Tom Riddle walked out of the bookshop with a thick book in his hands. The book's cover was plain black and on it was written ‘A guide to immortality’ in elegant golden writing.

As he walked back to the Leaky Cauldron, he saw a shop, that said Magical Menagerie. He remembered that he was allowed a pet at Hogwarts so he went to check the shop in hopes of finding a reasonable pet. He went inside and glanced at many owls(as he didn't like cats) but he didn't find the one he liked. Most of them were too small or too quiet. He was about to leave the shop when a baby snake caught his eye. He loved snakes so he decided to check it out.

The snake was long and green. Tom could not help but talk to it, he knew that he could talk to snakes.

“Hello,” he said to the snake.

“A speaker? That is impossible! Only those of Salazar Slytherin's bloodline can speak to our kind,” said the snake.

“I do not know of my ancestry, but I have been able to speak to snakes since I was little,” said Tom.

That was the truth and he always found it strange, though it made sense later, when he found out he was a wizard.

“Interesting,” said the snake. “How rude of me, I haven't introduced myself. I am Nagini, granddaughter of Salazar Slytherin's companion snake; Drakon.”

Tom smiled at the word Slytherin. He felt an urge to purchase this snake. But he wanted to introduce himself first.

“I am Tom Marvolo Riddle,” said Tom.

The snake paused to stare at Tom. Then slithered forward towards the glass.

“Are you taking me from this place?” hissed Nagini.

“Yes,” said Tom.

He felt like the snake was his companion, his only friend and the only one he could confide in.

He opened the cage and took out Nagini. He paid for her and bought some meat to feed her, then he placed her around his neck and walked back to the orphanage.