Life with the Knights was nothing like at the orphanage, and what was better: they even had their very own library. Tom rarely left the large room, much to Seth and Abraxas' annoyance and Hope's amusement. But none of them could fault him when he explained that there were only three books in the whole orphanage, and those were children's books. Getting the opportunity to read wasn't something Tom was going to pass up on.
After about a week, Abraxas took his leave, but before that he had forced Tom to promise he'd go outside at least one hour every day. He claimed that it was because he didn't want the shame of being friends with a miss-sort, so Tom shouldn't be too bookish, but everyone knew he was just worried about Tom's health and he wanted to make sure the dark haired boy would take in enough sunlight.
Their Hogwarts letters arrived one sunny afternoon about two weeks after Tom had arrived at the Knight Manor. He, Hope and Seth went down to the breakfast table and saw Mr. and Mrs. Knight already sitting. The two of them were always up early. Even when Tom had come down for a glass of water at 6 in the morning they'd already be up and about. Tom sometimes wondered if they ever even went to sleep at all and he was considering testing this in one of the next days.
"Your letters have arrived, apparently Dippet knows you are here, Tom," Mr. Knight said, handing them each a yellow envelop.
For a few minutes there was a silence when everyone read their letter. Tom's told him to catch the train at platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross station the first of September as usual. There was also an extra letter he had to hand over to the goblins at Gringotts to receive his school finances.
"We'll go tomorrow," Mrs. Knight decided.
"Then I'll write the others. Maybe we can meet up all together," Hope said.
. . . . .
"We'll be leaving soon," Mrs. Knight told the kids as they readied themselves.
"Tom. Have you ever traveled by Floo before?"
"No, I'm afraid I haven't," the boy replied tensely.
"No problem! Seth will show you how it's done," Mr. Knight told him.
Seth nodded and took a copper pot from the stove. He handed it to his mother and took some glittering powder out of it.
"It's important you speak clearly," Hope explained as Seth threw the powder in the hearth.
"Diagon Alley!"
The green flames rose higher than Seth before he stepped into it and disappeared.
"Do not mutter," Mrs. Knight said.
"Say it twice first."
Tom did as told before Mrs. Knight finally let him take some of the powder.
"Keep your arms tucked in and make sure you don't miss the hearth," Hope told him as Tom stepped up to the hearth.
"Diagon Alley!" Tom spoke clearly as he had practiced.
It felt as if he was being sucked down a tight hole. He seemed to be spinning very fast… the roaring in his ears was deafening… he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick… Something hard hit his elbow and he tried to squeeze it even closer… now it felt as though cold hands were slapping his face… When he squinted, he saw a blurred stream of fireplaces and snatched glimpses of the room behind… his breakfast wanted to come up again and he quickly shut his eyes again. He just wished it would stop. Suddenly he felt himself being thrown out, head first and he stumbled before regaining his balance again.
"Who would have thought Tom Riddle could be that ungraceful!" Alphard snickered.
Tom looked over and glared at the dark haired teen standing next to his sister and Seth.
"It was his first time," Seth argued.
"So there really are things Tom can't do from the first try?!" Artemis gasped dramatically.
"Start mocking me when you actually beat me in class," Tom told her casually, side-stepping as the hearth flashed and Hope stepped out.
"Art!" she exclaimed happily, flying the dark haired girl around the neck.
"Hope! Good to see you again!" Artemis laughed, hugging her best friend back with equal enthusiasm.
"Good to see the two of you again too," Mrs. Knight greeted as she and her husband arrived as well.
"How was your holiday? I think Pollux said something about South France?"
"It was great!" Alphard told her grinning.
"And how was your holiday, aunt Loraine?"
That was when Tom remembered something Abraxas had told him last year: Alphard and Artemis' real mother had been a Knight, and as such, they were related to Hope and Seth… their fiancées…
"Let's get going! First stop: Gringotts!" Mr. Knight announced cheerfully.
After they had their money, they separated, arranging that they would meet each other at the bookshop an hour later. The Knights would be meeting Abraxas there as well so the group of friends decided to stroll a bit through Diagon Alley and do some window shopping. As they strolled through the warm streets, the boys wanted to keep looking at the brooms but Tom was losing his patience very quickly.
"I'm going to try out this year!" Alphard announced grinning.
"As a Seeker. Burga is already a Chaser, as you guys know and she told me they were looking for one."
"And I'll be watching the try-outs, so I can laugh when you make a fool out of yourself," Artemis teased.
"Like that will happen," Alphard scoffed.
"I'm going to join the Duelling club," Seth decided.
That piqued Tom's interest right away and he grinned.
"Still looking for a sparring partner?" he offered.
"I prefer one I can actually beat," Seth replied, scowling playfully.
With that, the five of them continued walking towards the shops they needed for their school stuff. They met up with Gwen and Octavian at the Apothecary. The female redhead immediately pulled Tom in a bone-crushing hug.
"I was so worried!" Gwen exclaimed, nearly in tears as she finally let go of the boy.
"The orphanage needed all the help they could get," Tom said stiffly, looking away.
It wasn't a lie of course. With only one cook, David and a matron with a big drinking problem, the kids often had to pitch in. Usually, they had a task roll that switched up every day, or at least once a week, but since everyone hated Tom, especially David, he had to do the most annoying and difficult tasks there were every time again. That, and David had threatened to shoot the owls if they kept showing up.
Mrs. Knight looked at Tom with a scowl, but luckily, she didn't breathe a word of his treatment there. He didn't want them to know, it would be too shameful. Tom didn't want these people to see him as pitiable. No. He would be their equal, even if his blood made him less.
. . . . .
The end of summer came too quickly for Tom's liking. The month he had spent with the Knights had been the best time of his life. It was hard for Tom to not be jealous of the warm family his friends had when he thought about the orphanage and the kind of welcome that was awaiting him.
On their last evening of summer, Mrs. Knights prepared a wonderful meal with all their favorite treats and as desert a mouthwatering plum pudding. They ended the evening with a family-game, chosen by the twins since Tom had no idea what those games even were when they asked him to choose. Way too quick it was time for their last mug of hot chocolate before they went to bed.
They were ready to leave in the morning rather fast. The Knights were always prepared beforehand, it seemed, in stark contrast with the Orphanage. Tom was extremely grateful to them for their foresight to prepare everything the day before so they could eat breakfast peacefully and load everything in the carriage without any stress and rushing around. He hated waiting around for others to get ready, like he always had to during group outings at Wool's.
As they arrived at the Platform, Abraxas and Megan were already waiting for them, as was Gwen, who waved happily at the three.
"Good summer, Tom?" Abraxas asked, shaking the dark haired boy's hand comradely.
"You definitely look better now that you're out of those scrubs," Megan laughed.
"Mrs. Knight was too kind, giving me those clothes," Tom replied, smiling shyly.
She really had been. After finding out about the treatment Tom was given at the Orphanage, she had written some letters to the Ministry, but they had insisted that it was the task of the muggle government to look into it. With the way the woman had hissed and cursed at 'those idiotic muggles', Tom guessed that that conversation hadn't gone well either.
Moments after they arrived, the Weasleys did as well. Septimus and Sexta were talking animatedly, but stopped as soon as they noticed the Slytherins and their cousin all huddled together, with dual scowls, the two redheads walked past them together with their mother, who kindly greeted Mrs. Knight in her passing. Octavian quickly murmured a greeting to his friends as he stayed by his mother's side.
"Ready for another year?" Hope asked her friends cheerfully.
"More than ready!" Gwen replied with a bright grin.
"I already read some of the books and they are so interesting!"
"Behold, the ultimate Ravenclaw!" Alphard's amused voice called out.
He and his twin sister walked over with bright grins on their faces, their older sister and father walking behind them with annoyed scowls on their faces. They had taken on their usual appearance of black hair and bright green eyes.
"You're late," Abraxas told the duo.
Artemis and Alphard looked at each other with sheepish grins and scratched their heads.
"We may have overslept a little," Alphard confessed.
"And we couldn't find our brooms," Artemis added.
"Still couldn't, actually, but Kreacher promised to bring them when they turn up."
"Have you two still not cleaned up your pigsty's?" Hope asked exasperated.
"I thought you wouldn't be allowed to leave the house until you had."
"Yeah, but they can't keep us home during school!" Alphard said proudly.
"Idiots," Hope muttered, rolling her eyes while her twin chuckled amused.
"How about we get on the train before it leaves without us?" he suggested.
"Sounds like a plan!" Megan agreed, grabbing Seth's arm.
The group stepped into the bright red train only moments before the whistle blew and the doors closed.
"Let's go find Octavian," Gwen suggested.
"I'm sure he has already found a place for us to sit."
The others all agreed and they walked through the train towards the back, where Tom had sat with Gwen the year before, and found Octavian there on his own, trying to convince a few Hufflepuffs that he was keeping the compartment occupied for his friends.
"We're here!" Artemis called out, waving.
"Thanks for saving us a spot!" Alphard agreed, elbowing past the Hufflepuffs.
The badgers glared at the dark haired twins and turned away, muttering about their rudeness and the unfairness of the situation. Tom smirked and rolled his eyes. The world was unfair.
"Hey, everyone," Octavian whispered, smiling meekly at the group.
"Weasley, such a delight to be greeted by your beautiful appearance!" Artemis spoke up, leaning down to plant three smacking wet kisses on the boy's cheeks.
"Such an honour to have you join us, my good sir!" Alphard exclaimed, shaking Octavian's hand just a little too enthusiastically.
"Absolutely wonderful!" Artemis continued.
"Just spiffing, old friend!" Alphard said.
"Sit down, you morons!" Hope laughed.
The Black twins laughed and plopped down in the seat across from Octavian, pulling Hope along in between them, which caused the blonde to erupt in giggles with her two friends. Seth rolled his eyes and sat down next to Alphard, winking at Octavian, who was still blushing from the enthusiastic greeting he had received from the two Metamorphmagi.
"Don't worry, cousin. They're always like that," Gwen chuckled as she sat down next to the other Ravenclaw.
"You'll eventually get used to them," Abraxas agreed with a soft chuckle.
"Really? I'm still waiting for that moment," Tom said as he and Abraxas sat down next to Gwen.
Megan pouted, seeing she was the only one without a spot to sit, but then started grinning and made herself comfortable on Tom's lap, making the dark haired orphan open his eyes wide in shock and start blushing.
"If you want my seat, I can stand up!" he sputtered embarrassed.
"And then you can sit on my lap!" Alphard laughed, winking at him.
Tom only turned redder at that, causing Megan to howl out in laughter and wrap her arms around the blushing boy.
"This works perfectly for me, Tom," she purred.
"You're a comfy seat. I'd expected you to be bonier."
"He lived with us for a whole month," Seth said dryly.
"It's a bloody miracle he isn't fat yet with how mum tried to stuff him full."
"A fat Tom. Now that would be a hilarious sight!" Artemis laughed.
"Do you have to tease me like that?" Tom groaned.
"After making us worry so much, I think we deserve some teasing time," Gwen said smirking.
Tom gave her a weak glare and pouted.
"You're supposed to be on my side, Gwen!" he said betrayed.
"This time you're on your own, Riddle!" the redhead teased.
"You're all evil!"
"We're Slytherins. That's apparently a must," Abraxas said dryly.
. . . . .
As they came closer to their destination, the girls were quick to kick out the boys so they could get changed, some annoyance by Alphard especially.
"As if it's anything I haven't seen before!" he grumbled.
"Artemis and I took baths together until we were ten and I've seen Hope naked dozens of time too!"
"How many times after we turned five though?" Seth asked, rolling his eyes.
"… Why should that matter?" Alphard asked pouting.
"Well, our sisters are blossoming in young ladies now," Seth said smartly.
"Hope started bleeding already, so of course they don't want us there anymore."
"Can we not talk about that?" Abraxas asked, his expression horrified.
Tom and Octavian nodded their heads in agreement, causing Alphard and Seth to laugh and shrug their shoulders before they continued changing. A little while later, Gwen opened the door to the compartment again to let the boys back in, this time leaving Hope to sit on Abraxas' lap instead.