I walked to the back of the yard of the orphanage. I was looking for my friend, maybe my only friend. I'd not seen her in a while and I needed to catch her up on what's happened. The other kids kept far away from me, I smiled. They still knew their place then.

I walked out to the grass where the cement ended and looked out to see if I could spot her. I still remember the first time I met her.

*Flashback*

I was two years old, sitting at the edge of the Grey floor outside, frowning, sad or angry I couldn't tell. People were calling me a freak again. I don't know why it bothered me so much. I should be used to it now. The older kids would mock me, and because they were older, none of the kids wanted to play with me.

I was getting up when something slid up to me. I looked at it. It was small and green. I tilted my head, thinking.

/Hello. Why boy alone?/ Was it speaking to me? I looked at her, it sounded like a her, thinking. How can I understand a snake?

/Did you just speak to me?... am I speaking with you?/

/Yes, we talking. You are powerful. Sense it from far away./ Powerful?

/Powerful? How are we speaking? What are you? You not human./

/Snake. Yes powerful, why you with not powerful people?/

/My parents are dead./

/Mother raise until certain age then she sent me away. Say that if she ever see me again, free kill. She dead instead./

/So we both don't know parents. Abandoned here by mother, she died./

/Like you. Friends./ I smiled. I liked that… what is a friend?

/What is that?/

/Nagini does not really know. A word heard from others./

/Nagini? Is that you name?/

/Name is Nagini. What yours?/

/Tom for father, Marvolo for grandfather, and Riddle for father./ I recited what I'd heard from Cole. Stupid female.

/Tom Marvolo Riddle. Long name./

/Call me Tom./

/Okay Tom./

*End Flashback*

It had been amazing to find I didn't have to look at her to speak that language. One of my favourite memories, one later from that time, was when Nagini had bit one of the older kids when he came too close to us. Of course, learning she didn't like the others, I started to keep them away, using that power I learned I could do. It made me happy to do it, knowing I could control it. Nagini also congratulated me on being able to use my power on others, then went back to asking me why I wasn't with others my kind. In the end she'd asked me if I knew what a 'basilisk' was… my answer was 'no'.

Speaking of controlling my power, that reminded me of one of the best things I did. Not the best but it was up there somewhere.

*Flashback*

I was angry. That stupid kid Stubbs had tried to take something that belonged to me. How dare he think he could do that. But actually it was that harmonica that belonged to him, he wanted it back but I'd won it fair and square hadn't I? I'd beat him and took it to remind him of it. I say beat but I'd actually used my power to influence him to give it to me. He obliged. So it was practically a gift.

I was walking along the hall when I saw white flash by. Billy's rabbit. I went after it. Chasing, however still walking, it down until it was cornered. I sat down and began to pet it. It calmed down until it hopped into my lap, I laughed, smirking. Stupid thing.

I grabbed it's neck and squeezed before letting go and then used my power to hang it in the rafters, we'd gone downstairs and now I headed back to my room to wait until he found out what'd happened to his bunny, then I'd take back what belonged to me. He'd been punished.

*Flashback over*

/Nagini./ She slithered up to the concrete before looking up at me, she was bigger now and there was a new snake here. Nagini was now green with tiny black lines. The other snake was a black adder. /Who is that?/

/Nagini found a new friend. He came to talk to you./

/Came to warn about pest control. They come to exterminate because adults notice Nagini and other things in or near building. Like ants and mice and roaches and snakes./

/Pest control? Nagini is not a pest. Nor are you./ I almost spat. Cole... how I wish I could just make her hurt but I couldn't. That would be taking it too far. Besides, I'd be caught if it were directly her. /Does a snake count as a pest to the adults?/ I asked, sitting down on the concrete. Nagini slithered up into my lap. We'd been getting closer as friends for a while.

/Nagini eat mice, then Nagini not be pest in adult eyes./ …Then that's a yes. I glared behind me at the door. Then I remembered something, and what Nagini said registered with me.

/No, Nagini!/ She looked at me and I could tell she was confused, since I'd been talking with her for so long. I'd gotten to know her. /Cole is afraid of snakes, she'd have a heart attack if she saw you. Of course, that wouldn't be so bad. Then we'd probably get her replaced. She's horrible. For another thing, more importantly, she'd get you killed even faster./

/Then what Nagini do? Why she afraid of snakes?/

/Most humans afraid of snakes, afraid of poison./ The other snake said.

/Exactly Nagini./

/Nagini guilty./ I laughed at that. Guilty, her? /Nagini very poisonous. Very mystical snake./ I huffed at her.

/You mean magical?/ She didn't say anything, just got off my lap, I narrowed my eyes in concern.

/Nagini mean magic, yes…/ I wanted to be angry with her, she's known about magic all along and she has never told me… but now wasn't the time to bring up that question.

/Speaking of magic Nagini, that's exactly why I came here. Because I'll be going to school now, starting September 1st. Which is about three days from now. I don't know how long I'll be gone./

/You leave without telling Nagini?/

/No, I just did./ I smiled at her.

/Nagini come with./

/I will be leaving now. Be wary. Pest control come soon./ I sneered at that comment. Poor Nagini. Cole was a stupid human.

"Tommy!" I looked behind me to see that woman calling for me. I swear, she uses that name to humiliate me. I dropped my sneer immediately. I turned back to Nagini.

/Nagini, leave. I don't want them to get you./

/Nagini come back in three days. You come back in three days too?/ I nodded.

/Yes. Now go, before you get noticed by her./ I spat the word and that told her who I was talking about and she promptly slithered away immediately. When she was far away not to be noticed, I turned around and saw her scanning for me. I almost rolled my eyes. That was not my thing. I did not do that.

"Tommy!" I sneered again before walking toward her, turning my sneer into a sweet smile. She quickly noticed me. "Tommy, it's getting dark. Why don't you come in?" I wanted to scoff at her fake concern. I refrained from doing so.

"Yes, ma'am. Of course. Thank you for informing me." I replied sweetly and she smiled before going back in. I composed myself before walking after her. Now was as good as any time to ask her about this pest control thing. "Ma'am?"

"Yes Tommy?"

"Is it true that pest control is coming over?"

"Yes, three days from now." Three days from now, which was September 1st. I needed more information.

"May I ask at what time? I want to be well prepared to invite them in. I don't like pests in my room or the building. I see them everywhere. Not all at once, of course, and a bit exaggerated." You filthy Muggle.

"After lunch." So after 12:00. We had a strict time of when we ate meals here. Breakfast was 8:00 and dinner was 4:00. Curfew was 6:00. Very boring, curfew. But like everything, I could get past it, or talk my way out, or having an extended one for whatever reason. I was very convincing.

"Thank you Mrs. Cole. That was all I needed to know. I'll be gone by then. I hope you'll let them in my room?"

"Of course, what time it'd be you're leaving?"

"10 AM." So I could have time to eat and then get on the train, and of course say good bye to my friend.

"Very well."