Assyria

3

"He who controls the past controls the future. He who controls the present controls the past."
- George Orwell, 1984

"Assyria, you don't have to rush, we're early enough!" my mother scolded me.

I was fast-walking my carriage to Platform 9 3/4, with my parents and Tom following closely behind. This year I wanted to be early to the Hogwarts Express and get a good seat. This would be one of my last train rides, at least to Hogwarts, and I wanted to make it the best.

"Good thinking Assyria," Tom whispered in my ear. It made me jump. I wasn't aware of how close he was before he had spoken. "We should reserve a couple compartments for a meeting."

"Merlin, Tom," I breathed, out of breath from rushing to the platform. "You're not thinking of starting your little club up again right away are you?"

I knew that calling it a "little club" would anger him, but he wouldn't lash out at me in public. Maybe I'd pay for it later, but he couldn't stay angry at me for long, and his initial reaction was priceless. Tom's face screwed up, as if he had just ate a lemon, but then he put back on his pretty-boy faćade.

"I just think you should give it a rest," I said, looking over my shoulder to make sure that my parents couldn't hear. Them being muggles, just hearing about the basic magic that Tom and I learned in school scared them. If they heard about the kinds of things that Tom was concocting, they would have a heart attack.

These were not my biological parents, they adopted me at the age of fourteen. After time turning my way to 1938, I lived with a trainer for a year. This woman, named Shirley, trained me how to act like someone from this time period. It was hard after living in the 80's and 90's for thirteen years, but it was crucial. The Ministry of Magic had sent me for a reason, and I needed to do my job. In order to act like I was from the time period I'm in now, I had to have months of practice.

After training for a year with Shirley, I was ready to be sent out into civilization. The first place I went was Hogwarts, a place that was already similar to me. I went to school there for a year before using the time turner to come to 1938, so by 1939, I could return to Hogwarts as a third-year. After my third-year, I was sent to Wool's Orphanage, where Tom was also living. It was where we had become the best of friends.

Only a month after living at Wool's orphanage, I was adopted by John and Mary Jewell. They adopted me, knowing I was wizard. Both of them had family members who were wizards, so they were aware of that world long before I came into their life. They were young parents, Mary being only 33 and John being 35 when I was adopted by them. Whether they were ready or not to raise a teenager was a mystery to me, but I came out alright, I guess. Most of the bad qualities I picked up along the way came from Tom and a general loss of innocence.

It was obvious that I wasn't related to Mary, she had curly beach blonde hair and bright blue eyes, but John could have been my father. He was slightly pasty, with dark hair and grey eyes. I had to admit, the grey in his eyes was much friendlier than mine.

Over the years, Mary and John had become my best friends. Of course, they had to institute rules and punish me from time to time, but overall I was comfortable around them. I told them a lot, but certainly not everything, like about Tom's group of mini dark wizards. Mary and John helped when I asked for it as much as they could. With them being muggles, it was hard to raise a witch, and sometimes I felt like I was on my own a lot. But considering the fact that they were non-magical beings raising a highly hormonal teenage witch, I'd say they did well.

When Tom met them, I was surprised at his friendliness. I thought for sure Tom would be hateful, or at least dislike them because they were muggles. But he treated them with the same respect that he would give me. Tom became well acquainted with them and was always welcome at their house. As long as they were home.

The four of us reached the brick wall that we would have to run through to get to the platform. Mary and John could not pass through since they were muggles, so I would have to say good-bye here. I took my hands off my carriage and turned to Mary, who already had her arms out and tears in her eyes. We embraced each other, and I started to get slightly emotional too.

"We're going to miss you so much, darling," she whimpered. "But we want you to have a memorable last year."

"I'll miss you too, Mary," I whispered, a singled tear dripping down my cheek. "I love you."

"I love you too, Assyria."

Next I turned to John. He wasn't a very emotional man, but he pulled me in for a bone-crushing hug.

"Remember, young adults are still not allowed to have alcoholic drinks, even in wizard-land," he reminded me. I internally rolled my eyes, of course not mentioning all the firewhiskeys I had at that party last year.

"I'll remember that, John," I said, putting as much sugary-sweetness as I could into those words.

"And... I'll miss you Assyria."

"I'll miss you too John," I replied shortly, knowing my adoptive father was uncomfortable with all the emotion going around.

"Aw, family hug!" Mary cried.

I wrapped my arms around the both of them and enjoyed these last few moments together. Tom kept saying that this would be the year that would change everything, and I wasn't taking those words lightly. Who knows what would happen to my muggle parents?

I could sense Tom's awkward presence behind us. As if Mary had read my thoughts, she popped her head up from our group hug and said, "Join us Tom, you're part of the family now!"

Tom smiled graciously and put his arms around my mother and me. We stayed like that for a few seconds, then I said, "I really don't want to miss the train."

"Oh, I know how you are about these things," sighed Mary. "But you're right, you should get going. The longer you wait the harder it will be for you." She wiped a tear from her cheek.

I gave Mary and John one last hug and good-bye. Mary kissed Tom and both cheeks and John shook his hand. I gripped the handle of my carriage tightly and looked at Tom.

"Are you ready?" I asked him.

"Of course I am," he said. "Tom Riddle is always ready."

I giggled, then looked toward the brick wall. I started running, that brick wall getting closer and closer. This would be the last time I would ever make it through a wall as rock solid as this.