Thomas Potter-Love is a Different Dimension

Hold Me Tight

Grimmauld Place, August 1995

Dumbledore POV:

Minerva moved first, her eyes glassy behind her sharp tabby like glasses, her wrinkles forming into a pursed smile, "Harry Potter, it's such a relief to see you safe," She said, her tone professional and prim, the way she usually spoke with her students, but there was thick emotion behind her words. She extends her hand to shake Harry's.

Green eyes behind black glasses blink rapidly at her, receiving her hand gingerly, his nervous face breaking into a hesitant smile, "Thank you, you must be Professor Mcgonaggal, Sirius told us stories about you,"

Minerva's eyes caught Sirius's who raised his hand in surrender, "You know how great the tales of our youth are, you were always a part of it Minnie, come on now, you loved us,"

Minerva wagged her index finger, "I won't have you corrupting Mr. Potter before he sets foot in my class! Hopefully, he's had better manners than his Godfather to master the art of Transfiguration," She said in a mock stern tone, before giving a fond grin to Harry. "You will hear this a lot, but you do look exactly like James,"

"How unfortunate ," Severus muttered under his breath. Obsidian eyes on his clasped hands on the table.

Harry responds with a grin of his own, "Thank you Professor, but, erm, I'm not sure if I am the best at Transfiguration, Tom has always been better than me," And to Albus's horror, Harry gives the boy beside him a nudge with his elbow. The boy stood tall, the same height as Minerva, shoulders wide, shaking her hand once, calm and collected compared to Harry.

"Tom Riddle, and what a pleasure it is to finally meet a Professor from Hogwarts," He introduced himself, his voice smooth as silk, gentlemanly. His face was devoid of emotion, his eyes taking her in.

Tom Riddle. The boy admitted... he was Tom Riddle.

Albus's throat dried, how could this happen?

Minerva maintains her polite demeanor, eyes darting between the two boys, uncertain, "I apologize, but I don't remember seeing you before...?"

Harry had arrived with Sirius and Remus undoubtedly alone, they were all there. But then a month later and... Tom Riddle is also here?

Tom visibly stiffened when Sirius made to move to hold his shoulder. Sirius caught on and gestured with his hand instead, "This here is Harry's erm... Harry's... well, he followed Harry from 1942. He arrived a week ago,"

Albus's glasses slightly slip down the bridge of his nose.

"Followed?" Kingsley echoed, brown eyes wide, mirroring the shock Albus felt, "You mean he's from the other universe?"

"Yes, that's exactly what it means," The Unspeakable spat, her blue eyes glaring at the two boys.

Kingsley and Minerva both gasped at the news.

Albus still had his hand in his sleeve. Noticing the lack of reaction from Healer Setwall and Severus. And the tense aura from the Unspeakable, tapping her quill on the table making a click-click-clickity-clickity-clack that echoed the silent room.

"I think we are overdue for an explanation," Albus said grimly, holding in his own frustration and donning a neutral mask of forced calm.

They were faced with a young Tom Riddle, potentially another Voldemort in the making- holding hands- with Harry Potter and Albus needs to know why.

Remus cleared his throat, shifting in his chair, sensing the tension in the room.

"Take a seat boys," The werewolf implored.