Chapter Text
It starts, as most stories do, because of curiosity. Humans have that saying for a reason you know, the one about the cat and it dying because of how curious it was, and it being brought back because the answer was so satisfying- you know the saying. People often are drawn to the first part, after all humans only have one life- unlike a cat’s nine. The thing is, Harry always had great pride on how sturdy he was compared to his fellow angels, and an angel is already so much more sturdy than a human. According to Archangel Dumbledore, the angels were created to be so much more than humans in order to protect them from Demons. So, Harry never worried about the death part of the saying, but the being brought back by satisfaction always mattered to him and his friends. After all, what is the reason to dig through books, win games, and fly through the air but for the satisfaction it brings. So no, Harry never thought to worry about the death part, which let him be as curious as he wanted- even if it got him in a bit of trouble occasionally.
The great archangel Dumbledore was showing a few of the younger members of the flock the basics on what their relationship to humans should be: what humans do and how they act, and how angels are there to protect them from temptations too great for their minds, etc., etc. etc. And in return for these great acts of kindness, they would pray to the angels along with God. To actually see how this took place the “younglings” were shown a church where worship was taking place. A group of humans were bringing a bigger group of smaller humans to mass, and they were sent to the pews and began to kneel and pray.
Harry spent a lot of time with Archangel Dumbledore, more than anyone else in the group. Which is why he was the only one to notice something catching Dumbledore’s eye. It was a small moment where his eyes stopped at one place instead of passing over the group, a tightening of the wrinkles around his eyes- Dumbledore’s smile never left his face but, for a moment, his shoulders tensed. If Harry were not looking during that split second, he would have never noticed. Ever curious Harry followed the line of sight Dumbledore had and saw a small boy with curly black hair and an even smaller snake in his pocket.
Harry watched. The boy did not always come with the group, but when he did- he always brought that small snake hidden in his sleeve or in a pocket. Harry grew curious- The boy seemed to enjoy hissing at the snake pretending to understand him, but seemed to hate being around the others in the group and especially hated being brought to mass. How strange this was, Harry thought to himself. Harry was created for God and his will is what dictated the lives of all the angels after all.
Harry watched. One day the boy and his snake were caught. One of the bigger humans saw the snake crawl out of the boy’s sleeve when his hands were clasped together in “worship”- and screamed. The boy looked angry and distraught as the snake was taken away. Harry grew curious- he knew the snake was killed behind the church. After all, to bring one to mass when the bible stated they were creatures of the devil was the height of stupidity. No, not stupidity- naivety.
Harry watched. For the first time he followed the boy away from the church and saw how his eyes grew more angry and less sad. Was he meant to stop the boy from doing… something? Harry grew curious- after all why would he care so much for one little, angry human?
Harry watched. When the boy’s group reached their destination, he was taken away to a small room and smacked. Once, twice, three times- but the boy never shed a tear. He did not beg for forgiveness or for mercy. His eyes grew harder, and Harry grew curious.
Harry watched the boy sneak out late at night to the church, but not for prayer. Harry witnessed the boy go to the back of the building and searched for his dear, dead, friend- hissing. Harry grew curious as he saw the boy shed tears for the first time.
Harry watched and grew curious and watched and grew curious and watched and-
-His name is Tom Riddle
Tom Riddle grew quickly in the eyes of the essentially never aging angel, and never once did he seem to forgive the ones around him. That fact didn’t seem to matter to the rest of his group either, considering they ignored him when they could and when they couldn’t- well, Tom always had more to hold against them. Harry wondered if what he was doing was wrong. After all he just stood witness to Tom hurting others, convent their things, and never once repent, and Harry could only feel guilty about feeling no guilt at all. Tom Riddle grew some more, did well in school, and became a fantastic actor and eventually he was set off to war.
Tom Riddle was not happy with this outcome but as always, used whatever he could to his advantage. He acted like the ideal soldier with high pride in their country and the war in front of his “comrades” and he worked hard in front of his commanding officers. However, once in a while Tom Riddle slipped up, and for the most part everyone around him ignored that glimpse of who Tom Riddle really is (they think it a misunderstanding, or that their minds were playing tricks on them), but there were always a few soldiers who realized something was off about him. After all, no one can be as perfect as Tom Riddle seemed to be.
Harry watched this happen. However, his eyes started to look away from Tom Riddle and towards the bloodshed that will happen and is happening. The many, many humans giving into base desires and letting themselves fall into sin is a big deal for angels whose job is to minimize such things. Many other things to grow curious about. How will the upper angels stop this? Will Harry himself be sent away?
When Harry refocused on Tom Riddle he realized something had changed. Ah! Those people were no longer there, and Tom Riddle had a smug look in his eye that you wouldn’t have noticed unless you knew Tom, and no one knows him better than Harry. Harry stayed curious.
Harry continued to watch as Tom started to… not grow, but bulk up and harden. He had gotten rid of his naivety long ago, but now it was like Tom was seeing the horrid truths of the world. He was sent to actual battles of life vs life, I-will-kill-you-so-I-will-live, and watched some of his teammates start to fight internal wars of I-will-kill-you-because-I-enjoy-it, because-I-say-it-should-be vs I-must-for-my-country, because-I-was-ordered. Harry witnessed Tom start to change. Not in personality but in fear and motivations. Tom had truly realized he was living a finite life, and he wanted to stay living. To do that he had to survive this temporary hell or leave.
Tom started to press his authority more, let more of himself slip though, let more people stand witness as he let some layers peel back. Harry watched as those around Tom noticed the change and were either flocking to him or forced to stand by and let a shift in power continue. However, even as Tom was proving himself to be capable and a leader, his chance of survival wasn’t (never was) reliant on him- it was war after all.
Tom learned that he couldn’t control fate or destiny the way he wanted to the hard way. Stuck in muddy broken-down trenches, with explosions overhead, Harry watched as Tom showed true terror on his face. Harry watched Tom shed tears for the second time.
Harry looked to Tom and then Looked at himself- then felt the tears running down his face. Harry cried out for Tom and let his wish filled tears rain down his fate and let his divinity change things. One soldier who felt nothing for God, but reverence for Tom knew he had to move lay there in that spot to cover Tom Riddle. Letting him live another day. The soldier who worshiped Tom the false idol traded his life for him.
When Tom awoke in a hospital bed, he was given a medal for being the only one alive on the battlefield and was sent away from the front lines the next day with a new job and all limbs attached. He was regaled as one of the lucky ones, with a guardian angel watching over his shoulder.
(If only they knew)
Harry watched as Tom went through screen after screen with doctors. Being asked questions about how he’s slept and how he’s adjusting. Tom of course, started to do what he’s done for most of his life. You know, Tom is both a go getter and a wonderful actor. Tom also wanted the doctors to go away. Harry thought about the dead-still sleep that Tom went through, even at the orphanage he wasn’t so quiet, and watched Tom go through a routine and smile, Why yes, I’m adjusting well and It was hard at first, but now I’m fine.
Tom took his government payment, bought himself a flat, and muddled through a few more doctor’s visits before they finally let him go on with his life. Tom muddled through living a “functional” life too. He ate three meals a day, stayed in shape, and slept eight hours each night (mostly). He quickly understood that he was going to run out of money eventually if he could not find some sort of income.
During his search for a job, he came across a disgruntled man with a tightly sealed bucket. Tom, who had fairly good instincts if he could say so himself, stayed around until the man left. He approached the bucket, took out a pocket knife to help open it, when he heard hissing. How strange! Tom expected something like drugs, maybe pieces of a dead body- but certainly not this. Tom came home, much later than he expected- with an aquarium, some dead rats, and a new King-snake. He made a note to himself that finding a job was a greater priority than before.
The next few days were part of an adjustment period for Tom. He’d wake up, eat breakfast, get ready for the day, and on his way to his daily walk, he’d feed Nagini a few rats. When Tom returned from whatever brought him out of the house in the first place, he found himself talking about the new idiot-of-the-day to Nagini. When Tom sat down to read before heading to bed, it was no longer done in silence- but to a background of quiet hissing as he threw a few more rats and taunted her.
Harry watched all this happen and smiled when he realized that Tom no longer slept worryingly quiet and still.