Forgotten Childhood: Chap 7

Disclaimer: Do I look like a millionaire? Didn't thinks so. So don't sue me plz.

A/N please read the note at the end of this.

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Tom tapped his fingers irritably as he glanced at the party assembled around him. On his left was Harry Potter, the brat who wouldn't die, and on his right were the three vampires. The red head had proved to be, ah, unusual. Tom was currently entertaining the thought that he was in fact, quite insane.

Raeyn was leaned slightly over the table and had begun a game of poking Harry Potter with his index finger repeatedly. Though this seemed to amuse him greatly, the boy seemed to be on the verge of a breakdown. His eyes were slowly getting wider and wider as he kept nervously glancing at Tom as if to ask what the hell was wrong with the mental vampire.

Tom, though slightly amused at first was beginning to get annoyed. He drummed his fingers in a steady and bored pattern as he scowled at the oblivious red head beside him.

"Enough. I've enough of the boys hysterics already, kindly refrain from driving us all insane with that incessant poking." Tom finally snapped.

He glared at the vampire but he didn't miss the relieved look that Potter shot at him. He didn't like the odd way it stirred his stomach. It was disgust he told himself, he did not feel sympathy for the boy. Besides he was only picked as the lesser of the two evils. The devil you knew and all that. Besides it's not like he would eat the boy.

Raeyn turned his large orange eyes toward Riddle. He was about to ask why that would matter to him, of all people, when he caught the unease that danced through his eyes. He cocked his head to the side as if to ponder a great mystery, his eyes slowly lighting with humor. Perhaps there was hope for the angry little snake yet.

"Your awfully boring, you know? Besides I wasn't 'urtin 'im. Was I?" The last question he directed towards Harry, pinning the startled boy with his gaze.

"Errr.... I suppose not, but I'd rather you didn't... Y-your rather creepy." Harry stuttered embarrassedly.

Raeyn's mouth dropped open in protest. Of all the...! He...! Ooohhh, that little brat!

"I am not creepy! Creepy, of all the things...! Creepy is slimy gross things in a swamp. Creepy is muggle politicians. Creepy is Marik and Kiram in bad moods! I am not creepy!" Raeyn shrieked oblivious to the twin glares from the vampires sitting beside him.

"Enough! You should be ashamed Raeyn. You are more than old enough to know how to behave!" Marik snapped at the young vampire.

Raeyn drew back startled and reflexively quieted. Damn, but Marik could be scary when he lost his temper. Not to get him wrong, he loved Marik and Kiram to death, but they were two of the most prissy vampires that he had ever met.

When the shock or being yelled at by his friend had worn off slightly, Raeyn stuck his tongue out at the blond Egyptian and began to pout.

"Oh do stop it Raeyn. Before Marik decides to cut that tongue out." Kiram remarked idly. He smirked when a full fledged glare was turned on him.

"And has that threat ever worker before?" Raeyn replied flippantly.

Kiram snorted. He supposed that one was a bit useless after the third or fourth threat, if it wasn't follow through with that is.

"Would you care to try my patience today and see if I decide to act on it this time Raeyn?" Marik added sulkily.

"Well haven't we got our fangs in a twist today? What's your problem anyway?" Raeyn asked while poking the blond repeatedly in the arm. Round two of his little game.

"I am not in the mood for your insanity tonight Raeyn. Go away." Marik spat out, not quite meeting his friends gaze.

Well now, that was a bit harsh. Raeyn cocked his head to the side, peering intently at the vampire before him as he tried to decipher the cause of Marik's irritability. What was it? He idly tapped his chin.

Could it be that they were working under Voldemort, who was once called by the name Tom Riddle? Perhaps..... but why would..... Ah that was right. Marik did hate wizards didn't he? He had heard rumors..... but that was for another time, a less public pondering place.

Raeyn quickly shook himself out of his reverie and slipped back into the role of insanely happy idiot.

"So what's for dinner then?" He asked with a fanged smile, letting his eyes linger on the boy just long enough to make him uncomfortable. He wouldn't really eat the kid, after all, the innocents had an unpleasant taste to them.

"We will go now to hunt." Marik stated boldly, raising his eyes to Voldemort's as if challenging him to stop them from going as they pleased.

Tom met the challenging gaze but didn't protest. It would give him time to think about what he was going to do with the Potter boy and how to deal with the moody vampires once they returned.

"You rooms will be ready for you when you return. Should you need anything my house elves will see to it." Voldemort replied distractedly, already working on the problem that was Potter.

He really didn't like the thought of changing his plans for a prophecy. It was just so.... cowardly. To be frightened of such a small boy? It seemed preposterous, and yet... there was still the chance... Perhaps he would wait and see, keep the boy here until he was sure of his power. And if he proved unworthy.... he would be returned as the final blow to Dumbledore. But if he was as powerful as the light seemed to think..... he would return to them in a box.

It was settled then, the boy would stay here until he saw fit to return him, one way or another. Besides he seemed to entertain at least one of the vampires, so long as they didn't decide to eat him. Tom scowled at his last thought, he would kill the boy if need be, no one else.

The sound of breaking glass brought Tom out of his thoughts. His eyes quickly sought out the source of the noise, berating himself for being careless. He found it in the green-eyed boy now sprawled on the floor, along with half of his fine china.

"Clumsy aren't we Potter?" Tom drawled in amusement.

He received a glare from the blushing Gryffindor, who was trying, unsuccessfully, to pick himself off of the floor and out of the mess. Harry hissed when he cut his hand on a piece of broken glass. Damn. That's all he needed, another scar.

Tom watched amusedly for a few moments before reaching over and hauling the boy out of the mess he'd created. His eyes caught the shimmer of the ruby red blood that stained his hand. it seemed to mesmerize him for a brief moment before he shook his head and covered the wound with his hand.

Harry jerked back when he felt the warm hand cover his cut. He was amazed when the hand pulled away and his skin was left unmarked. He gazed up at the feared dark lord in curiosity. Why was such an evil man doing such tiny little considerate things, as if he didn't even notice that he was doing them?

Tom scowled when he caught the boy peering up at him and snapped out a hateful reply.

"I don't want your blood staining my carper Potter." Tom

Harry couldn't help but disbelieve the words. The implications sent his mind spinning out of control. Voldemort actually seemed human. Evil, nasty, and cruel, yes, but a human nonetheless. Before he had simply been a figure, a symbol of evil, but now? Now Harry wasn't sure.

Could he really kill a living, breathing, human being?

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A/n sorry I haven't updated in a while and that this is so short. Some things happened that killed my inspiration for anything lately and what is here is halfhearted at best, I know. A friend that I have gone to school with for almost my entire life was killed over Halloween weekend. He was in a wreck with a drunk driver, not all that much older than all of us. The driver was the drivers ed teachers son and was also put in the hospital for serious injuries.

I'll try to make my next update soon and a lot longer. I'm putting this out now so you won't all think that I've disappeared or something. ttfn r&r please!

MoonyPadfoot: Yes, You sent it to the right person, I'd reply by email but it has decided to freak out on me again. The corrected copy you sent me came out in some weird format with a lot of non-English characters so I couldn't post the beta-ed version. If you'll resend it, I'll replace this chap w/ the corrected version. Thanks!

And... O0' A reviewer..... pleaded.... Glomps Blackpanther690 I love you!

And yes to the many of you who caught me.... Marik is based on Marik from Yugioh. I couldn't help it, he's so kawaii! (sp?)

And, has anyone noticed the relationship between Marik's & Kiram's names? ' ttfn!

And I'm not giving out my secrets just yet.... Bye!