A/N: 'Italics' are two people conversing telepathically over a mind bond or another type of similar connection to the person.
The Letter That Started It All: Prologue: The Beginning of a New Perspective
It had been two weeks now…two dreadfully long and drawn out weeks since his seventeenth birthday had occurred already and still yet there was no word or sign of a release from his prison here at Privet Drive with his relatives the Dursley's after all the promises that had been made to him by the Order since Dumbledore's death last year after his latest clash with Tom Riddle once again. Harry felt uneasy and his mind was wandering tonight with a yielding wariness about it with Tom seemingly in such a contemplative mood rather than his more normal vicious ones he had at times. This contemplative setting Tom's mind had taken had put Harry into an uneasy and anxious emotional turmoil this evening because Harry knew all too well that the Blood Wards that were on this home would soon realize he was of majority and then they would vanish sooner or later whilst leaving him vulnerable for attack. Without the Order to help him get out due to not having taken his apparition test yet; he wasn't totally defenseless in some regards, but he also was not totally safe either from an authorized attack from Tom and his minions.
It was times like this that Harry missed his godfather Sirius Black and his best-friend Remus Lupin so much that it hurt to take too long of a thought on them because Harry knew that they had died all in an attempt to be able protect him and shield him from Tom and the war they were in currently. The war between Light and Dark Magic. Harry felt a sense of nauseousness as he also felt sort-of guilty inside though he knew he wasn't to blame for the incident that took Remus from them. Tonks and Remus had been dating for awhile before this and they had planned on bonding soon before Remus had passed on due to his encounter with Fenrir last year for the Order mission he had been on.
Harry Potter was a older teen boy of seventeen and wizard, no less, and he was the British Wizarding community's only hope to survive Tom's wrath in this war due to prophecy. Yet, he sighed in frustration now; where were the Order members that were supposedly supposed to be coming here tonight to retrieve him from this house and why were they so late in doings so? Harry then felt the connection between him and Riddle shift again somewhat and he instantly was wary. Tom seemed to have decided on something whatever it was; though as to what…Harry could not pinpoint until the moment he knew he was no longer alone in his mind but shielded from vicious attacks and that Riddle was trying to reach out to him for some reason or another. The young wizard had learned Occlumency by himself last year out of pure desperation to protect his mind from an attack such as this and just to be able to get some restful sleep each night, however, at the same time; this invasion had no feel as to being a vicious intrusion nor did it appear than anything other than Tom wanting to chat with him for an odd reason. Harry didn't know what to do now…
Harry was being very cautious by not allowing Tom to contact him this way, but at the same time again...he was truly intrigued as to why Riddle wanted to speak to him at all for any reason other than to torment him with horrific comments and images. Harry knew and was well aware of the fact that Tom Riddle had to know of his darker magic capabilities and that Harry had the ingrained potential to be a great advocate for darker magic if he desired to be because of his familial history and direct connection to the ancient Peverell lineage of the older pureblood families and traditions through Ignotus Peverell despite himself being a half-blood, but Harry was still wary of Riddle's other intentions whatever they might be. Finally though, Harry's innate curiosity got to him and he allowed himself to slightly shift his mental protection barriers a little and to allow Tom to at least converse to him telepathically.
:Mindscape Conversation:
Harry had projected himself towards Tom's thoughts and met him in his conversation. He appeared before him in a room that was comfortable looking and well-lived in. Harry was now nearly six feet tall due training he underwent for himself to better help his body and prepare his magic for the war. His eyes were still the vibrant and radiant almond shaped emeralds they had always appeared to be and his hair was as always the messy locks of jet black ink, though slightly more contained than normal. Tom sat there shocked for a moment that Harry had known how to project himself like that and then he stared at the envision of exactly how much Harry truly did resemble himself at that age before with minor differences as he remained quiet and was trying to ponder something else. Harry had other ideas.
"Good evening, Tom. To what pleasure do I owe the enjoyment of your contemplation and amusements for tonight?" Harry asked calmly
Tom seemed momentarily stunned once more that Harry knew that he had been in or was even in a contemplative mood to start with or that he had been amused by his wariness this evening and had taken so long to allow him through his barriers. Tom then shivered a little in desire and delight; Harry's voice was soft and melodic, but he knew it would change given the circumstances and emotions attache to them. His body already was calling to Harry's and he knew this conversation would be trying on him like this, but he managed to recover rather quickly and started to speak to Harry about what he had intended to converse about with him.
"So then, it is true that you can feel my moods and emotions much like I can your own?" He asked carefully
Harry thought about how to answer this carefully, "Tom, you may not be aware of this but I can do much more than just sense these fleeting emotions and moods of yours." He said carefully
Tom himself was wary now…"What does that mean, Potter?" He hissed at him slightly angry at the projected image of Harry there by his fireplace where he stood.
Harry allowed his face to show him with a smirk in the mind-connected conversation, "I may be able to feel these brief and very few fleeting emotions, feelings, and moods you have Tom but please try to remember that we both are a part of a shared destiny together and to this end I can do so much more than you realize I am probably even capable of." Harry replied calm and cool to him, "I can feel it on my own body when you inflict the Cruciatus Curse to someone or anyone else and depending on who it is at the time; I will admit that sometimes I have reveled in knowing they are being punished for a failure they could not accept and that curse hurts them like hell just as it hurts like hell on me and when you or they have inflicted it onto me in the past."
"I share the same gift of Parseltongue as you do Tom, though the gift itself is by no means an inherited trait for me like it was for yourself. Have you forgotten about the rendezvous we had together in the chamber in my second year with your diary so easily?" Harry asked as Tom's mind contemplated the information he was being given and continued to listen to Harry's statements without a protest.
"I am able to see what you plan in your little meetings sometimes through either yours or Nagini's eyes though you had probably never been aware of it until now?" Harry asked and told him all at once and not really caring now either way if he decided on a switch in sides if this is where it led him to. He was tired of being kept sheltered and in the dark all the time as it was, but the Order only made things worse in this regard.
Tom's thoughts seemed to make a pause as he thought about what Harry had told him this evening, before he started again.
"I take it that you are aware of this prophecy we are a part of together, then?" Tom asked him curiously
Harry smirked a little again, "Oh well yes, I am aware of it and have been since my fifth year at school. In fact Tom, I'm positive that I am the only person alive now that knows its entire contents. Why, do you still not know of the full contents of the prophecy despite the little traitor who managed to finally return to your side last year?" Harry asked bitterly somewhat.
Tom semi-smirked at this statement; he knew Harry had to be referring to Severus since he had been the one who had eliminated Albus from his way despite it being young Malfoy's task to do so. Even at that though, Tom frowned afterwards in pondering thoughts. Did Severus truly know the prophecy's full contents and if he had, then had he purposely hidden the details from him for some reason or another?
"Harry, I actually had a reason to invade your thoughts tonight because I found out some sensitive information in regards to the two of us and our destiny mentioned previously that I thought you might want to hear since I am very well aware of the fact that you are most likely cut off from the Wizarding world wherever you are located at the current time." Tom said hesitantly cautious.
Harry seemed both curiously intrigued but hesitatingly wary at the same time; did he really want to know whatever Riddle had found out regarding the two of them or not, and if he did; how could he be sure that Tom was being honest with this? Harry took a momentary silence and thought about what to do here. He knew the light side had only ever kept him around to keep their hope alive and/or use his name and notoriety to get themselves a better reputation or status within their world. He also knew that the light truly wasn't what he had initially believed it be at first and they were all probably hoping he died when he managed to kill Tom in the end. Even still though; how could he trust that Riddle was being genuine about this when he had already trid to end his life seven times since the initial one?
"Tom, I am curious about whatever you have found out about this situation between us, but yet my mind halts to a yielding stance in knowing you have been after me since I was a year old and that this information could be a means as a lure against me. Despite you said that you were also involved as well, I am still hesitant to know what you've found out. I do want to know what you have found, for I have come to understand that Albus's so called light-side is not all it seems at times anymore but I also need your word that this is going to be a genuine exchange between us and that you are not trying to harm me with this?" Harry asked him carefully.
Tom seemed very intrigued by Harry's change in personality so much over a two year span since his fifteenth birthday and Tom had always known that Harry was much more intelligent and clever than Severus had ever given him credit for. Tom had to make a choice about this…and fast if Harry's impatience and wariness were anything to go on…
"Harry, I promise to you on my magic that I am in no way attempting to lure or harm you directly or indirectly with this information."
A brief white glow was seen and accepted before it dissipated and shock was clear on Harry's face now.
"On contrary, I…I am trying to resolve some issues within myself because of this startling information and I had thought since we share this connection that I'd share it with you since Albus would've never told you about it and neither would have the Order if they knew of it. You definitely have a right to know about it since it regards both of our family heritages somewhat together." Tom sighed in dismay somewhat.
Harry seemed almost perplexed at Tom's unusual amount of emotions he was showing tonight as well as his level of sanity he showed by vowing not to harm him on his magic with his discovery and risking becoming no more than a regular muggle without any magic potential if he had lied to him, but Harry kept his opinions neutral and gave Tom permission to continue going on whilst he tried not to notice how Tom looked younger now like before and that his body seemed to calling out to his own. Vice versa could applied here, since his own body seemed to call out to Tom's as well. Tom was beautiful for his younger looks and it took Harry's massive willpower to ignore the calling his body sorely wanted worse than he had ever wanted anyone else before now.
"Harry, the Order won't be coming tonight for you and for a very good reason." Tom said as he noticed Harry's attraction to him and smiled in his mind to himself.
Harry was now confused as to how Tom knew that but managed to ask, "Why?" He said
"Because with Albus gone from our world now; the Order of the Phoenix is without a central head leader to focus its actions upon to guide them and from what I know, Fawkes has yet deigned a new one to take Albus's place to lead the pack. The Order is in total chaos because Fawkes has not chosen anyone yet to lead them. Plus, the Order...they are most unlike Albus in demeanor and personality…and because of this; they have mostly forsaken you…" Tom told him carefully with hesitant caution.
Harry's eyes then narrowed severely as he read well between the lines as to what Tom's message in this had meant for him. With Albus gone and the order in chaos with Sirius as only other real connection to the Order and both of whom were gone along with Remus who had left for America earlier this year for a meeting with a new werewolf clan and then died when he met Fenrir Greyback on his way home after it, Harry was without a true adult confidant to express his concerns to and the rest of the Order didn't not believe him capable enough to defeat Tom nor did they know of the supposed prophecy and as to what it meant for their world if it was followed.
"I also now truly know that Albus is a great big liar to you about whatever prophecy he has claimed to have seen witness to and spout off to you for another larger and more fatal reasoning in regards to that it would have messed with his ideals should it come true." Tom said importantly serious to Harry.
Harry's eyes narrowed further with more suspicion now, "What do you mean by this?"
Tom sighed heavily, "We are more connected than you know of, Harry. For we are both connected to the Peverell lineage that is foretold of within the Tales of Beedle the Bard though not quite as connected as you would suspect we are if you assume anything for granted. Harry, as you are aware, you are directly descended from Ignotus Peverell who has held onto Death's own cloak of invisibility in your family for a very long time and was considered neutrally dark inclined as his family migrated to the Potter clan who descended later from Godric Gryffindor of Godric's Hollow, where you and your parents used to live. The line itself is connected to the great wizard Merlin before Ignotus on your side as well."
Harry nodded his head slowly with a grimace to his expression showing he understood what Tom had said though not liking that at all.
Tom sighed again from within his chair at Harry softly who was now currently sitting on the carpeting of his living area floor against the sofa in a very appealing position for taking advantage of that Tom knew he needed to not think about as Harry sat before the fire and was staring into it absently lost within his own thoughts out in space somewhere.
"Likewise Harry, I descend from a branch of the Peverell family through Antioch Peverell, who was the holder of the elder wand for his whole life until his gruesome demise. Though my connection is not direct as yours is. Antioch, who was the wielder of the elder wand until his death and was then passed down through the family…the ingredients for the wand were natural and fresh, but I have researched this topic for quite some time and I came to find that the tree the wand and its other components came from were actually inside a single woman's farmland property which she owned and not in an area that was not owned. The very same woman Antioch had later married to preserve his good name to the community when he had been falsely accused of some crime and had been let off the charges. My connection is indirect through a marriage." He told him.
Harry looked up from the fire as he seemed intrigued to the information and still tried to ignore his body's calling out to the man before him while Tom continued on after that.
"Albus had attempted to lie to you about whatever prophecy he told you because unfortunately there is another one and a more powerful one that I now have come to believe to be as a futuristic foretelling of one and I also believe it pertains to us both more tightly than the one you were previously told of by Albus because of its contents."
"I see." Harry said quietly as he seemed to think.
Harry contemplated his options for the moment in time. The Order was in chaos and were disjointed...add-to-the-fact none of the older members believed him capable of anything as great as the defeat of a Dark Lord. Perhaps if he handled this carefully enough…a switch in sides would be possible if this prophecy Tom had found out about held true?
"Tom, I would greatly appreciate you tell me what else you have found out, however, I do need to sleep for now. I know that my owl mail is no longer being watched and sending me owl post would be easier on me and less hurtful to me than seeming to space out here and there while I'm supposed to be doing something else because of entering a mind-connected setting like this again for a conversation." Harry told him carefully
Tom's eyes had hardened and narrowed at what Harry said, but he made no further commentary as of yet about it because he did not know Harry well enough to inquire on such things as abuse in his home to make him feel more at ease and comfortable here while he was with him in his home either.
"If you send me owl post though, please send it along at night to my home for safety reasons as I am sure you understand. I'll send my owl to you directly and when you write she can find me because I do not know if the wards will intentionally or unintentionally give away my location or not?" He asked Riddle
Tom nodded and seemed to agree to the plan of action without complaints though he wanted to ask many more questions now.
"The only other request I will be asking of you is…is to leave no detail of what you know out and to make sure you are keeping things genuine between us. If the Order has truly forsaken me and when the Wards over my home should fall down and collapse in two more weeks time…there will be a chance though slight for now, but a chance nonetheless, that I will seek sanctuary with you for now depending on what I make of the information you send to me." Harry told him
Tom thought about this carefully because having Harry on his side whether neutral or not would be a major blow to the Order's pride in knowing he had switched because he knew that they did not see the potential he had inside of him and that he was truly capable of becoming as a wizard nor did they understand the necessity of what should happen if Harry remained in the dark mire of the unawareness to the war before them and also in-between two sides of war bathed in light and darkness. Plus, if Tom was truly honest with himself as he thought about this decision of his…he was a rather selfish person in regards to it because of the ending of the older discovered prophetic telling. For the last part of the true prophecy he had found was rather astonishing, and well...at least he really wanted it to be true. He wanted it so badly he ached when he had thought about it all since his own changes from a magical rebirth transformation recently just before Harry's seventeenth birthday.
"Very well Harry, I shall endeavor to do as you have asked but in return I want an answer of your opinions to the information in a connected conversation between us the week before the wards around your home are to fall, understood?" Tom asked
Harry agreed easily to this silently with a small nod.
"Goodnight Tom." Harry told him as he vanished from view and out of the connection they had shared
"Goodnight Harry." Tom whispered softly as he noticed just how very attracted they were to each other already without really knowing it
:End Mindscape Conversation:
The very tentative connected conversation he had with Harry had gone well and as Tom felt him drift into an uneasy sleep later that evening, Tom could not help but feel sort-of protective of Harry now because of what he knew his friends and the rest of the remaining order would do when they had realized he'd left them behind when they didn't bother to care about him as they should have done from the beginning. Tom was clearly attracted to Harry, if the calling his body exuded when Harry had projected himself there was anything to go by, and the rather large and tight bulge he felt in his trousers under his robes was clearly straining for a release.
But the longer Tom thought back to his discussion…he couldn't help feel that Harry might be hiding something about his life in the house he had been captive to live in since he had killed his parents so long ago, almost like a ghost of a skeleton in his bedroom closet he was afraid to show anyone or tell anyone about because Tom knew only too well from his own horrendous childhood that Harry was probably too ashamed to admit it to anyone else in their own world in knowing how most wizarding families viewed the care of children and abuse to them in any form. Tom knew from experience that abuse does many things to the mind because he was a very clear example of this in some ways through his own past and childhood to his transformation to what had become Lord Voldemort. The persona of him still existed currently, but his original person was now present most with his renewed sanity. However, why would Harry hide such things from those who had seemed to care for him so much if they ever did at all?
Tom had so much more information now to review, reflect, consider and contemplate on than he did before and the weight he felt from it was as though he needed to be prepared for the worst to come though he had no idea why.