A/N:

Please don't expect such quick updates from me very often, I'm just on a roll with this one.

Chapter Three

Tom sat in the library, this time reading one of Lord Slytherin's... Harry's, comic books. Harry bought a muggle, that means 'none magic person' the boy had learned, company. Two of them in fact. He bought comic book companies called 'Marvel' and 'Detective Comics' and renamed it 'Paradox Unleashed', probably because of how much time travel was in many of the stories. They were absolutely great and the best thing was all the comics existed in the same universe, usually different planets or time periods but typically the same galaxy. He then... cheated. Harry used a spell to transfer everything in his head into comic book format and was going to publish them all at once in large books but when his CEO saw them he managed to convince Harry to let their staff break up the stories and draw them out for at least a hundred issues each. That had been an AMAZING idea. The comics had a lot more character development and action scenes and even a few new fun adventures Harry hadn't thought of but the staff had. However the comic books were receiving a bit of controversy in the muggle world has they were promoting tolerance for homosexuals, people of different religions, even taking a big risk and saying segregation and any form of racism was bad. Tom noticed wizards were barely aware of those issues, at least when they involved other humans, but for muggles these were dangerous ideas. For crying out loud some of the comics had interracial couples! Some even had interspecies with aliens or something, wizards understood those better as humans marrying other sentient creatures was extremely frowned on. The stories even had tons of lessons parents tried to teach their kids like good manners, don't be a bully, don't lie, be a good person, blah blah blah, but that's the thing. Kids didn't read them for the morals or ethical debates. Those were actually really subtle, mostly showing and not having the characters just say something is bad. No what got kids reading them were the stories, epic fantasy journeys, cosmic space adventures, thrilling mysteries, and best of all a whole new genre SUPERHEROES. People with amazing powers who fought crime and saved lives. Tom's favorite were the X-Men, people who were born different and shunned for it. Of course what made these guys different is they were born with superpowers. They had amazing gifts that the world feared and hated. They pretty much represented every minority on the planet including wizards.

A lot of muggles in high positions were trying to get Harry's comics banned all over the world (as he had set up printing factories all over the world and was selling his stories in every country in every language) but all that resulted in was Tom realizing just how much money Harry had. Harry was worth billions in wizard money which amounted to bloody TRILLIONS in pounds. Before Slytherin arrived no one even conceived of those numbers. He said this is because he was the last heir of what was once a huge family that was extremely wealthy and powerful all owning global industries in the wizarding world (which Harry sold to the Goblins). So with all those other lines gone he inherited everything... Harold Slytherin had enough money to support his own country and he was using that to make sure kids kept reading his comics. Strangely enough he was actually making money even with all the personal attacks. These really were great stories.

Lots of wizard children were reading the comics too despite them being a muggle product. Harry got help from the Minister to promote them as a means of improving ideas about muggles. A lot of the characters in these stories were muggles or got superpowers through science instead of magic. In the months since these comics came to the world wizard children started using stray sticks and pretending they were swords instead of wands.

The clothes Harry's company sold were really popular among wizard children as well. They were designed in an already popular fashion for wizard kids, similar to the short robes Tom's elves wore. Only these robes had large images on the back and interesting patterns on the front. Harry's company made lots of designs of the comic book characters. Tom saw a lot of kids his age dressed in those short robes and even had some of the clothes himself, although he found it a bit embarrassing to show that much leg and typically wore a pair of muggle shorts with them. The outfit Tom had wore when he met the Minister, Jypsy had explained, were formal dress robes and meant only for special occasions and not for playing outside. Too bad cause those looked really wicked. Harry had started a clothing line selling both muggle and wizard clothes as well as toys, lunch boxes, snacks, and such. They weren't selling too terribly well in the muggle world as it is the forties and with how closed minded parents were they didn't let their kids play with Harry's stuff. Most muggle kids bought the comic books, read them, then threw them away before going home so their parents wouldn't find out about it but you couldn't really do that with toys and clothes. The objects being 'forbidden' making them all the more desirable by muggle kids. However wizard children collected the merchandise in large numbers with their parents encouraging it. They were things made by a respectable wizard after all and didn't have nearly the same level of controversy as they did for muggles. None of the toys or projects moved like other wizarding toys, as they were mass produced by and for muggles, but the shop keepers in wizarding towns or districts sold the enchantments for a little extra.

Tom was the first to get the top of the line toys with the enchantments plus the comics whenever they came out. Mister Slytherin gave him this amazing home, gave him a huge allowance of ten Galleons a week, bought him tons of presents, and so many other great things. This was the dream life every orphan wanted. He was just... he thought it be different having a dad. It been five months since he moved in with Mister Slytherin, since his own name was changed from Tom Riddle to Tomas Slytherin (A much cooler name then 'Riddle')... he was happy but he also felt kind of... lonely. He didn't understand it. He did see Mister Slytherin, Harry, ever day but it didn't feel right.

Harry was often working and didn't pay that much attention to Tom. They did occasionally fly in the backyard but for the most part Tom was alone with the elves. Harry often encouraged Tom to go outside and play with the neighbor kids, usually because Tom asked him to play and he was too busy, but... that was just awful. All the neighbors kept trying to suck up to him because of who his adoptive father was and the ones that weren't sucking up were teasing him for growing up in a muggle orphanage. He really should have known better then to mention being an orphan but the kids looked at him funny when he addressed Harry by name. They didn't even believe he could really talk to snakes or that he was a real descendant of Slytherin like Harry. The kids claimed he was lying because the odds of the Heir of Slytherin just happening to walk into a muggle pet shop and finding another snake speaker was unimaginable. Okay yeah it was a bit odd but maybe he just saw the shop and decided to talk to the snakes. Maybe that's a thing with Parseltongues. Tom went into every pet shop he could find to talk to all the different snakes before finding Gobbler. Gobbler agreed with him the other kids were jerks... Anyway that meant Tom was by himself a lot. He got Mister Slytherin's work was important. The guy wasn't just running his own international corporation he was also attending board meeting with the other governors, working on not just improving how wizards view muggles but also trying to get more rights for magical beings, setting up powerful wards on wizard homes to better protect against muggle weapons and set up better muggle repellent spells (The comics also showing adult wizards the type of damage guns and bombs could do and theoretical weapons like nukes and Harry had managed to get the board to agree to spend better funding on wars against such weapons and placing them on every wizard's home in the country), as well as reading the books of their ancestor Salazar Slytherin. What he did was really important and... kept him very busy.

Tom looked around the library. He really shouldn't feel this way but he couldn't help it. He had everything he ever wanted, even things he didn't know he wanted, but he was missing one important thing... a dad. It was stupid, really stupid, but he just thought being adopted and being part of a family would be different.

He didn't even know why he came down here. All his comics were up in his chambers on bookshelves that lined the walls of his private lounge (well most of them as there was the sliding glass door leading to a balcony with his giant snake habitat on the same wall). The office of his chamber had been turned into a play room with all his amazing toys on shelves and in toy boxes with extension charms on them. All he was doing was sitting in the library but he had just as nice chairs and tables in his lounge. It wasn't like he would actually see Harry in here since the man was always working in his office (where he kept all his books from Salazar Slytherins lab as well as the original drafts of his comics before they were turned into series).

"Is Young Master Tommy excited for tomorrow?" Tom looked over at Jypsy who, as usual, was nearby. Harry had basically appointed that elf as Tom's nanny. Thankfully after Harry talked with him the elf hadn't tried to bath him and now trusted Tom to dress himself and comb his own hair. Although the elf did occasionally fuss over what clothes the boy picked and often made him change (mostly not to soil his good robes).

"Huh?" Tom blinked

"For school Young Master Tommy" the elf reminded

"Right" Tom groan "School..." They had finished building the school months ago but the minister had decided not to bring kids in immediately and instead wait until the following school year began. The year had almost been over so it didn't make a whole lot of sense to make kids change schools for the last few months "Can I wear my dress robes?"

Jypsy fluttered a bit "Young Master Tommy should only be wearing his dress robes at formal events, balls, or meetings with important people. This be a day school. They not be giving students uniforms at all"

"So... yes?" Tom tried but shrunk back at the look he was getting. That was the look the elf got on his face when he was about to give Tom a tongue lashing for his 'silliness'. It was better then the actual lashings the elf gave. Apparently getting spanked by your elf nanny was pretty common place for young wizards. Tom had the good fortune to be present when one of the kids who was picking on him got caught by their nanny and was given a hiding right there in the park. Right there on his bare bum in front of all the other kids. Unfortunately when Tom came home, drenched in mud after being pushed in a puddle, and trailing mud all over the house Jypsy had had a little talk with Harry. Tom had lied and said he'd been playing in the mud and, although the man clearly didn't like the idea and felt more then a little awkward, he gave Jypsy permission to spank Tom for being inconsiderate of the elves. Up until that point Harry relied a lot on Jypsy for taking care of Tom but that's when Jypsy became his official nanny elf.

Tom was beyond embarrassed when Jypsy brought him to his room, took off all his clothes to be washed, and bent him over his lap. The boy cried and kicked as his bottom was horribly assaulted by a slipper. It wasn't the worst spanking he got and it was nice that Jypsy had given him a hug when it was over but it was just unimaginably embarrassing that he got spanked by a creature that wasn't even a meter tall. Then Tom had to stand naked in the corner with his hands on his head for thirty minutes before Jypsy let him out and sent him to the bath.

Honestly Jypsy was more of a father then Mister Slytherin. Jypsy was really strict but he could be fun to and spent lots of time with Tom. Although he had other elf-ly duties around the house his priority was Tom... at least the boy was someone's priority. Lots of rich kids were raised by the nanny so it's just a consequence of such a lifestyle.

"Honestly... no. I'd rather not go" Tom admitted

"School can be fun" Jypsy encouraged "You'll learn the basics which will one day help you be a great wizard"

"Great Wizard? Jypsy we won't be learning any magic til after Primary school" Tom rolled his eyes and Jypsy smiled

"Young Master Tommy's magical core has not stabilized yet" Tom rolled his eyes again at that reminder "It be harmful to practice magic right now, but Jypsy heard tell the school will teach other things"

Tom gave a suspicious look "Like what?"

"Potions" Jypsy smiled as Tom's eyes widened "Herbology, care of magic creatures. You'll be reading lots on them to have a better grasp when you start working hands on at Hogwarts"

Tom grinned, some of the kids might complain they would only get to study that stuff out of a book but Tom loved learning. Sitting in the classroom listening to a lecture wasn't his problem. It was dealing with the other kids.

###

The next day Tom moped as walked to school. It was hard not to notice it since it was a large modern style skyscraper in the middle of a medieval village with giant words on the top reading "Slytherin Primarily School". The school wasn't that far from the main floo network of the town, a big hub in town square filled with outdoor fireplaces that could be used in combination with a magical powder to transport people great distances in seconds. Tom had never flooed before but all the muggle borns would have to. Harry said the elves who worked at the school were being trusted to guide the muggle born students through the floo and walk them to the school. At least on the first day anyway as after the kids were shown what to do they were going to be trusted to do it themselves. Each elf would gather all the muggle borns in their assigned neighborhood and bring them to the floo hub hidden in that neighborhood. Harry had talked the board into setting up floo hubs in every neighborhood across Britain since muggles couldn't use them anyway so they would be good for emergency evacuations as well as everyday use. It seemed that although Harry liked muggles he was obviously terrified of them. It was like he expected a war to break out or something. Anyway Elves walking through a muggle neighborhood wasn't as risky as you might imagine as they could cast spells over themselves to appear human.

As Tom walked to school he began to spot other children. Many wizards raised like himself, however new he was too it, and some groups of muggle borns following an elf. He got uncomfortably close to one of the muggle born groups, not that he had a problem with Muggle borns as he was practically one himself but he didn't like people in general... or rather they didn't like him.

"Cool coat" One of the boys, an older ten year old, said seeing the image on Tom's back of Goku riding his golden cloud in the sky

"Thanks"

"So what dicks do you prefer? Black or brown?"

Tom gaped at the boy

"Black definitely" Another boy walked over but he was dressed in wizarding clothing, a Star Wars themed robe "Sooooo much bigger" obviously not understanding that they weren't just talking about sex like they knew anything about it. Another thing Tom noticed about wizard parents, they had sex talks really really early on and made sure their kids didn't get in any stupid trouble about it.

The muggle born scowled "Everyone knows that anyone who reads that garbage is a homo $ &# lover"

The wizard boy blinked looking at Tom "Does he speak English?"

"They're derogatory turns used to insult people in same sex relationships and of different racial backgrounds" Tom explained to the wizard, using smart sounding words to make the muggle born look dumber.

The wizard blinked "Are muggles really that backwards? It's not just in the comics?"

"Their pretty primitive creatures" Tom nodded "Honestly a lot of the stories Mister Slytherin writes show muggles as a lot more open minded then they actually are"

"Wow" The wizard pondered

"Why don't you fairies go hump each other and level me alone" the older boy said as he ironically tried to make them pay attention to him again.

Tom rolled "Oh you aren't going to last a day in our world. Most wizards are bisexual and frankly don't give a damn about the various human races as long as they can do magic. You're parents and their backwards beliefs are lower on the evolutionary chain then field rats in our eyes and your just slightly better. Merlin I feel dirty just standing next to you, you filthy mudblood" if there was one thing Tom could do it was tear people apart. Not with his fist of course as he had lost every fight he'd gotten into but he knew just what to say to shatter a bully's pride. He knew he was about to get his arse kicked, he'd been through this enough times, but he'd do his best to humiliate the guy punching him. He didn't really get where he came up with the insult 'mudblood' but it did sound really insulting and wouldn't get him in as much trouble as saying a real curse word.

The wizard boy laughed as the muggle born growled. The older boy slammed his fist into Tom's gut. Tom's legs gave out and he collapsed in s heap on the ground. Tom yelped and glared angrily at the boy, wishing with all of his might that HE was the one in pain. Suddenly the older boy collapsed and started screaming. He rolled around clawing at him own skin.

Tom gaped standing up and trying to calm himself down when he realized this was accidental magic. When the older boy stopped and just lay their panting Tom tried to use it to his advantage, to make sure the boy never picked on him again "What do you thing this is? One of your little muggle holes? We're wizards asswipe! You might be bigger and stronger then me but I've got more magic in my pinky then your entire mudblood body!"

The boy stared at Tom with... fear. Tom's stomach twisted, and not from the earlier punch. He wasn't the bad guy. Tom was just defending himself against a bully! Why was the guy looking at him like that, the jerk had started it!

"That's enough!" the elf leading the group of muggle borns called. He'd been too far up front and everything happened so fast the elf didn't notice what was happening until after things got out of hand "Yous are bringing shame to Merlin, behaving like that. Nettle is to be bringing you both to the headmaster as soon as we reach the school"

Tom groaned but the group went back to following the elf. The older boy, and most of the muggle borns, were staying as far away from Tom as possible but the wizard boy was grinning and happily walking beside him.

"Pretty wicked bluff" said the wizard "I don't think anyone but a mudblood would have fallen for that" he snickered "Soooo... what is a 'mudblood'?"

"Beats me, just a random word I made up on the spot" Tom admitted and the wizard boy snorted with laughter.

"Wicked, the meat head couldn't seem to tell. I was sure you were in for an arse whooping. Lucky your magic flaired up and he's too stupid to know accidental magic can't be controlled"

Tom smiled a bit "I got that kind of luck"

"Right" The wizard grinned extending his hand "Akatosh Malfoy"

Tom hesitantly took it "Tomas Slytherin"

The boy's eyes widened "You're Slytherin's ward!? No wonder you were so keen on getting your arse beat over comic books... too bad your dad will probably skin you when he finds out about all that anti muggle stuff you were saying"

Tom groaned "Oh Merlin you don't think the elf will tell?"

"He's an elf of course he'll rat us out to the grownups, it's what they do"

Tom moaned in despair and Akatosh offered him sympathetic pats on the back "With all that 'pro muggle' and "muggle born awareness' stuff he's been doing he'll skin me for sure. I didn't actually MEAN any of it. I was just trying to get under the guy's skin and embarrass him"

"Not the smartest thing too do with a bully"

"I've found it's the best thing"

###

Tom sat with his head low as he was lectured by the Headmaster. The stupid elf had, in fact, ratted him out but unfortunately the elf only caught Tom's little speech at the end and saw nothing else. This meant the Headmaster thought TOM was the bully, a wizard picking on a poor defenseless muggle born who was completely ignorant of their world. The man seemed to forget Tom had only been in the wizarding himself for a few months. Most of the things he knew about wizarding culture he read in the same book that the Minister had issued to all the Muggle born children when they were invited to this school. That stupid boy had all summer to read it just like Tom yet the Headmaster was making excuses for him and not the 'half blood' who should know better. The older boy wasn't even here. The Headmaster sent him to the medi witch to get checked out.

"Tomas," The Headmaster Obito Orpington glared "You're guardian has gone to great lengths to improve our relations with Muggles and muggle borns. Some may say he is the very reason this school exist. It would have taken the minister years to convince the board to hand over the funds. I do not believe he would be so pleased to hear his ward was referring to muggle neighborhoods has 'holes' and calling muggle borns 'mudblood',"

"It's just a made up word!" Tom defended "It doesn't mean anything, I swear!"

The headmaster stared at him suspiciously "Be that as it may it does not sound like a word reflecting the 'tolerance' your guardian has been trying to teach"

Tom gulped "A-are you going to c-cane me?"

The headmaster stared at him a moment "No Tom I'm not. Although what you did is serious I don't believe name calling and a flair of accidental magic is enough to warrant the cane"

Tom sighed with relief

"I think the hiding your father will give you after he receives my owl will be more then sufficient" Tom groaned in despair "However the school does need to assign you some kind of punishment... I'll send a note to your teacher and you'll be restricted from recess for the day where you will wrote lines of 'I will not embarrass this school nor my father by insulting muggles or muggle borns again', is that understood?"

"Yes Headmaster"