Er... sorry this isn't really what you wanted, but this is what came out. I hope someone else will pick up the prompt because it really is a great one!
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Mrs. Cole was surprised when a arrived at the orphanage and asked to speak with her. He was dressed nicely, much too nicely for the part of London where they were, and she had a feeling he wasn't looking to adopt one of her charges. She stood as he entered her office. “What can I do for you?”
“My name is Albus Dumbledore, Mrs. Cole. I'm a professor at a school that deals with children who are... different. We would like to offer one of your wards a place in our school,” the man said, smiling brightly.
“Tom Riddle, you mean?” she asked immediately. He nodded. “And your school wants him? They will have to pay for everything since he has no money of his own and the orphanage is not in the business of sending the children away for schooling.”
“Of course,” Dumbledore said, inclining his head “The school will take care of everything. The only stipulation is that he will have to stay here for the summers.”
“Just the summers?” Mrs. Cole asked. “I'm sure we can handle that. He's yours, Mr. Dumbledore.” Tom Riddle was the strangest boy she had ever met and if this man wanted him for some school and the orphanage wouldn't have to pay for it then she was sold. “I'll take you to him right now.”
The two made their way down a dank hall. Children peaked out of rooms but Mrs. Cole ignored them, though Dumbledore sent them small smiles. They came to the room at the end of the hallway and Mrs. Cole gave the door a knock before opening it. “Tom, there's a man here to see you. He would like to offer you a place at his school.”
Inside the room, a small dark haired boy sat facing the window. He turned when the door was opened and Dumbledore was struck by how fragile and beautiful he was.
Dumbledore turned to Mrs. Cole and inclined his head. “Thank you for your help, Mrs. Cole. Now may I have a word alone with him? I believe there is much for Mr. Riddle and I to discuss,” Dumbledore said, smiling. She blushed lightly and nodded. In moments she was gone and the door closed.
“Now we can get down to business,” Dumbledore said, looking at the dark haired boy across the room. He stared for a moment before shaking himself slightly. There were still matters to be discussed. “I suppose I should introduce myself properly, shouldn't I? My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore and I work at a school that would very much like you to attend it.”
Riddle looked at him, suspicion obvious in his eyes. “What kind of school is it and why in the world would they want me?” he asked, young voice clear and cold.
Dumbledore smiled, stepping closer. “The school is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” He paused as the young boy's eyes widened in shock. “Yes, my boy, I am a wizard and so are you.”
“Prove it,” Riddle ordered, eyes deadly serious and voice infused with authority. Dumbledore smiled, amused by the amateur display of power, and with a wave of his wand the armoire in the corner was on fire. The black haired boy jumped to his feet, mouth open to shout, when suddenly the fire was gone. He turned slowly, glaring at the older wizard. “All of my things are in there. They had better not be damaged.”
“Not at all!” Dumbledore said cheerfully, apparently unaware of the anger directed at him. “It was merely to prove I am telling the truth. You will find that all of your belongings are quite intact.”
With a suspicious glance at the older man, Riddle walked to the armoire. He opened the door and indeed, nothing inside was burned. “Fine. I suppose there is no choice but to believe you.” He paused for a moment as if thinking over his options. “However, there is one problem. As you have probably noticed I have no money. How am I to pay for your... school?” he asked, voice bitter as he turned to face the professor.
Albus Dumbledore/Tom Riddle- Dead End Choices Part 1
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Mrs. Cole was surprised when a arrived at the orphanage and asked to speak with her. He was dressed nicely, much too nicely for the part of London where they were, and she had a feeling he wasn't looking to adopt one of her charges. She stood as he entered her office. “What can I do for you?”
“My name is Albus Dumbledore, Mrs. Cole. I'm a professor at a school that deals with children who are... different. We would like to offer one of your wards a place in our school,” the man said, smiling brightly.
“Tom Riddle, you mean?” she asked immediately. He nodded. “And your school wants him? They will have to pay for everything since he has no money of his own and the orphanage is not in the business of sending the children away for schooling.”
“Of course,” Dumbledore said, inclining his head “The school will take care of everything. The only stipulation is that he will have to stay here for the summers.”
“Just the summers?” Mrs. Cole asked. “I'm sure we can handle that. He's yours, Mr. Dumbledore.” Tom Riddle was the strangest boy she had ever met and if this man wanted him for some school and the orphanage wouldn't have to pay for it then she was sold. “I'll take you to him right now.”
The two made their way down a dank hall. Children peaked out of rooms but Mrs. Cole ignored them, though Dumbledore sent them small smiles. They came to the room at the end of the hallway and Mrs. Cole gave the door a knock before opening it. “Tom, there's a man here to see you. He would like to offer you a place at his school.”
Inside the room, a small dark haired boy sat facing the window. He turned when the door was opened and Dumbledore was struck by how fragile and beautiful he was.
Dumbledore turned to Mrs. Cole and inclined his head. “Thank you for your help, Mrs. Cole. Now may I have a word alone with him? I believe there is much for Mr. Riddle and I to discuss,” Dumbledore said, smiling. She blushed lightly and nodded. In moments she was gone and the door closed.
“Now we can get down to business,” Dumbledore said, looking at the dark haired boy across the room. He stared for a moment before shaking himself slightly. There were still matters to be discussed. “I suppose I should introduce myself properly, shouldn't I? My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore and I work at a school that would very much like you to attend it.”
Riddle looked at him, suspicion obvious in his eyes. “What kind of school is it and why in the world would they want me?” he asked, young voice clear and cold.
Dumbledore smiled, stepping closer. “The school is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.” He paused as the young boy's eyes widened in shock. “Yes, my boy, I am a wizard and so are you.”
“Prove it,” Riddle ordered, eyes deadly serious and voice infused with authority. Dumbledore smiled, amused by the amateur display of power, and with a wave of his wand the armoire in the corner was on fire. The black haired boy jumped to his feet, mouth open to shout, when suddenly the fire was gone. He turned slowly, glaring at the older wizard. “All of my things are in there. They had better not be damaged.”
“Not at all!” Dumbledore said cheerfully, apparently unaware of the anger directed at him. “It was merely to prove I am telling the truth. You will find that all of your belongings are quite intact.”
With a suspicious glance at the older man, Riddle walked to the armoire. He opened the door and indeed, nothing inside was burned. “Fine. I suppose there is no choice but to believe you.” He paused for a moment as if thinking over his options. “However, there is one problem. As you have probably noticed I have no money. How am I to pay for your... school?” he asked, voice bitter as he turned to face the professor.