[a/n]Honest it's my muse's fault, not a pm or review, just came to me in a dream. And I had to do this before my fingers would even move onto a followup to #75. This sequelizes SoHDD#231.

Harry Does Different CDXCf

Lone Traveler XVIII:Tom Weasley II

No little time had passed since the Lone Traveler encountered Merlin. He could simply obtain the exact figure by forming the request in his mind and it would be provided by the other time wizard's mark. He purposely blocked that desire. Here, after some casual exploring, he allowed it to provide the exact occasion of his prior visit to this reality. The date was August 30, 1992 and he was within the magical boundaries of Platform 9¾. The possibilities were …..

"May I assist you sir?" a dainty voice queried.

Given the nature of his existence, surprise was no longer a thing. Harry, as he turned to the tug on his sleeve, merely remarked "Fascinating. If I may be so bold, you have the countenance of a Parkinson."

"A cultured gentleman." The young girl curtsied in precisely correct manner "Indeed, sir. I am Pansy. My father is the current heir of the Ancient and Moste Noble House of Parkinson."

Keeping a pleasant expression, the Lone Traveler acknowledged politely "A charming child. Might I trouble you for some information? Know you, perhaps, the current whereabouts of the Weasley clan?"

"AHHH!" hissed Pansy, pulling away violently "You're associated with THAT blood traitor lot! Get away from me or I'll summon the Aurors!"

Harry only quirked an eyebrow at the fleeing back of the girl "Don't ever change, Pansy. Guess no matter how things might change. Ah well. It is only 10:34, plenty of time. Wonder if Tom will be among them." And settled in for a bit of a wait.

"Move it! Move it! Move it!" a stentorian voice commanded attention only minutes later, well before the panic rush. Children of assorted ages hurried into view and started to board. They were mixed complexions and either black or redheaded "Sooner you're aboard, more likely to get your choice seat! Just a moment Ginevra."

The Lone Traveler could only grin, amused at the whiny complaint "Awww, come on Uncle Tom! You just told us to hurry!"

"Don't talk back to someone giving a gift, Ginevra." The response sounded both authoritarian and kindly. He handed the young witch a small, tightly wrapped package, which disappeared in the magical method of children everywhere. Her expression became slightly less than excited "A book?"

The wizard tapped it with a finger "Note the engraving. Cost a bit extra to put it in such a unique font. It's yours, for your thoughts, and no one else's."

"A diary! Oh thank you Uncle Tom! thank you thank you thank you!" this as she hugged the wizard enthusiastically before rushing onto the train as it started blowing smoke.

Then the wizard spun and sneered at an empty space "You know who I am… obviously …yet think a mere Invisibility Cloak would blind me."

"I'm no threat, Tom." The initially disembodied voice revealed a man as rolled up the clothing. Outwardly calm, despite witnessing a scene that was once the stuff of nightmare replaying itself. He would definitely explore that. "I have been wondering how things turned out. Longer for me than you, perhaps, but seven decades seems to have gone well."

This was a stark contrast to the reptilian-skinned creature Harry Potter had come to know. Tom Riddle had long black hair that was just beginning to grey, tied in a severe ponytail that went halfway down his back. He did not extend a hand but, after sifting his memory, did nod his head slightly "Father and Mother told me, after a few years, you call yourself The Lone Traveler. There was a period I was resentful, but I never would have understood the explanation without some Hogwarts education. Why are you here this time?"

"To all appearances, only and solely to catch up with you. So, to put it romantically, what's up Tom?" he chuckled at his minor joke, then added "Assuming you have nothing pressing?"

Easily agreeing, Tom said "By all means. Though you may have noticed, I tend to draw a crowd, as I'm quite well known. If you feel the need for true privacy we can goto a secure location. As for time to speak with you? I did plan on much of the day off getting the kids to school. But any Unspeakable has a mandate to find out about a being like yourself."

"A famous Unspeakable is a contradiction in terms." Observed Harry "Though as regards the DoM, I'd prefer not to. One there's nothing I haven't seen, and B, having revealed my nature here …let's I'd rather not even offer the temptation."

Tom nodded "I understand. Governments do tend to ignore their own rules when inconvenient. No doubt some solicitor would find a loophole for you anyway. Surely you'll not deny me some questions? For example, your actual name? Age? You implied being much older than myself, which you had the appearance of at most early middle age when we met. Here now I see a younger man. What changes you've ever made?"

"I was born Harry Potter, to Lily and James. In 1981. My 1981 that is. I've been doing this for a very long time. It started with going back, intentionally, to prevent a murder. I failed in that but arrived in time to kill the murderer. The then-Hogwarts Headmaster cursed me. I don't know the spell, but it has been sending me to seemingly random time zones wherein I do what seems the right thing." This was, of course, a very short summary. And purposely not detailing the whos and whats of attempting to stop Moaning Myrtle's killing by his original Tom Riddle "I've rarely come across the results of my meddling. And yes I call it what it is."

The older looking wizard nodded as they walked the London streets then asked "You do not know exactly how long? And admitted, I do not know every magical, however if you're of the Potter family I know then you do not exist here."

"Not impossible, there are all kinds of variations." The Lone Traveler was mildly disturbed by that. "I'll offer you an example. I once directed my younger self, who was lost at King's Cross. The intent being he should find the half-dozen redheaded Weasleys and begin his year similar to mine. Instead his redhead encounter was with Susan Bones and her Aunt Amelia. Though sometimes, no matter the change not everything is impacted. You would have been remarkably different had you continued at the orphanage, however Pansy Parkinson was refreshingly rude once I told her I was connected to the Weasleys."

Amusement and annoyance warred across Tom's expression "It could be me as much as anyone else in the family. I reviewed her mother's appeal of an OWL fail in 1951 and they have never forgiven me. I somehow find it comforting, however, to see that even immortals are not perfect."

"You have no desire to be immortal?" that question had more meaning than the casualness it was asked with.

The response was a definitive headshake "In your manner of existence? Perhaps. As a general rule? Seems a dead-end. I would feel cheated if I died tomorrow at just the halfway mark of our maximum span. Depending on why, of course. But as much as I have managed to do, I'll run out of ideas. That group you saw me with is my immortality."

"The redheads are, of course, part of Marcus and Roxanne's grandchildren by blood." That statement was made easily, the next a query with some edge to it "I noticed an extra closeness with Ginny? None of the others got a going away gift, Uncle Tom."

Tom frowned slightly, but then reached an assumption that worked "Of course, you've known that generation of Weasleys. It's why you placed me there. When the only women in a house are girlfriends and wives, the first girl is something special. You could tell?"

"Not many called her Ginevra without getting hexed." Harry's tone was one of fond memory "I suppose a diary is suitable for a girl starting school. Did I notice engraving?"

A quirk of an eyebrow, Tom replied "I thought invisibility cloaks fogged the user's vision? But yes, I'm sure Molly will be just thrilled with the GMR. Purposely made the M bigger than the rest. Eccentric uncles get some leeway."

"Did Roxanne and Marcus discuss your bloodline? Or had you discovered it prior on your own?" this wasn't Harry Potter asking the question.

Whether Tom Riddle noticed the change or not, he explained fully "I know Salazar Slytherin is controversial, in fact …Meri, my daughter… became a historian to dig out all that we knew about the Founders. Some is good, some isn't. the best that came out is Parseltongue has been taken off the Dark Magic list. Hard to keep it there when a famous inventor, let alone little kids, can do it."

~~Good job that~~ Harry hissed with a grin ~~Never got around to that in my homewhen. Meri? After your mother, I imagine?~~

Returning the smile, and switching easily he returned with curiosity ~~The me you knew used different names?~~

~~Never a discussion I had with your other self.~~ Harry soured slightly ~~Remember, you're naturally old enough to be my grandfather as well. And, if they didn't mention it, I did tell the Weasleys you did not grow up to be a pleasant person. Let's leave it at that."

Noting the switch back to English, Tom concluded, rightly "I suspect you're understating the matter, sir. Perhaps you can relate some of your other meddlings? Not connected to me if possible. Meri is always looking for evidence of your presence in history."

"Not impossible, I suppose. It has only been a couple years …my years… since I was given the ability to tell if I'd been in a timeline before." Harry's face brightened "I do have a different occasion involving you I HOPE ended positively, but first how I got the aforementioned ability explains much about the one and only Merlin ….."