disclaimer As far as I am concerned, I don't own anything from the Harry Potter franchise. At least I don't think I do.

warnings possible slash in later chapters. you decide.
this isn't beta'd.
rating may change to M, I doubt it though.

also note that my writing style is currently under going a... wierd phase. Kind of. Yeah.

Prologue

The thought came to him out of nowhere; and suddenly he was attacked with a sudden barrage of images. All of them consisting of a dark, messy haired boy, pale and thin, with eyes as green as the Avada Kedavra.

He was the only other Slytherin that came from an orphanage, the only other Slytherin that had been raised by muggles. In a way, they were similar to the other. They were both intelligent, self-preserving, they even grew up together. But they were more different than same. He was ambitious, he was charming, he manipulated most of the Hogwarts students and staff, he stood out. And him? Looking back, he didn't seem like much of a Slytherin, especially when compared to him. He was more Gryffindor, and he assumed he would he would be sorted there. But he wasn't.

He was sorted into Slytherin, with him, instead of Gryffindor, where he would of been more welcomed. He expected him to stand out, like himself, being as different as he was. But he didn't, he merely faded into the background. And no one paid a second mind to the fact, not even that old coot Dumbledore.

Looking into the small baby's green eyes brought back memories, memories from when he was still a child. Memories from the orphanage, from Hogwarts. Memories that he didn't even know he had. Then again; his memory had always been good, if not excellent. He theorised that the memory had been stored somewhere in the back of his mind, along with many others.

He narrowed his eyes at the baby, and he frowned at the sudden realization of how much the child resembled him. He had forgotten- no, it was just that he had not thought about him for years, because he did not forget. Suddenly the baby looked up, and red eyes met green. The small child tilted its head to the side, smiling upwards at him, as if he knew something. And as he pointed the wand at the baby, preparing to utter the curse - the one so similar to his eyes - the

"Avada Kedavra."

The world around him spun.

-x-

"This," Mrs. Cole started, immediately silencing all the chatter in the dining room. She gestured towards a small boy that was standing besides of her. He was short, lean, with pale skin, and messy black hair. Over all he looked unkempt, his clothes almost twice his size, making him look smaller than he already was. "Is Harry Evans." The chatter started again, this time the main subject being the new boy. Mrs. Cole ignore it, instead opting to place a reassuring hand on the new boy's shoulder. She led him past many rows of tables and chairs, past most of the orphans and towards a seat further along in the back. And as she lead him towards another dark haired boy, Mrs. Cole could only hope that she had made the right decision.

Tom Riddle was a strange boy. Things, strange and unnatural things, happened whenever he was around. She had by no means had wanted to place Harry with the boy at first. But after hearing from Harry's previous caretakers that the boy was also quite... unnatural, she had decided otherwise. And with her experience with Tom, she could not help herself but suspect that Harry would be a bad seed too. And Harry had seemed like such a nice boy. But perhaps, by placing the both together, they would bond. And they would balance the other out. Then she wouldn't have to worry about Tom scaring the other children any more.

-x-

"Mr. Riddle," Tom Riddle looked up to see the orphanage matron eye him threateningly, a single hand placed on the new child's - Evans, right? - shoulder. "Ensure that Mr. Evans is settled in, will you?" Tom pursed his lips, obviously unwilling to do so, but nodded nonetheless, knowing that he had no other choice. He wondered why Mrs. Cole would place Evans with him, anyway. She knew more than all the others how he was, and yet... "He'll be staying with you, mind." Mrs. Cole took her hand of Evans shoulder, who then proceeded to sit besides of Tom. Mrs. Cole left after.

"Tom. Tom Riddle." Tom unwillingly introduced himself, holding out a hand. It wouldn't hurt to be polite, would it?

The boy smiled sheepishly, adjusting his glasses. "Harry Evans." He replied, his voice sounding strangely hoarse. Tom wondered if he had a cough, since sickness wasn't an uncommon occurrence. Tom retracted his hand; he would not want to get any diseases from Evans, medicine being as scarce as it was. And he also doubted that any one would take care of him if he ever got sick. Evans had not even seem too notice he had even took his hand out, let alone that he had taken it back.

"Just Harry?" Tom asked, tilting his head, distracting him from noticing his retreating hand.

Harry flashed him a small - strangely bitter - smile. "Yeah. Just Harry."

a/n If anyone can help me think of a better title for this fiction, please tell me. I'm not very good at titles, unlike some other FF authors *shakes fists at them*

Other than that, reviews, comments, critiques, etc. would be loved.

feel free to point out anything you don't like.

edit: Erm. Yes, I have changed this to 'prologue'. Kinda is one, anyway ;; o u o

whenever a review isn't made, one harry potter becomes straight and gets it on with ginny. :I
joking!