Of course, both of them had gone for the holidays, as had most the castle. Harry spent some more time than usual in the solitude of the common room of Ravenclaw, but after loneliness got the best of him, he went out. There still weren't very many students, and nobody who would help appease the loneliness. He hadn't exactly made a lot of friends. He wondered where he should go, the library would be deserted as well, and he had been losing hope about getting the answers there about how to get back.

He had been able to talk a bit more with Jake, mostly just reminiscing, and Jake actually spoke like he had been there with Harry during everything. It was a bit unsettling, but also nice in a way. Even things his friends didn't understand, Jake did and sympathized well, not surprising since apparently he could see and feel everything Harry had gone through. Part of him wondered why Jake would subject himself to hanging around him, but didn't verbally question it.

Currently Harry was wondering aimlessly, trying to think of something to occupy him. His thoughts turned to Christmas, seeing as it was only a few days away now. He hadn't gotten anything for his friends, which made him feel bad. He really hoped that they hadn't gotten him anything too spectacular. Again, he hoped that he didn't get anything from Frederick's parents either.

Really though, just being able to hang out with Myrtle and Jake was enough to cheer him up, and as cheesy as it sounded, it was enough that he had such good friends in such a misplaced time. In the hallway instead of the library, he actually did see Tom heading his way instead of the other cornering Harry. Of course he would run into the only person he didn't want to see while thinking of Christmas. He wasn't surprised Tom stayed either. Still, Harry knew that Tom was walking towards him specifically after catching sight of him.

He was feeling a bit better after talking with Jake, but that didn't mean he wanted to talk with Tom any more than he already had. Yet at the same time he was unwilling to turn his back towards the other. So he frowned as he stopped and waited for Tom to reach him. When Tom pulled out his wand, red alarms went off in Harry's mind, before he casted what Harry recognized to be some privacy spells, including a silencing charm before he dropped the wand back to his side, but didn't pocket it. "You and me are going to talk." The other made it obvious it was a demand. At least this was a hallway not usually traversed. That didn't mean Harry was thrilled about this little encounter.

"I'd rather not." Harry said, but with the others wand still drawn, he was most certainly not turning his back on Tom.

"I doubt that will change. However, you say that like you have a choice." Harry was tempted just to duel the other, but knew that was stupidity at it's finest. Of course he was still sorely tempted, consequences and superb patience thus far be damned. "I know you're not Frederick Anderson, I knew as soon as I saw you after you were discharged from the medical ward."

"And how the fuck do you think that's right? Who else could I be? I'm me."

"Don't insult my intelligence." Tom hissed, seeming displeased once more. Fine, let him be. Harry didn't care if the other thought it a slight against him. Harry just glared. "You are nothing like him. He was pathetic and hardly worth the time to interact with him."

"Who are you to judge that?" He snapped, sick of people thinking that the kid was nothing. Worse, coming from Tom, a personal enemy of Harry's.

"I'm not the only one who thought so. He wouldn't raise a hand in his defense, meek, and would probably rather cower then even think to step up. Not to mention stupid and nothing remarkable about him at all. Plain in every way."

"You're a real asshole, you know that?" Harry really wanted to at least punch the other. If he said another word, perhaps he would. His hand was curled into a fist already, and shaking with the urge to either do so or grab his wand.

"You are very different. You know the material in class, and you've actually succeeded in fighting off all those who oppose you. Something Frederick would never do before. He would never talk back to anybody calling him weak, he accepted it fully, knowing it was what he was. Everything about you is different. Your stance, your demeanor, attitude, I could go on."

"You shouldn't." Not unless the other would like to learn some sixth year spells the hard way. The spell he used on Draco just last school year came to mind, but he tried to push it aside, trying not to think about the fact he considered it.

"Not that it matters, I could care less about who you used to be."

"Then why all this? You seem to care a lot about this. You've been hounding me for this answer for a long while now. Why do you care so much!"

"You misunderstand. I don't care much about Frederick Anderson, I never did. I only care about who you are now."

Of course the other was pursuing this. Tom was obsessive, if anything. "And I keep telling you, I'm the same person!"

"That's not what I recall Jake saying."

Harry could feel the blood pool out of his face, leaving him a bit lightheaded, feeling horror at the statement. Tom looked rather pleased to have rendered him speechless, but Harry didn't care about that. Had Jake really betrayed him? No, he didn't want to believe that, yet he worried it was true. "He… He told you something?" Then he shook his head, no Jake surely wouldn't. Not willingly. "If you hurt him at all-"

"Not at all, he remains unharmed. As amusing as it is to doubt his loyalty, he hardly breathed a word to me. I simply overheard a single conversation between you two."

When? They had held a few incriminating conversations, when Harry thought about it. Which one had Tom heard? Harry felt a bit sick, and hoped the other hadn't heard the name Voldemort, hoped that it wasn't something he hadn't already come up with. "What did you hear?"

"Enough." Tom seemed rather pleased again, and why shouldn't he? He had the upperhand in this conversation. The conniving little viper. "So, I have decided that I want some answers."

"I'm not telling you shit."

"Indeed?" Tom asked, raising an eyebrow, as if doubting Harry's conviction. He kept his mouth shut, glaring to show he wouldn't breathe a word. "I don't understand your hostility towards me. I was actually going to offer up an exchange. I know you wouldn't want nothing in return."

"You have nothing I want."

"Are you sure of that? Not even perhaps the names of Frederick's attackers?"

Harry grit his teeth. "Don't. Don't let him get you. Just walk away." Yet he had not gotten a lead anywhere about who they might have been. He wanted to at least know why they thought tormenting a child in such a way was a good idea. Still, he knew Tom had him. He had been looking for months, desire to punish those who had ended the life of a fourth year in such a horrific way. Tom probably knew that he had him right where he wanted. Master manipulator he was. "You know who did it?"

"Of course. You'll find I know all sorts of little facts."

"From eavesdropping probably." Harry curled his lip in distaste.

Tom didn't even look ashamed, but he didn't confirm or deny it, just moving on, "So, for your convenience, I'm willing to offer a deal. You have to truthfully and fully answer my questions, and in return I'll truthfully give you names."

That didn't seem too bad at face value, but Harry wasn't a complete idiot. Knowledge was power. "How many questions?"

"Six."

"That's too many." Harry shook his head. He knew better, Tom would probably word the questions right so that he got multiple answers for each question in order for it to be fully answered.

"I find if a fair price. Including the one who orchestrated and spearheaded the attack, that's one person for every question."

"Six?" Harry asked, and Tom only gave a nod to confirm this. Harry rubbed his forehead, perhaps out of habit. Six people. He felt sorrow at that. Could he really be vengeful towards six people? He caught the sight of the scar on the inside of his wrist. Taking a deep breath, he dropped his hand and looked at Tom. "Deal." Yes, yes he could.

"Wonderful. For both our sakes, I will draw up a binding contract. Nothing too serious, just to make sure we are both truthful, I'm sure you understand."

Harry felt like he was selling his soul to the devil himself. "Of course." He muttered, feeling a bit hollow. Tom only smiled pleasantly across his deceivingly handsome face. "As clever as the devil, but twice as pretty." Harry thought to himself, sure he had heard that before, and found it fitting when applied to the person before him.

"Expect it sometime after Christmas, before the term starts again. I'll have you look over it, to make sure it's fair, of course." Oh he was going to look over any contract before he signed it when it came from Tom himself. Still, he made no comment as Tom dismantled the privacy charms. "Happy Holidays." The other said, much too cheerily, and the urge to punch him was back.

Only after the other pocketed his wand and Harry watched him leave did Harry himself decide to go back to the dorms. His desire to see people was at an all time low and he wanted to be alone with his thoughts to think over the deal he'd just made. He wondered what Tom was truly after, surely not a bunch of answers from a seeming fourth year. It was a lot of work to put into it, Harry knew that. Apparently Tom had already put work into doing this, having gathered the names. He had probably planned to bring this proposal up to Harry for a time now, and waited until they were relatively alone at Hogwarts during the holidays to pounce. It seemed so well planned, and it pissed Harry off all the more.

Well, at least he was getting something out of it. He would have thought Tom to daggle the information before him and make him bend over backwards for it. So far it didn't seem like that bad of a deal. He wasn't fooled, with such an apparently fair deal, Tom must be getting something extra from it. Harry just wasn't sure exactly what. Not yet anyway.

When Christmas day did come, Harry woke to find a couple gifts at the edge of his bed. It was easy counting them, seeing as there was only two. Reading that they were from Jake and Myrtle made him relax immensely. It seemed Frederick didn't have parents, or at least not any good ones. Harry would have to talk to his head of house to maybe ask the headmaster about where he lived before going home for the summer. Seeing as he'd probably be stuck here for awhile longer. Grabbing the closest one, he felt a bit guilty he hadn't really done anything for them, but mentally noted to save money from next year to buy them something if he was still here for the next Christmas.

Opening the package from Myrtle, he smiled at the set of sugar quills sitting on top, one of his favorite candies. He was actually impressed she'd picked up on that, seeing that he hadn't been able to get any this school year, even with the occasional trips to Hogsmeade. She had also gotten him a defense book. One that was no doubt common with her little funds, but one Harry hadn't seen in his time period. He decided it might be interesting to look through it. Deciding to send her a note to say thanks at the very least, Harry picked up Jake's gift.

It was quite obviously going to be a book, just from the shape and weight of it. Still, it seemed rather thick. Opening the wrapping, he saw it was two books. The first one was a book on latin, something Harry had learned minimal about. The next book was still very thick, and heavy. It was worn down, obviously old and probably valuable. The title was in latin. Ah. Well… That was nice that he'd been given a book on latin then. Yet he knew it would be a pain and take a long time to translate anything, let alone a book this size. Putting them in his trunk, he saw a note fall out. Blinking, Harry picked it up, recognizing Jake's handwriting.

"You were close. This book should help." Excitement filled him, of course! Jake knew his predicament, and he bet that the other had sent this to help him get back. He was more willing to translate it now, if it would help him. The sooner the better. In fact, he determined to start while everybody was still away on holidays. After the holidays were over, he would go to the Room of Requirement to start translating it. He wasn't keen on the idea of others seeing what it was. It felt like something he had to keep a secret.


In a very different part of the castle, Tom was sitting in the empty dorm room, any who stayed still opening their presents in their room. He had not gotten any presents of course, but when had he ever? It hardly concerned him anymore, he hardly even thought of it. Instead his mind was on the interesting dilemma that was Frederick Anderson, or whoever was in his body. Tom had never heard of anything that allowed another wizard or witch to possess another so fully. If Tom believed the conversation he'd overheard, the boy - Harry apparently - had only possessed the body after Frederick died. An interesting concept. One he wished to learn more about.

With Harry's obvious hostility, it seemed that would be difficult. He knew he had to make the contract terms he was going to mail to Gringotts look very fair. Still, he was sure he would get more out of this then Harry himself was. Smirking to himself, he remembered the conversation he'd had after he cornered Jake. It had been irritating in many aspects, but enlightening.


Tom looked over the boy who stood in front of him, who was seeming to stare through Tom to the other side, like he wasn't there at all. It was annoying to say the least, to be apparently ignored despite standing right there. Tom had bigger concerns currently, one to do with the conversation he'd overheard. He wasn't quite sure how to approach the boy, since Jake would know all Tom was capable of, charm seemed out of the question, yet he sort of doubted he'd get very far if he started with a threat.

Giving a light, airy sigh, the boy actually spoke first. "I won't tell you anything against Harry's wishes. Despite how you want him." Tom felt a bit of annoyance at that, but also satisfied to hear the person's name who was in Frederick's body directly, not just with eavesdropping. "I can tell you he likes sweets."

Tom hardly saw the significance in that. "How did he come to be in Frederick's body?" Because that was what Tom really wanted to know.

"He doesn't really know." Jake stated simply, and Tom inferred that since Harry didn't know, Jake didn't either. Wasn't that how it worked? That Jake only knew the past? Tom made a mental note to pick up a book on soul magics. A dark topic and hard to come by from what he gathered, but he needed to know how Jake's ability worked.

He wasn't about to leave without answers though, and considered hurting Jake to get them. If he wouldn't betray Harry willingly, he didn't see many alternatives. Jake gave a heavier sigh, "I won't answer." Tom frowned, wondering if the other could see his thoughts as well. "I know you're more interested in Harry then me anyway." Tom glowered, wondering what the other knew. Tom wasn't an idiot, on the contrary he was above everybody. He felt drawn to Harry in ways he'd never felt before, and it maddened him. Especially since he was in the body of that pathetic student. It had cemented the fact Harry wasn't Frederick, even before he had a name or some proof. Still, he was much too drawn to somebody he had yet to have a full length conversation with. The other just seemed so fascinating somehow.

Jake might know something about that as well. Wasn't the other just full of information? That was rather dangerous. Tom wondered if he could obliviate the other of anything Tom had done or planned. Then again, what was the point? The other apparently only had to look at him to see everything. It was rather a pointless endeavour. Jake smiled, a lost sort of look on his features. "I can sense magic. I knew you were there listening." It took Tom only a moment to realize that the other meant in the library when Tom had eavesdropped. It was unexpected. He wasn't used to people knowing when he was doing so. What was most unexplained was why Jake would say everything he had. Wasn't he loyal to Harry? "I've handed you a wonderful opportunity. Don't see it wasted."

Jake then turned and walked away, seeming unconcerned with Tom still standing there. Jake might be useful to him still then. If he had imparted some information to Tom purposely. He just needed to make sure Harry didn't find out that Jake had done so. It would benefit him if Harry was unaware and stupidly loyal. He might spill more things while Tom just happened to be around.


Yes, things seemed to be going in his favor, though he had many side projects suddenly. To research Jake's ability to find out just how much he knew, and to draw up a binding contract between him and Harry. He already had some questions he wanted to ask. He'd just have to make sure to ask them somewhere more private than the library. He would make sure Harry couldn't lie either. Tom already had the main idea thought up and most of the wording written other than a few key touches, but he was already pleased with how it was coming out.

Smirking to himself, he knew he'd get answers, one way or another.


Note:

Again, sorry for the short chapter. It should pick up in wording after this.

Happy Halloween! Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!

Feels weird writing about Christmas on Halloween.