Ginny paced the floor in their increasingly cramped bedroom. She was a little anxious. It'd been five months since Tom turned eleven, and nine months since she had, assuming that her birthday really was the same here, which it may not be.

Still, it had been months since they had both turned of age to receive their Hogwarts letters, and there had been nothing. No unusual owl activity, no letters given to either of them. Maybe the Matron was hiding them? Or burning them?

No no, that was ridiculous.

"Ginny, just sit down," Tom said, not looking up from his book.

She looked over at him. He'd always been tall for his age, but he had eight inches of height over her now. She didn't really enjoy being the shortest person in the room again.

"We should have had our letters by now."

"You said that yesterday."

"I know."

"We're still special, still magical. You said that every magical kid in the country gets their name listed for invitation to Hogwarts."

Ginny nodded and sat down. That was true, but she'd arrived in this time unexpectedly. Yes, she appeared to have always existed here, but who knew how it actually worked? She didn't have the same name here, after all.

What if Tom got a letter, and she didn't?

Someone knocked on the door. The Matron entered, "Tom? Virginia? You have a visitor. This is Mr Dundlebore- sorry, Dumbleton. He's come to tell you, well, I'll just let him do it."

A man stepped through the door, he had long auburn hair and a longer auburn beard. He wore a flamboyantly cut plum coloured suit and half-moon wireframed glasses.

Ginny was glad she was already sitting down. Holy shit. She knew Dumbledore was old, but she hardly expected him to show up at her doorstep.

He turned to look at them each in turn, "Hello Virginia, Tom. How do you both do?"

He put out his hand towards Tom for him to shake. Tom hesitated, glancing at Ginny, then shook it.

He turned to her and held out his hand. Ginny shook it enthusiastically, relief practically pouring off of her now that the shock was wearing off.

The man pulled up wooden chair and placed it in the centre of the room, where he could face them both.

"I am Professor Dumbledore."

Ginny could have bounced at the confirmation. She looked over at Tom, excitedly. This was it, they didn't get just letters sent by owl because they were in the muggle world!

"Nice to meet you, professor," she said, trying not to be too weird.

"You as well my dear."

"Why are you here?" Tom asked, face and tone impassive.

"I am a teacher at a school called Hogwarts. I've come to offer you both a place at my school, your new school, if you should like to come."

Tom's eyes widened and he looked over at Ginny again. She smiled at him, struggling not to seem overeager.

"Hogwarts is a school for people with special abilities," Professor Dumbledore continued, watching both of their reactions, "Tell me, have you ever seen strange things happen? Things that could couldn't explain, perhaps when you were angry, or afraid?"

"Yes," Ginny said, "We have."

"And you, Tom?"

He nodded. Though his face was still expressionless, Ginny wasn't sure he was breathing.

Professor Dumbledore smiled genially. "You, Tom, are a wizard. And Virginia, you are a witch."

Tom's impassivity broke with the confirmation, a wild grin carving its way onto his face. He looked a little manic.

"Are you a wizard too?" he asked.

"Yes, I am."

"Prove it."

"What he means to say," Ginny said, shooting a glare at Tom "Is that we'd like a demonstration please, professor."

The professor looked amused, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. Without a word, he drew his wand from inside his suit jacket and pointed it at their wardrobe.

Their wardrobe burst into flames.

Ginny and Tom both jumped to their feet in shock, Tom screeching with rage. She couldn't blame him, all of their stuff was in there!

And just as suddenly, it stopped, the wardrobe standing there untouched.

Tom looked ready to vibrate out of his skin.

"That was a mean trick, sir," Ginny said, her good mood dimmed.

"My apologies. But I think there is something trying to get out of your wardrobe."

She heard a faint rattle coming from inside of it. Ginny frowned, alarmed.

"Open it," the man said.

Ginny crossed the room and opened the wardrobe doors. On the top shelf their cardboard box of toys and knickknacks was shaking and rattling. What game was the Professor playing?

She stood on her tiptoes and took out the box. Tom looked unnerved, still and pale. This was not a good first impression on Professor Dumbledore's part.

"Is there anything in that box that neither of you ought to have?"

Ginny set her jaw. What business was it of his?

Tom spoke up, "Yes, sir. I suppose there is." His face blank and his eyes sharp.

"Open it," Professor Dumbledore said.

Ginny removed the lid and upended the box onto Tom's bed. All of their knickknacks fell onto the bed. It was a pathetic haul, just basic toys and everyday items that somehow passed for possessions around here.

"You will return these objects to their proper owners, with your apologies," Dumbledore said calmly, putting his wand back into his suit jacket. "I shall know whether it's been done. Be warned: Thievery is not tolerated at Hogwarts."

Was he serious? Poor Luna had her things stolen constantly. Or was this a rule forgotten over time? She ground her teeth.

"Yes, sir," Tom said, colourlessly.

Ginny forced herself to relax. The professor might think she had a problem with being told not to steal, but that wasn't it at all. The truth was complicated and unexplainable, at least without revealing that she was from the future. Besides, leaving a bad impression on the future headmaster was a dreadful idea, even if he wasn't returning the favour.

"And you, Virginia?" he asked, turning to her.

Ginny looked up at him, "Not a problem, sir. This is… a local issue."

Professor Dumbledore nodded. Ginny and Tom started loading the things back into the box.

"We haven't any money," Tom said to the professor.

"That is quite easily remedied," Professor Dumbledore said, pulling out a leather money-pouch, "There is a fund for those who require assistance to buy their spellbooks, robes, wands and things. You may have to buy some of your spellbooks and such secondhand, however-"

"Where do you buy spellbooks?" Tom blurted, the sparkle returning to his eyes.

Ginny took the money-pouch politely, thanking him.

Dumbledore answered his question calmly, "In Diagon Alley. I have your lists of school equipment with me. I can help you find everything."

Tom frowned and interrupted again, "We don't need you. We're used to getting by on our own."

"Tom," Ginny said, exasperated, "Professor, we'd be most grateful if you could help us get around Diagon Alley."

"Ginny-"

"Tom," She challenged right back.

She had no desire to go wandering around Wizarding London on their own, and besides, it gave the professor the much needed opportunity to, if not befriend, at least become amicable with Tom and herself.

"We don't need him," Tom whispered, "I don't like him."

"It doesn't matter if you like him," Ginny whispered back, "He's one of our teachers. Do you really want to start Hogwarts with a teacher suspicious of you for no reason?"

"He's already suspicious of us!" Tom hissed.

"If I might interject," Professor Dumbledore said, proving that they hadn't been near as quiet as they thought they were, "You are both highly independent young people, I acknowledge that, but you may find that having someone who knows their way around most helpful, if you wish."

"I think its a good idea, Tom," Ginny said.

Tom relented, "Alright."

The professor clapped his hands once, "Excellent. Are you both ready to leave?"

"Here it is, the entrance to Diagon Alley," Professor Dumbledore said, gesturing to the tiny, grubby looking pub called The Leaky Cauldron.

It looked almost exactly the same as it had the first time Ginny had seen it. And just like the last time, no one was entering the building, or even looking at it, despite it sitting right between a giant, bustling book shop and a new looking record shop.

"No one is even looking at it," Tom muttered, "Its like they can't see it."

"They can't," replied the professor, "The place has been charmed to be invisible to muggles, only those with magical abilities can see it."

He steered Tom and Ginny inside.

The inside was dark and shabby. It was very strange just how little it would change over time.

"Hello, Tom," Professor Dumbledore greeted.

Tom blinked in confusion, frowning.

"Hello, Albus, good to see you," replied the barkeep, a young looking man with thick brown hair.

Tom frowned in earnest, mouth twisting.

"What's wrong?" Ginny mouthed. Tom just shook his head.

The professor led them around the back to the solid brick wall that served as an entryway to the alley proper, and drew his wand. He tapped the wall three times.

The wall folded away, revealing Diagon Alley in all its glory.

Ginny had seen this sight so many times it had lost its wonder. It was just a market street to her.

Tom, on the other hand, had frozen in place, his eyes wide and darting this way and that, like he was trying to take in everything at once.

"Quite a sight, isn't it?" Professor Dumbledore said to him, warmly.

"Yes, sir," Tom said politely, completely at odds with how he eyed the man like he'd confiscated his sweets.

They made their way through the Alley, purchasing various cheap and second-hand school supplies as they went. Professor Dumbledore shrunk the packages for them, so they weren't too loaded down.

They passed a pet shop that Ginny had never seen before, Gilbert and Gilbert's Reptile Emporium. Tom wandered over, curious, and Ginny followed.

Through the window she could see all manner of lizards, frogs, toads, and snakes. Frogs and toads weren't reptiles, but maybe they were just branching out. Lizards couldn't be a very popular pet, at least for kids going to Hogwarts.

The outside glass display held a small white python, lazily sunbathing on a rock. Tom walked right up to it.

Seeing that Tom wasn't going to head inside, Ginny wandered back to the professor, who had stopped and was waiting patiently.

She saw Tom freeze suddenly, and then rush back over to the professor and herself, looking pale. Ginny frowned, what could have happened while just admiring a- oh. A snake.

"Professor," Tom started, hesitantly, "Can wizards talk to animals?"

"There are some spells which can allow talking to animals, but in general no," replied Professor Dumbledore, "May I ask what's brought this on?"

Tom glanced briefly over at the snake, which was now reared up and watching them. "It's nothing," he said.

"Ah," said Professor Dumbledore, "You spoke to a snake, I assume"

"You said-"

The professor held up a hand, "It is unusual but not unheard of to be able to speak to snakes. The ability is called Parseltongue."

Tom processed that for a moment, then resumed walking. "Why is speaking to snakes different than speaking to other animals?"

"I don't really know. Parseltongue is passed down through parents to their children, and so on. Perhaps one day we'll find that some wizards or witches have learned to speak to rabbits."

Tom didn't respond to that.

After getting their cauldrons and apothecary equipment, they arrived finally at the place that Ginny had been waiting for: Flourish and Blotts.

Professor Dumbledore took all of their shrunk purchases and gave them their book lists, sending them off into the shop.

Much like Ginny remembered, the shelves were stacked to the ceiling with all manner and size of books, some as large as paving stones and some as small as postage stamps, some bound by leather and some by silk.

One concerning looking book seemed to be looking at her. She was quite wary of highly magical books since the incident, and gave that one a wide berth.

Tom was enamoured, rushing this way and that to look through every book he could see. She was sure he'd get to his school books eventually, they were the spellbooks after all.

Ginny had a mission though. She searched through the shelves, looking for anything that could have reference to the Veil of Death.

She found only one book that was relevant, titled Mysteries of the Unspeakable, a skim of the first chapter left her with the impression that this was what the Quibbler was trying to emulate. But it did mention an 'Archway of Lost Souls' in the index, and she'd take anything at this early stage.

Tom wandered over, his arms filled with two secondhand copies of each of their textbooks, and a rather fat tome titled Greatest Wizards Through History and Back. The books were piled so high she couldn't see his face. The stack wobbled ominously.

Ginny rushed to take her set of books off him.

"Thanks," Tom said, re-adjusting his stack.

"You're welcome. Did you get everything?"

"Yeah, you didn't look like you were going to get them."

Ginny felt sheepish at that. "Sorry."

She couldn't even tell him what she wanted the book for, although somehow he had managed to find something he wanted and get all the school texts.

They made their purchases and had them bundled, then joined back up with Professor Dumbledore, who was flipping through what looked like a childrens novel.

He looked up and put down the book, "Ah, welcome back. I always find a good wander through a bookstore quite invigorating. There's something about the smell of old parchment that wakes a hunger for knowledge. Or perhaps just hunger."

Ginny snorted. Tom smiled slightly, like he was trying not to be amused.

"How about we stop for lunch before we get your wands?"

They both agreed, and they stopped at a fancy looking cafe for sandwiches and tiny slices of blue cake.

Then it was off to get their wands.

The gold lettering over the building was bright and fresh, but the words were still the same: Ollivanders – Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

There was a lone wand sitting on a plump purple cushion in the display window.

The bell tinkled as they walked in.

Professor Dumbledore settled himself in the single spindly chair next to the entrance

Ollivanders was an odd, creepy place, cramped and dim, with thousands of thin boxes piled high to the ceiling. Ollivander himself was nowhere to be seen. The back of Ginny's neck prickled. Beside her, Tom seemed tense, doubtless he too felt the tingle of magic that lived in the very dust of this place.

"Good afternoon," Ollivander's soft voice said suddenly.

Even knowing that he'd do that, Ginny still jumped. Tom whirled to face him, eyes wide. The professor looked pleasantly amused.

The man loomed over them both, watching with wide, pale eyes.

"Um, hello," Ginny greeted, nervously.

"We're here for wands," said Tom, flatly.

"Why else would you be here?" Ollivander replied, "Now, who might you two be?"

"I'm Ginny, er, Virginia Griffiths, and this is Tom Riddle."

He inclined his head, "Good to meet you."

He spotted Professor Dumbledore on the chair behind them, "Ah, Albus, so good to see you."

"And you as well, Garrick."

"Alder, twelve inches, wasn't it? An unusual wood, that one."

"Indeed. It's a magnificent wand that is serving me well."

"Good, good."

He turned his silvery eyes back two the duo. "Which of you would like to go first?"

"I will," Tom said immediately. Ginny smiled at his eagerness.

"Which is your wand arm?" he asked, pulling out a long, silver marked tape measure.

Tom blinked. "Um, I'm right handed."

"Hold out your arm." He proceeded to measure Tom from shoulder to finger, wrist to elbow, shoulder to floor, and on and on. The tape measure began measuring by itself. Mr Ollivander himself wandered over to the shelves and began pulling down wand boxes.

"All Ollivander wands have a core of a powerful magical substance. We use unicorn hairs, the heartstrings of dragons, and phoenix tailfeathers. No two Ollivander wands are the same, just like no two dragons, unicorns, or phoenixes are the same."

He dismissed the tape measure, which dropped to the ground unceremoniously, before bringing over a wand in a box. "Now, Mr Riddle, try this. Cypress and unicorn hair, nine inches. Give it a wave, there's a lad."

Tom waved the wand intently, but Ollivander snatched the wand out of his hand immediately.

This process went on for some time, with Ollivander giving Tom a new wand to try, and snatching it back half a moment later, muttering to himself.

This was expected, although Ginny hadn't had near this much trouble when she'd gotten her wand the first time.

It had been nearly half an hour.

Her attention was grabbed back by a flash of sparks. Tom was beaming at the wand in his hand.

"Yew and phoenix feather, thirteen and a half inches," Ollivander said, smiling. Tom was clutching the wand reverently.

"You keep a hold of that then," Ollivander said, and turned to Ginny, tape measure once more in hand.

The process repeated, lasting a solid ten minutes. She was curious as to what wand she would end up with.

"Try this, yew and dragon heartstring, eleven and three quarter inches."

Warmth flooded her hand and a bright glow emitted from the tip of the wand. This was her wand. And not just because it had claimed her, this was the wand she'd owned for years. Just how far in advance did Ollivander make these?

After they'd paid for their wands, Ollivander turned to Professor Dumbledore, "Tell Fawkes he should be pleased, Tom here has a tail feather in his wand."

The professor smiled and nodded, "I shall. Have a good day, Garrick."

The very last thing they bought were trunks to store their things, but compared to the rush of getting their wands it was positively boring.

They were back at the entrance to Wools Orphanage far too soon.

"Here we are then," Professor Dumbledore began, pulling out two envelopes, "Now, here are your tickets to the Hogwarts Express. Look for Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station. The school term starts on the first of September.

"Yes, sir, thank you," Ginny said, accepting their envelopes.

Tom nodded and smiled, "Thank you, professor."

From Tom that was practically an endorsement.

"I shall see you at Hogwarts."

They dragged their trunks into their room, letting Sarah know that they were back along the way.

With their door safely shut behind them, they practically burst with excitement, Tom's face breaking into a huge grin and Ginny nearly squealing. It was finally, finally happening. In just a few short months, she'd be back in familiar territory, back at Hogwarts.

They weren't allowed to cast any spells yet, but they had their wands, and the rush of magic hadn't left them yet.

"It's real, it's really real!" Tom said in a rush, "I mean, I knew it was real, it's just-"

"Having a weird wizard show up at your door saying you're going to magic school is a bit more solid than having your friend just talk about it?"

"Yes, that," Tom said, smiling. He opened his trunk and pulled out a spellbook, running his hands across the hard cover in awe before opening it.

They may not be allowed to cast anything just yet, but Hogwarts was just around the corner.