I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER

Chapter two: Discovery

Harry looked around the room he was just given by the caretaker, Ms. Cole. It was small but for someone who had been living in a cupboard it was a great improvement. The walls were a dirty white and grey tile as flooring. There was a small bed with scratchy blankets and a thin lumpy pillow. Overall he wasn't impressed but he was used to poor conditions. He had been given a set of clothes as well, sure they were stained and obviously worn but anything was better than the rags the Dursley's gave him.

He sat on the bed starring at the wall and thinking over what to do now. The orphanage wasn't as bad as he thought it was. When Ms. Cole had showed him the backyard where all the children were he had to hide his sneer. He never got along with anyone his age, he was more mature. He had never been treated like a child so he had never connected with any children before. He would just have to ignore them, sure they were loud and messy but he always been able to blend in with the shadows to avoid any attention. Thinking about the backyard made his thoughts wonder to the boy that he was drawn to. When he had stepped outside he had immediately felt a dark but pleasing presence in the yard. He saw that it was coming from a boy several years older than himself. The boy looked like a Greek god sitting on the bench reading a book. He could immediately tell that he also had the power that Harry himself had. He had never met another who also had the same ability as him. He discreetly took in the older boy. He was handsome in a charming way, he held an air of power and authority. Harry was immediately captured by him, he wanted to know who this guy was and if he was able to do the same things as himself.

When the older boy looked up and met his eyes he saw the other had icy blue eyes like those of a storm. The eyes were currently glaring at him and he knew that if he was anyone else he would be cowering in fear. But he would never show such weakness and bend to the will of another. The boy looked similar to himself, black hair not messy though and aristocratic features. He was about to go over to talk to him when the caretaker called his name. He forced himself to turn away and put on the mask he had decided to wear for this experience.

He was standing in line in what appeared to be a dining hall of some sort. He was told that he was to come here for every meal and if you were late then you would not be eating till the next meal. So having going awhile already without food he had showed up before the majority of the other orphans had. Grabbing a tray to that held a small bowl of soup and bread and butter he stood there looking for a place to sit. He did not want to interact with the other children but all the tables seemed full, and he doubted he was allowed to eat in his room. Suppressing a sigh he was on his way to sit at a table with the least amount of children when saw that the boy from the bench was sitting a couple tables down by himself reading a book. The boy didn't seem to mind being alone and in fact looked like he rather kill himself before dinning with the rest. The children seemed to unconsciously avoid him, taking longer routes to reach their friends so as to stay clear of his table as much as possible. Overwhelming curiosity made him move towards his table and sit across from him.

The boy didn't even look up from the book he was behind. But he could tell by the tightening of his fingers around the edges of the book that the other boy noticed that he was sitting in front of him. Taking a glance at the book to see what he was reading that made the boy read it so much he was surprised to see it was a book on what appeared to be called transfiguration. He had no idea what it was, and if there was one thing that he could not stand, was not knowing.

"What's transfiguration?"

The older boy looked up in surprise. "What?"

"Transfiguration, your reading a book on advanced transfiguration. I have never heard of it before, what is it?"

This seemed to confuse and surprise the boy greatly. Harry couldn't figure what was so surprising about it, did the other boy think he couldn't read or something.

"You can see the title of the book?" The mysterious boy asked slowly as if he wasn't sure it was possible.

"I'm not stupid, I can read you know. The book clearly says Advanced Transfiguration ."

The other boy seemed to be considering something and a little bit confused. He looked down deep in thought. After several minutes of him not doing anything but staring at the table he was about to get up and label the boy as a loony when the other looked up at him. He had a smooth blank face and his eyes showed curiosity and a little excitement.

"My name is Tom, Tom Riddle. You are?"

"Harry Stapper"

"Well Harry, before I tell you about my book have you ever done anything that couldn't logically be explained before. Maybe when you were really scared or mad?"

Harry knew that Tom knew he could do things with his power and judging by the look in the other's eyes he could to. Instead of answering the question, he asked one himself. "You have the power too." It came out more as a fact than a question though.

Tom seemed slightly surprised but also very pleased with his statement. All he gave as answer was a small nod.

Deciding there was no harm in answering his question he told Tom what he could do. "I can move things with my thoughts, when I'm mad or annoyed I can make others feel sick so that they leave, I have healed several bones with brushing my fingers over them. I can feel this power in side of me, kind of like a soul. If I concentrate I can pull the power out and do things that shouldn't be possible. Can you do those things too?"

Tom Riddle POV

To say he was surprised was an understatement, the boy had such control over his magic. More so than he himself had before he knew about the wizarding world. He had been very confused when the boy, Harry, had seen through his glamour on the book and even more so when he had said that Tom was magical also. Though the boy referred to his magic as power, he assumed that's what the boy thought it was. Very few could detect magical auras, it was a skill that is inherited through the blood. He knew there was no way that Harry was a muggleborn, he was somehow related to an old magical family but was not given a proper title. Much like he was himself.

Intrigued by the child, he decided to give in and answer his questions. He could already tell Harry was not the type to give and not expect anything in return. A perfect Slytherin. "Yes I can, but I can do much more than that. What you are doing is magic." Seeing the boys eyes widen in surprise Tom continued speaking. "I was like you when I was your age, I could control animals and make others hurt when they hurt me. But when I was 11 I received a letter from a school called Hogwarts. They teach others like us how to use and control our magic. There is another world out there. Hidden from muggles- that is the word we use for non magical people. There are towns and shops as well as a ministry. But we are forced to hide our talents because the muggles fear our power. They know that we are the superior being so they hate us out of fear."

Harry was nodding in understanding urging him to continue. He liked how Harry didn't immediately interrupt with several questions like most would. He was waiting to see what all he had to say before voicing his thoughts. "You, like I did, will receive a letter to Hogwarts sometime over the summer. A professor will come and explain to you what you are and the rules, as well as offer you a spot at the school. Hogwarts is the greatest magical school you can attend in our world."

"So if magic is real, what am I?"

"You Harry are a wizard."