Tom awoke early with a yawn, his contemptuous eyes glistening in the darkness. His eyes jumped to the spot on the floor where he had last seen the black snake, it had slid into his room through the open window and whispered evil things into his ear during the night. He thought he would've slept in later, being kept up talking to the snake and all but he didn't, he wasn't even tired. He threw the covers off of his body, got up and threw his dressing gown around him which was draped across the chair by his desk.

He walked over to his wardrobe, opened the doors and got a small box from the bottom. Tom placed it on his bed and sat down next to it. He opened up the lid and looked through the darkness at the possessions in the box. A toy Yo-yo he had taken from a boy who had gotten him into trouble a few months ago, he still didn't know where it was; a picture of someone's dead loved ones he took from someone's room, the door was open so Tom saw no reason why he wasn't allowed in there; some pocket money that wasn't his to spend and a few other bits and bobs he'd taken from people who'd deserved it.

He didn't know how long he had been staring at the box, maybe hours - he started at the loud bang on his bedroom door.

'Tom! Time to wake up.' called the Matron. It sounded like Sarah.

'One-one minute!' he replied, slamming the lid down, throwing the box into his wardrobe and shutting the doors.

'Open up Tom.' she called again.

'Alright.' he said as he turned the lock and swung open the door. It was Sarah.

She jump back a little at the sight of him. 'Jesus Tom!' she cried, she could never get used to his eyes, especially when they came out of the darkness or when he was giving someone a cold, calculating stare.

'I thought we weren't meant to take the Lords name in vain.' Tom mocked her, he didn't believe in all the religious stuff they pressed on you in Wool's, even though everyone who worked there knew it, they never let up on him.

'You're-you're not.' she said. 'I-I didn't mean to. Like a good Christian I will ask for forgiveness over it later. Now get your slippers.' she looked down at his clothing, it was time for breakfast and he wasn't going to eat barefoot. 'And take off that dirty dressing gown, you're not going down dressed like that.'

'Yes, Ma'am.' said Tom, he slammed the door shut and sat down on the floor. He ignored the shouts coming from the hall to open up, she took to a last resort of opening to door herself, but before she could put one foot inside the door was thrown closed and the door locked. They should know better than to make me angry he thought. He wasn't going to take off his dressing gown, but he would put slippers on, the floor was cold and it was freezing his feet. He wasn't stupid.

He skulked down the dining hall, his temper was rising when he got stares from people, he sat down at the end of the third table - people still shuffled their chairs away from him even though they were at the other end of the table. He unnerved everyone, especially today, his eyes were positively brewing today.

'Master Riddle!' he heard Sarah scream from behind him. It was just a bloody dressing gown, he didn't understand what was so important about it, the other kids knew he wore it.

He let out a sigh as he turned in his chair to see her make her way through the crowd of youngsters toward him. 'What?' he asked with a little too much attitude.

'Don't say "what" in that horrid tone.' she snapped at him once she was standing beside his chair. 'Give it to me Tom.' Sarah said, with an outstretched arm.

'I don't know what you're talking about.'

'Of course you do, give me your dressing gown. It needs to be washed, then you can have it back.'

A chorus of sniggering and "Tom's a dirty boy" sounded around the dining hall. He clenched his fists under the table.

'Tom, be a good boy and give me the dressing gown. They'll stop once you do.' Sarah pressed as the tittering got louder.

'No.' Tom said under his breath.

'What did you say?'

'I said NO!' he yelled at her as he pushed his chair back, scraping the floor and stood abruptly. As suddenly as this had happened something else did too, every glass in the room exploded, sending shards of glass everywhere and people hiding as to not get hurt.

He ran out of the room as every beady eye from the floor was on him, judging him when they had no right to. He would be in trouble for this, he knew it, he didn't even touch the glasses, he hadn't touched anyone. They couldn't blame him for it, not really, they had no proof - but they would. They always did. Not that he cared that much, when he was punished it was more like being praised, he would be alone, away from the stinking children of the orphanage. Plus, most of the time snakes would find him and whisper things to him. The told him it wouldn't be long before he did something memorable in this place, something more evil than making odd things happen. Tom was never sure how they knew all of this, he never thought to ask, he didn't think he believed them anyway. What do snakes know anyhow?