"Kid, Platform 9¾ is this way."
"Professor, are we taking the train to school?" Tom hadn't expected the Hogwarts Express to run during the holidays.
Dumbledore shook his head with a smile. "Of course not. It's vacation time—even most of the professors are resting. The platform only opens at the start and end of term. I'm just bringing you here for a quick look."
After seeing the platform, Dumbledore took Tom straight to Hogwarts.
The tall, imposing towers loomed majestically. In the grounds, a tree swayed its branches menacingly—Dumbledore warned him it was the Whomping Willow and to stay clear.
They stopped in front of a door, and Dumbledore knocked.
Soon, a bat-like man opened it.
His face looked worn and older than his years, with shoulder-length hair hanging loosely. His expression was sour, like everyone owed him a fortune.
"Professor Severus, this is Tom Riddle, one of our future students."
"Tom, this is Severus Snape, Hogwarts' Potions Master."
The bat-like Snape furrowed his brow. "Albus, why bring a first-year to me?"
Snape's dark, hollow eyes scanned Tom, lingering on his bright green ones. It made his scowl even deeper.
"Severus, I'd like you to put him up for a while. He'll move to his dorm once term starts, but until then—would that be too much trouble?"
"Absolutely!" Snape replied without hesitation. "I'm busy every day. I don't want some kid—especially a Muggle-born one—living with me!
He'll get in my way. He'll annoy me just by existing! Albus, don't you have spare room? Let him stay with you!"
Dumbledore chuckled. "This child is very interested in Potions, Severus. I'm an old man now—I can't keep up with kids anymore. And he won't bother you... right, Tom?"
Tom nodded quickly. "Professor Snape, I promise I won't disturb you. I'll—"
"Call me Professor Snape!"
"Right, Professor Snape." Tom swallowed hard—the man's presence was intimidating. "I guarantee I won't be in the dorm except to sleep. The rest of the time, I'll be in the library."
Snape paused, staring at Tom's jade-green eyes. "Your name is Tom Riddle?"
"Yes."
"Be back by eleven. If you're late, you can sleep outside."
With that, Snape swept his black robes dramatically, turned without another glance, and left the door half-open.
"Off you go, Tom."
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."
Tom knocked twice before tiptoeing in.
Snape's rooms were cluttered—books lay open on the floor, shelves lined with potion ingredients.
"If you touch my books or my ingredients, I swear I'll toss you out of England!"
"I'll be careful."
Tom set down his things and headed straight to the library.
Finally, he could practice magic freely.
Walking into the vast library filled with endless shelves, Tom felt like sixteen waking hours a day weren't nearly enough.
Time was too short.
Maybe sixteen hours isn't my limit... I need to find out what is!
In the empty library, Tom's voice echoed as he practiced spells alone.
...
London.
Hermione was getting irritated.
Two annoying boys had shown up today, and somehow Tom had managed to befriend them. She had no idea how.
Tom's taste in friends was awful!
If it were her, she'd never hang out with them.
Those types who didn't care about anyone else's feelings? Hermione could barely stand talking to them.
That afternoon, a letter arrived—from Tom Riddle.
But it was the one she'd sent days ago, using Tom's body!
Hermione had no clue why it took nearly a full week to arrive.
In the evening, another letter came, also from Tom Riddle.
Sent... yesterday.
She asked the owl why this one was so fast. It was express delivery, of course it'd be quicker.
She opened it. Short and to the point:
Tom had received his Hogwarts acceptance letter.
It was expected, but it still caught her off guard.
Maybe I need to track down Tom and talk about this body swap.
And... he owes me two hundred pounds! That's money I worked hard for!
Hermione was decisive. She set an alarm for tomorrow right away.
Early the next morning, she got up, threw on the plaid shirt Tom had bought, stuffed a few books into a suitcase, and headed out.
By the time she reached St. Radia's Orphanage, it was noon.
Stepping through the familiar gates, she saw kids chasing each other with bowls, heading to the dining hall, laughing and happy.
Except Misha.
The storage shed door—that was usually closed—was wide open, empty inside.
At this time, Tom should be tutoring Sean in magic.
Hermione walked deeper in.
"Who are you?"
She looked at a familiar but nameless kid. "I'm Hermione Granger. I wrote to Tom before."
Hearing Tom's name, Misha snapped out of her daze and ran over.
"Do you know where Tom went?"
"Tom's not here?" Hermione raised an eyebrow, her expression shifting.
"He went to Hogwarts—to school. I want to talk to him, but I don't know where Hogwarts is..." Misha looked crushed, like she was about to cry.
Hermione froze.
Seeing the tears in Misha's eyes, she swallowed. "Tom's just at school. Hogwarts has holidays—Christmas, Easter, summer. He'll be back then."
Misha counted on her fingers, figuring out how long until the next break.
"I... brought some stuff for you guys." Hermione set down the suitcase. "Tom mentioned you didn't have books, so I grabbed some from home. They might be good for you all."
She opened it in front of Misha—full of books.
Dictionary, gardening guides, The Count of Monte Cristo, Hamlet, a calendar...
"You guys..." Hermione started, then stopped. Seeing the kids' happy faces, she swallowed her words. "Read when you can. It'll help."
"Thank you, Hermione!" Misha beamed, hugging the calendar and circling the holidays.
Hermione smiled at her, left the suitcase, and turned to go.
No point staying if Tom wasn't there.
"Hermione, it's lunchtime—stay and eat?" Misha grabbed her as she left. "Are you and Tom close? You kinda remind me of him."
Hermione's heart skipped, but she recovered fast. "Not really. He just owes me money."
"How much? I—me and Tom are best friends. I can help!"
Hermione paused, surprised, then ruffled Misha's hair. "No need. Tom's old enough to handle it. And I'm not in a rush."
Once he's at Hogwarts, we'll meet again eventually.
Just hope this stupid body swap doesn't happen anymore.
She couldn't resist the kids' insistence, so she stayed for lunch before leaving.
Instead of going home, she went to Diagon Alley and sent two letters to Hogwarts.
One to Tom, one to Professor Dumbledore.
Only then did she head home.
Sitting at her desk, staring at the super-detailed notes in her textbooks, Tom's face popped into her mind for some reason.
"Calm down, Hermione!"
She slapped her cheeks. "Stop thinking about him! Focus! You have to study hard—other kids aren't Muggle-born. Their parents are wizards; they've been learning magic since they were little!"
Hermione was eleven when she first touched magic—before Professor McGonagall showed up, she hadn't even believed it existed.
...
Hogwarts.
Tom stood by the window, gazing at the lush green landscape.
In the distance, a small giant—about ten feet tall, not full giant size.
Rubeus Hagrid.
Tom remembered the name.
Hagrid seemed to sense the stare, turning toward the library, but Tom vanished from sight in a blink.
Back at his seat, the tiredness in Tom's eyes was gone.
Magic—keep going!
Evening.
"Reparo!" (Repairing Charm!)
[You performed a spell. Rating: Average. Reparo +10.]
[Close-Combat Fighting Lv.1: 224/300]
[Language Mastery Lv.1: 200/300]
[Animal Affinity Lv.1: 110/300]
[Levitation Charm Lv.2: 322/1000]
[Incendio Lv.2: 310/1000]
[Softening Charm Lv.2: 300/1000]
...
With the final spell, all his first-year magic reached Lv.2.
Lv.1 let him cast successfully.
At Lv.2, the improvement was obvious—he could now levitate eight five-inch-thick books at once!
Joy flickered in Tom.
Among first-years, his skill might be pretty strong.
But—it wasn't enough!
His goal wasn't topping the first-years.
It was Voldemort!
That noseless ugly freak who shared his name... maybe he was kinda handsome once, but now? Total monster.
Voldemort was the target.
Until he took him down, Tom couldn't stop.
Checking the time—almost eleven—he grabbed his books and hurried out.
He didn't want a lecture from Snape.
But when he got back, Snape still glared. "Tom, you had five minutes to spare. Next time, come back earlier!
No—I hope there isn't a next time!"
"Sorry, Professor Snape. I was worried you hadn't eaten, so I grabbed some food for you on the way."
Snape froze, staring—at those jade-green eyes and the smile.
He huffed coldly and turned back to his potion.
After a long pause: "What did you bring?"
"Pizza, sir."
"Professor Snape! And if there's a next time, I'll throw you out!" He pointed at a shelf. "Don't try to butter me up!"
"Understood, Professor. I'll leave it on the table—shouldn't get in your way, right?"
Snape didn't reply.
Tom set down the pizza, lay in bed reading Potions, and didn't even notice falling asleep.
Next morning.
5:30.
Tom got up.
The dorm was empty—no Snape.
The pizza was gone from the table.