AN: Ahh~ so sorry I haven't updated in a while. Please forgive me! School has been kicking my butt and now that it's finally break time I can continue with this story. It should be noted that I do not have internet and to schedule my time to update this is difficult and I am forced on the whims of the weird library hours. So unfortunately I won't be able to set up a weekly schedule for the chapters but I will try my best to update this regularly.

So on another note I hope you guys enjoyed the holidays!

See disclaimers and warnings on the first chapter.

~TMRHP~

"In the end, you have to choose whether or not to trust someone." –Sophie Kinsella, Shopaholic & Baby

Ready to Take Over the World Again?

Chapter 3

Friendship?

It was the same dream again and he knew it, after all, this was all he could dream of ever since he turned seven and it has almost been a year since. Deciding to get this dream over with quickly, he ran through the forest trying to look for the clearing. His feet were crunching the dead leaves that have fallen off the tall trees. The whole forest was dying, from what, he did not know. The trees looked burned and there was an odor that smelled of rot. He stayed clear of the trees knowing what happened the first time he was here.

When he noticed that he was in a forest he was excited because he never been in one. Yes, there were trees everywhere around the orphanage and in the town but it was not the same of being completely surrounded by nature. Seeing this as a rare opportunity, he ran around trying to look for some animals that he can't see in everyday society. After searching for awhile Harry noticed that he couldn't find traces of animals not even a single bird. Deciding to take a rest Harry walked over to the nearest tree and leaned on it. As soon as his skin touched the rough bark it dissolved turning it to ash. In the pile of ash was a rotten corpse. The corpse was so disfigured and the smell was so foul his eyes started tearing up and bile worked its way up his throat and into his mouth.

Harry grimaced after swallowing the bile and tried to slowly back away from the rotten corpse. He desperately wanted to scream out for anyone to help him but he was unable to make a sound. It felt as if someone tied a knot around his throat so tightly that he was unable to breathe. His foot landed on a twig and it snapped in half. The sound brought a large echo in the deathly quiet forest. Harry stilled waiting for something to happen. When it didn't he let out a relaxed breath until he saw quick movement in front of him.

The corpse untangled its limbs and stood up. The arm was stretched out towards him and he could make out a few strands of red hair blowing with nonexistent wind. He could hear a whisper of his name and as soon as the corps started jerkily walk towards him all he could remember was him screaming and a bright white light telling him to wake up.

After that night he learned to never touch the trees unless he wants a repeat of what happened. Harry continued to run for what seemed hours when he finally came across an abandoned dirt trial. He followed the path until he came to a clearing filled with bright flowers and bright green grass, all were healthy but still no animals came to the spot. Harry looked around noticing that he came early so he walked over to a large bolder and sat down waiting for the woman in white to come.

When Harry first saw her he knew she was something different, not normal like the kids and the care takers in the orphanage. He tried to talk to her but it seemed as if she could not see him or hear him, as if he did not exist at all. He followed her around the clearing, watching as she took care for the flowers almost as if this was her garden. He soon got bored and was about to leave when he saw the woman open her mouth and sing. Harry never heard anything like this, it was a beautiful voice and with every note, passed through his small body and struck a chord. It brought tears in his eyes even though the song did not seem sad but it felt lonely.

So every time he came to this dream he would sit at the same spot and watch her work and sing until he woke up. Harry saw the lady coming to the clearing from the left side and walked straight towards him. It was odd because that never happened before but he knew that she couldn't see or hear him so he continued to sit and wait for her to begin.

The lady walked until she was standing directly in front him. Harry gasped and looked up to see her face. She was frowning and her eyes showed a hint of mistrust, her red lips parted and her voice came out strong and clear, "Are you Harry?"

Harry's eyes widen in surprise after being address by the lady in white for the first time. All he could do was nod his head hoping that the stranger would be kind. The woman's face lit up and her frown was replaced by a wide grin. Before Harry knew what was happening, he was in the woman's arms being squeezed to death. He tried gasping in air but ended up with a mouthful of hair. He spit out the hair and whispered a 'can't breathe' while praying in his head hoping that he can't die in a dream.

"Oh I'm so sorry! I forgot that humans are weak creatures!" Harry was placed on the ground and a hand was rubbing his back as he took deep breathes. "I'm really sorry Harry, I thought that perhaps you could be that other boy Tom. But now that I know it's you and not him I'm so excited to finally talk to you! Now that I have the strength to make contact I-"

"Wait a moment, Tom?"

The lady paused and had a confused look in her face for a second until her face lit up again as she rapidly nodded her head. "Why, Tom Riddle of course!" Harry was about to ask a question when he felt a firm finger placed on his lips.

"I don't have much time to speak and I'm still tired from using most of my magic but please listen. Try your best and become friends with the boy, I'm sure he is just lonely and needs someone to talk to. For now that is your task, become close to him and I will give further instructions to you as soon as I'm stronger. Please listen and try because this is very important. Now I have to go because I hear someone coming but don't worry I will explain when the times comes."

Harry was left gaping in the middle of the clearing as he saw the woman disappear. 'What just happened?' Harry thought as he slowly felt himself waking up and back into the world of consciences.

~TMRHP~

Harry opened his eyes and sat up in his small bed. His eyes glanced over the bare room and the dust that was building up in the corners where there was no furniture. Harry's bed was tucked into the right side of the room and in front of his bed was a child desk with a few of his drawings placed on top. Behind the bed was a window where he could see the front yard of the orphanage. On the left side was a tall wooden wardrobe that had a few articles of clothing. Harry looked down at his lap and placed his hands on top of the thin sheet that covered him. He continued to stare while deep in thought at what happened in the dream. The woman finally talked to him but all she had to say was to make friends with Tom and that it was important.

To say that it was disappointing was in fact an understatement. He was beyond disappointed and kind of mad. Everyone in the orphanage always had something to say about Tom. It was 'Tom did this' or 'Have you heard that Tom'. It was always the same, even when the conversation had nothing to do with the boy somehow or another it always led to talking about Tom. Harry was sick of it and it was very unfair. The older boy talked to no one and he was vey mean when he did talk, and yet Tom was on everyone's mind. Even Harry had to admit that he thought of the boy often but that was only because he hated that boy and that was it, there was nothing else.

Harry tried hard to make friends with the kids in the orphanage but they always ignored him or teased him because he had glasses. It also didn't help that he was the smallest boy there either. He had no one to talk to, not even the caretakers wanted to talk to him. He was always nice and never said any mean things even though the kids deserved it but they still wanted nothing to do with him. Then of course Tom had to nothing but walk down the hall and everyone is talking about him. Though it is mostly of fear that they talk of him but still, at least they remember who he is.

Now the one thing he had all to himself, the beautiful woman in white, the one he's been dreaming for almost a year, wanted to talk about Tom too. Not only that but she wants him to become friends with the rude boy. 'Doesn't she know that I hate him?'

Harry gave up and sighed knowing that it was a losing battle and he should at least try hoping that it will let him talk to the woman some more even if it was about Tom. Just as he was about to get up the door to his room slammed opened and an older woman stomped inside. Harry looked up to see Mrs. Cole standing there with her arms crossed and a scowl on her face. Harry desperately wanted to tell the matron that she shouldn't scowl because it made her have more wrinkles and it made her look ugly but he swallowed the thought because he knew she would probably smack him and make him have extra chores.

"Get up you lazy boy, it's already six-thirty and you should be down stairs eating breakfast and starting your chores." Mrs. Cole stared at him like she just saw him for the first time in her life. "And you still don't have your work clothes on…wake up and get moving!" Harry didn't want to correct her that everyone needs to be woken up by seven and that he still has time but she looked angry and he really did not want more work so all he did was nod. The strict woman narrowed her eyes but didn't say anything and turned and left the room leaving Harry all alone.

Harry quickly got off the bed and started changing his clothes so he could do the chores. In the orphanage every child as soon as they become of age four they are given a list of small chores to help keep the place intact. After putting his shoes on, Harry went out his door and down the flight of stairs and into the dining hall where breakfast was set up to serve yourself and to find a place to eat. The staff was there to help the smaller children with their food and to watch the room if there was any fights about to start. Harry got in line and served himself to some scrambled eggs and a piece of toast and a glass of milk. He turned around to look for a quite place to eat. After finding a place in the back he sat down and started eating. Occasionally he would look up and glance over the entire room and see the children eating and laughing with each other. This was the time when he truly felt the most alone with no one to talk to and seeing everyone else have fun. As he was finishing his food, Harry noticed that Tom wasn't in the room. He sighed again and tried to clear all thoughts of the boy as he got up to put his dishes away.

Harry made his way to the main corridor and down the hall to Mrs. Cole's office. Harry stood outside the wooden door and knocked a few time waiting for a reply. He heard the 'come in' and he twisted the door knob and pushed the door to come inside. The matron was behind her desk furiously scribbling something down. Without looking up she pointed to the job wall so Harry could get his list. Harry made his way to the bulletin board and looked for his name. Seeing his name right in the center, Harry quickly tore it off and rushed out of the room and closed the door behind him. He looked down at the list and saw that he was on weed duty today.

He made his way to the supply closet and got a pair of gloves and went outside. The cool air of May struck his skin as Harry scanned the courtyard. No one was outside so he could have an easy day without anyone getting in the way. Smiling, Harry decided to start on the right side of the yard and make his way across. Hopefully he would be done by mid-day around the time that lunch would begin.

~TMRHP~

Tom woke up exactly at six as he always does. He got up and got dress and picked up a book the he just got recently from another kid and made his way downstairs to eat breakfast. There were only a few kids up but it was mostly the older ones getting ready to go to work. He ate slowly, taking his time to enjoy the plain food. He was about down when more children showed up complaining how it was too early to wake up and that there should be better food. He frowned at the loud noise and got up to leave when the whispering started.

Tom put his dishes away and left to go see Mrs. Cole. When he left the room the whispering got louder and he smirked when he heard his name being the main topic. They were fools, all of them but he did enjoy their fears, him being the one to cause it. He knocked on the old woman's door and when he heard her reply he opened the door and sauntered in. when Mrs. Cole did not look up he cleared his throat catching her attention. Her eyes were wide and she opened and closed her mouth trying to find her words when Tom interrupted her.

"Mrs. Cole do you have any work for me to do today?" he gave her an innocent smile and his eyes were clear of any intent though on the inside he would rather see this woman gone from his life. Mrs. Cole shook her head, "No Tom there is nothing today."

"Great, well have a pleasant morning." After Tom bid the elder woman good day, he made his way outside and sat under a tree and began reading the 'barrowed' book.

Tom was almost done with the book when the door opened and someone came through. Tom sighed hoping that no one was willing to come outside today because it was cooler and looked as if it would rain but luck had it that a few annoying brats are stupid enough to spend time outside and ruin his day. Tom peered closer trying to make out who it was. He could see that it Harry when the boy made his way to the other side of the courtyard in what Tom guessed was his chores.

Tom observed the boy as he worked pulling out the weeds one by one. He smirked as he remembered when they shared a room together when they were younger but he doubt the other boy could remember anything since he was only one while Tom was going to turn three years old. Oh yes he remembered when the younger boy always tried to sleep next to him and cry when he was away. Though Tom was older, he never got along well with the others but he always had time for Harry. He would try to tell the boy stories but all Harry would do is stare at him and nibble on his fingers. Tom was a bit annoyed when the baby wouldn't listen to him but it was enough that Harry would have his full attention on him. Tom liked the filling have having complete control over the boy and he could not stop the feeling. Then, when Harry was approaching his second birthday, Tom was forced to move in another room and leave the younger on his own. Tom was devastated but he knew he could count on their bond to keep going strong. That was until Harry got sick and they weren't able to see each other for almost a year. By that time when Tom tried to get close to Harry it seemed as though the raven haired boy did not remember him. Which he probably didn't and that hurt Tom the most is that their bond wasn't strong enough.

Tom wanted to get closer with the boy but he wasn't weak enough to come crying to the younger boy. No, if there was to be anything Harry would have to come to him and maybe perhaps Tom can forgive the boy for what he has done to him.

"Umm…" The small timid voice brought Tom out of his musing and he looked up to see Harry try and avoid looking into his eyes. "Is that a good book?"

Though perhaps this is the time when Harry comes crawling back to him and he should judge if the boy is ready for what is in store for him. And maybe later they can, a small percentage, become, dare he say it, friends?

~TMRHP~

AN: Well that's the end and the story is moving along. I hoped you enjoyed it and please leave a review for any comments and questions. See you next time~