In the days that followed the trip to the seaside, many would say that something was changed with Amy Benson and Dennis Bishop. The two children had become quieter, more subdued, and their eyes seemed to have a permanently hollowed look about them. They didn’t smile, or laugh, and rarely ever spoke. They would be questioned many times by Mrs. Cole about what happened to them, but every time, they would just murmur, “We just went exploring. We only went exploring.”
They weren’t the only ones who had changed, however. Tom Riddle had become more confident than ever in his abilities. He, too, had been questioned, but he echoed the other’s claims of “exploring,” though he tended to do so with a smirk on his face. Mrs. Cole would swear on her life that when he had said so, his eyes had flashed red.
Lately, more and more children who annoyed Tom were getting sick. And every child that was ill mysteriously lost one of their possessions. One child, who was bitten by a semi-poisonous snake, lost a mouth organ. Another, who had woke up to find a peanut (something he was highly allergic to) on his pillow suddenly lost his favourite yo-yo. There were many more cases of this, but the attendants at the orphanage could never seem to catch Tom; and none of the other children would tell on him. They had seen Amy and Dennis after the seaside trip, and were all now terrified of Tom.
Tom, of course, didn’t mind the looks he received from the adults, the constant interrogation, or even the accusations against him. He had carefully covered his tracks. He was, in his mind, invincible: No one could figure him out. No one could catch him. No one, that is, except for Albus Dumbledore.
The man had shown up one day, out of the blue. Tom would later recall his instinctual dislike for Dumbledore. However, Tom had finally learned the truth ” he was a wizard.
Somehow, he felt like he had known it all along. The things he could do, the powers he had… yes, Tom had always thought of himself as special. But Dumbledore had proved this.
Days after Dumbledore had visited Tom, he had gone to Diagon Alley. There, Tom was entranced by the sights around him. He bought all of his schoolbooks, poring over them until he had everything committed to memory, and had learned all about Hogwarts. He had already decided that he wanted to be a Slytherin.
But he knew there was something missing. Something was out of place in his new lifestyle. And, while reading Hogwarts, A History for the tenth time, Tom came to realise that it was his name that needed changed.
Merlin, Godric, Salazar, Dumbledore… all of the great wizards he read about had unique, distinctive names. ‘Tom Riddle’ wouldn’t do. So he sat awake that night, poring over a piece of paper, endlessly arranging and rearranging the letters in his name. Finally, just as the sun began to rise, Tom came up with the perfect anagram.
TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE: I AM LORD VOLDEMORT
Yes, that would do. Lord Voldemort… one day, every wizard would know and fear the name. Fear it so much, they would not dare to speak it, calling him You-Know-Who and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named instead.
After all, in the end, it was just like Nagini had told Tom: You are different. He was different, special; Tom was a wizard, a Parselmouth, Lord Voldemort.
You are different…
Never Ordinary by harrypotterfangirl21
Chapter Notes: A/N: Nothing in the Potterverse is mine.
ENORMOUS thanks to Sonicdale for all of his help as my beta. :)
Onto the fourth (and final!) chapter!