Until he befriends a grass snake in his aunt's garden Harry believes his relatives when they say there is no such thing as magic. Looking for a place to belong, he ventures into an elusive world shackled by age-old prejudices and fear of a man who may or may not be his father. What he finds is more than he expected, but less than he hoped. First Year AU

Tom Riddle takes pride in his ability to manipulate others. So, when an unsuspecting Harry Potter stumbles across his diary, it's only natural he should push his skill and creativity to the limit to craft a tale so engrossing, so compellingly plausible, that the boy will fall for it hook, line and sinker. If it results in a slight alteration to his future plans, so be it.