A Change of Pace - Year One

Prologue

mid-December 1926

"You're a what?!" exclaimed Tom Riddle, his voice echoing off of the walls of the small house on top of the hill of the sleepy town of Little Hangleton.

His fiancée Adele, who was sitting on the bed, bit her lip. She knew that the news wold come as a shock to her fiancé, but she did not realize how badly Tom would react. She laid her hand on her round abdomen and sighed. "I'm a witch, Tom."

Tom stared at his fiancée as though he'd never seen her before. He was so angry that he couldn't even think straight. So after taking a few deep breaths, he said almost a little too quietly, "How long?"

"What are you talking about, Tom?" asked Adele, who slowly stood up and walked over to the other side of the room to join her fiancé. When she tried to touch him, he quickly moved away from her.

"How long have you known about your...abnormality?! Why didn't you tell me?! Didn't you think I deserved to know what you...are?!" shouted Tom angrily.

Adele fought back tears as she replied, "It's something you're born with, love." Once again, she moved to her fiancé, who again moved away from her.

"You still didn't answer my second question! Why didn't you tell me?" retorted Tom, ignoring the distressed state of his fiancée.

Adele laughed bitterly. "Well, the fact that I'm a witch isn't something that comes up in everyday conversation." She looked up at her husband, who glared at her with the utmost disgust.

"Tom..." She finally managed to touch her husband, and she grabbed his arms. But Tom grabbed her forearms and shoved her away, and she landed on the floor on the other side of the room by the fireplace. Adele couldn't hold back any emotions and she sat sobbing on the floor.

"And what about our..." spat Tom, staring at the corner of the room opposite his wife.

"The baby'll be a witch or wizard, too," sobbed Adele from the floor. "Tom, I'm still the same woman you fell in love with, the same woman you were going to marry."

"NO, YOU'RE NOT! HOW DARE YOU...YOU...YOU FREAK?! YOU LIED TO ME AND CONTAMINATED MY CHILD?!" yelled Tom. Adele stood up from the floor and walked over to Tom.

"Tom, please," she sobbed, grabbing his hands. "I need you in my..."--Adele looked at her swollen belly, and Tom snuck a look at his child--"our lives."

Tom shoved her away from him where she landed on the bed once again, sobbing harder than ever. He walked to the other side of the room toward the door. He looked directly at Adele and opened the door. "I'll be back for my things in the morning," was all he said before he slammed the door and walked into the cold night, leaving a sobbing, rejected witch inside.

*~*

Tom sat brooding and drank from a wooden mug in the local pub, The Hanged Man. He couldn't believe he'd been fooled by that...freak. They ought to burn those freaks like they did in the good old days. He was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he didn't even hear the voice of his friend, Cassidy.

"Oy, Tom!" shouted Cassidy in Tom's ear. Tom started and turned to face his friend. Cassidy, a man of medium height, smiled at Tom as a drunken group of men started singing yet another pub song, but Tom scowled.

"Not now, mate. I'm not in the mood," said Tom shortly and turned back to his drink on the bar.

"Why not?" asked Cassidy perplexedly.

Tom sighed and told Cassidy of Adele's abnormality. Tom poured every leftover bit of anger and disgust that he'd been feeling after he'd first heard the news. When Tom had finished, all Cassidy could say was "Blimey."

Tom glanced at Cassidy, who had turned back to his drink. Cassidy had an oddly blank look on his handsome face. Tom was slowly getting very annoyed. "Oy, what's wrong with you?"

Cassidy shook his head. "Nothing," he said very quietly. He took another drink from his mug, and then he turned back to Tom and, in normal tones, asked, "So, what are you going to do, Tom?"

"What else am I going to? Move on and get some new bird," chuckled Tom. Cassidy slowly turned his head to look at Tom. "What? I can't live with that for a wife!"

Cassidy turned his head back forward and swallowed. "What about your kid?" he said in an oddly restrained voice.

"That...thing...isn't my baby. That freak befouled my child and gave it her abnormality," spat Tom. He picked his mug up, took a long drink, burped, and wiped his mouth with the back of his right hand. "Oh well. Time to cut my losses and move on." Tom turned around on his barstool and glanced around the pub. The group of drunken men was still loudly singing the pub song when the door opened and in stepped a young woman dressed in Paris's latest fashion.

Tom hopped off of his seat, strode over to the table at which the young woman was sitting, and smiled at her. "Hello, beautiful. Is this seat taken?"

The young woman giggled flirtatiously. "No, take it."

Tom grinned, moved his chair closer to the woman, who giggled once again, and sat down. "So what's a beauty like you doing in a place like this, --?"

"Gladys," replied the woman shyly. "I don't know. I just needed to find someone," she suggestively added.

Tom raised an eyebrow and leaned in toward Gladys. "Oh, and am I the right man?"

Gladys put a finger on Tom's lips and stood up. She straddled herself on Tom's lap despite her dress, and the two "kept each other company". After a couple of minutes, Gladys grabbed his hand, and the two stood up together and headed toward the door. Tom glanced around but didn't see Cassidy anymore. He shrugged his shoulders and let Gladys lead him out the door into the snowy streets.

*~*

Tom and Gladys slowly walked the roads of Little Hangleton, flirting the whole way. When they were about to approach the corner, Gladys ran ahead of Tom.

"Hey, wait up!" called Tom.

"Well, hurry up!" replied Gladys, beckoning him to turn down a dark lane.

Tom grinned and stepped exactly where Gladys' feet had been. He was absolutely positive how the then current situation at hand was going to end. However, when he turned the corner, Gladys was nowhere to be found. Tom, who was completely nonplussed, looked around, but it was too dark to see anything. Tom was about to turn around when he felt a sharp jab in the back.

"Don't turn around or I'll hex you into the next millennium," said another familiar female voice angrily.

Gladys walked out of the shadows with a deeply disgusted look on her face and holding a strange...stick?

"What the de--" Tom started to say, but Gladys raised the stick up toward his face.

"I advise you not to say anything, Mr. Riddle," spat Gladys.

"What--how did you know my name, Gladys?" asked Tom dazedly.

"I know so much more about you, Tom," Gladys laughed bitterly. "Oh, any by the way," she added pseudo-sweetly, "my name's not Gladys. Now, start walking."

Tom started to protest, but the object (Tom could swear that it was another one of those sticks) that the other woman behind him was holding was pressed deeper into his back, and Tom winced at the pain. Nevertheless, Tom began his journey with the woman-who-is-not-named Gladys in front and the other angry woman in tow. Though he could not figure out why, Tom was scared out of his wits.

The odd trio walked down the cold lanes, making two or three twists and turns. After a few minutes, the group arrived at a red brick house. The first woman stopped in front of the small wooden fence in front of the house and opened the gate. "Go in," instructed the woman. Had Tom been walking this trip of his own free will, he certainly wouldn't have followed the orders from this, much less any, woman. He hesitated, and the woman who was behind him shoved the stick into his back. Tom bit his lip so not to let sound come out and dragged his feet on the small pathway that lead up to the steps up to the house. Once again, the stick was shoved into his back, and Tom let out a gasp and began to walk at a quicker pace.

After climbing the steps, the first woman opened the wooden door, and Tom and the woman behind him walked into the house. It was a small, yet comfortable house, and Tom noticed the Christmas decorations placed in random spots all over the hall. The first woman walked down to the end of the hall, passing up several rooms on each side in the process. She turned left into a room, and Tom and the second woman followed. It was a sitting room that was most likely used for entertaining guests. Like the rest of the house, the sitting room was decorated for Christmas. Tom looked at the Christmas tree and blinked. The lights were moving and buzzing, and Tom could have sworn the angel on top of the tree winked at him.

There was some whispering going on between the two women that Tom couldn't hear. The conversation had apparently ended when he heard the woman-who-was-not-Gladys say, "All right, but I'm coming back in five minutes, and I'm bringing Galen, too." There was a sigh and a set of footsteps that lead away from the room.

Tom was about to turn around when the second woman sharply called out, "Don't move!" He sighed inwardly and did as told.

"Now," the woman instructed, "Walk over to the sofa, sit down and don't open your eyes until I say so." He walked over to one of the chairs in the middle of the parlor and sat on the sofa in the middle of the room with his eyes closed.

There were more footsteps and the sofa moved as more weight was placed on it. "All right, Tom. Open your eyes." At last, Tom got a look at the second woman and was very shocked to see her face.

"Adele!" he gasped. "What-what are you doing here?"

Adele raised an eyebrow nonchalantly. "Hmm, you certainly move on quickly, Mr. Riddle. Seven months ago you were screaming how much you loved me, and yet today you were ready to go home with someone you knew for all of 5 minutes." Tom stared at her with his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.

Adele laughed without any humor. "What's the matter? Afraid to face the consequences of your actions?"

Tom still sat with a look of shock etched on his face. Soon, he glared at his wife with the utmost contempt. "You have no right to talk to me that way, you freak!"

"You know, you use the word freak absolutely too often. Try expanding your vocabulary, Tom," said Cassidy amusedly from the doorway.

Tom's jaw dropped, and Adele sighed. "Galen, I said five minutes, and I meant five minutes."

Galen shrugged and sat on the two-seater to the right of the sofa. "We heard shouting, so we figured we'd come in now," said 'Gladys'. She walked over and sat by Galen on the two-seater.

Adele tilted her head to the side. "Leala..." Leala crossed her arms over her chest and smirked at Adele.

Adele sighed and gave a small smile. She muttered, "Bloody Gryffindor."

Leala laughed and was about to say something in reply when Galen coughed and nodded his head toward Tom. Leala scowled. "Oh right, the Muggle."

Tom had so many thoughts running through his head, but one thought stood out: They all know each other; I'm not safe here. Before anyone else could make any comments or movements, Tom stood up and bolted away from the sofa. There were shouts from behind him, but he didn't care. He ran out of the room and down the hallway. He was almost to the door when he heard a cry of "Stupefy!" Tom stopped where he was and fell to the floor, unconscious.

*~*

7 February 1927

Tom walked up and down the halls of the Riddle house. Occasionally, he'd stood in front of the stairs that led up to the bedrooms. He was indeed gazing up the stairs when a bemused voice called out from his right side, "Nervous?"

Tom blinked and looked for the source of the comment. Galen, his longtime friend, was grinning at Tom. "Err..." Tom sighed and walked over to the seat next to Galen. Tom chuckled weakly. "Am I that obvious?"

Galen laughed, and Tom grinned. "Sure, laugh that now. Then I'll be the one laughing when that Gryffindor spirit falls away after Leala has her first baby."

Galen shook his head playfully. "If we even have a baby, I'll be strong, I know it."

Tom laughed. Galen always thought he was so brave, ever since I met him. When did I meet Galen? Tom furrowed his brow trying to remember. The maids walked about dusting the furniture in the house and smiled reassuringly at Tom. Come to think of it, lately, I can't seem to remember anything. Thank God for Adele, she's been so patient.

Tom's thoughts were interrupted when Leala rushed down the double doors and ran over to Tom. "It's a boy!" she exclaimed with a hug.

"Congrats, mate!" said Galen as Leala let go of Tom.

Tom stood and stared at the floor for a few seconds. Wow, I'm a father. He looked up at Leala. "Can I go in?"

Leala nodded. "Addie's waiting for you. I told her I'd bring you in."

Tom smiled. "Thanks." Tom walked toward the double doors and, with a grin towards Galen, walked up the stairs. He walked down the hallway, and the two stopped at the door.

"Take a little time. Remember not too long; it's been a long day," said Leala gently.

Tom nodded in thanks, took a deep breath, opened the door. Adele was sitting quietly with a bundle in her arms. She looked up and smiled. "Well, come in."

Tom walked in and sat on the bed. "How are you feeling?"

Adele looked down at the baby. "Tired, but I'm feeling healthy otherwise. Would you like to hold Tom?"

Tom started to reach for the baby but stopped. "Tom?"

Adele just nodded serenely. "Just hold him; you'll see why." She moved closer to Tom and gently placed the baby in his arms.

Tom looked down at the baby and gasped. "He-he looks just like me!"

Adele was resting on the pillow behind her and nodded sleepily. "I thought so too."

Tom gazed at the baby for a few moments longer, and he could've sworn the baby smiled at him. "Love, what's the rest of his name?"

"Thomas Marvolo Riddle," replied Adele. Tom looked up and noticed Adele was asleep. When he looked down, little Tom was also asleep.

Tom smiled and kissed the baby on tom of the head. "Welcome to the world, son."

*~*

Chapter 1

August 1964

It was a lovely sunny afternoon in London, and many families were out in the numerous parks of the city. A very prim older-looking woman was walking on the pavements of the Hyde Park with a small black-haired boy trailing on her left and a sleeping toddler in the pram in front of her. When the small trio reached the Peter Pan statue, the small black-haired boy looked at the woman hopefully with his vivid blue eyes.

The woman pursed her lips with distaste at children playing around the statue and the nearby trees, but after seeing a woman with one-year-old sitting on a wooden park bench hand another small child a small golden object with wings, she relaxed her face and nodded at the small boy. He smiled and was about to run off toward the statue when the mother shifted the toddler in her arms and grabbed the little boy's arm. "Do not get dirty," she whispered fiercely and let him go. The little boy dropped his smile and walked calmly towards the mass of children while his mother sat next to the other women on the bench.

The little boy was amazed at how many children that were around the same age he was. He walked around and noticed how much fun the children were having. The little boy glanced at his mother on the bench to make sure she wasn't looking at him. Mummy never liked for him to have too much fun. When he realized that his mother wasn't looking, the little boy tore through the area as if he were literally trying to suck up all of the laughter in the air. He was running when he heard a voice say, "Hello."

The little boy stopped where he was and looked to his right at the little girl on the grass. She had dark brown hair, blue eyes, and a smile on her face. She raised a bundle of daisies in her right hand. "Want to play?" The boy arched an eyebrow in confusion.

"My mummy told me not to play with Muggles," said the little boy.

"It's okay; my mummy says I'm not a Muggle," replied the little girl cheerfully. The little boy smiled and sat down beside her. The little girl handed him some daisies, and they began to make small chains. They were both content, and didn't notice a third redheaded little girl sit down beside the little boy with her own bundle of daisies.

The three children were so wrapped up in their own world that they didn't notice a fourth little boy with mischievous hazel eyes and crazy-looking hair sneak towards them and place a large green frog on the redheaded girl's head. It was only when the frog let out a loud croak that the children looked up, and when the little redheaded girl turned her head, the frog landed on her lap. She began to scream loudly, and the crazy-haired boy began to laugh. People turned in the direction of the screams, and suddenly a black-haired ten-year-old rushed over to the sandbox. She groaned and picked the frog up from off of the girl's lap. She then turned to the laughing boy and picked him up.

"C'est amusante!" he laughed.

"Non James! Ce n'est pas amusante!" she sighed. The girl frowned at the little boy, and he quickly stopped laughing. The two walked over to the wooden bench where the two women and their toddlers were sitting, and talked to one of the women. Another woman walked over to the children and picked up the redheaded girl and hugged her.

"It was only a frog, Lily. It can't hurt you," she gently said. The first little boy stared at the mother and daughter sadly. Mummy never hugged him like that. The little girl leaned over and hugged him.

"It's okay," she whispered. The little boy smiled and kissed her on the cheek. The little girl laughed while the older girl and James picked up their daisy chains. James frowned at the older girl, who gently pushed him toward the sandbox's edge. She looked at him expectantly, and he sighed.

"I'm sorry," James muttered, looking at the ground. Lily's mother smiled and nodded. The older girl and Lily's mother began to talk, but only the two other children noticed Lily poke her tongue out at James and James return the gesture. Soon, James and his sister left and headed back toward the wooden bench where their mother and recently joined father and other sister were waiting. Lily and her mother left soon after, and once again, the only children on the grass were the first little boy and girl.

They smiled at each other and were about to start working when the boy's mother suddenly grabbed him tightly by the arm. "What did I tell you about playing with Muggles?!" she whispered angrily. Her grip got tighter on the boy's arm, and he cried out. The little girl stared open-mouthed at the boy and his mother. When the woman felt the little girl stare too long, she stood up and spat on the grass next to the girl's pail.

The little girl began to cry, and the woman dragged her son away from the girl. She joined her husband, who was pushing the toddler in his pram. The woman let go of the child's arm and scowled at the little boy. The little boy shrunk at her harsh gaze and turned to his father instead. The father turned his back on his son, and the odd family dominated the pavements. The little boy turned his head to catch a glimpse of the little girl, who was then being comforted by her mother. The little girl didn't look at him, but when he saw the amount of anger in the mother's eyes, he felt cold and turned around again. His parents hadn't noticed that he had stopped, and the little boy ran to catch up and follow in his parents' footsteps.

*~*