Band of Brothers

Harry lay awake in his bed for hours on end. Just a month ago Cedric Diggory, a seventh year Hufflepuff student was killed by Voldemort and Harry only escaped, almost killed. The thought of Cedric's lifeless body still taunted him. Why was he still alive? Why was Cedric dead, not him? Cedric had done nothing wrong to Voldemort and yet he was killed. Maybe anyone who was close or knew Harry was endangered? Does that mean that his two best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger were in danger because they were his friends? Possibly yes. Harry knew Voldemort would go to any lengths to capture, torture and kill Harry for his own pleasure and revenge.

Putting his glassed back on he looked at the clock, three in the morning. Harry was having the worst time at putting it past that Cedric was dead.

After many weeks and now following into the month of August, Harry was fifteen years old. His birthday was long forgotten by his aunt and uncle whereas his friends remembered and sent him birthday presents, gifts and cakes. Breakfast, lunch and dinner, he was only allowed to eat food that would probably kill him. It seemed that another summer was gone to waste… that was until he heard a knocking on the front door. He ran towards the stairs and listened intently. Who would be knocking at this time of hour? The sound of his uncle's footsteps was heard, the sound of the door opened and voices talking.

'… what d'ya mean? Harry Potter!' said the first voice. It was a boy's voice, around Harry's age he supposed.

'There is no Harry Potter here! Leave!' Uncle Vernon shouted.

'How stupid is that, you stupid Muggle! There's a Harry Potter here!'

'NO THERE ISN'T!' his uncle bellowed. He could hear the front door slam close and his uncle cursing walking upstairs. Who would know Harry was living here besides Hagrid, Sirius and the Weasleys? 'You boy! Donwstairs now!' Uncle Vernon was standing in the doorway with a very deadly look, he was in trouble.

Following his bulky uncle downstairs to the living room he saw the rest of the Dursleys there. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were sitting on the couch looking very frightened. His uncle stopped and turned around glaring at him. 'So… a boy called me a 'stupid Muggle' hmm? Whatever that is… you, boy, are grounded for the rest of your time here and forever! You won't be getting back to that cursed school of - ' However his sentence was cut short when a figure popped in from the fireplace. He was dusting his black robes off. The boy had black hair, well tanned, tall but skinny almost like Harry except for the fact of his eyes. The boy had crystal blue eyes that made Harry shiver as though he was being enclosed by ice.

'Sorry but I had to find another way in if you closed the door on me' the boy said. He turned to Harry then showed him his hand, 'Name's Tom Riddle - oh no, not that Tom Riddle, just a different guy 'kay?' Harry stared at the boy open mouthed, lost for words. It appeared his uncle was the same, just staring at Tom.

'Oh - hi, I'm, yeah Harry…' Harry said shaking his hand.

Uncle Vernon swelled up as though he was ready to explode, but then - a pop was heard and another figure stepped out. She was tall and skinny like Tom, brown haired with blonde streaks going down, beautiful tanned skin and had brown eyes. Harry now was staring completely soundless at her… the only thing he can register was that she looked as beautiful or maybe more then Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw Seeker.

'Hi I'm Michelle Beaucherie,' the girl said shaking Harry's hand.

Harry nodded dumbly. It looked as though his brain was fizzed out and that he couldn't think at all but he finally managed his voice, 'W-what are you? - Who're you two? What are you doing here?' Harry shot a side-glance at his uncle, aunt and cousin whom looking quite terrified. He hadn't notice that they were now huddled up in the corner behind the couch.

'True,' Tom started, 'we're from Canada, just moved over a few weeks ago! We'll be at Hogwarts together though!'

'Yeah, we came over to say hi but really… we're here to tell you to start packing your bags now,' Michelle added. 'The Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore told us to fetch you for the rest of the summer! Isn't that great?'

Harry nodded excitedly. He would be leaving the Dursleys for the rest of the summer! But then another thought struck him; can he trust these two? 'How do I know I can trust you? I've never met you until today!'

Tom pulled out a folded piece of parchment in hands and gave it to Harry. Unfolding the parchment it read:

Dear Tom,

As a favor, I would like to ask you and your friend to go to the Dursley's house and pick up Harry for us. The Dursleys' address is Number Four Private Drive, good luck!

From,
Rubeus Hagrid,

Well that was enough for Harry. He would be leaving the Dursleys and spend the rest of his summer with Tom and Michelle! This seemed to good to be true so he pinched himself hard on the leg and winced. Tom noticed this and gave him a puzzled look but left him be. 'So hurry up and pack your bags Harry 'cause you're movin' out today!' Not wasting another second, Harry ran up the stairs and began packing his clothes and school items. After ten minutes he was ready with his luggage in one hand and Hedwig's cage in the other.

'Alright let's - '

'Wait a minute there boy!' Uncle Vernon said. Harry jumped and noticed that his uncle was standing up. He almost forgot that the Dursleys were still around. 'You're not going anywhere! I'm gonna - ' But he was cut off when Tom raised his wand as a warning. His uncle fell back in the corner with his wife and son.

'Alright, let's go!' Tom said. 'We're going by Floo powder though so just say 'Riddler Racket' right?'

Harry nodded as Tom picked up the substance and tossed it into the fire. Green flames erupted in the fireplace; Michelle stepped into the fireplace first and shouted 'Riddler Racket!' then with a whoosh of a fire she disappeared.

'Well Harry, off you go with your luggage,' Tom said handing Harry his luggage and Hedwig's cage. 'I'll be last 'kay?' Harry nodded, stepped into the fire and shouted 'Riddler Racket!' The scene before him fizzed out; he had his elbows tucked in because he felt as though he was being sucked in somewhere. Then he felt a THUD. Straightening himself up his jaw dropped. He was looking at a huge living room. Beside that there was the kitchen that was ten times the size of the Dursleys' and a diner table side to it. After a short while a voice called to him. Looking around he noticed that there were two adults and Michelle standing around.

'Hello there Harry,' the women said.

Whoosh! Turning around he found Tom facing him. 'Oh good you made it! I thought you might've been lost - oh hi Mum, Dad,' Tom said waving to them in the background. 'That's my Mum and Dad, they're Muggles like you aunt and uncle.'

'You mean you're Muggle-born?' Harry asked surprised.

'No. Parents are dead,' Tom said shortly. Harry suddenly realized that he seemed mortally wounded by this and that bringing this up was like reliving his worst fear. Pursuing the subject was a bad idea.

'H-how? - Who? Was it Voldemort?' Harry asked. To his surprise Tom or Michelle didn't flinch at all.

Tom looked up then smirked. 'Voldemort? No it wasn't him. It was those filthy Death Eaters that got 'em! I swore I'd get to them one day… just not today though…' Michelle was patting him on the shoulder sympathetically. 'Well anyway, meet my Mum and Dad! This house isn't full of magic so you don't have to worry.'

Harry looked up to Tom's parents. They reminded Harry of Ron's parents. 'Here I'll show you your room.' Tom motioned him upstairs. The grand staircase led him to a hall full of rooms. There were about ten doors to a room and Harry could tell that whatever job Tom's parents had, they were loaded. 'Here we are,' Tom pointed out pushing the door open. Harry's mouth dropped. The room was big - really big! It had king sized bed, television set with tables, chair and couches. There was also a door to a private bathroom.

'Whoa… thanks Tom…' Harry said looking around. Suddenly a question popped up. 'Who are your parents?'

Tom looked puzzled. 'Who? Oh them? They were friends of my Dad you know, outside friends from the Muggle world. He was best man at my parents wedding. After my parents died - ' Tom lost his cheery expression ' - after my dad died they took me in. Their names are Tim Waltens and Joanna Waltens, you'll get to know them, both of them are doctors.' Well that explained the big house, Harry thought.

'You don't have to answer this but, how did your parents die?' Harry asked regretfully.

Tom sighed then spoke, 'My mum, Anne Riddle, died giving birth to me because she had some sort of disease - you know that's like unavoidable but my dad, Robert Riddle didn't have to go… He was an Auror for the Canadian Ministry of Magic, double agent. His partner, Julius Timmers were on a mission to catch Death Eaters at a location given by Slavek Gnutten, another Auror. However my dad and Julius got ambushed and captured. Both of them sent signals to the Ministry then there was this fight, Julius got knocked out and dad was killed. Julius told the Ministry that the Death Eaters said they were informed by Slavek who was a Death Eater himself. Betrayed… You know if it wasn't for Julius I wouldn't be a wizard you know? He's the Minister for Magic in Canada, told me when I was eleven. It was his idea that I should go to the Waltens as a baby. I grew up thinking I was one of them, Tom Waltens but really, just another Riddle. I call them mum and dad since I'm used to that…' Tom sighed heavily then continued on. 'I met Michelle on my way to the school… working together to fight dark wizards since… well not really the big type but just enough to stop anyone who considers the Dark Arts. Well I think I'll leave you be.' He walked out of the room.

Harry sat down on his bed feeling really bad. But the relation? It was so related. Their best friend Peter Pettigrew betrayed Harry's parents. Voldemort came to his house and murdered them and tried to kill Harry as well but miraculously, he survived. The spell reflected and hit Voldemort. Voldemort's power was drained but only last year Voldemort regained his power. Yes it was dark times these days, except while he was at the Riddle's or Walten's house it didn't seem dark but cheery.

The dinner with the Waltens was quite delicious. Harry had never tasted food this good except from the Weasleys or from Hogwarts. After dinner Harry was on his way upstairs when he as blocked by Tom and Michelle, both of them leaning on separate wall, arms folded. 'I want to show you something,' Tom said. He turned on his heel then left off to his room. Tom's room was a bit larger then Harry's since it was on the third floor. Most of the shelves of the room were covered in Muggle novels, dictionaries, encyclopedias and other reference books. The other shelves were filled with trophies from sports such as Hockey and to his Muggle school like the 'Special School Service Awards'. However it wasn't a trophy that caught his attention but a medal that was in a glass case, 'Medal of Honor' and the 'Distinguish Service Cross'.

'Were you in the army?' Harry asked surprised.

'No, well I wanted to. Those two were my dad, real one. Julius gave it to me when I found out I was a wizard and told me the whole history of my dad. Those two, they're really valuable and I'll protect them with my life if I have to.'

'Are we going to learn more about Tom's history or the reason why Harry is here?' Michelle asked impatiently. Tom suddenly remembered why he asked Harry here.

Tom walked over to his bookcase then spoke to Harry, 'Don't tell anyone about this alright Harry? Not even the Waltens know about this, just Michelle and I. I want you to swear that you won't tell anybody about this!' Harry nodded. Tom took out his wand then tapped the bookcase. It turned into a reddish glow then moved aside. Harry's mouth dropped. He saw blackness and it didn't looked as though there was light beyond that point. 'This portal leads us to my secret hang out. I built this after we moved to England. I keep all my book of spells and - other things too…' Harry noticed that Tom was hiding something, Michelle didn't seemed a bit surprised though it did make sense since Tom would have told her everything or almost everything. 'Well Harry you'll go first. It's just like Floo powder, keep your elbows tucked in.'

Harry nodded then took a step forward to the black hole. He put his hands on first and felt that it was being sucked in. Listening to Tom he tucked his elbows in then stepped forward into the portal. As though holding on to a Portkey, he felt a jolt and was being sucked in. The scene stopped and Harry opened his eyes. He was in a dungeon room lit by candles. This dungeon looked almost identical to his room in the house except it was smaller and spell books and other magical books covered the shelves. Tom and Michelle instantly appeared behind Harry after a few seconds. 'Welcome to my little hangout!' said Tom proudly puffing his chest. 'Never thought I could create a portal to this place but… well here we are!'

Harry's eyes were travelling around the room but just then his eyes fell onto a black book with shiny gold letters 'Dark Arts - Advanced'. Harry gulped then spoke carefully, 'What's with that book?' he pointed to it.

Tom's face darkened. 'If you want to know how the enemy thinks you've gotta blend in. I study the Dark Arts a lot! It's what I'm good at if you ask me, really good. I can curse a target two hundred meters away and still cause the same amount of damage.' Harry gulped again then trying to pluck up Tom's cheery mood he asked, 'What's with that wooden box?' There was a wooden crate at the foot of the king-sized bed.

Tom's mood changed to it's cheery self again, and so did Michelle's. Both of them were trying not to laugh, Michelle seemed to be the one who had more self-control however. Filling in for Tom she said, 'Tom and I are working on this new joke store item called 'Filibuster Bombs'. They're small cylinder shells filled with Filibuster Fireworks of all sorts! Red for your normal bang while Black for your super bomb! They don't really hurt people, just cause shock. I reckon we've got about two hundred Reds, one hundred Yellows and Blues and seventy or so Blacks. Our goal is to get these into the shelves of Zonko's Joke Shop and make a little money along the way.' Harry could instantly tell they would wreck as much havoc like the Weasley twin Fred and George.

'Er, how do you set them off?' Harry asked.

'Simple,' Michelle answered. 'There's a string on the end like a dynamite, light it with your wand and just to tell you, there's a four second pause before it goes off so you'd better hurry it up!' Tom and Michelle opened the top of the crate. Inside were hundreds of Filibuster Bombs. 'We're trying to make over a hundred Black Filibuster Bombs but you know those are quite expensive…'

Tom seemed to have regained his breath from laughing. 'Anyway welcome to my humble abode! I study in my room at the Waltens but this is where I keep my spell books and homework that I don't want lying around. It's hard to keep this place or the bookcase a secret.'

After many weeks it was time for their trip to Diagon Alley so they can buy their school items. Harry had quite a eventful time at the Walten's house. Harry discovered, with the aid of Tom, that their was five other secret passages to other parts of magical community in Canada that way Tom can still be with his other friends. Michelle was staying with them until they had to step into the Hogwarts Express.

'Have fun,' Mrs Waltens said as Tom took a pinch of Floo powder and tossed it into the fire.

'Make sure you get good grades alright? I wouldn't like to know that you don't get good grades when that letter was - ' Mr Waltens was cut off when his wife elbowed him in the ribs, he silenced. 'Have fun…' he muttered rubbing his ribs.

Harry was looking puzzled but he didn't want to ask, not yet. Tom was first to step into the fire of green flames. He shouted 'Diagon Alley!' whoosh, he disappeared. Michelle was next, 'Diagon Alley!' and with that she disappeared as well. Harry waved good by to the Waltens then stepped into the fire and shouted 'Diagon Alley!' as well. He felt that familiar feeling, he tucked in his elbows then the scene finally settled in. He was in Diagon Alley where he saw a bunch of wizards and witches. Harry turned and saw Tom and Michelle were waiting for him.

'Ready? Gringotts first I say,' said Tom looking into the direction of the marble building.

Three of them walked through Diagon Alley to Gringotts. On their path there they met up with fellow Gryffindor Student, Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas. As they entered the marble building Harry saw Tom and Michelle's eye wander to each table where goblins were exchanging money or balancing out oversized rubies.

'Vault number eight hundred and seventy for me and also a stop at Harry Potter's vault,' Tom explained.

'Keys then?' the goblin asked.

Tom pulled out his key and Harry took out his own. The goblin examined it for a while then nodded to them. Following through to a cart, they sat in. The cart pushed at full speed down underground where they saw glimpses of fire-breathing dragons and other magical creatures. The first stop was at Harry's. Harry shoved a pile of gold Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts into his leather pouch. After the vault door closed the cart burst off again to Tom's vault that contained about the same sized amount of money. Putting the Galleons, Sickles and Knuts into his own pouch they headed for the exit. During their little roller coaster ride Harry suddenly asked, 'What about you Michelle?'

Michelle turned to him and responded, 'I'm Muggle born, my parents already got me my school items long ago.'

She turned around then Harry began to think that Michelle was a lot like his best friend Hermione. Hermione usually waited for Harry and Ron however but she was Muggle born like Michelle. Tom was like Harry himself, dead parents, living with a Muggle family and not knowing that you're a wizard until the final moment. Tom had the same personality like Harry too but then again this was another Tom Riddle.

They exited Gringotts only to find them facing Ron Weasley, his twin older brothers, Fred and George Weasley flanked by their eldest brothers Bill and Charlie Weasley. Mr and Mrs Weasley were in the background catching up to them.

'There you are!' Mrs Weasley said irritated. 'I thought you would go down to Knockturn Alley and - oh hello there Harry!' She smiled cheerfully at them but then her eyes shifted to Tom and Michelle next to him. 'I don't believe we've met, I'm Molly Weasley, mother of these trouble makers - '

'MOM!' Bill and Charlie burst out angrily. Bill started, 'I don't think Charlie and I got into that much trouble!'

She sighed then continued, 'Well not those two… by the way what are your names?'

'Michelle Beaucherie, Mrs Weasley,' Michelle greeted. 'Tom Riddle, Mrs - ' but that was as far as Tom got. Ron, Fred and George immediately lunged at him and tackled him into the ground. 'What the - get off me! I don't think I've ever done anything to upset - '

Ron however wasn't in for excuses. 'You were the one that gave my little sister Ginny that diary!'

Tom looked completely dumbfounded. 'Diary?' he croaked under the pressure of the twin's grip holding him down. 'What diary? I never had a diary in my life!'

Harry was about to burst out laughing. Deciding to step in before it got too rough he said, 'Tom and Michelle are transfer students you see. They came from Canada because the two of them got a letter from Hogwarts. They're wizard and witch so you don't have to worry and thanks to them I'm here. You guys never came for me so Tom and Michelle had to go and rescue me from the Dursleys. I've been staying at Tom's place for a while so no need to worry, he's cool.' The Weasley twin and Ron didn't look satisfied while Bill and Charlie were looking thunder-struck.

'Aren't transfer students rare?' Bill blurted out. 'I mean I know there is such thing but… well I never had one in my time at Hogwarts.'

'Special circumstances,' Tom said shortly. 'I've got loads of other reasons but… well I can't tell you, maybe Dumbledore would fill you in, I don't know. As for this diary? I never received a diary in my whole life! And I never knew you had a younger sister? Oh yeah, nice to meet you,' Tom said, the last bit with sarcasm. It wasn't a good start with the Weasleys…

The group traveled together through Diagon Alley buying their school equipment. Tom was looking over his shoulder once in a while and was shooting glances at the Weasleys as though he feared attack. Michelle was talking animatedly with Mrs Weasley about life in Canada and their trip to England. However when Mrs Weasley tried to talk about their reasons from coming to Hogwarts, Michelle only answered 'Ask Dumbledore'. All in all they were getting along just well except for the twins and Tom; Ron had forgiven him after getting reassured by Harry that this was a different Tom Riddle.

'I still think we should watch out for him, in case he pulls a fast one.'

Harry sighed after Fred finished. It was Fred and George's last year at Hogwarts and they were going to plan a final bang at the end of the year for their pranks. However, the usual cheery mood of Fred and George Weasley was only a scowl and a menacing look to Tom Riddle. The answer to this reason appeared in a question by George, 'So which house d'you think you'll be in? Slytherin maybe? That's where the last Riddle went… and became You-Know-Who years later! So which house?'

Tom hesitated for a minute. 'Gryffindor maybe… Slytherin turns people into more dark wizards I've ever seen - '

'But you're use to that right?' Fred interrupted. 'Because you know you want to be in Slytherin!'

'Fred! George!' their mother shouted, 'stop badgering him!'

The twins fell silent. Harry could tell that Tom wasn't going to have an easy time, and knowing that Fred and George are from Gryffindor and that they're annoying Tom a lot, he might have no choice but to go to Slytherin. The reputation of Slytherin was quite a dark one and a one which many sensible wizards or witches would like to avoid. Tom's expression was quite unreadable but Harry could tell he was itching to curse Fred and George but what he said was quite worse - 'My great uncle is Voldemort…' Everyone stopped in their tracks. They had the most frightened expression as they turned to Tom.

'W-what?' Mrs Weasley stammered, thunder-struck. 'Y-your great u-uncle? You-Know-Who? Dear me…'

'You got to be kidding me! You mean - you mean you two are relatives?' Harry asked. 'You mean your great uncle was the one who killed my parents?' Harry didn't know how to feel. Was it being scared or was it being furious that a boy his age had a family member that killed his parents and gave him a cursed life?