Harry wasn't surprised when he died to find himself in King's Cross, nor was it really a shock to find Tom Riddle waiting for him looking much like he did when he was sixteen. A scowl covered the young dark lord's face as if they had planned to meet and Harry was overly late for their meeting, and really Harry mused to himself, maybe they had. A smile tugged at the corner of Harry's lips "It's been a long time Tom" he paused giving Tom a moment to respond, for his trouble he got a nod from the other, "oh come on, you used to be such a charmer in school, I mean who wouldn't want the attention of the last of Slytherin's line? You could have taken over easy, even after the prophecy." Harry chuckled enjoying the confusion that spread over Tom's face.
"What do you mean Potter?" Harry decided Tom sounded much like the child he appeared to be "People weren't just going to kill muggles and unpure filth just because I batted my eyes at them and said so in an innocent voice"
"It's simple really" Harry began "I've had a lot of time to think about the war, to see why you did things your way. It was fear. It was never about the quality of a person's blood it was about the morals they were raised with. Poor little Tom Riddle all alone in the orphanage, hardly any food due to war rations, a freak and demon to the adults and an outcast among children because little Tom can talk to snakes and little Tom can make things happen. A muggle standpoint on a wizarding child, and if there are other children raised by them surely they would bring the same prejudice to the wizarding world, so you wanted to stop them, stop them like you could never stop the taunting harsh words of everyone who knew about little Tom Riddle who had a room to himself because the others were scared." To his credit, Tom didn't outwardly react to the accusation. "Even with the prophecy and your supposed demise, you could have ensured I fought for your side as early as my first year. You did try, but you went about it wrong, take a page of Dumbledore's book in this case, save the neglected child and he will see a hero above all else. Dumbledore sent Hagrid to get me and sing his praises, but really had little to do with me at first, but it was enough for me to see him as a great man and dismiss his manipulations for so long, but you had a chance in that none of the teachers, not even Snape seemed to notice the obvious signs of neglect. Sure you were stuck on Quirrell's head but you could have written letters or rather have Quirrell write letters from you to me, explain that you had similar experiences, shit even if you wrote as Lord Voldemort rather than Tom Riddle you would have been the only person to notice and bloody care. Explain why you tried to kill me and what it is you were seeking to do that lead to drastic actions and I can't say I would have opposed you."
Tom grimaced "I didn't notice, I was too busy trying to get that damned stone"
Harry sighed "I figured as much, after all, who would believe that the Boy-Who-Lived was not a pampered little prat"
"Do you think I really could have separated the magical and mundane world fully if I'd noticed?" Harry simply nodded