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THE HAND OF FATE
by Yih

Saying so long and farewell/1937

"Take my hand," Harry said.

Tom looked at his hand. "Must I?"

Harry smiled down at him. "If you wish to side-along apparate with me, then you must hold my hand."

"We are apparating?" Tom said excitedly, unable to hide it from his voice or his face. "Truly?"

"It's the most convenient method, I should say," Harry said, wiggling his hand. "Now either you take my hand or we may take the long way to King's Cross."

Tom quickly grabbed his hand and Harry had to stop his smile from threatening to overtake his face. Tom was still a child at times, even when he was trying so hard not to be. Harry threaded their fingers together and cast an illusion spell over them to hide their unexpected appearance as he apparated them from outside the cottage across a fair distance to just a short walk from platform 9 ¾.

"That wasn't so bad," Tom said after they landed with a steadying thud onto the ground.

"It's better than flooing," Harry said as he pulled Tom with him to the pillar marked 10 and 9.

"There it is!" Tom pointed.

Harry could remember his first time here and wondering how a platform 9 ¾ could exist, but Tom had been immersed in the wizarding world for the last year practically and devouring any and every book that came his way. He knew more about magic than some wizards and witches. Sometimes, though, Harry worried about Tom's thirst of knowledge.

Tom didn't care what he learned as long as he learned. Harry had almost wanted to tell Tom he wanted him to stay at home with him instead of going to Hogwarts, but how could he deprive the boy of the privilege of attending school there? Especially when Hogwarts had been like a home for him? His first real place where he hadn't felt like a freak? How could he deny Tom that comfort?

He would just have to trust Tom, as hard as it would be, to be good.

"I remember reading," Tom said, "that you just walk between the signs and then you're right on the platform for the Hogwarts Express."

"That's true," Harry said.

Tom looked up at him. "Did you go to Hogwarts too?"

"Yes," Harry said without thinking.

"Which house were you in?" Tom asked, tilting his head. "I hope I get into the same house."

Harry couldn't imagine in a thousand years Tom being in Gryffindor, although if Harry had let the sorting hat have its way he would have been put in Slytherin. Tom was too calculating, too thoughtful to make a foolhardy, reckless Gryffindor. Harry, though, could see Tom being put in Ravenclaw for his sheer want of knowledge. But truly, Tom was a Slytherin through and through. Harry would be surprise if Tom was sorted into any house but Slytherin.

"Come along," Harry said, tugging on Tom's hand. "If we don't hurry, you'll be late."

Harry pulled Tom with him headlong into the pillar and like that they were suddenly not amongst muggles any longer, but within the wizarding world again. Harry whispered a quick, "Finite incantatem," to end the illusion spell he had put on them to make them seem like a part of the indistinguishable, ordinary crowd. The spell worked quite well when you needed to apparate into muggle parts to blend in without integrating on your way to somewhere else.

"Here we are," Harry said. "And there's the Hogwarts Express."

Tom was looking at the gleaming red train, freshly polished for its journey, awaiting for the students milling around with their parents to board to start the beginning of the new school year. As Tom's attention was diverted by the train, Harry curiously looked around the crowd, wondering if he would recognize any past relatives of people he'd known in his prior life. He saw a red head girl who might have been part of the Weasley family and a raven haired boy and girl who both looked like Blacks, and there was certainly no mistaking the aristocratic air of the white blond boy who had to be Malfoys. And the last person he saw, Harry swore, was an extremely young looking Minerva McGonagall.

Harry had never realized until now that his Head of House had been of the same generation as Lord Voldemort.

He wondered then what McGonagall had thought of the young Tom as she had known him when they had been students. Had they ever talked or being from rival houses had they been enemies from the very start?

"Harry," Tom said, tugging on his arm, "where's my trunk?"

Harry patted the pocket inside of his robe. "In here," he said as he withdraw the shrunken trunk. "Give me your hand."

Tom held out his hand and Harry place the trunk on his palm.

"When you tap the trunk on the brass lock," Harry said, pointing to the front lock with his finger without touching it, "tap it thrice quickly with your finger after you put it on the ground and your trunk will enlarge to its original size. I've put a special charm on it to make it easier for you to carry with you to Hogwarts and that way you'll have everything with you when you get to your dormitory room."

"Okay," Tom said, slipping the trunk barely bigger than the palm of his hand into the pocket of his robes. "What are the others going to do about their trunks?" he asked, looking at the other trunks and suitcases that the other children had brought with them.

"Let them worry about their things. And," Harry said, bending down to whisper into Tom's ear, "there are things in your trunk that others shouldn't see, like your advanced magic books. People will ask questions. You should blend in with the other students, all right?"

"All right," Tom said, his eyes a little wider than normal. "But won't they see what the books are when I take them out?"

"I've spelled them to look like normal first year books," Harry murmured, "but under careful scrutiny by a professor, the spells might not hold up."

Harry had starting setting up all the precautions after Dumbledore had paid him that surprising visit at Knockturn Alley. Because he didn't know how Dumbledore had heard of him and if he was interested in only Harry or if it was someone else… like Tom. He would rather not have Tom be scrutinized by Dumbledore or to even catch the older wizard's attention. He would rather Tom fade into the background, which would be hard when Tom wanted to be the best, most powerful at everything.

Hopefully, Tom would follow his advice and not stand out in the crowd.

Either way, Harry wanted to protect Tom from anything that might destroy his peaceful childhood as long as he possibly could. But Harry knew that Tom's reading material, books that were far more advanced than any first year should be learning from would invariably bring up questions and inquiries. And yet, he didn't want to deprive Tom of his books.

It would have been like depriving Harry of his broom.

"Just be careful," Harry said softly, wondering if Tom would understand his concerns. "Others, well others, might not be so understanding."

Tom tilted his head and his eyes narrowed a fraction, looking a little like the Voldemort of old that Harry caught his breath at the sight. Tom wasn't going to be Voldemort. He was going to make sure of it, even if it killed him.

Tom wasn't going to be Voldemort.

"Harry," Tom said, clasping his hands behind his back, "I should be going."

Harry hadn't even noticed that most of the other students had already boarded the Hogwarts Express and it was mainly just parents that were still on the platform. Harry nodded for Tom to go, but before Tom could walk away Harry pulled him into a hug.

"I'm proud of you," Harry whispered because he was. Tom was a good boy, a bit too concern with things no child should be concerned with, but still good. "No matter what," he said, wondering if these were cursed words, but needing to be unconditional because that was the definition of love, "I'm proud of you."

TBC

Please review!

A/N: Reverting back to Harry was like a breath of much needed fresh air. Harry's trying to manipulate Tom for the best, but he's got nothing on Tom! I hope Harry realizes Tom has him wrapped around his finger. I like the idea of bringing up the issue of Tom's superior knowledge. Will Tom listen to Harry? Or will he flaunt his talent and power?

Because you know Dumbledore is lurking somewhere in the shadows (although you readers assume the worst about him before I've even given him much of a part, but honestly do you expect me to write any character that isn't complex and well-written?). Also, characters born sometime between 1920 to 1930s will have their birth years switched around to make things work for my story, but no one will be placed outside of their generation. Just serving notice, in case, the canon polices are around.

Released on June 3, 2010.

POLL: Would you like Dumbledore to invite Harry to Hogwarts in some capacity? As a professor or some special lecturer? Or would you prefer Harry stay away at Knockturn Alley and the edge of Hogsmeade?