A/N: -Throws arms up in the air to protect herself- I'm sorry! I know it's been a long time, but I have reasons! I had writers block, have clinical insomnia, and went on vacation in the mountains. That means no computers people. Anyway, I should be updating quicker. -Knocks on wood- This chapter is pretty long, and the next one is already shaping itself. I'd like to address a few things though. I had a reviewer who asked me if Tom was going to go all light and sappy, and I want to make it clear that he will not. Nagini is a portion Dark herself, so Tom's level of Dark is natural to her, while Voldemort's is wrong to her. I also got a few compliments on the way I wrote Nagini's mind, and I want to say thanks, I wasn't sure if you guys would like it. I also laughed at my reviews; they were more about the horror that was my review threat then about the actual story. I'm cool with it though; I re-read the threat and nearly puked. Hey, I gave you guys a treat though. In the first part of this chapter there is a sentence that, if read on its own, is very slashy. Also, if you squint hard you will see femmeslash. Enjoy!

A/N: Revised, blah, blah, blah. Again, I kept the original A/N because it amused me.

Warnings: Slash, femmeslash, Sirius, and HANDCUFFS!

Disclaimer: -Looks around- Me? You think I own Harry Potter? -Falls on floor laughing- Right, you can't sue me, 'cause this me saying I don't own it. I will sue you though, on charges of attempted murder, because I nearly laughed myself to death, like that guy in Mary Poppins. -Winces- Ow.

Harry gazed at Ginny for a split-second, before coming to his senses and dragging Tom out of the room. He wondered how Ginny had recognized Tom, as she had never actually seen him. Come to think of it, bad tidings had been radiating towards Tom from all corners of the room, when only a select few knew what he looked like, or even who he was to become. Dumbledore had probably informed everyone, and in the subsequent hustle, Ginny had been forgotten. He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of Tom's voice.

"Who was that girl? Why was she so terrified?"

Harry looked round at Tom, and wondered if he should tell the truth. Tom looked to be starting fifth year, and the Chamber didn't happen until sixth year, and Tom hadn't made the diary until after that, but Harry didn't want to give him any ideas. He decided that the select truth couldn't hurt.

"Her name is Ginny Weasley."

"And?"

"And what?"

"Why was she scared of me?"

Harry sighed and ran a hand through his hair. What was he supposed to say?

"You possessed her."

Tom, sputtered indignantly, but before he could defend himself, Harry continued.

"In your sixth year, you were- are going to be- er… were responsible for the death of a muggleborn. You framed it on another student, but Dumbledore suspected you, so you didn't try anything else. You did however leave an imprint, a memory, of yourself in an old diary of yours. 50 years later, it fell into the hands of Ginny. It possessed her, and nearly killed her and four other students. So don't be surprised if you have a hoard of angry red-heads trying to use your guts for garters. Actually," Harry paused, enjoying the rather pale state of Tom's face for a moment before continuing, "You'll probably have all the people in that room after your hide, because I'm sorry to say it," with a grin that clearly showed he was nothing of the sort, "that your older counterpart isn't very well liked, being the muggle-killing, prejudiced bastard that you are."

Harry was rather looking forward to the fear that would creep into the not-quite Dark Lord's face at the threat. It felt so good to take some of the frustration and anger of the summer, not to mention the hatred of Voldemort, out on Tom. He was sorely disappointed however, when his little speech did nothing of the sort. In fact, it seemed to do the opposite. Tom drew his wand and advanced in the already minimal space between the two, only stopping when he was nose-to-nose with Harry, and his wand was poking, rather painfully, into Harry's chest.

"And what," he started, voice dangerously quiet, "do you think I should do about it. I haven't done it yet. There is nothing I can do to erase it, because I'm here in the future. Muggles may have been responsible for some of the foulest things that have happened to me, but I don't think there's any need to kill them! So maybe, you blaming me for things I haven't done, and being so horrible to meis what's pushing me to kill, what's pushing me to do terrible things, hmm?"

Tom's impassioned speech startled Harry. Maybe this wasn't the Tom Riddle he had seen in the Chamber. He realized that Tom certainly didn't feel like Voldemort. He didn't have the same presence. When Tom was angry Harry could feel the power that inspired many to fear him as Voldemort, but there was something about Tom that was distinctly different. Something was niggling in the back of Harry's mind, but he couldn't place it. With another sigh, Harry ran his hand through his hair and regarded the boy whose face was inches from his own. He looked so angry, and under the anger, Harry could see that he was horrified. Horrified at the prospect of what he was to become? Harry didn't know. Maybe this wasn't Voldemort. So what pushed him to do such terrible things, and become what he was to become? It probably happened while he was in the future, and more likely then not while he was chained to Harry. Suddenly, a theory struck Harry, and pointing to the parchment that was still clutched in Tom's hand, asked,

"What does that say, exactly?"

HPHPHPHPHP

Ginny had finally calmed down, but she clung tightly to Hermione, and her freckles stood out on her pale face. Hermione had done the most in calming her down. She had wrapped her arms around the terrified girl, and crooned soft words in the red-head's ear. Whatever she had said had been quite effective in calming Ginny down, and it had also caused the younger girl to blush. Only Sirius noticed this though, just as he had noticed Fred and George putting a shot of fire whiskey in Ginny's tea while their mother wasn't looking. Sirius decided to contemplate, (and blackmail the twins with) these actions later, when he didn't have a future Dark Lord on his hands.

Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, eyeing the pale girl wrapped in her best-friend's arms.

"I sincerely apologize for not taking you into account Miss Weasley. I had forgotten, in the heat of the moment, everything you suffered at the hand of Tom Riddle." At her small nod of acknowledgement, he looked around the room, eyes wide and imploring, yet still retaining their twinkle.

"I must ask you all to remember that he is not Lord Voldemort, or even the Tom Riddle that Miss Weasley was coerced by. I am hoping that we can show the terrible things he has done, and the terrible man that he has become, and that when he returns to his own time, if he returns to his own time, he chooses a different path. We will inform him of all the things Lord Voldemort has done, and for it to work, we need to keep from blaming him. It is not his fault. We must not let him see the allure of the Dark side, as it is false, and there will be disastrous consequences if he chooses that path. Alright?"

There were mutinous looks on many of the faces in the room, particularly on those who had lost family to Voldemort. Ginny, however, raised her chin, a determined gleam in her eyes, and said,

"If it will stop people dying Professor, I'll do it."

Hermione mirrored Ginny's expression, and nodded.

"Me too."

Dumbledore looked relieved.

"Thank you. I believe you two will be needed to keep Mr. Potter calm, as he has a deep hatred for Lord Voldemort, and may not be able to see past that."

One by one, the other people in the room said they would try, some more reluctantly then others. Ron, for his part, didn't say anything, just jerked his head in what might have been a nod. Sirius stepped forward, a rather confused look on his face.

"Er, Headmaster, where are Harry and Riddle?

A/N: Review please, and maybe I'll put my insomnia to good use and write another chapter really quickly.