The confinement at room 27, Imposed by Tom reminded Harry of the summer Dursleys locked him up and nearly starved until he was rescued by Weasleys. Although unlike that time this time it was for a much shorter period and Barbara used to bring meals thrice to their room. From her fondness to Tom she usually brought more quantity than their allotment. Furthermore Tom used to spend most of his days inside revising both of their lessons so Harry was hardly alone. The times Tom used to be out training Hamish to fly he made sure the door remains locked. Hannah used to keep touch with Harry by sending message through Barbara. From her Harry got to know that police had arrested the criminals Tom injured and was able to track down their entire web including their leader. However the guys couldn't remember how they ended up with broken bones there. Billy and David returned in shock. Especially Billy didn't utter a word since the incident. Following Tom's words Hannah didn't tell anyone about that either. So Mrs. Cole knew Billy had an encounter with criminals and so was in trauma. It seemed to Harry that Hannah's perception regarding Tom and magic or in their term freakiness had been changed a little. Although Tom was still not happy that Harry was keeping in touch with her.

"It is beyond me how do you still maintain your friendship with that muggle girl after everything had happened?" Tom sneered seeing Harry reading Hannah's message, the night before 1st September.

"Tom, you know she is the only friend I got in wool's" Harry snapped. "What exactly is your problem with her now? She did everything you asked her to do and still you want me to stop being her friend?" Sometimes Harry felt that Tom was not opposed to their friendship only because of his in general disgust for muggles. Of course that was one of the reasons but if Harry didn't know any better he would have thought that Tom was being jealous. Why and what he would be jealous of was beyond Harry's understanding though.

"I can't believe you Harry, how do you even think of trusting muggles? Haven't you seen what the blitz had done to London? Also last I remembered you were pretty shaken up reading the book I gave you?" Tom couldn't understand why after all his effort and his own experience yet Harry couldn't stop being compassionate to muggles. Any other child of his age with similar experience would have joined his league by now.

"Tom, but no wizard or witches were actually harmed in witch hunt right? It is written in history of magic that they used a charm that used to freeze the flames?" Harry remembered Binn's lesson in his time.

"Only some of them Harry." Tom said coldly sitting beside Harry which made later alarmed. "What about those who didn't learn the spell? Or wizards as you who grew up without knowing the truth about themselves? What if some of them were not true magical people at all? Also even if the wizards escaped, did it make muggles less cruel to attempt to burn them alive?"

Harry fell silent for a moment. He didn't think it that way. After he read the book given by Tom he was really shocked learning the disgust and hostility muggles felt for wizards but yet he believed that no witch or wizards were actually harmed by them but Tom's logic was quite strong to just brush it off as just his disgust for muggles. However he won't take it as Tom's justification to torment all the muggles.

"Then why do you trust Barbara to do your work?" Harry was quite annoyed with the older girl crushing on a younger teen and Tom's encouragement to it.

"Bulls crap, how did you get the impression that I trust her? She is just useful to me and that's all." Tom sounded really irritated.

"How could you hate and use people at the same time?" Harry couldn't help but asked, Voldemort's this skill always wondered him.

"Because you can't only survive with physical strength if situation is hostile to you. You need to know how to use your enemies in your favor. Besides, if someone as Barbara is so willing to get manipulated knowingly then it would be too bad to reject, you know." Tom winked at Harry and later restrained himself from continuing the topic. It was getting into uncomfortable zone. Least Harry wanted to discuss about Voldemort's skills with women.

"By the way, you didn't tell me how did you master in martial arts? I thought you hated everything regarding muggles." Harry changed the topic hurriedly.

"I hardly had other options. At first I didn't know I was a wizard. Yes I had some control on my magic from very early age but that was not enough when a lot of older and bigger bullies would attack you. So I started reading about muggle fight techniques and sometimes stated peeping into the training classes for armies. Even after getting into Hogwarts I was not allowed to use magic in muggle World and my wandless skill hadn't been developed until very recently so I had to continue my muggle fight lessons and result is before you." Tom smiled proudly making Harry realized again how much a quick learner Riddle was.

"By the way Tom thanks for coming to help that day." Harry sighed, even though he believed that he could help himself but Tom owed that much for making their escape much easier.

"Or, you should say thanks for saving you ass that day." Tom ruffled a pouting Harry's hair again. "Although I did that to save my reputation in the school, but you are welcome." Harry kept his head lower not intending to argue further. He had come to accept that Tom had a thing for his bangs. And there was no point arguing over it.

"Okay, you need to sleep now. We need to get up early tomorrow." Tom got up and returned to his bead switching off the light.

Harry stretched himself on bed too. Finally 1st September was arriving after a lifetime.

"Your bangs are as stubborn as you, Harry," Tom remarked after a futile effort to comb Harry's bird nest. Harry snorted. From early morning Tom was obsessed with making Harry's appearance as perfect as his own. To tell the truth except Mrs. Wesley none had spent so much time after Harry's hair. And Voldemort was the last person Harry wanted to see doing that. It was the most awkward moment of Harry's life to tell the least.

"Why are you acting like my guardian at the first place? Why wasting time after a stubborn boy like me" Harry asked in an exhausted tone. He had no idea for how long he had to take this ordeal of Tom's dressing up session.

"Like it or not, I am the closest thing to a guardian you could have right now. You might not care about your outer look but since I am the one answerable on your account right now hence I am not taking any chance, so better deal with it." Tom said coldly adjusting Harry's collar. Then tilted his head to see his handwork finally being satisfied that made Harry sighing in relief.

As expected only Hannah was at the doorstep to send them off. Barbara was there too with expectations to get one or two words from Tom and had to be content with a charming smile that needed much talent to draw artificially.

"I will miss you Harry." Hannah said in a chocked voice as she hugged Harry. "Just take care of you and Hamish."

"You take care too. Hamish will carry my letters to you. Do reply to them" Harry assured her and took his leave.

King's cross was not much away from Wool's. It didn't take long by walking. It was lesser crowded than Harry's time. As they reached between platform 9 and 10 Tom placed both of their belongings along with cage of Hamish on a trolley.

"Just push the trolley and keep walking with me." Tom instructed which once again reminded Harry of Mrs. Weasley's instruction on his first year's journey. Riddle was taking this guardianship way too seriously.

As they entered into platform 93/4 through the pillar nostalgia flooded Harry once again. The Hogwarts express was waiting for him finally, to take him away from all the misery.

Tom noticed Harry didn't need much direction to run through the wall. And the reaction in Harry's eyes seeing Hogwarts express had more elements of recognition than surprise. Day by day Tom was becoming sure that Harry was well acquainted with their world. Yet he was not getting any clue to confirm his doubt.

The platform was filled with Hogwarts students along with their families. Harry tried to see if there was any familiar face but he knew it was not easy to recognize 50 years younger selves of the people he knew in his time. He spotted Abraxas Malfoy who gave Tom a curtly nod. He was standing with his father. The father-son duo reminded him of Lucious and Draco, all Malfoys looked the same. He was attracting some of the students' interests too. He noticed some were talking between themselves pointing towards him. The daily prophet article seemed to make many of them curious about him already.

"Harry the coach allotted for first year is in the middle. After you board we would meet at the Hogwarts only. So try not to get in trouble till then." Tom's remark made Harry pouted at his self assigned guardian. If only Tom would have understood that he was the biggest trouble at the face of Earth.

Harry was about to step in the train when he stopped hearing a female voice calling out for Tom. Harry turned to see a beautiful girl approaching them. Before he could ask Tom about her the girl ran towards Riddle and threw her arms around his neck. The force with which she embraced him startled Tom and he had to embrace her back to not to lose his balance.

"Oh Tom, sweetheart I missed you so much." She said in a musical tone as she kissed his cheek making Tom further embarrassed and leaving Harry in total shock. He had no idea what was happening before his eyes. Tom Riddle was being embraced and kissed by a girl?

"Dear we are middle of a crowd." Tom reminded the girl in a composed tone after he was able to untangle her from him. Now Harry got a full view of the girl. She looked little older than Tom, and taller than average teens. Her dark curly locks reached beyond her shoulders. Brown eyes were surrounded by heavy eyelids which added another angle to her beauty and looked kind of familiar to Harry.

The girl was about to embrace Riddle again when Tom turned to Harry realizing he was still there.

"This is Romelia Rosier, Sixth year Slytherin prefect. And Romy, this is Harry Potter, the new first year." Tom said awkwardly. Harry could swear he hadn't seen Riddle this uncomfortable ever. Now the girl's attention was on Harry. She crunched her nose as she observed him thoroughly making Harry lowering his head feeling awkward. Now he understood why she looked familiar, the heavily lidded eyes were a feature for the girl lines of Rosiers. So this Romelia must be older sister of Druella Rosier, mother of Bellatrix, Narcissa and Andromeda and maternal grandmother of Draco and Tonks.

"So this is the Potter boy, the Potters had no idea about! Must be from a bastard line, hence Potters are denying all ties with him, what do you think?" Her tone made Harry sick growing an instant disliking. The expression on Tom's face told he didn't approve of her attitude either. Ofcourse Potters for their muggle friendly behaviors were ridiculed by the pureblood supremacists. And Rosier was one such family. So any scandal from Potters would make them happy.

"We need to get in train, the departure time is near." Tom said hurriedly clearly to put an end to the scene.

"All right, see you at Hogwarts darling."Romy gave another peck on Tom's cheek and left.

"What are you waiting for? Go get in. the train would leave with or without you anyway." Tom pushed Harry towards his coach without giving him a chance to comment. And he left for his boggy without waiting for a second as if to avoid any question coming from Harry.

The train whistled and departed the station moments after Harry got in but he stood by doorway for a little longer. He needed few time to process what he had just seen. So teen Voldemort had a girlfriend who happened to be aunt of Bellatrix Lestrange? This was absolutely insane. The concept of dating was opposite of Tom Riddle's characteristic at the first place. Then why would Tom date a senior girl by two years, a prefect nevertheless and that too from Rosiers? Tom looked clearly embarrassed by her over enthusiasm which all was indicating that Tom has an ulterior motive behind being with her. Was it only to recruit the earliest death eaters or there was a bigger story beside that? And above all could Tom get himself a girlfriend more terrible than that? The girl left an absolutely sour taste in the mouth spoiling his excitement to reach Hogwarts.

As the train left London Harry shook his head and entered into the corridor. Tom's obnoxious girlfriend shouldn't get to him. He searched for an empty compartment to give himself some time to figure things out. But most of the compartments were full with budging 1st years and he was not ready to socialize now. Finally at the end of the corridor he found a tiny compartment where only a girl was sitting facing towards window. Harry silently entered without disturbing her and placed Hamish' cage beside him putting his other belongings under the seat. He took the opposite window seat and finally the girl looked at him. Harry grasped. The pimpled face and thick glasses was unmistakable to him.

"Moaning Myrtle! Or better should be called Myrtle Warren as she was still alive now. Harry sighed. Being away from Tom this was his chance to figure things out and freshen up his mind. But with Tom's first victim on site it was far from refreshing to him.

"Why are you staring at me? Want to make fun of my glasses?" Myrtle asked in a high-pitched tone. Seems like Living Myrtle had just as much capability of getting on nerves as much the ghost one had.

"Why should I? I got glasses too in case you didn't notice." Harry replied in an annoyed tone and then felt a pang of regret. Myrtle was heavily bullied and was a lonely girl in her lifetime. If there was a way to make her feeling less miserable probably there would be a chance she would not end up losing life and making others' life miserable.

"Hello, I am Harry, Harold James Potter." Harry stretched his hand forcing a smile.

Myrtle considered for a moment. Probably no one ever had greeted her like that. Then she shook his hand.

"Myrtle Warren" she replied

Harry pressed his lips together to not to say I know.

"So, why are you here? Why didn't you sit with your friends? Nobody wants to be near me so what are you doing here?" She asked. She probably couldn't think anyone would want to sit with her.

"I have no friends here." Harry smiled sadly, missing Ron and Hermione immensely. This was the place where he first time met them or will meet them in future

"Really?" Now Myrtle seemed a little startled. She might have not thought someone else could have been without friends.

"Yes, I lived with people who called me a freak. Now you got the idea?" Myrtle nodded at Harry's words. An expression of understanding loomed on her face. No doubt she had gone through similar experience too.

Before the conversation went any further the curtain of the compartment shifted and a boy entered into the compartment. This boy looked awfully familiar to Harry.

"Hi is this place occupied?" he asked hesitantly

"No" Harry and Myrtle replied in unison and then she started giggling making Harry little relieved.

"Thanks to Merlin" The boy settled beside Myrtle

"I am Orion, Orion Black." The boy stretched his hand to Harry and now Harry knew why he looked familiar. Because he did look a lot like his elder son. Harry fought back a tear as Sirius's memory flooded him. He shook Orion's hand with much effort.

"Harry Potter, and this is Myrtle Warren" he replied and Orion and Myrtle shook hands.

"So you are the Potter daily prophet wrote about." Orion exclaimed. "Appeared out of blue amidst Blitz stricken muggle London, living in orphanage with Hogwarts' topper Tom Riddle, a Potter about whom Ministry had no clue."

"Wait Seriously? Myrtle rolled her eyes. "You are a victim of war then?"

"Well you can say that." Indeed Harry was a victim of wizarding war. "See, only your life is not miserable here.

"Oh ask me about that." Orion sighed. "All the time I was trying to avoid my overbearing siblings and cousins. That is the negative side of being youngest of the lot and one of the many cousins. I needed a breathing place for myself."

"Then welcome to the party." Harry smirked looking at Myrtle who didn't look as depressed as earlier.

"Kids are you feeling hungry yet? The Honeyduke Express is at your doorstep"

The hunchback Trolley Witch entered into the compartment. Harry's stomach growled on the sight of Cauldron cakes and Pumpkin Pasties.. He couldn't finish his oatmeal because of Tom's prolonged dressing session. And he was starving now.

"Get a bit of everything for three of us." Orion paid for the food without letting two of them to share. "Check the cards for Wizards and Witches the inside chocolate frog" he told to Myrtle.

"But you didn't have to pay for all of us." Harry felt a little awkward. He knew Blacks are one of the richest Purebloods still it didn't felt right to squeeze a kid.

"True we could have shared." Myrtle added while already devouring the sweets she was having for first time in life.

"Oh come on, this is for my new friends, besides there is some perks of being youngest one, there are more people to give you pocket money." He smiled and Myrtle laughed.

Harry look outside the window. It felt refreshing to get to make some new friends after all. His time in Hogwarts probably won't be as miserable till he doesn't figure out his way back to his own time.