The right path

Thirty-three

After the Potters had left that very first day of introductions, things started to fly by at incredible speeds. More meetings were set, to get to know each others, and to invite Tom to be part of the Potter household.

At first, Riddle hadn't known how to react. Or even if he wanted to react at all. He didn't want their pity, but then again, nobody would adopt someone out of mere pity, it was a permanent arrangement after all. So, when he decided to admit that he very much wanted to go with them, the problem of his heritage bounced off. He was not going to abandon his possible Slytherin descent that easily. And he would not be considered Potter's brother. That thought disturbed him to no end, and he knew Potter would be just as reticent to the idea.

In the end he accepted, on the condition that he could remain as a part of his own family. Riddle would not ever consider on taking Potter's name. The process they were going to take with him was different to the one Harry had to go through, though. They needed to get Tom's guardianship officially in the magical world, while still adopt him in the muggle world.

This complicated things a little, and it would probably be another week until everything was sorted out. Mainly because Riddle's magical guardian was Professor Slughorn, who was on a vacation trip to South America. The sheer amount of time it took for the mail to get there was what delayed the process even more.

Harry could be taken right then, given that the muggle and magical parts were all set, but he refused to leave Tom, even if it was for a week. And Merlin did that was a relief for said boy. Firstly, because now he had time to plan something to do for Harry's birthday, and secondly, because he could be at peace knowing where his Potter was at every given moment, and that meant that he knew Harry was safe.

For now, that was enough. He had time to deal with the fact that he would soon have a place to call home, and a family to return to. The fact that Potter was in the middle of it all was another pill to swallow, at another time. It was overwhelming, all of the experience, and he couldn't stop thinking about it at any rate. Confusion, excitement, panic, longing. It was a weird cocktail of emotions that were so foreign to him, it was almost impossible to process in the short amount of time he had been experiencing it.

Right now, though, he had to figure something out regarding Harry's birthday. Without Potter noticing anything, and hoping against hope that the Potters would not take them both out the whole day. It was difficult, to try and prepare something when he was almost always around the boy he was trying to surprise. 

Still, he had to try. After all, he was giving it his all to be more open around Potter. Show parts of him he didn't even know existed, and share little by little his true self. He had started to notice that Harry had started to the same around him, so maybe there was hope. To have Harry, and maybe even allow Harry to have him. As strange and alien as it sounds.

Nirali had been a real help so far, since she could go undetected for the most part to get the materials needed for Riddle's secret project. The difficult part, though, was getting Hedwig from Hogwarts. It was this specific part that Tom couldn't really accomplish on his own, given that the owl was very much out of reach. He was considering asking for help from the Potters, if he had the chance, to make sure Harry had his companion with him. It was symbolic, really, with how Potter had hatched Nirali for his birthday.

That was also an issue, since Tom couldn't hope to match said birthday gift, not when Potter already had a companion. So, the better thing he could think of giving him was a reunion with his familiar, have lunch at the Leaky Cauldron, and hope that his parselmagic self made grimoire would suffice to show the admiration he felt towards him. It probably was not much, but it was the most sacred possession he had, and not a soul knew of its existence. It was a part of himself, raw and unadulterated.

He was scared of showing some of it to Harry, if he was being honest. Simply because some of the magic displayed was not exactly harmless. On the contrary, some of it reflected Tom's inner rage and harmful intent. It was probably not something Harry would find useful, and may even be repulsed by it. But Tom was not backing from it. If Harry could hatch a basilisk for his birthday, he could share his spellwork.

That is just the way it must go.

Soon, it would be proven if Harry could accept and handle all of Tom. And Tom would know if he could be fully himself around Harry. It was currently July the 29th, mere days from the event.

Harry, though, didn't even remember his birthday was coming. In a few days, he would celebrate yet another birthday, but he wouldn't do it alone  as the previous one. It was ironic, that just a year before he had been trapped in a life that was sure to go downhill, starved in his room, interrupted by James for the first time.

And now, now he could be free. Now he could have a family, and dear people to spend his birthday with. Long gone were those nights when he stayed up until the first minute of July the 31st, just to celebrate on his own.

James did wonder what could have been, had Harry decided to stay in his own timeline. By now Harry would have known Sirius and Remus. Another family. However, as sad as it was, that family was never able to take him in, and Harry would have spent yet another lonely birthday. It was at moments like this that James couldn't regret the decision he took. Even if he had to leave soon, he knew, Harry would be safe and loved here.