Last Chapter...
It was for the boy's own good, really. Tom Riddle does not know of compassion, love, or caring. He would most likely ignore the child at best. At worst... well, Albus preferred not to think about that.
He sighed, sadly and tiredly. He was going to have an interesting couple of days. Well, it is a big castle. Perhaps they'll never run into each other without any interference from me.
Wishful thinking, Albus admitted to himself.
Chapter Seven
The Lion in Snake's Clothing (or was it the other way around?)
Harry knew it was a bad idea, but he also knew Malfoy would continue to harass him if he didn't do this. Honestly, he just did not feel like dealing with that at all.
And that is why Harry was sneaking into the Slytherin first year dorms via Parselmouth passages.
He didn't know all of the passages, as he discovered a new one less than an hour ago, but he knew a fair few. One in particular opened up from the huge painting hung above the mantel of the fireplace in the Slytherin common room, which he was headed for now. If he was lucky, Harry would sneak in and un-curse Malfoy's trunk, then sneak out how he came in.
It sounded simple enough, but as he slowly swung the painting open the difficulty of the task began to set in.
Every step he took he half expected someone to jump out at him and yell "Gotcha!" with relish. Which was stupid, but didn't change his thought process.
Before he knew it though, he was in the dorms. He moved with catlike grace to the still wet trunk (courtesy of his spell) and muttered a few pieces of Parselmagic. By morning, the trunk and everything in it would be good as new.
Harry mentally patted himself on the back for a job well done. Nearly yawning with exhaustion despite his day nap (why was he sleeping so much? Maybe universe traveling can cause serious jet lag) Harry made his way to the fireplace.
Instead of going directly to the painting and leaving though, he found himself staring into the flickering flames. He could just barely make out his face mirroring in the dancing fire.
What had he done?
Why had he done it?
Harry fell back into an armchair, head in hands. What had possessed him to think that some vague spell with barely any explanation could fix everything?
When he discovered the Inner Incantation he was overjoyed, and plunged right in like the Gryffindor he was. It was vague, the despriction merely said 'to find where you truly belonged', then instructions.
The spell just felt so right to Harry. Probably a sort of Compulsion.
Yes, here in this world he felt more comfortable and at home, Merlin knows why. Still, how foolish a move. He didn't think it through. After a year (a year!) of work, he just rushed through everything and packed little more than the Maruader's Map, his Cloak, and a couple Dark artifacts.
He didn't even say goodbye. Perhaps the old gang had fallen apart, but that didn't mean he didn't remember with fondness and longing the good ole days where all they had was each other. Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville- the least they deserved was a goodbye.
But he was here, now. And he was gonna find out why he was so at ease somewhere that should be harsh, unfamiliar, and uncomfortable to him.
And he was gonna find out what to do with this opportunity, to be anyone he wanted to be. A clean slate. A fresh start.
He could be Harry.
Just Harry.
With that happy thought, and a slight quirk upwards of the lips, Hadrian dropped off into sudden sleep, the fire still dancing around and the common room still dark, quiet, empty- except for one troubled sleeping boy.
Quite nearly seven hours later in the Hogwarts staffroom...
"Six in the bloody morning," one muttered.
"He's off his rocker," one muttered back.
"Great start for the year," came one sarcastic comment.
"All of you, shush. Show a little decorum, respect." Minerva McGonagall, the fierce Transfiguration teacher, reprimanded.
It was right then the very man who had called this particular staff meeting together, walked in the door.
With a cheery smile, no less. Oh, the audacity.
"I have news." He spoke, with a pleasant mood wrapped around him like a blanket. "An old student has returned to Hogwarts for the weekend, to help aid us."
"Aid us with what?" Interrupted one crabby professor.
"He wishes to aid us with the apparent attack Grindelwald is launching on Hogwarts, this upcoming Monday," stated Albus Dumbledore. He was no longer smiling, but seemed to grasp at the cusps of his old cheery disposition, as if he were afraid to lose it.
You could hear a pin drop in the staff room.
And they had the floors covered with rug.
"Tom." Minerva stated. "He's the 'old student', isn't he?" Albus nodded. Minerva took in a deep breath. "As we've breached the topic of one Tom Riddle, I must ask, as most of us have probably been wondering-"
"If Hadrian Riddle is Tom Riddle's son?"
"Well," Minerva hesitated, "it's just that I was thinking about the rather unsavory rumors circling Tom these days and I remember him from school. Coupled with what you've warned us of- well, I thought that there was possibility that Hadrian could be the same." She seemed ashamed to admit the last part. "I felt horrible afterwards, but the thought had definitely crossed my mind."
"I can assure you," Albus said, "in full honesty, that Hadrian Riddle and Tom Riddle are in no way related. Riddle is a rather common Muggle last name, and they look as alike as they look different." Minerva smiled.
"It is good to have clarification, but it doesn't particularly matter to me anymore. I've talked to him- he's a genuinely sweet boy. Poor thing is orphaned, can you believe that? And he'd doesn't have any memory of his family, just holed up in that dreary children's home."
Albus shared a sympathetic face with Minerva.
"WHO SETS AN ALARM FOR SIX ON A SUNDAY!" Shouted James, red faced and bleary eyed.
"You sound like 'Adrian." Slurred Sirius from his pillow.
"Sorry," the random boy replied, "at least I didn't set it for four." He pointly looked to Remus, who covered his face in embarrassment.
James growled in response and flopped back down on his bed. Sirius looked up again at the sound and spied from the corner of his eye Harry's bed by the window.
Which was empty.
"Hey, James?"
"Whaaaat?" He groaned in response.
"Where's Harry?" James sat up, looked at Sirius, then looked at Harry's bed.
He stared quizzically at the untouched sheets.
"Huh."
Tom was bored.
Very bored.
So bored.
Very, very, very bored.
I have to wait until Grindelwald shows up, Tom thought.
I don't like waiting.
People wait for me not the other way around, he thought tiredly, as if explaining two plus two equals four to a small child.
So bored.
Where the hell am I?
Then it hit Harry.
He never left the Slytherin common room last night.
A small thumping of footsteps was coming from the dormitory stairs, making its way to the common room.
In a tizzy, Harry stood and promptly realized he wouldn't have enough time to make his escape through the painting.
He was trapped as some random Slytherin began to make his or her way down. So, there was only one thing left to do.
Sit, grab a book from the bookcase, open it, and act as casual as possible. Like he spent every morning in the Slytherin territory.
Soon enough those small steps began to pad towards him.
"Excuse me, do you know where- eep!" A short Slytherin first year girl looked wide eyed at the Gryffindor emblem on his robe.
"Yes?" Said Harry patiently and politely. Act casual, this is normal. Act causal, Harry thought.
"Uh," she said, "well I was wondering if you knew where Slughorn's office is?" She was uncertain and distinctly confused at what was happening.
"Professor Slughorn," he gently reprimanded her. "And if you take a left from the common room and then take another left and a right, you'll find it by a painting of a grumpy, grey-haired, old man."
"Thanks," she said shyly- before bolting out the door.
Harry thought this was the time, he could make a break for it! But more Slytherins came down, all giving him odd looks and whispering to their friends, but he didn't have any real problems until the baby Death Eaters began to clutter the common room. Eventually it seemed all of Slytherin had come down to the common room to stare at the strange first year Gryffindor who had ended up among them.
A seventh semi-growled at him. "You that kid from the train station?" Harry turned a page of his book with concentration. "What you doing here Lion?"
"Reading, if you can't see." Said Harry calmly. "I find it more peaceful here to study then the Gryffindor common room. They are good natured, but don't know the definition of peace and quiet. You don't mind do you?"
The seventh year had nothing to say to that.
"Where could he be?" James moaned. "We've been looking for hours!"
"Uh, James, it's only been like fifteen minutes." Sirius reasoned.
"Your point?" James asked, completely serious.
"Nevermind," sighed Sirius. "Just keep walking, you lazy bigmouth."
He needed to talk to the boy. He wasn't quite sure what he'd say, but he needed to talk to him. Maybe give him some task to keep him out of the way for the next couple days.
But he was no where to be found.
For a scary moment, Albus considered that Tom had found Hadrian Riddle and whisked him away- but he dismissed it because Tom would've had stormed to his office and made his rage known.
Where could the child be?
After an hour of the silent staring, Harry stood.
"Where you going?" One Slytherin asked, trying to act disinterested.
"It's seven thirty- I'm going to grab an early breakfast." Harry replied honestly and politely. Being polite never hurt in a room full of confused and agitated strangers.
But before he had made it to the door, it opened to reveal a beaming Slughorn.
"House unity at its finest!" He boomed. "A Slytherin student came to me this morning and said a Gryffindor gave her directions- a Gryffindor she found in her own common room! How ever did you get in, my boy?"
Harry knew how to play the Slughorn game.
"I have my ways, sir." Harry shared a conspiratal smile with the Potions teacher. The man laughed heartily and clapped Harry on the back.
"I look forward to seeing you in class. What's your name, son?"
"Hadrian. Hadrian Riddle." The man's smile seemed frozen, but then it loosened as if he thought of something calming. "If you'll excuse me, sir, I wish to have an early breakfast." Harry didn't blame him if he was thinking of the unnerving Tom Riddle.
"Yes, yes, of course. Be on your way." The professor said hurriedly. Then turning to all the gathered Slytherins- "I am sure you will all do your best to accommodate Mr. Riddle and promote House unity?"
A chorus of yes sirs filled the common room as Harry slipped away.
So bored. Nothingness surrounds me, Tom moaned mentally.
So... hungry?
No. Just bored.
Harry turned the last corner before the staircase out of the dungeons when he spied two students going at it.
"You little rotten scum- oh you scum of the earth-"
"Know it all idiot-"
"Bloody coward-"
"Annoying git-"
"Stupid-"
"Fat little-"
"Choke on your own stupid neck-"
"Send you to the hospital wing in pieces-"
A Ravenclaw and a Slytherin, both upper years, were fighting like two street muggles.
Harry had to duck to dodge a Severing curse.
Okay, two street muggles who occasionally try to painfully curse one another. Harry wanted to keep walking, but his good intentions wouldn't allow it.
"Hey! You two, break it up!" Neither even paused. Then was when Harry removed his robe and rolled up his cuffs.
It was gonna get messy.
James stared at the stairs down into the dungeons. Now it had been an hour, and one of the few places they didn't check was the dungeons.
He swallowed deeply. It wasn't that dark down there, was it? James nodded to Sirius and they began their descent.
With a quick flick of his wrist, the Ravenclaw student was flung against one wall and the Slytherin was pinned to the opposite.
"Got your attention, now?" He released the two, they had learned their lesson. It could have been a teacher.
But Harry didn't take into account how much they hated each other- or how the Slytherin boy was slightly deranged.
"Diffindo!" The Slytherin shouted at Harry's retreating back. He turned- but not in time. The spell struck his chest, causing a jagged cut that stretched across his body.
Nothing ever happens in this school, Tom complained to himself.
Not even, perhaps, a decent fight or anything.
So boring.
The boy had obviously not expected Harry to still be standing after that hit, so when a quick Stupefy can flying his way he didn't even have a second to register.
He went down quickly.
Harry turned to the Ravenclaw, a shrouded anger in his eyes, blood running down his front. The Ravenclaw put his hands up placatingly and edged away in clear fear.
Dumbledore had found Hadrian, and was a bit frightened.
An unconscious student laid a couple meters away from Hadrian, whom was covered in blood, heaving.
But he pushed aside his superstitions, and sent a Patronus for that new Healer intern, Poppy Pomphrey.
"Mr. Riddle, are you alright?"
"Minor Diffindo, sir," he said calmly. "I used Stupefy to stop the other student's completely unwarranted attack on me." A voice shouted from behind,
"Harry!" Hadrian spun around to see James and Sirius making their way towards him.
"What did you call me?" He asked Sirius.
"Uh, Harry. It's shorter than Hadrian and I thought-" Harry cut him off.
"Thanks, er, I like it. Really." Dumbledore knew if he were to look in a mirror right now, his eyes would shine. Perhaps, just maybe, the boy wouldn't be like Tom. Tom would never allow someone to get close enough to him so that they could have a nickname for him.
"That's it! I'm leaving this room!" Declared the young man. Tom was bored, and neeeeded to remedy that. It wasn't as if he could summon his followers for entertainment within the walls of Hogwarts.
And, yes, he now admittedly called them followers.
He walked up the corridor and took in a most curious sight.
Blood.
Dumbledore.
An unconscious student.
Two Gryffindors, and a Healer ushering some bloodied student away.
"Ah! Tom, good to see you up and about." Dumbledore called to the man just lingering a little ways up the hall.
Dumbledore silently added to himself, and good you didn't get out and about sooner. You just missed Hadrian. Thank the lord for Poppy arriving when she did.