Sadly I own nothing, all rights go to our Queen JKR. A/N I am uploading earlier this week as a treat because I have just been to the HP Studio Tour in London ;] If you can go, do, it is well worth every single penny :]

1st October 1984

Hermione had, had her first big girl sleepover with Draco at Riddle Manor with Bellatrix in tow. Both children had stayed up later into the evening, begging to hear more stories from Tom, they had been allowed access to his study where he conjured two miniature throne chairs for the pair to sit on, Bellatrix had commanded Winky; Tom's new elf, to make hot chocolate for the children as they asked questions, in turn, to get to know their Dark Lord.

"One last question then Bellatrix will gather you two ready for bed, I will not be here this evening nor first thing in the morning, Bellatrix will be and I believe Antonin will be arriving for your first duelling class. Have you started potions?"

"No My Lord, they have not, they were not to know they would be starting yet as Severus has become quite ill since Hermione's birthday and is at St Mungo's with Dragon Pox."

"It is unusual for an Adult, is it not?" Tom asked, ignoring for now that she had interrupted.

"It is My Lord but not rare."

Tom accepted Bellatrix's answer and made a mental note to have Narcissa visit him and provide an update for Tom.

"Father, why did you kill?"

"Hermione, you must know and understand I am not a kind man, I have killed man and beast for not giving me what I want. I want justice. I told you both the story of my birth, I never knew my Father and my Mother did not want the shame of raising me so I became an outcast living in a Muggle orphanage with no friends. I did not want this for Muggle-born children as much as most Muggle-born families do not want it for their own. I killed those that stood in our way for peace."

"Peace? Isn't that too simple?"

"You would have thought so but no. Now, to bed with you. Hermione, Draco I will be bringing back with a young lad around your age tomorrow. He may not be kind as I will be taking him away from his relatives, he will be less kind when he realises I am the one who killed his parents." Tom swilled the rest of his Firewhiskey down.

"Why?"

"Why? I told you no more questions Young one." He couldn't help but feel warm, she would be just like her Mother, clever and inquisitive.

"Yes, Why did you kill them?" She ignored his warning tone.

Sighing he sat her down, he knew this conversation had to be had with his own Daughter. "There was a prophecy made by a seer, told to an old man who does not agree with my integrating Muggle-borns, he happens to be a Headmaster. The prophecy stated that there was a child born to parents who thrice defied me would be able to destroy me, there was one line of juxtaposition that showed the prophecy was meaningless 'and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives' as I am sure you aware Hermione that sentence makes the prophecy impossible."

"Of course Father, It's like saying 'I am A, but I am not A'- is this phrase true or false, or neither true nor false? But why did you kill them?"

"There was a second prophecy that only myself and Lily was privy to. It stated that although 'prophecy A' had cast and saved it would only stand true if we do nothing to mend the divide. Dumbledore did not like this and set a trap, he convinced Lily and James that I would kill them as I believed in the prophecy, they went into hiding, their friend Wormtail told me of their location. On the of your birth, I set out to Godric's Hollow to visit them and explain. As soon as I walked into Harry's Nursery where Lily was charming a set of runes that would kill everyone in the house. Everyone died except Harry.

"So you did not kill them?"

"Yes and No. I did because it was my presence that set the charm off, on the other hand, I did not personally perform that charm."

"You are not that mean." Hermione smiled Hugging her Father goodnight.

Tom hugged her back, patting her on the shoulders.

"I am dear one, but I shall never be mean to you, only strict."

"Deal."


"What story do you two want reading tonight?" Bellatrix looked between the two whilst tucking them both in.

"Babbity Rabbity and the cackling stump." Hermione eagerly handed over her tattered version that was her Mother's.

"Draco, is that acceptable by you?"

Draco only nodded, he had no opinion on the story, he was exhausted and knew he would not last to the end of the first chapter. True to word, he did not keep his eyes open long enough to hear past the first few lines. Hermione looked over and smiled, she had grown with Draco from birth and knew how tired he became.

Meanwhile, Tom walked around his study, hands behind his back, head held low in deep thought. He needed a way to get to the boy. He did not want Dumblydore intervening before he had his say. Yes, he killed his parents but he was not the monster Dumbledore or any of the 'light' side had passed him as. Using a disillusion charm in case the old man was there before apparating to the co-ordinates that Narcissa had given him he looked through the window, he saw Harry straight away, he was a double of his Father with only a hint of his Mother. Tom made a plan how to get the begin with Tom only wanted to help Muggle-borns, he did not believe they were stealing magic, yes he believed they were beneath him but only for the fact they were not brought up around magic. Tom and Abraxus Malfoy had set up an agency, incognito, that helped integrate muggle children into the Wizarding world. It had become a success, their last Witch they had helped was one that was born of the name Lily Evans.