A mild concussion later, Balthazar and I make our way down the hallway with Bellatrix in tow. Sev, though he'd never admit it, is slightly terrified of him. Bella is fascinated by him, as she is by everything. She didn't even blink when I told her that Tom threw a snake at my head, and that's why I wasn't at the opening feast or the first day of classes.

She just muttered, "how odd," and then smiled down at him with admiration.

Not exactly down. Balthazar is fairly large and Bella… Bella is not quite the tallest person around. They were almost the same height once he coiled around my waist to greet her.

He's a funny little thing. He has all the sarcasm and bite of Severus on one of his very best worst days, alongside the mothering spirit best found in Mrs. Weasley. I can't help but laugh as I think of future Snape treating me like his own child. I feel sorry for the little thing.

"That boy looks just like you, Harry," Balthazar hisses.

I look up and see my father standing in front of me. He isn't facing me, but I know it's him. I knew that it had to happen eventually. Both of us Potters, and everyone who knew us both said I was nearly a carbon copy of him, except for the eyes. I never thought of how I would handle this. Why don't I plan better? It is literally time travel. I had all the time in the world to make plans and charts but I didn't even eat first. Brilliant, Harry.

I knew that once we reached the year that Lily Evans finally tamed James Potter I would want to see them together. Once that happened and they are the way I remember wanting to remember them, the glances across the table at mealtimes wouldn't be enough.

"He's...he's a relative. Distant cousin," I stutter.

Before now I didn't know that it was possible to stutter in Parseltongue. Balthazar lifts his head from my shoulder, which I shake gratefully, It was starting to fall asleep. He looks at me and I look back at him. He doesn't believe it either.

"Do you like Tom Riddle, Balthazar?" I ask.

"He's a distant cousin," I whisper to Bellatrix as we walk past him. I don't think he noticed us, he was much too busy playing with a Snitch, but she noticed him.

"He threw me at your head," Balthazar says.

"Then.. you don't?" I say.

If snakes could roll their eyes, he would be right now.

"You are mine and he tried to hurt you. I don't like him," he says.

I don't mention that even for a young snake, Balthazar is quite heavy and that Riddle probably didn't mean to hurt me.

"I am that boy's son," I say.

It's wonderful to have someone to share my secrets with. It's been so long since I could completely confide in someone. Balthazar is practically heaven sent. The only thing that stops me from openly saying that is Tom Riddle sent him to me, and Riddle is no angel.

Balthazar doesn't blink at my story. Well, he can't blink, but he doesn't seem to be shocked at all by my story.

"Why would a person like that bring us together?" he asks after I finish my sordid tale.

"I haven't figured that out yet. But I will," I say.

I gently set him on the floor and allow him to do whatever it is that he does while Bella and I continue on to class.

TOM-

I watch Harry say goodbye to his snake, the beautiful carpet python that I picked out for him. He seems taken with it. He takes it everywhere with him, except for lessons. But he still won't talk to me. The snake wouldn't talk to me either. What could I have possibly done wrong? Perhaps knocking him out with a snake wasn't the wisest choice, but he wouldn't have taken it otherwise. Not from me.

The snake turns it's head in my direction and throws me what is undoubtedly a hateful glare. Even his snake hates me. His closest friends stay around him in a huddle whenever I come neart ever since the incident in which I accidentally almost bludgeoned him with a snake. Bellatrix smiles at me occasionally but they're snarky smiles with a clear message: I'm protecting this one, and I don't mind blood. He told Mrs. Cole last summer that she is "fiercely loyal and an incredibly good friend." Little bint bonds with everyone and everything he can. Everyone but me, that it.

"I don't understand why," I mutter under my breath.

"Understand what?" Lucius asks me.

I forgot he was here. But he's always here, now, isn't he?

"Nothing, Lucius. None of your concern," I say.

I really wish that Harry didn't reduce me to a confused and groveling mess. The apology with the snake didn't go as planned, seeing as the infernal thing apparently refused to pass on the message. Maybe a different kind of snake? No, then he will have an army of angry snakes. I could form one too,but I'm not entirely sure that I could force them to hate Harry. I can't even force myself to hate him.

On the bright side, Harry's obsession with my failed apology seems to have gotten rid of Snape's constant presence, so at least there is the opportunity to talk to Harry without having to make it a large altercation.

Larger than the one where I knocked him out with a snake, anyway.

"I've been meaning to ask," Lucius says cautiously, "Where did Potter get the snake? He didn't have it on the train or at the Opening Feast."

I must shield Lucius from my tremendous failures in order to keep up the charade of flawless leader.

"I have no idea," I lie.

HARRY-

"He really isn't scary, Sev," I say.

Severus finally consented to sit next to me and Balthazar in the common room.

"More witnesses for when it eats me," Sev said.

"He's big and green and incredibly dangerous," Severus says quietly.

"It's more of an olive," I say.

He glares at me.

"Olive is green," he says.

"He'd never hurt you. Would you, Bal?" I say.

"Why would I hurt the one who has helped you so much? It is the slimy one with an empty space where his heart goes that I hate," Balthazar says.

I grimace.

"He says no," I say.

"What else did he say?" Severus asks.

"Now you can talk to my snake better than I can?" I laugh.

"Your face changed," he says, "I know you."

"He hates Tom Riddle," I sigh.

Now they're going to conspire together to get rid of him. Do my job for me.

"Does he? What's his name again?" he asks, suddenly excited.

"Balthazar," I say.

"I like this one," Bal says.

"Of course you do, he doesn't like Tom either," I say.

"You called him Tom," he says.

"I can do that," I say defensively.

I laugh. I could honestly spend my life in a hovel with Bal, Sev, and Bella for the rest of my life and be happy.

"He likes you," I say.

"Bellatrix is my favorite. She tells me stories," Balthazar says.

"I tell you stories," I say defensively.

I tell him about Hermione. Every night I whisper another one to him as I fall asleep. Just yesterday I told him about the time we defeated a troll together. I tell him about Ron and all the Weasleys, about Dumbledore as I knew him. I tell him about Luna and Neville and living on Privet Drive. I never tell him about future Severus Snape because I want him to like Sev. Forgiving isn't as easy for Balthazar as it is for me.

"I think I'll go upstairs," Sev says.

"Why?" I ask.

He rushes off without answering.

I turn around to see what scared him off.

"Demon," Balthazar hisses.

"Honestly, Bal," I say in English while focusing on the approaching Riddle.

"Hello, Harry," he says.

"Riddle," I say, trying to push the barrier back up.

"I expect you didn't relay my message," he says to Bal.

"I would-" Balthazar begins.

"Balthazar!" I say quickly.

I can only handle the one snake, and I don't feel like another concussion.

"Don't start fights, Bal. I won't let you bite him. Let's go upstairs. I'll tell you more about Fred and George," I say desperately and then without waiting for a reply I pick him up and follow Severus' example.

The atmosphere in the common room is suddenly toxic.