TOM

I enter Dippet's office, pretending not to know what this is about. In reality, Professor Slughorn let slip just last night that I would be given a Special Award for Services to the School. Let slip is a bit of an understatement. He had been practically burning to tell me.

Slughorn and Dumbledore are already in the room when I push open the door, stepping into the oval office. Slughorn is beaming at me and I put on my best model student smile despite the look on Dumbledore's face. The Transfiguration professor is eyeing me warily, not even bothering to hide his suspicion. We both know he thinks I opened the Chamber of Secrets but, luckily for me, we also both know he has no proof.

"Tom my boy!" Slughorn booms.

Headmaster Dippet stands behind his desk, a satisfied smile on his face. He's always liked me but I can tell my most recent stunt has earned me even more points with the Headmaster. By saving the school from Hagrid and his acromantula, I also saved Dippet the embarrassment of being the Headmaster under whom the school shut down entirely for the first time since its founding over a thousand years ago.

"Welcome, Mr. Riddle." Dippet says, coming out from behind his desk to shake my hand. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice."

"Not a problem." I say, shaking his hand. "But I must profess you've got me quite curious. What is this about?"

"Oh nothing to worry about." Dippet said. "Rather the contrary, actually. You see we all owe you a great debt, Mr. Riddle. By discovering Hagrid's acromantula, you saved countless students' lives and kept open Hogwarts for millennia to come."

"I'm just glad I was in the right place at the right time." I say, and Slughorn laughs.

"And he's humble too!" He brags, coming over to stand next to Dippet. He pats me on the back and I bite the inside of my mouth to keep from making a face.

"As gracious as you might be," Dippet agrees, "We just wouldn't feel right if we didn't find a way to honour you. Now normally, we would have announced this award at our end of year feast, but, seeing as what happened to Myrtle isn't public knowledge, we could not do that."

"Award?" I feign ignorance. "I don't understand sir."

"I, as Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, bestow upon you a Special Award for Services to the School." Dippet says, turning to pick up a shiny trophy. He hands it to me and I can see, up close, that my name is engraved on it.

"I don't know what to say." I say, doing my best to appear overwhelmed by the honor. In reality, I want to laugh at the irony.

I glance over at Dumbledore and he meets my eyes, his piercing blue eyes seeing straight into the truth of my guilty soul. How painful this must be for him to watch. I want to savor this moment forever.

"Say you'll accept the honor." Slughorn says, with a grin.

I turn my attention back to him and smile. "Of course, professor. I'm truly grateful."

"It is us who are grateful." Dippet says, bowing his head ever so slightly. "Your trophy will be kept in the trophy room but please, if anyone asks, do not share the details of how you got it."

"Of course sir." I assure him. "Wouldn't dream of it."

It's an empty promise. Despite the school administration's best efforts, most of the school already believes that Hagrid's acromantula killed Myrtle. The rumours had spread like wildfire and while not everyone knew the details, the gist was well understood.

"I know we can trust you, Mr. Riddle." Dippet says, taking the trophy back and putting it back on his desk. "You are an inspiration to your classmates and a bright hope for the wizarding world. We need more young wizards like you. Especially in trying times such as these."

Despite the relative safety of Hogwarts, Grindelwald's reign could be felt in the air. The war covered the front of every newspaper and new attacks were constantly the source of gossip in the hallways. After so many years of war, I don't quite understand why Grindelwald hasn't managed to pull through on top yet.

"You are too kind." I reply, with a slight bow of my head.

"Right, well," Dippet continues, clasping his hands together. "There is one other matter we wished to discuss with you. Completely unrelated but I do believe you will find it a welcome surprise."

I look at Slughorn, and I can instantly tell he has no idea what Dippet is talking about. He didn't warn me there would be two surprises for me tonight.

Dippet turns around and picks up a piece of parchment and then turns to Dumbledore. "Well shall you tell him or shall I?"

Dumbledore steps forward, a smile that doesn't quite reach his eyes forming on his face. My stomach drops. I have a feeling I am not going to like this second surprise.

"I'm adopting you, Tom." Dumbledore says, and my mind genuinely does not register this information until a moment later. When it does register what the old coot said, it takes all of my will power not to choke.

I must look sufficiently shocked though because Dumbledore smiles, the slightest hint of vindictive amusement in his eyes. "I know you will turn 17 and become a legal adult this December. I know this is late in the game and, quite frankly, I should have done it the day I met you but...better late than never."

"Sir..." I struggle to speak, half of my brain wanting to scream at the man and the other half too thoroughly confused to even formulate a sentence. "Why?" I manage to get out.

Dumbledore takes a breath and glances at my trophy before turning back to me. "You have asked Dippet, Slughorn, or I every year since you arrived at Hogwarts, without fail, if you can stay at Hogwarts over the summer instead of going back to that orphanage."

I swallow the embarrassment I feel at this revelation of my weakness. I had intentionally rotated between asking different people each year so as not to come across as too desperate. Apparently I had failed miserably at that strategy.

"You aren't the kind of person to ask for favors, are you, Tom?" Dumbledore says, and I bite the inside of my mouth so hard I taste blood. He really does hate me. This is his revenge for the mistake I made with the Chamber of Secrets. He is punishing me in the worst way he can manage to get away with and there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.

"No. You're independent. Self sufficient. Capable. When I first met you, I offered to take you to Diagon Alley to help you buy your school supplies and you opted to go yourself even though you were only 11 years old." Dumbledore continues. I really do hate him. Can he not at least spare the anecdotes? "You wouldn't ask for a favor unless it really, really mattered to you and you asked not to be sent back to that orphanage...not just once...but five times."

"Sir, I didn't mean to badger you with this request-" I try, but Dumbledore cuts me off.

"What I'm trying to say is I should have listened to you the first time." He says. "I am taking you out of that orphanage once and for all. You will come live with me this summer in Godric's Hollow and then you may do as you please once you turn 17 this December."

I swallow the bile that rises up in my throat at this prospect and stare at him in stunned silence. Never had I thought I would be unhappy with the chance to escape the orphanage but my imagination had clearly failed to think of all the possible worse options.

"I don't know what to say." I repeat and, this time, I really mean it.

Dumbledore walks towards me, takes the parchment out of Dippet's hands, and then hands it to me. I look down at the adoption papers, signed without my consent. I feel like some chattel bought and sold on an auction I had no control over or knowledge of. Anger rises like a fire inside of me and I know I need to leave this room or I am going to do or say something I regret.

"Thank you, sir." I manage to get out. "This is...a lot to take in. I-"

I want to pull out my wand and crucio him into insanity.

"I know." Dumbledore says, with a wry smile. "Take your time. This will be a big adjustment for us both."

Adjustment. As if one could adjust to living in hell. This was torture, pure and simple. Planned and executed as revenge for all of the sins he knew I'd committed but couldn't pin me for. The man was a monster.

"We'll have to stay here a few days after the other students leave. I need some time to wrap things up." Dumbledore continued, clearly enjoying my despair. "We'll leave for Godric's Hollow on the 28th."

I nod because what else can I do. Dippet and Slughorn are watching the exchange with smiles on their face, entirely misreading the situation. I can tell they think the exchange is adorable. They are as blind to Dumbledore's true motivations as they are to mine.

I should never have let the basilisk out of the Chamber of Secrets. I was so incredibly foolish to be so reckless. Just five minutes ago, I had thought I had escaped the incident unscathed but now I realize how mistaken I was. Dumbledore will not let this go. Not now that he thinks I am a murderer.

Looking at his knowing eyes, I almost wish I had killed Myrtle on purpose. At least then I would be punished for something I chose to do, instead of a preventable oversight I could have avoided if I hadn't been so negligent. I have always preferred being punished for my choices rather than my mistakes.

"Well isn't this just a special day!" Slughorn exclaims, still beaming from ear to ear.

Oh the things I would do if there were no consequences...