(Somewhere between life and death)

"Well done Tom Riddle. You have exceeded my expectations!"

Tom Riddle stared at the figure in front of him. The other looked like Albus Dumbledore, acted like Albus Dumbledore and talked like Albus Dumbledore. But he still couldn't be sure if it was Albus Dumbledore. It could be aother test of character - Merlin knows he has had enough of them these days. Or it could be the real Albus Dumbledore as a test of character. He personally always considered Dumbledore as a test of patience.

His mind was brought back to what pseudo-Dumbledore was saying. Apparently he'd exceeded the expectations of Albus Dumbledore. Which could just be the old man's way of saying he never expected anything from Tom in the first place.

Not that what Tom had done was trivial. It must have taken him and his distant ancestor thousands of years to put the pieces of his soul together. Not that time had any meaning when you're not amongst the living.

The first time it had been easy. He didn't know if he was Tom Riddle or Harry Potter. He regarded the murder of Potter's parents as the start of all of his misery, losing his body and everything he had worked for, and being locked in a cupboard. The source of all the loneliness and the never ending scrutiny because of his scar. He hated the Potters - his parents loved him and gave up their life for him.

In his confused state it was simple to summon up true remorse for killing James and Lily Potter - which was what was needed to merge himself with his horcrux (or was he the horcrux? He still wasn't sure).

When he woke up he had been furious at being cheated into merging his horcrux. He was also more lucid than he ever remembered. After a shouting match with his ancestor he understood that he had to merge all of his horcruxes or he will be stuck between life and death for eternity. Of course, Tom was in no hurry to die, but Salazar revealed that if Tom redeems himself by putting all the pieces of his soul together, what awaits him might not be death, but another chance at life!

Tom had nothing to lose. He decided to dedicate everything that he was to the task of putting himself together.

But his newfound lucidity also made it more difficult. He had to understand the impact of every murder he had committed for the sake of infinite life. Merely regret for his own sake would not suffice; true remorse was needed. Given the type of person Tom Riddle was, anyone would say this was impossible for him.

But then, Tom Riddle was known for accomplishing the impossible.

Driven by his own ego, the encouragements, scoldings, and taunts of Salazar Slytherin and the fact that he had nothing to lose, Tom Riddle put the pieces of his soul together. It had been painful and humiliating. It had been the worst thing he had ever done.

It had been the best thing he had ever done.

And now, he was to be evaluated for all that by Albus Too Many Names Dumbledore.

"So what now, old man..." he asked. "Off to the next great adventure for me?"

Dumbledore's face took a brief look of astonishment, before he nodded. "Of course. You have the memories of Harry Potter. But not all of them, is it not so?"

"Not all of them," Tom conceded.

"Well, anyway, you will be off soon on your next great adventure... but your adventure will not be in the beyond, no. You will be going back to the living world.

"Not as a ghost or a wraith, though... you will be going back as a child. Think of it as a second chance at life, a chance to right all the wrongs you did. Think of it as redemption."

"I thought", Tom remarked, "that combining all my horcruxes and making myself whole again was to be my redemption."

"Do you think it is sufficient?", countered Dumbledore.

In another time, he would have replied that it was more than what the old man deserved out of him. But now, after having faced his crimes head on several times, after having felt utter and complete remorse for his crimes he could not help just hanging his head.

"Alright" he said, "is there anything I need to know? What should I do?"

"Of course, Tom. There is still plenty you need to know", said Dumbledore affably, with a twinkle in his eyes. "But you will have to figure them out yourself, like every other child does. Ah, to be a child again..."

Tom didn't have time for the old man's theatrics. "I suppose making horcruxes and becoming a dark lord again is not an option..."

"Of course it is an option, Tom. But you don't strike me as the kind of fool who does the same mistakes over and over again."

"I suppose I will have to make new mistakes", grumbled Tom. "I'd like to get on with it then, if you don't mind."

"Of course I don't mind, Tom... if you would just step through this door here..."

When Dumbledore returned to room there was another figure standing there. "What do you think?", he asked the figure.

"I don't trust him one bit. He needs to be watched"

"Well of course he needs to watched, old friend" Dumbledore countered in quite a jolly fashion. "Why do you think I have you?"