Chapter 2: The Past
-O.o.O-
"Harry!" Hermione started again quickly when they were having a break between two classes, "Listen to me! We don't know what's wrong with you today, nor do we know how to help, but you can not keep doing this. You weren't just wondering off for a little while in Professor Snape's class - you didn't listen to anything at all. Ron and I are worried about you, today Snape could take away points from Gryfindor and hold you for detention, but if you keep acting like that you might not be so lucky next time. Look, I know you don't care about what Snape wants, but you're getting yourself into trouble. if you can't focus in his class, at least try to pretend that you're actually listening- "
"Yeah, fine, whatever. For Merlin's sake, Hermione, please give me a break!" Harry rubbed his temple and found himself having a headache from his talkative friend's super long suggestion. "It was only the first class, come on. I got up late this morning and I was sleepy so I dosed off in Snape's class and didn't really listen to his boring lecture, that was all. It's no big deal, and this won't happen again. "
The brunette glared at him for interrupting her, a little offended, "This is important, Harry. You can't just let it go so quickly."
"She is right, mate." Ron joined in the conversation, "You know, last year everyone believed that you were a liar. Although everything you said turned out to be the truth in the end, people - even students in our own house - are becoming suspicious about things you say. Now you lost points in the first class this year and I don't think they'll be very happy about that."
"Okay, I'm sorry Hermione. I'm really, really sorry. There won't be a next time. As for the lost points, I will try to get some back in other classes. " Harry gave up and answered in a defeated voice.
"You'd better keep your promise, " Hermione nodded in satisfaction, "I'm also sorry for bothering you, but we are just concerned and we care about you."
"Yes, I know." Harry gave them a faint smile tiredly, going through the door to the Potions class. Professor Slughorn grinned at them and greeted them happily. The dungeon was filled with white vapour, bubbling cauldrons and talking students. They walked past some rows of desks and sat down at a table with a cauldron containing golden liquid on it.
Harry breathed in the attracting perfume spreading out from the cauldron and smiled. He had never smelled something so sweet and beautiful before. It was a flavour mixed with honey, broom sticks and flowers. A great sense of satisfaction hit him and he gasped with joy. He smiled at Ron, who lazily smirked back.
- Ah, Amortentia it is, which explains your over-flowing happiness, - Riddle's voice suddenly appeared in his mind, making him spring to his feet in shock. He looked around and made sure that no one was bored enough to pay him any attention, and Slughorn had not started his class yet.
- Amortentia? - He asked, curious about the potion's effects besides making people feel nice.
- The most efficient love potion in the world - which doesn't really work. It can not make people fall in love with each other because nothing can really create what people call 'true love'. The only result from drinking it is hallucination. It has a special vapour shape and colour, smells differently to each person and makes you think it has your favourite odour. I memorized these things when I was in grade four and this is one of my least favourite potions, - Riddle explained.
- Sounds cool, but I have no intention of using it since it doesn't help. What about the potions in the other cauldrons? -
- That one which looks like water is Veritaserum, ordourless and colourless, mainly used to force the drinker to speak truthfully. Actually it tastes slightly different from water and you can tell them apart when you are experienced enough... But nobody wants to be experienced in this case. That mud-like, bubbling potion is Polyjuice potion which you succeed in brewing when you were in grade two so I believe that you can recognize it easily. Harry, don't you want to earn some points for your house? Here comes your chance. -
"Now, now, everyone. Please take out your textbook and other required equipment for the class. " Slughorn's body was barely visible in the silver-white vapour.
"Sir? Sorry, Ron and I don't have textbooks and any other stuff for this class. We thought we wouldn't be able to take the Potions class so..." Harry raised his hand.
"Oh, yes. Minerva mentioned this... Don't worry boys, no need to worry at all. You can use the ingredients from the storage first and pick two of the old textbooks lying there."
Slughorn walked slowly to the corner, pulled out two books and handed them to Harry and Ron.
"Alright. Today I prepared several potions for you and of course, it's only for your learning. After finishing the course this year, you should all be able to brew them perfectly. Now, who can tell me what this i-"
Before he finished the question, Harry put up his hand quickly with a smile of victory on his face.
-O.o.O-
- I have to admit, whoever wrote notes on this book is a pure genius, his understanding of potions is astonishing, - Riddle said when he was looking through that old textbook in his dorm.
- Tom, who do you think this Half-Blood Prince is? This textbook was published at least fifty years ago, does that mean he is more than sixty-six years old? -
- I don't think so. Buying used textbooks is common for students from not-so-rich families. What's important is this kind of handwriting... I think I have seen it somewhere, it looks really familiar. -
- I will pay more attention to it. Maybe that's some professor's writing on the board... Wait, a Potions Master, can that be Slughorn? No, his handwriting is totally different, but... - Harry paled immediately after realizing a fact, - Oh no, the Half-Blood Prince can't be Snape! Merlin, now that I remember it, Snape's handwriting is exactly like this. The book also has some original dark magic spells on it... Snape is always interested in dark magic! The way he was talking about it in DADA class... Now all the pieces are put together. Oh, Merlin, no way... -
- Yeah, I know that feeling. Right after having a detention with the meanest teacher whom you hate the most in the school, you learnt that he was actually the intelligent Prince whose notes kindly helped you out in the Potions class. However, don't forget your appointment with Old Bumble Bee tonight - have you already forgotten it? It's almost five to eight now and you'd better hurry,- Riddle reminded him.
- i'm on my way! - Harry sprang to his feet and put the textbook which belonged to Snape in his bag, deciding to return the book to Snape when he had the chance. After all, keeping another person's possession with his original ideas and notes on it was actually rude. Although Harry liked the extra tips in Potions class, he knew it was cheating to use Snape's book and decided to be polite and honest. Moreover, he had Riddle to help him out when he had any problems anyway. He walked quickly down the empty corridors and headed straight to Dumbledore's office, hoping to get there in time.
-O.o.O-
- Why don't you hate me? -
- What? - Harry didn't understand right away, - Why should I? -
- Although I have no impression on any memory pieces Dumbledore showed you - except for the ones about the orphanage, but you knew that I would have become Voldemort since you were in Grade two. So why can you even talk to me without screaming, cursing or any kind of hatred and anger in your mind? - Riddle asked hesitantly.
- You are not Voldemort, Tom. And you never will be. -
This Tom Riddle had not opened the Chamber of Secrets and caused the death of an innocent girl, had not used his uncle or killed his muggle family, had not become the Dark Lord and brought the darkness and fear to the magical world.
This boy who was talking to him was not guilty. He was not responsible for any misery his counterpart had created in Harry's life. And after being together for more than five years, Tom Riddle had become a part of him. Only when he talked to Tom could he feel that he was whole again.
The dark past Dumbledore showed him didn't really serve its purpose. Harry knew he was supposed to find out Voldemort's weakness, accept that Voldemort was born evil and fight him without any hesitation. But after being friends with Riddle, how could he now judge Voldemort's past with angry eyes and blind hatred? He couldn't help but tried to look at these facts from a different angle, and he succeeded. The infamous Dark Lord had never felt even a little bit of love from his family. His mother had been too weak and desperate to live for him, and his father had been a jerk just like Uncle Vernon. That dark-haired boy who had always been seen as cruel and cold could also be seen as a scared child, and Dumbledore had not done anything to comfort him except for threatening him to be good and kind.
He saw the bloody and dark path Tom Riddle had been walking on, but he also saw the emptiness, fear and despair. And he was sorry for that boy who had never found out what love was.
Tom Riddle had always been alone. He knew how it felt to be different and isolated because he had experienced exactly the same thing before meeting Ron and Hermione. After Sirius's death, this feeling came back again.
But now he was not alone anymore, and neither was Riddle. They had each other and they could always understand.
-O.o.O-
Ron and Hermione started dating after noticing his unusual quietness these days and decided that they should just leave Harry alone for a while to sort things out. They knew he was still upset about Sirius and since neither of them could talk to Harry, they became very close instead. They stick together every day and only needed time to really get together. Harry was happy for his best friends, he always wondered if the only difference between young Riddle and himself was that someone actually gave him a hand when he needed friendship but Riddle never got the chance.
Dumbledore might suspect what he was doing on his own, but a headmaster who was always absent could not do anything to him anyway. Harry tried to imagine what would have happened if he had told Dumbledore about his friendly relationship with Tom Riddle, and decided that he would never let the headmaster know about this, ever. No matter for Riddle or for himself, it was the only solution. Harry kept his secret well. He didn't know how Riddle got in his mind in the first place, but he never asked anyone else.
-O.o.O-
- Do you want to see me, Harry? - At one night, Riddle asked him suddenly.
- Yes, of course I do. - Why not? Harry was well aware that if Riddle meant him harm and had the ability to hurt him, he would be dead long ago. So meeting his 'imaginary friend' couldn't possibly hurt. Moreover, he was extremely curious about Riddle now, - But I thought you were just a piece of memory or something. Oh, I see, you have the ability to let others get into your world, just like the Diary. -
- Correct. I'm not even sure if this will work or not, because I tried it before and failed each time. Now close your eyes... -
Closing his eyes, Harry struggled in a vortex of colours before finding himself standing in a room where he had been to before. It was Slytherin Common Room. Silver and green curtains and armchairs were elegant and beautiful as usual. The fireplace was burning brightly and dark shadows of giant fish were moving on the window.
Gasping, he looked around and stared at the figure sitting on a sofa.
Fifteen-year-old Tom Riddle was in his black school uniform, he looked very handsome with his silver-and-green-stripped tie. His appearance was almost the same as Harry remembered, tall and thin with pale skin and dark curly hair, eyes black like midnight. What had changed was his expression. There was warmness in Riddle's eyes and Harry had never seen that before in the Diary. Sitting on the sofa casually, Riddle turned to Harry and smiled.
Harry walked towards him. Strange, he didn't feel afraid when facing Riddle - maybe a little wary, but not afraid. Taking a deep breath, he sat down beside Riddle.
- Here you are, - Riddle said, - I have been trapped here for so long, sensing everything through your senses without communicating with you... Time has been an old man. I even thought that I would surely become insane if I didn't find a way to talk to you. Do you know the feeling of being completely alone? You could scream and scream but nobody would hear you; you could call for help but nobody would even notice; you could cry or laugh or be desperate but nobody would even care. It wasn't until finding you that I realized how terrible loneliness was. -
- Could I touch you, Tom? - Harry asked, reaching out his hand and wondering if the teen in front of him was just a hallucination.
- No, Harry, No matter how real I might look, I'm still a piece of memory... Or am I? I don't even know what I am. Isn't that kind of pathetic? - Riddle said softly.
- I want you to stay with me, - After a moment of silence, Harry whispered. - I know the feeling of being alone, and I want you to stay with me, like what you have done for more than five years. You have always been here with me, and I can feel it now. I don't know what I'd be without you, but then I won't be the same person anymore. -
- I will stay with you, Harry. - The dark-haired boy answered softly, - I will stay with you forever as long as you believe in me. This is a promise. -
Author's note:
Yeah, I know I'm terrible at writing. I haven't really read the first six Harry Potter books in English so please pardon me if I made any mistakes about Potions, magic or anything. Now Tom and Harry are having the weirdest relationship ever. Hope you enjoyed reading my story. Please review and tell me what do you think!