Author's Note~
Please be aware that the plots and storyline differ somewhat from the books. It is plagiarism if I didn't at least try to make each chapter a little different from the original. Read before you judge, though i would really like to see your reviews. Also be aware that Tom Riddle changes since he grew up differently. He isn't 'a snake in the grass' kind of hunk. And he has Harry Potter's scar on his head too. ;)
Read, Review, and Enjoy~!
EDIT- Since i've forgotten about a disclaimer, here it is: J.K. Rowling owns the books and her characters, I own the OC
Chapter 1
The Boy Who Lived
Out in the quiet glens of north England, the rumors that had been plaguing the area for two years were finally simmering down. Everyone from Great Hangleton to Little Hangleton had been talking about the scandal at the Riddle House. Tom Riddle, the only son Thomas and Eleanor Riddle ever had, returned one night from no where. What's more, he was alone. There was no wife, who he had suddenly eloped with. Something that scandalous would continue to be talked about in a small village, even if it was years ago.
Thomas Riddle was the richest man in both Great and Little Hangleton and held little restraint in showing it off. Eleanor Riddle was little better. Both were rich, rude, and smug just like their son. Tom had the better looks in the family, so that made him damn near close to intolerable, but gorgeous. He had flirted with at least every one of the prettiest ladies in the two Hangletons anyway. Nobody really liked anything about them but the occasional scandals that come from within the Riddle House.
But time had moved on and the people in the village of Great Hangleton needed more to talk about than the Riddle scandal. Everyone simply ran out of gossip. The Riddles hadn't said a word about the scandal to any of the villagers and the only thing Tom Riddle told anyone was that he had been "taken in". Merope Gaunt's face had never been seen since and the Riddles acted like they had never heard the name before.
So the villagers went back to their quiet life and time moved on. The Riddles gradually returned to being as nasty as they always had been. There were even times that Tom was seen with his old lover, Cecilia Riverlen. It was as if the scandal had never happened.
But on Christmas Eve, every person in the village got a marvelous surprise as they saw owls flying overhead in broad daylight! Not that many had been spotted before, the children were delighted while the adults remained puzzled.
They looked to the news stations of other towns for answers, but the SAME thing was happening all over England! It was simply unexplained. Shooting stars were spotted in other places as well. The newsman thought it was people with very high Christmas Spirit and were lighting off fireworks.
That got the gossip going once more, and it would be an understatement to say that the Riddles were secretly over joyed that THEY were finally no longer in the gossip spotlight. How short their joy would last.
Thomas Riddle had been taking a car ride through the town a few miles over to pick up some things. That was the only problem besides the ever raging gossip. Small towns like his never had what you really wanted and it was too much of a bother to ship it. That cost money. HIS money.
Thomas got out and strolled down the sidewalk to pick up the book his wife wanted. He did see the most peculiar people on the streets that Christmas Eve. They wore robes that Mr. Riddle had never seen before. They wore pointed hats as well. They looked like some of the funnies looking people too. And if it was one thing Mr. Riddle was good at, it was judging people by how they looked. It could mean a lot about their personality as well as the money they made.
Was that some odd new fashion in the bigger towns? It looked ridiculous! They looked like they were part of a cult or something nasty of the like. Mr. Riddle would have none of that in HIS town. He was sure of that.
But as he opened the bookstore's door he heard two blokes whispering.
"That poor woman, so young…and a widow at that-"
"- yes, her son…Tom…so young without his mother-"
"-I heard his father…Muggle…and ran off as soon as she-"
"-Disgraceful man-"
Mr. Riddle didn't know why, but the word 'Muggle' struck a memory of one of his maids telling him that Tom was saying things in his sleep since he had come back. One of those words was Muggle. Was that some strange new word that meant something?
And this young baby named Tom…rather odd, but it was a common name. His own son told him so quite angrily once. But he was blocking the door and it didn't seem to concern him so he continued into the book store.
When he came out though, he ran into another funny old man in robes. They both had fallen over. Mr. Riddle was quite annoyed.
"I say! Can't you watch where you're going?!" He snapped, getting up and picking up his things without ever looking at the man who was smiling broadly.
"I am sorry, good man, but you much excuse my excitement! For today is a glorious day to give thanks to be alive! Nothing could make me upset today! Even a Muggle like you should rejoice, for You-Know-Who is gone at last!" The man actually hugged the very stunned Mr. Riddle and dashed away, leaving him staring behind.
"Mad…This world has gone mad…"He muttered, getting into his car and driving off. Was Christmas getting that crazy to celebrate? And there was that word again...'Muggle'. What could it mean? He did not speak again until he got home for supper.
"Tom?" He asked, pausing between eating his soup and looking at him across the table.
"Yes, father?" Tom, however, did not look up but continued to look rather bored at his soup as he ate.
"I was in another town today and heard a funny new word. I'm just assuming that it's something all the younger people say."
"Possibly."
"Well then, what is a Muggle?" Mr. Riddle asked, staring at his son.
Tom Riddle's head shot up with eyes so large Mr. Riddle thought they might just spring out of their sockets.
"Where did you hear that?!" He demanded. His reaction to the word shocked his father greatly.
"Just some strange blokes in the town over were saying that word a lot. Is it some swear word I should know about?" He asked, frowning. If it was some dirty word…
"No…No, it's not a swear word, father. It means nothing. It's nothing…" his voice faded out. Mr. Riddle's eyes gleamed. It didn't SEEM nothing to him, but he had enough respect for his son to not press further. It was probably something to do with the scandal years back anyway and he had had ENOUGH of that!
The Riddles soon retired into their beds in the quiet of the night. But Tom Riddle had trouble getting to bed sooner. His thoughts buzzed with the word his father heard.
Muggle.
He hadn't heard that word since that devil of a woman told him what she was and explained what she had done to him. Love potions… baby… pure-blooded heir… Muggles and Wizards…. a whole other world completely beside this one… utter madness.
He had never regretted leaving Merope Gaunt, even though she was pregnant with his child. She had tricked him and she'd dare think that he would love that girl in rags after all he had been told?
He just wanted his rich life without all this madness. He had been perfectly willing to marry Cecilia Riverlen until that witch got her hands on him. It had taken much time, but now Cecilia had forgiven him and wanted to start over with him. He needn't worry about Merope and that baby that was probably as much of a monster as its mother. They were filth. He was not.
With that thought settled out, Tom Riddle soon drifted off to sleep; never knowing what nightmares would plague him in the next day.
…
It had started to snow around midnight. Wither it was from the magic of Christmas or other, no one could possibly tell. But one snowy white owl with odd spots around its eyes was not flying up in the sky with its brethren. One might have thought it had stopped to rest in the old oak tree by the Riddle House, had it not been perched there the entire day and watching the house.
There was a small breeze in the air that rattled the branches a little. When it died, there was a tall looming figure walking down the road towards the Riddle Manor. When the figure passed the only streetlight still lit, details were revealed it to be a very tall woman in navy blue robes similar to that of the people Mr. Riddle had seen earlier that day. She also wore a pointed hat that gave her the appearance of a woman dressed as a witch for Halloween. Very out of place in the Christmas holidays.
This woman's name was Minerva McGonagall. Her hair was ashy grey, but not quiet white. She moved with an air of dignity and swiftness not fit for an older woman. She wore a pair of spectacles on her nose that enhanced a very studious look.
As Minerva McGonagall approached the house, she stopped and looked up at the snowy owl with odd dots around its eyes, and smiled slightly. "Rather a cold night to be sitting in a tree, eh Professor Dumbledore?"
In a blink of an eye, a wizard with long silvery hair as long as his beard. He was about the same tall height as McGonagall, and just as thin. He was wearing standard black robes that evening with a rounded cap on his head. He also wore spectacles, but they were the half-moon type. He was possibly younger than McGonagall but his hair had gone white much faster than hers.
"How did you know it was me?" he asked, rather light and curious.
"Albus, I have never seen an owl perch so long, nor stare at one house for a whole day."
"I have just been watching these Muggles." He told her, a slight frown appearing on his face.
"But for all day? Surely you'd want to be celebrating. I know I've passed many parties on my way here."
"Yes, about that," Dumbledore's face showed a frown now, "everyone seems to have lost their common sense! Owls spotted all over England and shooting stars. All I can say is thank god the Muggles just think it's just Christmas spirit."
"You can hardly blame them though, Albus. We've had so little to celebrate for 11 years." She told him calmly.
"Yes, yes, but let us not all lose our heads and become careless. Wizards on the street aren't even attempting to look like Muggles. It would be just our luck that the very day You-Know-Who disappeared, Muggles find out about the magical world. But is he really gone, McGonagall?"
"It looks that way…Care for a sea-salt caramel?"
"A what?" Dumbledore looked befuddled.
McGonagall lifted a chocolate sweet from inside her pocket and showed it to him. "A Muggle sweet. I'm not fond of many, but they do make good sweets every now and then. It's sweet but has a salty taste to it."
"No thank you." He didn't seem in the mood. She popped one into her mouth. "So are the rumors true about You-Know-Who-"
"Albus, surely you can call him by name by now? All this You-Know-Who nonsense. He has a proper name, you know: Yametrah. I have never seen a reason not to say Yametrah's name."
Dumbledore flinched at the name, but McGonagall just popped another small chocolate into her mouth. "I know you haven't, but you're different! Everyone knows that you're the only one You-Know-, fine, Yametrah, was ever frightened of!"
"You put too much credit on me," though McGonagall let out a chuckle, "Yametrah had powers I will never have."
"Only because you're…you're too noble to use such a means!" Dumbledore spoke out.
"My, I haven't blushed this much since the Hogwarts Christmas party last year."
Dumbledore rolled his eyes. "Anyway, owls and shooting stars are nothing compared to the rumors I've heard. Have you heard them? About why he's disappeared? About what snuffed him in the end?"
Dumbledore's voice grew ever more curious with each question. For it was the real reason why he had put up with sitting in that old oak the whole day. His blue eyes were focused only on the woman beside him as they slowly edged up the road to the Riddle Manor.
"What they are saying is that last night Yametrah turned up at the doorstep of your old house in Godric's Hollow. He went after the last of the Gaunts, after Merope and her son. And…he…he killed her."
McGonagall bowed her head and Professor Dumbledore stiffened with the realization. "Poor Merope…that's no way to go…after what hell she's been through…with that accursed family of hers…and being abandoned by that…that MUGGLE!" Dumbledore let out an angry huff, but then let out a woe-some sigh. "Oh Minerva…she deserved better, that girl."
McGonagall patted his shoulder and nodded sadly.
Dumbledore continued in his sad voice. "But that's not all. They say that he went after Merope's boy, Tom. But for some odd reason, he couldn't. He couldn't kill that half-blood baby. No one knows why or how, but they are saying that when he couldn't kill Tom Riddle Jr., Yametrah's body and power broke- that's why he's gone."
McGonagall nodded again, without words.
"It…It's true then?!" Professor Dumbledore gasped, "After all that…and the people he's killed, he couldn't kill that little boy?! That's incredible! All the things in the world to stop him…but how in god's name did Tom Riddle Jr. survive?!"
"We may never know. There will be countless theories in the years to come," McGonagall said and took out a funny golden watch from her pocket and checked the time. She then put it back into her pocket.
"Judy is late. Is that how you knew to be here?"
"Yes, though I don't hope to think you're going to tell me why you are at this house of all places." Professor Dumbledore huffed irritably again.
"I'm here to bring young Tom Riddle here to his grandparents and father. They are the only family the boy has left."
Professor Dumbledore looked as though she had just stricken him across the face with her watch. "You…You can't be serious! Tom, live here?!" He pointed at the Riddle Manor only a few more strides ahead.
"I've been watching them all day, Minerva! You can't possibly leave that poor boy with this Muggle filth! Normally, I reside myself against cruelty to Muggles but these people are by far the worst I've seen yet! It's no question that the townspeople hate them and I cannot see one reason why they shouldn't! The boy's father is a layabout with no particular goals in life but to make every young lady within a 50 mile radius swoon for him. The grandparents are no better. The old woman spends her days having tea with ladies equally as horrible and rich and the head of the house is always in his study, fretting about money! These are not the sort of people I'd let watch over my owl, much less a boy like Merope's! Tom Riddle Jr! Live here?!"
"It is the only place for him," McGonagall replied stiffly and didn't allow room for an argument. "I've taken steps to assure that. I've also written them a letter."
"A letter?" Professor Dumbledore looked like he was about to faint. "You can explain all of this in a letter? Really! These Muggles will never understand him! He's already famous – a legend- there will be books written about him! EVERY child in our world will know his name!"
"Exactly," she replied, looking serious, "It would be too much. Famous before he could walk? And talk? Famous for something he has no memory of? No, he would be better off growing up away from all that until he is of age." She told him firmly and there was nothing more to say about it.
"How is he getting here?" Professor Dumbledore glanced around as though expecting to see the boy in someone's arms.
"Judy is bringing him."
"Well she is awfully late. I swear, if that woman has ever been on time-"
The roar of an engine interrupted whatever Professor Dumbledore was going to say about her. A single car light was coming slowly into view until the two Professors saw it was a motorcycle…a flying one at that. The person driving it rolled it into a stop a foot away from them.
The person getting out of it was a woman with frizzled blond hair rolled into a bun. Her eyes were bi colored, the left one was brown and the right one was pale green. She wore a large leather coat over her and was wearing bike gloves. In any case, she would have looked like a normal American biker if not for the fact that she just flew out of the sky. She was also carrying a bundle of blankets.
"Judy," McGonagall nodded to her in welcome. "Where on earth did you get the motorcycle though?"
"I borrowed it from Severus Snape. Told me he wanted to help in any way since…well," she stopped talking for a moment, "A-Anyway, here he is, ma'am."
"Any problems?" She asked her.
"No, ma'am. When I got there, though, your house was destroyed. I got in and out with the boy without any fuss. Sorry," Judy dipped her head apologetically as though it was somehow her fault that McGonagall's childhood house got destroyed by the most evil wizard of all time. McGonagall merely smiled and shook her head, "think nothing of it. It was only a house. Houses can get rebuilt. Lives, unfortunately, cannot." McGonagall took the bundle from Judy's arms and both she and Professor Dumbledore peered down at the baby within the cloth.
He had dark brown hair that was still nothing more than a tuft. His face was angelic as all baby faces are. Both could clearly see the jagged shaped scar in the corner of his forehead, shaped like a lightning bolt.
"Is that-," Professor Dumbledore began to ask.
"Yes, he'll have that scar for the rest of his life," McGonagall answered his unasked question.
"Poor lad. So young and already has a scar," He sighed while Judy started to cry. "Judy, I didn't know you were close to Merope." Professor Dumbledore added in mild surprise. Judy shook her head, her bun bobbed as it was loose from their flight.
"I d-didn't know Merope very well on a best f-friend level, but she and I just seemed to click, you know? An-And I'm sure we could have been great friends i-if…" She cut off, blowing her nose and sobbing a great deal.
"Get a hold of yourself, please, Judy. We are not done here yet." McGonagall scolded lightly, though she knew it had affected Judy possibly more than herself. Not many people knew about Merope and even less about her background. But she was very kind and had a good heart.
Judy let out a loud sniff then nodded, taking Tom back into her arms again. "I know, Professor. I know. I wouldn't have asked for this if I wasn't ready to do it. I'll make sure these doffers don't hurt a hair on Tom's head. I-I gave my word." She hiccuped, trying to get a hold of herself.
McGonagall nodded and pulled out a large letter envelope from within her robes and gave it to Judy. "I'm counting on it, Judy. But you mustn't ever use magic in front of these people or allow Tom to. And above everything else, you must not read this letter. This is for the Riddles' eyes alone. They will be forceful and attempt any means to wheedle more information out of you, but you must only reply that you are here for the boy's best interests, as his mother has asked." Judy nodded dutifully.
McGonagall turned to Professor Dumbledore. "With that, we are no longer needed here, Albus," the wizard nodded, "we may as well stop by parties with our friends and family. Goodness knows we all deserve some joy for once."
Professor Dumbledore nodded once more and turned to Judy. "Merry Christmas, Judy, and many good wishes to you." His cloak fanned out and a snowy owl took off into the skies.
Judy started towards the servants' quarters where she would keep the boy warm for the night. McGonagall looked down at the motorcycle and with a flick of her wand it vanished. She looked over at Judy and the boy one last time.
"Good luck, Tom Marvolo Riddle." Minerva McGonagall turned and walked back down the path. When she passed the same streetlamp she had before, she vanished.
Chapter End~
(If you are thinking what i think you are, let me tell you now that Judy DOES NOT replace Hagrid. She is just Tom's caretaker and only friend to Merope, his mother. This story will have characters that might replace the ones we all know, but not all of them. Sometimes they are simply extras for Tom's development. But yes, Minerva McGonagall replaces Dumbledore's part and he replaces hers. Her personality and his shall be modified a little. And I've changed Mrs. Riddle's name, in case you big fans noticed that. ;) I just didn't like her name.)
(Also, some of the future chapters aren't all going to have the same Title or plot within them. This story has it's own changes that shall be seen most in the 2nd book, if i ever get to it. I hope i will. I'm mostly looking forward to the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th to make the changes) Each new page is a Chapter in the books, obviously.)
Yes, I made you a new Voldemort with Harry Potter's full name, just like JKR. ^-^ It just came to me in the spur of the moment.)
Next Chapter: The Last Gaunt
