Author Notes: This is what I call my "indulgence fic" , Tom and Harry fic. Now I'm not too sure on making it slash, I'll have to think on that but so far...

All recognisable characters, settings etc etc...belong To JK Rowling

Mrs Cole shut the iron rimmed windows with a bang. It was a cold harsh night outside and she didn't want the newborns getting the chills and coming down with the flu. One more new addition had been made and Mrs Cole didn't find it in herself to begrudge the infant. He was a quiet one, and hadn't cried ever since his mother had left him, God knows where the woman had disappeared in the night, abandoning her child. By all means she should have been furious and reported the case to the police, but one look at the cherubic face and she hadn't the heart to.

She would later find out that she should have reported the case and gotten rid of the child. But it would be too late and she would be without a heart to regret.

...x...x...x...x...x...

The raindrops came down like sharp crystal glasses mercilessly tearing away the soft thin fabrics placed over the vehicles, yet the woman in the dark alley showed them no fear. She was in her own world, a shattered world of sorrow with only an onyx stone brooch to remind her of the once delightful world she had enjoyed. She hiccoughed through her tears, her saliva mixing with the puddles of water near her knees. The thunder drowned out her wails just as they had drowned out her week old son's who was shivering uncontrollably in the pink and purple bundle he was swathed in.

"Ma...mama" the weak voice of the child failed to carry through the thunder. But the woman did whirl around as if possessed by some maternal instinct and stared at her son with bloodshot eyes. Tiny fingers with drops of water on them were peaking out of the bundle desperately trying to pull the cloth away. Like a ghost she walked towards him and pulled him closer to realize that the bundle was drenched and water was filling up inside. He had almost drowned!

"Darling I'm so sorry." the woman pulled her son close, burying her face inside the bundle and feeling his soft baby skin. A tiny finger poked her eye by accident causing her to laugh. It was an extreme change, but important as it gave her a chance to see the world again, in a happier light.

Then she noticed a dark shadow in a corner shop. It was tall and looming. And she had the sickening feeling she was the center of its attention. She was only now realizing the danger the place was home to. Fear had returned to her, and she clutched her baby tightly to her chest. She could feel him struggling and protesting inside the bundle but fear made her hold him tighter than ever.

Then there was a sound of a meow and a mangy-looking kitten with bones sticking out of its stomach came into view from the corner shop. Just a kitten's enlarged shadow, the woman laughed again before her gaze returned back to the struggling bundle. She kissed the shocking amount of black hair and sighed.

"He left me," she whispered into her son's ear, "But not completely..."

Tom Riddle looked at the Hogwarts letter with a faint scowl. He was displeased. And the cause for his displeasure was due to the last sentence written on the parchment.

"An owl, a cat or a toad"

There was no mention of a snake!

The hinges of the door shuddered as it opened. A large grocery bag levitated inside, followed by a huge polished trunk. Tom got up from his armchair and walked leisurely towards the door.

"Do you need me to levitate some for you?" asked Tom, eyes shrewdly passing the many shopping bags his mother had roving over her.
"Always on the look out aren't you?" said Merope, gesturing to the bags behind her, "Get them in then."

With a smile that lasted for a second, Tom got to work, pulling out his wand from its holster and letting his magic course through it. This, he loved doing and he never missed an opportunity to use his powers, hone them and of course...exhibit them. not that he cared much about showing off, those desires were long quenched by his mother's praising. He was addicted. That was it, he loved the feel of his magic and the control it afforded him. He was only eleven, but he was addicted.
Merope hadn't been too surprised, instead she had opted to teach him how to control his desires before they took over him.

Merope's words rang clearly, "You should always be the one to wield not yield."

They weren't rich, far from it. Everything they had, was worked on and polished by magic, and Tom had played no small part in the polishing process.

"What's in them?" asked Tom, indicating at the pile of shopping bags sitting on the wooden table.
"School stuff that you'll need." answered Merope as she slumped on a stray armchair, exhausted. Tom rolled his eyes at his heaving mother, she had no grace in whatever she did. Anyone passing them in the streets would give them curious eyes. They made the most unlikely pair and when, if ever a person dared to address them, it was to ask if Tom was Merope's son. And Tom never sought to support his mother during the times she deigned to reply to the outrageous question, after all she had left him in the orphanage. But he didn't hate her for it, not by much. She had come back to get him, albeit four years later when he had just started showing his malicious tendencies.

"I thought you never went to Hogwarts, how would you know what to get?" asked Tom, masking his annoyance at his mother. He wanted to do his own shopping, he wanted to go to Diagon Alley most importantly Knockturn Alley, and he most definitely wanted to peruse the dark books stocked in its stores. And he wanted to do it all alone.

Squint eyes gazed up at him but Tom didn't flinch like others would have done.
"Someone told me, and I bought them for you." her eyes moved to the open Hogwarts letter on his armchair, "You can get your wand tomorrow or you can go today if you like."
She passed twelve pieces of Galleons to him, "I think that's how much a wand costs."
"Everything else is in there?" asked Tom, glancing at the bags. He was appeased now that he realized he would have more time in his hands. They didn't often go into the Wizarding World, they didn't have that much money and what they had was stolen stuff from the Muggle world. Tom didn't mind it, he wasn't too fond of the muggles and didn't care if they suffered losses because of them. But stealing in the Wizarding world was difficult, besides Merope had repeatedly told him not to sink that low. It was true, his mother did all the stealing, and she preached him against it. He always noted how different he was from her, her looks, her way of carrying herself, her lack of confidence. The only thing Tom could say he had inherited from her was his magic, which were very well developed for someone his age. Merope who had never been taught was handling herself very well for someone who had never been taught, magic thrived in their blood.

"Yes, robes, shirts, a cauldron, potion ingredients, year books..." she waved her hand to indicate everything else, "I hear they have a library so it shouldn't be a problem though you may not find all the books you seek, but I'm sure you can deal with that." eyes glanced again at the open letter, "What does it say?"

"Magpa?" Tom teased

"Not the snake, the letter!" said Merope annoyed

"It says I can't bring him!" said Tom, letting annoyance mar his face, "The only pets allowed are mundane to me."

Silence passed them for some time.

"Do they allow owls?" asked Merope suddenly

"Yes," said Tom distracted, "Its absolutely useless to me, it can't talk back neither can a cat, And what is it with being allowed a toad? An amphibian, good enough for cutting, nothing more!"

"I'm sure you'll survive without his presence for a few months." muttered Merope lapsing back into silence. Her son was too fond of his snake, too fond. But then at least it wasn't the type of fondness exhibited by her brother, Morfin. Merope should be thankful or that.

Lily entered her flat room carrying a huge pile of groceries in her hand. She balanced herself on one leg while extending the other leg to slam the door shut before depositing the heavy load on to the floor.

"Harry!" she called out, stretching her neck to try and glimpse her son in the main hall. He wasn't there, well she would just have to do some treasure hunting now. She started with the sofas, the wardrobes and then the pantry shelf.

"Mom, what are you doing?" an amused voice rang out from behind.

"Searching for you." said Lily, turning to face her son.

"Guess what's for breakfast?" she asked, then frowned at his lack of reaction., "Hey, what's up with you today?"

Lily pulled him closer before messing up his hair, but he didn't even protest at the treatment. Not that her messing it up mattered as it didn't make much of a change. Her son's hair was forever messy no matter how long he took in combing it in the mirror, it just stubbornly refused to stay flat.
"There is this strange letter, Mom." her son's muffled voice spoke.

"Darling, if it is from your Aunt, burn it. You shouldn't allow her words to affect you-"

"It wasn't from Aunt Petunia! And it wasn't addressed for you, it was addressed to me, they knew me Mom, isn't that just freaky?"

"Lily blinked, before lightly pushing him away, "Strange letter huh, from who?"

"From a school, its like a boarding school-"

"A boarding school?" asked Lily trying to mask her dismay, "What is it called? I've never heard of boarding schools sending personal mails to children."

"Its called Hogwarts, but that's not the main point, see."

Saying that her son extended a white open envelope towards her.

"I don't know what to say-" sad Lily after she finished reading the letter.

"But doesn't it explain everything?" said Harry, green eyes shining with excitement, "There are people like me Mom, and they...they'll understand, they are like me!"

"Indeed." Lily muttered, unable to keep the sadness out of her voice. Her son leaving her for months was quite a lot to take in.

"Mom?"

"Yes?"

"Well...?"

"Hmm?"

"Well, can I go?"

Lily looked at the eager eyes of her son, and her heart melted for a moment.

"Can...can we not afford it?" Harry asked uneasily.

Lily forced a laugh, they were not well off but they certainly were no street-siders, "That's not the case, darling."

"Then we can afford it?"

"Oh, yes, we can. We just have to decide if Muffy qualifies up to the school's standards of what is considered a cat.

"An interesting, rare combination Mister Riddle." Ollivander said as he packed the wand, "And...I wonder...if not a coincidence?"

Tom looked at the fading sunlight, he was running late. He had immersed himself completely in exploring Knockturn Alley that he had almost lost count of time. It hadn't helped his mood when he had to try several wands to finally get the right one. And the old wizard didn't seem to be able to understand his customer's growing impatience and had delightfully cackled with every incompatible wand that passed through Tom's fingers.

"I'll take it now." said Tom handing over eleven galleons, "What do you think is a coincidence?" he couldn't help asking after placing the new wand inside the holster.

"Yew and Phoenix, I thought I might never be able to sell this wand. And yet I was able to sell both brother wands on the same day."

"Brother wands?"

"Yes, the wand that chose you has a brother," said Ollivander, "In the sense, the phoenix I got your wand's core from gave me two features. Perhaps you shall meet the one who owns the brother wand." the man's eyes twinkled eerily.

"Is it of any importance? It's not like just because one wields a brother wand, they are up to your level." said Tom, disgruntled by the fact that his wand was not as unique as he would like it.

"Your wand is rare, Mister Riddle but it can be...tempting."

"That won't be a problem." said Tom giving the man a cool gaze before departing.