place of the family he had never had, and he had felt more than slightly lost and very alone and extremely confused for the past six months that he had been away from the school. As he walked he noticed a woman walking up in front of him, she was tall and thin with tanned skin, light blue eyes and black hair that she had tied up in a bun, a black ribbon tied around it. She wore a long black dress and her robes over the top, and a pair of silver glasses hung from a cord around her neck, her face was slightly pointed and severe, a concentrated expression on her face. Tom quickened his pace and came up alongside her and smiled at her kindly,
"Hello." He said simply with a smile, his hands in his pockets as he suavely strolled beside her, his grey eyes watching the way she reacted to his speech in order to read her, why she was there, what she wanted and what sort of a person she was. The woman looked at him, she was taller than him and thus she glanced at him down her nose with slight apprehension, before speaking in a strong welsh accent,
"Hello there, Mr Riddle." Tom started, unable to hide his surprise as he realised that the woman knew who he was but he had no clue as to who she was, he paused and looked at her curiously, racking his brains to remember who she was and from where they knew each other.

As they continued to walk, both silently, it finally dawned on Tom who the woman was, her name, he was not positive on though he knew it started with M, perhaps Millicent, or Madeline, no it was a stronger name than that... Minerva, that was it, Minerva McGonagall, a Gryffindor student who had graduated several years ago. It had been almost ten minutes since the woman had spoken to him, and the pair had almost reached the castle but Tom spoke any way, not caring about how long it had been and how it may look.
"McGonagall, are you here for a particular reason?" He asked, as they reached the stone path that led past the green houses towards the castle. McGonagall looked down at Tom once more,
"Yes in fact I am. I am here to do an interview for the new teaching role, which I assume, Mr Riddle, from the look on your face, is the same reason that you are here at the school." Tom turned his face away and fiddled with his silver snake cufflinks, as he tried to keep the anger that was welling inside of him down. This woman was confident, and obviously very certain that it was she that would gain the position over himself; she was haughty, arrogant and no doubt conceited like most Gryffindor students, under the vain impression that she was the best. Tom did not talk to her again; instead he ignored her completely, and was happy when he was called into Dumbledore's office to be interviewed first.

It was Dumbledore who had come to the orphanage that day to tell Tom that he was a wizard, and because of that, the pair had a bond. They were not close, indeed Dumbledore was slightly wary of the young wizard, but he had never treated Tom badly, or stood in the way of any progress that Tom wanted to make, and thus Tom believed that without a doubt it would be he that received the transfiguration position at Hogwarts, and not Minerva McGonagall, and when that happened he knew exactly how the scene would play out. He would be very proud, smug about his victory over her, he knew exactly what he would say so that it would seem that he was kind and caring but would burn her up inside, with an outstretched hand he would say four simple words, 'No hard feelings, Minerva?' and that would be the icing on the cake, to see her reaction to such a statement and action as this plan in his head.

"Ahh Tom, it is good to see you again so soon, please do take a seat my dear boy, oh and can I tempt you with a sherbet lemon?" Tom stared at the bowl proffered to him and glanced into Dumbledore's sparkling periwinkle eyes beneath his half moon spectacles, and deciding that obliging the older wizards eccentricities he would fare better than were he to decline he smiled, reached forward and took a sherbet lemon and popped it into his mouth,
"Thank you Headmaster, it is great to be back. Hogwarts, as you know, has always been the only home I have ever known. Congratulations on your promotion, I was very excited to hear of it," Tom paused to shift the sherbet lemon to the other side of his mouth before continuing to speak, "and also thank you for allowing me to come back here for this interview, and hopefully, for my career giving the same feeling of hospitality and homeliness, love and caring to the students of this school that my professors' gave to me." Headmaster Dumbledore smiled kindly, his whole face joining in on the smile and alerting Tom to the fact that the smile was indeed genuine, as the headmaster popped a sherbet lemon into his own mouth with a guilty look of pleasure.

"Now Tom, to the matter at hand," Dumbledore paused as he rolled a few phrases over in his head trying to think of the most delicate way of putting what it was that he had to say, "I know that you love this school and are fiercely loyal to it, because it means a great deal to you." Tom smiled in agreement, "and I have no doubt that you will treat the students well and encourage them and be a great teacher." Tom continued to smile, though it was more forced now for Dumbledore's tone was beginning to worry him. What was the old man going on about? "but I will not lie, you are very very young, and have no real experience in the world. You have not travelled outside of England, and between Hogwarts and the orphanage you have spent very little time anywhere else.

Yes it is true, you received one of the highest marks the school has ever seen in transfigurations, but pure knowledge is not all that it takes in this profession." Tom's smile had completely left his face now, and had been replaced by a sneer of anger and disbelief at what was happening to him, "There are several other applicants who are much more desirable to the position, witches and wizards who are older than yourself, who have lived lives in the real world, and have experience with many things that I believe are necessary and vital to a person's life. I do not believe that accepting your application to become a teacher here at Hogwarts at this stage would be beneficial to you, but rather I believe that it would be extremely detrimental to your progress and development.

You are young Tom, and there is a very large, wide world out there which you are free to enjoy, explore and revel in, I cannot accept your application and take all of those wondrous opportunities away from you my dear boy, I would forever feel guilty for taking away your shot at life. This is not to say that in several years time there will not be a position here at the school for you, rather I would be delighted to accept you as a teacher here once you have lived a little." Tom licked his lips and tried to steady his shaking hands as he mulled over what had been said, and with disgust noticed that there were tears welling in his eyes, Tom swiped at them angrily before looking up at Dumbledore.

"May I speak in my defence sir?" Dumbledore spread his hands and nodded, "I am ready for this sir, this is what I want to do with my life, I love this school more than anything else in the world!" Dumbledore nodded and interrupted,
"That, my boy, is part of the problem. Tom, may I ask a personal question?" Tom nodded slowly, worried about what Dumbledore was going to discuss next, "have you ever been in love?" Tom had been preparing for numerous questions, including the mysterious deaths of his grandparents, parent's, and other relatives, the Chamber of Secrets, his gift of parseltongue, but never once did he imagine that this would be the question that Dumbledore would ask him, and he was so taken aback and surprised by the question that his answer was the perfect, pure truth.
"No Sir, I have not. I have never had a girlfriend." In fact, although Tom had admired and enjoyed several girls' he had never once fancied or thought to take one as his date or partner, for the distraction and close relationship to him, seemed too much to bear. Dumbledore was nodding now, slowly with his hands clasped together and held against his own chest,

"Love, it is the strongest and most powerful human emotion Tom, and if you take this posting now, you will never find it. I am sorry to have to turn you away Tom, for you will, one day, make an amazing teacher, hopefully here within these halls that you have grown to love so much, and even more hopefully; whilst I am still Headmaster, but at this moment in time you are simply too young and inexperienced to take the position. I am sorry." Dumbledore, Tom knew, was being honest, he really was sorry about upsetting Tom, and although Tom realised this, he found it immensely hard to accept that Dumbledore was indeed acting with Tom's best interests at heart, and it was several long moments before Tom had controlled his anger enough to speak,
"I have no money sir, what do you suggest I do with my life for the mean time?" Dumbledore, as Tom had expected, had already thought of this, and the older man leant forward and lifted a newspaper cutting and handed it to Tom,

"I believe that this position may interest you Tom, and prove to provide you with very valuable experience." Tom nodded and took the cutting and read it carefully,

In Need of:

A talented wizard or witch to search and retrieve valuable, dangerous, and powerful magical objects, relics and instruments from various locations around the world.

Job duties include but are not limited to research, travel, curse control, and high levels of magical capabilities in defence against the dark arts, potions, charms, transfigurations, and Herbology.

Applicants need not have previous experience but must have high passing N.E.W.T.s in all of these areas; persons must also portray a strong will, quick thinking logical mind, exceptional body fitness, a healthy work attitude and a charming disposition.

All applicants are to send their qualifications to Caractacus Burke, C.O. Borgin and Burke's, 9 Knockturn Alley by the 1st of December.

Tom reread the article several times before looking up at Dumbledore, who was watching him closely,

"It does sound good sir, but do you believe that I have a chance of getting the job? I know it states that experience is not necessary but..." Tom trailed off, appalled that he was so insecure and uncertain about his qualifications and ability. Dumbledore, however; seemed to believe that the job was perfect for Tom.
"I have already handed your application in to Mr Burke, who is an old friend of mine and along with your application, my firmest and soundest praise and reassurance that you are the perfect candidate for the job. He is so certain that I am right that he removed that ad from the Daily Prophet when it had only been in there for three days. You're interview, if you would like to pursue this direction, is on the 2nd of December at Borgin and Burke's at 10 o'clock sharp." With that news, Dumbledore handed Tom a square of parchment that had been ripped off the bottom of a scroll, it was covered in coffee stains and it had the information regarding his interview scrawled onto it in bright violet ink. Tom stood and shook Dumbledore's hand with a small forced smile,
"Thank you sir, I hope that I see why you are doing this very soon and that in several years, I do in fact return here to teach." Tom nodded his head and moved to leave, but paused in the door way, "you never know sir; I may even fall in love." And with that, he was gone, heading back along the long path towards Hogsmeade, his spirit dampened but not fully extinguished, the grubby square of parchment providing a tiny spark that kept his spirit going.