So this is it, the first time Harry meet's Tom. I quite like the encounter, as as you will see from the next chapter, I do want to draw a distinction from the Tom Riddle of the diary and Voldemort who is currently a spirit. Whilst Tom and Harry will consider themselves near equals, Harry and Voldemort will not,
Anyway, I completed the eleventh chapter just now, so here is chapter 9, enjoy and review, I love it when you do!
Chapter 9
Late that night, Harry was to be found in his dorm room, heavy wards on his bed prevented any sound or light escaping. In his hands was the mysterious diary he had acquired from Ginny Weasely, it was an innocuous little thing, plain black, rather scuffed from regular use, and Harry would probably have thought nothing of it, if it weren't for the dark magic he could feel oozing out of every page.
It was addictive, the feel of the book, throughout the day Harry had found himself stroking the spine, just to get a stronger connection to the power it contained.
He opened the book to the first page, and to his disappointment found it blank, he flicked through the first few pages, then through the whole book, to his frustration the entire book was empty.
He sighed to himself, and put it face down on his lap. It was like that that he noticed something new, a name, in faded gold lettering. Tom M. Riddle, Harry knew the name.
Tom Riddle had received a special award for services to the school, his shield was right next to Harry's own in the trophy room, Tom had been head boy of Hogwarts fifty years ago and then vanished, why would such a wizards diary have ended up in Ginny Weaselys care? Harry sighed and drew his wand.
Finite Incantatem! Nothing happened, but Harry was not put out, apparecium! Again nothing,they were after all, the simplest of detection spells, Magicum Revealio! This time a bright spectrum of colour danced across the book, before it was all sucked into the diary, leaving just black and dark grey left. That at least confirmed what Harry already knew, the book was dark, very dark.
He put down his wand and picked up a quill. He inked the tip and opened the book to its first page. He paused, considering what to write and then decided,
Tom Riddle
Head Boy of Hogwarts – 1945
Special award for services to the school – 1943
Slytherin House – 1938 – 1945
The ink lingered on the page as Harry mused over what to write next, and as Harry leant down to continue his thoughts, the words he had written were sucked into the page, Harry watched fascinated as the ink vanished before his eyes.
Suddenly, just as fast as it had vanished new words appeared in the book, words that Harry had never written, in Handwriting Harry had never seen before.
Why do you write my name? Harry was shocked, but he eagerly dipped his quill back into his ink,
I am interested in you. (H)
You are not Ginny Weasely I assume? (T)
I am not. (H)
Then you have me at a disadvantage. Who are you? (T)
I am a Slytherin. I wish to learn about this diary. (H)
This diary contains many secrets. (T)
Obviously. (H)
I grow tired of these games, if you truly have the best interests of Slytherin at heart, you must return me to the Weasely. (T)
I imagine that the whims and fancies of an eleven year old girl are hardly the most stimulating conversation for you? (H)
No, but she is necessary, she is the arm with which I strike. (T)
Harry paused and looked down at the page, it wasn't possible this book was the heir of Slytherin!
You are the heir of Slytherin? (H)
How perceptive (T)
I was given to believe the dark lord was the heir of Slytherin, are you he? (H)
I must get back to Ginny Weasely. (T)
Fuck. Harry thought, this was not good, he possessed a vessel that contained Lord Voldemort's consciousness. Harry's mind raced, if he gave this book to Dumbledore, he would be praised and almost guaranteed protection from the Headmaster, on the other hand, if he gave the book to Ginny, she could finish the heirs work, Voldemort would return, and he would be rewarded.
Voldemort or Dumbledore? Harry's mind wanted to say the dark lord, he certainly agreed with he-who-must-not-be-named on many issues, whilst Dumbledore came across as Naïve and manipulative.
Dark or Light?
Harry could give the book to Ginny, it was unlikely the book would reveal its secrets, besides it appeared to have a plan. Giving Ginny the book would get him into no trouble really, Dumbledore wouldn't find out, and it would gain favour with he-who-must-not-be-named, Win-Win… or so Harry hoped.
I will give Ginny the Diary. He wrote, hand shaking slightly.
Good, I will not forget this. Who are you? (T)
Harry Potter. (H)
You will not regret this. (T)
Harry looked down at the book, he certainly hoped that he wouldn't.
Harry had given the book to Ginny the next day, the way she had snatched it from him, and the feral look in her eyes gave Harry an idea of the level of control the book had over her. Harry covertly cast a very powerful tracking charm on her, and another on the book. The spring term passed quickly, to Harry' surprise there hadn't been an attack for several weeks.
It wasn't until the eighth of May that anything interesting happened, Harry was sitting in the Quidditch stands, excitedly awaiting the Hufflepuff – Ravenclaw match that would decide who Slytherins competitor in the final would be. He was surrounded by his team, who he had instructed to watch the game carefully.
"THIS MATCH HAS BEEN CANCELLED, ALL STUDENTS WILL RETURN TO THEIR DORMITORIES, IMMEDIATELY PLEASE." Came the magnified voice of Professor McGonagall. Harry raised his eyebrow, an announcement such as this could only mean another attack, and he wondered who it was.
He quickly discovered the identity of the victims, Penelope Clearwater, a rather pretty Ravenclaw in the year above, and Longbottoms friend Granger. Harry's tracking charm on Ginny had shown that she was somewhere under the school, maybe in the dungeons? Harry mused that they were large enough to vanish in if the hidden chamber entrance was there.
Following the announcement of this double attack, Dumbledore was removed as Headmaster and Hagrid was arrested, Harry wasn't sure if this was he-who-must-not-be-named's aim, but it was certainly beneficial. Harry had begun to believe Dumbledore may be watching him. At meal times he had frequently caught Dumbledore staring at him, and he also seemed to have a shadow in some portraits. It had prevented Harry practicing any dark magic, which only added to Harry's bad mood.
The following weeks went by remarkable slowly, the entire school was on edge, and there was a strong feeling of depression hanging around. On several occasions Harry had stumbled across groups of students openly weeping in the hallways, there was also a strong distrust of Slytherins evident. Younger students would be escorted around the halls by prefects or seventh years, whilst no one was willing to sit next to a Slytherin in class anymore.
Harry ignored most of this. He had taken to stalking the Weasely girl, she was looking worse every day, and Harry could feel the strength of the diary growing, a dark, malevolent feeling surrounded the red head's bag.
On Saturday, Harry was sitting in the library with his eyes only half focused on the book in front of him. He had his OWL's coming up and knew he should be revising, but this seemed to be a far more interesting project.
In front of him was Ginny, around three tables away. She looked exhausted, and her hair had lost much of its red lustre. Harry looked up just in time to see the girls eyes flash red, before she stood up and began to walk mechanically towards the door. Harry smirked, this could be his ticket into the chamber.
He stood and surreptitiously cast a disillusionment charm and silencing charm on himself. Before quickly walked into the hall and following the redhead.
Harry was behind her down to the second floor, then watched curiously as she began to paint words on the wall outside Moaning Myrtles bathroom.
Her Skeleton will lie in the chamber forever.
Well that's only a bit sinister. Harry thought to himself, but he said nothing, merely following the red head into the bathroom. What did shock Harry however was when she spoke what Harry could only assume was Parseltongue, hisses and spits came from her mouth, and to his amazement, the sink she spoke to opened up.
A wide hole, easily four feet wide appeared from the sink. Harry smirked as slid in, Harry gave her a few seconds head start then followed behind, slowing his descent with a feather weight charm. When he arrived at the bottom of the long, dark pipe, he discovered himself to be at the end of a wide, high corridor, it was rounded and filled with skeleton bones and slime.
Harry listened intently, but from the sounds of things Ginny was already a good few hundred feet ahead of him. Harry hurried to catch up, reapplying the silencing charm to his feet. He followed the girl for what felt like half a mile, from the way the amount of moisture increased he guessed he must be somewhere under the lake.
Eventually they reached the end of the passage. A large dark door blocked any entrance, it was pure black with six silver serpents like spokes around the centre. Harry couldn't see a doorknob, but when Ginny spoke again in Parseltongue the serpents slid inwards, and the door swung open on silent hinges.
Harry followed behind Ginny, the chamber was stunning Harry thought, around one hundred feet long, and easily twice that high, it was elegantly carved from a dark grey stone, flanking a central walkway were a dozen beautifully carved serpents, each over 15 feet high.
At the far end of the chamber was an enormous statue, as high as the chamber itself, it depicted a young man, his beard was well trimmed and his hear reached his shoulders, he wore outdated but well-fitting robes. Harry knew this must be Salazar Slytherin, and Harry knew he must have been in the chamber of secrets.
He was startled out of his reverie at the image of the founder of his house when he saw Ginny standing at the feet of the statue. She held out her hand, and with a flick of her wand sliced open her palm. Harry watched fascinated as the flow of blood poured onto Riddle's diary at her feet. The book glowed white, absorbing the red liquid hungrily.
After only a few seconds of this, the Gryffindor first year lay down, crossing her hands on her chest, and closed her eyes, as if to sleep. Harry watched intrigued as a figure began to slowly materialise at her feet.
The figure was tall, at least two inches higher than Harry, and unmistakably male. He appeared first as a hazy outline, and Harry watched transfixed as the figure gradually gained definition and an outline.
After 30 minutes of not moving, the figure rose from its kneeling position. Harry was write, it was male, around six feet tall, with pale skin and soft black hair. He was dressed in black robes decorated with the Slytherin crest and held in its hand Ginny's wand.
The man, Riddle Harry guessed, turned to the direction in which he stood and quirked his eyebrow.
"And have you found the chamber satisfactory?" he asked, his voice was smooth, refined and hinted at a dark cruelty. Harry inhaled quickly, before dropping his concealment charms and striding confidently forward.
As he got closer to Riddle he began to notice his features further. High cheekbones and full lips, his face was well proportioned and Harry would have described him as handsome if it weren't for his eyes. They were the same eyes that Harry had first seen in Miranda, then later in himself.
They were the eyes of a man who had seen pain, and learnt to harm others. They were the eyes of someone who would kill without question, and hunt his enemies without remorse. Unlike Miranda's eyes however, they showed no loneliness behind their ice cold exterior.
"I presume you to be Tom M. Riddle?" Harry asked, his voice matching Riddle's.
"I am indeed, and may I guess you to be Mr Harry Potter? Son of the traitor?" Harry gave a smooth half bow
"At your service." Riddle's lips twitched,
"I must confess, I asked Ginny about you after our brief talk, from what she described I did not expect to see you down here." Harry smirked coldly
"I did warn you against the conversation of an eleven year old girl."
"Indeed. But tell me Potter, what did you expect to find down here?" He cocked his head as he looked at Harry, Why had he come down here? He asked himself, it was completely out of character for him, there was no significant gain to be found, it wasn't like last year where the reward was immortality and wealth, this year the prize was… nothing.
"I don't know." He replied honestly. Riddle looked at him surprised.
"You don't know?" he asked, lips stretching into a cruel imitation of a smile, "You don't know?" The boy began to laugh, and Harry felt his smirk broaden into something more resembling a smile. Riddle laughed for a long time, the noise was high and cold,
"You do surprise me Potter," Riddle eventually said, Harry nodded his head as though accepting a compliment.
"I suppose it was the diary." Harry eventually said, and Riddle nodded,
"A rather brilliant piece of magic if I do say so myself. The diary is the culmination of over a year's hard work." Riddle looked down at the diary clutched in Ginny's hands. "To freeze my own consciousness in paper, to create an immortal vessel from which my sixteen year old self could reside, could create flesh given time and effort. Rather brilliant." Harry nodded in agreement, though he still kept his eyes on the boy in front of him.
Riddle suddenly stopped looking at the diary, his face again peering at Harry in that creepy, intrigued way, "you helped me before, Harry Potter."
"I did."
"And thanks to your assistance, I will find once more gain a body." Harry didn't let any emotion be show on his face, clamping his Occlumency shields down as hard as he could.
"I must say Potter, we are awfully alike." Came Riddles voice, Harry quirked an eyebrow,
"Both Orphans, or at least raised in Orphanages" Riddle began,
"Both Slytherins" Harry continued, Riddle smirked,
"Both practitioners of dark magic's." Harry raised his eyebrows, "Oh yes Harry, I feel the darkness in you" Riddle said, eye's firmly glued to Harry's face.
"Both with special awards for Services to the school." Harry continued, Riddle bowed his head graciously,
"Both finding a home in Hogwarts which we had not experienced before."
"Both Prefects."
"Both disliking Muggles."
"Both intrigued by Power and immortality."
"Both from poor backgrounds."
"Both highly skilled in offensive magic's"
"Both with a significant dislike of Dumbledore" Harry shrugged his shoulders with a smirk at Riddle's final comment,
"Hell, Riddle, we both look the same, you've aged impeccably in fifty years." Harry said with a wry smirk, Riddle laughed coldly before nodding.
"It is almost eerie is it not?" Riddle said quietly, his voice breathy, he stepped towards Harry,
"quite" Harry whispered, he drew his wand and examined it carelessly in the dim light, Riddle stopped quickly, then threw his head back and laughed, this was not the cold laugh of before, but instead a full rich sound,
"Yew and Phoenix tail feather?" Harry nodded and Riddle wiped away a tear, "We are alike Potter, near perfect copies."
"We could achieve much together." Riddle said, caressing the words as he said them. Harry felt his chest freeze, he knew where this was going, and he didn't know what his answer would be.
"I imagine so." He said carefully. Riddle looked at him, sizing him up.
"Join me Potter, join my army, you are strong, and you have a brilliant mind." Harry released his breath, and something in his face must have displayed his interest for Riddle pressed on,
"Think of what he could achieve, the World would lie at our feet, we could cleanse the stain of corruption, treachery and Muggles from Wizarding Society, we would subjugate out foes, you desire magical power and immortality? Together we could learn secrets of magic previously unheard of!" Harry's chest felt light, his breath came rapidly and he clenched his lips.
"Join me Potter, wealth, power, an army behind you." He paused, a smirk tugging at his lips, "The world would kneel at your feet, if you would but kneel at mine." Harry's looked up at the ceiling of the cavernous chamber, his heart was beating a mile a minute and his brain was in overdrive.
Light or Dark?
Through the stone he already had wealth and immortality, but he knew in his heart that Riddle… no, that Voldemort, had the drive, the ambition and the power to force his goals through, he briefly considered Miranda, what she would want, but then remembered that she had already told him.
Her first loyalty lay to herself, and then to her father. She would follow Voldemort when the time came.
Power, fear, respect.
His eyes slowly fell to Voldemort again, Riddle's eyes were on him speculatively, his posture filled with righteous strength. Harry, for the first time in over three years completely lowered his Occlumency shields, he saw Riddles face fleetingly show surprise.
Taking a final deep breath, he allowed his legs to slowly bend, knee's making hard contact with the stone at his feet, he allowed his head to elegantly fall forward. Above him he heard Riddle take in an excited breath. The words deal with the devil briefly flashed across his mind.
He glanced up after a long moment of silence, Riddle was looking at him curiously and his countenance appeared genuinely surprised.
"From all I knew of you Harry Potter, I did not think you would kneel, perhaps we are not as alike as I would had thought, no matter… rise Harry Potter, rise and accept your destiny." Harry stood, his entire body thrummed with anticipation.
"I will have a corporeal body in less than an hour, when Ginny is dead, then I am become whole. Then I am become death." Harry resisted rolling his eyes at the flamboyant language, "Upon regaining my full body, I will leave the school via one of the tunnels which leads out." Harry nodded, and Riddle paused.
"You will remain in school, it would be useful for me to know exactly what is going on." Harry nodded again, Riddle opened his mouth to continue speaking, but paused, they both heard the sound of hurried footsteps coming down the passage. Riddle sneered,
"Well, it would appear Longbottom, our intrepid hero approaches, hide Harry, I would not have you revealed yet." Harry quickly replaced the charms that had him covered previously and silently glided over to lean against the wall of the chamber.
Less than two minutes later the sound of the massive chamber door opening resonated around the cavernous room. Longbottom strode in, he was alone, and covered in slime and mud. He looked around the room in horrified awe before spotting the prone form lying at the vast statues feet.
"Ginny!" he cried, rushing forward, his feet splashed loudly against the wet tiles.
"Ginny, wake up! Please wake up!" he cried, his voice sounded strangled, he reached the red headed girl and collapsed to his knees next to her.
"Please don't be dead! Please wake up Gin!" Harry smirked as he saw the phantom Riddle materialise behind Longbottom.
"She won't wake." He said softly, and Neville jumped, he quickly turned and drew his wand.
"Tom?" he asked with an incredulous expression, Harry raised his eyebrows, he had not expected Neville to know Riddle!
"Hello again Neville." The spirit said, its voice appearing polite but filled with scorn and derision for those who knew what to listen for.
"What do you mean she won't wake Tom?" Neville asked, then his face paled "She's not…"
"She's not dead, but she will be soon." Neville looked startled.
"Then help me get her to the infirmary, there's a basilisk here, it could turn up at any minute!" Harry blinked, a basilisk? That explained a lot.
He looked around cautiously, whilst Riddle would probably not order the beast to attack Harry, a beast like a Basilisk could kill him by accident! He drew his wand, looking around cautiously.
"It will not come until it is called." Riddle said with a smirk, Longbottom appeared to have finally realised the danger he was in. Riddle twirled Weaselys wand mockingly between his fingers.
"It wasn't… Tom, you... you?" Longbottom asked, his voice shaking in fear.
"Me." Harry almost laughed at the petrified expression on Neville's face. The chubby boy-saviour raised his wand fearfully. Riddle chuckled ominously.
"Expelliarmus!" shouted Neville, the blue spell left his wand and sailed towards Riddle, who deflected it into the wall without even blinking. He flicked his wand at Neville and the boy sailed ten feet backwards before landing in a deep puddle of water. He floundered for a moment before rising to a standstill, sopping wet.
"You won't get away with this Riddle!" Neville cried, though he made no further moves to attack Tom.
"And who will stop me? You Neville? The boy who defeated the most powerful dark lord in a thousand years?" Riddle chuckled darkly again, "How did you do that Neville? How did a baby defeat such a powerful figure as a Dark Lord?"
"Why do you care? Voldemort was after your time." Neville asked, his curiosity plain on his face.
"Voldemort is my time, he is my past, present and future." Riddle then proceeded to spell out his name in fire in the air. Harry was interested, must be a modified flagrate spell he thought to himself, filing the information away.
"You… Tom, you are Voldemort?" Neville asked, horrified, he then stood slightly straighter, "I am not afraid of you, Dumbledore can still defeat you!" Riddle suddenly looked furious, his handsome features distorted in rage.
"Dumbledore was driven from this school by the mere Memory of me!" he shouted angrily, snapping his wand again at Neville and sending him once more into the puddle.
Neville rose on shaky legs, but suddenly the chamber was filled with haunting song, and a beautiful gold and crimson bird soared down the length of the chamber. The Phoenix Lament Harry thought, He felt a sharp pain in his chest at the sound. As a practitioner of dark magic, his soul was too corrupted to be uplifted by the pure noise of such a light creature.
The phoenix, which had circled the room above their heads suddenly landed on Neville's sodden shoulder, dropping what appeared to be a sack of cloth into Neville's hands.
"Fawkes?" Neville asked, Riddle appeared concerned about the sudden addition to the group,
"What's that it gave you? What is it?!" Neville looked down at the package in his hands, holding it up he revealed it to be the sorting hat. Riddle laughed but Harry frowned, Fawkes was Dumbledore's phoenix, which meant that Dumbledore had sent Neville the sorting hat, Dumbledore, whilst old and altogether too forgiving, was undoubtedly wise and extremely powerful.
"So this is what Dumbledore sends his great protector?" Riddle laughed, "A songbird and an old hat?" he cackled loudly. Before catching himself,
"Ah well, shall we match the might of Lord Voldemort, heir to Salazar Slytherin against that of Dumbledore?" Neville looked confused, but held his wand at the ready. Riddle turned to the statue and spoke in Parseltongue, his voice harsh spits and hisses.
Harry didn't understand what was said, but suddenly a large… something, could be heard slithering behind the tunnel. Harry suddenly realised what was coming, and shut his eyes tight.
"Run Longbottom, flee before the beast of Slytherin, fly from the king of Serpents!" Riddle cried and Harry heard Neville's feet pounding on the wet stone, he opened his eyes minutely and saw the Basilisk.
It was sixty feet long, seven feet high and its mouth was large enough to fit a man in whole, it was sliding after Neville as he ran down a side passage, after a few minutes, there was silence and Harry carefully made his way back to Riddle's side.
"I would be careful Tom, Dumbledore would not have sent the hat to Longbottom if it weren't of some use." Riddle looked at him, but nodded slowly. His eyes briefly looked around the chamber for the hat, but it had vanished along with the phoenix.
"You will protect my diary, Potter, as well as Miss Weasely, the process still requires ten minutes or so." Harry nodded and with a wave of his wand summoned the little black book into his hands. It still radiated darkness, but not as powerfully as before. He slid the book into one of his pockets before turning back to his… he frowned, was Riddle his master? His Lord? The young Lord Voldemort had given him no hints on etiquette at this point.
The two teenagers stood in silence side by side awaiting the return, of boy or beast neither could be sure, although Harry privately thought the chances of Neville defeating such a monster were minimal at best.
Around ten minutes after Neville had run off, the boy saviour returned. His eyes were bloodshot and he was terribly out of breath, but he didn't appear to be injured in any way. His eyes widened comically when he saw Harry stood next to Riddle,
"You!" he cried, Harry gave him an elegant wave
"Good Evening Neville."
"You're with him?" He asked, and Riddle chuckled.
"He is with me." Neville looked horrified, but drew his wand carefully aiming at the two Slytherin Boy's.
Harry prepared to raise a shield, when from behind him came a massive shriek. Harry turned to see the Basilisk rising from one of the vast pools of standing water. Quickly closing his eyes he heard Riddle speak to the snake.
"You may open your eyes Harry. It won't look at you." Harry carefully peered at the Basilisk, which was currently doing battle with Fawkes.
The next few minutes passed in a rapid blur of violence, blood, cries and death. The phoenix blinded the Basilisk, before Harry killed the bird… or at least forced it to be reborn with a killing curse. Somehow Neville acquired a sword, although from where Harry didn't know, then to his and Riddle's amazement slew the basilisk by stabbing it through the eye.
Neville pulled the sword from the beast's eye with a vicious yank. He was soaking wet and freezing cold, coated from head to foot in grime, sweat and blood. Holding the sword in his right hand and wand in his left, he approached the two Slytherins in front of him.
They were a terrifying sight, both had identical cold, hard expressions on their faces. Wands held loosely at their sides. Neville wasn't arrogant enough to think he could take either of the two boy's on in a duel, he knew them both to be prodigies with magic, but he would go down fighting, as his parents had.
Riddle started to clap mockingly, whilst Potter grew a smug smirk that set Neville on edge.
"Well done Neville, you have killed the monster, but surely you don't really think you can defeat us?" His voice was high and cold, his eyes alight with vicious amusement. Neville didn't reply, but held his weapons at a more ready position.
"Fight him Harry. But do not kill him, I do not want him dead… just yet." Neville stood rooted to the spot as Potter took three steps forward, before suddenly flicking his wand at Neville.
The Gryffindor felt like he had taken a bludger to the chest, collapsing to his knee's he gasped, sucking in air through gritted teeth. He rose as quickly as he could, just in time to see Potter point his wand at him again.
"Protego!" Neville shouted, his shield flaring as it blocked Harry's invisible spell. Potter smirked, but giving his wand a twist and loop, created a bright jet of orange light that flew at Neville, who wasn't able to shield himself in time.
The spell struck the boy-who-lived in the chest and he felt like a thousand volts of electricity were flowing through him. Every muscle in the boy's body contracted and he cried out in agony. Harry kept the spell up for twenty seconds before releasing it. Neville lay on the ground, tears were streaming down his face and his throat was raw from screaming.
He lay panting, before suddenly he felt all the air in his chest leave his lungs and he choked violently. He saw Potter standing over him, and with a smirk the boy flicked his wand at Neville sending him spinning across the room, back into one of the large puddles.
Neville stood quickly and hurled a disarming hex at Harry, the boy chuckled as he sidestepped the spell. Neville merely snarled.
"Rictumsempera! Desaugeo! Engorgio! Expulso! Expeliarmus!" To Neville's dismay, his stream of jinxes and cursing were all dodged by the fifth year Slytherin. Potter then sent the same electrifying curse at the water Neville was stood in, and he screamed in agony as the blue arcs of lightning flew across his body. When Potter eventually stopped the curse, Neville's entire body was steaming.
"Enough Potter, although I must say, a most entertaining display."
Neville looked up to see Riddle standing before him, but Riddle's outline was no longer wavy and indistinct. He was solid, and very much real. Neville felt like crying again, but held himself back.
"Until we meet again Neville. Obliviate."
When Neville woke up an hour later, he was alone. He saw the dead basilisk, and looked down at his hand, the diary was covered in ink, and impaled on Gryffindor's sword.
He suddenly remembered, he remembered entering the chamber and discovering Tom on his own. The fight with the Basilisk with Fawkes, stabbing the basilisk and killing it, before duelling Riddle. Then stabbing the diary, which destroyed Riddle. He looked around the deserted chamber.
"Ginny!" He cried, hurrying over to the motionless girl, she didn't move. He fell next to her and felt for her pulse. There was nothing. He shook her by the shoulders but she didn't move. "Ginny, wake up! Come on, wake up!" but she didn't. Neville felt tears stream down his cheeks, he put the sword through his belt before picking the girl up, he tried not to think about how cold she was as he carried her out of the chamber, and he tried not to think about the expression on the Weaselys faces when they discovered the fate of their only daughter.
Harry allowed himself a rare smile, he had finished his exams, and tomorrow he would finally be going home, back to Miranda, and back to a life where he was free to live as he wished, without any of the masks he so often used at Hogwarts.
As he left the great hall after breakfast, he passed Longbottom and Weasely. They were both looking extremely dejected, Harry supressed a grin, whilst the events in the chamber were undoubtedly some of the most important in Harry's life, he had made a choice, and not one he could ever easily back out of.
He had left Tom that night. The newly reincarnated boy had returned Harry to the outskirts of Hogwarts, before leaving to gather strength and his old followers. His instructions to Harry were very clear, he was to check in with Riddle at some point of his summer, other than that, simply stay in school and keep an eye on Hogwarts.
With a smug smile on his lips, Harry was about to head down the stairs to the dungeons when he was stopped by a voice behind him.
"Mr Potter?" He turned and smiled charmingly at Professor McGonagall. She smiled kindly back at the transfiguration prodigy.
"Good Morning Professor, may I help you?" he asked politely, McGonagall gave him a sympathetic shake of the head.
"No Harry, but I think it best if you follow me to the Headmasters office." Harry's charming smile instantly vanished, replaced with cautious concern.
"Don't worry Potter, you are not in trouble." Harry felt his concern reduce slightly, and emptied his face of all worries and concerns as he followed the deputy Headmistress.
"Ice Mice." McGonagall spoke clearly to an ugly Gargoyle, which stepped aside immediately, revealing a curving spiral staircase. The two of the stepped forward, and together they stepped into the headmaster's office.
"Professor Dumbledore sir." Harry greeted the old man respectfully. The headmaster bowed his head in kind. Harry thought he looked exhausted, his face was lined and his blue eyes, normally so bright and alive were dimmed and had a look of immense weariness in them.
"Harry I am afraid I must become the bearer of bad news." Harry looked at the elderly man carefully. Making sure to keep his face empty.
"Harry, at eleven o'clock last night, there was an incident at Azkaban." Harry showed no expression, except perhaps for a slight tightening of his eyes.
"Nobody knows exactly what happened, but the end result is, well, Harry my boy, your father has escaped." The fifth year Slytherin felt dizzy, he looked carefully at Professor McGonagall and saw that her lips were pursed so tightly that they had gone white.
"Am I in any danger Professor?" Harry asked neutrally, Dumbledore shook his head ruefully,
"I cannot tell you that Harry, for I do not know the answer, it's possible that your father will come after you, in some attempt to regain that which he has lost, but it is equally possible that he will seek only his fallen master." Harry sighed bitterly, but said nothing, Dumbledore then appeared to age before Harry's eyes,
"However, given the nature of what he would say in his sleep in prison, we fear that Neville Longbottom is the target of your father's wrath at the present time." Harry and Dumbledore stared at each other for several moments, the silence stretching between them.
"Is that all Professor?" Harry finally asked, Dumbledore shook his head slowly,
"No my boy, Professor Snape tells me you have often asked to remain at Hogwarts over the Summer Holidays in past years?" Harry nodded and some of the old life appeared in Dumbledore's eyes. "I think, that due to the delicate situation we find ourselves in, Hogwarts could stretch the rules for you this year, if you want it that is?"
The headmaster looked at Harry almost hopefully, but Harry shook his head, "The offer is kind headmaster, extremely kind, and I would have most certainly taken it up two years ago, but I cannot now, things change." Dumbledore nodded sadly, as though expecting the answer,
"Well, it is always nice to return to our loved ones, it must be difficult to go so long apart from Miss Rookwood?" Harry stiffened at Dumbledore's words, and the aged headmaster raised his hands calmly, "I have not been keeping tabs on you Harry, I merely checked to see where you had your address down for after last night's debacle."
"Thank you headmaster, and you are correct, I have missed Miranda lately, it will be nice to see her again." The Headmaster gave him a wry smile,
"It is our ability to love that set's us so much higher than the others Harry, never forget Love, for it is our greatest weapon against the darkness." With a graceful nod, Harry agreed with Dumbledore.
"Before you go Harry," Dumbledore began, "I feel I would be remiss if I did not ask you if there was anything you felt you should tell me." Harry frowned, looking at Dumbledore carefully, the old man's face was completely open. He was peering at Harry over his half-moon spectacles, looking as sincere as could be.
"I don't understand Professor?" Harry asked slowly, Dumbledore sighed, leaning back in his chair,
"There was a student I once taught who was just like you Harry, Muggle raised in an Orphanage, poor, but brilliant, parentless, but so brave, a school prefect and a model student. However I failed that student, and everything that happened since is my fault to a degree, I would not like to fail you as well my boy."
"Who was this student?" Harry asked, even if he already had strong suspicions of who Dumbledore spoke of.
"Tom, Tom Riddle." Dumbledore said, Harry allowed only amused recollection to show on his face,
"I know that name, his special award for services to the school is just next to mine!" Dumbledore nodded slowly,
"Indeed, that is just another thing that the two of you would have in common." Harry gave the aging headmaster a small smile.
"I thank you for sharing headmaster, however, you needn't worry, there is nothing I feel you need to know." Dumbledore nodded sadly, and with a wave of his hand dismissed Harry.
Just as Harry's hand opened the door, Dumbledore spoke again, "I know it must be so hard for you, and I know you won't let me help you, but I wish I could Harry, I wish I could."
Harry ignored the resigned yet desperate words of the headmaster, and made his way down the stairs.
Writing Dumbledore was hard, It's hard to make a balance between the forgiving grandfather, and the man who will stop at nothing to stop Riddle. Any questions, criticisms or queries, give me a review and I will try to answer them.