Slughorn observed the tiny room warily as he sat uncomfortably on the chair which seemed could be broken anytime under his huge body weight. He looked just like in the memory while talking to Tom about horcruxes. A disappointed Harry silently sat on his bed. Unlike Dumbledore Slughorn was in all awe for his precious student Tom Marvolo Riddle. Explaining him his situation would be disastrous, not only Slughorn wouldn't going to believe him but Tom will come to know about his truth too. Who knows he could as well end up in Azkaban as far as his experience with ministry's efficiency go. Now he had no way other than waiting for 1st October to arrive art Hogwarts.
"Merlin Tom, you live in here? I never imagined a muggle building could look this haunted." Slughorn spilled out.
"Now you know professor why do I make request to headmaster every year to let me stay at Hogwarts?" Tom said in a low voice.
"I understand Ma..boy, and I really appreciate your adherence , it is incredible to become Hogwart's topper while growing up in an environment like this." Slughorn was in all praise for Tom as expected. "Don't I say always one day you will grow up to that wizard our world will remember forever."
Harry hided a sneer. Yes indeed Wizarding world won't forget most terrible dark lord of their history.
"So this is the mysterious Harold James Potter" Finally Slughorn's attention was drawn to harry. "Merlin you look so young and small." He exclaimed
Harry growled men for an eleven years oldtally. When was he going to get rid of his malnourished body?
"Yeah professor, the same old story of Muggle relatives tormenting a wizard kid. Their treatment to him for ten years caused his undergrowth and a defect in eyesight" Tom said it casually as if he was stating a fact.
"Sad story. That was quite unfair to do a child." Slughorn nodded sympathetically. He stretched a hand to him "hello ma..boy I am professor Horace Slughorn from Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry" he stopped midway and turned to Tom. "I hope he knows about Hogwarts." He said confusedly.
"Don't worry professor I have educated him as much as possible. He is quite a fast learner. "Tom patted Harry's back appreciatively. A little bit pride tingled in Harry, he had learnt getting a praise from Tom was not an easy feat. But he still didn't smile.
"I knew we could depend on you Riddle, with your guidance the new boy would have no difficulty to adjust with our world." Slughorn was again in full praising mode for Tom. "Hogwarts staff were quite astonished to know about existence of another wizard kid in wool's, especially when ministry was unable to find any prior record of this child. Also Potters don't have any scion named James Potter either. All we know that a child named Harold James Potter started living with Tom Riddle from 1st July onwards. But I knew you will handle the situation well."
"So professor did ministry give any explanation why they couldn't trace Harry's whereabouts? Nothing about his muggle relatives too?" Harry grasped sensing a little bit of suspicion in Tom's voice.
"Sadly no, there is no information of any Lily Evans who died leaving a one year old son, no Vernon and Petunia Dursley were found either."
Tom frowned at Slughorn's reply.
"Harry said they were planning to leave Britain. But as far I have known Hogwarts carry information of every magical child in British Isle. So how is that possible that there was no information about him?"
Harry's heart started thumping loudly in his chest as Tom's eyes pried to him. He didn't want to face another session of Tom's interrogation, it would cost him terrible amount of mental pressure. Sadly he was running out of a possible excuse.
"It is possible if they live in Ireland. Ministry is yet to strengthen its network to Iris Isle." Harry hadn't been as much thankful to Slughorn ever as of now. "But it takes incredible amount of mental ability for a young child without any prior knowledge to get transported all the way to London. Merlin If that's the case then I must admit this Potter boy has some gifted willpower." Slughorn was really amused.
Harry sighed. Slughorn got one thing right at least. His entire life had depended on his willpower. How else he could be able to live with Voldemort after what he endured in another life otherwise without losing his sanity?
Tom was not frowning anymore. But Harry would be stupid to believe this explanation convinced him fully. But at least Harry could be relieved from Tom's question for now.
"Anyway I am here to hand you the official admission letter to you, Potter." Slughorn handed Harry a familiar looking rolled parchment. The memory of the day of his another eleventh birthday flashed before Harry's eyes. He suddenly remembered Hagrid was a current student of Hogwarts. Probably he could atleast endure this ordeal of time travel in Hogwarts.
"Actually, assistant headmaster Albus Dumbledore hasn't return from continent yet. So headmaster Dippet had entrusted the responsibility to handle the letters to me. The list of the material you required are attached to the letter too."
So that was the reason why Dumbledore didn't show up.
"Professor does this visit to continent have anything to do with Gerald Grindelwald?" Slughorn's smile disappeared in Tom's question.
"Ma..boy I know you are a smart kid, but we are not supposed to talk about matters like this, specially which involve Albus. Also he is there in the request of ministry. But I am sure he will return once the school starts." He replied uncomfortably.
Tom's face plastered with his perfectly imitated smile. "ofcourse Professor, its between Professor Dumbledore and ministry of magic. But don't we think in regards to the present circumstances we deserve to get informed for preparation to face the lingering danger named Grindelwald. I mean everyone knows about the rumor of his involvement with the ongoing muggle war."
Harry knew what Tom implied. It means Tom has already some idea of Dumbledore's past with Grindelwald. But Harry couldn't imagine Dumbledore would really go to meet that German dark lord. The global wizarding world occurred on 1945. So were they trying to negotiate before?
Slughorn sighs. "Tom I know what you meant, and I agree with you to certain degree, but since Albus is involved there is nothing we could do as of now." He turned to Harry. "Anyway our young friend needs to get prepared for the trip to Diagon Alley. Let me check my schedule first." Slughorn deliberately changed the topic
"You don't need to worry professor, I will take Harry there. You can concentrate in your works." Slughorn seemed quite relieved as Tom assured him.
"I knew I can count on you Tom. Honestly, I have a lot of incomplete business and half of the holidays are already over."
He then took his wand out and conjured a small note. The familiar sight of magical wand soothed Harry reminding where he actually belonged to.
"Take the note boy. While there you need to get to Gringott first, show the note to the goblins they will lead you to your locker."
"Wait his locker? But the orphans or poor students those are funded by Hogwarts don't get personal locker." Even Harry shared Tom's confusion this time. The students whose educations were funded by Hogwart's account even needn't go to Gringotts at all. Their payment of their books and robes were directly dealt from Hogwarts.
Slughorn smiles, "That's the perk of carrying a pureblood surname Ma..boy. Most affluent pureblood families have a spare account on Gringotts. If a child from any branch of the family fell in distress the account bears their expenditure of education. Potters are no exception in this case. So Harry you must take the note to Gringotts, they will run a test on you to ensure your connection with Potters. If it is proven you will get access of your own locker. You don't have to depend on the limited galleons that Hogwarts allot for the students on donation."
"Thank you professor. " Harry quickly had a glance at Tom. Riddle's face went to its expressionless self but Harry knew Riddle was surely thinking about what Slughorn just said. Realizing the importance of having a pureblood surname Tom's contempt towards his paternal family had surely been enhanced. Harry shivered remembering the details of the murder of Riddles, was there any way to stop that?
Slughorn soon took his leave with a consoling word of "I will talk to Dippet about letting you stay in Hogwarts from next summer. " Which both of them knew were not going to materialize.
After Slughorn left Tom bolted the door. Harry grasped nervously.
"Why did you lock the door?" his voice trembled. He quickly went to open the door but was stopped by Tom in middle.
"We need to talk Harry." Harry sensed trouble in that cold tone.
"What to talk anymore Tom? You heard what your professor said." Harry was getting fed up with Tom's interrogating session. If Tom were a muggle he would have a future in Scotland Yard.
"That you are coming from Ireland? And you have yet a perfect British accent without any Iris tilt right? You really don't think I am buying this explanation did you?" Tom had bent his head towards Harry. Harry realized Tom seems half an inch taller than what he was a month back. Merlin how fast does this young Voldemort grow up. Compared to him Harry's growth process seem to take break frequently.
"Believe it or not that's your wish. Now let go," Harry made a futile attempt to remove his hand but Tom's grip was vile.
"Answer my question first Harry. You were waiting for this day ever since you got to know about our world. You were so excited that you skipped your meal, and ever since Professor Slughorn stepped in all your excitement left you. You were so disappointed that you hardly spoke a word or two. Why so? Were you expecting anyone else? But whom? You don't know anyone from Hogwarts, or did you?" Tom held Harry's chin and lifted his face towards him.
"I demand an answer." He commanded.
"What would I have said?" Harry snapped back having had enough of Tom's psychological pressure. His mind was not so weak. "Your professor was so engrossed in marveling your talent that he had hardly any time to talk to you. And you are questioning me for that? Then blame yourself for being his favorite student and stop cornering me." Harry tried to remove Tom's hand from his chin but Tom didn't let go.
"Don't think Harry that you will get away with your excuses every time. The day I find out you were actually hiding something from me, you don't know what is waiting for you. You better not let the day come ever." Tom's icy voice was sending chills to Harry's blood yet he maintained a straight face.
"If your threatening is done can I go and grab some biscuits? I am starving Tom." Harry was really annoyed.
"You skipped your lunch for nothing." Tom smirked and let him go. Harry massaged his wrist which had red marks from Tom's fingers. Why Tom always had to grab him like this as if Harry was a thing of him?
"Take this" Before Harry made his way to door Tom was holding a small packet to him.
Harry was not feeling like talking to him hence he took the packet and opened the cover. It was a CAKE? A small one but freshly baked from oven. A cake nonetheless. Harry stared at Tom blankly. Did Tom Riddle just gift him a birthday cake? Or did he put a spell on him hence he was hallucinating?
"What? Was not it your birthday today? And who exactly was crying to his equally whiny best friend in this morning how he never had a birthday cake in his aunt's house?" Tom had a typical smug smile plastered on face. But Harry was too surprised to be annoyed.
Indeed he was telling Hannah how his Dursleys used to forget his birthday. But since when did the dark lord start acting so noble?
"Hey don't dare to think I care what you had gone through." Tom quickly got Harry's mental state. "It was just a reward for your good behavior for past week as you were obedient to me. So I asked Barbara to bake a cake. You know she doesn't deny to carry out my orders." Tom grinned and Harry pouted.
Barbara was youngest maid of wool's around only 18-19 years. Harry had noticed she has a soft corner for the most attractive teen of orphanage and Tom uses her liking in his advantage whenever it was needed. The girl always did whatever Tom asked even if she got scolded by Mrs. Cole for ignoring other works for that. Harry used to scowl at Tom's hypocrisy of using and hating muggles at the same time. But this time Tom had done something for his interest even though it was like getting a collar for obedient dog but it was still only Tom who got him a birthday cake. Harry couldn't help but become thankful.
"Thanks Tom." Harry took a bite from the cake. It was an ordinary one but Barbara had made baked with good care. It tasted really good.
"Happy birthday Harry." Tom's finger started playing with Harry's bangs again, as if scratching own pet's ears but Harry didn't feel annoyed this time.
He was finally going to Hogwarts after all.
