At the end of this chapter there is a section called comments from the author. That is a part of the story don't skip it! Reviews are welcome. Let me know if you like it or if it sucks. That being said, enjoy.
Chapter 2: A Day in the Life of a not so Ordinary Orphan
Things were finally settled in the Benjamin Fitzgerald's Home for Boys. The other children feared Darren and Darren feared him, so he was able to control everything from behind the scenes. Children have such short memories that he had always had to reassert his dominance before. Phil and Pete were useless after the incident in the cave. Phil had a break down shortly afterwards and was moved to a home for special needs children. Pete developed a dreadful stutter and no one feared a guy with a stutter hence no one listened to him. The incident had left less visible marks on Darren though, so he was still useful.
There was something disquieting about Tom's presence that made even the adults at the Benjamin Fitzgerald's Home for Boys nervous. They never caught him doing anything untoward; nevertheless, their eyes automatically sought him out whenever anything happened. Mrs. Pemberton, in particular, believed that Tom was somehow responsible for everything that went wrong in the foster home. Whenever, there was an accident, you would be able to find her muttering: "Sinister, that boy is sinister." Thus, there was always tension in the Benjamin Fitzgerald Home for Boys, making it a very unpleasant place to live for everyone.
Tom did not know this, but he shared a special connection with Mrs. Pemberton. On a cold night eleven years previously she took in a young pregnant woman. The girl was tiny with a large protruding stomach. She had black stringy hair and a small face with large features. Her clothes were old and ragged, but even more astonishing they look like they were from another era entirely. She looked like a milkmaid from times long since past. Poor thing, she must have made these things herself, Mrs. Pemberton thought to herself. Mrs. Pemberton tried her best to nurse the girl back to health, but the young girl had already given up the will to live. It was while Mrs. Pemberton was giving the girl a sponge bath that she first noticed the locket hanging from the girl's neck. It was large and appeared to be gold. It had a large decorative S in the center. Mrs. Pemberton shook her head, the girl was pregnant and starving, but she kept a locket when she could pawn it in order to buy food and shelter.
Mrs. Pemberton took care of Merope Gaunt for two days. On the second day she gave birth. She was alive long enough to name her son and bequeath her last possession to him, the locket. Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr. Mrs. Pemberton dotted on him during the first year of his life. However, as time went on and with so many children to look after, her attention pulled in different directions. So, the day came when she looked at Tom and realized that he had changed and not for the better. She felt as if she had allowed something sinister to take root in that child, after he had been left in her care. Somehow, she felt as if she had failed and even worse than that she felt as if nothing could be done about it. She recognize that there was a problem and had simply written it off as unfixable. Mrs. Pemberton made sure to keep an extra close eye on Tom, but never did she think of any way to put him back on the right path.
School was different. Tom at a much earlier age than most had figured out the value of an education. He loved to learn and he thrived at it. Tom was different at school. He was amiable and relaxed. His teachers loved him. He was well-behaved, attentive, and thirsty for knowledge. He devoured his readings, excelled at his projects, and always asked for extra assignments.
On Saturdays, Tom would sneak off to the cave to be with the only beings that he felt truly understood him. They would talk about silly nonsense plans for the future: "When I'm older…When I'm rich… When I rule the world."
So far, I have painted Tom Riddle as a solitary creature. Which is not necessarily true, Tom had friends or to put it more accurately there were children that consider Tom their friend. As, I have stated earlier Tom consider Nagini his only friend. (By now you must be wondering who I am. Yes, someone is telling you this story! However, all good things to those who wait).There was one boy in particular that consider Tom his best friend. His name was Hector and he wasn't a very intelligent boy, but he was determined. Hector was a "mistake."He was a constant reminder of his parents' misdeed. His parents did the "honorable thing" and got married, but he knew that he was the source of their unhappiness. They never let him forget it. He was never able to please his parents, so he stopped trying. Tom drew him with his quiet confidence. Hector directed the devotion that would have normally gone to his parents to Tom. So, you see even as a child Tom could pull people in. When Tom went to Hogwarts he had left Hector in his past. Hector was devastated, but he learned a valuable lesson. He learned that he could not trust anyone. For Tom, Hector was part of his past, but for Hector Tom and the lesson Tom taught him stayed firmly rooted in the present.
Comments from the Author
You're probably wondering why I'm writing this. Don't worry, I'm not a Voldermort sympathizer nor am I trying to humanize him. In fact, I hope that by the time you read this the world is rid of him. My calculations maybe off, but if he isn't dead this will help you. Then why don't I expose him now, you ask? For two reasons. One, the world is not ready. This could do more harm than good if revealed too early. And now for my selfish reason, because I have people I love and I will do whatever it takes to protect them. The first reason is a very valid one, but even if it wasn't the second reason holds strong. I will do anything to protect my love ones even at the cost of others' lives. Your life. This sounds horrible and it is, but I am no hero. You should know that. No decent person would be able to tell you about Tom. Yes, Tom. He will always be Tom to me. By the time you read this he will have killed me. I have done a lot of things that I am not proud of, but I was young. Judge me if you must, but judge me fairly.
