Hello! I wasn't sure whether to upload this or not, and I'm still being rather indecisive about it. It's been sitting in my documents for several months now so I figured I might as well do something. This may feature or hint at Tom/Harry as we go along, because it's my guilty pleasure ship. I wrote this after I first finished reading the HP books and got the idea while listening to the soundtrack from Labyrinth. Expect a lot of randomness. (If bits of dialogue in this chapter seem familiar it's because it's from the movie. But trust me when I say it gets different after this.)
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters or ideas from Harry Potter or Labyrinth.
It was a cool evening, with grey clouds gathering and rain threatening to pour on the land and residents of Godric's Hollow. Three youths stood in a local park, dressed in costumes that appeared to be from centuries ago. One boy with unruly black hair took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Give me the child. Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great… For my will is as strong as yours…my kingdom is great…Damn! I can never remember that line." He pulled a crumpled piece of paper from his pants pocket and reread what was written. "You have no power over me." Thunder rumbled above them, much to their surprise.
"Cheer up, Harry, you'll have those lines down in no time. It's not like the play is tomorrow, you know?" Another one of the teenagers, tall with red hair and freckles, attempted to reassure his friend, Harry.
"I know.. They're just so hard to memorize, Ron. I don't see how you and Hermione do it so easily!" Harry shook his head and looked down at his script for the school play. It was his first time playing the lead role and his friends agreed to meet him in the park to practice their lines.
"Harry, Ron's right. It takes time to memorize the lines. We just have to keep practicing. I know it's harder on you this time though." The third teenager, a girl with thick wild brown hair, whom he addressed as Hermione, offered him a small smile.
The three of them, known by their peers as the "golden trio", had known each other for years after they had met when they were eleven. They were exceptionally close.
"You're right, I'll keep practicing." No sooner than Harry said this, rain fell, descending upon the unsuspecting friends.
"Best of luck, ours is." Ron grunted and tried to shield himself with a textbook.
"For once, I do believe you're right. We should get out of here. I have an English essay to do and a science project that I cannot afford to put off." Hermione gathered her belongings, as did the other two, and left after bidding farewell.
None of them lived on the same street, so they ended up taking different routes.
Alone, Harry sighed and put the play script into one of his books, while running down the wet pavements of the streets. His parents lived in a cozy two story house that thankfully wasn't too far from the park. His costume all ready had splotches of raindrops marking it, but at least he wouldn't be too soaked. After a minute of running and trying to evade the rain, he had made it to his front porch.
He wiped his shoes on the mat outside the door, before entering the warm house. He was greeted by the sight of his mother standing in the living room with her arms crossed over her chest.
"Harry, dear, where have you been?" His mother asked with an expression of fond exasperation.
"I was with Ron and Hermione, we were going over the play script.. Sorry for being late, mum." Harry shrugged and scratched the back of his neck.
"Oh? Well.. I'm glad you're back. You have to watch Teddy tonight. Your father and I are going out with Remus and Tonks later, but they couldn't find an adequate babysitter for Teddy, so I told them you would watch him. It will just be a few hours." She explained.
"What? Mum! You know Teddy doesn't like me.. I can't get him to stop crying. Besides, what if I had plans? You can't volunteer me for things without my knowledge!" Harry fussed indignantly.
"Harry, please don't fight me about this. I promised them, so you have to. I assumed you would have told me if you had plans. It's only for a few hours. Oh, come back! Why do you have to be so obstinate?" She called after her son, but it was too late, for Harry had all ready ran up the stairs and slammed his bedroom door shut.
Later, their visitors had arrived, and Harry could hear Teddy's cries from his place in his room. He tried his best to ignore it.
"Through dangers untold, and hardships unnumbered, I have fought my way here to the castle beyond the goblin city. For my will is as strong as yours, and my kingdom is as great..to take back the child that you have stolen." Harry recited his lines, dutifully. It was a pleasant distraction from his current reality. Which was irritating. Sometimes, he thought he might rather face the Goblin King. But they say to be careful what you wish for..
A knock on his bedroom door drew him from his thoughts. Harry leaned back in his desk chair with a frown.
"Harry, I know you don't want to talk, but you're listening, right? We're leaving, but Teddy is down stairs. That's your cue. Your mother and I will be back at midnight." His father's voice told him from outside the door. When he was finished speaking, footsteps sounded, making it obvious that he was done and leaving.
Oh yes, they really care about me, Harry thought bitterly. It seemed like all they wanted him to do was watch a stupid baby while they went out and did whatever it is they wanted.
He sighed and left his room after they had called him down before leaving. Naturally, as soon as Teddy saw him he started to wail. Harry could feel a headache coming on as the cries only increased in volume.
"Teddy, what do you want? What can I do to get you to stop? Do you want a story? Okay, let's see.. Once upon a time there was an innocent young boy whose parents always made him stay home with their friends' baby. And the baby was an annoying child that wouldn't stop crying, and the poor young boy was practically a slave, unable to please the baby. But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the boy and he had given him certain powers. So one night, when the baby had been particularly overwhelming for him, he asked the goblins for help. Before, the goblins had told him that if he said the right words, they would whisk the baby away and free him of his burden. But the boy knew that the king of the goblins would keep the baby in his castle forever and ever, and turn it into a goblin. So he suffered in silence until one night he had reached his breaking point." Harry stopped his story when Teddy only continued to weep. He picked him up out of his crib. "You're upset, I hear you, I know. Just stop it! You're giving me a headache. Oh, please stop. I'll say the words. No, I mustn't. I mustn't say… " Harry was interrupted by the storm that was erupting outside. The thunder got louder and lightning flashed outside the window. Teddy seemed to have made it his mission to cry even louder than before.
"That is it! You've pushed me to my limit.. Goblin King! Goblin King! Wherever you may be, come and take this child of mine far away from me!" Harry chanted, to his amusement and the baby's dismay. The crying continued.
"Damn it, Teddy, I wish I did know what to say for the goblins to take you away." The teenager stepped away from the crib and grumbled to himself. He rubbed his temples, wishing that could ease his distress. It didn't.
"I wish the goblins would come and take you away..right now," Harry said, after stepping out of the room. To his surprise, the crying stopped. He hesitated before turning back to the doorway. "Teddy..? Why aren't you crying?"
Silence was the only response he received, and he inched back into the living room. He slowly approached the baby's crib and leaned over to peak inside. What he didn't expect, was a small creature with filthy leathery skin and unnaturally large eyes to be laying in the crib where Teddy should have been. He let out a cry of surprise and fell backwards on his arse. Said creature promptly shot up and let out a shrieky laugh, before darting away. Now that Harry really looked, he could see small shadows dancing around the room. It was all too unbelievable and weird. He pinched himself, to ensure that he was really awake, and was horrified to realize that he was. This was really happening. What the hell?
Lightning flashed menacingly outside, and suddenly the front door burst open. A raven flew inside and landed on the floor. Then, it morphed into a figure. In its place, stood a tall and lean male, wearing a black cape over silver and dark green clothing. He had mostly short curled black hair, with some uneven long strands landing on his shoulders, and delicate yet sophisticated features. His eyes stood out the most, Harry mused. While one was a piercing grey color, the other was a startling shade of red.
The stranger focused in on Harry abruptly after his gaze swept over the rest of the room. When his eyes landed on the teenager, he thought his insides had frozen, the exception being his heart, which was beating erratically.
"Charming little abode you have here.. You must be Harry Potter. A lovely sacrifice you've offered to me, I appreciate it very much. I must confess, it took me by surprise. It has been a long time since someone has offered me something. How could I refuse?" The man smiled sharply.
"Who..who are you?" Harry forced the words out in terror.
"Why, Harry! I'm quite offended. I thought you would have known me. After all, you were the one that called to me and my sniveling underlings.. And I heard you make such a lovely story about how I was 'in love with you'. Surely, you would know your admirers name?" He admonished with narrowed eyes.
"You..! You're the Goblin King? You aren't supposed to be real. If you are- that means..you have Teddy.. Give him back." Harry stood, trying to muster up all of the courage that he could.
"Precisely. My name is Tom Riddle and I am the king of the fae. Muggles, your kind, are so very peculiar, always willing to ignore and disprove of what they don't believe in." He shook his head, "Now, now, you are in no position to be making demands. You told me to take the baby, and I did. Simple as that. What has been done cannot be undone."
At first he could only gape. "Like I said, I thought you were fictional! If we're being honest, I'm still having trouble grasping the fact that this is happening.. But please, I need to get Teddy back. There has to be a way! In the book, there was." Harry pleaded shamelessly.
"Hush. I have something for you." Riddle held up what appeared to be a mirror, expertly dodging the others request.
'What is it?" Harry asked cautiously and took a step backwards.
"It's called the Mirror of Erised. A powerfully enchanted object. If you look into it at certain times, it will reveal your hearts desire and perhaps give it to you. Would you like it? You can take it as soon as you forget about the baby." The other offered temptingly.
"No. A wise man, the headmaster at my school, says it does not to well to dwell on dreams.. And I have to have Teddy back, no amount of odd gifts will persuade me to give up. I'll do anything in order to retrieve him." Harry shook his head and looked at the ethereal being with defiance.
"Anything, you say? I'll consider.. But be careful, Harry, you do not wish me to be your enemy. It would be a grave mistake on your part." He suddenly threw the mirror at Harry. The object transformed into a snake and wrapped around him.
Letting out a scream, Harry thrashed in the snakes coils as his company laughed maliciously. With a pop, the mirror turned snake changed into a goblin that promptly ran off giggling. It gave him goosebumps.
Suddenly, the scenery around them changed. No longer did they stand in Harry's living room, but a breathtaking different world. Before them was a seemingly unending labyrinth, and far beyond that an intimidating large castle could be seen.
"This is your chance, Harry. You have thirteen hours to get through the labyrinth and to my castle. That is where the baby is. If you cannot succeed, you will lose it forever. What happens to you afterwards in that outcome is up to me.. This game goes by my rules after all. Try not to die, all right? I will be observing from afar. Goodbye." And with that being said, Tom Riddle disappeared.
"Oh, joy..," Harry commented sardonically.
As he looked back at the challenging labyrinth before him, he got the sinking feeling that this would be unbelievably difficult.