Disclaimer. Not mine, won't be mine ever.

A/N. Longer authors note at the bottom. Chapter 4 for you already. Finally Harry gets to meet Tom. I hope you like it, please read the bottom note, and leave a review. I love to know how you think about this story so far.

In Darker Times – Chapter 4

Harry was standing before the doors of the great hall. Waiting for them to open so he could walk in. He was feeling more nervous with every passing minute. All the other students where already inside, the first years where being sorted into their new houses. After that, headmaster Dippet would introduce him, and Harry would enter the hall. Harry thought it was much to dramatic for his taste, but the headmaster insisted.

Why had Harry agreed to do this ? Again he was doing something for Dumbledore he didn't really want. Harry thought it was going to be a nice change, a little rest and peace because no one knew who he was. But he had started to doubt his decision when he noticed how distrustful headmaster Dippet and professor Dumbledore where of him. What if all the students where like that as well, he would be having a hard time fitting in. He knew he could return home if he wanted to, but he would never let Dumbledore know he failed.

At last, the doors of the great hall opened, every head was turned his way. People where whispering about him, some girls where giggling. But when he looked at them they quickly turned their heads away. Harry wondered why girls would giggle, it wasn't like he was very good looking. He was a to thin boy with messy hair and glasses, what was there to like ?

He almost walked over to the Griffindor table, but realising his mistake quickly turned towards the Slytherins. Sitting down next to a boy with dirty blonde hair, the one who seemed to be nice. This boy was smiling at him, the rest looked at him strangely, again they where judging him. Harry pretended not to notice, and started introducing himself.

'Hi, my name's Harry Evans, you're sixth years as well right ?'

'Humphrey Avery.' The blonde shook his hand. He seemed not to be that bad. A bit quiet maybe.

'Paschal Nott.' Dark hair, dark eyes. This boy seemed nervous, not very brave. Harry noted how his eyes kept shooting around the hall. Maybe he was afraid of something, Harry decided to keep an eye on him.

'Edmond Lestrange.' Harry felt some of his anger coming back on the surface at the name. But put it back down, this was not the same Lestrange, and he wouldn't be judging before he knew any of them. And Edmond didn't seem to be a danger, his eyes where sparkling, maybe even mischievous. After he shook Harry's hand, he turned around to a girl al little further down the table and winked at her. The girl giggled and turned away immediately her face red.

'Vincent Rosier.' He was a tall boy, tanned. He wasn't very good looking but had an air around him that pulled people to him. Harry had already noticed some students looking at him, but Vincent didn't pay them any attention.

Next to Vincent sat the boy he came here for. Tom. It was evident this was the leader of their little group. A shield of arrogance around him. He kept a distance from his dorm mates. 'Tom Riddle.' Tom shook his hand, never loosing eye contact with Harry. Harry wondered if Tom was already as good at legilimency as the Tom he knew. Harry hoped he wasn't, or he would already know Harry wasn't who he pretended to be.

They started eating, scooping there plates full of different foods. The meal was a quiet one. Harry was observing the other boys, trying not to stare at Tom. He was so close, he could pull out his wand and harm the boy, and everything would be different. His parents would still be alive, Sirius, he would still be alive as well. But he couldn't do that, he might change to much.

It was during the deserts that Tom spoke up. The four other boys went quiet, listening to what he might have to say. 'Tell us something about yourself Harry, where are you from and who are your parents.'

Again the blood thing!

'Well, I'm from near London. My parents have home schooled me up until now. They didn't know anything else to teach me so I wanted to go here. My father is a pureblood and my mother muggleborn. They live very secluded, keep to themselves a lot.'

Tom seemed to believe him. That was good, Harry didn't want to defend his story.

'So your half blood then.' Tom said more to himself than anyone else. Harry nodded, though Tom didn't need it to be confirmed. It looked like he had the information he needed, because he stood and started to walk out of the hall.

Humphrey saw Harry's confusion. 'Don't mind Tom, he's always like that. Walking of alone and stuff, want to be alone a lot.'

Harry nodded, pretending not to care. But inside he didn't like this one bit, it made his job a lot more difficult. If Tom wanted to be alone, and didn't care about being social, Harry would never find out about any weaknesses he might have.

'So, Harry, are you sleeping in our dorms, because we don't have any more beds in there you know.' Paschal was not only easily scared, but also a little bit stupid it seemed. But before Harry could answer Humphrey spoke up.

'Of course he will stupid! This is Hogwarts remember, an extra bed will be put in with us when someone else joins in.' Rolling his eyes, Humphrey stood up.

'Coming with me Harry ? I can show you around the common room, introduce you to some more students.'

'Sure, thanks.' Harry started to walk after Humphrey.

'Paschal is a nice guy, but not really smart. He's easily scared, so people prank him a lot. Also got home sickness in the beginning of every year. You'll notice tonight, keeps us all awake the first few nights snivelling.'

'What about Vincent, he isn't speaking much.'

'Yes, Vincent thinks he's some special race or something. Being pureblood gives him status he said. Stupid of course, like a muggleborn has less magic or something. You don't believe in that crap do you ?' Humphrey had stopped walking, realising he didn't know how Harry thought about blood status.

'No, I don't Humphrey. My mother is muggleborn remember ?'

Humphrey started walking again, going down some stairs to enter the dungeons.

'Yes, I forgot about that.' Is that why your parents keep secluded ?

'I don't know, I never thought about that. But maybe it is, I do know my dad's family doesn't speak to him anymore because he married my mom. Pretty sad, like he his any less a person or something.' Lying about this was pretty easy, he had heard about the pureblood thing from Sirius so he knew what he was talking about.

'Yes that happens a lot. But we should better not talk about this around others Harry. Especially around our dorm mates. Vincent and Tom are really harsh, they will probably give you a speech about blood purity and how important it is.' Humphrey snorted.

They entered the common room. There weren't many students there. Harry noticed Tom wasn't here, and wondered if the boy was already in the dorms.

Humphrey sat down in a chair in front of the fire, and motioned for Harry to take a seat as well. 'It's nice having you around Harry, I used to be really good friends with Tom, but since he got so secluded I'm alone most of the time. Paschal sits with me mostly, but he's not very good company, always complaining about lessons and studying to keep up.'

Harry nodded, thinking about Neville. He struggled to keep up as well.

'What about Edmond and Vincent ?'

Humphrey rolled his eyes. 'Vincent is to arrogant to sit in the common room, and Edmond is always sitting with the girls, or with Vincent. I don't know where Vincent en Edmond go, I don't really care either.'

Harry understood, Vincent didn't seem like good company to keep.

'What classes are you taking Harry ?'

'I don't know, the headmaster hasn't asked me. He told me I would attend them, and the teachers would judge if I will be able to keep up. They don't have high standards about home schooled students. So I will probably have a full schedule, and drop some of them later on.'

The rest of the night, Humphrey would introduce Harry to some other students. Important people he should know according to Humphrey. He told Harry about some people he should keep as friends, having them as enemies wouldn't do any good he had said.

Some students would come over by themselves, girls mostly, to introduce to Harry. Most of the younger students weren't introduced, Harry would probably never need to know them anyway.

When they went to their dorm, they found out where Tom had been. He was sitting on his bed, with a large book and his wand in hand. He glanced up when they entered. Harry noticed his trunk was moved, but kept his mouth shut. It would do him no good to start a fight with Tom this early on. The boy couldn't get in his trunk anyway. But Harry felt something inside him twist. Tom didn't trust him, and he had to change that quickly. If Tom felt the need to go through his stuff he was definitely curious about him. So maybe Harry could use that to his benefit.

'Studying already ?' Harry tried to joke, but heard the anger in his own voice. Tom must have heard as well, for he snapped his head up to watch Harry again.

'You can never know to much Harry, who knows when you need it. And you know everything about charms, especially locking charms, wouldn't you Harry ?'

So Tom didn't want to keep it a secret that he had wanted to sneak trough his stuff.

'Yes I do Tom, more than you know about unlocking charms.'

'You can't keep secrets here at Hogwarts Harry, you're not at home anymore.'

Tom's eyes where shooting fire his way, and Harry felt chills run down his spine. He saw that this person would turn into Voldemort. The anger in those eyes scared him. But this Tom was still human, wasn't he ? He was only sixteen years old, he couldn't be that snake already. It made Harry even more determined to find out more about this boy, he loved a challenge.

'Everyone seems to keep secrets around here. A few more won't hurt anyone. You are keeping that book of yours a secret, changed the cover didn't you ? Doesn't matter, I know that wand wave you made last. That spell isn't written in a 5th year defence against the dark arts book.'

Tom's smirk fell of his face at that statement. And Harry knew a victory when he saw one. He put on a smile, he had one this round, but there would sure be a lot to come.

'It doesn't matter to me what your studying Tom. I don't judge people by simple things like this. My point is, everyone has secrets, you can try to figure them out the hard way, or you could just take your time getting to know me. You might find out about them that way, and you wouldn't be making enemies like that. Maybe the other boys are afraid to put you back in line, but I'm not afraid Tom. I won't tolerate you invading my privacy, so keep away from my stuff next time.'

It was a big risk, Harry knew. He could have easily ruined his chances at getting to know Tom. He knew the boy was a leader, and wanted his so called 'friends' to follow him around like early dead eaters. But he wasn't going to do that, he would never succeed like that. Humphrey already told enough for Harry to find out Tom never told them anything, so he wouldn't tell Harry either if he acted like that.

Tom looked at him for a while. Harry never lost eye contact, he tried to keep his eyes neutral, not showing Tom anything. Finally Tom got a smirk on his face.

'You seem to be a true Slytherin, Harry. I like that. Most people are to afraid to stand up for themselves, but not you. You could prove to be good company.'

Harry's jaw almost dropped at that. The arrogance to think someone would be unworthy of Tom's company. But Harry felt satisfied. He had picked Tom's curiosity, now he only had to make sure to keep it.

Harry noticed Humphrey letting out a relieved sigh. Glancing over to the other boy, he saw him looking at him with awe. Great, someone looking up to me again.

Harry walked over to his own bed. Earlier that day he had found all his school supplied on there, including his robes and books. He had left his history book out on the bed, intending to find out more about the now recent history. If someone asked him about Grindewald he would have to know the answers, because he was supposed to have lived during that war.

He was going to make this work. Not for Dumbledore, but for himself. He liked a challenge, and Tom Riddle was definitely a challenge. He would get to know him, find out everything about him, all of his weaknesses and strengths. Harry would find out how to destroy him, return home and do just that.

But Harry knew it was a difficult task. Tom had already started to go dark, he had build a wall around himself, but there had to be some weak spots in it, for he was still human. And Harry had to use that weak spots to break that wall down so he could see the real Tom, not he monster he was going to be.

A/N. This chapter was fun to write. Tom is proving to be a real challenge. I don't want to make him to easy. What I found out from the books, he is a very secluded person and already pretty dark as a child. I want to keep him canon, but we don't know a lot about him so can make things up.

About the other four boys. I couldn't find out about their names, but I did out about them being in Tom's year and being Tom's future Death Eaters. The first names I made up, they aren't mentioned anywhere. Except for Vincent's name, the rest have the first name from the actors who played them in the movie (in the pensieve memory from Slughorn.) The actor playing Rosier wasn't mentioned.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and again, please leave a review. They are greatly appreciated.

Marwana. Thank you for mentioning that about the shack. Thank you for your review.

Strawhat Vampira. Here is Tom, I hope you like how I wrote him.