Title: Praeter erratum praeter
Disclaimer: I don't owe any of the characters you may recognise from Rowling's books. (to bad really)
Warning: Some of the characters will be OOC, especially Tom.If you don't like it, don't read the story...
Summary: A youth potion gives Riddle more trouble than he'd expected. First the Death Eaters refuses to take orders from a 16 year-old-boy and Lucius decids to take over. Throwing Riddle out onto the steets. Then he ends up at Hogwarts. "Dosen't everyone deserve a second chance, Tom?" Dumbledore asked.
A/N: It's nice to get reviews from people saying that they like the story. That is what's driving me to write.
Padfootgrim: Thanks for the review. You're right. Tom is the absolute coolest guy. As for the left handed thing. I think I have read somewhere that Tom is left handed, but I'm not sure. Nice to now that I'm not the only one who writes that he is left handed, and what a coincidence that you are writing about Tom Riddle too. I checked out your story and it's really good. I hope you will continue it, and I hope you will continue reading this story.
Vigrest: Nice to now you like it so far. I hope you will continuing reading it in the future.
Previous chapter:
"Oh no my boy I don't think so. I think you need to learn a lesson." He smiled, but it was everything else than a friendly smile.
Tom stared at him and shuddered. Even if he didn't want to admit it to himself he was starting to get scared. The man had obviously no intention of letting him go any time soon. He briefly wondered what the man had in stored for him.
Chapter 3
"I just stole your purse for crying out loud! Is not as if it was something serious in it! Why can't you just let me go?"
"And I guess you will give me your word that you want go and steal from anyone else?"
"Yes, you have my word!" There was not a chance in hell that he would keep his word, but if it could get him out of this mess.
"Mhm, I see. Well, I am sorry but I don't believe you."
Tom was to seconds from screaming out loud. If just had had his wand. Then he would have hexed the damn man into oblivion.
"Why not?" a desperate tone had found its way into Tom's voice.
"Because you are a liar and a thief."
"Yeah, and I guess people who never steal or do anything illegal don't lie then? What are you living in man? A fairy tale?" Tom couldn't help himself. The man was more stupid than a cow.
The man stared at him with a look in his eyes that Tom didn't like. Suddenly he raised his hand and slapped Tom, once, open-handed across his face.
Tom bit his tough in pain but said nothing. If he said something than the man would most likely hit him again.
"You should get some better manners boy!" the man barked at him. The amusement had vanished from his face now.
"Oh just shut up!" Tom muttered under his breath. Hoping the man couldn't hear him.
"My dear Francis. What on earth do you have here?" a new voice interrupted from behind the man, who's name obviously was Francis.
Tom looked over Francis's shoulder, as Francis turned to the new man, and felt the colour in his face disappear. Who else than Lucius Malfoy was standing behind Francis, with a huge grin on his face?
Oh, you go to be kidding, Tom thought. It seemed like the Gods really really hated him for some reason. Why else would the last man on earth that Tom wanted to meet show up at the worst time possible?
"Ah, Lucius," Francis smiled, "it's been a long time."
"Yes indeed. We must have lunch sometime. But what do you have here?" he took a better look at Tom and smiled as he recognised his former master.
"Just an unimportant thief. He stole my purse and I caught him red handed."
"A thief you say?" Lucius grin grew, if possible, even wider, and Tom could feel his anger grow inside him. Why the hell hadn't he killed Lucius a long time ago?
"Yes. And I think he has been doing for a time. He seemed to know what he was doing. And he had a purse that belong to a lady, with 20 galleons in it."
"I see. You're properly right. Dose he have a name?"
"Yes, Tom Marvolo I think it was. Is that right boy?" Francis looked harshly at the boy.
"Yes," Tom answer through clenched teeth.
"And what are you planning to do with him?" Lucius looked Tom straight in the eyes as he asked Francis the question Tom had been wondering about for the last half an hour.
"Well I think a couple of days in Azkaban should convince him to get a job. Don't you?"
"I think that would be perfect. Just the lesson he needs. Or what do you think Tom?" Lucius asked Tom who just sneered at him.
How dared the stupid fool to treat him like this!
"Did he have anything else on him?" Lucius ignored Tom's hateful look and turned his attention to Francis.
"Yes, actually he did. He had a key." Francis started searching through his pockets and Tom saw an opportunity. He kicked the older wizards as hard as he could, and, as he hoped, Francis let go of his wrists as he felt the pain in his leg. Tom turned and ran as fast as he could away from the men. Behind him he could hear them scream, but he just ran faster.
He didn't stop until he ran down a dark ally that was a dead end. Then he finally stopped. Breathing heavily as he slide down then wall until he was sitting in the dark corner.
Tom remained there for nearly and hour. Trying to catch his breath. What was he going to do now? The stupid imbecile had stolen his key so he couldn't go back to his room at the inn. Not to mention the fact that Lucius now knew where he was staying, and if he knew the moron right then Lucius properly would come after him. Trying to make his life even more miserable.
He sighed and got back on his feet. It was getting dark now and he needed to find a place to sleep. As he started walking slowly towards the main street four black figures suddenly appeared before him.
A brief moment he thought it was Death Eaters and his heart started beating a bit faster. But as the moonlight landed on them he realised that it was kids on his own age. Dressed in rags, filthy and with hair that stood out in every direction. The tallest one, he looked to be at Tom's height, with dirty brown hair and a look that could kill, took a step towards Tom and spoke.
"So you are the new thief in town." The voice was calm but full of hate.
"So what if I am?" Tom crossed his arm and looked at the four boys. He was getting the feeling that they didn't want him there.
"This is our place. We don't want any new kid coming here taking what is ours." The boy on the leader's right, for Tom guessed the boy that had spoken first was the leader, said.
"There is more than enough people her for all of us. Or haven't you noticed?" he waited a few seconds before continuing. "I guess you haven't then. Funny really, I always thought you needed a brain to pick someone's pockets. But then again I guess I am wrong," Tom smiled evilly as he saw the boy tens up.
"You'll pay for that one!" he leader sneered, "there is only one gang of thieves here, and that is us! Get him!"
The four boys ran towards him and Tom realised he had made a terrible mistake.
Hermione walked fast through Diagon Alley. She hated working late. Now she only had to get to The Lucky Cauldron so she could us the Floo-network to get home. She was really grateful to Dumbeldore for convincing the ministry to hook her house up to the Floo-network for the summer.
She had been trilled when she got the job at Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlour at the end of the semester. Well, until she saw the working list. She was going to work late several nights and there was no way in hell that her parents would let her walk through London at midnight. So she had talked to Dumbeldore and he had asked the Ministry to hook her house to the Floo-network for the summer. How he did she had no idea about, but she was really thankful.
Hermione shuddered. She loved being in Diagon Alley, but walking through it at the middle of the night was not very pleasant. An owl howled and she nearly jumped out of her skin. As she calmed down her eyes suddenly caught the sight of a dark figure lying lifeless in the road. Kneeling down by the figure's side Hermione realised that it was the young boy she had meet in the ice-cream store earlier that day. Tom something, wasn't it?
She quickly checked his pulse and was relived to find it beating steadily. The boy didn't seem to have any fatal wounds, only some bruises and a couple of broken ribs. Thinking quickly she pulled out her wand and levitated the boy before hurrying towards The Lucky Cauldron. She knew she wasn't supposed to use magic out side school, but this was an emergency. She would have to deal with the consequences afterwards. Right now she needed to get the boy to a hospital.
A/N: Poor Tom. I almost feel sorry for him. Almost. But it was necessary to hurt him. Well, anyway. I promise he will be all right. So what do you think so far? Are the chapter long enough, and is it possible to read my English, or is there way to many spelling and grammar mistakes? I try to remove most of them. I think I read through every chapter at least three times before posting them. Just to get ride of most of the mistakes. Just as you know. Well, I don't think there would bee to long before chapter 4 is up, so in the mean time let me now what you think so fare.
P-oenix