Chapter 7

Unexpected Situations

Riddle looked up when someone had the nerve to invade his personal space. His eyes narrowed at the tapping finger upon his book before looking over his shoulder; glare lessening at the sight of his roommate. Of course he shows up around dinner. He brushed the digit away causing the raven to chuckle as they moved to pull out a chair and sit haphazardly next to him. Sloppy. Tom didn't understand how Harrison had no care for their outward appearance whatsoever. He was partly tempted to give the reclined chair a push so it would topple over but reframed. "There are other tables."

"It's okay, I know you missed me princess."

"Hardly."

"So you getting shipped off to the loony bin this time?" Harrison bounced his foot causing the chair to sway back and forth. "It's been a week since that dude came, right?"

Tom scoffed. "You would be more fitting as a patient."

Harrison laughed in amusement with a head nod of agreement. "True," he tilted his head toward Riddle with a jocular smirk. "but I don't have a known track record like yours."

Harrison had come to know all about the rumors surrounding Tom Riddle over the course of the first few weeks of becoming the brunette's new roommate. He of course knew the rumored ones to be true and not just somewhat up for question but never furthered the gossip. Tom had quickly become aware that Harrison knew as the raven would say something in passing or poke fun with comparisons of Riddle's past deeds. If there was one thing the brunette had to admit to liking about the raven it was their judgment free attitude. It was thanks to this that both boys didn't have to subdue their true natures when around each other. Tom figured this unspoken safe zone between them was struck up to also assist in keeping Harrison's own misdeeds from the staff. Mainly for those uncountable times the raven was nowhere to be seen. Neither one of them would snitch on the other for a loose bribe of benefit when they gained far more by keeping silent.

Tom's foot slid a bit, bumping one of the rear chair legs under Harrison's seat in response to the comment. He ignored the small "Oi!" his unwanted desk mate made upon resetting themselves. "Go somewhere else if you can't be quiet."

The raven was about to say something when a matron came over to the table with something in hand. Harrison flipped the brunette the middle finger before the matron could see. He turned his attention to them catching sight of the brief look of dislike on their face when Riddle went back to reading. Funny to know the dislike is so mutual. He chuckled inwardly at the thought. His amusement was interrupted by whatever the matron had been holding was dropped onto the table between himself and Tom.

"Harrison, you got a letter."

"Eh, thanks."

"Be sure to tidy your bed before inspection tomorrow." The matron bid a brief farewell and walked away to do the usual rounds around the rec room.

Riddle's interest peaked at the mention of a letter. His eyes lifted a bit over the book only to tense; it looked exactly like the one Professor Dumbledore had handed to him before the man concluded his visit. The matron thankfully didn't linger close by as they were now some distance away. He slammed the book down onto Harrison's hand just as the limb reached for the letter. His brown eyes snapped to the other boy's face with a narrowed gaze. "Come with me." Tom did not wait for a response as he snatched up the letter and yanked the raven out of the rec room.

An unaware boy was startled from doing his business at the urinal when the bathroom door suddenly slammed open and two other boys came in. His eyes widened upon recognizing the first boy as Tom Riddle, his stream of piss almost instantly stopping in fear. He watched the pair in growing unease as he quickly zipped up. He jumped when Riddle shoved the other boy against the tile wall by the sinks. His eyes caught the gray gaze of the darker haired boy he recognized as Harrison Black. It was almost surreal to see the two fighting as they normally were always seen to be cordial to one another. He wasn't sure what to do as Harrison had helped him out before a few times with Billy and his gang.

"Harri-"

"It's all good." Harrison motioned with his head to the door. "Just keep quiet."

Tom's glaring eyes now rested on the person interrupting his interrogation causing them to let out a squeak before dashing out. Harrison's deep sigh returned his attention back to them. Riddle was reminded once again how this boy was the only one who didn't feel any type of fear or similar emotions like the other kids in the orphanage did. Even some of the staff. It further fueled the frustrating anger he felt toward the raven after seeing that damn letter.

"So what's all this about?"

Riddle tossed the crumpled letter onto the floor beside them. "This." His tone was sharp but there was a leaking hint of hidden disdain.

Harrison's confusion turned into understanding when he registered what the letter actually was. The Hogwarts's acceptance letter. His eyes shot back to Tom's face with a filter of hidden caution. He wasn't sure if he should pretend to not know anything or make up some excuse. "So wh-"

"What did you do?"

"Er, legally or ill-"

"You're 11 Harrison."

"And very innocent." Harrison lightly tapped the white knuckled hand fisting the front of his shirt. "Are you gonna let go any time soon?"

"No." Tom pushed them further against the tiled wall. "What magic did you do?"

"Magic?" Pause. "Oh, you mean the closet lock thing? I do have magic fingers when it comes to locks, if I do say so mysel-."

"You used real magic then. Don't lie to me." Riddle's voice was sharp in its accusation.

Harrison had but it was wandless thus untraceable. The ministry wouldn't have put a detecting ward on Wool's orphanage until they knew for sure a magical child resided there. The same had been done to Privet Drive sometime during 1st year. However sharing such a bit of information was a rather moot point; besides he knew he had to breach this topic of being a wizard as well to Riddle at some point before they left for Hogwarts. No time like the present. Harrison pretended to look around cautiously as if they weren't the only two in the bathroom already before giving a faint nod. "Yes."

"When?"

"You know you're talking in hisses, right?"

"Harrison."

The raven began the lie with a sigh. "During a fight with Billy-boy." He gently wiggled Tom's fingers open and pushed the limb down while shifting himself forward so he wasn't glued to the wall so tightly. "He was picking on some kid across the yard, the one that actually just ran out I think, and in the next blink I was just around the corner from them." It wasn't really a lie just the event took place in Harrison's original timeline when he was in muggle grade school with Duddly and he had been the one being picked on. Harry Hunting, the game that evolves with age! He quickly smothered down the sudden urge to laugh as the thought of Voldemort's reaction to being told his chase of Harry Potter was essentially the pickup game of a muggle.

"You wasted magic on that?"

"Not all of us are complete assholes." He coughed both to clear his throat and the blank stare his comment got him knowing full well what it was for. "It just happened."

"Your priorities are warped."

"My what a cute mirror you are."

Riddle dodged the incoming index to his nose. He glared at the amused look momentarily before turning on his heel and heading out of the bathroom with Harrison's laugh trailing behind. Tom knew full well there was nothing he could do about this new turn of events. He had been foolish these past few days since Professor Dumbledore's visit. Tom had let his childish side apply logic to his usually mature thought process with its assured thinking he was and would be the only one able to do magic. That childish line of thinking had blinded the brunette to the hints of Harrison having similar traits.

Of course Tom hadn't noticed any signs beyond their shared ability to understand snakes and had become quite assured of his higher placement to Harrison after receiving his Hogwarts letter. While they did get along in their own way Riddle did not like how level they were. Now not only was he no longer the only one capable of doing magic but his roommate was too. And if one added onto that annoying fact with the other boy's skill of hands-on fighting it boiled the muffled rage Tom had been keeping at a simmer since the incident with Nagini. The feeling of inadequacy was stirred further only adding to the overall frustration Tom felt toward himself and even more to Harrison Black.

The worst part was Riddle knew he could do nothing to quell anger or urge to causer bodily harm to the raven haired boy prickling under his skin. The memory of Daniel Bishop and the hung rabbit passed the forefront of his mind but unfortunately such a scare tactic wouldn't work on Harrison. More so after the utter failure of the last attempt. I absolutely hate him. Tom refused to believe he was the lesser one between them. Harrison clearly had morale concerns where Riddle had no such silly compulsions. Harrison had a hero tendency- given it was more vigilante with a heavy lean toward villainous but still a good guy overall essentially. He's strong but stupid. Knowledge is the key to being on top and brawn counts for little if out-masterminded.

The thought seemed to help simmer Riddle's influx of unsteadiness. He completely ignored the raven's presence as they followed behind him back to their shared room saying words he hadn't been able to hear over his own thoughts. Tom did not want to be anywhere near the other boy when he felt the truth of his limitations once again. This wouldn't be the last time he had wished the greeting situation with Nagini had gone as planned. How troublesome. He slammed the door shut behind him before his roommate could pass the threshold.

"Oh come on!" Harrison thumped his fist against the closed door when it shut in his face. "You can't be seriously ignoring me for that!"

Silence.

"I have no control over being able to do magic!"

More silence.

"Is this part of your plan as well?" Death's voice was heard before the Entity's borrowed form came into Harrison's sight. The blacked out eyes sliding from the closed door to its master.

"No." Harrison stepped back from the door not seeing any point to keep trying knowing how stubborn Riddle can be. He crossed his arms over his chest as he turned to face the entity. "I didn't use any detectable magic so I'm not even sure how I got a letter from the scho-"

"They are more prompt than I expected of a human."

"It was you?"

"It was me."

There was a moment of silence as Harrison starred up into the ceiling taking a deep breath. "You're getting a kick outta this, aren't you?" There was no verbal response but Harrison could almost feel the amusement in Death's aura. "Figured as much. Let's just go."

Harrison couldn't really understand the point of these outings from Wool's Orphanage other than the teasing sense of freedom it gave. It was like a giant 'Fuck you' to the kids in his opinion with how they strolled along the street to the central area to see completed families and people being able to do as they please. How sweetly sickening. Since boys were essentially 11, Harrison having already reached the age while Tom would during the school year away, both boys were allowed to join the group that could go beyond the property line of the Orphanage. Tom had been rather pleased about it in his own lowkey way while Harrison didn't feel any which way about it. He after all had freedom easily accessible. The raven cast his gaze over the children around him and saw that some of them were feeling a bit sour about the clear differences between their lives and those outside of the orphanage. Not that he genuinely cared.

If there was one person's reaction he'd want to see it was Tom Riddle's who was still ignoring him. Man, can that bastard hold a grudge! Harrison turned his head left, right, then down for no reason other than his own little amusement but either way there was no sign of his roommate. Now where did he fuck of to? He frowned some when he didn't see the boy in the gathered group nor sense their presence within a few feet radius when he decided to let a bit of magic out to act like a sort of sonar. Tom wasn't there. Now that's just rude, slipping away to have fun without me!

Slipping away from the group was far too easy; it was almost concerning. At least it would have been if Harrison wasn't technically a grownup in a child's body or gave a damn about the safety of those stuck in the grungy place with him and Riddle. The overseeing matrons clearly had not much care for those under their watch if two kids were able to go unnoticed. Then again the raven had noticed how some of the older matrons pointedly looked the other way when it came to Riddle getting the short end of the stick or unfair treatment. Funnily enough it worked out in their favor- more Harrison's than Tom's though. Riddle was like a natural repellent. It was also thanks to this that their room wasn't checked on much compared to others and thus they had more time away from adult eyes. Perfect for Harrison's bad habit of being out bound and Tom's need for alone time.

Harrison was able to follow the trail of Tom's magical signature after picking it up after walking back from where the group had come. The trail led down another block in the opposite direction and then to a lengthy street with an alleyway somewhere in the middle. Tom's magical signature was strongest here. Harrison came to a stop at the mouth of the alley. His eyesight barely took a second to adjust to the dim lighting filtering into the area before he stepped in. He could see typical alleyway trash, questionable stains, and disregarded junk here and there. Further in was a weird mound. His eyes narrowed a bit in confusion as to what that could be until he saw what looked like a leg kicking out. "What the.." The impersonating 11 year old blinked in surprise when the mound turned out to be a man hunched over another body of a much smaller stature. Harrison moved slowly closer so as to not gain the adult's attention while watching the squirming limbs beneath them. It was morbid curiosity at its best really. Oh... That was Riddle's shoe. He recognized that shoe a little too well for someone who didn't own it as Tom had been so very close to throwing it at Harrison's head earlier that very morning. Apparently despite the silent treatment still going on violence wasn't off the table. Typical Voldemort style. Well this is kinda unexpected.

It was then gray eyes lifted and were suddenly looking into brown eyes.

Harrison was tempted to stand back and openly watch as Tom struggled to get free while knowing he was right there but that taunting urge was smothered when the man pinning Riddle down ran their gross tongue along the boy's neck. If there was one thing Harrison Black hated it was adults taking advantage of children, having been on the receiving end of that in too many ways. And pedophiles essentially got off on such a thing far as he was cornered. So that made them one of few things he absolutely could not let stand without damage no matter who they were. He made a bit of a face in distaste at the reminding memory.

"Hey asshole."

The man's movements came to a sudden stop as their head snapped in the direction of the voice. In the next second a foot was planted squarely onto their face; the force causing the man's body to fall over with a heavy thud and shout of pain. Not that anyone present cared. Harrison kicked the man in the side once more forcing them to roll away from him and subsequently away from Riddle as well. The raven picked up the nearest object that seemed sturdy enough, which ended up being a section of pipe, and brought it down with force upon the man's head repeatedly. The screams that tried to fill the otherwise empty alleyway gurgled off almost instantly thanks to a well placed hit to the man's throat.

Harrison only stopped when there was a sickening crack and the body went completely limp.

He checked the end of the pipe he had used and spotted some thick dripping smears of blood along the end. "Shoot, did you die from that?" His voice held no actual worry however and that was further shown by the way he nudged the man's body over onto their back with the small L part of the pipe he had used. It took a few seconds to see but the man's chest was slowly rising and falling in a sign of having been knocked unconscious. "Guess you lucked out."

"What are you doing here?"

"I know you're an asshole, Riddle, but damn." Harrison turned his back on the downed man to face Tom who had stood up at some point during Harrison's beating of the man. "Also you ditched me with the group. What kind of roommate are you?" The pipe was slung over a shoulder like it hadn't just been used to beat an adult. "Wait…are we back to talking again?"

Tom couldn't help but just stare at the other.

Harrison's brow lifted in question. "What?"

Despite what Harrison had said Tom hadn't actually peeled off from the group on purpose. He had lingered back a bit to get a better look at a book on display in a store's window when someone grabbed him from behind. His mouth had been covered by some cloth muffling any noise he had made. He had watched the group move further away without anyone taking notice of his sudden situation. At the first couple of seconds he had been confused, then angered at the gall of this person and the matrons for being so careless, and finally much to his self dislike- scared when he realized what was going to happen.

The man had dragged Riddle into an empty alley and forced him down onto the ground. Never before did Tom hate how small he was. He was easily dwarfed by the man and pinned into place as they got on top of him to do who knew what. It had been utterly disgusting as it was unthinkable. The fear that had risen within him felt like bile. He felt so sick and the dubbing fear of death seeped in as no one knew what was going on. There would be no help. Not the new wonder of limitless magic had become aware of either. His magic had prevented the man from seriously harming him but it did nothing to get him actually away from the vile creep. Not a single person who was in charge of his well-being had any clue what had happened to him and most likely hadn't even been made aware that he had gone missing. Or would care for that matter.

At least that's what Tom had thought until he had caught sight of someone at the entrance to the alleyway.

Riddle had thought it was just another person passing by the opening unaware of what was going on but then he realized they were coming closer. Unfortunately he wasn't able to make much noise thanks to the guy's hand clamped over his mouth so all he could do was double his struggling efforts. The man forced his head to turn to face them again but he fought the hold and the next chance he got to see passed the man his eyes widened.

Harrison Black stood there.

They were looking at something Tom couldn't see but as if feeling his gaze on them the other boy's eyes slid upward clearly not having expected to meet his own. The raven's gaze was calm, the typical cool expression usually on Harrison's face, and Tom for once found himself disliking it. Despite what he thought of Harrison he knew the boy could be a force to be reckoned with; although rather more in the sense that Harrison Black could hold his own against seemingly anything. And yet here was Tom being attacked by some disgusting brute and his roommate was just standing there as if they were watching alley cats paw at each other. The words "help me" refused to go any further than the surface of Tom's thoughts. From habit or pride wasn't known but Riddle was forced to look away from Harrison when the man tugged his head upward to expose his neck. He shuddered in utter disgust as something wet brushed against his skin. He knew what it was without having to look.

The loud bang startled the brunette.

Riddle's head jerked to the noise only to stare wide eyed at the sight of Harrison beating the sicko. He could see the splatters of blood seeping from the man's wounds and splattering onto the dirty ground. The visual somehow seemed louder than the man's actual cries of pain. Tom scooted away from the two and got to his feet which he realized were unsteady from his body's natural reaction to the whole ordeal. Tom couldn't help but stare as Harrison poked the downed man with the pipe he had used against his attacker without care of the baffling fact they had just beat a grown adult unconscious. Riddle couldn't fathom someone actually saving him. Him. Tom Riddle, the loathed boy of Wool's Orphanage whose own mother wanted nothing to do with him upon giving birth to him in the orphanage's very own sick bay. And yet Harrison Black had done just that. The same Harrision who budded heads with Tom on an almost daily basis and exchanged foul comments back and forth without fail as there was nothing to be lost between them. They were not friends in any true sense of the word regardless of how it may seem to others. So seeing the other boy here and having seen what they did to another human being made no sense to him; even more so when Tom had been pretending Harrison didn't exist at all for almost a week now.

"Why are you here?"

Tom only realized the thought had been spoken aloud when Harrison's gaze was set onto him. It was hard to tell in the darkened alley but the other's eyes looked almost green in the lighting for a moment but Riddle discarded the visual as his mind reacting from the attack. He barely paid any attention to what Harrison was saying as he just stared at the other boy's bloodied appearance and apparently the other figured that out rather quickly by their annoyed eye-roll. In the next second Tom found himself being guided out of the alleyway by the wrist and back onto the street without any further word. Harrison had made a stop at a small fountain to wash off the man's blood on their way back to the orphanage. Riddle had watched the other boy pretty much dunk themselves in without comment. He made no comment when the raven used one of their now soaked sleeves to rub off some drops that had gotten on Tom's clothes.

The warm sunlight flooding over their bodies as they walked back felt like a tattered bandaid to what took place in the dark just minutes ago. At least to Riddle it felt as such. Harrison had released their point of contact a while ago to walk with hands casually resting in the pockets of their pants as if nothing out of the ordinary had taken place. Part of Tom was appreciative of Harrison's choice to not bring what had happened any attention. He himself just wanted to forget it ever happened. Forget the harsh reminder that he, Tom Riddle, was indeed still just a kid despite all his denial and actions to prove himself otherwise. And yet some part of him was discontent with that very same thing as well; a part he buried deep and refused to even acknowledge now or even in the future.

The two were given a scolding by one of the matrons who spotted them waiting by the gates of the orphanage upon coming back early without the rest of the children. It seemed the fact they had gone missing was brought to the adult's attention at some point for the woman to be returning. Both Tom and Harrison were forbidden from leaving their room unless it was to use the restroom. This punishment for "going off on their own for laughs" was overseen by another matron who remained seated just outside their shared room. Not that either boy cared as they were the type to prefer their own company to the solidarity of crowds if given the option. They spent the rest of the day confined to their room even through dinner where they were served half a roll of bread, a few cubes of cheese, and a glass of water each. By the time it was nearing lights out for everyone Harrison had seated himself spread legged on the floor beside his bed, using the mattress as a head cushion, while tossing a ball up to the ceiling. Tom sat upon his own bed with a well worn book on his lap reading over the story he probably had memorized from how many times he read it. At some point the silence must have gotten to Harrison as the raven broke it with a simple comment.

"Are you even reading that or just holding it for some nerdy reason?"

"Nerdy isn't a word."

"It's essentially what you are since you're a bookworm too."

"So according to your logic, I am a bug that lives inside a book then?" Tom looked up from the book when there was a momentary lapse of silence. He could almost see Harrison's brain working through what he said. "You had no idea what a bookworm actually was beside the derogatory term of the word, did you?"

Harrison merely smiled. "Nope."

Tom scoffed and returned his gaze to the book. The tension in Riddle's body seemed to just seep out of him upon seeing that smile; which was odd but he didn't care to give it any thought. In fact he refused to think about anything related to Harrison Black after what took place. He had prided himself on being so mature, so steadfast, and so capable of taking care of himself that there was no need for anyone to even try. But he knew. He knew in the deep recesses of his childish mind it was just a mantra to help soothe the utter lack of genuine care he had from anyone after the matrons deemed him old enough to be cornered about. Which for Tom was sometime around age 4. His brown eyes slid toward the other dark haired boy with mentally denied caution. They seemed no different from usual. No tension in their body, no wariness in their gray eyes, and no personality front to hide whatever a normal person would've been feeling after such an incident to be seen. Tom stared at Harrison a little more closely as a thought struck him. Harrison Black wasn't normal. He hadn't followed the norms of society as far as Tom could recall since their first meeting all those months ago. In fact Harrison was quite similar to himself and Riddle wasn't sure how to feel about that previously unknown fact.

Harrison could feel those eyes on him. It would have been unnerving if it had been the adult Voldemort but as it was he felt somewhat curious. Is he about to apologize? Gosh, look at the seriousness plastered on that babyface. He stood up and made his way toward Riddle. Their brown eyes lifting with every step gained to remain trained on his face. It was kinda funny. "No more silent treatments, and I'll call it even." He came to a stop right in front of the brunette and after an impromptu staring match flopped face down onto the bed beside Riddle. "So how've you been?

"You're a weird one."

"Says the other kid who can talk to snakes and do magic."

Tom had no comment to that but instead asked a question that had been in the back of his mind. Professor Dumbledore had visited him with a brief introduction of the magical world along with a copy of the same letter Harrison was mailed. Who had been Harrison's introduction person? Tom would have known if it had been the old man again; there was no hiding his bright taste in clothing after all. "Who came to you from the school?"

"The muggle's study teacher, you'll be meeting her tomorrow I think."

"The ticket for the Hogwarts's Express isn't dated until-"

"I know, it's to get our stuff for school." Harrison's hand groped around a bit as his face was still pressed into the bedding and yanked Riddle down by the back of the brunette's shirt. He pushed himself up onto his forearms to look down at the displeased look on his roommate's face. "We're going shopping in a magical district, so why don't you try and brighten up Princess."

"Don't you dare utter that vile name at school."

"You better hope my I.Q progresses well by then."

A/N:

Extended to make up for the delay...and Yes the last section is import for later.

Diagonally Alley & Hogwarts next.

F'uckin finally.