Ok, this was a plot bunny that came and bit me. I have ideas for before and after these scenes but I need to know if it's even worth going on with this plot. So PLEASE review!!!

Harsh Lessons

When Harry woke, he found himself alone in the bed, Tom's side was cold, he was obviously long gone. Harry's heart panged but he brushed it off.

Don't be selfish, you know he's probably got important work to be doing, him being the Dark Lord and all. Harry thought.

After a couple of moments Harry got up and dressed quickly. Once he was ready he left the room to explore the Manor properly since, he thought with a slight blush, yesterday's arrival hadn't exactly allowed him to look at his surroundings too much.

With this thought Harry set off down the corridor.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several hours later Harry was walking along yet another corridor when he heard voices coming from one of the rooms to his left.

He stopped for a moment then slowly went up to the door. It took a few seconds for the voices to come into focus but what Harry heard made him wish that he could forget them.

"And what about that Potter brat? I heard you had brought him with you when you came here." Said a voice Harry didn't recognise.

"He's none of your business, Alexander," This voice Harry recognised as Tom's.

"Don't be like that, Riddle. He interests me. I mean, he must be amazing to have captured your attention, so what's so special about him?"

What Harry heard next made his heart break within his chest.

"What makes you think there is anything special about that brat? Though I will admit that he was a good fuck, for a virgin. What else would I keep him around for?"

"Oh, I don't know maybe …"

The other voice continued, but Harry was fast moving out of earshot by this point, running as fast as he could, as hard as he could without crashing into anything.

I was such a fool!

By now the tears falling one by one from his eyes were clouding his vision. So much so that he didn't even see Severus in the corridor as he ran past.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Severus had been walking towards Tom's office when he saw Harry running past him with tears in his eyes and a look on his face as though someone had just ripped his heart out.

He continued looking after Harry long after the boy had gone out of sight then, with a quick shake of his head, he turned to the door of Tom's office and knocked on the door.

"Enter," said the voice of the Dark Lord.

Opening the door, Severus entered to see Lord Voldemort sitting at his desk with someone in the seat across from him.

As this stranger turned to look at Severus, he realised that this was Alexander Fidel, a vampire who had become an ally in the First Rise, an individual who had always put Severus's instincts on high alert, and for good reason. This man was the most dangerous, manipulative bastard – except for Dumbledore – that Severus had ever had the displeasure of meeting.

"Ah, Severus, you remember Alexander, don't you?" said Voldemort quietly, gazing at Fidel, like one would a dangerous, possibly feral, animal.

"Of course, my Lord," Severus managed to growl out. All of his instincts were screaming at his to attack the man in front of him before he could harm any of Severus's family as he had done previously with his old family.

He knew that Harry's tears had something to do with this man, and that was absolutely unacceptable.

"I was wondering if I could talk to you for a moment in private, my Lord."

"Certainly, Severus. Alexander, would you mind if we continued this meeting tomorrow? I know it is slightly inconvenient but Severus only comes to me if an urgent matter comes to his attention." Said Tom, his eyes now back on Severus.

"If I must, though you owe me, Riddle." sighed Fidel as he apparated out of the Manor with a crack.

Tom quickly threw up wards and Silencing Charms around the room before turning back to Severus.

"What is it, Sev?" he said, getting up from his chair and coming around to the other side of his desk.

"What were you talking to Fidel about Tom?"

"Nothing much, just him trying to butt into things that don't concern him, as usual. Why?"

"Did you mention Harry at all?"

When Severus saw Tom pale rapidly he had his answer,

"What did you say?" Tom whispered.

"I said 'did you mention Harry?', but your reaction told me all I needed to know. You said something to cover up in front of Fidel and god dammit! I think Harry heard whatever it was that you said!" Sev's voice had gone deadly quiet for mist of his speech but by the end it had risen almost to a shout.

Silence.

"Are you serious, Sev?" Tom's voice was trembling slightly.

"Deadly." Was the biting reply.

And with that Tom was off running out of the room, barely pausing to take down the wards before rushing on.

Severus sat for maybe a minute before Tom's anguished cry echoed off the walls of the Manor, startling all of the Death Eaters and house elves present. When Severus and everyone else reached the Dark Lord's chambers they saw Tom on his knees on the floor, a piece of parchment clutched in his hand, in front of the open window.

Harry had gone.