Tom opened the letter, wondering who on earth would even know what parchment was anymore, much less write a letter on it. He frowned as he read it. "Bullshit," he muttered as he threw it in the fire. He would have to find out who would dare play such a trick on him. It wasn't even believable! He went to bed quite comfortably. The next morning, after he got ready, he sauntered down the stairs, smirking as Cole paled and scurried out of one of the rooms he passed.

"Good morning, Mr. Riddle," the children and staff murmured. He noticed a new staff member looking confused. He raised an eyebrow at her, waiting for her to submit. A nun beside her nudged the newbie hastily. The idiot woman just frowned and tried to glare at him, though all she achieved was looking like a constipated llama. He gave her a cold look that promised retribution later.

"Mr. Riddle," came a low, respectful voice. He looked up from his bagel and saw that it was Rodney Lestrange, who had just turned 15. He was Tom's most trusted…advisor if you will. He even allowed Rodney some leeway when they were alone, but sadly he was gone for most of the year to some boarding school.

"Report," Tom said, in an even, yet commanding tone that he only reserved for Rodney.

"We have a visitor coming today at noon, I believe I should tell you about his more interesting qualities in private. I shall be waiting in my room for you, sir."

"Dismissed," Tom nodded. Rodney walked out, some of the other children glaring enviously at him. Once he finished his bagel and apple juice, he strode to Rodney's room. Rodney looked as if he was trying to figure out what to say next. Tom motioned him to get on with it. "There is something I should tell you about my school," Tom's face took on an interested light, Rodney had always skillfully evaded any questions having to do with that particular subject, "My school is much more than just a boarding school, Hogwarts is a school of witchcraft and wizardry." Tom froze, his eyes flickering back and forth between Rodney's, trying to detect a lie, yet all he saw was pride when he said the word "Hogwarts". He nodded slowly to show he was listening. Rodney told him all about being sorted into Slytherin, the classes, a basic overview of the Houses in general, and the Transfiguration teacher, Dumbledore, the bane of every Slytherin's existence. The moment he heard that name, he wanted to rip something to pieces, in a very violent way. Rodney saw the hatred flash across Tom's face, and smiled in a satisfied sort of way. "Oh yes, you'll definitely be a Slytherin."

Tom suddenly stopped going over ways to mutilate a man he had never even seen, "Did you not mention something of a visitor, Rodney?"

"The visitor is Albus Dumbledore."

Tom started swearing, unknowingly in Parsletongue. Rodney gasped, h eyes widening with shock as a coal black snake slithered out of Tom's left sleeve, menacingly hissing at him in Rodney's eyes, though in reality she was scolding Tom for his language. "Shut up, Nagini," he snapped, returning to English. "What?" he said, suddenly weary by the awe in Rodney's bewildered complexion.

"You speak to snakes! You're a Parsletongue!"

"Is this unusual?"

"The only known Speakers are descendents of Salazar Slytherin himself." He seemed to come to a decision as he reached into his pocket, and pullout two silver rings, one with an emerald snake on top, the other with a sapphire blue rose. They held a sense of familiarity for him, especially the one with a rose. He reached for them, not knowing what he was doing. He placed them on his left ring finger, where they disappeared with a flash of light. He felt a burning sensation on his forehead. He looked into the mirror on the wall in fascination, seeing a skull and a snake entwined to form a tattoo.

"The Dark Mark," Rodney whispered, "Dear God help us all," though Tom didn't hear him. "Tom! Dumbledore will be here any minute! Go into the spare room and read or something! I'll put Leslie on clerk duty. If he asks about me, I'm out for the day, he said quickly, shoving Tom out of his room.

Tom stood there in shock for a second, then decided he needed a way to hide his newly acquired tattoo. "Wait, I have magic!" he thought, willing it gone. Confident it had worked; he made his way to the spare room he kept for emergencies such as this. He pulled out a book and situated himself on the bed, just as he heard Cole's drunken voice say, "He's right in there Mr. Dunder-I mean Dumber-no that's not it." She opened the door giggling, "Mr.-I mean Tom, this is Mr. Dumbsuck and he's here to tell you, well, I'll let him explain, shall I?" she closed the door, still giggling, leaving him with an old man with auburn hair, a long beard, and an outrageous plum suit.

(Note: A lot of this is taken from the book, though there will be changes. And I've forgotten to give a disclaimer every time so I'll do it for the whole story right here: It's not mine. Cheers)

There was a moment of silence. "How do you do, Tom?" said Dumbledore, walking forward and holding out his hand. Tom hesitated, then remembered what Rodney had said, and decided to be on the safe side. He waited until Dumbledore dropped his hand then said, "Who are you?"

"I am Professor Dumbledore"

" 'Professor'?" he repeated, looking weary, though he was really trying not to burst out laughing at 'Dumbsuck'. "Is that like 'doctor'? What are you here for? Did she get you in to have a look at me?" he asked, pointing at the door Cole had just left.

"No, no," said Dumbledore, giving a benevolent smile that just had to be fake.

"I don't believe you," Tom said. "She wants me looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth!" He spoke the last three words with a ringing force that was almost shocking. It was a command, and it sounded as though he had given it many times before. He glared at Dumbledore, who was still smiling pleasantly. Apparently Dumbledore thought that he had him right where he wanted him: clueless. "Who are you?"

"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school-your school, if you would like to come."

'He's beginning to look suspicious about something. Well, time to bring in the jaded accusations', he thought. His reaction was undoubtedly surprising to Dumbledore. He leapt from the bed and backed away from Dumbledore, looking furious. "You can't kid me! The asylum, that's where you're from, isn't it? 'Professor,' yes, of course-well, I'm not going, see? That mad lady's the one who should be in the asylum. I never did anything to little Amy Benson or Dennis Bishop, and you can ask them, they'll tell you!" he practically yelled, knowing Cole would have told him about those particular incidents.

"I am not from the asylum," said Dumbledore patiently, though his eyes said otherwise. "I am a teacher and, if you will sit down calmly, I shall tell you about Hogwarts. Of course, if you would rather not come to the school, nobody will force you-"

"I'd like to see them try," he sneered, not being able to resist.

"Hogwarts," Dumbledore went on, as though he had not heard his last words though his voice went a little louder, "is a school for people with special abilities-"

"I'm not mad!" Tom said, thinking he might as well go all the way.

"I know that you are not mad," said Dumbledore, sounding like who was losing his temper, "Hogwarts is not a school for mad people. It is a school of magic."

There was silence. Tom froze, as if he was really surprised, his face expressionless, but his eyes were flickering back and forth between each of Dumbledore's, just like he had done with Rodney.

"So, magic? Is that what this is? Is that what I do?" he said quietly.

"Yes, what exactly is it that you do?" Dumbledore asked, looking quite interested.

"I can make things come to me, I somehow made Amy and Dennis stop in midair when they fell off the cliff, all sorts of things," he said, looking as if he was thinking all these strange occurrences over.

"I see," Dumbledore said, obviously relieved at something. "What you do is hardly unusual. You are just like any other wizard out there," he murmured and his eyes took on a triumphant glint. "I know you do not have money to buy your supplies, so the school will give you a stipend every year; use it wisely. Here is another letter and a map to The Leaky Cauldron, ask Tom the barkeeper to show you into Diagon Alley. Good day," Dumbledore said, swiftly turning around and disappearing with a 'pop'.

Tom blinked; he didn't think it would be that easy to get rid of him and his idiot suspicions. He realized that Rodney was probably waiting for him, and saw him waiting impatiently by the front doors.

"Is that meddling bastard gone?" Rodney asked, leaving no question as to whom the bastard was. Tom nodded, amused at Rodney's unusually blunt words. Rodney was…unusually blunt lately. Perhaps it was the fact that he didn't have to keep Hogwarts a secret any longer. "We will meet some of my friends at the Alley, so I'll brief on you on some things before going, you got that, sir?" sheepishly realizing that he was taking charge, which was Tom's job.

Tom gave him a warning look, and nodded, making Rodney shift uncomfortably. Tom led him to the side of the orphanage. Rodney, who was dearly hoping he didn't make the same mistake over again, said cautiously, "Sir, my friends are um, deeply involved in politics and traditions, one of which is being a pureblood. The two rings confirmed you as being the heir of the noble Family and House of Slytherin. Everyone is told to search for the heir, whose family line has not been tracked since the son of Salazar Slytherin, Adonis. The legend goes that him and his wife, Arya, created a pair of rings to determine who was worthy of being the next heir. That was just before the whole of the Slytherin Family disappeared. It is said that Albus Dumbledore, who is obviously the ancestor of the one we know today, went to the Manor and tried to destroy them. He walked through their halls, and Arya, who apparently had been quite depressed and angry at the sudden separation, could no longer stay hidden, and then attacked him from behind. They began to duel. Salazar and Adonis arrived, having felt someone breach the wards. Dumbledore called for reinforcements. The Slytherin Family dueled back-to-back until the end." Tom was stunned. Not really hearing the events that Rodney was describing, he was entranced by images and sounds playing in his mind. Something much like the snake he had felt when he had met his father, yet even more powerful, rose in him and he felt something snap together. Three people surrounded in an enormous room. Someone with auburn hair, two with red, cast the killing curse after everyone else on their side was decimated. All three of the Slytherins disappearing in a flash of blue light. The redheads rejoicing. Auburn frowning and motioning the other two to leave. The last image being the room flickering with a child in a cradle exactly where the three had fallen, clutching a vial of swirling silver…stuff? "They say the Lady Ravenclaw showed up and hid the child away, and the vial of memories presented to the courts for justice, though only the Gryffindors were condemned to the Cruciatus Sentence and muggle burning." Lestrange seemed to come out of a trance himself, "Tom?"

Tom's mind was reeling with thoughts of slaying the Dumbledore lineage as a whole. "What is the Cruciatus Sentence? Muggle burning?"

"The Cruciatus Curse is the most painful curse known to wizards. You've used it yourself, the incantation being 'Crucio'. The Sentence is until they are on the brink of being insane. Muggle burning being the witch burnings of long ago. Muggles are people who posses no magic whatsoever," Rodney's lip curled in disgust, just from thinking of them. "It is the most shameful way to die. And remember; only us Slytherin's know the truth of that night. The rest of the world thinks of Slytherins as the bad guys, Gryffindors being noble heroes. My friends shall have to help me explain the whole of the Wizarding World. Everyone who has passed through the Slytherin has watched for the one whom the rings would accept and give the Dark Mark. To us it is the sign of a new age. A new age in which the Heir shall reign and have Darkness spread, Dark Families no longer having to hide. In which we shall eliminate muggles forever."

Tom silently took this all in. So He was the heir. He was a sort of Savior to the Dark. Well, He'd be damned if they expected Him to die for them. A new reign, that sounded exactly like something He would have done anyways. A smirk began to creep it's way onto His face as he realized just how much easier His job would be if all of Slytherin, and most likely Ravenclaw would submit the moment they knew who He was. "A Dark reign they want? A Dark reign they shall get," Tom whispered. Rodney followed Tom's example and smirked. It was the beginning of a new age. The Dark heir had been found, the Light would be overthrown, the old laws and traditions brought back. And Rodney would be given a place of honor if he remained faithful, being the one who found Him.

"Let's be going then," said Tom. "Dumbledore gave me a map, but it most likely has something to track me." Lestrange looked carefully at it and confirmed that there was indeed a tracking charm on that as well as the letter and the pouch. He disabled them, as fifth year and up Slytherins had the Ministry charms removed from their wands, as well as Dumbledore's.

Rodney led Him down some side alleys, coming out to Charing Cross Road, which led out to the Leaky Cauldron. Rodney walked taller, keeping his face cool as ice once they were inside, falling into step beside Tom, whom he usually walked slightly behind. He gave a cold look to the barkeep and drawled, "I require a temporary room for today and possibly tomorrow. Room 13 will do."

The barkeep nodded hastily and rang a bell that rested on top of the counter. A young woman wearing a maid uniform came out. "Give the key to Room 13 to these gentlemen."

"But sir, Mr. Weasley specifically requested it for tonight-"

"Move him to another room!" Tom the barkeep snapped, looking scared as if something was going to happen if he didn't give Rodney what he wanted. The woman looked affronted, then looked at the customers he was making the exception for and hastily handed them the key as fear flashed across her face.

Rodney pocketed the key then led Tom to the wall. As the wall turned into an entrance, He kept His face impassive, taking Rodney's hint that appearances were of extreme importance here. In reality He was awed. If ordinary, everyday magic such as this could do seemingly anything, what could He, the Dark Heir, do once He pushed the limits?

Rodney walked down the street to a large white building. "Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank," Rodney said to Him, "Run by goblins, and is also where we will meet my friends." Tom acknowledged him with a very slight nod of His head, letting Rodney know that he was treading on very thin ice. They walked through the doors, the rhyme amusing Tom, and were led to a private room by a goblin Rodney seemed to know. The room looked to be a small lounge of sorts, a long-haired blond doing just that, lounging, on a green couch, two black-haired twin boys playing a life-like version of chess, though they each seemed to be able to predict each others moves and were getting nowhere, a black boy sipping on tea and looking through a broom catalogue from the looks of it with a black-haired, pointy-faced boy, though he was hardly ugly, and a boy with light brown hair with reddish streaks in it was daintily chatting with the blonde. The twins, pointy-face, and red-streaks were all Tom's age, the others Rodney's.

"Roddy!" the twins squealed, running up and throwing their arms around his shoulders. "It's been for, like, ever! You know you really should get out more, enjoy the sunshine, stop and smell the roses! We've been here for, like, hours! Hey, who's your friend? Is he your toooy?"

Tom looked slightly affronted at the implication, but Rodney just laughed and rolled his eyes at them. "Jeesus, it's only been since the train! And if you refer to Tom like that again, you may just find yourself mysteriously waking up, levitating in the middle of the ocean. Isn't that right, sir?"

"Sir?" came the question from all around the room. Everyone looked bewildered that Rodney of all people would call someone younger than him sir.

Rodney smirked, "In a moment. Mr. Riddle, the obnoxious twins who had the audacity to insult you so are Chris and Anthony Black; don't even try to tell them apart. Blondie over there is Xavier Malfoy. Pointy on your left is Rian Avery. Black-kid is Aaron Zabini. Miss Perfection there is Gavin Greengrass. Dolts, this is Tom Marvolo Riddle, and He is the Dark Heir."

Stunned silence met this revelation. The Black brothers hesitantly said, "We're sorry for calling you a toy. Roddy just has this thing with them and we thought-"

"Oh shut up you two," he said, going slightly red and smacking them upside the head.

"Forgiven," Tom said, looking slightly amused. "I can see how you came to the obvious conclusion."

"Mr. Riddle!" Rodney whined, "You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Quite, Roddy," Tom admonished, smirking.

"Great going you two. Now my boss will start calling me that too."

"At your service," the twins chimed, giving Him a lazy salute.

"You're sure, Rod?" Xavier questioned, looking over Tom.

"The rings don't lie," Rodney said quietly. "Mr. Riddle, can you show your mark? Otherwise we will be stuck answering pointless questions."

Tom let it show and the others looked at it with awe, fear, and respect. Immediately Xavier got up and began circling Him like a peace of prey. "My Lord, I'm sorry but those clothes have to go. Has Rod taught you about the politics yet? No, of course not. He's absent-minded like that. We must really get you up-to-speed. Rod, you brought a cloak for Him?" If He weren't above such things, Tom would have gaped openly. He just learned of the long-awaited Dark Heir and he was worried about clothes? Well, actually appearances were everything, and ratty grey muggle things that were too short didn't exactly say 'bow down'.

"I resent the absent-minded comment. And we need to get into his vault first. Yes, you have a Gringotts account," Rod said in answer to Tom's questioning look. "Basically everyone since Slytherin's time has been paying you, and your account has been gathering a lot of interest. So basically, you're filthy rich," he said, grinning at the thought of Tom's recent poor orphan status. "And no doubt you have a private vault as well as several properties. But first, here's one of my old hooded cloaks. All you need to do is flash the Mark at a goblin and it'll take you down to your vaults. We will be buying your supplies and whatever else you feel is necessary in Knockturn Alley. The front of it looks like a dump, but the back part that only Old Families know how to get into is filled with first class shops. Expensive, but then you can't really expect anything else of us Purebloods," he finished grinning, handing Tom the cloak. It didn't quite fit Him, but it would do.

Gavin clapped his hands sharply and a goblin came running. "Sirs?" it questioned in a smooth voice.

"We require entrance to the Slytherin House and Family Vaults."

"Sir, we are not allowed to grant anyone but the Heir access," the goblin said frowning.

Tom decided He needed to start taking charge or they would seeHim as a poster boy or figurehead. "I believe you are speaking about me," He said, smoothly making sure the goblin saw His Mark as He swept to the front of the room so there would be no doubt that He was taking command. The goblin gaped at Him, and then shakily went to go prepare a cart. "Rodney, come," the young Heir said sharply. "The rest of you meet us in front," He said. He left the room to follow the goblin that was waiting down the hall.

Rodney followed Him, throwing a smirk back at the other Purebloods, who had narrowed their eyes calculatingly. To them they would need to work harder to be trusted. As the door closed, he fell a step behind Tom as always. Tom was certainly doing a fabulous job at taking charge. It was to be expected, as He had the whole of the muggle orphanage under His thumb.

They rode the cart down several twists and turns, and the faster it got, the happier Tom was. Tom enjoyed high speeds. The goblin bowed his way out and swished the cart away. Tom raised an eyebrow at Rod, "And we are supposed to get back how exactly?"

"There's a…portal of sorts in all of the Old Family Vaults. Your two are most likely connected," Rod explained.

Tom flashed His mark at the vault door, which was engraved with the Dark Mark. He stepped inside to find a room that was, well, let's just that enormous doesn't cover it. And it was piled to the ceiling with god coins. He noticed three doors. He went through the one on the left and saw it was a room about half as big filled with silver and bronze. He went through the middle and it led to the mother of all mothers. Absolutely packed with artifacts, weapons, books, you name it. Tom took a decorated pouch and filled it with coins from the other rooms. He found Rodney examining some books and told him to use the portal inside that room in a half hour. He went through the other door, which had the Slytherin crest on it, and found it had a portal within it. He stepped onto it. The portal things were little circle of swirling whiteness. It didn't really feel like anything, just one minute you were somewhere else.

He came to a room with nothing in it except five doors. They each had some sort of personal crest on it, one being a basilisk about to strike, another being two smaller snakes entwined around a dagger with a dark green handle, another with a snowy white leopard with wings holding a blue rose in its mouth. The last were his own and a lightning bolt. He found he could only go through his own. He found nothing in the room except a small book. It was obviously old, though it was in good shape. He pocketed it and stepped back through the door. To his great surprise it was a different room entirely. It was also filled with money, though the main point seemed to be artifacts made specifically for the whole family, whereas the other vault held weapons and artifacts with the Mark as a crest. He found an ancestry book. It was chained to the wall with a sign reading WARNING: THERE SHALL BE NO FIRE, NOR WATER, NOR BODY MIST NEAR THIS BOOK. THAT MEANS YOU, ADONIS AND ARYA. Tom blinked. Perhaps a family joke? He took a look at it, and started at the top. Salazar Slytherin-Natalie Lestrange. Below them a line connected to Adonis Slytherin. A line connected to only Salazar and Adonis was the name Arya Slytherin (Gryffindor disowned) but it was not a marriage line. Natalie's name was black; He supposed it was to show deceased. But the other three were flashing from green to black continually. What was going on? He looked down the line to His name. His mother, Merope Gaunt, and Tom Riddle Sr. Wait, Sr.'s name led up to...more Riddles? Would the book keep track of that many muggles? But Sr.'s name was not black or green. It was red. What on earth? He decided to leave the matter for another day and spotted a portal near the other wall. It led to the main hall of Gringotts. He saw Rodney waiting with the previous acquaintances. But they were staring at two trollish, lumbering idiots who had just knocked over some scales and an old woman was screeching at their clumsiness as the goblins scurried to pick up the dropped jewels and such. He strode over to the laughing Purebloods.

As He raised his eyebrow at Rod yet again, Rod answered through tears of laughter, "Dungeness Crabbe and Glossidius Goyle. Two of the biggest idiots you will ever meet. Well people, let's get going. Hoods up!" The group pulled up their hoods, as did Tom. They led Him behind Gringotts and to a dingy alley. It was…less than desirable to say the least. They went behind a shop called Borgins and Burkes, and Xavier tapped a short rhythm out on a particular brick and stepped through. The rest followed and it came out to a sunny street, much like Diagon Alley, though it was obviously for wealthier people with Gold lining the marble street, shops advertising expensive designer clothes, private clubs, you name it they have it. They took Tom to a designer store, where He got several accessories and such with the Dark Mark on them. He got a few cloaks and clothes with the Mark in silks and other outrageously priced materials. At a few other random shops He got clothes with the Slytherin crest, and school clothes, everyday clothes, just think of everything you need in a wardrobe and He got it. He got His school supplies and other random household items I can't be bothered to name right now. He went to a house elf shop and bought one named Mark for a couple sickles. He instructed Mark to go to His room at the orphanage and stay silent until He got back. He also got several books on Pureblood politics, the Ministry, laws and bloodlines. All the while Rodney and the others made sure He knew exactly how everything worked. Floo Powder, not to give a house elf clothes, what was expected to be worn when, and then they got to the joke shop. Venus's Pranks the sign read. Funny, the rose looked a lot like the one on the crest in Gringotts. There everyone stocked up on tripping items, color changing, voice changing, distractions for class, excuse makers, books on good hexes and jinxes. After there Tom was beginning to feel a lot more comfortable now that He had seen the aristocrats in a normal environment. They also seemed to be warming up to Him as their leader. As congratulations for fitting in, (though they didn't say that) they bought Him Dark Arts beginner, intermediate, and advanced sets of books. After Tom changed into open black robes with a black shirt with the Dark Mark on it and black jeans, they walked back into the now-dreary world of Diagon Alley and went to Ollivanders.

Ollivanders p.o.v.

Mr. Ollivander looked quite surprised to see a group of 5th year Slytherins walk in with Pureblood 1st years, all following a boy in just as obnoxiously fancy clothes as them that he had never seen before. The boy had an air about Him that clearly screamed, "I am your Lord, bow down or face my wrath." Though they were a laughing bunch, joking as any other time. 'Well, we'll just have to see how Mr. Riddle fits into a wand.' He thought, bracing himself for any more surprises.

Tom's POV

He let Chris and Anthony (Black), Gavin (Greengrass), and Rian (Avery) go first to get their wands. Ollivander seemed to be particularly impatient for Him to get His, so He quickly congratulated them on their wands and stepped up to the demon-possessed measuring tape. He must have had to go through the whole bloody store before Ollivander sighed heavily and said, "I'm sorry, I'm afraid I don't have a wand for you."

This proclamation was met with dead, ringing silence. Tom's mind was racing. This wasn't right. He had felt the pull of His wand! It was still there! He became frustrated and immediately a wand came zooming towards Him at top speed and He caught it with ease, green and silver sparks filling the room like a flood. The Purebloods whooped and cheered, then turned the full glare on Ollivander. "I'm sorry, I didn't think to check that one. It and it's brother never sold from years ago, so I decided to box it up…terribly sorry about that, it seems you have a taste for full power, temperamental wand, that one. Extremely hard to handle. Almost blew me and my shop to pieces when I made it. Now let's see…13 inches willow with a Phoenix feather core. Well done! You know what, why don't you just take it! Good day!" Ollivander quit his ramblings, looking as if he was about to wet himself. The moment the boys stepped out they heard the door slam shut and the close sign go up.

The boys went for an ice cream at Fortescue's, making fun of the women's lingerie store across the street, advertising a huge poster of the owner wearing nonsexy lingerie, fitting, as the woman herself was far from sexy. The shop looked quite empty.

"I'll give you 20 galleons if you go in there Chris and Anthony," Tom said, smirking like He knew they would give up the dare.

The twins smirked as well, "You're on, my Lord," and they pocketed a few of the prank items from earlier. They walked inconspicuously, looking at the various shop windows near it. When the crowd decided that they would cause no trouble (everyone knew of the Black Brothers) they snuck into the shop. They ran out a few minutes later, for a good reason too. The crazy old owner, Ferny Umbridge, was whacking them with a broom. Her face a rainbow of colors, her fluffy cardigan now trying to get away from the new odor that now came off of her, her squishy, sagging face twisted with indignity and anger. She chased them all the way back to the table where Aaron (Zabini) gave a lazy flick of his wand and she was hoisted up by her ankle, her less-than-desirable fluffy, feathery pink thong showing to the world.

"Ewwwww," the crowd of people who had stopped to watch groaned, shielding their eyes.

"You just enjoy scarring people for life don't you," the Black twins sneered.

"LET ME DOWN THIS INSTANT YOU ARROGANT LITTLE BRATS!!!!" the squat woman screamed.

Tom laughed, "Woman, if that indeed is what you are, it is hardly our fault that you don't want to accept some publicity. Would the ladies not like to know what the owner of the shop they buy from is really like?"

"You snot-nosed whelp, how dare you speak to me like that? I am a well respected shop owner of the community-DON'T YOU POINT THAT THING AT ME!"

But it was too late. Tom brought His wand out and tried out a spell He had seen in one of the prank books; and He naturally got it right. The detestable frogmouth went spinning, stretching out into 2-D and floating above the crowd, retaining all of the original pranks done to her. But that wasn't all: she screamed as she went riding on an invisible rollercoaster that included her worst nightmares which included...overweight black platypusses with red eys? The crowd roared with laughter. Tom felt someone tug on His robes and turned to see His new groupies sneaking away. "Reporters," Rodney whispered in His ear. They fled to the Leaky Cauldron, said good-bye as the Purebloods flooed home, stored their some of their items in Room 13 as it was too much too carry all at once, and Rodney began to walk back with Tom.

"So, are we cool enough for you, my lord?" Rodney teased.

Tom smirked, "Why yes I do believe so. And I forgot to give Chris and Anthony their galleons. But life must go on," he said in a mock-sad voice.

Rodney laughed, "Good spell by the way. Oh look, there's Cole I wonder what she could possibly want now?"

"TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE! RODNEY SALIMIR LESTRANGE! HOW DARE YOU TRY AND DESTROY MY GOOD NAME AND REPUTATION! INSPECTORS CAME BY, TWO OF YOU BRATS MISSING, YOU'RE LUCKY THEY JUST CHALKED IT UP TO 'NORMAL BOY THINGS'! NORMAL INDEED! I OUGHT TO-"

Tom stopped listening about there. He merely motioned for the five boys from the night before to put her in with Llama-Woman. He ate dinner, bade Rodney a good night, and walked up to His room and put on some comfortable new pajamas. He told the house-elf to go and tidy up the Gringotts vaults and feed His new black owl (Demon-Diver). The owner had already come up with the ridiculous name. As he fell asleep on his bed he smiled, truly smiled, for the first time in...forever.