Now..this would be the 3. Chapter. It's a bit shorter, hope you don't mind.
I'm really happy about all the comments! *-* never thought about getting anyone.
pharaveejpharaveej: fort he first years it would be a mentor-fic, but then their feelings changing to something more
XD and I want to ask you something: which creature should Harry be? It was a 1-second-decision and now I'm clueless.
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3. Chapter
Harry was a bit surprised when the charm alerted him. It wasn't even 12, what would his parents want, with all the guests up there? A tad annoyed he closed his book, and hurry to reach the stairs, where he would wait, like he always did when someone wanted him.
-TMR-
Tom could feel the tingle of a charm when he went trough the door and down the stairs. It was dark and a little bit dusty, like most of dungeons.
As he reached the end of the stairs, he nearly gasped. There in the dim light of a torch stand a beautiful small creature; long dark hair, pale complex and when you looked closely you could see emerald eyes shining through long eyelashes.
Now these eyes were looking at him with a slightly fearful expression.
"Are you Harry Potter? You don't need to be afraid. I'm here to help you. My name is Tom Riddle, you wrote me some letters, remember?" after a small nod from the child, Tom knelt down in front of him.
"Listen careful, Harry. You have the opportunity to come with me, live at Durmstang, and get all the family and education you could wish for. But for that you'll have to give up everything you know, you will never come back here, and loose the name of the Potters. You will be struck off from all the property of the Potter. Do you accept or do you want to stay?"
He really hoped the little one would choose Durmstrang, it would be the best, for all of them. He could see the longing in these green eyes, longing to be save and loved.
"I could really stay with you? Even in summer? I don't know how to pay! And I'm not worth the effort you made to help me. Why do you care? Nobody has ever wanted me…"
The words hurt, not because they were peppered with unbelief, but because they were the same he thought when he was a child. He was 11 that day, and it made him suffer to hear them from a younger child.
"You could stay with me your whole life, and it doesn't matter if you are rich like hell or poor. What's matter is that you should know what it means to be loved, to be a child and safe. You really don't have to pay anything. There is the Durmstrang federation. We help all children with financial or family problems. You, and the others, are worth every effort that it would take to make you happy. I can swear an oath that I would never intentionally hurt you. Do you believe me?"
Harry hesitated. It would be everything he wanted. And he liked Tom Riddle. He felt that Tom knew what he was talking about. But could he trust him? He wanted to, really.
Cautiously, he took a step to the man in front of him.
"You would love me? Harry?"
This question was full of the entire innocence the little boy had kept all the years. Who would love a dirty freak like him?
Tom thought he would cry every moment. How could these bloody Potters not love such a sweet boy like Harry?
"Yes, I will love you. Whenever you need me, you can come to me. I will keep you safe from now on."
With that he carefully wrapped his arms around the small body, giving to the tense boy a light hug.
-HP-
Harry thought he was in heaven. For the first time in many years he was feeling warm.
"I want to go with you. The Potters weren't my family in all these years, so there wouldn't be any change."
Tom released him from the hug and gave him a small smile.
"That's great. So, do you want to take something with you? Clothes or personal things?"
Harry thought. All his clothes were hand-me-downs from Dave, and even if he loved all the books and the potion-lab, they all belonged to the Potter family. He owned nothing.
"Not really. Nothing I have is actually mine…."
Tom nodded. He had thought something like that. It would fit the Potters, to not give anything to Harry.
"It's okay. When we arrive at durmstrang, we can buy you all we need. So you are ready? I want to leave this place as soon as possible, if you don't mind."
Harry gave a small smile. Yes, he was ready. Ready to leave the hell of his childhood behind, and to try a new way. Carefully, he reached out his hand to Tom, wanting him to lead them out to the new life.
Tom stood up, taking the hand Harry was offering him.
Together they climbed up the stairs, walked trough the Halls to the main-entrance. The Potters and their guests were celebrating- as if nothing had ever happened. Frustration was building up in his chest, but Harry was more important than some stupid light-wizards.
They left the manor to the apparition spot. Tom held Harry close to him and so they apparated away. Unseen to others, a name faded away from the Family-tapestry in the great hall of Potter manor.
Now, the only child born to Lily and James Potter is named Dave J. Potter.
