Harry gazed at the large gloomy building from across the street. Wools Orphanage stood before him in all its depressing glory. Young children were running around the yard playing, while others were doing chores here and there.
Tired of the stares he had been getting, Harry sent Hedwig off to where he'd decided they would be taking residence and passed his school cloak off to a homeless man he passed on his way here. He stashed his trunk in an alley nearby and hoped nobody would run off with it before he could return to it. His school uniform was still a bit out of place, but simply wearing a pair of slacks and a button down went a long way in helping him blend in. With any hope, it would endear him to the matron of the orphanage. Harry certainly needed all the help he could get in convincing these people to let a young boy walk out with a sixteen your old.
Of course, these weren't the only measures Harry had taken to ensure success. Before making the trip, Dumbledore had thought it best to play up Harry and Tom's similarities. A hair potion and a new pair of correct prescription glasses really did go a long way in bringing out their common features. It also had the added bonus of removing Harry's very obvious Potter likeness. Lacking the wild hair and wire rimmed glasses, Harry felt like a whole new man. Harry turned around to check his appearance one last time in the window of the building beside him. A boy with neat curly hair and nondescript glasses gazed back at him. Harry made sure to mimic the single curl strand Tom had that would lay just out of place on his forehead and fixed his collar before turning swiftly and striding towards Wool's doors.
"Confidence is key. Act like you're meant to be here and people will believe it." Harry mentally repeated this as he drew closer to the orphanage. Masking all his trepidation, Harry stopped just outside the doors and turned to address the children who had been warily watching his approach.
"I must speak with the matron on retrieving a relative. Can one of you please fetch her for me?" Harry enquired.
A look of muted excitement passed between them. It seems the thought of a long lost relative coming to take them home was enough to remove any reservations they had about him because they were soon all scrambling to be the one to grant his request. Harry can't help feeling a bit of pity. He lost count of how many times he had dreamed of being rescued and swept away from the Dursley's. Unfortunately, Harry is only here for one boy and he can't waste any amount of time on anyone else, as harsh as that seems.
A few minutes passed before a harried looking woman exited the doors. She glanced around before her eyes settled on him. With pursed lips, she looked him over once before turning on her heel. Without a word she beckoned him to follow her inside and set a brisk pace down the hall. The children Harry had sent inside a few minutes earlier darted passed them giggling and throwing glances his way before darting back outside. The woman stopped abruptly and it was a near thing that Harry managed to avoid collision. Opening a door Harry hadn't noticed, the woman ushered him inside.
"My name is Mrs. Cole and I am the matron of this orphanage," she spoke briskly while taking a seat behind the small desk situated inside the room. "I'm told you are here for a relative. I will need your full name as well as the name of your relative for our records."
Harry sat in the singular chair across from Mrs. Cole and tried to look as composed as possible as he repeated the lie Dumbledore had come up with. "My name is Harry Peverell and I'm here for Tom Marvolo Riddle. It has recently come to my mothers attention that my aunt Merope hasn't been traveling with her husband Tom senior as we believed, but that she had passed away. My mother learned of Tom after speaking with his father and decided to look for him. Tom's father wants nothing to do with him and gave his blessing to my mother to raise him should she find him. We heard recently that there is a boy here of that name and she sent me to come collect him while she prepares a room for him back home. You do have a Tom Marvolo Riddle here, right? I've really looked forward to meeting my cousin and I know my mother would be devastated if we were mistaken."
Harry hoped he gave a convincing performance. The desperation and hope really weren't hard given how desperate he truly is to collect Tom and be on their way. Mrs. Cole hadn't changed expressions throughout the entirety of his spiel aside from a small flinch when he first mentioned Tom's name.
"There is indeed a Tom Riddle in this orphanage. Although how you've heard of him, I've no idea. The privacy and protection of all the children within these walls is something we hold to the highest standard. With that said," here she hesitated, " I must warn you if you are to be taking the boy. Ever since he was born here, there has been something strange about that boy. He hardly ever cried as a baby and when he did I swear the walls would shake. There have also been incidents with the other children. Horrible things that left the children with nightmares for months after. I'll be honest when I say that there isn't likely a single person within this orphanage that doesn't want him gone, but my conscious wouldn't let me rest if I didn't at least warn you before you make off with him."
Mind running a mile a minute, Harry took in what Mrs. Cole had told him. It really wasn't all that unexpected. He'd only arrived a year before Tom was to receive his Hogwarts letter and much of what Mrs. Cole had told him was very similar to what she had told Dumbledore when he first met Tom as well. Despite having been expecting this, dread starts to pool in Harry's stomach. For some reason, it slipped his mind that while he and Tom had very similar childhoods, they dealt with them quite differently. Harry spent most of his locked away in his cupboard dreaming about being rescued, while Tom spent his enacting revenge on those who antagonized him.
"I thank you for the warning, but if I don't come home with him today I know my mother will have my hide before storming the building herself," Harry rubs the back of his neck sheepishly. "And even so, it's our responsibility as his family to take care of him and make sure he turns out alright."
Mrs. Cole gives him a skeptical, but nevertheless sincere smile. "Well it's best to get this over with then. Please follow me to Tom's room."
They rise from their seats and head back out into the rest of the orphanage. A quiet sigh passes Harry's lips when Mrs. Cole has turned her back to him. While Harry can feel a small bit of his magic has returned to him in the few hours that have passed, he really doesn't want to have to use it. Of course, it's still a bit too soon to assume he'll be able to walk out with Tom, but so far things look promising.
A few flights of stairs and no less than four near collisions with running children finds Harry standing outside what he presumes to be Toms room. Mrs. Cole knocks on the wood twice before opening the door. Inside is exactly as Harry remembers it. Or is it better to say it's exactly as he recalls Dumbledore to remember it? Directly next to the door is a singular wardrobe, a small bed sits in the left corner adjacent from the door and no more than six inches to it's right is an similarly small desk with a lone window letting light in just above it, all sat in an equally small room. Sitting at the desk, none other then Tom Riddle glares back at Harry.
"Tom, you have a visitor. This is Harry Peverell, a cousin of yours. He and his mother have been looking for you for some time. I'll leave you both to talk while I draw up your papers." With that said, Mrs. Cole gently closes the door behind Harry.
Harry awkwardly gazes at Tom as he silently glares him down. Harry can't help being amused in how adorable such an expression is on such a youthful Tom, but he knows this is only a precursor to what is going to come. Harry shuffles over to the bed and tries to ignore the foreboding creak it gives when he sits down. He lets the silence linger on for a few more minutes before realizing that Tom isn't going to make any move towards breaking it.
"Hello Tom, I'm Harry." He stretches out a hand for a shake. When Tom's only response seems to be trying to mentally set his hand aflame, Harry quickly pulls his hand back and decides to throw any light conversation out the window and instead get into the crux of things.
"So Tom, you're a wizard." Harry mentally slaps himself on the face for literally having no tact. That was a bit too straightforward given the suspicious glare Tom was now aiming at him. "Sorry, that was a bit out of the blue. Don't worry, I'm one as well! It's nothing to do with what the matron told me! I just . . . wanted you to know . . ." Harry wonders if it's not too early to call a quits and chuck himself out the window above Toms desk. Harry squints at it, "It's decently sized. I could easily fit." Harry's broken out of his thoughts by a quiet voice.
"Are you making fun of me? The matron has called priests before to try and . . . fix me, but none of them tried to convince me that they were like me." Toms unwavering gaze remained fixed upon Harry. "It's not my fault, you know. What happened to the other children. They hurt me first and then I got angry. It's not my fault."
Harry, well, he doesn't quite know how to respond to that. While in abstract Harry can understand Toms flawed logic, he cannot understand its source. Is this just the rationalization of a child whose had terrible things happening around him out of his control or is this the non feeling, uncaring words of a child who doesn't believe he can do wrong? Harry really hopes it's closer to the former.
"No, I'm not making fun of you. Sorry if it felt that way." An abrupt laugh passes Harry's lips, only slightly edging toward bitter. "I certainly know how it feels. Look, I'm not a priest. I really am like you. A wizard, that is. I don't quite know how I could prove it to you but," Harry abruptly stops that line of thought, he knows exactly how he could prove it. "Actually, maybe I do. You wouldn't happen to have a snake would you?" The slight widening of Toms eyes makes Harry wonder if Tom has an inkling toward where this line of questioning is leading.
"A snake. Why would you need a snake?" There is cautious optimism in Tom's eyes as he asks this.
"Well, my magic is running a little low at the moment because of something I had to do earlier, er, today? So I can't really give a showy demonstration. I can still talk to snakes, though, even if my magic is a bit low. So do you have one?" Harry stumbles through the explanation with about as much grace as Hermione on a broom, but it seems to have gotten through to Tom.
Tom pulls open one of the drawers in his desk and reaches his hand in. When he pulls it back out, there is a small greyish snake wrapped around his fingers.
§ "Young speaker! Have you found my mouse yet? § A small raspy voice spoke.
§ "I'm afraid I haven't managed to catch it yet." § Tom spoke gently to the snake as he began stroking its scales.
§ "Then why have I been awoken?" § The small snake seemed to pout as it realized it was not awoken to receive food.
Feeling this was as good a time as any to insert himself into the conversation, Harry did just that. § "I'm afraid that's my fault. I needed a demonstration for Tom and speaking to you was the best I could think of." §
As soon as the words started to leave his mouth Tom and the snake both whipped their heads around to face him. It seems that despite deciding to humor him, Tom didn't actually believe that he could speak to snakes as well.
§ "Another speaker!" § The small snake was writhing in excitement. Tom was struggling to hold on to its small body as it squirmed around, hissing at the snake to stay still, but it could not be tamed. Harry was making a valiant effort to hold in his laughter at such a scene, but alas, it was not meant to be. Once one chuckle was let through, it was as if a flood gate opened up. Tom didn't take to kindly to his laughter, however.
"Stop laughing! Right now, stop laughing at me!" Gone was the soft dull tone Tom had previously uttered. Harry made sure to note that among all the other things he needed to keep an eye on, there was also apparently a short temper. "Huh, I wonder if this will also help the 'we're related' case," Harry couldn't help but muse. "I've certainly got a temper of my own."
"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to laugh," Harry lets his amusement subside. "You're just really adorable together."
§What!? What are you saying? Speakers! Why are you ignoring me? § The snake had apparently taken offense to being ignored. Luckily for Harry, it drew Tom's attention away from him.
§ "I'm sorry, my friend. I never meant to ignore you." § Back was the soft gentle tone Tom had used previously. Harry couldn't help but notice the soft spot he seemed to have for the snake as he watched Tom resume petting its scales. Harry hopes that this little display of affection is a sign that his mission won't have been for nothing.
Abruptly, two knocks come from the door, cutting their conversation short, before the matron is pushing her way inside. Tom only just managed to drop the snake in the drawer and slide it closed before she entered. Given the enraged hissing Harry can hear coming from the desk, the snake isn't taking to kindly to the abrupt change in treatment.
"Mr. Peverell, if you could follow me to my office. I have all the paperwork drawn up and ready to sign. Tom, begin packing your things. We will be back to collect you shortly." Mrs. Cole wasted no time in dishing out orders and neither Harry nor Tom wasted any time in following them.
Harry rose from the bed and took the few step needed to reach the door. He couldn't help glancing back at Tom before following the matron to her office. He found Tom to already be watching him and tried to give a reassuring smile before turning his back and continuing on his way. The walk the office felt shorter than before, but Harry couldn't help noticing the venomous stares he was getting on his way here. It seems that the news of him coming for Tom has already made its rounds throughout the orphanage and the other residents are less than pleased.
Harry once again takes the seat across from Mrs. Cole and waits for her to gather her papers before listening to her instruction. "Now, this document here is for our records of you. I will need you to fill out the paper with your name, birth date, address, and whatnot to log your visit to the orphanage and your enquiry of adoption. This second document is for you to take home to your mother. Unfortunately, I cannot release Tom into your care without the person who is going to be taking guardianship of him present to fill out the papers and documents necessary. You may bring the documents home to her and if she is able to fill them out swiftly she may return here this evening to turn in the documents and collect Tom. If tonight is not convenient, I will have Tom ready to go tomorrow morning."
With all of that said, she handed over two documents. One was much thicker than the other and was obviously the documents he was supposed to give to his 'mother.' Harry stared at the two documents for a moment before taking a deep breath and releasing it as a sigh. "It seems I'm going to have to do this the hard way."
In a moment, Harry had his wand aimed directly between the matrons eyes. Before she even had a chance to react, Harry had her confunded.
"I don't need to bring my mother, she's so busy with preparations. It will be perfectly fine if I fill out all of these documents, right here and right now, so I can leave with Tom. After we leave, you will file these documents away and there will be no need to question or investigate them further."
As quickly as he had pulled it out, Harry had his wand stashed back away. Mrs. Cole dazedly agreed and Harry quickly went to work on filling out the documents. When it came to the address, Harry made something up given that he couldn't exactly provide the location of where they would actually be staying. It was hard work getting through the documents. Harry had only managed to build up a little magic in the past few hours and depleting it again so soon has left him feeling almost as out of sorts as when he first arrived.
Harry finishes the last document with as much of a flourish as he can muster before passing them over to Mrs. Cole. "Now that we are finished here, please take me back to collect Tom." Mrs. Cole gave no resistance when he asked her to lead him back to Tom's room. As they walk back, Harry can't help feeling anxious. He's already used up the little of his magic he had access to, he can't afford for anything else to go wrong.
Soon enough, they are back in front of Tom's room. This time it is Harry who knocks and opens the door. Tom is sitting just where he was before, only now there is a small bag lying at his feet. The hissing that had been originating from his drawer has also made a move and now seemed to be coming from within Tom's shirt.
"Are you all ready Tom? I've finished all the paperwork and we can leave whenever you're ready." Harry injects as much cheerfulness as he can manage into his words while feeling as exhausted as he is.
"Yes, I'm ready." Is Tom's curt reply as he grabs his bag and strides toward Harry. As he comes closer, Harry notices Tom spare one scrutinizing look toward Mrs. Cole where she has stood silently off to the side as he and Harry pass her in the hall. Harry wastes no time in getting them out of the building. While Harry was uncomfortable in the stares and glares they had been receiving as they made their exit, Tom seemed to relish in the other childrens jealousy.
The pair silently exits the gates of the orphanage and it is only after they have made it to the other side of the street that Harry allows himself to relax. Harry leads them down the sidewalk toward the alley he had stashed his trunk in and ignores the funny look Tom gives him when he goes inside. It seems luck is on Harry's side for once, because his trunk is exactly where he had left it. Taking a hold of it he turns around to face Tom.
"So, I know this is all out of the blue for you, and we sort of got off on the wrong foot, but I really would like for us to get along. We're cousins. Family. And I take care of my family." Tom looks at Harry taken aback by this sudden topic of conversation and Harry swiftly changes to something less heavy. "So, Tom, are you ready to see some real magic?"
Without waiting for and answer Harry throws a cheeky grin Toms way and strides out of the alley. He hears Tom scramble to keep up behind him and can't help but grin. "I can't wait to see his reaction to Diagon Alley."
[So, this was supposed to be posted last Wednesday, but obviously that didn't happen. I had a really busy last two weeks and honestly just didn't have the time to write. The same for this week. If the end of this chapter seems at all rushed or abrupt, that's probably because it is. This chapter was supposed to include their entire trip to Diagon Alley as well as them making themselves at home in their new residence, but I had to cut it and save that for the next chapter. Otherwise, I don't know when I would have updated next. I have a busy month ahead of me, fair warning. But hopefully the next chapter will be up next Wednesday.]
This is also posted on my Wattpad and Archive Of Our Own accounts.