Disclaimer: The usual, I don't own any of the characters or anything to do with Harry Potter. All credit goes to J.K Rowling. Anyone you don't recognise is owned by me.

Authors Note:Here is the new chapter. BTW I use a lot of text from HBP, specifically Chapter Thirteen. Some I copied directly from the book, while others have been slightly modified. Another reminder anything you recognise, I don't own.

A big shot out to Superdani a. who's PM kicked me into gear. Also shot outs to HandStainedRed1, axredxwine, Nana, Fuzzybear's Leopard, Cashopeia and JC for your reviews on the last chapter.

CHAPTER THREE- A Strange Visitor

Summer 1938

The air was balmy. Summer had arrived in London and a heatwave had struck the city. People were doing all possible given the financial situation, to keep cool.

Tom and Isolde were sprawled out around Tom's room, which strangely enough was the perfect temperature even with the window and door closed. Isolde was laid out on the bed, flicking through a book, while Tom was reclined on the desk chair, his feet propped up on the desk as he read his own book.

Isolde sighed and rolled over onto her stomach, dropping the book she had been reading onto the floor, before straining to reach another from the small pile on the floor beside the bed. A book that was just out of her reach slowly slide across the floor and into her waiting hand. Tom smiled, remembering the day Isolde had confessed that they had more in common than their lack of parents and love of learning.

*FLASHBACK – 1932*

"Tom." Tom looked up from the book her was reading. Isolde was standing before him, worrying her bottom lip.

"What's wrong?" he asked feeling a little worried. He knew something had been bothering her but didn't push her as she had a tendency to close up.

Still worrying her lip, Isolde walked over and sat on his bed. "It was me." She said quietly, looking down at her hands which were clasped and sitting in her lap.

Tom frowned. "What was you?" he asked in confusion.

Isolde took a deep breath and looked up at him. "I burnt George's hands."

Tom stared at her in surprise, taking in her statement. "You burnt George's hands? How?"

"The same way you set the curtains on fire and make things move without touching them." She whispered. Tom frowned again.

"I don't know how I do those things." He told her. "Do you know how?"

He stood up and went to sit beside her. If Isolde could do strange things as well, that explained why she didn't shy away from him like the others did.

Isolde sighed. "My Papa called it magic." She whispered, as if afraid to speak too loudly. "He said my mama could do it to. That we were special."

Tom frowned. "Magic." He repeated slowly, mulling this new information over. He was jolted from his thoughts by Isolde's soft voice.

"Tom, you're not mad at me are you?"

Tom's head snapped up to look at her. She was once again worrying her lip, looking nervous. "Why would I be mad?" he asked.

Tears filled Isolde's brown eyes. "Because I didn't tell you."

Tom pulled Isolde into his arms, trying to stop her tears. "I'm not mad." He whispered.

Sniffling, Isolde pulled away to look at him. "Really?" she asked, her eyes full of hope,

Tom smiled. "Really." He answered and Isolde returned the smile.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

Tom was jolted from his memory by a knock on the door. Isolde sat up and Tom dropped his feet off the desk. "Tom, Isolde." Mrs Cole's voice carried through the door as she opened it. "You know you need to keep the doors...how is it so cold in here?"

Tom and Isolde exchanged a look as Mrs Cole shook her head. "I don't know why I bother asking anymore." She mumbled under her breath before forcing a smile. "The two of you have a visitor."

Another look was exchanged between the pair. This time it was one of surprise. They never had visitors. Mrs Cole opened the door the whole way, revealing a man with long auburn hair and beard dressed in a flamboyant cut suit of plum velvet.

"This is Mr Dumberton – sorry – Dunderbore. He's come to tell you – well I'll let him do it." She said, backing out of the room and leaving the two eleven year olds with the strange looking man.

Isolde slid off the bed and edged close to Tom's side, taking his hand. Tom however narrowed his eyes at the man. The three stood in silence. It was broken by the visitor. "How do you do Tom, Isolde?" he asked, holding out his hand to Tom.

Tom glanced at Isolde, trying to see if she was having one of her feelings. Her eyes were surveying the man and she glanced back at Tom, giving him a shrug. She wasn't sure what to make of the man. Tom shook the man's hand, watching him as he turned to Isolde to shake hers.

"May I?" the man asked, indicating towards the chair.

Isolde nodded, pulling Tom towards the bed where they sat down, while the man sat in Tom's desk chair opposite him.

"I am Professor Dumbledore." He said, finally giving them a name.

Isolde let out a small squeak and her grip on Tom's hand tightened. He glanced at his friend to see her eyes widened in fear. He knew why. This man was a Professor. In other words...a doctor. So it had finally happened. Mrs Cole was tired of dealing with all the strange things that surrounded Tom and Isolde. She had brought in a professional to look them over.

"Professor?" Tom repeated out loud. "Is that like a doctor? What are you here for? Did she get you here to have a look at us?"

He repeated everything he thought in his head out loud, before pointing at the closed door that Mrs. Cole had left.

"No, no," the Professor said smiling.

"I don't believe you." Tom said. "She wants us looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth?"

Tom spoke in the same commanding tone he used on the other orphans when he wanted them to do something. Isolde gave a small gasp, surprised that Tom was speaking to a grown up like that. Professor Dumbledore didn't seem fazed. He just smiled pleasantly. Tom glared at him for a second.

"Who are you?"

"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I work at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you both a place my school – your new school, if you would like to come."

Tom leapt from the bed, pulling Isolde with him. He backed away from Dumbledore, shoving Isolde behind him. "You can't kid me! The asylum, that's where you're from isn't it? 'Professor', yes of course – well, we're not going, see?"

"I am not from an asylum." Dumbledore said patiently. "I am a teacher and if you both sit down calmly, I will tell you about Hogwarts. You don't have to go. Nobody will force you."

"I'd like to see them try." By this point Isolde was stuck between Tom and the wall, his back pressing against her front, while her's was pressed directly against the wall.

"Hogwarts," Dumbledore continued as if Tom hadn't spoken. "Is a school for people with special abilities."

"We're not mad."

"I know you're not mad." Dumbledore told him. "Hogwarts is not an asylum. It's a school of magic."

This caught both children's attention. "See, I told you that's what we could do." Isolde whispered in Tom's ear.

"What is it that you can do?" Dumbledore asked.

Tom shifted, allowing Isolde to resume her place beside him. "All sorts." Isolde breathed. "I see things, sometimes before they happen and we can both move things without touching them.

"I can make animals do what I want them to do. Without training them." Tom put in. "I can make bad things happen to people. I can make them hurt if I want to."

"Papa always said I was special and then I came here and found out that Tom was as well." Isolde said this softly.

Dumbledore was no longer smiling; instead he was watching Tom intently. "Yes, you are both special. Tom is a wizard and you Isolde are a witch."

"Are you a wizard too?" Tom asked.

"I am." Dumbledore said.

"Prove it."

"Tom." Isolde hissed, not happy with the way he was speaking to an elder.

The boy turned his gaze to her. "I want proof. Someone could have heard us talking and told Mrs Cole. He might be testing us."

Isolde bit her lower lip. He could be right. She turned her gaze to Dumbledore, looking expectant. He reached into the inside pocket of his suit and withdrew a long thin wooden stick, pointed it at the shabby wardrobe in the corner and gave the stick a casual wave.

The wardrobe burst into flames. Both children jumped in shock, staring at it, before Tom realised that what few possessions he had were burning away and he left Isolde's side, making way to the wardrobe, before the flames vanished, leaving the wardrobe unharmed.

Tom started from Dumbledore to the wardrobe and back. "Where can we get one of them?" he asked the old wizard.

"Am I to assume that you will be attending Hogwarts?" Dumbledore asked.

Tom was looking gleeful at the chance to finally escape the orphanage. "Of course." He said happily.

"I don't know." It was Isolde who said this. Tom looked at her, to see her worrying her lower lip in that cute way.

He walked over to her, taking her hand. "Why not?" he asked quietly, drawing her away from Dumbledore. "We can finally get away from this dreaded place. There will be other people like us."

Isolde looked up at him with scared eyes. Sure, the orphanage was a dreaded place, but it was familiar. "Your mother attended Hogwarts Isolde." Came Professor Dumbledore's voice.

The children turned to face him, both looking surprised. "Mama went to Hogwarts?" Isolde asked.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Kiah Branwen." He said with a slight smile. "She graduated as Head Girl 15 years ago."

This had Isolde interested. "Did you know my Papa? Did he go to Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore frowned in thought. "What was his name?"

"Marius Ashby." The young girl answered. Dumbledore shook his head slowly.

"No, I'm afraid I'm not familiar with that name." He told her. Isolde nodded, looking a little disappointed.

Tom wondered who he got his magic off. If Isolde got it off her mother, perhaps he got it off his father. He would have to look into it when he got to Hogwarts. Something suddenly occurred to him. He turned to Dumbledore. "We haven't got any money." He said baldly.

"That is easily remedied." Said Dumbledore, drawing a leather pouch from his pocket. "There is a fund at Hogwarts for those who require assistance to buy books and robes. You might have to buy some of your spell books and so on second hand, but..."

"Where do we buy spell books?" Tom interrupted, having taken the leather pouch from Dumbledore and was now examining a large gold coin that he had pulled out. Isolde nudged him slightly, not happy he had forgotten his manners.

"In Diagon Alley." Dumbledore said. "I have your list of books and school equipment. I can help you find everything."

"You're coming with us?" Isolde asked.

"Certainly." Dumbledore said. "If you..."

Tom once again interrupted him. "We don't need you." He said. "We can do it by ourselves. We go around London all the time. How do we get to Diagon Alley – Ow?" Isolde had nudged Tom extra hard in the ribs this time. He looked at her and she gave him a look. "Sir." He finished.

Handing them two letters, Dumbledore explained how to get to the Leaky Cauldron from the orphanage, explaining that Muggles ("Non-magical people") wouldn't be able to see if, but they would. "- Ask for Tom the barman – easy enough to remember, as he shares your name-."

Tom's expression noticeably changed something that Dumbledore seemed to notice. "You dislike the name Tom."

"There are a lot of Tom's." He muttered, before asking the question he had wanted to ask since it was revealed that Isolde's mother had gone to Hogwarts. "Was my father a wizard? He was called Tom Riddle too, they've told me."

Dumbledore informed him that he didn't know anyone by that name. Tom just took this in stride, before asking when they would be going to Hogwarts. Dumbledore directed them to the second page of their letters and their train ticket.

Having said all that needed to be said, Dumbledore stood up and held out his hand to Isolde and then Tom who then said, "I can talk to snakes. I found out during our trip to Cornwall a few years ago. They find me, they whisper to me. Is that normal for a wizard?"

Isolde sensed a change in Dumbledore's mood. She couldn't put her finger on it, but it wasn't good. "It is unusual." He said after a moment's hesitation. "But not unheard of."

The handshake between the pair was broken, as Dumbledore stepped away, surveying Tom briefly, before turning to Isolde.

"Goodbye Isolde, Tom. I will see you at Hogwarts." He said and then he was gone.

***********

A/N: And there we go. Hopefully that should do you for a bit. I've got two more stories I need to update, so it might be a while before this one gets a new chapter. As usual please review. They really motivate me because I know someone's reading the story and wants more.