There were four symbols. All colorful symbols, all radiating power and strength, yet..one was glowing ever so brightly..yes the last one...













Tom jerked awake, his eyes unfocused and his whole body aching. "Argh" groaned Tom , he sat up.

It was cold. And dark.

Blinded, Tom carefully stood up, his hands cautiously in front of him.

"Where am I?" wondered Tom aloud, filled with fustration and curiosity. Slowly, as in a defeated way, Tom sat down in the dark, pondering.

'Where was I? I-I can't remember' Tom shook his head violently, 'no wait...I was running,...who was I running from? and then I got hit? No-I fell-argh' with another moan of fustration Tom sighed.

"I can't remember" Tom loudly said, his voice echoing in the dark room.

All of a sudden Tom became scared, panic rose, what was he doing in a dark room? Surely-Surely this was Hogwarts?

Tom couldn't remember.

Then something flickered in his eyes and his brain clipped. Voldemort.

'Voldemort...he-he was there I think, Jay? wait no Harry? oh man, my memory is screwed up' Tom struggled to remember.

Nothing, he just couldn't remember.

A sudden creak startled Tom, who jumped up. Light poured into the dark room, blinding Tom. Raising his arm to protect his eyes, Tom fell backwards with a yelp.

"He's awake," a familiar voice muttered.

Half-blinded, Tom squinted, "Who are you?"

"Must've hit his head hard when he fell" stated another different voice

"Shut up Crabbe" the other voice snapped.

Two shadows walked slowly towards Tom, who could not at this time see. The two shadows were cloaked black, their faces covered with masks.

"Bring him to the Master"







*******************************************







"Oh my-" gasped Jay, he was breathing hard, his face filled with sweat.

Jay had just woke up.

"Where the hell am I?" Jay stood up. He was in a bed, with a blanket tightly covering him.

"Good morning Mister Sikem" a pleasant voice filled Jay's head.

"P-Professor Dumbledore?" Jay found himself face-to-face with the headmaster who was smiling warmly at him.

"I hope you had a good sleep?"

"Where am I? Is this the hospital wing?-" a sudden realization struck Jay, "Where's Harry, where's Ron, where's-"

Dumbledore rose up and held out his hand. Jay stopped.

"Harry and the others are fine Mister Sikem"

Sudden relief spread over Jay.

"However- it looks like Thomas is missing"

Jay paled, "What do you mean?" stuttered Jay.

"Mister Potter claims that you were with Tom, at Hogesmade...you were the last to be seen with Tom"

Jay paled even more. "Would you mind explaining to me what happened?" Dumbledore asked, his blue eyes no longer twinkling.

Jay explained. The best he could, of course."...and then the Death Eater stunned me-I don't know what happened to Tom" Jay hoarsely whispered.

Dumbledore stood up quickly, "Yes, it seems like that Mister Sikem...however, I do not think Lord Voldemort would actually kill Thomas.." Dumbledore looked at his feet.

"Then what WILL he do to Tom?" Jay shouted half worried and half curious.

"I'm afraid, Jay....he will bring upon something much worse than death to Tom" the old headmaster sighed, his blue eyes darkened with sorrow.

Jay choked. "Tom..."









***********************************************************









Tom's head pounded, it felt very light and dizzy. Swaying, he followed the two Death Eaters leading him somewhere.

"Where are you taking me?" Tom weakly asked for the tenth time, trying his best to not collapse from his tired, trembling feet.

As usual, the two Death Eaters ignored him, obviously annoyed.

Tom looked around, they were in the forest now, how....weird....

He was confused, very confused.

"Ow" Tom tripped over a stone...a very large stone. Tom rubbed his sore foot, as the two Death Eaters stopped to wait for him. Tom glared at the huge stone and immediately his features changed.

"Oh my god.." Tom gawked at the stone, it was a tombstone, gulping, Tom looked up.

This place,...it was the cemetery.

"Get up" a harsh voice spat, pulling Tom roughly on his foot.

"Why are you taking me here?" Tom backed away slowly. The two figures took out their wands.

"We told you already, kid, if you try to escape....you're dead"

Tom stopped to think about this for a second. "Better to be dead" Tom shouted and whipped around and started running.

However, Tom found out that it was very difficult to run with a headache and two aching legs.

"STUPEFY"

Tom yelled out, but was hit, once again overcomed by blackness.









Tom groaned. "My head" whispered Tom, refusing to open his eyes.

"Well, well, you are awake, Thomas..." a soft dangerous voice slithered.

Tom's eyes snapped open. Quickly looking around Tom realized that he was in a house...more like a mansion really.

Tom's eyes drifted onto the fireplace, fire crackling, ashes rising.

"Who's there?" Tom's head pounded even harder, his breathing getting to be ragged and hard.

"I am told that you have been quite troublesome"

"Where are you?" Tom frantically looked around him only to find...nothing.

"You will be waiting here until our Master comes."

"Our?" Tom frowned, "Master? I'm sorry, but I haven't the slightest clue what is going on!"

"You will soon find out" hissed the voice.

"WHO ARE YOU?" roared Tom, only to give himself a more painful headache.

Suddenly, a movement was caught by the corner of Tom's eyes. Tom froze.

A huge snake slithered towards Tom, while Tom stiffly slid back.

"A snake?" choked Tom his whole body shaking with fright.

The gigantic head of the snake darted in front of Tom's, only a few inches apart, and hissed, "You are a Parselmouth."

Tom couldn't speak. 'I-I was talking to a snake all this time!!! And-And without realizing...I was speaking that language-" Tom looked very much faint.

The snake stared at Tom for a moment, quite amused at Tom's pale face and slithered away.

However Tom's eyes stared blankly at space for the snake's hypnotic sort of eyes left Tom in a daze.

Then, there was another hiss; "Our Lord is back"

Tom frozen in one spot, trembled. The door of the room was creaked open, the whole room went ice cold, the flames of the fireplace flickered, the presence of the Dark Lord-

"Voldemort" Tom softly mumbled.

With that said, Tom had fainted for the third time.











~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~









"Nagini, this is the boy?" a very cold voice hissed at the snake, which lazily slithered across the floor.

"Yes, a rather peculiar one" the snake hissed back.

The cold presence fell silent studying the fallen boy. "Are you sure this is the right boy-he is Thomas?"

The snake nodded.

"He spoke Parseltongue, Master."

"Now did he?" there was a hint of excitement from the shadow. "He looks rather vulnerable, yet his aura..his aura is very....bright.."

The snake was silent too, studying the boy with fascination.



The Death Eater by the door fidgeted. Yes, the Dark Lord had forgotten about him.

"Lucius" the Dark Lord turned, his red eyes faintly glowing.

"You have done well, capturing him-"

"Thank you my lord" the Death Eater bowed low.

"However...I am not satisfied...."

The Death Eater jerked up, "Master?"

"You will be rewarded of course, but for now you may leave, Lucius" the Dark Lord dismissed him with a slight wave.

After kissing the hem of his master's robes, the Death Eater fled.

In the silence, the Dark Lord continued to watch the boy.

"Ennervate" the Dark Lord raised his wand and pointed to the sprawled body on the floor.







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~







Tom's eyes flickered open. He winced feeling hot pain searing down his back.

"Where am I, now?" Tom spoke out loud.

"You are at the Riddle House" said a soft voice.

Tom jerked up, looking for the source of the voice.

Tom gasped, there before him was a cloaked figure, cat-like slit pupils, red eyes. The face behind the hood was the face of a skeleton.

"Yes, surprised to see me Tom?"

Tom flinched and trembled involuntarily.

"Voldemort" Tom croaked.

"Very good," Voldemort's eyes gleamed hungrily, "I have heard much of you..."

Despite his fear, Tom was confused, "What do you want from me?" the question escaped his lips.

Voldemort stopped to smile, making Tom flinch horribly, "I want....you"

"Me?" gasped Tom blinking, his head pounded even harder.

The Dark Lord lazily circled around Tom, his eyes glittering. "I have heard from dear Nagini,..you are Parselmouth."

Tom's eyes widened, 'What am I supposed to say?' thought Tom.

"Y-Your snake is wrong..I'm not Parselmouth" Tom lamely lied.

The Dark Lord's mouth curled up, "We shall see"

"My-my-my father's going to find out-you are in-in trouble" Tom weakly mumbled a threat.

Voldemort froze, and slowly looked at Tom, who looked away quickly.

Tom was scared behind his wildest nightmares, however...

"Who is your father...Tom?"

Confused, Tom replied hesitantly, "Albus Dumbledore"

With a high cold mirthless laugh the Dark Lord smiled, "Yes, of course...that fool Dumbledore" spat Voldemort.

"What do you want?" this time a little braver, Tom repeated.

Voldemort suddenly knelt before Tom, his scarlet eyes on Tom's blue eyes. Voldemort held up his long white fingers and held Tom's chin. Tom struggled, however made no avail. Voldemort, after studying Tom rose up.

"Yes, yes the resemblance is quite the same" he said quietly.

Tom feeling his stomach drop, bit his mouth from moaning. He had a terrible feeling about whatever Voldemort was going to do to him....a very terrible feeling....





Author's Note: Please R/R...thanx!