19th of August 1938, Wool's Orphanage.

Around a month later, an hour or so after lunch, the orphanage's door bell was rung. Wool's hardly ever had visitors, much less people who actually wanted to adopt a child. Opening the door and smoothing her apron out, Mrs. Cole plastered a fake smile on her face.

"How can I help you?"

Outside stood a man with plum-colored robes and a long white beard. He wore half-moon spectacles and had a twig poking out of his pocket.

"I'm here to see," he paused and drew a crinkled piece of paper out of his pocket. "Tom Marvolo Riddle and Margeret Jane Eyre,"

Mrs. Cole eyed him critically "Are you sure you don't just want to see Maggie?"

"Yes. Quite sure."

"Well then." She opened the door wider. "Would you like to come to my office for a quick drink?"

"No, thank you. I'm in quite a rush and have no intention to be rude, but I must make haste."

"Very well." At least she'd have more whiskey for herself later...

They arrived at room number 13 and stopped.

"This is Tom's room. Maggie's usually in there with him. But if she isn't her room's next door." Mrs. Cole clomped down the stairs, eagerly awaiting her 'well earned' whiskey.

Without knocking Dumbledore entered the room. Tom and Maggie were sitting on a threadbare rug, staring intently at a shoe box with cross bones and a skull painted onto it. There was a snake in it. However Dumbledore didn't know that and thought nothing of it when Tom Shoved the box under his bed. You may ask, why do two ten year olds have a sanke? Well, Tom could speak to them. Apparently.

"Hello, I am Professor Dumbledore. I've come to take you to Hogwarts,"

Tom mocked him "Hello, I'm Doctor Dumbledore. I've come to take you to the Asylum. You'll be locked up for life so that Mrs. Cole can get drunk in peace."

Dumbledore's eyebrows knitted together with concern. "My dear boy, all three of us possess a rare gift: magic. Our institution teaches troubled children like you to control their gifts."

"'Troubled children like you'?" Maggie said angrily.

Dumbledore winced. Maybe it hadn't been the right thing to say. Desperate for any sort of calm, Dumbledore took two heavy parchment letters out of his robe pocket. The purple seal had four animals on it: a badger, a snake, a lion and a raven.

Tom warily grabbed both letters, and after a thorough inspection, handed Maggie hers, which she greedily snatched. She ripped open the letter and hastily read what was written in a curly black font. wouldn't really spend all this money just to ship her off to an asylum. So then maybe there was a seed of truth in what Dumbledore said.

"Show me your magic." It was a command not a question.

Frowning, Dumbledore lit up Tom's closet. It was on aflame, just like Tom's temper.

"I think there's something in your wardrobe trying to get out Tom."

Tom took a small box out of the closet. Maggie had seen it several times and knew that inside were things that Tom had stolen from the other orphans. She didn't care that he stole them; all the orphans were mean and deserved it. But Dumbledore did care. He stopped the fire after Tom had taken out the box and shut the creaking door. The wardrobe looked unharmed.

"Theft is not appreciated at Hogwarts. There you will learn not only how to use magic but also how to control it." Dumbledore, who had seemed so easily cowed by Maggie's earlier remark had now regained his full posture and had an air of power around him. "Tomorrow I will collect you both and we will make a trip to Diagon Alley to buy all the school supplies you need."

"But sir-" Maggie protested, "we've got no money."

"The school will give you sufficient funds for school supplies and perhaps a familiar, if you buy the cheap quills." A smile ghosted Dumbledore's lips. "We will also be getting both of you wands-"

Maggie and Tom visibly cheered up.

"-that I will have to confiscate till you get to school." Seeing their disheartened expressions Dumbledore continued hesitantly "If you act good you may perhaps be allowed to keep them." And with that Dumbledore left the room and the orphanage. Maggie watched him until she could only catch a small glimpse of his plum robes; she was afraid he'd never come back.

.+*"*+.

20th of August 1938, Wool's Orphanage.

"Mr. Bumbledoors! You've come back! You planted quite big ideas in the children's heads! Boarding schools called Hogwarts, my, my. What a load of Hogwash I'd say." This remark was followed by a shrill, unpleasant laugh.

Dumbledore wanted to subtly remind her that his name was indeed Dumbledore and not Dumbledoors, but how could he do that himself without speaking in third person and sounding mad. His musings were interrupted by a happy cry.

"Mr. Dumbledore!" It was Maggie, ready and dressed. She had woken up and seven, gotten dressed, combed her hair and brushed her teeth. Then she woke a rather grouchy Tom who didn't believe Dumbledore would show. She had stuck her tongue out at him (which was quite disrespectful and affronted Tom, for she had never done anything the like before) and pounded down the stairs to eat half-burnt porridge. Then she stood by the door and waited and waited. After hours (which were in reality only twenty minutes) Dumbledore had showed up. By now Tom was also ready and had just put his shoes on.

"Today we will go to London."

"When will I expect them to be back?" Mrs. Cole asked with a tone of voice that emphasized how she hoped the children would get lost in London and never show themselves again. The answer she received dissapointed her greatly.

"Before Tea, perhaps at two o'clock or so?"

"Hmpf," Ms. Cole's lips were pressed into a thin line as she slammed the door shut.

They, the party of three, walked through the rusty iron gate and were finally in the outside world. Either Maggie's imagination was playing tricks on her or the world was brighter, the air fresher, and life suddenly didn't feel so drab.

Dumbledore pulled his twig- sorry- wand out of his pocket at pointed it at the street. A few second later a purple triple decker bus appeared.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, where to?" said a nasally voice.

"One adult and two children to the Leaky Cauldron please" Dumbledore said.

"Coming right up." The nasally voice replied.

They entered the bus and Maggie was suprised to see beds in the bus.

"Hold on very tight," Dumbledore advised and as soon as he had said that the bus lurched forward and a not-so-smug-anymore Tom hit the windscreen.

"Oww," Tom moaned, clutching his nose. Maggie grinned while Dumbledore waved his wand to heal Tom's nose.

After Tom almost got slugged by a wizard he fell onto and after Maggie had thrown up not once, not twice, but thrice, they were there. They thought they had seen enough of the Wizarding World in one day.

"Never. Ever. Again," groaned Maggie. She felt like she had thrown up all her insides.

Dumbledore led them to a shabby pub in a shady alley. 'The Leaky Cauldron' it said on a sign that hung above the entrance.

"Dumbledore!" Someone called out as they entered. "Muggleborn Firsties?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "Tom I'd like you to meet Tom Riddle and Maggie Eyre."

"Ah! Another Tom! And a charming little girl! Can I get you anything?" Tom (the boy) scowled as Tom (the man) laughed. He hated his common name. Common amongst people and wizardfolk!

"I'm afraid not. We've got little time and much to do. Maybe another time."

Tom (the man) saluted him and with that the group left the main room to go to a smaller one. There were a few dustbins and a large brick wall. Dumbledore tapped the bricks in a sequence and to Tom's surprise they moved away to create an archway. Inside were dozens of witches, wizards and even children of his age. All were clad in robes, Maggies realized. Dumbledore's plum robes didn't seem so strange anymore now after all. But that didn't preoccupy her or Tom. They were both already in love with the fabulous Wizarding World.