Hello, darlings

As most of my readers will know, it has taken me a while to update this story. All the chapters have been heavily edited and expanded. I hope you like the additions!

To say that he was pissed would be a severe understatement, to the turmoil that the Dark Lord was feeling, his magic acting out around him. How could Dumbledore be ignorant enough to place a budding mage with Muggles of all things! It was like the man was trying to create a never ending supply of Dark Lords, though the senile old coot wasn't responsible for Grindelwald, he just hadn't done much to stop the man until the end. Tom was furious as he paced the length of his study, Nagini lounged lazily in front of the hearth. The fact that the boy had a hand in his banishment ten years earlier, had been forgiven and forgotten in light of the news he'd recently received.

"That old fool!" He hissed, a few items exploded around the room, though fixed easily enough.

Nagini raised herself up, ~What isss the matter, my masster? Who musst i kill?~

Tom eyed his beloved familiar for a moment, he faintly wondered if he should send Nagini to the boy, before quickly dismissing it. She would probably frighten the child, it wasn't as if the boy would be able to understand her. Though it would serve the old man right, if his little Savior turned up to Hogwarts firmly in the Dark. He wondered what the old man would do, or if he'd be mortified and train the boys' alternative. But the Dark Lord sighed, dropping onto the chaise across from Nagini. There was so much to do, but he was stuck in his manner until his body reached its majority, again. Growing up for the second time was worse than being a shade. Though thankfully his body wouldn't take much more than a few months to reach maturity, then he'd have to meet the child.

"You needn't kill anyone, Nagini. Just found some eerily familiar circumstances, that will work magnificently in our favor." He couldn't help but think about what the little Potter would add to his faction. "Something that will no doubt win us this war."

~Iss thiss about the hatch-ling that vanquisshed you? Can i eat him?~ Nagini nearly purred as she wound her way around Tom.

Brushing her scales gently, Tom shook his head. "He is most precious to me, like you are. No harm is to come to him, am I clear Nagini? He will need to be watched and protected."

~Do you think he can sspeak like you?~

That one question made Tom pause, there was no force on earth that could give the child parseltongue unless he was related to Salazar, which would make them family. How odd would that be, to be family with his once fated enemy, especially since he thought he'd killed his whole family. But that was in the past, he'd gained a body fairly easily and now the boy wasn't much of a threat. But he'd be damned if he allowed someone as magically gifted to stay with muggles, it would certainly be a disservice to both the child and the Wizarding World. But the prospect that the boy could have inherited Salazar's gift was intriguing, it would certainly help persuading the boy, if need be.

Tom pulled out his wand and summoned a few his Elites, it was time to get them moving again. This time things would go vastly different than the first war. He waited patiently as six figures popped into his office, each dressed in pitch black robes, minus their bone-white masks. He smiled as his old friends bowed slightly to him, before gesturing for them to sit. They had stuck by him when he'd been "reborn" as a toddler, doing the public errands until just last year when he'd grown old enough to no longer need their assistance. He had retained his knowledge, so he'd simply brewed himself an aging potion when he needed to go out. But only few people even knew of his return.

"My friends, a most grievous situation has made itself known to me." He hated the fact that he looked nothing like his former glory, having to relive his life again. It wasn't quite as intimidating as the first go around, as he had only been de-aged.

Lucius Malfoy sat primly on the lounge sofa, "My Lord? What situation?"

This time it was Goyle who stood, with the approval of their lord, "Last week I found the location of one Hadrian James Potter. Dumbledore has placed him with magic hating muggles, of all creatures!"

Every wizard in the room sneered at that, but didn't feel shocked. Of course, the old fool would place his weapon with muggles. Each lost in their own thoughts as to what this could possibly mean for their side of the war. Did the Dark Lord need the soon to be eleven year old dead? It would be a shock to them, as they'd watched their original goal being re-planned, since most of his sanity had returned. It was hard to tell, with their Lord looking so young himself, they could only speculate what the man's goal would be.

Malfoy spoke again, "Surely despite being muggles, they are treating him like a prince. At least, that is what Snape has been told by Dumbledore."

Flint and Nott snorted derisively, but it was Flint who spoke, "It doesn't surprise me that the old fool doesn't tell Snape everything. The man was born to be the ultimate spy. It id difficult to precisely pinpoint the man's true allegiance, unless one know Severus Snape well."

Nott nodded enthusiastically, before jumping in, "We forgot you weren't with us Lucius, when we watched the household for days. The Uncle, an obese lout of a man, beats the boy for every little thing. The child is treated no better than a house elf, we assure you. The Aunt, a tall and lanky woman, mainly shouts at the boy. However, she allows her very obese son to beat on the child as well. They-."

"The child is made to do all household and yard work, no matter how much the beat on him. He is made to cook every meal, though given his physical condition, he doesn't eat enough. After he does the nightly dishes, he is then locked in a broom closet, under the stairs." Flint cut the other man off.

Those that had not been in the know, mainly Malfoy, Zabini and LeStrange were horrified at the implications. But it was LeStrange that spoke next, "What are your plans, my Lord? Are we to kill them?"

Tom hissed in anger, shocking most of the rooms occupants. "No! The boy is far too precious an asset. He cannot be allowed to come to any harm. Which is why I've called you all here today, your new mission is of the utmost importance. Failure is not an option, do you all understand?"

"What would you have of us, my Lord?" Crabbe muttered, having stayed silent until then. Though everyone nodded.

"I want your children to gain the boy's trust, let them lead him to our faction. He is to be completely immersed in the Dark by his majority. If my assumption is correct, he too is the Heir of Slytherin. If he gets sorted into any other house, I will be most displeased." Tom chuckled. "I want someone to take on the roll of 'Protector' for the boy, someone he will cling to that will keep him safe. The other children are to make friends with the boy and gain his trust, to be loyal to him."

The Elite group nodded in agreement, inwardly surprised that their Lord had not wanted to simply kill the Potter brat for what happened a decade earlier. But then, their Lord had never been more sane than he was now. Several of the men contemplated the options of simply adopting the boy, in order to immerse him further into their Lords plans. Surely, that would have made it easier for their lord, unless he had other plans?

LeStrange stood suddenly, startling the others from their thoughts. "My Lord, I have no children to offer for this mission, was there something else you wanted from me?"

Tom stared at one of his oldest friends, saddened that his sons had been imprisoned in Azkaban. Though his followers would be fetched soon, they were extremely loyal after all. "Yes, I want you to accompany the children when they go to spend time with the Hadrian. I also want detailed progress reports, as well as status updates on the brat development."

Malfoy sighed, "Wouldn't it simply be better to adopt the child, my Lord?"

The blondes question had merit of course, and it was something the Dark Lord had thought about, but he needed Dumbledore to remain unaware of his movements. If one of his most loyal Death Eaters were to suddenly adopt the boy, who was supposed to be hidden in the muggle world, then all the attention would focus onto that family restricting some of his movements. There was simply no way to tell what the outcome of such a decision would be, so it wasn't something he would allow, for now at least.

"No. Despite not being happy with his living arrangements, I need Dumbledore to be unaware of our movements until after the child begins his schooling. Once the boy has been added to the great house of Slytherin, then we can revisit this topic. For now I want Flint to be the lead on this, instruct your son on the delicacy and importance this mission holds. I will not tolerate failure. Dismissed."

Nearly instantly the group of six apparated out, most likely headed to their homes in order to collect their children. Tom couldn't wait to hear news about how his possible wayward relative was improving. Hopefully, this would work out the way he wanted it to, anything to destroy Dumbledore was worth it, besides the brat would only be an excellent edition to his cause. He just needed to be nurtured in a way that Tom had never been allowed. But by those that would see him flourish, instead of being restricted.

The Dark Lord idly wondered if the child was too broken down to profit from a quick fix, or if this would take longer than he had expected. Who knew what those muggles had drilled into the boys head, especially pertaining to his magic. Time would tell, and right now, Tom had all the time in the world.