He let a shaky breath out as the train slowed, docking into the King Cross station. The quiver of the uneven airflow the only crack in another wise calm façade. He stood up and slowly made his way to the platform and through the barrier separating the world he loved from the world he loathed.
He passed through the seemly solid wall after grabbing his overnight bag from the train's luggage car and stepped into the bustling train station. It only took him a few moments to locate Mrs. Cole, his caregiver. Now normally when this happened, in the summer holiday months, he would greet her with a sullen sneer. Today, however, seeing as this woman was the one bringing him to his destiny he managed a civil nod in greeting. Mrs. Cole managed to keep the surprised look off her face for the most part as the pair walked to her car in silence.
The silence continued as they drove the familiar route towards his home away from home. As the got closer he could read the large metal sign on the even larger metal gates. Wools Orphanage split in two as the gates opened as they drove the car into the driveway. Once parked both got out of the car and walked just as silently into the main foyer.
Tom wasted no time, not stopping to great anyone as he walked to the room he kept here out of necessity. He took a calming breath. He only had to stay here for tonight. Once Mrs. Cole took him to find his birth father, he would be so distraught at the thought of him living with muggles he would put a stop to it at once.
Tom looked to his left and saw the large wardrobe that took up half the wall. He remembered with Dumbledore came and proved he was a wizard by setting it on fire with a mere glance. To his eleven-year-old self, it was the most amazing thing he had ever seen. To be part of the elite, the rare, made the orphan feel special for the first time in his life. Until then all he had to go on was the possibility that his mother was a circus worker. The kids had tormented him relentlessly about it until he took Dennis and Amy to the caves, then no one teased him again.
Tom grinned and bared it for the rest of the night. The other children didn't bother him. The only time he came out of his room was to eat, then he went back to his room to read his textbooks. He stopped once to confirm the plan with Mrs. Cole for the following day before secluding himself. He'd never lose a night of studying if he could help it.
He looked to the small clock that hung over the writing desk and it read 10 pm. He put his book down on the side table and leaned back onto the bed. Immediately his thoughts were consumed by Hermione. This was the first night since the school year began that he hadn't talked to her, he found himself missing it.
When the girl first came into his life, he was merely curious. The school didn't get transfer students, let alone those in relation to his most troublesome obstacle. He noticed her aptitude right away, there was no way he couldn't. Without effort, she bested him at every turn, unique and innovating thinking on every topic that came up. As time went on he found himself genuinely drawn to her, out of more than curiosity. He wanted to hear her ramblings, to pick her brain and have stimulating conversation, which was something he usually lacked with his housemates. When Christmas came and he saw how happy a simple gesture made her happy, as opposed to the other females in his house that would have scoffed at anything non-materialistic, it made him happy to do it, which was a foreign feeling in its self. He wasn't used to doing something for someone else just because it made them happy. That's what lead him to what he did on New Year's night.
Of course, Hermione didn't know that it was also his birthday, as he never celebrated his coming into the world. But this year, he actually felt happy to be where he was and acted on base instinct. As their lips met and melted into each other, all thought escaped him. It wasn't until they were back in the common room and he was in bed that all his thoughts came rushing back. He thought about how good it felt, then he thought about how she would distract from his goal of superiority. He had his life planned out and he admittedly never factored in emotional relationships. All the people he thought about were of a political nature. If he was going to be Minister of Magic one day he had to make the right connections early and often.
It was almost a week that he would keep her at arm's length before he snapped out his reverence. He decided that it wasn't unheard of for Ministers to be in the family way, and if he was going to have a partner, she would be a perfect one for him. And with that he drifted off into a fitful sleep, dreaming of what was to come.
The sun barely crested over the horizon as Tom woke. He didn't know if it was from nerves or excitement but he got dressed in his Muggle best all the same before heading down to the foyer.
Mrs. Cole was already there, talking to one of the other workers, making sure she knew what to do as she would be gone for most of the day. When she noticed Tom she smiled uneasily. Everyone here was uneasy of Tom and that's how he liked it. Familiarity breeds contempt, as they say.
They got into the car and it seemed Mrs. Cole couldn't stop herself from speaking this time, "Tom, you must be so happy your headmaster located your father and grandparents. This village is about an hour away, in the countryside. We sent a letter informing them of our arrival but you know how shotty the mail are in these times."
He nodded in understanding but said nothing. Of course, they wouldn't have been told, wizards wouldn't concern themselves with muggle post. They live far away from muggles for a reason. Of course, he couldn't say this to her so he kept his stoic silence.
The hour seemed to fly by and as the road became less even and the car bounced along a little wooden sign indicating Little Hangleton was a mere 5 Km away.
Tom let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. Mrs. Cole noticed this and smiled slightly sadly, "Don't worry Tom no matter the outcome you still have a place with us and school. I know you love that place. Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you Tom?"
Tom had told her that he wanted to introduce himself to the man himself. Of course, he couldn't tell her it was because he couldn't talk about magic with her there. He shook his head in the negative. She signed and nodded before turning back to the road.
The next several minutes were silent but filled with an unnamed tension. Tom knew logically that he had little to worry about. Wizard's welcomed family even if only out of obligation. He briefly wondered who exactly his family was. He had searched the school for a mention of Riddle but he found none. He had surmised that it was his muggle mothers name hence why there was no record. Being in Slytherin you were exposed to all the wizarding families and he wondered who he would find on the other side of the door.
Mrs. Cole took a slip of paper out of her coat and looked around, must be the address, Tom thought. She slowed down and finally stopped in front of a grand house. He didn't expect any less but still, the reality was slightly jarring. It took him a few seconds to compose himself before reaching for his seatbelt.
Mrs. Cole took hers off as well and turned to face Tom, "I know you are a grown man now but I still sometimes see that baby I delivered long ago." She paused to give Tom a watery smile, "I wanted to give you this. It's a photo your mother had on her when she came to us."
Tom looked at it. It was a girl young but not childlike. She was heavy with child and a man held her from behind. They both looked at the camera. It was a muggle photo. The man looked just like Tom, or Tom looked just like this man. Tom stared at the picture for several long seconds before turning to look back at Mrs. Cole.
He cleared his throat, "Thank you, Mrs. Cole, I appreciate this."
Understanding that he was trying not to be emotional she smiled, "I will be back here by 6 pm Tom. If for whatever reason you do not stay in the house that long just down the road is the luncheon I'll be staying at to wait for you okay?"
He nodded in understanding and got out of the car. He closed the door and stood by the road as the car drove off. He took a few moments to compose himself before trekking up the path. The large black door loomed over him as he reached up and rapt a couple times.
Tom's heart stopped momentarily as he heard the lock click and the door swung open slowly. A man stood in the doorway, dressed in a muggle tuxedo. It struck Tom as slightly odd but he shook it off. The man cleared his throat and asked Tom what his business was.
It was the first time Tom remembered being truly lost for words. He composed himself momentarily and brought the photo up to the eye level of the man. He looked at it briefly before all the colour drained from his face.
The man stood aside and gestured for Tom to come inside. Once in the doorway, the man turned to him and told him to wait in the parlor and he would fetch Mr. Riddle. He left and Tom was confused.
The man had said, Riddle. That means this is the Riddle house. It just didn't make any sense. Tom racked his brain for an explanation until he heard two sets of hurried footsteps approach him.
He looked up and thought he was looking in a mirror. The man in front of him looked just like him just aged slightly. The man stood still upon seeing Tom. He looked him up and down with a confused stare.
He spoke first, "Who are you boy?"
Tom held the picture up, "this should tell you well enough."
The man swiped the picture from his grasp and studied it closely. When his eyes fell upon the girl his eyes widened and shot back up to Tom, "you mean you survived?"
Tom gave him a lazy eye roll, "obviously."
The man ran his hand over his face and turned to the tuxedo-clad man, "Herold! I thought you said the bitch died! She ruined my life and my reputation that I am just getting back. I was very clear in my orders that she was to disappear."
The man, now known as Herold spoke, "I was sure Sir. I administered the drink as instructed and dropped her off in the darkest alley in the rough part of the city as planned."
Tom couldn't keep his mouth from dropping, "You killed my mother? Using a muggle method? Why not use your wand?"
Tom Senior looked confused, "what on earth are you talking about, you sound like your crazy mother, muttering about wands and potions. She was insane and tricked me into laying with her. Once I realized what had happened I needed to take care of the problem."
Tom stood stunned. This man was a muggle. Tom's earth shattered around him. Everything he thought he knew erased. His brain, hollow of thought just as his body was hollow of feeling.
Tom didn't know what to do so he turned and ran. He retched open the front door and ran down the driveway to the cobbled road. He didn't slow until he couldn't see the house any longer. Along the side of the road, there was a large tree that he staggered over to and slide down, sitting with his back against the thick trunk.
His brain buzzed with thought, so much so it was numb. He just couldn't believe it was his father, the man he shared a likeness with, was the muggle. A muggle who had attempted to kill his mother and by extension him.
He didn't notice that a small snake had slithered beside him. Tom absentmindedly stroked its head for several minutes before he realized what he was doing. Tom being both a Slytherin and a parselmouth, had an affinity for the creatures.
Tom heard crazed yelling and turned his head towards the source. He saw a ragged looking man. He was almost skeletal, his brown hair grown wild and matted. His eyes stared in opposite directions. His clothes were both torn and dirty. Tom almost dismissed the man and a vagrant until he listened to what the man was shouting. It was parselmouth. He was searching for the snake that had taken up residence in Toms lap. He stood up and coiled the sneak around his hand as he faced the man.
The man looked at him angrily, "you give that snake back boy she doesn't belong to the likes of you."
Tom, in parselmouth, hissed back, "She belongs to no one."
The man looked at him shocked, "you speak the language of snakes' boy?"
Tom nodded, drawing his wand. The man looked intently at his wand before drawing his own. And just like that, an unspoken understanding was forged. The man turned around and walked back the way he came motioning for Tom to follow. Not wanting to go back to the Riddle house no back to Mrs. Cole he decided to follow.
The man stopped at the front door of a small house. Well, a house was generous. It was a hovel, dirty mud caked dwelling. Upon entering he knew this was the residence of a wizard, caldrons and potion bottles littered everywhere. The man sat down on one side of a workbench and motioned for Tom to take a seat on the other side. After taking a seat the man seemed to be slightly more at ease, but still exuding a mad aura.
"What is your name boy?" He asked.
Tom cleared his throat, "I am Tom Riddle."
At the mention of his name the man beat his hand onto the desk in anger, "That man, he stole her from me. The dirty muggle, no good in the lot of them. If the mudblood loving ministry hadn't locked us up none of this would have happened." He finished with a spit on the dirt ground.
Tom was confused until he looked at the wall and saw the same woman from his photograph. The time she was in a magic photo, she was sitting with the hand of a male on either shoulder. One man, being the man in front of him. The other was an older man but clearly still a relation. Tom reached back into his pocket and pulled out the photo once again, it was bent from grabbing it out of Tom Seniors hand.
The man opened the paper and his eyes widened, "Where did you get this?" He asked in a deathly calm voice.
Tom answered, "It's the only picture I have of my mother. It was on her body when she died."
He looked at tom sharply, "your mother?"
Tom nodded, "My name is Tom Marvolo Riddle."
The man sneered, "She gave you that muggles name but at least she paid tribute to your father as well."
Tom rose an eyebrow in question, "your father?"
The man motioned to the same photo Tom had noticed before, "Our father, Marvolo Gaunt. I am Morfin Gaunt, your mother Merope and us are the last descendants of the noble house of Slytherin."
For the second time in the day, Tom was speechless.
Morfin continued, "Yes boy, the Salazar Slytherin, noblest of houses and wizards and your mother threw it all away for a muggle. I did not mourn her death."
Tom thought about his words and decided he was right. She was a direct descendant of one of the most famous wizards and she decided to be with a muggle. That muggle then gets the better of her and actually manages to kill her. He grew angry at this revelation, this muggle had ruined everything. Without him, he would have been born into the house of Gaunt. He would have restored them to their former glory and rose to gain the respect of all.
Morfin spoke again, "If I hadn't been in Azkaban, that muggle wouldn't have gotten anywhere near her. He ruined her and she got what was coming to her."
Tom nodded, "I don't disagree. I was ashamed of her long before I knew who she was. She was the reason I am the only half-blood in Slytherin. But now I know that my blood although tainted with muggle is purer Slytherin than the rest."
Morfin nodded, "she may have made you a half-blood boy but that half is Slytherin. You will do well to remember that."
He didn't know what to do. Tom had come here to find family, he did but definitely not in the way he thought. He pondered what he would do next. He was due to meet Mrs. Cole soon but he felt that he couldn't leave things as they were. He was angry. Angry at his mother for being so weak as to fall for a muggle, for not even raising her wand to save herself for his sake. Mad at his father for killing her. He was condemned to his life of teasing and torment before of how selfish they were.
He took a breath and noticed that Morfin had left his wand on the potions bench. He had turned from Tom and rooted in a truck that was behind him. He rose and reached his hand out towards Tom. Tom copied him and felt the weight of metal in his hand. He looked at what Morfin had dropped into his hand. It was a necklace, a locket to be more specific. It was various hues of green with a large 'S' on the front.
Morfin explained, "It was your mothers. When my father got out of Azkaban and found out that she had sold it to that cad, Caractacus Burke. It is a Slytherin heirloom."
Tom closed his hands around it and nodded in thanks. He placed it into his pants pocket and looked back towards his uncle.
Tom sighed, "thank you for this, and thank you for all the information. I am sorry I have to do this though."
Morfin looked at him confused. In a flask, Tom grabbed Morfin's wand and froze him in place. Once he was sufficiently incapacitated Tom ran back in the direction of the Riddle house. Hearing the story of his creation cemented his hatred of the man.
He reached the house just as the sun was starting to set. He could smell the slight odor of dinner being served. He used Morfin's wand to unlock the door and silently crept in. He happened upon the dining room. Herold was serving supper to Tom Senior and two elderly people. He guessed they were his grandparents. The scene made him angrier. He wasted no time. He rose Morfin's wand and uttered the most unforgivable curse. In quick succession a total of 4 times. In no less than 2 minutes every inhabitant of the house slumped over, no life to be found.
He looked at the faces of the people in the chairs and found he didn't feel remorse for the lifelessness he saw. So much did he not feel anything he turned around and walked out the door, locking it silently behind him.
He returned to Morfin, finding him still frozen where he had left him. He walked to the same trunk that Morfin had dug the locket out and grabbed anything that remotely looked to have belonged to or have mentioned his connection to Slytherin. Once he was satisfied he once again took Morfin's wand and altered Morfin's memories before unbinding him and fleeing down the road to the luncheon Mrs. Cole had mentioned earlier.
The ride back held a different kind of tension. Mrs. Cole probed, asking him how it went. Tom shut her down each time she tried, simply saying that it was not the reunion he was hoping for and left it at that. The rest of the ride Tom reflected on what had happened. So much had happened that as soon as he reached his room back at Wools and laid down on his bed to clear his mind.
The bad came with good and now he had a new mission. He was determined to find out whatever he could about the Slytherin heritage and do it proud.
It was with his newfound outlook that he woke up and packed everything up into his bag. He had a portkey arranged at the train station and Mrs. Cole was going to drop him off right away.
He left with the same amount of fanfare as he received when he arrived which was none. He didn't even bid Mrs. Cole farewell as she pulled up to Kings Cross station. As soon as the car had stopped he got out of the car and walked into the station, full of purpose.
He passed through the barrier quickly and found the attendant who escorted him to the train office. He gripped the small tinker toy tight and felt the tugging at his navel that stopped at his feet set firmly on the Hogsmeade station platform. A carriage waited to take him up to the castle. He had done this many times before but this time he could see the black winged beasts that pulled them.
A/N: So we got one in Toms Point of view! I hope you liked it, I tried to stay as true to canon as I could so I hope you all liked it! Please leave a review/ like/ follow and tell me if you did! Also a big thank you to all who have reviewed so far, I adore reading all thoughts on the story. Also please forgive any grammar errors my beta is Grammarly and sometimes it misses something!