C2: Tom's Realization
The Leaky Cauldron was a waste of space. No. Really. It was ridiculously expensive. Three Galleons per night!!!!
Who chargedthat much???
"But maybe the future is costlier", Tom thought with a smile. He was certainly very happy and satisfied to know that indeed he had travelled through time. But his calculation had been a little wrong. He had intended to land in 1997, 55 years into the future, but instead, he had come to 1996.
--
Tom was outright disgusted to find 'Tom the Barman' still working there. A little disappointed too, because the barman could not recognise the name 'Tom Riddle'. He really should have asked about 'Lord Voldemort' instead. But that might had been a little too much. That 'old hag' already eyed Tom's clothes( muggle clothes ) with a nauseating amount of suspicion. And none of the drunkards who were still drinking at mid-night, could tell him about 'Tom Riddle'.
But that did not deter Tom to the slightest. He was pretty sure that if nothing else, Tom Riddle would have become famous for inventing a time-turner which could travel through a long patch of time. He would surely become the first time traveller to travel 54 years into the future.
--
But Tom was in no right mind to think about all this.
He could not stop pacing through the hotel room. He could not stop the thumping of his heart. He could not stop sweating no matter how strong a cooling charm he would cast upon himself. He could not stop feeling thirsty no matter how much water he drank. And GOD...!!! He had not peed for hours.
" I am really going insane ", Tom drawled.
Time went by.
And Tom realized with a start that he had spent the whole night awake. His eyes were starting to burn a little from the lack of sleep. And... he still had not peed. So, he went to the washroom, cleaned himself, took a long, cold bath. 'Scourgified' the clothes he had worn last night(because he had not brought any other clothes with him), and went out to gather some information about himself.
--
Tom was disappointed.
The Wizarding World had not changed a bit. It was still 'ever stagnant' as always.
And why was nobody noticing him? Why everyone ignored him like he was just another schoolboy roaming through Diagon Alley to buy his school supplies?
Well, technically he was a schoolboy, but wasn't everyone supposed to know him? the Greatest Sorcerer that ever lived?
Or had his face changed so much in the future that they did not recognise him as the teenage version of their lord?
But then, a brilliant idea came to his mind.
There it was... the answer to all his questions... the newspaper!!!
"Hmmmmm", the first page of the Daily Prophet was all about an attack led by some dark wizards on muggle London. The Millenium Bridge had collapsed although no one was killed. Apparently, some 'Death Eaters' were supposed to be the cause of this. But, "Who are this Death Eaters, anyways?" Tom thought. "And who is this You Know Who? Is he the Dark Lord? Is it Grindelwald? But isn't he supposed to be in jail? And who is this Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived? Why cannot Dumbledore defeat the Dark Lord again?", Tom's mind raced and unknown to him, a bead of sweat found its way to his forehead.
"I have to go back", he panicked. "I have to get back home! My home, my time. There is no way I can live here for a month. Without money, without clothes, without shelter, without any means to avoid death". Tom thought. He regretted not making a Horcrux already.
In his own time, Grindelwald had never quite reached Britain. But now, he ruled Britain. He was the Dark Lord.
So the best course of action for Tom would be to go back, to his own time, where people could at least speak the name of their Lord. But he was determined to come back, to make a Horcrux, and then come back again.
So Tom quickly went to Knockturn Alley, ignoring the lustful gazes of the women working there( 'Large chested women', he observed), and found a dark corner formed by two adjacent walls where no one stepped around.
He quickly took the time-turner out and pressed the key, closing his eyes. Waiting for the familiar void of silence to engulf him.
But... seconds passed, minutes passed and after what seemed like hours, Tom slowly opened his eyes, only to find himself in the same dark corner.
So Tom pressed the key again, his eyes open and his senses hyperaware, but... no... nothing happened. Absolutely nothing. And slowly... Tom could feel his hands trembling, and feet growing numb and body positively running cold with sweat...
