AN: Thank you to panther73110, kahpfan, and WamprickNyx for the reviews and story alerts! Onto the next.
Chapter 2: An Unimaginable Predicament:
Hermione's eyes went wide and her grip on Harry's arm became considerably tighter. She looked over and saw the unthinkably handsome face of the boy who would one day became a grotesque, evil monster hellbent on taking over the Wizarding World. Hermione found herself staring at Tom Riddle, taking in his jet black hair and dark eyes, his smooth, gaunt face and arrogant expression.
"I'll kill him," Harry said darkly.
"Harry, you can't!" Hermione shook him, pulling him around so that she could look him in the eyes, "You have no idea the consequences that could result if you do something as drastic as that."
"He killed my parents, Hermione," Harry replied, "He's killed so many people and you expect me to just sit there and let his younger self rise to become the most evil wizard of all time?"
"Don't you remember what I told you in our third year?" Hermione huffed, "Terrible things happen to wizards who meddle with time! I can't stress that point enough!"
Harry looked away from her and over his shoulder at the young man who was holding a whispered conversation with his fellows. Hermione shook him again, causing him to look at her, his green eyes narrowed.
"Harry, please," she whispered.
Harry glared at Riddle again and looked down at Hermione's hand where it was latched onto his arm.
"Besides," Hermione began, "He's only about fifteen, isn't he? He hasn't killed anyone yet, right?"
Harry thought back to all of the thing Dumbleodre had showed him in the Pensieve. Harry knew that Riddle already knew about his parentage and that the Chamber of Secrets existed. Dumbledore had guess that Riddle had found the Chamber in his fifth year.
"Not yet," Harry nodded, "But he will soon."
"If everyone will take their seats, please," came the voice of Headmaster Dippet and it was then that Harry realised that everyone was already seated.
Hermione released her grip on Harry's arm and walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Ron. Harry joined the Slytherin's at the far end of the table, as far away from Riddle as he could manage.
"Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts," Headmaster Dippet announced, "First, I would like to announce that we have three new fifth year students joining us from a home schooling program. If you three will please stand and the rest of you lot make them feel welcome."
Harry cursed under his breath and stood along with Ron and Hermione. A smattering of applause broke out across the hall. Harry could feel Riddle's eyes on him and it was all he could do to not turn and look at him.
"Thank you, you may sit," Dippet continued, as they obeyed, "Now, onto the Sorting!"
Harry watched as the new first years marched into the hall. He scanned the hall and picked out the looming form of Hagrid easily amongst the Gryffindor's. He had almost forgotten that Hagrid was at school at this point in time and he quickly looked around to see if there was anyone else that he recognised. Sure enough, there sat a stern looking young woman with jet black hair and dark eyes, which, in this time, were free of the square glasses that Harry had always known her to wear. She, too, was a Gryffindor and Harry wasn't the least bit surprised to see a Prefect badge gleaming on her chest. He didn't see anyone else in Gryffindor that he knew, but found the sulking, chubby, spotty face of Myrtle amongst the Ravenclaws.
The Great Hall broke out into a louder applause than it had done and Harry realised that the Sorting was over. He joined in the din and soon found food blooming before him. Harry ate quickly and found that it wasn't hard to get Hermione and Ron's attention. He nodded toward them and the three of them got up from the table and made a hasty retreat into the Entrance Hall.
"Did you see McGonagall?" Ron said as they entered the dead silent entrance hall, "It's weird."
"And Hagrid," Hermione smiled, "Hagrid's here too."
"So is Myrtle," Harry nodded, "So that means that he hasn't opened the Chamber yet. But I know he does it this year."
"You don't think that we got sucked back here to stop him, do you?" Ron asked.
"I do," Harry replied, rushing on as Hermione opened her mouth, "But Hermione says we can't do anything to try and change the past."
"Are you mental?" Ron asked.
"No, Ronald," Hermione snapped, "It's you two."
"Hermione we can stop him!" Harry said, "Right here, right now."
"We can't!" Hermione yelled, her voice echoing in the empty hall.
"But if we do," Harry tried again, "Hermione, if we do, my parents would still be alive. And Dumbledore and Myrtle and everyone else that he'll go on to kill."
"Did you ever stop to think what affect that would have on the world, Harry?" Hermione snapped, "I know it's hard for you to accept this but you must allow history to unfold the way it's supposed to. If we change something now, something worse might happen later."
"But..." Harry tried again.
"NO!" Hermione roared, "Haven't you heard of the butterfly effect?"
"No," Ron said, "What do butterflies have to do with anything, anyway?"
"It's a theory," Hermione sighed, "A theory that pertains particularly to time travel. It basically states that should one travel in time, even the smallest thing done in the past will have a large impact on the future."
Both Ron and Harry gave her blank faces and she resisted the urge to throttle them both. She took in a deep breath and let it out slowly.
"What I'm trying to say is, the mere presence of us in the past, or now, whatever you like, would be enough to change short-term events," Hermione began, "And would also have an unpredictable impact on the distant future."
"So..." Ron asked.
"So..." Hermione huffed and then her stern face changed dramatically, "Hold on..."
Ron and Harry exchanged the same look of confusion as they watched Hermione pace around in a little circle, muttering to herself.
"Hermione?" Ron asked.
"Harry," Hermione said suddenly, "Harry, I think we could!"
"Could what?" Harry said.
"I think we can stop him!" Hermione smiled, "Yes, yes it's possible!"
"Do you mind explaining it to us then?" Ron asked with an amused look on his face.
"All probability states that we've already disrupted the time line by being here," Hermione began, "And according to the butterfly effect theory, we've created a time paradox...which means, we can changed time but when we return to our own time..."
"If we can, you mean," Ron chimed in rather morosely.
"When we return to our own time," Hermione said again, "It won't be the same one we left."
"So my parents will be alive," Harry smiled.
"Maybe," Hermione nodded to him.
"What do you mean, maybe?" Harry asked, "If we stop Tom Riddle from becoming Voldemort, he would've never killed them."
"Harry, that's what I've been trying to tell you," Hermione shook her head, "The butterfly effect is a chaos theory. The actions we take may or may not have a direct affect on the future. Just because we stop Tom Riddle doesn't mean that your parents won't have died from something like a car accident. There's no way to tell what will happen. So if we stop him now, the effect on the future may make things better...or worse."
The doors to the Great Hall burst open and throngs of students began to pool out from within. Dinner had ended and Harry stood facing Hermione, taking in her words. Harry saw Riddle and his gang pass him and watched as they descended the stairs toward the dungeons. The entrance hall emptied and the three of them were left standing alone again.
"So even if we somehow stop him it won't make a difference?" Harry asked.
"I honestly don't know, Harry," Hermione said, "But we can try, if that's what you want."
Harry looked after the echoes of the other Slytherin's, "Yeah. Yeah, that's what I want."
"Alright then," Hermione nodded, "We should meet in the Room of Requirement tomorrow to work out a plan. See you in the morning Harry, and try not to do anything rash, please."
"I won't," Harry nodded and Hermione smiled.
"See ya, mate," Ron clapped him on the back, "Blimey this is odd, knowing that you can't come with us."
"Yeah," Harry agreed quietly, "Night."
Harry stood in the entrance hall and watched as his two best friends climbed the stair toward the common room that they all once shared. After another fleeting look from Hermione, Harry turned and descended the stairs toward the Slytherin common room. He was grateful that he had taken on the form of Goyle in second year because it had gained him to knowledge of where the Slytherin common room was. He stood in front of the blank wall and realised that he didn't know the password.
"Slytherin pride," Harry called and when nothing happened, he racked his braid for more Slytherin-like things to say, "Pure blood? Muggle's are scum? Noble? Sly? Cunning?"
The wall remained a wall and Harry cursed.
"Open says me," Came a smooth voice on his right.
Harry nearly gave himself whiplash in his haste to see who had spoken the password. Tom Riddle stood facing him, handsome features twisted in scrutiny of the new student. Harry gave him blank green eyes.
"Are you going in or not?" Riddle asked.
"Er," Harry replied, "Yeah, thanks."
He walked into the dankness of the common room and watched as Riddle followed after him.
"Open says me," Harry asked, "Really?"
The corner of Riddle's mouth sort of spasmed, "No one would ever guess, would they?"
"Obviously not," Harry nodded.
"Tom Riddle," Riddle announced, holding out his slender hand.
"Harry Po...Evans," Harry corrected himself quickly and forced himself to take Riddle's hand.
The boys shook hands and Harry was surprised by the lack of grip that Riddle had. Harry had imagined Riddle to have a handshake like a vice.
"I'm a fifth year, too," Riddle said as he waved a younger student out of a chair by the feeble fire. Harry stood in the middle of the room, uncertainly. Riddle noticed and offered Harry a seat that was already occupied, or at least it was until Riddle gave the older girl a dark look and she moved. Harry took the now vacant seat and stared at Riddle. He already had so much power over the other Slytherin's.
"And a Prefect I see?" Harry inclined his head toward the badge gleaming on Riddle's chest.
Riddle's mouth did that funny twitch again before he replied, "Naturally. I'm the best in my year."
"My friend's a Prefect, too," Harry said.
"Who?" Riddle asked.
"She's a new student, as well," Harry replied, "Her name's Hermione. She's in Gryffindor."
"Oh," Riddle said with a distinct air of dislike, "I'd be careful if I were you, Evans."
"Why is that?" Harry asked, the first edge of apprehension creeping into his stomach at Riddle's tone.
"Slytherin's stick to Slytherin's," Riddle said, "That's the way it's always been. And you're obviously pure-blood or else the hat wouldn't have placed you here."
"I'm a half-blood actually," Harry replied flatly.
Riddle's dark eyes looked as though they had taken on a red tint and Harry could see the first beginnings of Voldemort in that one look. Harry remembered something Dumbledore had told him, that Riddle liked to think himself special. Riddle had been the only half-blood sorted into Slytherin for centuries and now here came Harry, who was also half-blood. Maybe Harry should have withheld that bit of info.
"What about you," Harry asked.
"I've got good blood in my veins," Riddle said, sitting back in his chair.
Harry had to say that it was a very eloquent answer. It neither confirmed nor denied his muggle blood. And it sure would have made the other Slytherin's think that his blood was pure. Pure blood was good blood in their eyes. Riddle was a smart one indeed. Harry faked a huge yawn and rubbed his eyes from under his glasses.
"Where's our dormitory?" Harry asked.
"First door on the left," Riddle waved in the direction of a stairwell.
Harry stood up and nodded at Riddle, "It was nice to meet you."
Riddle didn't answer, but made a noncommittal head nod in Harry's general direction. Harry turned on his heel and walked toward the stairwell that led even further down. He could feel Riddle's eyes on him as he went. This was going to be interesting.