"Stay close to me, Harry." Tom said as all the passengers got off the train at a small station seemingly in the middle of no where. Harry gripped onto Tom's sleeve, trying to avoid being jostled by bodies when Abraxas tapped Tom's shoulder and pointed to where all the other first year students were gravitating towards. Harry felt Tom's muscles tense from the contact, but the dark eyed boy's mask was carefully kept in a relaxed smile.

"Come on, there's a special route for us," Abraxas informed them, before leading the way.

"As if that wasn't already obvious..." Tom hissed out, eyes trained on the blond walking in front of them, expression not matching the malicious tone the words took on that only Harry could pick up on.

"I thought we were going to make friends here..."

"Harry, friends are only people you can easily use." The bright eyed boy frowned, his tone turning bitter in the hissing language he used.

"Is that what I am? Someone you can use?" Tom's eyes snapped to Harry, something similar to surprise making them wide.

"Of course not," Tom rebuked indignantly. "You're different. You'll always be different." Tom's pet chose to fall silent then, but even if the displeased and worried scowl remained, neither boy wished to continue the conversation.

Instead they allowed themselves to be distracted by the final part of the trip to the school. It was pitch black by the time the last student got into the four person boats, so the only source of light at first was the lantern hung up the head. Harry stared in wide eyed wonder as they moved forward on their own, unabashed as he leaned over the edge to peer into the depths. He found himself entranced by the wavering reflection of the lantern from the broken waters.

"Be careful, Harry," Tom warned from his spot beside the distracted boy. Harry glanced up over his shoulder at the other passengers. Abraxas was talking to a boy with fashionably cut black hair and quick witted eyes the color of a storm cloud. At first glance, with the look in his eyes and the way he held himself, the fourth boy reminded Harry of Tom. The genuine article himself was watching Harry with a careful eye, like a parent might a small child that liked to wander off.

"I am," Harry consoled, but Tom's head leaned slightly to one side, eyes blinking with his expression blank. Waiting. With a sigh, Harry sat back so he was no longer leaning out of the boat.

"Malfoy," Tom turned his head to face the blond he had captured the attention of, "care to introduce your friend?"

"I suppose..." Abraxas trailed off, for some reason glancing at Harry, "Black, this is Tom Riddle and Harry Potter. Tom, this is Orion Black." The blond didn't bother addressing Harry when introducing the fourth boy. He had learned fairly quickly on the train ride there that chances were that Harry wouldn't speak to anyone besides Tom unless Tom himself gave permission to do so.

"I've heard of the Potters of course, but Riddle?" Grey eyes narrowed, ready to ridicule the blond. "What sort of company are you keeping nowadays, Malfoy?" Abraxas readied to defend himself, but Tom spoke up smoothly, not the least bit threatened.

"Riddle is not my actual name, Black."

"Oh?" Apparently this one wouldn't take things at face value, his eyes as sharp as a knife. But it was clear he enjoyed any kind of challenge. "Then, pray tell, what is your real name?"

"I'm afraid that'll have to stay a secret for now. I'm a rather private person."

Harry, knowing that Tom would no doubt manage to convince Black to lay off one way or the other, became bored of the conversation and let his eyes wander. It was at that moment that they passed a stretch of trees and land, so a magnificent castle in the distance was revealed, every window lit up and shining like a thousand welcoming beacons. Harry had never seen anything so wonderful, and in his excitement, he cut off Black midsentance with an exclamation that hissed without his realizing it.

"Tom! Look!" Tom smirked at the storm eyed boy as if a point of his had been made before he followed Harry's finger. Eyes like the trees cloaked in the thick shadow around them sparked, and Harry could tell that Tom was getting the same feeling he was. This was what they had been looking for all this time, this was what they had found a little of when they met; home.


Harry looked over his shoulder fretfully, and Tom, who was several feet away, gave him a small "bear with it," smile. Trying to seem like he wasn't a jumble of nerves without Tom within reaching distance at that moment, the bespectacled boy faced the front again.

The group of newest additions to the school were lined up in pairs in the middle of the Grand Hall. The older students watched on respectfully under the joyful gaze of the teachers, floating candles, and the starless night of the enchanted ceiling as each first year was called up alphabetically. One by one, a child went to sit on a stool and have an old pointed hat put on their head. Some took longer than others for the hat to shout out the name of one of the four houses. When a house was called out, one of the four long tables, one for each house, erupted into cheers and whistles.

Harry could see Malfoy and Black a little in front of him, and no sooner had the hat been placed on their head did it scream, "Slytherin!" When it came time for Harry's turn, he was near shaking in his thin robes, and it wasn't from a chill.

Ever so slowly, he sat down on the stool, hands fisting the carefully mended many times over fabric of his pants. Bright green eyes closed in an attempt to calm himself from the feeling of being watched by a judging crowd, memories surfacing in such a bombarding tidal wave that he almost didn't notice the hat on his head, nor the voice.

-Curious sort, aren't you?-

"Wha-" Thankfully Harry barely whispered in his surprise, so he was able to stop from looking suspicious. He couldn't ruin Tom's once in a lifetime chance, not now. 'Who are you?' The bespectacled boy hesitantly asked inside his head.

-I'm an angel.- That could only be met with silence, and the voice sighed in a frustrated manner. -This is why I don't make jokes. I am the Sorting Hat, the one sitting on your head right now, who do you think I am?-

'Oh,' Harry struggled to think of something more to say to a hat, 'nice to meet you... sir?'

-Hmph. At least you're trying. But we can't have you sit up here all night, so let's get down to business, hmm?-

'Yes please. It would be appreciated.'

-Now you're getting into the swing of things. Let's see here... well, you don't exactly belong here, do you?-

'What?!'

-You belong in the school of course, but have you forgotten Potter? You're in the wrong time.- Harry was silent for a bit, curling his shoulders in.

'I haven't forgotten, but-'

-But you started thinking this is where you truly belong.-

'… Yes.'

-Very well...- the hat sighed, -it's not my place to say who belongs in what time, only in what house.-

'Thank you, sir...'

-Loyal to your friends... oh, I'm sorry, friend, you're brave and tend to take risks without thinking... you're clever, very clever, but not in a bookish sort of way. You have a sharp tongue really, and you always are careful when it comes to people. Then there is your affinity for snakes...-

'If it's all the same to you sir, I'd prefer to be in Slytherin.'

-Really? Are you sure? You could be great in that house but you could fit into Griffindor or Hufflepuff nicely.-

'I don't know about the other houses, but I want to go where Tom is, and he'll go into Slytherin. Trust me.'

-Well, if you're absolutely positive...-

'I am.'

"SLYTHERIN!"

Harry couldn't get off of that stool fast enough. Smiling graciously at the somewhat lacking cheers, he sat down at the end of the table, across from Black and Malfoy.

"I never thought I'd see the day," Orion stated dryly, eyes narrowing in agitation when Abraxas smacked his shoulder.

"He's a Parseltongue. Of course he's going to be in Slytherin!"

"Just because he's one doesn't mean-"

"What do you mean 'I never thought I'd see the day?' I thought..." Harry blinked when Black glared at him for interrupting. "Tom and I would prefer you don't broadcast everything. Now, what did you mean by that?"

"Potters are known to be Griffindors," Abraxas explained in Black's stead. "Any family known to be in Griffindor would never be put in Slytherin because of pride, and vice versa."

"Oh," Harry intoned dully, "then I guess I'll just have to break that record." Harry looked down at the empty plate before him, and only when he started a silent search for food did he realize the two were staring at him. "What is it?"

"You really don't talk much, do you?"

"Not... really..."

"But when Riddle's around, you talk even less-"

"SLYTHERIN!"

And Malfoy had to drop the subject permanently when Tom came victoriously to the table and Harry grabbed onto his sleeves before he sat down.

"We made it," the bright eyed boy said quietly, a small smile pulling at his lips as he looked up at Tom, who stood before him and put a hand to his cheek.

"We're free."


The room had a sickly emerald tint to it, made even weaker by silvery silk bedding, the charmed candles being the reason for the odd glow in the room. There were five beds in the room, but only two of the owners were present.

The eleven year old boys had claimed to the two farther most beds from the door, and that was where in the room they were now. Tom was sprawled out on his side with the grace of a cat on the second to last bed, textbook propped up in front of him so he could leisurely soak up the knowledge. Harry on the other hand, was unpacking the both of their trunks, and was currently sitting on his knees before Tom's, holding up his only other set of robes for inspection.

"Even these have the Slytherin badge now... how'd that happen?" Harry muttered under his breath, catching his constant companion's attention without meaning to.

"Did you say something Harry?" Looking up quickly, Harry rushed to his feet, going over to their shared wardrobe.

"It was nothing, Tom. Just my curiosity acting up again." As Harry opened the doors to the storage space, Tom studied his tense back, dark eyes never missing anything.

"What's sparked your curiosity this time?" Tom's tone, rather than offering conversation, demanded it.

"Just how all our robes could have badges and trimming already," Harry explained in dismissal. Tom hummed, dog-earring the page and closing it before he sat up.

"Probably just some sort of automatic spell. This castle's full of things like that., at least according to this." Tom tapped the book he had been reading with a pointer finger. "It'll make exploring in our free time interesting."

Harry nodded to show his agreement, going back to the trunks, in a hurry to try to keep his thoughts to himself.

"It'll be hard to sleep tonight."

"Because we'll be in separate beds?" Harry was silent as he picked up the spare robes. "We're no longer little children, Harry. It would be one thing if it was a private room, but..."

"It's not that- I mean, it doesn't help, but..." Harry sighed, looking at Tom and watching him. "There's going to be a storm tonight. I thought I heard thunder a while ago, at least..." Tom studied Harry for a few moments as he resumed rushing to and fro in his work.

"Very well. If there is a storm tonight, when they're all asleep, you can sneak into my bed."


That night, after introductions and small talk, Tom suggested everyone go to bed early for the first day of classes. All the boys agreed naturally, and they quickly fell into a deep sleep.

Then the first white hot flash lit up the room, and the resounded clap nearly shook the whole castle. Harry buried himself further into the bed, squeezing his eyes shut.

From the next bed, nearly black eyes watched the trembling form through the darkness. When the shaking worsened at the next lightning strike, cupid bow lips smiled benevolently, coaxing affection dripping from the single word Tom whispered into the shadows.

"Harry."

With the third strike, the form scrambled out, arms were wrapped around his waist as the sheets rustled from a small body sliding between them, and a face was buried in his chest.

"T-Tom..."

"Shh... it's alright, Harry, don't worry..." Cold fingers smoothed down ever wild hair. "Nothing can hurt you as long as I'm here. You know that, right?"

"M-mmn..."

"There there..." Tom soothed as he held the other boy close. "We'll always be together. Forever."


AN: I'm sorry that it's so short. Truth be told this chapter has been done for a while, but I've been hesitant to put it up due to the recent string of negative comments I've been getting. I've been trying not to let them get to me, but it'd be a lie to say they haven't. Anyway, it would be longer, but there's nothing else that needs to be written for this chapter, so I hope all of you can make do with this until I get the next one done.

ATTENTION: For some reason I've been unable to find the first names of all the original Death Eaters. If anyone could give me a list of those they know, first and last names, it would be greatly appreciated and a tremendous help to keeping Lightning as close to cannon as possible.