Written for The Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition

Position: Seeker

Prompt: Use a title of a story written by your Captain for inspiration (The Right Thing)

There are many choices in this world that many people must make during their lives. These choices can be small or large, can be life-changing or simply a slight adjustment. There aren't always choices that affect other people, but there are also choices that change the world. It depends on both the choice and the person who must make that choice.

There is a saying, the right thing is not always the easy thing. It means that even though something is hard, it is still the best road to travel. It is the saying that Tom Riddle Jr followed throughout his young life and continued to use as his inspiration, his way of deciding that the war he caused was worth it. It wasn't easy, to go against an entire society but it had to be done. He had to show his fellow wizards and witches that the muggles were dangerous. That they would destroy the world his fellow wizards and witches tried so hard to retain and protect.

Already, those with muggle blood had come into his world and were slowly starting to destroy it. Years ago, there had been no restriction on Blood Magic because it was understood to be a powerful form of magic and one that was very useful. How else would such things as Blood Adoption happen? How else would those Ancient and Noble Houses gain an heir if there was no one in the House capable of bearing or creating one? Those with pure magical blood were dying out because the thought of magic performed with blood made the muggle-raised squeamish.

No, it wasn't easy. Those surrounding him were blind. They followed him because he promised a way to remove that which they saw as a blight on their society. They did not realise the true reason he was doing what he was doing. Albus Dumbledore did not realise that Tom wasn't evil. He was simply trying to protect what he now knew was a part of him. He was a descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself, one of the Four Founders of Hogwarts.

Tom knew that if Salazar was to return somehow and see what had become of the world, he would do all he could to protect what was left. He knew this because Salazar had started trying to protect his culture long before Tom had been born. Only Salazar Slytherin had seen what would happen if they kept letting those ignorant of their ways into their world.

It was a fact that over the years as more and more muggle-raised people were allowed into the world of magic, the more the society changed to reflect the views of muggles. Tom couldn't allow that. He knew what muggles were capable of, had seen and felt their hatred in his years at Wool's Orphanage. He had fought back then, unaware that what he was doing was magic but knowing it made him stronger than even the strongest boy.

He knew that the magic he used caused those muggles to run away while also trying to figure out a way to stop it. He knew that should someone other than some kids from an orphanage figured out there were strange people about, it would mean a war greater than that with Grindelwald. It would be like the war that he had had to return to every Summer holidays between the muggle nations. Death and destruction would be everywhere and the wizards would not survive. This he knew.

So he decided to take the fight to them. If he attacked first he had the element of surprise. Death and destruction would still reign supreme for a while but wizard-kind would survive and that was all that mattered. It wasn't easy, but it was right. He was related to Salazar Slytherin, one of four who had tried to aid their brothers and sisters in magic. He would carry on his ancestor's work and protect his kind.

He had many plans for this. Had begun planning ever since he had stepped foot into the magical world and noticed just how similar it was to the muggle world he had left behind. In Slytherin house he had built up alliances and made sure that they would follow him in his quest to protect. It wasn't too hard to convince them that the muggles had to go, many had been taught already that muggles were inferior to themselves.

The Chamber of Secrets was a blessing when he found it. A place to learn and research without the worry of Albus Dumbledore finding him and deciding that what he was studying was not fit to be studied by a Hogwarts student. The basilisk there provided company and allowed Tom to relax away from the idiocy of his class and housemates.

"When do we start, Tom? I'm sick of all these mudbloods around me."

Tom Riddle merely glared at Abraxas Malfoy and the boy shrank back in apology. Tom had spent many a time reminding his group not to talk about the plan in public. There were idiots about in public, idiots that thought the muggle-raised would be good for their society, would help advance it further who wouldn't agree with Tom's plans. Tom would not have his plans derailed by some fool who could not see the truth in front of them.

Abraxas had been especially idiotic to ask such a question in the Great Hall where Tom's greatest obstacle, Albus Dumbledore, was sitting nearby at the staff table. Still, Abraxas had asked a question and Tom decided to answer it.

"Do you believe that a few school children are able to change the world, Malfoy? There are many steps to be taken and those steps cannot be taken by those who have yet to pass their OWLs."

Looking suitably chastised, Abraxas nodded along with the rest of the group. They weren't the brightest when it came to planning, but that was okay. Tom was the one in charge of making the plans, the others just had to follow his orders.

Many years later, as Lord Voldemort gazed over his army of Death Eaters he gave a small sigh but knew that this had to happen. "Tonight, we take the fight to the muggles. Tonight, the war begins."

It was time. They were no longer school children that had not learned what Hogwarts had to teach them. They were adults who held many a high place within the society they were trying to protect. This would work, it had to. Tom couldn't let his home be destroyed by the same people who had tortured him in his youth for being slightly different. He would not allow the muggles to erase that which he had come to call his own. Lord Voldemort would not let his ancestor down. Salazar Slytherin would be proud. It was not an easy thing, to change a society, but it was the right thing.