Harry's last month with the Dursley's trickled by. Tom too had been just as anxious, pouring through the school text books feverishly in an attempt to pass the time.
Harry had had a look through them as well, eager to find out more about magic, but he had been more inclined to read about Voldemort and himself.
It had taken a few shaky days to admit that Tom wasn't technically his daemon, if anything Harry was still in denial. The fact that Tom didn't belong to him was bothering Harry more then he would care to admit it.
Tom knew this of course, he'd kept an exceptionally close eye on Harry since, and had spent many hours reassuring Harry that he wasn't going to go away.
When September the first arrived, Harry was a bundle of nerves and excitement. Learning magic was going to be amazing, sharing Tom again was not.
The Dursley's had been manageable at least, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had left him alone for the most part, Dudley particularly had kept well out of their way.
Harry had spent most of the early morning checking that he hadn't forgotten everything. Hedwig, his new owl, was perched a top of his trunk. She had arrived the day after his birthday with a note from Hagrid, wishing him happy birthday.
Of course, Tom had taken a dislike to Hedwig already, but Harry had gushed over her and promptly sent her out with a message to say thank you.
"You could at least help," Harry moaned towards Tom as he attempted to carry his trunk down the stairs.
Tom only grinned.
"I can't help you carry it, it would look like it was floating. The muggle's would get suspicious."
"We're not at the station yet," Harry snapped, as he hauled it down towards the car.
Thankfully Uncle Vernon had agreed to take him to King's Cross.
It was a quick enough journey and soon enough Harry had all his stuff laden up on a trolley at the station.
"Platform 9 and 3/4," Tom glanced over his shoulder at the ticket after Uncle Vernon had left. "That's not a platform number."
Harry felt his stomach sink, as he looked around the large timetables displayed. Sure enough, no trains were going from such a platform.
"Maybe we should ask someone?" Harry suggested quietly. He was already getting enough funny looks because of Hedwig.
Tom shook his head, as Hedwig hooted.
"These are muggles, they won't be able to help us."
"What are we supposed to do then?" Harry asked.
Tom didn't supply him with an answer as he lead the way further up the platform. Harry followed, feeling even more nervous then he already was.
The time was ticking close to eleven and still they had no further clue about what to do. Harry was beginning to panic slightly, even Tom looked slightly anxious as he eyed the large clock.
Hagrid had forgotten to tell them how to get onto the platform, if it was like Diagon Alley then would Harry and Tom not be able to notice it until someone pointed it out.
And then a voice spoke out behind them.
"Packed with muggles of course."
Harry swung around, knocking into Tom in the process. The speaker was a plump woman who was talking to four boys, all with flaming red hair. Each of them was pushing a trunk like Harry's in front of them – and they had dæmons.
In fact there seemed to be a pack of them, all bounding around their humans feet. Two identical huskies were jumping around, so enthusiastically that they didn't stay still for long, almost bumping into muggles in their excitement.
"Celandia, Demetria," a small male honey badger was snapping. "Calm down, you're going to knock someone over."
The huskies barely paid any attention as they instead started to bound around a small pug.
"Quit it," the dog was yapping indignantly.
"You're no fun, Bronwyn," one of the huskies teased, it sounded female as she wagged her tail happily.
Harry was totally bewildered as he shifted his gaze back to the boys and their mother. One rather taller boy was glaring at his siblings, who Harry noticed were identical as well.
"Fred," the woman sighed heavily. "Stop harassing your brother."
"I'm not Fred, I'm George," the boy protested at once. "Honestly woman, call yourself our mother? Can't you tell I'm George."
"Sorry, George dear."
"Only joking, I am Fred," he said as he lined up his trolley and he broke out into a run. Harry blinked, in an instant, Fred was gone. The two huskies tore after him, jumping happily around a number of muggles before disappearing as well.
"Okay, you next George."
George pulled his trolley round as he moved after the two huskies. Harry was watching carefully this time, eager not to miss it, but a second later he was gone.
"Percy," the woman instructed to the taller of the boys.
Instead of running, Percy leaned down to pick up Bronwyn carefully, his small pug settled in his arms as he walked slowly towards the wall between platform nine and ten.
Harry caught it this time, as Percy disappeared, but only because he knew what to expect, however it still didn't clear up his obvious problem of actually getting onto the platform.
Pulling his trunk around, he moved a bit closer. Tom following behind.
Now the group had thinned a little, Harry could see a younger red headed boy was standing beside her, a terrier by his heels.
A young red haired girl had one hand clutched tightly onto her mother's arm, the other was entwined in a pony's mane.
"Excuse me," Harry stated pulling up his courage before he lost his nerve.
The red haired woman turned and her eyes widened in surprise as her gaze flicked across to Tom.
However she didn't comment, only turned back to Harry with a smile.
"Hullo dear," she said. "First time at Hogwarts? Ron and Sephronia are new, too."
She pointed at the last and youngest of her sons. His daemon was eyeing Tom up cautiously.
It appeared that the plump woman's dæmon was the honey badger, which seemed a lot calmer now the huskies had gone and weren't harassing any more muggles.
"Yes," Harry said. "The thing is-" he stumbled over his words.
"How do you get onto the platform?" Tom asked smoothly, a boyish smile gracing his features.
This practically made the little girl squeak as she hid behind her mother.
The woman's honey badger was eyeing Tom up, but it seemed satisfied enough.
"Not to worry," she said "All you have to do is walk straight at the barrier between platforms nine and ten. Best not do it at a run dear," the witch advised. "If you're scared about getting separated you can just lean against the barrier."
Harry thought this was much more appealing.
"Go on, go now before Ron and Sephrionia," she encouraged.
Harry nodded and wheeled his trolley round to face the barrier.
Leaning on the barrier sounded much more appealing, the very thought of being separated from Tom, even briefly made his stomach churn.
He couldn't help but hang onto Tom's sleeve as they leaned against the barrier.
Next second their surroundings vanished.
In place of the bleak surroundings of the barrier now stood a scarlet steam engine, smoke billowing from its chimney.
The platform was packed with witches and wizards, as Harry looked round amazed. Owls were hooting in their cages as cats meow'd, but it was the sheer number of dæmons which was totally overwhelming.
Tom nudged him in the side, as Harry steered their trolley down the platform. He walked past a group of older students who were discussing what sounded like the newest racing broom model.
Tom carried Hedwig onto the train as Harry attempted to pull along his trunk behind, he didn't get very far and dropped it on his toe painfully.
"Want a hand?" It was one of the red haired boys who Harry had followed through onto the platform.
"Yes please," Harry panted as two huskies immediately started jumping around him in circles.
"Oy, Fred. C'mere and help!"
One of the huskies promptly leapt onto Harry's trunk.
"I said help," George rolled his eyes as Fred wandered over.
" Celandia, get off," George instructed to the dæmon, who only wagged their tail happily.
"I'm helping," the female voice of Celendia pronounced.
"Hardly," George rolled his eyes, as the husky jumped off.
Between them, and with Celendia and Demetria not even pausing for breath as they just jumped around and generally got in the way, they managed to get Harry's trunk stored in the compartment. Tom was waiting patiently.
"Is that your dæmon?" George asked, nodding towards Tom.
Harry shuffled on his feet slightly.
"Yeah," before he abruptly changed subject. "How do you tell your daemons apart?" he asked, gesturing towards Celendia and Demetria who wagged their tails.
Both huskies immediately paired off, standing next to their respective twin.
"More importantly," one of the huskies spoke up. "How do we tell Fred and George apart?"
Harry blinked, that was a good point.
"They feel different," Fred explained, noticing Harry's confused expression. "Anyway, it doesn't really matter, we share dæmons."
"You share dæmons?" Tom asked, finally offering to the conversation.
"Sort of, it's more that we each have two each, they just happen to be the same ones."
"Doesn't that mean you both have to stay close to each other?" Harry asked confused.
George shook his head as his brother explained.
"As long as they are with either of us, it's fine. So I can have neither, one, or both with me," Fred grinned broadly.
"That's why you could run through the barrier without each other," Tom spoke up.
Harry thought back to the brick wall, this was true. Fred had run through with the dæmons following and then George and neither boy had been in pain from separation from their dæmons.
"Exactly," Fred grinned.
"Anyway thanks," Harry said, brushing his hair out of his eyes.
"What's that?" said one of the twins suddenly, pointing at Harry's lightening scar.
"Blimey, you're Harry Potter?"
For the first time, both huskies stopped deadly still as Harry flattened his hair.
"Yes, I am," he began nervously.
The boy's mother called.
"Coming, Mum."
With a last look at Harry and Tom, twins and huskies both jumped off the train.
Harry let out a breath as he settled down, Tom beside him.
"Not bad," Tom commented towards him. "Dealing with fame well."
"Shut up," Harry replied.
He leaned back and looked out the window to catch the family of red heads conversation.
"Never mind that, do you think he remembers what You Know Who looks like?" one of the twins was saying.
Tom couldn't help but grin broadly at this statement as Harry rolled his eyes.
"You're not going to look the same," he pointed out with a sigh. "You'd look older."
The boys mother however had suddenly become very stern pulling Harry's attention back.
"I forbid you to ask him, Fred. No don't you dare. As if he needs reminding of that on his first day of school."
"All right, keep your hair on."
A whistle sounded and soon enough the train began to move. Harry could hardly believe it, he was actually going to learn magic.
The compartment door slid open again and the youngest red-haired boy came in.
"Anyone sitting there? Everywhere else is full."
Harry shook his head and the boy sat down, his terrier remaining close by his heels.
"Hey, Ron."
The twins were back.
"Listen, we're going down the middle of the train – Lee Jordan's got a giant tarantula down there."
"Right," Ron mumbled.
"Harry," said one of the twins "Did we introduce ourselves? Fred and George Weasley. And these are Celendia and Demetria. And this is our brother Ron and Sephronia."
Harry had worked out as much.
"This is Tom," he pointed towards Tom who didn't say a word.
The grins grinned towards them. "See you later then."
They left.
"Are you really Harry Potter?" Ron blurted out.
Harry nodded.
"Oh – well, I thought it might have been one of Fred and George's jokes," said Ron "And have you really got – you know?"
He pointed at Harry's forehead.
Trying to look more confident then before, Harry pulled up his fringe to show his lightening scar. Ron stared.
"So that's where You-Know-Who?"
Ron's terrier seemed to be gaining more confident as he moved closer to Tom's leg, nuzzling it in greeting.
Harry lent over to pet her.
"What are you doing?" Ron rushed, terrier jumping back in alarm as they barked.
Harry jerked back startled, unsure of what he had done wrong.
"You don't touch other people's dæmons," Ron gasped, clearly taken aback over what Harry had been about to do.
"Sorry," Harry rushed apologetically. Hagrid hadn't mentioned that. "I didn't know."
Ron blinked.
"You didn't know?"
Harry felt himself feeling stupid, much in the similar way Malfoy had made him feel.
"I grew up with muggles," he offered lamely instead. "They don't have daemons."
"Oh, yeah." Ron seemed to brush the incident aside in an instant. "What are they like?"
Harry almost had to stop himself from shooting Tom a warning glance, however Tom remained surprisingly silent.
"Horrible- well not all of them," he concluded. "My Aunt, Uncle and cousin are though. How come Tom and Sephronia can touch each other then?"
Tom had interacted with Fred and George's daemon's no problem as well.
"Other dæmons usually interact with each other," Ron explained. "They usually mirror their owners reactions and emotions."
"Owners?" Tom's voice was light and delicate. Harry eyed him warily.
Ron clearly missed the threatening tone as he nodded.
A thought crossed Harry's mind.
"Are daemons usually girls?" he asked. Ilaria, Adara, Celendria Demetria and Sephronia had all been girls.
"Dæmons are usually the opposite sex," Ron explained, his eyes darted to Tom before back to Harry
Ron shifted uncomfortably before he added.
"Tom is actually quite unusual, I don't know anyone who has a dæmon who is the same sex as them."
Harry didn't know this, the books on dæmons hadn't mentioned it at all.
Tom was eyeing Sephronia carefully as he leaned down to pick her up.
Ron froze in complete fear, not daring to move or breath as Sephronia went completely still.
"Tom," Harry stated quietly. "I don't think you're meant to do that."
Tom however shot Harry a small smile, as he stroked the small dog carefully. "Why not?" he questioned quietly. "I'm just saying hello, aren't I meant to interact with other daemons not their humans?" he asked deliberately.
Ron shifted awkwardly, obviously uncomfortably as he watched his dæmon in silent horror. The dog had stilled, and was whimpering quietly.
"I think you're hurting her," Harry added again, knowing that Tom was fully aware of what he was doing.
Tom only grinned, small dog held tightly in his grip as Ron seemed to be struggling to breath.
"Well, I am still learning," Tom suggested lightly, directing his cold eyes towards Harry. "I don't really understand how I'm meant to interact with other dæmons."
"Put me down," a voice whimpered from Tom's grip.
At first Harry was thrown by the unfamiliar noise.
Sephronia, Ron's terrier was speaking.
"Seph," Ron almost pleaded, hand clutching his chest as if he was weakened.
"You feel wrong," Sephronia continued.
Harry barely drew breath, terrified by the implication Sephronia was suggesting. Of course Tom didn't feel like a proper daemon, he was Lord Voldemort in some way or another.
Tom placed her down slowly, as Sephronia raced back to Ron's side in an instant.
"Sorry," he muttered, feigning that he had caused any damage at all.
Ron looked visibly shaken as he picked Sephronia up to comfort himself.
"It's alright," he replied weakly. "You didn't know."
"Sorry," Harry added, shooting Tom a dark warning look. "We're still getting used to this whole thing."
"So how come I can interact with Sephronia but it was hurting you?" Tom asked innocently, placing a fake guilty look on his face.
"I wasn't expecting it," Ron said slowly.
Tom just continued to look apologetic but Harry knew he was anything but.
"Maybe, I'll just go," Ron finished bluntly.
"What? Why?" Harry rushed, annoyed that Tom had offended Ron. He found him pretty interesting to talk to, he wanted to know more about wizarding families.
"You clearly don't want to talk to me," Ron jerked his head at Tom.
Harry just rolled his eyes.
"Tom's just being an idiot, ignore him."
Tom shot Harry a cold glare at this.
However Ron froze, his face plastered in confusion as he stared, his dæmon still clutched in his arms.
"When I said wizards usually interact through their daemons, I mean that extends to their feelings as well."
Harry was looking blankly at him.
This statement couldn't be further from the truth. Harry and Tom often had differences in opinions, they argued often enough as it was.
Tom however was looking smug, any evidence that showed he was greater than a dæmon was good.
"Wait?" Harry began. "You think how I feel is reflected through Tom?"
Ron jerked his head down. "Well yeah, that's how daemon's work."
Harry laughed, he couldn't help it. Tom and him were close, extremely, but that didn't mean they shared the same opinions. He told Ron so.
Ron just looked astonished.
"I've never heard of that before."
Harry shrugged but Tom seemed to be losing patience, he leaned back and crossed his arms, bored of the conversation as he pulled out one of the school text books.
Harry however was eager to ask Ron more questions.
"What's it like to have three wizard brothers?"
Ron was pretty interesting to talk to, and Sephronia quite excitedly started telling him all about a sport called Quidditch, played on broomstick's.
By the time the witch with the food trolley arrived, Harry was quite warming to Ron. Tom however was quite content in remaining silent, his head in his book.
It was shortly afterwards when their compartment door slid open again.
It was Draco Malfoy, Adara balanced on his shoulder and he had other company.
"Hello again," Draco started at once with a nod towards Harry and Tom. "This is Crabbe and Camelai," he gestured his head to the boy and his hyena. "And Goyle and Olesia."
Harry blinked startled, Goyle's gorilla daemon was huge, in fact their compartment was beginning to feel quite cramp.
Crabbe's dæmon was looking a lot more threatening. His hyena had sharp teeth, which were currently grinning in a very disturbing way, small beady eyes watching the group with interest.
Harry resisted the urge to pull Tom behind him, both animals were dangerous.
"I didn't catch your last name by the way, last time we spoke you didn't mention it?" Draco pressed keenly, looking towards Tom.
"No I didn't," Tom said with a smirk.
Harry didn't like this, the way the question had been asked was deliberate, as if there was another meaning behind it.
Tom's grin only broadened. "Riddle," he offered. Harry wanted to hit him, he had done that on purpose. Anyone intelligent enough would be able to make the link.
Draco however didn't show any signs that the name meant anything to him, instead he only nodded, as if he was filing the information away.
"Who are you?" Ron interrupted.
Malfoy gave Ron a very dirty look. "Draco Malfoy," he started. "No need to ask who you are. My father told me all the Weasley's have red hair, freckles and more children then they can afford."
He turned back to Harry.
"You'll soon find out that some wizarding families are better than others, Harry. You don't want to go making friends with the wrong sort. I can help you there."
He held out his hand to shake Harry's, but Harry didn't take it. Crabbe and Goyle's daemon's seemed to shift at the lack of response, if anything the Gorilla pulled itself up to it's full height.
Tom however didn't feel threatened as he grinned.
"Naturally, I'm sure we'll be seeing more of each other Draco."
This seemed to satisfy the blonde, who just smirked back, casting Ron in a cold look.
Harry couldn't help but grit his teeth.
"Anyway we'll catch you later," Draco continued, almost in a bored voice. The trio left, leaving the four of them alone.
Harry groaned. "Thanks for that," he shot Tom a cold look.
"What?" Tom asked coolly, crossing his arms. "I can't make friends too?"
"Course you can," Harry agreed. "But I don't want anything to do with Malfoy."
"And I don't want anything to do with Weasley," Tom offered instead. Ron jerked at this, he clearly hadn't picked up on earlier.
Harry sighed. It often came down to this, compromising.
"Fine. We'll spent time with Malfoy and Ron equally?"
"Agreed," Tom nodded with a grin.
Ron just looked stunned.
"Do you usually do this?"
Harry shook his head. "Compromise sure, but not on this scale."
"Well I'd be careful," Ron added, Sephronia tucked in close. "If Malfoy doesn't know that you and Tom act separately, he'll think you share the same opinions of Tom."
Harry rolled his eyes.
"Great," he muttered, ignoring Tom's more then innocent grin.
The journey was passing relatively slowly, but Harry was finding it fun enough to talk to Ron. Tom had resumed reading his book as he promptly ignored them.
"You must be miles ahead in magic?" Harry added gloomily after a long discussion.
Ron shook his head.
"Fred gave us a spell to use," Sephronia offered.
Harry was intrigued as Ron pulled his wand out his wand.
"I'll show you on Scabbers," he offered. "My pet rat."
He held his wand carefully as he cleared his throat.
His rat didn't even flinch as Ron muttered something that certainly sounded like nonsense to Harry. Nothing happened.
Ron flushed, but he barely had anytime to explain anything as the door slid open.
"Has anyone seen a toad," a girl began at once, an otter dæmon held in her arms. "Neville's lost one."
The boy beside her shifted sadly.
And then she got distracted. "Oh, are you doing magic?" she questioned Ron excitedly.
Ron fumbled awkwardly.
"Let's see" she pressed.
Ron cleared his throat and started the spell again.
"Are you sure that's a real spell," she wrinkled her nose. "Only, I've tried out a few before, and they all worked for me. I'm Hermione Granger by the way," she added in a rush. "And this is Ramiron," she nodded towards her otter.
Ron was looking disheartened as the other boy spoke up.
"Sorry," he mumbled. "Did you see my toad?"
"Trevor looks like this," the small rabbit standing next to him offered. And in an instant they changed shape, no longer a rabbit, but a small knobbly toad sat before them all.
Harry couldn't help but stare. Ron and Sephronia too looked astonished.
"How did you do that?" Tom asked the dæmon curiously.
The dæmon flicked back to a rabbit in an instant, but before the boy could answer Hermione butted in.
"On very rare occasions if the witch or wizard has suffered emotional trauma it can be known for their dæmon to change shape to a different animal."
It was a text book answer.
Then she seemed to realise what she had just said as she shut her mouth hurriedly.
There was an awkward silence as Neville's dæmon shifted from animal to animal, clearly showing their discomfort.
Neville looked absolutely stricken as he paled.
"I-" Neville fumbled. "I don't know about that. Cyrilla has always been able to change."
"Liar," Tom whispered so quietly that only Harry could hear.
"Well I think it's pretty cool," Harry ignored Tom as he smiled encouragingly towards Neville.
Cyrilla settled in an instant, her form becoming an adorable baby elephant, her trunk tooting in the air happily.
Neville shifted from foot to foot as he grinned slightly.
"Thanks," he murmured.
Cyrilla bounded up to Tom, her trunk nuzzling at his side.
Tom looked unsure, as if not aware of what Harry had gotten him into as he stiffened, hand falling out slowly to bump Cyrilla gently on her head.
"How come you are human?" Neville asked Tom seemingly gaining a little more courage.
Tom glanced up, still with an enthusiastic Cyrilla filling half the carriage.
Harry was warming to Neville already.
Tom looked totally out of his comfort zone, before he smoothed his face into a fake charming grin.
"No idea," he lied.
"Anyway," Interrupted Hermione. "We're nearly there. You'd better change into your Hogwarts robes."
Hermione and Neville left, leaving Ron, Sephriona. Harry and Tom alone.
Harry and Ron changed into their robes as the Hogwarts express began to slow. It wasn't long before they were standing out on the cold platform.
"I wonder what happened to Neville," Harry muttered quietly. "Something happened in his past, otherwise there is no other reason Cyrilla would change like that."
"I could feel something wrong," Tom muttered. "It was like Cyrilla couldn't settle, disturbing almost."
They joined the queue of other first years as Hagrid led them away from the other students.
"Yeh'll get your firs' sight o' Hogwarts n a sec," Hagrid called.
Harry couldn't help but stare at the huge castle, numerous turrets sticking out all over it, even Tom looked impressed as he stared.
It wasn't long before they were packed into dozens of small boats as they glided across the lake to the school.
Neville's dæmon had turned into a dolphin, splashing through the waves happily. Harry watched astonished, the fact that a dæmon didn't settle on any form seemed to be such an advantage. Although he would never trade Tom for anything else, he couldn't help but feel envious, regardless of the constant stares other people kept shooting their way.
The rest was mostly a blur, as the group entered a small chamber off the Hall where the other students were gathered. Professor McGonagall, a stern witch with a cat dæmon instructed them to wait.
Then something happened which made him jump – several people behind him screamed, their dæmons jumping close to them.
Neville's daemon, Cryllia, changed in an instant. Her rabbit form sitting in his arms, flicking into a mouse as she scurried into Neville's top pocket to hide.
About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, as they stopped short, noticing the first years gathered around.
"I say, what are you all doing here?" one of the ghosts began.
"New students!" A little fat monk replied grinning merrily. "About to be sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely.
"Hufflepuff was my old house," the monk proclaimed proudly.
The group of ghosts seemed content in breaking into discussions regarding their own sorting. Harry barely listened, instead he started scanning them interested, some had obvious wounds which were probably the most likely cause of death. Others looked like they may have just drifted off in their sleep.
However, Harry froze as his eyes came to a stop. One of the ghosts was staring straight back and he was horrific, silver blood stained his robes and his face was gaunt with blank eyes. Harry barely drew breath as the ghost just watched him and Tom.
"I do hope you will return to Slytherin," the man spoke quietly.
Harry's fists tightened into Tom's clothes as his heart pounded, he hadn't anticipated people would recognise Tom already. Tom had promised him they wouldn't.
This certainly seemed to catch the other ghosts attention, as they too turned to look at them both.
"Oh my-" The fat monk began instantly.
One female ghost, with very long shimmering hair, fixed her gaze at Tom, her lips thinning as an absolutely furious look crossed her face. She barely hesitated as she turned her back and floated through the wall, without so much as another look.
"I'm sorry," Tom spoke back carefully, ignoring the ghost who had just left. "I believe we're unacquainted?"
The man's unnerving expression didn't even change and Harry felt some of the other first years shiver.
"Of course," there was a long pause as he nodded his head curtly. "Allow me to introduce myself to you, Tom Riddle. I am known as the Baron."
"The Baron?" Ron blurted out. "The Bloody Baron?"
Some of the ghosts shot Ron a warning glance as the Baron didn't offer an answer.
"I don't understand-" A ghost who was wearing a ruff and tights started, and then his eyes slid onto Harry who was clutching Tom's shirt so tightly now.
"Ah of course, Harry Potter," he murmured, almost sadly, some of the first years began to whisper. It was the same look Hagrid and Illaria had given him, one of sympathy and a horrible look of understanding.
"Sir Nicolas de Mimsey-Porpington," he introduced himself, his head looked like it wobbled as he dipped it slightly.
"Move along now," a sharp voice interrupted. "The sortings about to start."
Harry had never been more grateful, as he pulled Tom firmly away from the ghostly watching eyes.
McGonagall shuffled them all into a line. Many others were clutching their dæmons tightly, clearly trying to draw comfort from each other, although that still didn't stop a lot of confused glances darting their way.
Adara, Malfoy's ferret daemon was perched on his shoulder proudly, looking far too comfortable. Tom only shot Harry a glance, one that he supposed was meant to be comforting as he pulled Harry's hand into his own.
How could Tom be so calm about this, only a few weeks ago and Harry had been the only one to see him, and already Tom was striving as he held himself tall. Harry guessed it came naturally with being a Dark Lord or something.
Harry followed a sandy haired boy who had a small shimmering fox in his arms, Ron was behind him, Sephronia close by his heels, although she kept her distance from Tom.
They walked out of the chamber, back across the hall and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall.
Harry had never imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit my thousand of candles which were floating in mid-air over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. Hundreds of shimmering daemons were running around, some were birds, flying high in circle's to get a good view.
There was even a giraffe standing in one corner, a blue robed student chatting happily to them. Most dæmons were small animals, sitting neatly in their witches or wizards arms.
Harry tore his eyes away to glance up at the ceiling.
"It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in Hogwarts a History," Hermione was whispering, Ramiron was curled up tightly in her arms.
Harry remembered Tom telling him something similar.
The first years all collected at the front of the room, gathering together in front of the teachers with the students at the four tables behind them.
Professor McGonagall stepped forwards and placed a four legged stool down in front of the first years, which her cat daemon jumped a top, a battered wizards hat held in it's mouth.
The cat placed the old hat down carefully on the stool. Harry glanced around, not quite sure what was going on. Everyone else in the hall was watching the hat patiently.
And then it burst into song.
Harry glanced at Tom who was listening in rapt attention. Although he had read more about the Hogwarts houses, it made more sense now to hear the hat explaining each house and their traits.
The whole Hall burst into applause.
"I'm going to kill Fred," Ron was muttering. "He was going on about fighting a troll."
Harry felt relieved, trying on a hat didn't seem that bad.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and started reading out names. Her dæmon eyeing them all carefully.
Hermione and Ramiron both went into Gryffindor. Harry heard Ron groan beside him. Neville and Cryllia also went into Gryffindor, whereas Draco and Adara went straight into Slytherin as expected.
And then it was Harry's turn.
"Potter, Harry!" McGonagall called out.
As Harry stepped forward, whispers suddenly broke out like little hissing fires all over the halls.
"Potter, did she say?"
"The Harry Potter?"
Harry moved up to sit on the stool, feeling rather foolish and anxious. Tom appeared to be content, unmoving in the small crowd of first years, but McGonagall seemed unsatisfied, after all, everyone else had been accompanied by their dæmons.
She held the sorting hat as she gestured for Tom to come up and join him. Harry wished she hadn't.
The effect was almost as bad a second time.
The students seemed to buzz even more as Tom stepped up for everyone to see.
"Is that a human dæmon-?"
"That's not normal."
"That's Potter's dæmon-?"
The last thing Harry saw before the hat dropped over his eyes was a Hall full of people craning to get a good look at him and Tom.
Next second he was looking at the inside of the hat feeling a bit foolish.
"Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Now, this is unusual, certainly makes this more difficult."
Harry didn't know what to say, so he just remained quiet.
The hat seemed not to mind this as it continued its mutterings.
"Plenty of courage, and a great deal of ambition, certainly conflicting, but that is to be expected."
Harry would have laughed out loud at this, he certainly wasn't ambitious.
"Oh no, not you Mr Potter," the hat agreed. "That would make things easier, I've never sorted two people at once before you see?"
"You mean Tom?" Harry thought.
"Certainly," the hat agreed. "Although he seems set on retracing steps."
"You can hear me?" Tom voice echoed sharply into Harry's head. It was confusing, Harry had never shared thoughts with Tom before.
"Oh yes," The sorting hat continued. "Lord Voldemort definitely made a perfect Slytherin. It would be wise to place you there, however Mr Potter on the other hand-" The hat trailed off and Harry had a funny feeling it had been deliberate.
"Hmm, difficult indeed," the hat offered again instead.
Tom didn't contribute any more as Harry was left thinking.
"Of course Slytherin wouldn't suit you, Mr Potter," the sorting hat spoke his thoughts aloud. "Otherwise I would have put you their already. No, Gryffindor is the house for you."
Harry felt his mouth run dry, surely the hat wouldn't place them in different houses, that was physically impossible.
"But one thing you have so very much in common," the sorting hat chipped in. "You are both fiercely loyal to each other."
"Not Hufflepuff," Tom snapped. "You will not put us there," his voice sounded like a command.
"Where do you suggest then?" The sorting hat mused lightly. "You are going to have to compromise one way or another."
"Lord Voldemort was a Slytherin," Tom stated simply as if this determined the answer.
"Wait a minute," Harry began to argue. "Just because you're a Dark Lord doesn't give you right to dictate what house I go in."
Although Harry couldn't see Tom he knew was smirking.
"Which house we go in," Tom stressed. "And I have every right."
The hat seemed quite happy to let them argue it out.
"Why can't we go in Gryffindor?" Harry thought.
"I have a reputation to look after," Tom stated deadly seriously.
Harry would have hit him if he could.
"Stop using Lord Voldemort as an excuse to get what you want. It's not fair."
Tom didn't respond as Harry tried to get his head round the situation. It was horrible, having to decide now.
The reason he was not inclined to say Slytherin was because he didn't want the stigma for Tom that went with Lord Voldemort, Draco Malfoy too had portrayed the house in such a way that was negative to Harry. Plus Harry couldn't think of a worse house with regards to his future, he didn't want to be in any spotlight.
However there was the fact that Gryffindor didn't match Tom at all.
Harry took a deep breath, wanting to come to some sort of reasonable decision, but the hat had already opened its mouth to shout.
"Gryffindor," the hat boomed as it was pulled off his head.
Straight away Harry's eyes locked guiltily onto Tom's, he hadn't made a decision, but the hat clear had.
Chapter Four updated June 2017
I'll add here – just for anyone interested – Neville's dæmon behaves like dæmons actually should do. Children's dæmons can take the form of any animal, it's only when they get older the dæmon actually settles on its form.