The Forgiven Crime

1

The little sliver of Tom Riddle, latched on to the form of a garden snake, felt a piece of his soul calling out for help. He knew he wouldn't be much help but decided to try and locate the plea.

•••••

"Freak you better keep your hands moving or your uncle will have to teach you again!" Petunia squacked at the five year old in the garden. Harry flinched at the thought, the bruises from last night reminding him plenty to keep working.

His life seemed livable until he turned five, sure he knew he was treated much worse than his cousin, and he knew his name probably wasn't 'freak'. Yet his last birthday made that seem so much better. Sometimes he would just walk into the room and his uncle saw fit for a few swings.

The boy saw something move out the corner of his eye but kept working, he was sure it wouldn't be worse than Vernon.

~Great jussst a little rat~ he heard, he let out a puff of frustration.

~I am no rat, sssshow yoursself~ a little green snake head popped up from the sprouts.

~You are a ssspeaker?~

~Of coursssse! I can even do ssssome sssspelling. Why are you ssssuprised you are the talking ssssnake!~ he tried to keep his voice down and his hands moving.

~No child you have a ssspecial gift mosssst wizardssss do not possssssesss.~

~Me? A wizard?~

~What are your parentssss namessss?~ the boy halted for a moment before he kept weeding.

~I do not know. They died.~

~My apologiesss young one, a better quesssstion isssss what issss your name?~ again Harry paused.

~My aunt and uncle call me freak.~

~Well that cccertainly issss not your name, I'll just call you hatchling untill we figure it out.~

~I do not think Uncle Vernon will let me keep a ssssnake in the cupboard with me. What isss your name?~

~Then he ssshall not find out. You can call me Marvolo young one.~ Harry nodded. He soon heard the door opening.

~Quick get in my pocket~ Tom complied only for the sake of staying with the child. He felt a connection with the boy, he seemed to look fimillure as well.

"Is that garden done yet Freak?" His aunt yelled from the porch. He nodded in response as he gathered the tools to clean. "Good, make sure to clean those quickly. Vernon wants chicken breast and green beans for dinner. With rolls of course." The she shot him a dirty look as he turned the spigot on before going back inside.

~Ssshesss dissssgussting hatchling. How old are you?~

~I am five, Aunt Petunia hatessss my mum.~

~Becaussse ssshe married your father?~

~Aunt Petunia ssssayssss it's becausssse ssshe wass a freak too.~

~Your mother mussst be a muggle born witch~

~You think ssso?~

~yesss, itsss a normal occurrenccce~ the boy hummed in response.

He placed the tools in the small shed and went inside to wash his hands and start cooking. Washing the chicken and patting if down he listened to the loud rugby game his family was watching in the other room.

~You sssshould poissson them~ Harry let out a puff of a laugh.

~With my luck they would live and beat me worssse~ he heated the skillet and added putter watching it melt. Once it was hot enough he placed the three chicken breasts in and started on the green beans making sure to flip the chicken every once and a while. Once he got to a point he could leave the food for a minute he quickly set the table for three. He checked on the food while he filled a bowl of rolls to set out. As he was pulling the food off and onto serving platters foot steps could be heard.