Wow I did not realise that it had been almost a year since the first chapter was posted. But long story short, I have not been able to concentrate on this story much, and I have been really unwell and have been in and out of hospital meeting a number of specalists - not a real excuse I am sorry. But hopefully from now, I should be able to start posting a bit more regularly. Any way this chapter is mainly a flashback, enjoy.

Chapter One: Tom

After finishing Hogwarts, Tom Marvolo Riddle Jr., began his quest of creating Horcruxes before gaining followers and eventually rising to power. It wasn't until 1943 when Tom Riddle turned 17, and murdered his paternal family that he stumbled across a young couple around the age of nine or ten. Tom was unaware of their presence until he turned to leave and noticed them peering through the open door.

"You're a wizard." The young boy said. A statement. Not a question. Tom's eyes narrowed in question, intrigued by the two young children. The minutes passed with Tom's eyes flickered between the young boy and girl, their gazes unmoving and unnerving.

"And you are as well?" Tom clarified even though he already knew the answer to his question.

"Yes." The young girl answered, her light brown eyes burning into Tom's dark ones. "What's your name?"

"Tom. Tom Riddle. And yours?"

"Jean. Jean Smith."

"Richard Granger. Did you go to Hogwarts?" The young boy inquired wanting to know more about the mysterious older boy.

"I did. Is that the school you both will attend?" Tom asked. The young children exchanged a glance and scoffed in a condescending manner.

"Why would we want to go there? They focus on pathetic spells and not enough on the Dark Arts. We are following in our parents footsteps and will be attending Durmstrang in two years time." The girl Jean answered. Two words piqued Tom's interest in the young children. Dark Arts.

"Yes, our parent's believe that our education should focus on the use of Dark Arts in order to keep wizards in…" Richards continued.

"And the Mudbloods out." Jean finished. Tom smiled at this, their parents and the children views matched his own. This is how I gather followers, by finding likeminded witches and wizards and together we can defend our world. Tom's eyes darted between the two children pondering on how to approach this situation.

"What is it?" the young girl noticing the gears turning in his head.

"Your parents speak wise words. I believe in the same ideologies. Mudbloods have no place in this world, and my plan is to rid them once and for all. But I need followers who are willing to do whatever it takes, and you two would be the perfect lieutenants. Once you have finished your education of course." Tom was quick to add. As much as he wants to start his plan for control of the magical world, there is no point in disrupting their education. What they will learn at Durmstrang will be incredibly different from what Tom learnt at Hogwarts, and this could prove vital in the long run to help with the running of the wizarding world. And with Durmstrang being a known school to focus on the Dark Arts, maybe there are other students who's families have started to instil these ideas in them from a young age and would be willing to join.

"So what will you be doing when we are at school?" Richard queried. Tom slowly made his way out of his childhood home only stopping when he reached the spot he would apparate from.

"That is for me to know. On the day of your graduation, go to the nearby town from your school and go to the local pub. I will be waiting." He said before apparating away leaving the two children behind to make a decision to follow him or not.

WYTBWYTB

Nine years later, Jean and Richard found themselves in the nearby pub from Durmstrang. Their time at school had been fulfilling and eventful, but both of them remembered their meeting with the lone boy in the village that they both lived in. They have learnt a lot since going away to school, not only just in regards to their education, but also about each other. So much that they went from being childhood friendship to childhood sweethearts, they had been inseparable throughout school, but they also managed through a self-made selective process to find a group of students who would willingly follow, and who Tom would appreciate. It has been a long nine years, Jean and Richard weren't sure if Tom would even remember the conversation had, let alone remember who they are. Did he even know they were graduation today? They have had no way of communicating with him over the years, how did he know exactly what pub to meet in? Who are they kidding, Tom alluded power and knowledge when they first met him, they may have been young, but growing up in a pure-blood family it is all about power…and wealth.

Jean and Richard locked eyes with each other, silently communicating that they would wait fifteen more minutes before they would leave. They must look pathetic to the other patrons in the pub. They have been sat in the pub for almost three hours, sitting in silent and nursing their now warm butterbeers. Their parents must be wondering where they are. They flooed over to see their graduation and celebrate with dinner. Jean and Richard agreed to dinner, but told their parents that they wanted alone time, and would meet them at the restaurant in the magical village near the school. The time passed by slowly, until it reached their own deadline.

"Shall we go? I don't think he is going to show up," Richard whispered to the love of his life. Jean nodded as she put on her gloves before standing up. As they stood up to put on their jackets, a sudden gust of wind hit them causing the hairs on the arms to rise up. They both turned to the door as they saw a hooded figure storm in with so much dominance and the right level of arrogance. The hooded figure knew that every patron in the pub had their eyes on them, as they walked over to the table with the two newly graduated students.

"Follow me." The figure whispered as they turned around, the cloak billowing in the wind created by the speed of the walk. Jean and Richard put on their fur coats to withstand the harsh Baltic winds. They held onto each others hand while they made their way quickly out of the pub. They followed the figure through alleyways until they came to what looked like a small motel, and locked themselves into an already booked bedroom. The two young teens hung up their coats and took off the gloves and scarfs as the figure took off the hood. Revealing a man with a handsome face, with the most shocking of red eyes contrasting with the black hair and pale skin.

"Tom?" Jean asked with caution.

"Did you think I would forget? Remember I will always keep my word." Tom stated his chin tilting up as he looked down at the two teenagers.

"We knew you wouldn't forget." Richard answered quickly not wanting to anger the older wizard. Tom smirked at them revealing in the fact that at a young age that they knew not to disappoint him.

"Remember we had the conversation about the purity of this world." Tom began.

"And mudbloods should be removed. We still believe in it." Richard continued.

"And we managed to find others at Durmstrang who have the same beliefs as you, who are thinking about the greater good of the wizarding world." Jean finished, looking at Tom with hope that he will appreciate their work and to accept them. Tom's eyes darted between the two of them before a small smirk formed on his porcelain face.

"You have done me proud. There is a reason I chose to move us from the pub, is because there are people there that cannot overhear this conversation. From when I met you both, I could see greatness within you. And that is why I will inform you of what I have been doing over the years.

"When I was at Hogwarts, I found a steady number of followers who believed in everything that I did, and I have them posted within a number of powerful positions within the wizarding world in order to be inconspicuous and to be able to infiltrate and pass on information to me when it is necessary. As well as this, I have managed to develop Horcruxes. I have managed to create three so far. You see within magic, seven is deemed a magical number, and that is the number of Horcruxes that I will create in order to be essentially immortal. You see, from the moment I met the both of you, I knew you could be trusted in order to follow and help the cause."

"We would do anything for you My Lord," The two loved up teens whispered. Tom smirked expecting that answer.

"Hold out your left arms," Tom demanded. The both of them slowly held out their left arms, as Tom grabbed hold of Jean's first and whipped out his wand before pointing it at her arm, before a red light slowly omitted from it, causing Jean to cry out and whimper in pain. Jean tried not to move while Tom focused on his magic, but the pain was excruictating. The process took no longer than ten minutes but it seemed like a lifetime, before Tom let go of her arm leaving behind a mark, which looked like a skull with a snake intertwined. Jean stared at the new mark, while Tom proceeded to do the same thing to Richard, leaving the same thing on his arm.

"It's the Dark Mark. It is a way for me to communicate with my followers. If you feel it burn, you must immediately come to me. Now, I want to meet these other friends of yours to see if they are worthy. Because there is going to be a point where we are going to reign terror in Britain.

WYTBWYTB

The years went on, and Tom's followers – now known as Death Eaters - increased, and at this point he was well known within the magical community, not be Tom but as Lord Voldemort, an anagram of his real name. Jean and Richard became Tom's most loyal and worthy supporters following Tom blindly. That was until Jean became pregnant. Richard continued to follow Tom and help with the terror that they started to create across wizarding Britain, as Jean had to take a step back. Nine months later they welcomed a tiny beautiful baby girl called Hermione into the world. Tom strangely took a liking to the small baby, but that bit of knowledge was only known by Jean, Richard and Tom's other worthy follower – Lucius Malfoy. While Hermione was around this is when the height of Tom's reign reached, and what became known as the First Wizarding War and the Fall of Lord Voldemort. Unknown to anyone apart from Tom, there was a prophecy that dictated the defeat of Lord Voldemort at the hands of a baby – 'neither could live as the other survive'. Tom didn't want this to be the end of his plans, plans that have yet to begin, that he went after the baby. Unbeknownst to him, this particular baby was left with an unknown kind of magic after Tom had killed his parents and suffered defeat and a loss in magic at the hands of a baby. Tom had enough magic remaining in order to apparate back to his manor and summon Richard, Jean and Lucius to his side.

"My Lord what happened?" Jean gasped as she ran to The Dark Lord's side. Or what was left of him as he back all but a shell of the man he used to be.

"Prophecy," the three followers exchanged confused looks, those looks disappearing into dispear and hatred as they heard the full story.

"We will do all we can for you to bring you back to full power." Lucius vowed.

Over the years, Tom's powers did not increase, and the wizarding world believed him to have died at the hands of a baby boy, and that is the way Tom wants to keep it. This is how it would remain until Tom reached full power again. The magic that made Tom into this almost foetal like position was unknown. As Hermione grew up, she enjoyed spending time with Tom, as he taught her everything that he knew about magic in order to make her the best witch possible, and has already been known as the brightest witch of their age. Hermione was aware that the reason he was like this is because of Harry Potter, and when Hermione was aged nine, is when Hermione propositioned her plan to attend Hogwarts under the pretence as a muggleborn in order to become close friends with Harry Potter. The plan worked as there was no previous record of any Granger attending Hogwarts so it would be easy to play. Tom's voice showed so much pride when the plan was mentioned that he felt a rush of warm something seep through his decrepit body.

Before Hermione attended Hogwarts she read through every book that she could find within the Granger, Riddle and Malfoy manor in order to find any spell on how to restore a being back to their previous state. Every Easter and Summer holiday's when Hermione was home, was spent with completing her homework and finding and testing a spell in order to restore Tom, they tried to get the Philosopher's Stone, unicorn blood, everything. It was not until summer of Third Year that Hermione stumbled across a spell in Malfoy Manor that was hidden at the back of the library. Hermione showed it to Tom immediately, and the hope within him increased ten-fold as he realised that this is the spell that they have been looking for. That summer consisted of preparation and planning in order to get Harry Potter in the correct spot in order to initiate the plan. This was the point where Hermione came up with the idea in order to replace the Defence Against the Dark Art's teacher with a Death Eater, as since the moment Tom was rejected for the position he placed a curse on the job. And as Dumbledore is going to handpick the Defence teacher, he would never suspect that they would be the traitor. And by the end of the year Lord Voldemort is back, and not a single person in the wizarding world believes it apart from the Death Eaters and Harry Potter.

WYTBWYTB

Hermione sat down next to Tom in the library and couldn't help but stare at him. This was indeed the first time that she has ever seen him in his proper state, and this excited her.

"Are you ready Hermione, this summer you will be learning the unforgivable curses. Because this is the year young one, where people know your real identity," Tom smirked as he withdrew his wand signalling for her to do the same. This was going to be another interesting summer.

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