Welcome to our brand new story!

This will be dark!

As for now the warning tags are:

Written with the amazing Madamkitten.

J.K. Rowling owns the HP world.

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Chapter 1

London, 1939

Tom Marvolo Riddle had been back at the orphanage for a week now, and in that week, he had tried his best to avoid the matron Mrs. Cole. He did, however, spend time watching her. As he begun to observe her, he had begun to see some changes in Mrs. Cole's behavior. These changes were not so much towards him, she still hated him and couldn't care less about what happened to him of course. But her behavior was different, and he was determined to figure it all out. Aside from Mrs. Cole, the rest of the staff was new. Mrs. Cole must have asked them to take over at some point during the school year. The new staff had treated Tom rather nicely, it was a welcome change that he rather liked.

Tom had watched Mrs. Cole every day since the first day he was back. He even kept a little notebook in his pocket and took to jotting down her schedule every day. She never left her office until promptly at 8am when the second bells chimed. The kitchen staff always went to her office with her breakfast before then so she didn't even leave to get something to eat.

He also learned that tucked behind Mrs Cole's office was a small, somewhat hidden door that led to her private bedroom and bathroom. Mrs Cole kept her private rooms locked as well as her office locked at all times. Tom had tried to get inside her office a few times, just because he was curious.

He also learned what time Mrs Cole took her daily walk, what times she took her lunch and what time she took her dinner. Tom also learned that at 7pm when the bells chimed signaling it's time for the orphans to go to their rooms for the night, Mrs Cole spent exactly half an hour tidying up and looking everything over. Then at exactly 7:30pm she goes upstairs to the bedrooms and walks down the halls making sure every room is closed and no lights are peeking out the bottom of the doors. As long as it's quiet and she sees no lights on, she won't touch the doors. After that, Mrs Cole retires to her room for the night. Tom learned that Mrs Cole's favorite radio program runs from 8pm-10pm every single night. He had gone down one night and heard it. He'd heard Mrs Cole talking to one of the women who worked in the kitchen about her radio program and he knew she absolutely would not miss a second of the program.

But now that Tom had been back for a week, he was bored. As far as he could tell he had learned everything he could about Mrs Cole's schedule. It seemed that over the school year she had simply started spending more time doing things she wanted to do and less time involving herself with the orphans. This was good news for Tom.

After such a busy year it was nice to have a few days to relax, but now he was getting restless. He'd had such an amazing year at Hogwarts. It has been a truly wonderful year. Finding out that he was a wizard, going to a wizarding school filled with magic and making new friends, yes, friends! Tom had been delighted to actually have made a friend who could stand Tom Marvolo Riddle's mood swings.

But he had, all by himself, which he was quite proud of. Tom had met Abraxas Malfoy on the train, before they had even arrived at the school. The other boy knew all about the magical school, Hogwarts, and had told Tom all about it. The boys had spent the entire train ride discussing the mysterious and magical school and eating treats off the trolly. Abraxas hadn't even let Tom pretend to look for money to buy some sweets, he just bought a little of everything and insisted on sharing it all.

Hogwarts. Oh how he missed it. He missed the classes, the dinners, and his friend. He hated that he had to return to the orphanage for the summer. He had asked if he could stay at Hogwarts over the summer, but his head of house informed him that the school is shut down over the summer months and everyone goes home. Including the teachers and groundskeepers. There simply was no way that Tom could remain in the castle over the summer break.

Abraxas had invited Tom to spend the summer at his home, but the old fool Dumbledore had told him no. If there was one thing Tom didn't like about the school, it was that old fool. He had told the headmaster that Tom, under no circumstances, was allowed to go to Malfoy Manor during the summer. Not even for a week. Dumbledore insisted that he was only to return to the orphanage, and could not go anywhere else at any time during the breaks. The headmaster agreed with what Dumbledore told him, he did however, allow for Tom to go with Abraxas to buy their new school stuff at the end of the summer. Which they already had planned for. Abraxas and his family would pick Tom up, near the orphanage just before the summer break came to an end.

Tom had told Abraxas all about his upbringing, which the blond aristocrat of a wizard had hated. He had told Tom that if he could, he would make sure no wizarding child would grow up in such a nasty place. Abraxas was appalled that Dumbledore would force Tom to return there at all, especially after seeing the place!

Tom had liked Abraxas from the very beginning. It was nice to spend time with someone who knew his way around the school, and he was so happy that they both were sorted into Slytherin at Hogwarts. Abraxas had told Tom that no Malfoy had ever been in another house than Slytherin.

Tom had learned a great deal from his friend in those first few days, and if there was something Tom loved, it was learning. Whenever he had some time off, he would be found in the library with his nose tucked in a book. Abraxas had tried to get him outside, flying and playing Quidditch, but he soon found out that Tom much preferred having both of his feet on the ground. There was just something about having a skinny wooden stick between his legs that Tom did not enjoy. So it had become a habit for Abraxas to find Tom in the library after he had flown around for an afternoon, and then they would both go down for dinner. Tom always made sure to tell Abraxas about what he discovered in books. You could learn a lot of useful information from a book.

This was also the first year Tom ever had a nice Christmas holiday. He even got presents! Abraxas and his family had brought presents for Tom, and he had loved to open them. No one had ever given him a gift before. He got some new books and Mrs. Malfoy had even gotten him some nice clothes. Tom had been so happy. Abraxas knew Tom didn't have any money, but he had told him he could help him with his homework the next year, cause he would apply for the Quidditch team and needed to practice. Tom was happy to help his best friend.

Tom missed it, and couldn't wait to return to Hogwarts for his second year. He had been in the top of every single class, Abraxas always as a number two. But he didn't mind. Tom loved it. He loved to show off his abilities, and he loved when the teachers would give him points in doing so. He couldn't wait to get back!