Thank you to everyone who reviewed. =)

"Thank you for lunch, Professor, sir." Tom said as he finished his drink. You had to give it to him. He had excellent table manners when he tried. Right now I was struggling to come up with more than just two rules. Those rules being: 1. No hurting others and 2. No obscene words like Mudblood. That was all I could come up with because that was almost all I have seen him do. Rule three should be to show respect to everyone.

What else is there? I finished my own plate and told Slughorn thanks as well. Rule four, don't leave unless you tell me where you're going. He might do that just to do get away from the rules. The only punishment I could come out with was time out and mouth washing. Rule one should be no killing others. I realise this because he is Voldemort and he is a Slytherin. Torture falls under hurting others. I am going to have to think these rules through clearly and thoroughly because I don't want him finding a loop hole.

So far my rules look like this: Rule 1, Do not kill or attempt to kill others, may they be Halfbloods, Mudbloods, Muggles, Squibs, or half breeds. Rule 2, Do not hurt others may they be Halfbloods, Mudbloods, Muggles, Squibs, or half breeds. Rule 3, No obscene words like Mudblood... basically don't be speciest? Rule 4, you will show actual respect for everyone may they be Halfbloods, Mudbloods, Muggles, Squibs, or half breeds. Finally rule 5, don't leave the grounds without telling me where you are honestly going. For now that should cover everything. I think obedience should be expected, having a rule for it would just be weird. Rule 6, don't use manipulation to get your way. I don't want that actually. It implies I don't trust him and I don't but I have to give him a chance.

"Excuse me Professor, sir."

"No problem at all m'boy." I looked up and saw Tom get down. I looked at Slughorn.

"I must also pardon myself from the table." I stood and followed Tom. "I will help you with the dishes in a minute Professor." I picked up Tom to take him to his room so we could talk privately. He struggled at first, even going so far to sting my hands, before just relaxing. When I sat him on his bed he looked straight at me.

"What do you want Potter?"

"Remember I said that when lunch was over I would tell you which rules you have and what happens if you disobey?" He raised a brow.

"You were being serious? How ludicrous, Potter, that you expect me to obey rules set forth by Dumbledore's Golden Boy." Dumbledore's Golden Boy? Is that what he calls me to his Death Eaters? I shook my head to clear it.

"Yes, I do expect you to because otherwise I put you in time out." See how far that'll get me until I need to come up with something else. He laughed his high cold laugh but I kind of found it funny because it sort of a mini version of itself. Had he been older a shiver might have ran down my spine because I knew he used torture like the Cruciatus after that laugh. "Your rules I have already decided on and I believe they cover everything, or at least the things that you do that are evil. Before you say anything, no, I don't want to hear your philosophy. Are you ready to hear them?" He got comfortable on the bed and stared at me. Legilimens. I looked away quickly. Maybe I need one on it. I can't be afraid that every time our eyes meet that he's reading my mind.

"If you are going to speak then do so but stop wasting my time Potter."

"Rule 1, Do not kill or attempt to kill others, may they be Halfbloods, Mudbloods, Muggles, Squibs, or half breeds. Rule 2, Do not hurt others, may they be Halfbloods, Mudbloods, Muggles, Squibs, or half breeds. Rule 3, No obscene words like Mudblood. Rule 4, you will show actual respect for everyone may they be Halfbloods, Mudbloods, Muggles, Squibs, or half breeds. Finally rule 5, don't leave the grounds without telling me where you are honestly going." When I finished I looked at him. He was smirking! "Something funny Tom?"

"You said Mudblood. I never expected you of all people to say it. Is that what you call them or are you too soft hearted?" Well honestly he would have made me say the word just to mock me. So instead of going the round about way of it I just came out with it.

"What did I just say about respect!"

"It sounds like they have been telling you only the bad parts about me, is that all you see in me?" He asked in a mocking manner. I stopped short of denying that was true. His question was what stopped me. He was asking me if I only see evil in him. I sighed before picking him up into a hug. I shook my head. He was furious about the hug but I just held tighter so I didn't drop him.

"I don't see just evil in you. There is good and bad inside everyone. Fudge was power hungry, Crouch Senior was greedy, and even Dumbledore said he wouldn't take the Minister office because he knew his weakness too. The difference is that they wanted to be good people and they might have had people to help them across the way. No one seems to have actually been there for you and I want to change it by being there myself. Is that okay with you?"

"Don't touch me." He shoved at me. I put him down. I knew he didn't care yet but hopefully I could teach him. I wanted to show him the love he's never had before. I know how his father left him, how his mother didn't even care to live to raise her son, how the other orphans probably called him a freak until he took over. By the time he had reached Hogwarts age he had already been taught that power was what got you through life, not love.

"I'm serious about the rules and I am serious about the punishment. I will rinse your mouth with soap if you break rule three and I will put you in time out if you break any of the rules. Let's see where we go from there. Okay?"

"If you wish you can try." Don't worry, I will. With that I gave him a kiss on the cheek very quickly and left the room to let him think about his new rules and I was thinking about other places we could live instead of here. Slughorn is a bad example for Tom to follow, even if they do kind of adore each other.