Not wanting to be gawked at like a monkey in a muggle zoo Harry lingered in his compartment for almost an hour, after reaching the end station, and because of it just barely catching the last carriage to the school as it left the station. He had hoped to find it empty, but he noted that luck hadn't been on his side as he saw Draco Malfoy boarding the carriage. Strangely enough he was by himself, no goons. The blonde looked at Harry suspiciously when stepped into the carriage, the hood of his cloak hiding his face.

"Who are you?" He demanded to know in that condescending tone only a Malfoy could pull of. Harry smirked and was about to reply when a familiar sensation tickled his magical core. Tom. Looking away from the blonde he reached out for his magical signature only to be led back to Malfoy. He looked at him again, or rather examined him, while ignoring the blonde's question and unintentionally keeping his face hidden. Briefly he considered the possibility of Tom having done the Malfoy heir into a horcrux, but quickly dismissed it. Tom wouldn't knowingly place a part of his soul in a human, much less Draco Malfoy. Besides, the signature had been much stronger from the other horcrux, it had been calling out to him, Malfoy did not. But there was something about him, teasing him.

Without warning Harry's arm sprung forth like an attacking snake, grabbing Malfoy's left arm. Harry didn't even notice the look of horror on the Malfoy heir's face as he pushed the sleeve of his robes higher up, nor did he notice his attempt to free himself, his eyes were firmly glued on the tattoo that had been hiding beneath the black cloth. The Dark Mark, Tom's magic still lingered in it, drawing Harry to it. Not even attempting to stop himself, Harry began to trace it with his right index finger. It was so comforting feeling Tom's magic that he didn't notice the other boy hissing in pain, at first. When he did he reluctantly let go.

"I have never seen it with my own eyes. I didn't mean to harm you," He said, though he didn't sound the least bit apologetic.

"Who are you?" Malfoy demanded to know again, but this time he sounded more frightened then condescending or angry as he had previously.

"Are you afraid?" Harry asked. He didn't even bother to hide his amusement as he asked. "Do fear me?"

"Malfoys don't bother with such useless emotions." His confidence was back and Harry bit back a smile; Malfoys could be shaking with fear but would still claim to be unaffected. Pandora had done it too; the first time she had seen Nagini. It was a something that always had amused him about the Malfoys. They didn't seem to understand that fear was healthy; it keeps you alive.

"How did you do that? The mark… only the Dark Lord…" He stuttered, then shook his head. It was a surprising gesture coming from a Malfoy. "Wha- who are you?" Malfoy said again.

"Don't you recognise me?" Harry asked, meeting his eyes with his own for the first time.

"Harry?" Genuine surprise showed on the blonde's face as he examined his co-passenger. "Is that really you?" Harry raised an eyebrow, but said nothing: the answer was obvious. "Everyone thought the Dark Lord had gotten you."

"I thought I was in Edinburgh." Harry said amused, confusing the blonde a few seconds before he remembered the day's paper.

"That's just the prophet," he told him. "The ministry want to people to hold on to hope."

"I have no intention of fighting T-the dark lord."

"Nor he you, it seems. But he is still obsessed with you though, he wanted to see every memory I had of you." Misinterpreting the look on Harry's face he defensively added. "I didn't exactly have a choice."

"Since you are in such an sharing mood." Harry told him with unintended cool. "Tell me about Tom."

"He is still in the hospital wing, it's really strange. He should have been moved years ago, and not only that. He hasn't changed, not a hair on his head has grown, its like he is frozen in time."

Harry didn't say anything to explain it, which seemed to disappoint the blonde a little, but he didn't seem like he had expected him to either, not really.

"You have changed though." Malfoy told him. He didn't sound chatty, not that he had before, but now it sounded like he was interrogating someone. "I barely would have recognised you, if" He stopped, looking a little uncomfortable before ending with "you look very different."

"Much has changed." Harry didn't see the advantage of telling Malfoy anything. He doubted Tom would approve of what Harry had been doing for the last two years. At least not the Tom Malfoy was serving. So there really was no point.

As the castle came into sight Harry couldn't help but smile. He had missed it, and the sight of it brought back the memory of his and Tom's first arrival to Hogwarts. It was probably the only time Harry had seen Tom so much genuine emotions around people other then Harry himself. And that spoke volumes on behalf of the castle. Its magnificence still awed him, in all the millennia he could remember, there was still nothing even remotely like Hogwarts School of witchcraft and wizardry. It is magic. It is hope. It is home.

As the carriage passed through he gate, Harry was surprised to find McGonagall and three aurors waiting for the last carriage to arrive. McGonagall was holding a long parchment and quill and quickly marked Malfoy's name with a tick before she looked at Harry.

"And who might you be?"

"Harry Potter." He replied calmly, resisting the smirk threatening to form on his lips as he saw the professor's eyes peer down at him. While McGonagall wasn't by any means a tall woman she still had an inch or two on the eternal teenager thanks to her high heals. Luckily the blood hadn't taken full effect when Lancelot had first given it to him, it hadn't been until after his last growth spurt that spring that his physical appearance had stopped changing. Giving him at least the appearance of a young man in his late teens, instead of that of an eternal 14-year-old.

"Mr Potter?" Harry took some pleasure seeing the shocked he caused the former head-girl. "How- what are you doing here?"

"I intend to be learn. And as I understand it, Hogwarts is the safest place in the world and I happen to have a dark lord after me." He sounded amused, sure that the woman knew exactly what the relationship between himself and Voldemort was.

"Come, the headmaster will want to speak with you."

"I want to see Tom first." Harry said calmly.

"You left him for two years, a few more minutes won't matter." She stated. "Mr Malfoy, I'm sure your friends are be missing you at the feast."

With a glance at Harry, he nodded and looking none to pleased he left.

TBC… So, I finally know exactly what and how to write. I hope you like the chapter. But please, please review. I don't want to sound whiney but I really like reviews. The previous chapter put the story on 29 alerts, 17 favourite lists and three communities, but still I only hot 19 reviews, 2 percent of you readers reviewed. Please, it doesn't take that much time and I really appreciate if you do.

Next update will be next Wensday. You just got an early one because, well I when I read it again it was mainly just background info in the last chapter.