3
“Why don’t we take a trip to Diagon Alley now?” Addie asked.
“As long as you are both sure you can take the day off of work.” Hermione stated.
“We choose to work, we don’t have to Hermione, I assure you we are more than okay introducing you both to the wizarding world for the day. Now let's open your letters and find out what you need and then we can stop off at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch before we go shopping.”
“The Leaky Cauldron?” Hermione asked quizzically looking at Addie before laughing, “Why would you name a pub that?” Tom started laughing with her.
“Are you both ready to go or do you need anything from upstairs?”
“We need to get Callisto and Pandora,” Hermione looked panicked. “We can’t leave them.”
“Go and get them Princess, I just need to ask Addie and Abe a few questions.”
“Okay, but be quick Tom, we need to eat something, it’s been a few days and I’m hungry.”
“I will be Princess, I’ll be done by the time you bring the girls down. I promise.”
“Okay, I’ll be back soon.” Tom pressed a kiss to her forehead before she ran upstairs.
“What do you want to ask Tom?” Addie questioned as soon as Hermione was out of sight.
“Will we be able to stay together when we go to school? I worry about her.”
“Hogwarts is separated into four houses based on personality type, each house has its own common area in a different part of the castle. I’m sure that no matter what the two of you will find a way to stick with each other.”
“Okay.” Tom looked worried.
“Tom, I don’t think you’ll have any worries to do with being split up.” Aberforth stepped forwards, “The two of you are so stubborn that I doubt you’ll be put anywhere but with each other. Do you have any more worries that we can rid you of?”
“Will we be able to bring Callisto and Pandora to school with us? I don’t know how she would cope with those snakes.”
“Usually you are only allowed an owl; toad or cat at Hogwarts but I’m sure we could help you get permission to bring them both with you. I will write to Headmaster Dippet tomorrow, those two snakes are your familiars, you shouldn’t be parted from them. However, I do suggest that you both bring one of the approved pets with you to school, owls are the easiest to send letters with.”
“Okay.” Tom was lost in thought for a moment, “Why are you both so nice to us? You don’t really know us. Everyone around here hates us for something that we were born with. You haven’t any reason to trust that we are good.”
“Listen here Tom, I have known you a lot longer than you would think. My visions brought us to you and we will do whatever we can to help you both. I have seen adults crumble going through less than half of what the two of you have in your lives. You both deserve to be happy.”
“I don’t care if I have to live a miserable life as long as she is happy and smiling, I would walk through wars to make sure she was safe.”
“That is why we trust that you are good Tom,” Addie grabs hold of his hand, “You would walk through hell and take any punishment to make sure she stayed safe. It is our job to look after you whilst you do it.”
“As long as you're sure, the minute you don’t want to do it anymore tell me and I’ll buy somewhere for us to stay.”
“There will be no need Tom, we are both perfectly content for you both to live with us until you decide you want to move out.”
Hermione appeared at the doorway looking ecstatic and out of breath, “can we go now, I’m starving and I don’t know when I’ll get the opportunity to have a hot meal again.” She caught Tom’s eye as she was rambling and noticed he seemed upset, without another thought she ran over to him and buried herself under his chin, wrapping him in a hug. “Are you okay white knight?”
He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, “I’m okay Alice, just taking a trip down the rabbit hole.”
“Don’t get lost in there.” she mumbled against his chest before pulling away slightly looking up at him. “Shall we go to a tea party my knight?”
“We can go wherever you would like Alice, as long as you’re happy I am too. Did you find the girls?”
“Of course,” She tilted her head to the side as a snake appeared in the collar of her coat.
“Hi girl.” Tom started speaking parseltongue. He pulled away from Hermione and tucked her into his side under his arm. He then looked at his snake and lifted her away from Hermione’s shoulder.
“Shall we go Tom? You have hardly eaten in weeks.”
“Okay Mia, let's go and get introduced to our new world.”
“Lead the way, Addide, we’re ready to go on an adventure. Show us the way to Wonderland.”
Addie and Abe both laughed, grabbing their coats before leading the kids out of the shop. As they began walking down Charing Cross Abe spoke up, “We’re nearly there, it’s just a few buildings down.”
“Are you sure we are in the correct place Abe? We are just in London.” Tom questioned.
“Of course my boy, I’ve been coming here longer than you have both been alive.”
“Here we are.” Addie spoke up, pushing the door to a small rundown looking building open.
Abe gently pushed both kids through the door. “Aberforth!” someone yelled from behind the bar, “Addie! My goodness it has been too long my girl and who are these, they aren’t yours are they?”
“Hello, Bill. I can’t believe you run this place.” Addie responded, “These two are Mr. Tom Riddle and Miss. Hermione Dagworth-Granger.”
“Riddle and Dagworth blimey, didn’t realise those two had kids, how are they, I’ve not seen them since school.”
“They’re dead.” Tom put it plainly.
“Are they really? Blimey. I’m William Abbott, sorry for not introducing myself, please call me Bill.”
“Hello Bill, it is lovely to meet you.” Hermione held her hand out and offered a handshake to the bar owner.
“Well you’re lovely and polite aren’t you lass. What can I help you all with today?”
“We are in need of a table and then we’re going to go through to Diagon Alley. What specials have got going today, these two could do with a nice big meal in celebration.”
“Celebration you say, got your Hogwarts letter have you?”
“Indeed they have, proud of the both of them, although I think they may be slightly ahead of the other first years due to us having trained them for the past few years.”
“If you’ve both been trained by these two then I doubt you need Hogwarts at all, Aberforth and Adeline were both prefects and head boy and girl in their last year. I don’t know how they managed N.E.W.T’s; Head Boy and Girl duties as well as being top of their classes and being on the Quidditch teams.”
“You’re being too good to us Bill.”
“Lunch is on the house today, have anything you want. May I suggest the beef roast dinner, it’s one of my favourites, especially if you're hungry.” Bill responded.
“Thank you so much Bill. What do the two of you think, fancy a roast dinner.”
“Please Abe, that would be amazing. We’ll have one to share though I don't think either of us could stomach a full meal.” Tom responded.
“Do you have sticky toffee pudding?” Hermione asked.
“Of course, it wouldn’t be a roast dinner without a sticky toffee pudding now, would it?” Bill answered Hermione with a gentle smile on his face.
Hermione now turned to look at Tom, “Can we have a pudding as well Tom, it’s been years since we managed to sneak some sticky toffee pudding from the kitchens.”
“Whatever you want Princess.”
“We’ll have a beef roast and a sticky toffee pudding with custard please Bill.” Hermione was so excited she was practically vibrating, if you looked close enough you could see her magic flickering around her.
“Are you sure you're okay to share, I can bring two of each out for you?” Bill looked slightly worried about the two kids sharing one meal.
“That’s okay thank you anyway, we usually share.” Bill looked like he wanted to argue with the girl but one look at Tom next to her told him not to.
“One order of a roast dinner and sticky toffee pudding coming right up. Aberforth, Addie, what can I get the two of you?”
“We’ll have the same order as the kids, thank you Bill.” Addie answered for them both.
“It’ll be ready in a few minutes and I’ll bring it straight over to you.” With that Bill was off and into the kitchen.
“Now kids what do you need for school?” Abe asked.
“Hang on a moment and I’ll have a look,” Tom pulled out his letter and unfolded it. “We have a list of books that we will need: Stars, Constellation and Reading the Patterns; First Year Self Defence Spells; First-Year Charms and Magical Theory; Magical Herbs, Plants, Flowers and Fungi; History of our Magic and Magical World; Book 1 of Drafts and Potions and lastly we will need Year 1 of Transfiguration. What lessons are they all for?” Tom looked up to Addie for the answer.
“It sounds like Astronomy; Charms; Defence Against the Dark Arts; Herbology; History of Magic; Potions and Transfiguration.” Addie answered after thinking for a couple of minutes.
“That sounds like a lot of different lessons.” Hermione looked terrified, “Are you sure we’ll be okay? We don’t know any of this in our world.”
“Hermione, you have no need to worry, you have a month until you are going to school and I can go through all of the material with you before you leave. You’ll probably be quite comfortable with a majority of the reading materials anyway, we have taught you quite a few of the subjects without you even realising.”
“Thank you Addie.” Tom answered for the girl who still looked a little worried, he didn’t talk to her but he did pull her into his side. She nestled herself under his arm as he carried on reading the list of things they needed to buy.
“We also need three sets of plain work robes in black; one plain pointed hat for day wear also in black. We need one pair of protective gloves (Dragon hide or similar) and one winter cloak (Black, Silver fastenings). Lastly is the equipment we need, which is: a wand; 1 Cauldron (Pewter, Standard Size 2); 1 set of Glass or Crystal Phials; 1 Telescope; 1 set of Brass Scales and the students may bring: Owl; Cat or Toad.”
“I think I know where we need to go for everything, would you like to know?”
“If you would, please Addie.” Hermione spoke quietly.
“First I think we should go to Madam Malkins for all of your uniforms, she also sells trunks so we’ll be able to put everything in them as we shop. Next I think we should go to the Apothecary for all of your potions equipment. This includes your: protective gloves; cauldron; crystal phials; telescope and brass scales. We can then stop at the sweet shop or the ice cream parlour for a snack before we go into the book shop called Flourish and Blotts for all of your reading material for your school year. We can then either go to the Magical Menagerie or Ollivanders wand shop first, it’s completely up to you.”
“Can we go to the wand shop last?” Hermione mumbles still looking slightly overwhelmed tucked into Tom’s side.
“Of course we can Hermione,” Addie smiled slightly at the girl who looked even younger than she was tucked into her best friend's side. “Have you decided what pet you would like yet?”
“I think I would like a cat,” Hermione looked up at Tom for reassurance, “what do you think Tom? Would it be okay for me to get a cat?”
“You can have whichever pet you want Mia. You don’t need to ask permission for anything anymore, you're safe. I promise.”
“Then I would like to get a cat. I think I would like a black one. What pet are you going to get Tom?”
“I’m going to get an owl so we can send letters to Abe and Addie whilst we are at school.”
“That's a good idea Tom, I think an owl will suit you.”
Just as the conversation was finished Bill came over levitating all of the plates and placing them on the table. “Enjoy your lunch, here is the extra cutlery for you both. Let me know if you’re still hungry and I’ll make some more sticky toffee pudding for you.”
“Thank you Bill,” Hermione smiled slightly at the man as Tom handed her her cutlery.
“Enjoy your food Miss Hermione.” With that Bill walked back to the bar.
“Are you going to sit up slightly Mia so that you can eat,” Tom whispered to her, “I don’t know if I can eat all of this Tom. There is a lot of food here.”
“It’s okay, you don’t have to eat it all, why don’t you try starting with some of the vegetables and mash potatoes?”
“Okay,” with that Hermione sat up slightly, still glued to Tom’s side. She grabbed hold of his hand as they ate in peaceful silence.