Chapter One

Tom was special. He had always known it, even in the orphanage when he was mocked by his "peers". But it wasn't until Dumbledore showed up to tell him about the Wizarding world that he could prove it.

At the time, he was naive enough to think going to this school would help him find real friends, ones who could engage in conversation with him and challenge him and who would always stick by him. After arriving, he was proven wrong, and Tom hated being wrong.

Post-realization of the ineptitude of his fellow students, he decided that he didn't need friends...he needed followers. Having magic didn't make him special, his power and ambition to gain the knowledge to use it better than any other wizard was. And this time Dumbledore showing up wouldn't be enough to prove it.

Knowing that he was the smartest person in his year, well really the school, he didn't overly study for courses (always enough to make sure to all highest marks on every test in every course). He tended to focus all his spare time in the pursuit of all magical knowledge, and a particular hobby in the dark arts.

Respect within his house grew as he proved himself despite his mysterious half-blood background that his pureblooded housemates valued with dismay. He acted like the perfect student in front of all outsiders. Outsiders were considered everyone not in The Knights, which included almost exclusively of students from powerful families in Slytherin, like Edward Lestrange and Abraxas Malfoy.

But after building his influence and becoming a prefect next in line to become head boy, he was...bored. Everybody was in his spell, "the perfect wizard boy", girls would practically fall at his feet and guys would always try to be more like him. Teachers would prize him as their favorite student and think he could do no wrong. All anyone had saw of him was what he wanted them to see.

He had already proved himself and now he was simply bored.

It was a Monday night dinner at Hogwarts where everything changed. Tom's 6th year has just begun about 2 months ago and he was already caught up on all his classes teachings for the rest of the year. He sighed in boredom as he sat down next to his "friends" at dinner.

All day he had heard girls (and guys) gossiping about some new girl. He had no interest in listening to anything after that because transfer students come and go through the years. Nothing special.

But the gossiping didn't stop and he soon realized after he sat down that he was gonna have to pretend like he cared as Walburga started talking directly to him.

"Have you heard, Riddle?", screeched Walburga (Tom was sure she was half banshee because her voice simply made him cringe).

"Heard what, Black?", Tom said in as uninterested but polite tone as possible.

"Crystal Higgins is transferring to Hogwarts today! I heard from Mills who heard it from Pawge who heard it from a Ravenclaw who is assistant to the Headmaster"

"Who is Crystal Higgins?", Tom said puzzled, and annoyed.

"Well, despite being a muggle-born, she is very accomplished. She is the youngest person, and only female, every allowed to compete in the Professional Duelling League. She also is a huge war hero in France against Grindelwald. I even heard she was Dumbledore's right hand", Walburga practically rambled before being cut off by the Headmaster silencing the students.

"Hello young witches and wizards!", Headmaster Dippet confidently and loudly announced, "As you have probably heard, we have a very special transfer student coming in. Crystal Higgins is by far the brightest witch I have met in all my years as a professor and Headmaster, and I am happy to be a hand in the rest of her education. Please welcome her with open arms and be patient while we sort her into a house"

With that, the a girl in beauxbaton robes emerged from a door in the teachers eating area with a smile on her face. It seemed genuine to others, but there was something behind it that Tom thought wasn't.

On her way to Dippet something seemed to have caught her eye. She quickly deviated from her route and headed straight to...Dumbledore?!

She looked elated to see him and clearly, as Tom looked around, he wasn't he only confused one. Suddenly it was quiet and all you could hear was Crystal shouting, "Albus, I've missed you", before hugging the renowned professor.

Now that caught Riddle's interest.

After about 20 seconds of silence had past before Crystal realized she had an audience to her heart-felt moment. This prompted her to quickly say her goodbyes before heading to Headmaster Dippet and the sorting hat.

Awkwardly, she shook his hand and had the hat placed on her head.

The sorting hat boomed, "Ah, today we have a special one...oh, I see, very intelligent, but definitely not a Ravenclaw...kind but that's about all you have in common with a Hufflepuff...brave, very brave, but you don't belong in Gryffindor... SLYTHERIN".

The room was in shock. 'That had to be a mistake', Tom thought. And everyone around him were thinking the same thing, because Crystal was a muggleborn and no muggleborn had EVER been sorted into Slytherin previously.

It was just common knowledge that the pureblooded standpoint in the prestigious house was not to be trifled with. And Crystal was smart enough, Tom hoped, to know that. But she was...smiling?! 'No, that definitely can't be right'

But she was definitely smiling when she walked right up to the Slytherin table and exclaimed, "Hi, well you already probably know who I am and what I am, so I won't introduce myself."

And with that, she left to go sit alone at the end of the table while everyone talked about her.

She didn't really seem to care all that much.

This was going to be a much more interesting year then Tom had previously expected.