Hey, good news, I think I've found out how to respond to reviews:D

Thank you all for the reviews and thanks to DarQuing my lovely Beta.

"Mind-talk"

"Parseltongue"

(--------------)

Harry Potter was walking through the halls of Riddle Manor. During the week he had lived there, and actually being social to the residents, he had learned fairly well where everything was. Right now he was on his way to Tom's office to learn Occlumency of all things. He remembered when Tom had told him of the lessons he was to receive. Tom had said it bluntly out at dinner the day before.

"Harry, come to my office tomorrow. You need to know Occlumency." Not many around the room had been surprised and just ignored the two of them in favour for the food. Harry was a different case.

"Why?" He had retorted.

"You know secrets Dumbledore must not know of." And that had been it. And Harry had obeyed, evidence of that fact was that he was now on his way to the lesson.

Not much had happened during the last week. Or not much had happened, but much had changed. Harry had learned about the infamous Slytherin-mask. In a house full of equals to them, they could let their defences down, giving Harry a chance to get to know the real them. A side that wasn't so bad. Of course, he didn't talk to all of them, but Narcissa and Rodolphus were actually kind of nice. Lucius still thought himself above Harry, but not excessively so. Draco had his own charm when he wasn't throwing insults. And Tom was not the cold, sadistic bastard everyone thought him to be. It confused him to no end, while at the same time it didn't.

Those were generally the only people Harry spent time with, as they were the only ones willing to really talk to him. Well, them and Ginny. Rodolphus mostly out of curiosity and Lucius because he knew the importance of Harry in the war.

Harry was still wary about them, as he had faced them in battle, some several times. But as Harry noticed throughout the week, they had a façade in public and on raids. Outside of that, they were, in fact, nothing but human.

The days he spent there were great, in a way. But the nights were a nightmare even in his wakened state. That was the only time he was really alone with his thoughts, it was also the time when he felt the guilt.

He felt disgusted with himself for enjoying the time he spent at Riddle Manor. He felt disgusted with himself for forgiving Ginny or even getting along with the Death Eaters. He felt disgusted with himself for the way he laughed at Tom's sarcastic remarks. But most of all he felt disgusted with himself for wanting to be one of them. And had it not been for the things they'd done towards him in the past, he was sure he would have been amongst them long ago. But he already felt like a traitor just thinking about, so he didn't say 'yes' to Tom's many offers.

The thought of what Narcissa had said had been there. But she could have lied couldn't she? Weren't they all trying to win him over? Somehow it felt like the truth, though. Did that mean his mother wouldn't be disappointed? Then the question remained, why did his mother switch sides? No matter how much he thought about it, he couldn't figure it out. He needed more information, and maybe she knew more? Of all the times they'd talked, the subject of Lily Evans never came up. So Harry didn't know anymore then what he had found out on his first day there.

Harry kept walking and he tried, he really tried to keep the thoughts away when he was alone. Now his thoughts turned to his lesson when he, for the first time, realised the secrets that Tom couldn't find out if Harry stayed with the Light side. The Prophecy being only one of them. The Order of the Phoenix being another.

A few days ago Harry had wondered if Tom could hear his thoughts, but he couldn't unless Harry directed it his way or just let Tom in to hear them. He could get in to his dreams though, and Harry to Tom's if he tried hard enough. Occlumency couldn't stop the invasion at night either. The connection had almost nothing to do with Occlumency or Legilimency. The opening and closing of the connection was just that, opening and closing, and by following the magic to each other by calling out to the other's mind. That Harry could so easily reach Tom's mind to talk proved him to be a natural on messing with people's minds. Harry didn't really know what to feel about that so he just let it be. But even though knowing that, Harry did not have great hopes of ever learning Occlumency. His lessons with Snape had proved that well enough, thank you.

But there he was, at Tom's office at last. Soon after he knocked on the heavy door he heard the 'come in' inside his mind. He felt Tom's presence there before it slipped out seconds later. As he walked he found Tom sitting behind a large desk. Everything in there was in the same dark décor. Except the walls where not in one solid colour. Instead the walls were covered in books. In all shapes and sizes. Looking at them he thought the were old, and very precious, books all on Dark Arts. Probably even too valuable to be kept in the big library, where Harry actually had spent some time in. Hermione would be proud, he mused to himself.

"Good evening, Harry." Tom said as he had risen to meet him.

"Good evening yourself." As always, all thoughts about guilt gone.

Harry followed the older man through a door in the back of said man's office. The extra-room went in the same way as the last, the walls covered in books. But this room was bigger and empty of furniture on the floor. Except in the far corner of it where a bright glow shimmered on top of something soft. The light spread out around three metres in diameter. Big enough for a large snake to coil up in.

"Is this were Nagini spends here time while not hunting or eavesdropping for you?" Several times during the week he had heard the snake mutter about 'juicy bits to tell Tom'. He and Ginny had talked about it and the girl had told him that Nagini was a real gossip.

"Yes. And she does not eavesdrop on my orders, she does it of her own volition."

"Yeah, right." Harry replied and chuckled about it.

"So, how much do you know about Occlumency?" Tom asked.

"Well, as much as you can know when a man shouts at you to 'clear your mind' before attacking. So, not much really."

"Ah, Severus followed Dumbledore's orders then." Now that caught Harry's attention and at the same time took away the humour in it.

"What do you mean?"

"Severus had orders from Dumbledore to use Legilimency without closing your mind. I told him to go ahead, it would only make it all the more easier for me to reach you. I never figured out why Dumbledore wanted to open your mind. Frequent use of Legilimency opens up the mind unless Occlumency is used to fight it, you see."

"But I thought you said.." He trailed of, wishing Tom wouldn't confirm his suspicions. But he did. Harry wanted to twist the neck of Dumbledore.

"I know what I said, but Legilimency opens up the mind. Our connection is between our magic, which is connected to the mind. Compare it to shovelling snow; it's easier to walk on a road where the snow is gone."

Now, Harry knew Dumbledore knew of the connection and that Tom could possibly reach him through it. That was one of the things Harry doubted the man from the beginning, but to hear he HELPED Tom get in to his mind which led to Sirius' death was way, way different. Sure, Ginny had somewhat helped to and he had forgiven her for it, sort of. But that was different. She did it to give two people she loved a fair advantage in killing each other. But Harry already thought he was nothing more then a pawn in Dumbledore's game to win the war A pawn who could possibly need all the more reason to fight. Could it be that way? Was he merely a pawn in all this? Had all his thoughts been right? Was he only worth..

"Harry?" Tom cut him out of his inner-war.

"I need to go. Sorry, I'll come back tomorrow." And he rushed out, leaving a rather stunned Tom behind him. However, it didn't take long for him to figure out what had gotten the teen running.

(----------------)

Harry ran for all he was worth though the halls, he needed to be alone and distracted. There were two lone places in the whole Manor that Harry knew of, his room and the library. He chose the library. There were more books in the library so he could concentrate better than there were in his room. He had read almost all the books he 'owned' during his short visit at Privet Drive and since he came here. It was the only way he could rid his mind of the thoughts while being alone. That's why the library seemed like a good idea, and it was there he was headed.

Less then 15 minutes later Harry sat in of the more comfortable armchairs reading up on way to tamper with memories. He figured that if he left Riddle Manor while still being on the Light side, Tom would do something with his memories. He couldn't concentrate much though, the scene in Dumbledore's office kept replaying itself to him. Especially on line; "Voldemort had realised he could use you. In an attempt to arm you against Voldemort's assaults on your mind, I arranged Occlumency lessons with Professor Snape."

There was clear evidence Dumbledore knew about the connection, and the visions. And the man must have known Legilimency opened the mind up, he was a master of the art himself. He was also a master manipulator, as Harry had realised. That led him to a question though, which way was the man trying to manipulate him? Harry sighed deeply, it was too much to think about. It all was.

In little over a week his whole life had started to turn upside-down, and Harry had no idea what was in or out at the moment. It was his mother, Ginny, his image of the Death Eaters and Dumbledore.

Eventually, though, he forced himself to concentrate on the book. It was a book on Dark Arts, but it didn't bother him any longer. All the books he had devoured the last few weeks had been about the art. As he turned the page absently once again, he found something that interested him somewhat. It was a Memory Lock-Spell.

..not only locks the information in the victim, it forces them to relive the memory in the front of their minds during the wakened state, and in their dreams during their sleeping state. The spell is considered dark as it is most often used after the victim has witnessed something terrible, to bring as much pain forth as possible in the victim so they cannot speak of the event and seek help. Lovers who have gotten their hearts broken can also use this to remind their loved ones of happier times, as the victim can never forget. The incantation is Jamais Oublier, which literally means Never Forget. As the inventor, the spell is in French. It's history..

The spell caught Harry's attention because of the way it worked. Never Forget. It was perfect for Tom to use when Harry left, still fighting for the Light side. Tom knew how at ease Harry felt at Riddle Manor. A spell which would always remind him the fact and at the same time keep what Harry knew a secret.

Harry sat there another hour before giving in to go to bed, back to his thoughts. It was only around nine, but much had happened, too much. After he found the spell he kept on reading with new-found interest and concentration. Not once had his mind wondered to thoughts about his Headmaster. He set the book aside on the small table beside him with the intention of reading more tomorrow. The library had been empty all night except for Harry, just like he wanted it. No one but Tom and Ginny knew he studied the Dark Arts, also just like he wanted it. Despite the potion that blocked under-age magic Harry hadn't taken advantage of that, yet. Ginny did though, for the first time in her life she had the freedom to cast whatever spell she wanted and no one would so much as lift an eye-brow at her, much less throw her in Azkaban.

After stretching out after sitting in the same position to long he moved towards the door. The funny thing was around that time of the night, no one usually went to the library, still Harry heard voices coming from the door. Curiosity got the better of him as he pressed his ear against the door to listen in, wishing he had an Extendable Ears to hear better. Soon enough though, the voices came nearer and Harry heard Ginny's annoyed, but also slightly amused, voice.

"..loosen up, not even your father acts like a human doll." Then came Malfoy's. Harry pictured in his head the sneer that covered the blonde's face right now.

"I'm not a human doll and I do react as you so well said I didn't."

"Well not when I see, oh wait, I forgot. I'm a girl." Harry knew the girl hadn't forgotten, but was controlling the conversation. That meant Malfoy was soon to flip out by what she would say next. Years of knowing her had taught him that much, he thought.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Oh here goes for nothing..

"Well, It's common knowledge Zabini makes you scream more than Parkinsson does." Jackpot, Harry did know that part about her.

"WHERE THE FUCK DID YOU HEAR THAT?!" And there you had Malfoy's explosion. He would have laughed, but right at that moment one of the two teens opened the door and Harry fell straight through it. How did he forget that the door to the library was on of few doors that opened outwards in the halls?

"The whole school.." Ginny trailed of when she noticed him. A look of shock first decorated her face but soon turned towards amusement before she burst out laughing at him. Harry grinned up at her. Malfoy stood next to Ginny, scowling.

"You really need some lessons in eavesdropping." Ginny said while she helped him up. Harry straightened out his robes (Tom had forbidden him to wear Muggle-clothes in the Manor therefore given him some new robes) and replied in Parseltongue.

"Yeah, maybe I should talk to Nagini."

"You do that, or I'll help.Want to hangout or something?" She said, still smiling.

"Nah, I was just going to bed."

"Okay, G'night Harry." Ginny gave him a hug, which Harry gladly returned. He was starting to feel like she was really his little sister again which was good.

"G'night Ginny. Malfoy." He said when they'd let go of each other. Malfoy only glared at him and urged Ginny inside the library, muttering once again about where she had heard that.

Harry and Malfoy were on somewhat friendly terms, when someone, more often than not Ginny, had not pissed him off. But Harry wasn't bothered by it, it only amused him as it showed clearly how spoiled Malfoy was. A fact which he had not pointed out to the boy's father, he did value his life, a bit anyway. Even though he I did /I live in a house full of the people who had tried to kill him several times.

Great, he mused to himself, you started thinking again..

(----------------)

The little snake lying in Harry Potter's bed was like her mother, part-Basilisk. Even if her mother had a bigger part in her. Nagini was half-Basilisk, while the little snake was one-fourth Basilisk. That was not important though, the little snake still had traits of a Basilisk. Not the deadly eyes, even if she had the same deadly venom as her mother Nagini and her mother before her, Galleri. But she had a name. All Basilisks named their daughters. That name was only given to the Speaker which the Basilisk bound themselves to. By giving the name a bond was made. Nagini had given hers to a man named Tom Riddle. Galleri to a man named Salazar Slytherin. Galleri was a real Basilisk though; they lived for centuries, so their names were also given to the heirs of their master.

A Basilisk took orders from no one, except their master and their master's heirs. Therefore Galleri followed the man named Tom Riddle as well, and the girl named Ginevra Weasley. They were heirs to Salazar Slytherin. Nagini only followed Tom Riddle. The little snake did not have master yet. But she was happy she was left. A Basilisk only kept one of their daughters, the strongest of them. Nagini had chosen the little snake.

But Nagini should have chosen two of her daughters though, as there were two Speakers who didn't have a Basilisk around her. That meant the little snake got to choose whom to bind herself too. She had chosen the boy. She sensed he needed someone to relieve his problems to, just like Tom Riddle had to Nagini and Salazar Slytherin and his heirs had to Galleri. Therefore the little snake chose the boy named Harry Potter.

Many humans underestimated the mind of a Basilisk. Thought of them as animals. But the Basilisks were creatures. There was a big difference. The humans underestimated them because they could not talk to them. But the Speakers can. That was why the Basilisks felt it an honour to serve the Speakers. Not as the House-elves do, but as friends. They kept their master's secrets, they were there to talk to if their master needed them, they do what their master tells them to if it does not jeopardise their own or their master's life, they do what they feel is necessary for their master's survival, and they listen to other humans talk so the humans do not talk behind their master's back.

A Basilisk who is Bound can sense what mood their master is in or smell the emotions their masters felt at great distance. They could do the same with other humans too, but only if said human was close.

Tonight was the day the little snake had planned to give her name to the boy named Harry Potter.

She could sense him coming closer to his room, where she was waiting, coiled up in his bed. It wasn't long now, until the boy would open the door and see her. And she was right, seconds later the door opened and the teenage boy stepped inside. He did not see her at first. So she called to him.

"Hello, Speaker." She said. The boy turned around. She could sense unease from him. She decided to make him feel better, it was after all her job when she was bound. "You have nothing to fear from me, Harry Potter." She spoke again. The boy relaxed a little.

"Who are you? I don't recognise you from here." He asked her. The little snake uncoiled herself and slithered down the bed. She kept on slithering until she reached him. When she did, she climbed up his body. She was only around a metre long so she had to tense her muscles around him. As she did that the boy tensed too, but she said soothing words to him. At last she was on top of his shoulders.

"My name is Ljus." Ljus said. Immediately she felt the little bit of tingle of magic which meant she was bound to Harry Potter. Suddenly she could feel him so much clearer.

"What happened?" The boy asked and Ljus immediately started explaining everything. The boy needed to know that after all.

(---------------------)

"Good morning. I see you slept well considering." Tom asked Harry the second the teen walked in to breakfast. Harry couldn't help but stop wondering if it was that obvious that he, for once, didn't have the inner war with himself.

"Actually, I've only slept a couple of hours." He answered cheerfully, but he still didn't sit down to Tom's right as usual. The seating-arrangements were the same as they had been at that first dinner, with Narcissa on Harry's right.

"How come?" She asked. Ginny had said that Narcissa had orders to keep Harry healthy during his stay, particularly after the way he arrived. But something in the woman's kindness said she would have done without the orders. Harry had a feeling that had to do with his mother. If he felt down or something, it was always either her or Ginny who asked the first if he was all right. Now that he had Ljus though, he figured she would ask as well. Hedwig usually asked too, in her own way. But she was out hunting at that moment but would probably be back within a few hours to rest.

"I haven't slept because I talked to this little beauty." He replied and picked up the little part-Basilisk who had slithered after him in to the room. She was a real beauty. Her scales was pitch-black except for those on her stomach, they were in light yellow almost beige colour. But you couldn't see them if she was on the floor or laying flat on any other surface. Her eyes were green. Not emerald-green like his but almost. That was one thing Ljus had explained, full-blooded Basilisks were dark green with deadly, yellow eyes. However, part-Basilisks were black with different shades of green eyes, non-deadly. And she was small, at least for now, she was only little older than a month and would grow. Harry had a image of the speed which Norbet grew with and the size of Nagini. But, according to Ljus, she wouldn't be as big as her mother.

"So, she chose you then. What's her name?" This came from Tom after Harry had sat down at the table. Ljus had slithered away to search for her mother.

"Ljus. She was in my room when I got back there last night. Uhm, about last night..?"

" I We will take that lesson tonight instead. I think I have an idea what got you upset. /I " Harry just nodded and continued eating. Afterwards he would talk to Ginny or whatever got his mind of last night's Occlumency lesson that never happened.

(--------------)

As planned, Harry and Ginny spent some time together. During the last week Harry had slowly gotten used to knowing all that about Ginny and the way he saw it, he couldn't really blame her. At first it was hard to see past her 'dark side' but in the end he could. She was just as she used to be, she just had a side he didn't know about before. He had thought about the prospect that he might have to fight against her in a war he never really had a choice of participating in, but at the same time he didn't want to fight Ron and Hermione or any others if he went with Tom. So far though, he had over half the summer to decide.

Right now he and Ginny were just lazing around in the sun. The had played one-on-one-Quidditch with a snitch they borrowed from Malfoy before. They were almost not given permission to use it at first as Malfoy still was pissed about last night but Narcissa had said they could. It had not helped Malfoy's temper at all, but at that moment, neither girl nor boy cared. Ginny had also borrowed Malfoy's broom while Harry had his own Firebolt. Also thanks to Narcissa who had packed every last thing of his possession and brought them to the Manor with them. He had to thank her properly later.

"Knut for your thoughts." Ginny interrupted him.

"Nothing important really. What about you?"

"School and the war. If things go back to the way they were.. I'll just.. I'll miss you." She sighed.

"Yeah.. it would be awkward." He replied and copied her sigh. They were silent a few more minutes before Ginny broke it once again.

"Have you given it any thought?"

"Ginny, I think about it everyday, but.. I don't know, can't say."

"Yeah, you're right about that." Silence. "You know, you're almost as secretive as Malfoy."

"Am I?"

"Yeah, he's more though, he doesn't show emotions. Guy can't even smile."

"Is that so?"

"No, even Tom thinks he's too.. like a human doll or something. Doesn't even relax." Harry had to agree with her, Malfoy acted like Daddy Dearest does in public, but all the time. Lucius could at least smile as Ginny put it.

"So, what was up about last night though?"

"Ah, that. I'm trying to get him to loosen up, and I figured the easiest way was to piss him off, so I did." That grin of her showed exactly how proud she was of herself.

"That I understood, but how the hell did you found the other stuff?"

"Oh come on Harry, the whole school knows. Parkinsson brags about sleeping with him and Nott's trying to piss her of by saying Malfoy and Zabini fucks. The other, I just guessed, and I think I was right if his reaction was anything to go by."

"Yeah.. So you think your right about him only reacting to blokes?"

"Nah, I'm not sure. Could be worth to test though." Oh no, Harry did not like that look of hers now.

"No. no no no."

"Ah come on, I didn't mean that way. (Harry let go of a breath he didn't know he had been holding.) I mean, he doesn't like you, he has proved that often enough during the years, but he's still reacting more to you than me. Try to get him to smile, really smile."

"Why do you want him to smile so badly?" Harry asked her.

"Okay, Tom and me made a little bet, he thinks Malfoy won't smile at least before August 1st, but I think it's possible before that. Please! He's forcing Snape to give me the grade I deserve if Malfoy smiles before July 31st." Ginny pleaded with him.

"But doesn't that mean you have to get him to smile?"

"No, you see, Tom said that Malfoy had to smile when someone was there to witness it besides me or Tom, he didn't say who would get him to smile."

"You're serious are you? I mean.."

"Get Draco to smile before July 25th and you both get the grade you deserve. " Tom's voice said inside his head.

"But I though you said… " But Tom cut him of, again.

"One of the advantages, I can eavesdrop." And Harry felt Tom's presence disappear.

"What just happened?" Ginny questioned him and Harry gave her the answer she wanted. It didn't even take a second for her to start rambling different ways to get him to smile. He let her be for about ten minutes before he interrupted her, saying they needed to freshen up and so before heading to lunch.

"Yeah, sounds good. I had fun now you know. Like before this whole thing started."

"Me too." He said and smiled as they walked back inside.

(-------------)

A week ago, finding Little Hangleton sounded easy. Now she knew it wasn't. It was a small village that not many people knew of. And she had to blend in with the shadows, only that made her quest harder then it had to be. But she wouldn't give it up. She had to find Harry James Potter.

It was only a gut feeling that drove her to look for Riddle Manor. She could be wrong and if that was the case she needed as much time as possible to find him as that little gut feeling was all she had to go on for the moment.

No matter how things went though, or how long she searched, she would find Harry. She only prayed it was before would be too late. Too late meant September 1st. Today was July 23rd.

(--------------)

I'm sorry about my really bad attempt at French grin but Jamais Oublier literally means Never Forget so I made it easy for me.

As for Harry's very cute little Basilisk, her name means 'Light' which is pretty ironic and also where I got the name of the chapter from. I had the most fun writing that scene actually so her POV will return.

Like it? Like it not? Review:)

Love you all

-Iiv