Two Mr. Thomas Riddles
The servant woman left site for a minute and then came back, beckoning Tom into the mansion.
The place was marvelous in Tom's opinion. There was a golden, candle lit chandelier hanging high above his head and the floor was hard wood. The portraits on the wall of the Riddles awed Tom. He saw a younger man with jet-black hair and green eyes like his own. That must be Tom Riddle, Tom thought happily as he followed the servant down the extravagant hall.
"This way, young-man," the woman said kindly, pointing toward the opened door. Tom thanked her and then entered the room.
It looked like a study. The walls were lined with bookshelves except for the one window that over looked the back yard, the door, and the crackling fireplace that was behind the desk where the man sat.
He was the man in the portrait and Tom knew it.
"What can I do…" he began, but then he got a good look at Tom, "You…you are just a child!"
"I know," Tom replied. "I think…"
"You think," the man said haughtily, "What a smart child, that he can think."
"My name is Thomas Marvolo Riddle," Tom said, trying to impress the man who might be his father. The man at the desk sharply stood up and marched over to Tom. "Hello," Ton said.
The man knelt down to get a better look at him.
"Who…who is your mother, Tom," the man asked.
"Er…I never, well, met her, but her name was Meredith," Tom said. The man's mouth dropped and his eyes widened.
"You…are you sure, little boy?" Tom nodded his head. "So, what brings you here?"
"You do," Tom said with his confidence back, "I think that you might be my father and I wanted…" He couldn't finish his sentence and before he knew it, he was lying on the floor, the wind knocked out of him. As he struggled for air, the man knelt down on his knees and hovered close to his face. His hand curled around his throat. Tom's eye's widened with shock and he began to struggle, but the man hit him in the chest.
"You…are you one of them…those freaks, bloody hell-worshipers?" Tom shook his head as much as he could. Please, let me go, he thought.
"You, are you a wizard?"
Tom didn't want to lie, but saying he was could result in death, so, he shook his head again.
"You LIE!" the man shrieked and lifted his fist to hit him again. Tom's body tensed, but nothing came. He looked up and saw that the man was frozen.
"You…do not touch that boy ever again," Tom heard a familiar voice say. The man was suddenly pushed off of him and onto the floor. Tom looked up to see a stern faced Dumbledore. How did he get here, Tom thought, puzzled by everything that had happened.
"Mr. Riddle," Dumbledore began, speaking to the man who was now frozen on the floor. "This is your son, no matter what he is, he is your son. Hitting him won't change that. This boy," he said, sharply pointing at Tom, who was still lying on the floor, "Is one of the brightest, nicest and best boys you will ever lay eyes on, and you have given up the chance of your life time to be his father. You should be ashamed at your behavior with him, and Meredith. Tom," Dumbledore said, now looking at Tom. The professor helped him to his feet and then unfroze the man. Both Riddles' began to tremble. "Tom, let us leave this place."
The two of them left the study and went out the door. Tom was still processing what had just happened.
As soon as they were away from any "muggles" Tom had to ask some questions.
"How, how did you…" Tom began.
"How did I get there? It is a technique learned by many wizards," Dumbledore cut in.
"Oh," Tom said, still confused, "Why did he…"
"Hit you?" Dumbledore cut in again, "He and his parents think wizardry is from hell and that is why he left your mother, before you were born. Now, he hates you for the same reason."
That ended their conversation for a while. The professor summoned the Knight Bus once again and they sat on separate beds in silence. Tom then laid down and stared at the ceiling. How could his dad hate him for that? It wasn't his fault he was a wizard and that man didn't even know him. Someday, Tom thought hatefully to himself, I will have my revenge, for me and for my mother. He will pay for the orphanage, for hurting Meredith Riddle and for me, and he won't know what's coming.
"Well, Mr. Riddle, welcome to the Leaky Caldron," Dumbledore said when the bus stopped. Tom saw a small pub that he wouldn't have noticed if Dumbledore hadn't pointed to it. "Let's get a room, shall we?"
Stacy looked around the mess hall sadly. Life at the orphanage had taken an awful turn. Without Tom, she was filled with sadness. She could have stopped him from leaving, and now, he was probably dead and it was her fault.
Then, the doors burst open with a strong gust of wind. Everyone turned in shock toward the door, including Stacy.
But, what came in wasn't what she expected, it was an owl. A midnight black owl. It swooped down and landed in front of her.
She looked at it curiously and then noticed a piece of parchment attached to it's leg.
Stacy took the parchment and then the black owl soared out the door. Everyone was staring at her with curiosity and amazement. She had never received a letter from an owl before and she was nervous because of it. Stacy broke the seal with a trembling hand and read…
Dear Stacy,
Hello, it's me, Tom. I ran away from the orphanage, sorry if I scared you. I am all right now. A man called Dumbledore found me when I was in London and he's a professor at Hogwarts. Can you believe that I am actually going? I'm going to be a wizard, with or without that old cow named Ms. Prince! Yes! Anyway, I hope you are OK and I am sorry if I scared you. I have to go now but, I hope you liked my owl, he may be seeing you a lot now that I am going to school.
Tom
PS. I'll see you this summer when school gets out.
Stacy sighed with relief. So he was alive and safe with a professor. How on earth did he get to London, she thought. But, she didn't have time to dwell on that thought because Michael snatched the letter from her hand.
"Hey, GIVE THAT BACK!" she yelled at him.
"Let me read it first," Michael said as he held the letter high above his head. He was taller than she was, so, she couldn't reach Tom's letter. Stacy then did the only thing she could think of, she kicked Michael hard in the shin. He grunted in pain, swaggered , but still stood. So, Stacy kicked him in the crotch. He screamed and fell to his knees while Stacy grabbed the letter.
"Ha!" she said triumphantly, holding the letter above her head. Then, someone else snatched it from her. "Hey give that ba…" she began, but stopped as soon as she saw who it was. Ms. Prince stood there, holding the letter in her hand. She read the letter twice before looking at Stacy again.
"So, old cow, hmm," she said with a smile to Stacy. "So, he made it to that…that freak school. He outsmarted even me and is the first child to run away from this place. Interesting…"
"Er…may I have my letter back," Stacy asked Ms. Prince. Without word, she handed Stacy the letter back and left the mess hall.
Tom woke up bright and early the next morning. He hoped Stacy had received the letter by now so she wouldn't be too worried about him. He hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed. I should wait for Dumbledore to get me, he thought, so he sat down on his bed in the Leaky Cauldron.
He sat for only a half and hour before Dumbledore came in to wake him.
"Up so soon," the professor a said with a smile on his old face. "Well, it is time that we left to fetch your things for school."
Tom smiled, this is what he wanted to hear. No stops, just right to Diagon alley, or whatever the place was called. He stood up quickly and walked, half ran, out of the room. Dumbledore chuckled at his excitement.
They walked out of the Leaky Cauldron, using the back exit. However, to Tom's great disappointment, they faced a strong brick wall. He frowned and Dumbledore chuckled again.
"Why are you laughing? There's a wall here and we can't just move it," Tom complained to the old man. Dumbledore just smiled and pulled out his wand and tapped the bricks.
"You can't move it, it's impossible to do…" Tom protested, but then saw the wall beginning to change. The bricks shifted and began to form a door like an arch. Tom's mouth dropped and Dumbledore smiled at his shock.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Mr. Riddle," Dumbledore said as he stepped through the arch. Tom cautiously followed the professor into the world of magic.
The servant woman left site for a minute and then came back, beckoning Tom into the mansion.
The place was marvelous in Tom's opinion. There was a golden, candle lit chandelier hanging high above his head and the floor was hard wood. The portraits on the wall of the Riddles awed Tom. He saw a younger man with jet-black hair and green eyes like his own. That must be Tom Riddle, Tom thought happily as he followed the servant down the extravagant hall.
"This way, young-man," the woman said kindly, pointing toward the opened door. Tom thanked her and then entered the room.
It looked like a study. The walls were lined with bookshelves except for the one window that over looked the back yard, the door, and the crackling fireplace that was behind the desk where the man sat.
He was the man in the portrait and Tom knew it.
"What can I do…" he began, but then he got a good look at Tom, "You…you are just a child!"
"I know," Tom replied. "I think…"
"You think," the man said haughtily, "What a smart child, that he can think."
"My name is Thomas Marvolo Riddle," Tom said, trying to impress the man who might be his father. The man at the desk sharply stood up and marched over to Tom. "Hello," Ton said.
The man knelt down to get a better look at him.
"Who…who is your mother, Tom," the man asked.
"Er…I never, well, met her, but her name was Meredith," Tom said. The man's mouth dropped and his eyes widened.
"You…are you sure, little boy?" Tom nodded his head. "So, what brings you here?"
"You do," Tom said with his confidence back, "I think that you might be my father and I wanted…" He couldn't finish his sentence and before he knew it, he was lying on the floor, the wind knocked out of him. As he struggled for air, the man knelt down on his knees and hovered close to his face. His hand curled around his throat. Tom's eye's widened with shock and he began to struggle, but the man hit him in the chest.
"You…are you one of them…those freaks, bloody hell-worshipers?" Tom shook his head as much as he could. Please, let me go, he thought.
"You, are you a wizard?"
Tom didn't want to lie, but saying he was could result in death, so, he shook his head again.
"You LIE!" the man shrieked and lifted his fist to hit him again. Tom's body tensed, but nothing came. He looked up and saw that the man was frozen.
"You…do not touch that boy ever again," Tom heard a familiar voice say. The man was suddenly pushed off of him and onto the floor. Tom looked up to see a stern faced Dumbledore. How did he get here, Tom thought, puzzled by everything that had happened.
"Mr. Riddle," Dumbledore began, speaking to the man who was now frozen on the floor. "This is your son, no matter what he is, he is your son. Hitting him won't change that. This boy," he said, sharply pointing at Tom, who was still lying on the floor, "Is one of the brightest, nicest and best boys you will ever lay eyes on, and you have given up the chance of your life time to be his father. You should be ashamed at your behavior with him, and Meredith. Tom," Dumbledore said, now looking at Tom. The professor helped him to his feet and then unfroze the man. Both Riddles' began to tremble. "Tom, let us leave this place."
The two of them left the study and went out the door. Tom was still processing what had just happened.
As soon as they were away from any "muggles" Tom had to ask some questions.
"How, how did you…" Tom began.
"How did I get there? It is a technique learned by many wizards," Dumbledore cut in.
"Oh," Tom said, still confused, "Why did he…"
"Hit you?" Dumbledore cut in again, "He and his parents think wizardry is from hell and that is why he left your mother, before you were born. Now, he hates you for the same reason."
That ended their conversation for a while. The professor summoned the Knight Bus once again and they sat on separate beds in silence. Tom then laid down and stared at the ceiling. How could his dad hate him for that? It wasn't his fault he was a wizard and that man didn't even know him. Someday, Tom thought hatefully to himself, I will have my revenge, for me and for my mother. He will pay for the orphanage, for hurting Meredith Riddle and for me, and he won't know what's coming.
"Well, Mr. Riddle, welcome to the Leaky Caldron," Dumbledore said when the bus stopped. Tom saw a small pub that he wouldn't have noticed if Dumbledore hadn't pointed to it. "Let's get a room, shall we?"
Stacy looked around the mess hall sadly. Life at the orphanage had taken an awful turn. Without Tom, she was filled with sadness. She could have stopped him from leaving, and now, he was probably dead and it was her fault.
Then, the doors burst open with a strong gust of wind. Everyone turned in shock toward the door, including Stacy.
But, what came in wasn't what she expected, it was an owl. A midnight black owl. It swooped down and landed in front of her.
She looked at it curiously and then noticed a piece of parchment attached to it's leg.
Stacy took the parchment and then the black owl soared out the door. Everyone was staring at her with curiosity and amazement. She had never received a letter from an owl before and she was nervous because of it. Stacy broke the seal with a trembling hand and read…
Dear Stacy,
Hello, it's me, Tom. I ran away from the orphanage, sorry if I scared you. I am all right now. A man called Dumbledore found me when I was in London and he's a professor at Hogwarts. Can you believe that I am actually going? I'm going to be a wizard, with or without that old cow named Ms. Prince! Yes! Anyway, I hope you are OK and I am sorry if I scared you. I have to go now but, I hope you liked my owl, he may be seeing you a lot now that I am going to school.
Tom
PS. I'll see you this summer when school gets out.
Stacy sighed with relief. So he was alive and safe with a professor. How on earth did he get to London, she thought. But, she didn't have time to dwell on that thought because Michael snatched the letter from her hand.
"Hey, GIVE THAT BACK!" she yelled at him.
"Let me read it first," Michael said as he held the letter high above his head. He was taller than she was, so, she couldn't reach Tom's letter. Stacy then did the only thing she could think of, she kicked Michael hard in the shin. He grunted in pain, swaggered , but still stood. So, Stacy kicked him in the crotch. He screamed and fell to his knees while Stacy grabbed the letter.
"Ha!" she said triumphantly, holding the letter above her head. Then, someone else snatched it from her. "Hey give that ba…" she began, but stopped as soon as she saw who it was. Ms. Prince stood there, holding the letter in her hand. She read the letter twice before looking at Stacy again.
"So, old cow, hmm," she said with a smile to Stacy. "So, he made it to that…that freak school. He outsmarted even me and is the first child to run away from this place. Interesting…"
"Er…may I have my letter back," Stacy asked Ms. Prince. Without word, she handed Stacy the letter back and left the mess hall.
Tom woke up bright and early the next morning. He hoped Stacy had received the letter by now so she wouldn't be too worried about him. He hopped out of bed and quickly got dressed. I should wait for Dumbledore to get me, he thought, so he sat down on his bed in the Leaky Cauldron.
He sat for only a half and hour before Dumbledore came in to wake him.
"Up so soon," the professor a said with a smile on his old face. "Well, it is time that we left to fetch your things for school."
Tom smiled, this is what he wanted to hear. No stops, just right to Diagon alley, or whatever the place was called. He stood up quickly and walked, half ran, out of the room. Dumbledore chuckled at his excitement.
They walked out of the Leaky Cauldron, using the back exit. However, to Tom's great disappointment, they faced a strong brick wall. He frowned and Dumbledore chuckled again.
"Why are you laughing? There's a wall here and we can't just move it," Tom complained to the old man. Dumbledore just smiled and pulled out his wand and tapped the bricks.
"You can't move it, it's impossible to do…" Tom protested, but then saw the wall beginning to change. The bricks shifted and began to form a door like an arch. Tom's mouth dropped and Dumbledore smiled at his shock.
"Welcome to Diagon Alley, Mr. Riddle," Dumbledore said as he stepped through the arch. Tom cautiously followed the professor into the world of magic.