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28th August... I took a pen and crossed out the date.

FINALLY! My most awaited day had arrived.

For months I had again tolerated every pain, every burden put on me with patience, knowing that I would go somewhere special!

I whistled as I put on a pair of trousers and a T-shirt (The cleanest I had) while speeding down the stairs in excitement.

As I went past, I caught my sight in the mirror. It was the same one which had reflected me all these years... Yet when I studied myself now, I noticed that I had changed a great deal.

Gone were the hollow eyes, the smeared sunken face of a child... Instead they were replaced by a tanned face, (I had been spending most of my time working in the garden, under the sun) with gleaming golden eyes sparkling with enthusiasm... Even my hair had purple highlights, which fell silkily on my forehead. (I had combed it the whole night till my hand ached for I had wanted to appear presentable to the Auror who'd come to greet me...)

Looking at myself I smiled and walked towards Joe Ryder's office.

"Tom, dear boy; just in time to meet your uncle," retorted Joe dragging me by the arm to his study.

Surprised I surveyed around and a hilariously clad person caught my eye.

(He was dressed in a luminous pink jumper, wearing spotted yellow pants.)

"Are you Tom Marvolo Riddle? I'm Archie Jorkins your 'Auror' uncle," he replied winking at me.

"Oh...of course uncle ARCHIE!" I cried shaking his hands furiously. "How are you?"

"Good, good...Came to take you on a trip..."

"Today? Am I going to my new school? "

"No...Today we'll shop and in three days you can board the Hog-I mean the train to your new school from King's Cross."

Meanwhile Joe who was eavesdropping on our conversation interrupted.

"Is he going to stay with you permanently?"

"No...Actually," coughed Archie uncomfortably, "He is to stay here, owing to some unpleasant circumstances at my home but during school days, he can stay in the school for he'll be a boarder there."

My heart dropped to my shoes at the thought of coming back here. But still school was somehow worth it.

"Okay, let's go. I will take the boy to buy his school belongings, we'll probably return by noon," said the Auror. Then he took a wand out of his jumper and pointed at Joe.

"Stupefy!"

To my immense shock, Joe froze and fell down face wards like a heavy marble statue.

"Here let me see... More privacy now; personally he was getting on my nerves. Your full name is Tom Marvolo Riddle. Eleven years old: born on 3rd December right?"

I nodded.

"How did you end up in a muggle orphanage child?" asked Archie glancing down from his half moon spectacles.

"My Mother died giving birth to me. I don't know the rest," I shrugged.

"Do you know your Mother's name?"

"Yeah... Her name was Vesta... Vesta Riddle."

The wizard scratched his bald head for a second and looked at the piece a parchment he was holding.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" he asked after a few moments.

"No."

"We're going to Diagon Alley."

"Where's that?"

"Hmmmm, bother...hate when children are raised among muggles; they grow so thick headed" he mumbled and pulled out a jar from his pant pocket.

"Diagon Alley is where we're going to shop. Let's go soon now."

"Go? How?"

"By Floo powder of course," answered the wizard and frowned. "Have you ever traveled by Floo powder before?"

"No."

"Good grief! Here let me tell you how... Take some of this powder, sprinkle it on yourself and step onto the hearth and cry 'Diagon Alley' and you'll disappear...Though one thing, you should keep in mind... Always pronounce the name clearly."

I looked dumbstruck in the meantime and simply gave a blank stare.

"Here," he said and out stretched his hand. In the jar was some glittering substance.

"Go on...go to the fire and dab it on you...don't be nervous!"

Swallowing hard I stepped onto the fire and threw the powder on me and screamed "DIAGON ALLEY!"

Suddenly the flames turned emerald and rose higher and higher blurring the view as I felt myself having the wind knocked out of me as I spiraled like a tornado.

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Staggering I fell on the floor coughing and holding my cramped stomach. My head was still spinning like a whirlpool and my vision was doubled.

"Move away! Zarken Lestrange is coming next!" cried someone and I felt myself being hauled aside like a sack of potatoes.

With a boom another person appeared on the fire place. Wiping away the soot, I glanced up to see an auburn haired boy step out. He looked very elegant in his purple robes and dragon hide boots.

"Make way for your twin!" cried a wizard dressed in orange robes as he pushed Zarken aside.

The grate exploded in green flames again as another auburn haired lad arrived, identical to Zarken.

"I always make a fashionable entrance than you, Zark!" he declared and cart wheeled before Archie Jorkins appeared.

"I always thought you had a big head for your body," retorted his brother and they both turned towards me.

"You new here chap?" asked Zarken.

"Yes..." I muttered suddenly feeling shy. (I had never made friends in the orphanage for the boys there had been crude and rough...)

Meanwhile Archie dusted his robes and looked at me.

"I think we ought to go now Tom... The room would be pretty crowded in a while since this is the official student Floo network for Hogwarts students."

"Oh no! Even he has got a baby sitter!" cried Zarken's twin making a face and Archie scowled.

"Let's go Tom..." he said ignoring the snide remarks made by the two cheeky brothers.

So before I could answer, I was rushed away out the room... Knowing little that the Lestranges would become my best and most loyal friends...

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A whole new world unfolded in front of my eyes as I stepped out... Wizards and witches dressed in long flowing robes walked past me...Brooms were displayed on windows, cauldrons of different shapes and sizes were massed about and pet shops as well as cafés reflected in the sunlight.

"Wow..." I gasped revolving around as if I stepped into paradise.

A creature, short and rather sly looking went past me pushing a wheelbarrow. (Later I came to know that it was a Farming pixie.)

"Dragon dung! Excellent fertilizers for roses, carnations and tulips!" he advertised.

"Dragon dung? You mean there are real dragons living?" I practically shrieked pulling Archie's arm.

"Yes child...calm down... Now let's take a look at your requirements list. It has been years since I shopped for my own school things. Why I was a little trot," mused the wizard.

"But I don't have any money!" I cried mournfully, realization hitting me with a shock.

"Oh don't bother about that. The Ministry of Charity and Compensation for orphaned wizards have taken care of all the financial matters. We simply need to select and buy the things,"he said.

So along I marched, gazing in wonder at my surrounding, looking like a thrilled spectator at the unusual things, as well as people and shops.

"Ah, here we are... Ollivander's wand boutique! The most important place where we need to shop."

Dazed I entered in, while Archie handed me a slip of paper, requesting me to give it Mr. Ollivander whilst he went to the pet shop to get me an owl.

Out of the blue, a man with a long nose and a patch of brown hair appeared in front of me.

"What can I fetch for you?" he questioned.

"A-a-a wand I reckon," I mumbled.

"Extend your arm and allow me to take your measurements then," he proclaimed.

"Don't I get to choose the wand?"

"Ah, new to the Wizarding world are you?" asked the queer man as he began to pull a long box.

"Yes."

"We get a lot of muggle born wizards these days. A rare thing this century...But child, the wand chooses the wizard; never the other way round. Here try this one out. Twelve inches, made of rose wood containing hairs of a unicorn."

Unsteadily I accepted the wand and shook it furiously.

But to my fright; a series of sparks erupted and Mr. Ollivander ducked under a cabinet.

"Heavens! Not your sort!" he exclaimed and went to fetch another wand.

After some time, in my hand he placed a long ebony wand, which shone with brilliance.

"A fine creation of mine; eighteen inches, made of teak wood; consisting of a sphinx's eyebrow hair, rare from India."

Again I took the wand and began to wave it around, but in my hand it began to heat up like an oven and soon I had to throw it down.

"Obviously the wand doesn't want to choose you..." replied the Wizard and kneeled down to take another box.

"Ah here we go! Holly, eleven inches; recently made consisting of a phoenix's tail feather."

Hesitantly I took the wand expecting another disaster but incredulously the wand began to glow and I felt my heart lift as warmth spread through out my body.

"Definitely the right one!" announced Mr. Ollivander jubilantly and I grinned.

Handing him the piece of paper Archie had given me, I turned to go. But a hand clutched my shoulder.

"Are you a relation of Vesta Slytherin by any chance?" questioned the wizard.

At hearing my Mother's name, my heart began to beat.

"My Mother was Vesta Riddle..."

"Of course... Names do change after marriage, but there's no mistaking that you might be her son... You look exactly like your Mother's very splitting image."

"How was my Mother?" I inquired feeling a lump form in my throat.

"Oh, she was beautiful...With dark hair, golden green eyes like yours, tall...yes very tall. Her wand was fifteen inches made of oak wood comprising of a Thestral collar bone," he finished.

"What about my father?" I asked.

"No idea about him child... Maybe he was a muggle..."

Disappointed with that bit of news but happy at finally knowing the description of my mother, I waved Mr. Ollivander good bye and stepped out of the shop.

Never did Mr. Ollivander guess perhaps that my greatest enemy and my temporary conqueror, the famous Harry Potter would come to purchase a wand similar as mine...

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A/N: Will continue as soon as possible...