Dumbledore's ultimatum
Tom Marvolo Riddle could feel his father's arm going cold and limp beneath his hands. “Daddy!”, he called out and shook it. Tom senior didn't react. His eyes rolled so far back into his skull, that only the white part was visible and his head fell onto his chest. The young wizard looked up to the intruder with fear widening his eyes. “You killed him! You killed dad!”, he screamed panicked. Much to Tom's distress the stranger replied with a chuckle and a flick of his wand. Some purple mist started to form at the tip and wobbled across the room slowly engulfing Tom senior's head.
“No! Leave him alone!”, Tom jelled at the tall man in his sparkly robes, “Stop that! Leave him be! Leave him be!” the man, “Dumbledore” Cecilia had said, just shook his head. “Don't worry, Tom, my boy. I'm simply casting a diagnosis charm. I can assure you that I did do nothing to your father. He is completely fine, just unconscious.”, he explained in an annoyingly cheery tone, as if the distress he had put the Riddle family in, amused him. Tom decided that he hated that guy. Now it was Mommy Cecilia's turn to jump to her feet, clearly enraged. “Fine? Did you just say my husband was fine? He is clearly having a panic attack! Because of you! He fainted, because of you! Get away from this family! Get out of this house!”, she bellowed.
“Oh, but Mrs. Riddle, I’m afraid I can't do that. I am here for a reason, after all.”, the red-haired wizard said with an apologetic smile, while simply waving his wand at grandpa Thomas who had charged into the room with his World War rifle. The weapon, an expensive thing made only from the best and most valuable materials, swiftly turned into a bunch of roses, much to the grandfather’s horror. “You see, I have to talk to young Tom here about a few... well... arrangements.”, Dumbledore explained as if the chaos around him didn't bother him at all.
“But I don't want to talk to you! You hurt my dad! I want you to leave!”, Tom yelled. By now, little Jane had started to cry. Grandma Mary gently picked the young girl up and rocked her while glaring daggers at Dumbledore. The sparkly wizard simply shook his head. “No, Tom, my boy, I can assure you I did not hurt your father. You see, some Muggles simply cannot comprehend magic very well. It was probably just too much for him and that's why he passed out. Such things happen from time to time.”
Tom leapt from the couch. Had that awful man just called his father weak? Not only had he hurt him, he had also called him weak? No, Tom Marvolo could not let that slide. “No, he was not overwhelmed! He knows magic! You hurt him, just like that dreadful woman who gave birth to me! Stop hurting my dad! Get! Out!”, Tom screamed and pushed his hands down in rage. He did not even realize he was using his magic, until it happened. The couch, with dad still unconscious on it, slid half a meter back. The curtains flew up and Dumbledore was knocked of his feet, landing on the carpet with a shocked sound.
“Yes, Junior, get him!”, mommy Cecilia called out. Back on the couch dad groaned. Jane giggled and pushed Dumbledore right back down, when he tried to get up. The strange wizard’s eyes went wide, as if he just realized something of incredible importance, and a smile formed on his face again. Why did he have to keep smiling, even on the floor? “So, I take it you are a witch, Mrs. Riddle?”, he asked cheerily, while just sitting down on the carpet. Mommy Cecilia scoffed. “No, do you not listen to Junior? He said the woman who gave birth to him, not his mom! That dreadful woman who abducted poor Tom with a love potion and forced him to marry her! I would... I COULD never!”
“Cilia?”, dad mumbled back on the couch. Mommy and grandma Mary were with him in the blink of an eye. “Well, however that may be, I can see that young Tom here is quite aware of his magical abilities. That will make our conversation a lot easier. See, Tom, there is a whole world out there full of people like you and me and apparently your mother”, Dumbledore said and made a dramatic pause, as if he wanted the information to sink in. “I know about the wizarding world! I have been to Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley and those creepy sewers where they sell the real dark stuff! SHE took me to all of these places!”, Tom hissed angrily.
Grandpa Thomas had walked over to Tom Marvolo and placed a protective hand on his shoulder. He did not even need to look at grandpa to know, that he gave Dumbledore his most scary Colonel Riddle glare, that once sent his soldiers in the trenches of Verdun running into German territory. Much to Tom’s satisfaction the purple clad wizard flinched. “Well...”, Dumbledore began, much more careful this time, “There is also a school for witches and wizards, where I teach as a professor. It is called Hogwarts and it is very important that you go there and learn how to control your magic. Attending it is mandatory for children from Muggle families, because their families can’t teach them themselves.”
Mom, grandma, and grandpa, and even dad all started to yell at the professor at the same time, while Tom, now pretty scared, snuggled closer to his grandpa. Dumbledore blinked quickly a few times. “Please calm down. We can talk about this.”, he said carefully. “No, we can’t! He is not leaving”, grandma bellowed and it was one of the few times Tom could really tell that she too had served in the great war. “He has to learn. He might lose control and hurt someone or himself, if he doesn’t.”, Professor Dumbledore shot back.
Grandpa Thomas patted Tom’s back reassuringly. “You don’t have to go there if you don’t want to.” Tom slowly nodded. “Tom Marvolo, did your mother never tell you of her time in Hogwarts? Do you not want to see it yourself?”, the professor asked with a smile. Tom shook his head. “No. She never went to the school. Her father said it was full of mudbloods, whatever that means, so going was beneath her.” Dumbledore's red eyebrows shot into his hairline. “She used the word mudblood?”, he asked. “Oh, all the time! She also said that muggles are weak and worthless, but she is of course wrong, because muggles have tanks and I bet you can’t beat a tank!”, Tom replied smugly.
“And you never wanted to be in your mother's world?”, Dumbledore asked gently. “No! I am happy here! I don’t need to live in a world where it is all right to enslave people, just because you have a crush on them!”, Tom screeched. Mary nodded. “We can deal with him. If we can survive the bloodiest war in human history, we can survive having a grandchild with special powers!”, she hissed, clearly missing the bone saw.
“Love potions are not allowed in Hogwarts. We do see them as very dangerous there.”, Dumbledore explained, his smile in place again. “As they should be in your whole damn world!”, mom hissed. “We might be able to work on that, but it is a long process in the ministry.”, Professor Dumbledore said and suddenly looked very tired, “But sometimes forgiveness is an important part needed for change.” Grandpa Thomas’ hand tightened around Tom’s shoulder. “Are you implying, we should forgive that... monster?”, the old Colonel hissed. “Having a mother is very important for a young boy.”, Dumbledore said and adjusted his half-moon shaped glasses. “I have a mom.”, Tom replied and at the same time mommy Cecilia called out the same thing.
Again, Dumbledore smiled, but this time his smile looked strained. “Ah, yes of course. Well, I have a letter here for you. It should explain everything about Hogwarts and it says what you need. There are a lot of other magical kids. We are looking forward to see you on September first. You will just have to walk through the wall between platform nine and ten to get to the train. If you have any questions, you can send a letter to Hogwarts.”, he said as he turned to leave
“Wait, we have not agreed yet, that Junior will go to this school!”, grandpa Thomas hissed, took a quick step forward and blocked the wizard's path. “I am afraid you have no choice in that matter. I you do not find another wizard or witch to teach young Tom Marvolo, he will have to attend Hogwarts. I can promise you that he will be save there. If you withhold him, the ministry will remove him from your house, as he would endanger you, himself, other muggles and our law. Good bye.”, Dumbledore said, forcefully keeping his cheery tone up, and disappeared with a crack. A letter lay, where he had stood. On the mantlepiece a bunch of flowers turned back into a rifle and a bone saw.