Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER! All rights go to J. , bummer.

This is probably not going to be a slash fiction as it doesn't really go with the plot and I intend for Tom to be a role-model of sorts. NOT A DARK HARRY FIC! I don't like those very much. Well I hope you like it so here you are.

Words: 1,514

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Harry Potter laid in his cupboard under the stairs at number four Privet Drive, trying to ignore the twinge in his stomach from hunger. He deserved it after all, it would not do to wallow in self pity. Especially when it was his fault, he shouldn't have set the snake out on Dudley, not just to get out of punishment but he also felt really bad for scaring everyone. Dudley didn't deserve it, even if he was kinda mean to him sometimes. A little bullying didn't justify a boa constrictor scaring him. Immediately he felt guilty for his line of thought. It wasn't bullying if he deserved it, which he did for being a freak.

He didn't mean to vanish the glass, it just-just happened! He didn't even understand how. Now he was laying on his cot starting at the spider infested ceiling, but he didn't mind, they were his only friends. Even when they bit them he was grateful, Uncle Veron drilled it in his head he was ungrateful no matter how hard he tried not to be. He smiled as Jimmy crawled down the wall and scurried out the small vent. "Bye Jimmy" he whispered quietly, as to not disturb his relatives.

Harry was sentenced to a week locked in his cupboard with parts of burnt toast given to him every other day, not whole ones of course, that'd be weird. They had an abundance of burnt tast, his aunt out of practice due to him slaving over the Dursleys, not that he thought that, he wouldn't dare. Of course before he was unceremoniously thrown in his cupboard he was beaten. Well not beaten, because he deserved it, more like put in his place. Which was perfectly normal, unlike me, He thought.

The ten year old had to bite his lip to prevent crying at the last part, he just wanted to be normal. He didn't want to be a freak, he wanted to be loved. Was that to much to ask. Of course it is, I'm a freak. With these last thoughts, Harry stared at the ceiling feeling silent tears rolled softly down his cheeks. He closed his eyes and succumbed to the darkness that surrounded him.

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Cold rain fell from dark grey clouds, heavily. The small street wasn't very crowded due to said bad weather, in fact in the darkness there was only one person. No one in their right mind would be outside in this weather, which is why it makes sense that this person was unconscious. So apparently everyone here was sane, how disappointing.

Harry laid face-first in the mud next to the sidewalk, unconscious form shivering but otherwise peaceful. Slowly Harry became aware of his surroundings enough to realize he was very cold. He pressed his palms in the mud by his face and pushed himself up.

He wiped the muck from his face with the back of his arm, as it was a short sleeved because the weather had been warm, and looked at his surroundings. He was sitting next to the sidewalk of a small unpopulated road.

This is not what Harry was staring so intensely, what he was staring at was the building down the street. A creeping sense of dread washed over Harry making him feel like he was doused in freezing ice-water. The building was made of faded bricks, due to old age and a rather tall wall surrounding the area. It had a short ornamentary, slightly rusted fence on top. There was an iron gate that would be rectangular if it weren't for the arc supported by the letters that spelled out; WOOL'S ORPHANAGE.

Harry had often been told bad and nasty stories about orphanages, and then threatened to be left there by his aunt and uncle. They never left him at one even though he had done bad freaky things. He guessed that attacking Dudley was the last straw, after all their tolerance of him could only go on for so long.

The raven haired boy knew this was his punishment, that he deserved by the way for being a worthless, ungrateful freak, and he would take it without fuss. Mabye, hopefully, this was a good orphanage, after all there are exceptions to every rule. Mabye here could be his second chance, immediately Harry felt bad for that thought. Freaks don't deserve second chances, but doesn't everyone deserve a second chance. He remembered a teacher saying that to another student once, but was he the exception to that rule?

He hoped with all his little heart that, maybe even a freak could get a second chance. Filled with hope, the scrawny ten year old gathered up his courage and walked across the street towards the grim building that the grey skies did no favours for. When he reached the gate he found it unlocked, probably for other new orphans like him. Not that freaks deserved a family of course.

He walked up a little path that led to the door. The closer he came to the plain wood door, the more Harry scared himself with thoughts of the possible rejections that were sure to come. Would they take in a freak? They probably wouldn't want him if they knew he was a freak. If they knew he was a freak. After this unwelcome thought graced his mind with it's presence, Harry felt guilty. He should be honest...

...but was withholding information really lieing? If they up right asked him if he was a freak, he would tell them, but until then... he could be normal. Normal, the thought sent shivers of happiness down his spine. Also if Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia dropped him off at this orphanage, they wouldn't want him to be saved from the punishment.

Harry squared his shoulders, making sure to wipe up as much of the mud as possible(and failing) and knocked on the solid wood door.

It was opened by a stern yet worn looking women, looking over him liken she might regard a more noticeable stranger in passing. Her hard eyes held a cold calculating look as she gazed at him. "Are you an orphan?" She asked in a tone that could only be described as exasperated, but was surprisingly soft and not unkind.

"Yes ma'am." Harry said, his head dipped slightly more than it already was in a sign of respect. It was lowered because he was never to look an adult in the eye unlest they said to. Which she didn't.

To get back to the topic of conversation, her eyes gleamed with the slightest glimmer of appreciation but she said nothing. "Follow me" she said, retreating back into the depths of the orphanage not bothering to look back to see if he followed. They walked through the halls of the building until they stopped at a door like any other.

She turned the knob and opened the door, revealingan office that was presumably hers. "What's your name, boy?" The orphanage matron asked. "Harry Potter," he answered, trying not to stutter due to nervous butterflies in his stomach. "Hello, my name is Mrs. Cole. How old are you?" She asked. Harry responded by telling her ten. She continued to ask simple questions like those and then she stood from the desk she was sitting near.

Mrs. Cole walked away in quick strides that due to his shorter legs, Harry had to jog to keep up. They walked through a living room of sorts that the bottom of the stairs started in. Then they climbed up to the top which turned into a hallway of doors. They walked to a door at the end of the hallway and stopped. Mrs. Cole turned to the right so she could knock on the door but before she did she ordered,"Wait here."

She knocked and a cool voice said, no ordered,"Enter," and Mrs. Cole obeyed. The matron closed the door behind her but Harry could he muffled voices behind the door. He couldn't make them out but he could if he pressed his ear to the door, but he didn't want to be kicked out one the first day.

Just as Harry was starting to shift his feet due to nerves, the door opened and Mrs. Cole beckoned him in. Harry entered into a small bedroom with two twin beds, a duo of wardrobes and two nightstands by the small, worn beds and a window in between the two beds and nightstands.

On the bed to the left there laid a teenager of about fifteen. He was handsome, with dark raven hair and pale skin that contrasted greatly to the other. He was tall and had an aura of power. Harry felt drawn to him slightly, like a faded connection.

Mrs. Cole cleared her throat and said,"Harry, this is your room, that you are sharing of course. And this is your roommate, Tom Riddle."

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Dun dun da! Cliffhanger, kinda. Please tell me what you think and please review, love it, hate it please tell me! Please?