Riddle apparated into the garden of Malfoy Manor. Familiar white peacocks scurried around him. They shone against the autumn moon like superfluous creatures that they are.

He walked into the west wing and straight to the study. The Malfoy patriarch hurriedly entered, swishing long cloak, not long after.

"Well, Malfoy?"

"It's done, my lord." Malfoy bowed his head stiffly.

"Something tells me that your exit didn't go smoothly as planned."

"The Confundus Charm placed by Vasley must have worn off. The undersecretary entered just as I was about to leave the office, so I had to Obliviate Wiltson as well."

"You brought unnecessary suspicion on yourself by taking too long. However, at least they will find no magical trace on Leach's body."

"It was a good riddance. It was such disgrace enough to have a Mudblood Prime Minister elected in office. The Anti-Discrimination Act was just insult to injury. How could Leach go about planning such abomination, made to target pure-bloods, thinking there will be no retribution."
"You must remember that our previous minister was stupid enough to come up with a dementor breeding programme. Forgetting that dementors, however useful, are extremely unpopular with the general population. What I really concern me that we have no one adequate to recommend for the position."

Riddle walked towards the bookshelf continuing, "Do you see why I am putting so much effort in training and recruitment?"

Malfoy leaned against the fireplace. "There have been talks that you have gone… soft."

Riddle turned around with an amused expression at the blond man. "Is that so? I hope this isn't from Lucius, I thought I was his favourite professor."

"Of course, he has only the highest respects for his defence professor–. This has been about the raids. There haven't been one for months and you haven't been present in any since your post at Hogwarts."

"Really Abraxas? I thought the Wisengamot and Nobby Leach would have been enough on your plate. That aside, I thought you would be more perceptive than others to realise that our priority lie in getting more spies into the ministry. Especially, now there will be a new minister elected. For now, raids will serve only for training purposes. There is no need draw attraction when we still have much to gain from acting in secret."

Malfoy sought to change the subject, "I have the documents you have requested." He handed a handful of parchments to Riddle.

"Ah, Abraxas, you always knew how to brighten up the mood. Good job." Riddle reached the fireplace. "I'll be off, send my regards to your dear wife. Riddle Cottage."

In a flash of emerald green flames, Riddle landed in a much quainter household of Godric's Hollow. He went down to the dungeon to get rid of all the leftover potion ingredients. Then he settled down in an armchair going over the papers.

Cases of time-travel were protected with highest security that he couldn't get hold of the documented archives in the Time Room. It was quite fortuitous for Malfoy to find this document while searching Leach's office for the draft of the antidiscrimination proposal. He was sure his Death Eaters will be occupied for a while, tracking down all those involved.

Riddle skimmed over the files. Elosie Mintumble's case in the 1899 was really the only one instance that the public had knowledge that there was time magic involved behind the disappearance of the twenty-or-so witches and wizards. Since then, time-travel, experiments or otherwise, was permitted only for five hours back in time. Those ministry-approved cases were seemingly benign; what really hold Riddle's interest was of the unapproved experiments and the unintended accidents that happened since then.

In his excitement, Riddle forgot that he should be returning soon to Hogwarts. He glanced up to see the pitch-black window. The whole town had gone to sleep with only the streetlights illuminating the seemingly empty roads. Riddle used the cottage fireplace to avert detection as he returned to his living quarters.

The room oddly was fully lit, and he spotted a cushioned lump giving a violent twitch in the corner bed. Riddle contemplated for a moment whether to ignore this and go to his own bed. Then the figure executed a quite a telling roll across the bed.

"If you thought your cover was blown, you might as well come out and check who the intruder is."

"No need. I recognise that voice very well, thank you." A voice muttered underneath the covers.

"No need to sound so petulant. What are you doing, still awake?"

"Certainly not waiting for someone who decided to walk out on our chess game with no explanation other than 'I have important matters to attend to', because I should be quite used to this by now."

"Nice to hear that you are settling into a routine. Sometimes I wonder if you were secretly brought up by someone else, because I am definitely not the type to coddle a child."

Harry finally emerged from the sheets. "I was not coddled! I swear this is borderline neglect."

"Really, you should be satisfied merely with avoiding an orphanage, not to mention all the amenities that you enjoy."

"Like what? I don't see how I am so privileged when I see a castle full of people with actual parents and friends."

"You just don't realise all the dirty laundry all these wizarding families are hiding. If all you see are fairies and unicorns in their lives, you are wholly mistaken. You'll understand once you are older."

"Sometime I wish I was back in Godric's Hollow. Life was much simpler then."

Riddle paused exasperated. "What do you know about life? You are barely scraping along decade of experience." He really didn't know how to handle a child with existential crisis.

Riddle thought back to his own childhood. Aside from entire unpleasantness of his early life, what he could remember most vividly was rage. He was constantly deprived, of such bare necessities as decent food and clothing to opportunities to develop his potentials. He always knew he was above all others at the orphanage, but there was no tangible proof. If he didn't get that Hogwarts letter, he may have just combusted in defiance of his foul fortune.

He really thought Harry had better childhood compared to his. The child didn't go lacking on any resources. What he couldn't understand was the boy's insatiable need for friendship. He really didn't know where this weak notion came from. All his connections in Hogwarts were based on mutual need. He, of course, had his so-called friends in Slytherin but it came with unspoken agreement that he would be the future dark lord and the rest would be his closest in command. His time was dedicated to making a name for himself against his housemate's presumption on his blood status. Slytherins didn't have true friends, only allies for a common cause.

Harry interrupted his thoughts from his seat on the bed, "Are you busy tomorrow?"

"No, all the business was taken care tonight so I can go back to enjoying the long weekend."

"Good. I already planned a trip to Hogsmeade and double round of chess and Gobblestones."

Riddle felt something of a pattern from the conversation, but he was content to push it aside to get all the emotional matters out of the way.

"Couldn't think of a better way to spend a Saturday. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night."

"Good night, Harry."