Chapter 5

Something Wicked

Nagini was a snake that had slithered onto the orphanage property a year prior to Harry Potter's arrival back in time. Going by outward appearances she was a mixed breed of two python types and a Burmese boa. Her placement at such a muggle ridden place was thanks to the essence of magic in the area. Something only her enhanced senses could feel. Maybe if another magical creature was around they too could sense the simmering magic but for her, for Nagini, it was more than that. The magical presence reminded her of her former owner who had succumbed to something called Dragon Pox.

The two feet long serpent had managed to find the source of magic in a young boy. Her deceased master had wanted a child of their own however it never came to be. Nagini never had any hatchlings either but the way her owner spoke of having a kid struck something within the snake that had her allowing the young boy to get close.

Tom Riddle knew nothing of the magical world despite the incidents that would take place around him. Most were brushed off as tricks of the muggle eye or actions willfully performed by Riddle even though he claimed to have no part. Nagini had seen how these humans treated the boy's accidental magic as something negative than the joy of a new life chapter as her master had called it.

Thus she visited the lonely boy.

They're growing connection to one another over time grew in an unexpected almost mother-child like relationship. It was nowhere near the humane version but similar to one in the infamous tale of two abandoned brothers raised by a female wolf. Nagini did not feed or clothe the boy but she cared for Tom in a way that would have made her master proud. There had been rarely any times she had to defend the child and those times were far inbetween and usually easily settled by a show of sharp fangs to the other child who showed aggressiveness towards Tom.

So it was quite the surprise to the serpent to see another boy following Tom by a couple paces with tangible magic stronger than her new owner's own. Nagini knew Tom was unable to sense magic for what it was. Only able to have a feel of it somewhat like one does when they feel something is off about something but they can not physically feel or see the cause. A sense of caution would be the closest similarity. But she knew this new child could by the way their gray eyes seemed to shift around the alcove upon entering the small area of the yard before landing right onto her as if she was a beacon. Tom apparently wasn't aware of the knowledge this newcomer had as her new owner spoke freely; well as freely as someone like Tom Riddle would. She was going to protect her new owner from this boy; her hackles rose when those eyes bore down onto her from over Tom's shoulder as if sensing her intentions.

And for a moment those eyes flashed emerald green.

Harrison was genuinely surprised at seeing the snake. He hadn't known Voldemort had had Nagini in their company from such a young age. He assumed the dark wizard had just come across the snake at some point in the man's adult years. Not as a child just reaching admission age for Hogwarts. Did snakes even live that long? His gray eyes moved from the snake to Riddle who didn't seem to realize he had already seen the reptile by the boy's words of what they wanted to show him being kept hidden. Look at him being excited. The bemused look on Harrison's face shifted then as a thought hit him. Wait, should I actually be worried that he is?

It never did bode well for the other party as usually whenever Tom was remotely happy about something it ended badly for the opposite person. Or at least caused some type of bodily damage.

"So, what is it?"

The raven's theory was proven true a few minutes later.

It had taken more time than Riddle would have liked to finally get the chance to put his plan into play. The mass of people within the orphanage and his roommate's freewill got in the way but he figured this would make an interesting birthday present. He hoped doing this would scare Harrison and he could use the fear to control the wayward boy. Part of him was cautious though as good of a plan it was the other party involved was a snake he had become very close to. Almost possessive of since Nagini was the first to ever treat him as he so rightfully should be. And Harrison tended to be unpredictable. So Tom was careful on how he introduced the two regardless of his impatience to get rid of the other boy. He felt a bit of excitement at being able to show off the wonderful dangerous serpent only he could command.

Riddle stepped away from where they had come to a stop in the small corner to the farside of the yard that ran between the orphanage's wall and confiding fence. He kneeled down to where he knew Nagini had made a burrow under the soil and was a bit surprised to see her already upon the surrounding grass. His eyes glanced at Harrison who looked on, head tilting in question, then back to Nagini with whispered words just in case. Caution was a balm for failure after all.

"This is the roommate I had spoken of." Tom watched as the serpent seemed to turn its head toward the person of topic before returning its attention onto him. He reached forward to allow the snake to slither onto his arm so he could show Harrison the beautiful reptile. He noted Harrison's expression didn't change much at all when he held the serpent toward the boy. "This is Nagini, she's not friendly but will listen to me."

"If you tell her not to attack me?" Harrison asked with a teasing tone even though he knew very well Tom could in fact tell the snake to maim him. Knowledge is indeed power. He couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped him. "She's gorgeous."

"You can hold her."

Brown un-telling eyes met curious gray.

He knew there was a challenge in those eyes but Harrison also knew quite a few things that Tom Riddle did not. So he took the serpent from the brunette's slightly extended arm. The snake remained dolce for the time being awaiting for its master's signal as he knew Tom was ready to give when the moment was right. Luckily for the future Dark Lord Harrison wasn't the most patient of people. "Have you ever carried her on your shoulders?"

Tom's eyes seemed to almost gleam at the given opening. "It is her preferred way to be held."

Of course it is. The raven adjusted the reptile to be draped along the width of his shoulders; however he kept his hold on Nagini's body just beneath her head and a few inches above her tail. This would prevent her from coiling around. He had some words of his own to sneak in. "You attempt to do any real harm, I will kill that boy and then gut you from jaw to tail." He had released some of his magic into the snake causing the animal to feel a rush of freezing cold to drive the truth of the threat home. His hushed words left unheard by Riddle, nor read as Harrison had turned his head toward his shoulder blocking his lips from clear view. "Do as your master commands."

Nagini's body wanted to curl in on itself at the flood of pain from the sudden cold. This child was not normal. This hatchling knew. And she knew what he wanted from her; silence in exchange for the safety of her master. The boy had given his consent to be wounded but anything life threatening would be dealt with in kind. It was made even more clear to her how little her master knew of this boy. Nagini relaxed a bit when she felt warmth in her body that seemed to come from the very hands that seconds ago were nearly freezing her from the inside out.

Riddle watched as the other boy set themselves up almost perfectly for what Tom needed. The previous gleam in his eyes exchanged for a sharp look when the snake's body suddenly wrapped around the other boy's neck the moment their hands let the serpent go, presumably to lay comfortably upon their shoulders. Tom stepped up closer to the pair with a growing fascination as Nagini's body coiled tighter around Harrison's neck. He was so absorbed with the choking process Tom failed to keep his own body out of reach from retaliation.

Harrison's hand shot out like a viper around Tom's neck and squeezed tightly with zero hesitation. "Did you just command your snake to attack me?"

Laughter was the last thing Tom expected to be hearing at a time like this. And yet there was Harrison laughing even as blood soaked into the boy's shirt where Nagini bit them when Tom was attacked. Riddle tried to speak but those fingers were almost crushing his windpipe. Apparently it never occurred to him that his roommate's utter lack of care for consequences of any type also applied to him. Harrison had never raised hostile airs toward Riddle apart from their first meeting but had actually seemed to have taken on a type of older brother role- loosely based of course. So it felt like a betrayal to be on reviving the end of the other's hostility even though Riddle was the one who attacked first.

"A…Attack hi-"

"Shut your mouth." Harrison's voice was dark. The command heavy by tone alone despite not being raised.

Tom's eyes had widened as he realized Harrison knew what he was about to say. That's not possible. Just a coincidence. He stared at that face; at those typical eyes, average features, and unnoteworthy presence. Nothing special. Harrison wasn't like him. They didn't even have anything in common nor do their tastes line up even remotely. Tom was better than Harrison and it was a proven fact in the things only he could do. Special things only he was capable of. No one else. His gaze lowered to Nagini; her form no longer encasing Harrison's neck but perched along the boy's shoulders almost limply. Rage surged through the brunette. "No!"

The sudden burst of magic caught both boys off guard. Riddle launched himself at the other, catching them on a backward stumble, causing both boys to fall to the ground in a grappling heap. Tom landed atop Harrison's stomach in a somewhat straddling position as he tried to hit or claw at any part of the other boy he could reach. Rational thought out the window. Physical violence wasn't something Tom particularly went for but his emotions were running amuck and his limbs just moved. He could not stand even the notion that there was someone else capable of doing what he could. That was not going to be taken away from him.

More so from someone such as Harrison Black.

Harrison meanwhile could feel Tom's magic thrumming just beneath the boy's skin as it acted upon its wielder's will. He grit his teeth when Riddle's own set bit down on his shoulder when the boy concluded landing a hit wouldn't be easily repeated. Who knew Tom was such a hellcat! Part of Harrison was amused by it however that didn't mean he was going to let the brunette off easily after drawing blood. He let go of one of Tom's hands, allowing the other to swipe their nails down his face just as he grabbed their jaw; using the harsh hold to push Tom's head back and flung them both to the side with all his body weight behind the motion. Now being the one on top Harrison decided it was time his roommate became attuned to the fact he was not someone to be messed with despite how nicely he had been toward them.

Nagini watched on from a few feet away, unable to move, still stunned from the explosion of accidental magic.

There was a soft awakening groan from the bed followed by a figure sitting upright. Confusion in their brown eyes after a look around their current location. Riddle had no idea how he ended up back in the shared room or how much time had passed. Most likely an hour or two since the sun seemed to be roughly in the same position as it was when they had headed outside. He turned his gaze toward the other bed only to find it empty. Then he remembered. His fists curled into the sheets causing the barely formed scabs on his knuckles to open. Tom's gaze lowered to stare at the lightly bleeding wound with growing distaste at the new blunt fact he could not deny. He was weak. Fighting had never been a notion to cross his mind as his mind was sly enough to put others down without a fist raised. He prided himself on such an unmatched skill…however that clearly meant nothing to those who preferred to continue confrontations with physical implements. That needed to be fixed loathe as the brunette was to admit it his best way to go about that was his annoying brute of a roommate.

Tom startled when something cold was placed on his shoulder. Body jerking to face whatever it was just to meet the relaxed face of his roommate who held the end knot of the makeshift ice pack. His gaze narrowed. "Don't need it."

"Fine with me if you keep looking like a cat who ate a bee." Harrison tossed the ice pack lightly over the brunette's shoulder onto their bed then headed to his own.

"How dare you continue to mock me." Tom couldn't help slipping into the snake tongue; not that he was able to tell the audio differences between the two languages yet.

"Rather I just keep beating you?"

Tom had no comment for that. It would be stupid to deny that had happened and leave him looking even more foolish. He was going to have his revenge but for now Tom was fine pretending the fight never took place. His previous plan of scaring Harrison into following him failed utterly but it was clear the other boy didn't hold the whole ordeal against him. As to why completely escaped Riddle; so for now his best bet was to genuinely befriend his roommate. Slowly convert him for use and then discard after leaving him withering in pain. "Harrison."

"Yeah?" Came the nonchalant reply.

How the other boy could be so relaxed after what happened didn't make much sense to Riddle but he chucked it up to their stupidity. "Have you always been such a neanderthal brute?"

"What?" Harrison chuckled while rolling over from his stomach flopped position to face the other. "You have the weirdest insults, ya know that?"

"Hn."

"Wait, was that actually a question?"

"It's curious as to why someone your age would deem fighting as a hobby."

"It's got some awesome pro's though, doesn't it?" The raven gestured to Tom's bruises with a lazy hand motion.

"There are other means of violence," Tom's glare was deadly. "Untraceable ones at that."

"Alright alright, no need for another tantrum." Harrison shifted into a sitting position facing Riddle with a growing smirk on his face that seemed to intensify the glare in those brown eyes. "I can help you heal that up."

"A flimsy ice pack won't do mu-"

"No no, I mean like with a magic trick I know."

"You must think my level of I.Q is the same as yours, Harrison. Which it is most certainly above."

"Yeesh, and you say I like fighting."

Their conversation was interrupted by a matron opening the bedroom door. Both boys did not appreciate the lack of privacy but it wasn't like they had much say in that matter. They watched as the aged woman took a quick sweep of the room before settling her gaze upon Riddle; mainly the bruises. It was then Tom realized how perfectly fine Harrison looked in comparison to himself. Riddle shot the raven haired boy a look that was clearly understood by the barely repressed smile. The matron gained their attention once more as she spoke about Riddle's health; indirectly letting the brunette know just how much time had passed during his unconscious state.

"Ye wounds are looking better today. Don't do anything like ya did yesterday, Tom." Her eyes shifted to Harrison for a moment. "Lucky Harrison was there to help ya. Now, there's a professor from some school downstairs with the head miss who'll be up shortly I reckon." The focus was back on Riddle who remained impassive upon the matron's sudden entrance. "He said yer a fit for it and would like to meet ya. Harrison me lad, ye need to go elsewhere. The man wanted to talk just to Tom."

And with that the woman left.

Tom slid his gaze toward the other boy with a prompting narrowed look. "What did you tell her?"

"Hmm, can't remember," Harrison stood up from his bed as he spoke, feet already walking toward the left open door. The grin he sent Riddle from over his shoulder was full of amusement. "must be my low I.Q."

And with a wink the other boy was gone.

Tom barely had a handful of minutes to sooth the urge to go after the raven when there was a faint knock on the door. He wasn't sure what he had been expecting but an old man dressed in a rather vibrant purple suit was nowhere near it. The man even had on a weird pointed hat that did not take away from their rather long white beard. He couldn't help the thought that Harrison would've gotten a kick out of seeing the guy. She said this man was a professor? Tom took in the old man's appearance a bit more closely and found there was nothing to suggest such a profession. Another quack doctor most likely.

It had been sometime since the last one had visited.

"A professor of education or medical doctor?" came Riddle's first words to the man.

"I am a professor, as well as deputy headmaster, at a boarding school. My name is Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Their voice was almost airy in tone, something similar to how one would expect to sound like if they were to meet the portly jolly man one christmas eve. "And I would like to extend my school's admission to you, Mr. Riddle."

A/N:

I got stuck on this chapter.

Rewrote this shxt like 2 times now its this...

MOVING ON-